Title 47

SECTION 15.240

15.240 Operation in the band 433.5-434.5 MHz.

§ 15.240 Operation in the band 433.5-434.5 MHz.

(a) Operation under the provisions of this section is restricted to devices that use radio frequency energy to identify the contents of commercial shipping containers. Operations must be limited to commercial and industrial areas such as ports, rail terminals and warehouses. Two-way operation is permitted to interrogate and to load data into devices. Devices operated pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not be used for voice communications.

(b) The field strength of any emissions radiated within the specified frequency band shall not exceed 11,000 microvolts per meter measured at a distance of 3 meters. The emission limit in this paragraph is based on measurement instrumentation employing an average detector. The peak level of any emissions within the specified frequency band shall not exceed 55,000 microvolts per meter measured at a distance of 3 meters. Additionally, devices authorized under these provisions shall be provided with a means for automatically limiting operation so that the duration of each transmission shall not be greater than 60 seconds and be only permitted to reinitiate an interrogation in the case of a transmission error. Absent such a transmission error, the silent period between transmissions shall not be less than 10 seconds.

(c) The field strength of emissions radiated on any frequency outside of the specified band shall not exceed the general radiated emission limits in § 15.209.

(d) In the case of radio frequency powered tags designed to operate with a device authorized under this section, the tag may be approved with the device or be considered as a separate device subject to its own authorization. Powered tags approved with a device under a single application shall be labeled with the same identification number as the device.

(e) To prevent interference to Federal Government radar systems, operation under the provisions of this section is not permitted within 40 kilometers of the following locations:

DoD Radar Site Latitude Longitude
Beale Air Force Base 39°08′10″ N 121°21′04″ W
Cape Cod Air Force Station 41°45′07″ N 070°32′17″ W
Clear Air Force Station 64°55′16″ N 143°05′02″ W
Cavalier Air Force Station 48°43′12″ N 097°54′00″ W
Eglin Air Force Base 30°43′12″ N 086°12′36″ W

(f) As a condition of the grant, the grantee of an equipment authorization for a device operating under the provisions of this section shall provide information to the user concerning compliance with the operational restrictions in paragraphs (a) and (e) of this section. As a further condition, the grantee shall provide information on the locations where the devices are installed to the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, which shall provide this information to the Federal Government through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The user of the device shall be responsible for submitting updated information in the event the operating location or other information changes after the initial registration. The grantee shall notify the user of this requirement. The information provided by the grantee or user to the Commission shall include the name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the user, the address and geographic coordinates of the operating location, and the FCC identification number of the device. The material shall be submitted to the following address: Experimental Licensing Branch, OET, Federal Communications Commission, at the address of the FCC's main office indicated in 47 CFR 0.401(a), ATTN: RFID Registration.

[69 FR 29464, May 24, 2004, as amended at 85 FR 64406, Oct. 13, 2020]