The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed changes to its Part 15 rules to accommodate devices used to measure levels of materials and liquids in enclosed tanks.
According to a Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making issued in March 2012, the Commission is seeking to adopt technical rules for the unlicensed operation of so-called level probing radars (LPRs) in a number of different frequencies. LPRs are low-power radars that measure the level of various substances, such as gasoline or oil, in man-made or natural containers. LPRs can also be used in open-air environments to measure levels of materials, such as coal piles or water basin levels.
The Commission believes that the adoption of technical rules would enable LPR devices to continue to operate on an unlicensed basis in the proposed frequency bands without causing harmful interference with other authorized services. Further, the Commission says that the changes would allow for the expanded development of a wider range of radar level-measuring devices, while harmonizing U.S. regulations with those in effect in the European Union.
