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 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  Contact: 
 July  19,  2002  Lisa  Gaisford  at  (202)  418-  7280 
 COMMISSION  REQUIRES  RADAR  DETECTORS  TO  COMPLY  WITH  EMISSION  LIMITS  TO  PREVENT  INTERFERENCE  TO  SATELLITE  SERVICES 


 Washington,  DC  –  The  FCC  has  taken  new  steps  to  protect  satellite  operations  from  interference  caused  by  radar  detectors  by  imposing  new  emission  limit  and  certification  requirements  for  radar 
 detectors. 
 The  FCC’s  actions  taken  will  prevent  interference  to  very  small  aperture  satellite  terminals  (VSATs),  which  operate  with  downlink  frequencies  in  the  11.  7-  12.2  GHz  band.  Specifically,  the 
 Commission  has  modified  Part  15  of  its  rules  to  require  radar  detectors  to  meet  emission  limits  in  the  11.7-  12.  2  GHz  band  and  to  require  that  radar  detectors  obtain  certification  under  the  Commission’s 
 equipment  authorization  procedures.  All  radar  detectors  marketed  within  the  U.  S.  must  comply  with  the  new  rules  within  60  days  after  the  rules  are  published  in  the  Federal  Register.  All  radar  detectors  imported 
 into  and  manufactured  for  sale  within  the  U.  S.  must  comply  with  the  new  rules  within  30  days  of  Federal  Register  publication. 


 Under  Part  15  of  the  FCC  rules  most  devices  that  unintentionally  radiate  radio  frequency  energy,  such  as  computers  and  receivers,  are  required  to  comply  with  radiated  emission  limits  before  they  may  be 
 marketed.  Receivers  that  tune  only  above  960  MHz  have  been  exempt  from  complying  with  the  limits  because  they  have  generally  not  been  a  source  of  interference  to  authorized  radio  services.  Recently, 
 however,  there  have  been  a  number  of  cases  of  harmful  interference  to  VSATs  which  have  been  attributed  to  radar  detectors.  Tests  at  the  Commission’s  Laboratory  have  shown  that  some  radar  detectors  emit 
 radio  signals  in  the  VSAT  downlink  band  far  in  excess  of  the  limits  that  apply  to  other  unintentional  radiators. 


 The  rules  require  operators  of  an  unintentional  radiator  to  cease  operations  in  the  event  it  causes  harmful  interference.  However,  because  radar  detectors  are  mobile,  it  is  impractical  to  resolve 
 interference  problems  on  a  case-  by-  case  basis.  Thus,  the  Commission  concluded  that  it  is  necessary  to  require  all  radar  detectors  to  comply  with  general  emission  limits  to  prevent  interference  to  VSATs. 
 Radar  detectors  will  be  required  to  comply  with  the  same  limit  in  the  11.7-  12.2  GHz  band  that  applies  to  other  unintentional  radiators  under  Part  15  of  the  rules  (i.  e.,  a  field  strength  of  500  µV/  m  measured  at  3 
 meters).  In  addition,  radar  detectors  must  be  certified  by  the  Commission  or  a  designated  Telecommunications  Certification  Body  (TCB)  to  demonstrate  that  they  comply  with  these  requirements. 


 Action  by  the  Commission  July  12,  2002,  by  First  Report  and  Order  (FCC  02-  211).  Chairman  Powell,  Commissioners  Abernathy,  Copps,  and  Martin. 
 -  FCC  - 
 Office  of  Engineering  and  Technology  Staff  Contact:  Hugh  L.  Van  Tuyl  at  (202)  418-  7506.  ET  Docket  01-  278 
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