[RFI] FCC ID# searches.

[KD7JYK DM09]

"I didn't have to do anything special, Dave. I just typed in KE3 in the 
grantee box and scrolled down the resultant list until I saw the full ID 
number.
It was about 75% down the list if 116 items that KE3 has certificated. 
Perhaps you simply overlooked it."

I look up FCC ID #'s, and grantee codes often, sometimes up to several 
times a day.  For at least fifteen years, I can tell you, more often 
than not, you will NOT get a result with the full number, entered as 
indicated.

Don't waste you time, life, breath, what-have-you, expecting it to work 
right the first time, or at all.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes it does, and even then, may not work more 
than once or twice in a row, or work again an hour, or day later, if 
ever again.  Why?  No idea, other than it's something the FCC is running 
as best they can.

I recommend the following:

I suggest using their "Advanced Search", which is labeled "generic" in 
their own link:

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

Enter the first three digits of the code.

If that ultimately doesn't work, enter the first five.  Although there 
was a change from 3 to 5 digits in grantee codes, the system doesn't 
specify which codes, when, or to whom, and five-digit grantee codes on 
devices are often written as 3, the "norm", then a hyphen, or not.  To 
make matters worse, some legitimate three digit codes were re-printed as 
five on products.  If three doesn't work, try five, and see what 
happens, and good luck, you still may not get a result.

The rest of the code often doesn't work, even if you find it later, and 
enter it as the FCC has it in their own database, provided to you.  What 
they say, think, tell, or show you, has nothing to do with you, what you 
have, what you think, what to expect, what they'll do next, if at all, 
ever, et cetera...  You enter ABC 12345, no results.  You enter ABC, and 
they return ABC 12345, you enter again, since it's clearly there, 
nothing.  Copy and paste, nothing, try again later, maybe something, or not.

I recommend entering the first three digits of the FCC ID#, or grantee 
code at the top, nothing more, setting the number of results to return 
to something like 100, 250, or 500, and searching the results with 
whatever "word find" you have, to find the rest of the unique code.  For 
my browser, it's Edit -> Find In Page.

If that doesn't work, go back, and try the first 5 digits of the code.

If THAT doesn't work, keep in mind, that for the past several decades, 
the FCC doesn't list everything, and before a certain point, nothing at 
all.  Some time ago, the extent of the "code" on a device was 
"Accepted", "Type Accepted", "FCC DATA #1" (guess how many items had 
that?), or anything else on a product that suggested something.  And 
more often, more recently, they've been cutting deals with companies to 
keep items unlisted, or worse, list the item, and provide nothing more 
than a notice of confidentiality, so you know it's there, you're just 
getting boned because some corporate flunky sent a form letter to the 
FCC requesting they hide their product info, and a comparable FCC flunky 
said, "OK".

Form letter?  Yeah.  In old records, you'd see a formally filed request, 
and review, or hearing transcripts, with case response, as it's all 
public record.  Now, you'll see the same systematic documentation 
process, with a fill-in-the-blank letter downloaded off the web, 
sometimes only partially filled, but things like <ENTER COMPANY NAME 
HERE>, <ENTER JOB TITLE> left on the form, missing signatures, companies 
that don't exist, dates a few years into the future, partially completed 
info, et cetera, followed by the FCC approval letter, and rubber stamp 
watermarks.  Dig around enough, and you may find some receipts, 
'Confidentiality letter filed - Remittance $300 - Approved', or 
something to that effect.

It's a real cluster.

Kurt