[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 1]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 47CFR15.31]



[Page 769-772]

 

                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

 

              CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

 

PART 15_RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES--Table of Contents

 

                            Subpart A_General

 

Sec. 15.31  Measurement standards.



    (a) The following measurement procedures are used by the Commission 

to determine compliance with the technical requirements in this part. 

Except where noted, copies of these procedures are available from the 

Commission's current duplicating contractor whose name and address are 

available from the Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 

at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322).

    (1) FCC/OET MP-2: Measurement of UHF Noise Figures of TV Receivers.

    (2) Unlicensed Personal Communication Service (UPCS) devices are to 

be measured for compliance using ANSI C63.17-1998: ``Methods of 

Measurement of the Electromagnetic and Operational Compatibility of 

Unlicensed Personal Communications Services (UPCS) Devices'', 

(incorporated by reference, see Sec. 15.38). This incorporation by 

reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in 

accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

    (3) Other intentional and unintentional radiators are to be measured 

for compliance using the following procedure excluding sections 4.1.5.2, 

5.7, 9 and 14: ANSI C63.4-2003: ``Methods of Measurement of Radio-Noise 

Emissions from Low-Voltage Electrical and Electronic Equipment in the 

Range of 9 kHz to 40 GHz'' (incorporated by reference, see Sec. 15.38). 

This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the 

Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.



    Note to paragraph (a)(3): Digital devices tested to show compliance 

with the provisions of Sec. Sec. 15.107(e) and 15.109(g) must be tested 

following the ANSI C63.4 procedure described in paragraph (a)(3) of this 

section.



    (b) All parties making compliance measurements on equipment subject 

to the requirements of this part are urged to use these measurement 

procedures. Any party using other procedures should ensure that such 

other procedures can be relied on to produce measurement results 

compatible with the FCC measurement procedures. The description of the 

measurement procedure used in testing the equipment for compliance and a 

list of the test equipment actually employed shall be made part of an 

application for certification or included with the data required to be 

retained by the party responsible for devices authorized pursuant to a 

Declaration of Conformity or devices subject to verification.

    (c) For swept frequency equipment, measurements shall be made with 

the frequency sweep stopped at those frequencies chosen for the 

measurements to be reported.

    (d) Field strength measurements shall be made, to the extent 

possible, on an open field site. Test sites other than open field sites 

may be employed if they are properly calibrated so that the measurement 

results correspond to what would be obtained from an open field site. In 

the case of equipment for which measurements can be performed only at 

the installation site, such as perimeter protection systems, carrier 

current systems, and systems employing a ``leaky'' coaxial cable as an 

antenna, measurements for verification or for obtaining a grant of 

equipment authorizaton shall be performed at a minimum of three 

installations that can be demonstrated to be representative of typical 

installation sites.

    (e) For intentional radiators, measurements of the variation of the 

input power or the radiated signal level of the fundamental frequency 

component of the emission, as appropriate, shall be performed with the 

supply voltage varied between 85% and 115% of the



[[Page 770]]



nominal rated supply voltage. For battery operated equipment, the 

equipment tests shall be performed using a new battery.

    (f) To the extent practicable, the device under test shall be 

measured at the distance specified in the appropriate rule section. The 

distance specified corresponds to the horizontal distance between the 

measurement antenna and the closest point of the equipment under test, 

support equipment or interconnecting cables as determined by the 

boundary defined by an imaginary straight line periphery describing a 

simple geometric configuration enclosing the system containing the 

equipment under test. The equipment under test, support equipment and 

any interconnecting cables shall be included within this boundary.

    (1) At frequencies at or above 30 MHz, measurements may be performed 

at a distance other than what is specified provided: measurements are 

not made in the near field except where it can be shown that near field 

measurements are appropriate due to the characteristics of the device; 

and it can be demonstrated that the signal levels needed to be measured 

at the distance employed can be detected by the measurement equipment. 

Measurements shall not be performed at a distance greater than 30 meters 

unless it can be further demonstrated that measurements at a distance of 

30 meters or less are impractical. When performing measurements at a 

distance other than that specified, the results shall be extrapolated to 

the specified distance using an extrapolation factor of 20 dB/decade 

(inverse linear-distance for field strength measurements; inverse-

linear-distance-squared for power density measurements).

