Blogs

FCC Fixes Error

 When the FCC rolled out its new web site on April 7, it was discovered that a wiring error had crept into the FCC seal.  As an engineer and as a former FCC inspector, Dane Ericksen, Senior Engineer and 25-year veteran with Hammett & Edison, was bothered.  The next day, he sent an e-mail message to Chairman Genachowski, pointing out the error, though he hardly expected anything so trivial to receive prompt attention, if any at all.

Neumann Heads to FCC

I want to acknowledge the many contributions of Mark Neumann, P.E., a 15-year veteran with Hammett & Edison, Inc., who is moving later this month to the FCC Office of Engineering Technology in Washington, D.C.

H.R.607 False Alarm?

Recently there has been concern about legislation introduced by Congressman Peter King of New York: H.R.607, the Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011. That bill targets spectrum between 420-440 MHz and 450-470 MHz for auction within 10 years of the act’s passage. What’s unclear is whether this is only public safety spectrum, or all spectrum. If all spectrum, then the 450-451 MHz, and 455-456 MHz, Part 74 Broadcast Auxiliary Services (BAS) Remote Pickup (RPU) bands are threatened. The pertinent language is in Section 207(d)(1) of the proposed legislation.

WHO National RF Exposure Standards

We are often asked to attend public meetings to describe our evaluations of exposure conditions near new or upgraded wireless telecommunications base stations.  And one of the assertions we often hear at such meetings is that exposure standards outside the US are much tighter than what the FCC adopted; that assertion appears to be incorrect.

Pacemakers and RF Exposure

It’s been years since someone raised the question of interference from wireless telecom base stations to pacemakers, so it was interesting a few weeks ago to check up on recent research. The conclusion? Interference from base station antennas is still not an issue, power levels from handsets have dropped, and the modern implanted medical devices are more resistant to interference.  

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As always, we look forward to assisting you with all of your broadcast and wireless engineering needs.