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Re: Our friend the FCC
Tesla List wrote:
>
> Original Poster: Greg Leyh <lod-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I occasionally bring this up on the list, in the hopes that
> an FCC-savvy lawyer might have just recently joined.
>
> How does one approach the FCC in order to get their blessing
> to operate a Tesla coil? Are there ever exceptions or
> variances granted? Can the coil be creatively classified in
> some way to minimize the legal hurdles?
>
> This is an academic exercise. Please do not provide skewed
> answers such as "Just be a good neighbor and the FCC won't
> have to be involved", etc. I wish to discover if one can
> run a TC 'on the level', in the true bureaucratic sense!
> --
>
> -GL
> www.lod-dot-org
You raise some interesting questions. I've looked into this, studying
the FCC regulations at some length to that end. You should call up the
Government Printing Office and spent the $100 or so to get a copy of all
5 volumes of CFR47.
I assume you want to run in the open air (as opposed to in a shielded
box or Faraday cage, where it would make no difference to the FCC, since
nothing gets out).
As you point out classification is the key. Are you going to try for
Part 15? Or, is it "Industrial, Scientific and Medical" equipment? There
are some pretty broad exemptions for "research" equipment, providing you
don't interfere with other licensed services. You would be responsible
for proving the non-interference of course, either by field measurements
or by analytical calculations. I'll check the CFR's, but I think you
would do best going the ISM route, and documenting the heck out of your
system.
There are some sort of interesting aspects to the whole FCC compliance
thing. If you measure the field strength at the property boundaries,
and it is less than the Part 15 limits (for instance), then you should
be okay, on the general principle that you can do anything you want on
private property as long as it doesn't leak outside.