FC: Will radar detectors be regulated out of existence?

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Thu May 16 2002 - 20:04:08 PDT

  • Next message: Declan McCullagh: "FC: More on radar detectors, FCC, and interference with gas pumps"

    [I invite some of the FCC folks on Politech to contribute, identity kept 
    confidential upon request. --Declan]
    
    ---
    
    From: "Geoff Gariepy" <geoff_gariepyat_private>
    To: "Declan McCullagh" <declanat_private>
    Subject: The FCC's coming for your radar detector...because you're going to 
    use it to steal gasoline.
    Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 13:09:30 -0400
    
    Apparently, ChevronTexaco Corporation has filed an endorsement with the FCC
    on new regulation that would apply to radar detectors because the 25 million
    devices in use interfere with high-tech payment systems now becoming popular
    at the gas pump.
    
    According to the briefing
    (http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_docume
    nt=6513084938), Chevron uses VSAT services provided by Hughes Network
    Systems to beam credit card authorization data from the gas pump to their
    host computer system.  They've discovered that folks using radar detectors
    will inadvertently interfere with these communications due to the fact that
    the detectors emit a small amount of RF energy on the same wavelengths used
    by the satellite communications.  Apparently, the company fears that
    "thieves could use these devices to steal motor fuel by simply activating a
    radar detector while fueling."
    
    Reading through the FCC documents on this proposed regulation also reveals
    that there are companies eager to use the Ka-band part of the spectrum to
    provide 'direct to home' wireless Internet access for rural and other
    'underserved' areas, among other things.  Since there's a long-standing
    principle in FCC regulations which says in effect that unlicensed devices
    cannot interfere with licensed communications, and must accept any
    intereference from licensed devices, it looks like we're in for a new round
    of FCC regulation on radar detectors.
    
    In response, the president of Escort, Inc. has said they can't afford new
    regulation, and offered to move the emissions to a different part of the
    spectrum.  It appears that there are other satcom interests which have
    concerns about the frequency range he's talking about, though.  The original
    article I dug this out of is was in this week's 'Computerworld' and can be
    viewed at
    http://www.computerworld.com/managementtopics/ebusiness/story/0,10801,71036,00.html
    
    The bottom line: radar detectors may well be regulated out of existence.
    
    --Geoff
    
    
    
    
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