FCC Rules for Unlicensed Wireless Equipment operating in the ISM bandsThe ISM radio bands were originally set aside for electromagnetic radiation produced by industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment. In the early 1990’s the Federal Communcations Commission (FCC) allowed using three of the ISM bands for unlicensed communication equipment. These three ISM bands are:
In the United States the use of these bands for communication purposes is regulated by part 15 of the FCC rules. Maximum Transmit Output Power in the ISM bandsSeveral of the FCC part 15 rules govern the transmit power permited in the ISM bands. Here is a summary of those rules:
The responsibility for staying within these power limits falls on the operator (or, if professionally installed, on the installer). FCC Rules Applicable to ISM-Spread Spectrum RadiosThe FCC regulates not only the “intentional radiation” of radio transmitters, but also the “unintentional radiation” of noise from all sorts of electrical equipment. The FCC regulations appear in title 47 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations (47CFR), The FCC part 15 rules that affect operation of communication equipment in the ISM bands are listed below:
(The FCC website is frequently reorganized, which breaks the links here. The links above are PDF files at the Government Printing Office (GPO) under 47CFR15. These tend to be much more stable.) |