ornitz@kodak.kodak.com (Barry Ornitz) (06/19/91)
In article <1991Jun18.193226.229@vicorp.com> the following questions are asked: > >I've heard that recent legislation has made it legal to set up your own The legislation is not really that new - commercial products are. >low power television station without requiring a license or technical >degree in the operation of transmitters. Does anyone know the details >like: > - what's the max power allowed and what range can be reached with that power? Typical power is 100 milliwatts or less. Range under optimum conditions is a few hundred feet. > - what frequencies can be used-VHF, UHF? The most common frequency band is the 902-928 MHz band. > - what does a minimal transmitter cost? Anyone sell kits or plans for > constructing your own? I have seen commercial units sell for as low as $30. > - are there any restrictions? e.g., can the transmitter be mobile? Is > broadcast limited to one frequency or one locality? Are there any > restrictions on programming material (sexual for example)? Are > regular daily broadcast times or 24 hour operation required? > Can it be used for personal communication (like a video CB radio)? > - If there are rules & regulations where do I call to get a copy of them? The band is shared with amateur radio operators, Industrial Scientific and Medical equipment like diathermy machines and industrial microwave heaters, as well as the government. You must accept any interference from any licensed user of the band. Furthermore, your transmissions cannot interfere with licensed users. Hams are beginning to use these frequencies more often and you will have no recourse but to accept the fact that your system will be good for little more than sending your VCR signals to another room in your house. I see no reason why mobile operation would not be possible. Sending out offensive material might get you in trouble. There are no time restraints. I am not sure about personal communication since wireless microphones cannot be used for two-way communication by law. Unlicensed walkie-talkies use specific frequencies assigned for this purpose. I would suggest you look into part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission Rules & Regulations. You can find these at your local library as part of the Code of Federal Regulations. Barry ----------------- | ___ ________ | Dr. Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ | | / / | | Eastman Kodak Company | | / / | | Eastman Chemical Company Research Laboratories | |< < K O D A K| | Process Instrumentation Research Laboratory | | \ \ | | P. O. Box 1972, Building 167B | |__\ \________| | Kingsport, TN 37662 615/229-4904 | | INTERNET: ornitz@kodak.com -----------------