    (2) At frequencies below 30 MHz, measurements may be performed at a 

distance closer than that specified in the regulations; however, an 

attempt should be made to avoid making measurements in the near field. 

Pending the development of an appropriate measurement procedure for 

measurements performed below 30 MHz, when performing measurements at a 

closer distance than specified, the results shall be extrapolated to the 

specified distance by either making measurements at a minimum of two 

distances on at least one radial to determine the proper extrapolation 

factor or by using the square of an inverse linear distance 

extrapolation factor (40 dB/decade).

    (3) The applicant for a grant of certification shall specify the 

extrapolation method used in the application filed with the Commission. 

For equipment subject to Declaration of Conformity or verification, this 

information shall be retained with the measurement data.

    (4) When measurement distances of 30 meters or less are specified in 

the regulations, the Commission will test the equipment at the distance 

specified unless measurement at that distance results in measurements 

being performed in the near field. When measurement distances of greater 

than 30 meters are specified in the regulations, the Commission will 

test the equipment at a closer distance, usually 30 meters, 

extrapolating the measured field strength to the specified distance 

using the methods shown in this section.

    (5) Measurements shall be performed at a sufficient number of 

radials around the equipment under test to determine the radial at which 

the field strength values of the radiated emissions are maximized. The 

maximum field strength at the frequency being measured shall be reported 

in the equipment authorization report. This paragraph shall not apply to 

Access BPL equipment on overhead medium voltage lines. In lieu thereof, 

the measurement guidelines established by the Commission for Access BPL 

shall be followed.

    (g) Equipment under test shall be adjusted, using those controls 

that are readily accessible to or are intended to be accessible to the 

consumer, in such a manner as to maximize the level of the emissions. 

For those devices to which wire leads may be attached by the consumer, 

tests shall be performed with wire leads attached. The wire leads shall 

be of the length to be used with the equipment if that length is known. 

Otherwise, wire leads one meter in length shall be attached to the 

equipment. Longer wire leads may be employed if necessary to 

interconnect to associated peripherals.



[[Page 771]]



    (h) For a composite system that incorporates devices contained 

either in a single enclosure or in separate enclosures connected by wire 

or cable, testing for compliance with the standards in this part shall 

be performed with all of the devices in the system functioning. If an 

intentional radiator incorporates more than one antenna or other 

radiating source and these radiating sources are designed to emit at the 

same time, measurements of conducted and radiated emissions shall be 

performed with all radiating sources that are to be employed emitting. A 

device which incorporates a carrier current system shall be tested as if 

the carrier current system were incorporated in a separate device; that 

is, the device shall be tested for compliance with whatever rules would 

apply to the device were the carrier current system not incorporated, 

and the carrier current system shall be tested for compliance with the 

rules applicable to carrier current systems.

    (i) If the device under test provides for the connection of external 

accessories, including external electrical input signals, the device 

shall be tested with the accessories attached. The device under test 

shall be fully exercised with these external accessories. The emission 

tests shall be performed with the device and accessories configured in a 

manner that tends to produce maximized emissions within the range of 

variations that can be expected under normal operating conditions. In 

the case of multiple accessory external ports, an external accessory 

shall be connected to one of each type of port. Only one test using 

peripherals or external accessories that are representative of the 

devices that will be employed with the equipment under test is required. 

All possible equipment combinations do not need to be tested. The 

accessories or peripherals connected to the device being tested shall be 

unmodified, commercially available equipment.

