The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revised its Part 15 rules regarding the measurement of emissions produced by level probing radars (LPRs).
LPRs are low-power radar devices that measure the level of various substances contained in natural or man-made structures, such as water basins, coal piles and oil storage tanks. LPRs can provide important information regarding critical material levels, thereby limiting exposure of maintenance personnel to high-risk substances and reducing incidents of spillage or overflow.
Until now, LPRs have been certified by the FCC under the general technical standards for intentional radiators. However, manufacturers have reportedly encountered challenges in meeting the FCC’s emission limits due to the specific reflective properties of some of the containment structures in which LPRs are used. To address this challenge, the Commission has modified its testing of LPRs to account for the signal attenuation due to reflection in certain applications, while continuing to protect nearby receivers from potential interference.
