Big Island ARRL News, 06 March 2017, 15:55 hrs, UTC, Post #137.
Source:
http://www.arrl.org/news/rsgb-says-regulator-ofcom-is-not-resolving-interference-complaints
Accessed on 06 March 2017, 15:55 hrs, UTC.
Author: ARRL.
Please click link to read the full story.
Comment:
Agencies in the United States and in the UK responsible for monitoring interference and enforcing laws governing the rf emissions from electronic devices are falling far short of their responsibilities.
In the United States, the FCC has cut back the number of personnel available in the field to handle complaints. A similar situation exists in the United Kingdom where the communications regulator Ofcom has seen its field engineering force drop from 100 to 30. The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) says there aren’t enough engineers to enforce the interference laws now in force.
Much of the interference comes from unregulated Part 15 and Part 18 devices used to run anything from small entertainment centers to large “grow light” operations at both illegal and legal marijuana-growing operations. As many broadcast owners can tell you, the amount of industrial noise is also rising, creating loss of coverage for both AM and FM radio stations.
This may be a case of “penny wise and pound foolish”. In the rush to cut operating expenses, government agencies such as the FCC and Ofcom are realizing short term savings by surrendering long-term economic gain. It’s just a matter of time before urban interference negatively affects the internet and e-commerce. When that happens, people will wonder why we didn’t enforce interference limits when we had the chance.
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Russell Roberts (KH6JRM)
Public Information Coordinator
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