[RFI] Question: Conducted vs. Radiated Emissions

[David Huff]

I have a suggestion here.  Skip the FCC, and go to the IEC, ETSI, CENELEC, IEEE, or ISO committees.

The US National Electrical Code is currently being revised to be brought up to a more modern standard, and so is the European equivalent.  The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is revising many standards for maximum radiated power for consumer devices.  They revised the rules to lower the effective radiated power for many RF devices like wifi in Europe.  One of the many reasons they did this was to cut down on the background RF noise, especially in dense locations.  This has two very dramatic effects.  First, Incidental radiators like lights, power lines, solar installations now have a more dramatic impact.  If your wifi does not work well because your refrigerator is causing too much RF noise, it is not the fault of the Wifi.  Second, the growth of global supply chains impacts is becoming more pronounced.  Many standards bodies now look to the EU to set more strict rules, then places like California or the US government reluctantly follow behind.  Doing this would also make the ARRL, RSGB and similar groups many more friends around the globe.  Interference and bureaucratic inaction is not limited to only the US.  Encouraging more strict international standards for limiting conducted emissions and radiated emissions just to cut down on the background noise would be good, even if the FCC is the last to adopt them.

If the ARRL or commercial broadcasters were smart, they would try putting people on these committees for encouraging better limiting of incidental RF radiation, and start educating people by elaborating professional reasons why incidental radiators are a problem.  Getting the National Electrical Code, CENELEC, IEC, and similar bodies to understand this problem would be a good investment in education.  Encouraging better RF control would be a long process, but the solutions we see now are not working.  

I realize I am talking about a process that will take many years, but the solutions so far are not working.  Screaming into the void in hope that the FCC hears you is not working.
Thanks,
David
W0IM