    (j) If the equipment under test consists of a central control unit 

and an external or internal accessory(ies) (peripheral) and the party 

verifying the equipment or applying for a grant of equipment 

authorization manufactures or assembles the central control unit and at 

least one of the accessory devices that can be used with that control 

unit, testing of the control unit and/or the accessory(ies) must be 

performed using the devices manufactured or assembled by that party, in 

addition to any other needed devices which the party does not 

manufacture or assemble. If the party verifying the equipment or 

applying for a grant of equipment authorization does not manufacture or 

assemble the central control unit and at least one of the accessory 

devices that can be used with that control unit or the party can 

demonstrate that the central control unit or accessory(ies) normally 

would be marketed or used with equipment from a different entity, 

testing of the central control unit and/or the accessory(ies) must be 

performed using the specific combination of equipment which is intended 

to be marketed or used together. Only one test using peripherals or 

accessories that are representatve of the devices that will be employed 

with the equipment under test is required. All possible equipment 

combinations are not required to be tested. The accessories or 

peripherals connected to the device being tested shall be unmodified, 

commercially available equipment.

    (k) A composite system is a system that incorporates different 

devices contained either in a single enclosure or in separate enclosures 

connected by wire or cable. If the individual devices in a composite 

system are subject to different technical standards, each such device 

must comply with its specific standards. In no event may the measured 

emissions of the composite system exceed the highest level permitted for 

an individual component. For digital devices which consist of a 

combination of Class A and Class B devices, the total combination of 

which results in a Class A digital device, it is only necessary to 

demonstrate that the equipment combination complies with the limits for 

a Class A device. This equipment combination may not be employed for 

obtaining a grant of equipment authorization or verifying a Class B 

digital device. However, if the digital device combination consists of a 

Class B central control unit, e.g., a personal



[[Page 772]]



computer, and a Class A internal peripheral(s), it must be demonstrated 

that the Class B central control unit continues to comply with the 

limits for a Class B digital device with the Class A internal 

peripheral(s) installed but not active.

    (l) Measurements of radio frequency emissions conducted to the 

public utility power lines shall be performed using a 50 ohm/50 uH line-

impedance stabilization network (LISN).



    Note: Receivers tested under the transition provisions contained in 

Sec. 15.37 may be tested with a 50 ohm/5 [mu]H LISN.



    (m) Measurements on intentional radiators or receivers, other than 

TV broadcast receivers, shall be performed and, if required, reported 

for each band in which the device can be operated with the device 

operating at the number of frequencies in each band specified in the 

following table:



------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Frequency range over which device    Number of    Location in the range

              operates               frequencies       of operation

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 MHz or less......................           1   Middle.

1 to 10 MHz........................           2   1 near top and 1 near

                                                   bottom.

More than 10 MHz...................           3   1 near top, 1 near

                                                   middle and 1 near

                                                   bottom.

------------------------------------------------------------------------



    (n) Measurements on TV broadcast receivers shall be performed with 

the receiver tuned to each VHF frequency and also shall include the 

following oscillator frequencies: 520, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 

850, 900 and 931 MHz. If measurements cannot be made on one or more of 

the latter UHF frequencies because of the presence of signals from 

licensed radio stations or for other reasons to be detailed in the 

measurement report, measurements shall be made with the receiver 

oscillator at a nearby frequency. If the receiver is not capable of 

receiving channels above 806 MHz, the measurements employing the 

oscillator frequencies 900 and 931 MHz may be omitted.

    (o) The amplitude of spurious emissions from intentional radiators 

and emissions from unintentional radiators which are attenuated more 

than 20 dB below the permissible value need not be reported unless 

specifically required elsewhere in this part.

    (p) In those cases where the provisions in this section conflict 

with the measurement procedures in paragraph (a) of this section and the 

procedures were implemented after June 23, 1989, the provisions 

contained in the measurement procedures shall take precedence.



[54 FR 17714, Apr. 25, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 13083, Mar. 29, 1991; 

57 FR 24990, June 12, 1992; 57 FR 33448, July 29, 1992; 58 FR 37430, 

July 12, 1993; 58 FR 51249, Oct. 1, 1993; 61 FR 14502, Apr. 2, 1996; 62 

FR 41881, Aug. 4, 1997; 62 FR 45333, Aug. 27, 1997; 63 FR 36602, July 7, 

1998; 63 FR 42278, Aug. 7, 1998; 65 FR 58466, Sept. 29, 2000; 68 FR 

68545, Dec. 9, 2003; 69 FR 54034, Sept. 7, 2004; 70 FR 1373, Jan. 7, 

2005]