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The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) has released a revised technical bulletin entitled, Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields". This bulletin, OET Bulletin 65, Edition 97-01, has been prepared to provide assistance in determining whether FCC-regulated transmitting facilities, operations or devices comply with limits for human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields adopted by the Commission in 1996.(1) The bulletin provides information, guidelines and suggestions for assisting FCC licensees and applicants in evaluating compliance with the new guidelines. The information contained in the bulletin is intended to enable an applicant to make a reasonably quick determination as to whether a proposed or existing facility is in compliance with the indicated exposure limits.
The bulletin is a revision of the FCC's OST Bulletin 65, issued in 1985. Although certain technical information in the original bulletin may still be valid, this revised version updates other information and provides additional guidance for evaluating compliance with the new FCC policies and guidelines. The bulletin includes sections dealing with calculational methods for predicting RF field levels, methods for controlling exposure, information on field measurement techniques and instrumentation and references for further information. Background material, a glossary of terms and definitions and summary of the new exposure guidelines is also included.
Additional information that is specially designed for use in evaluating compliance for radio and television broadcast stations is provided in a supplement to this bulletin
(Supplement A) that is also being released. A supplement that contains additional information for amateur radio operators (Supplement B) will be released as soon as review of the current draft is completed. Future supplements may be issued, as needed, to provide specific information for other communications services, and the bulletin and its supplements may be revised, if necessary.
The bulletin and Supplement A may be viewed and downloaded directly from the FCC's World Wide Web Internet site. The specific address is: www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety. Copies can also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating/research contractor: International Transcription Service, Inc., 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; Telephone: (202) 857-3800, FAX: (202) 857-3805.
Further information concerning the bulletin can be obtained by contacting the FCC's RF safety group (Office of Engineering and Technology): (202) 418-2464 (e-mail: rfsafety@fcc.gov). Inquiries can also be directed to the FCC's Call Center. The toll-free number is: 1-888-CALL FCC (1-888-225-5322).
1. 1 See Report and Order, ET Docket 93-62, FCC 96-326, adopted August 1, 1996, 11 FCC Rcd 15123 (1997). See also First Memorandum Opinion and Order, ET Docket 93-62, FCC 96-487, adopted December 23, 1996, 11 FCC Rcd 17512 (1997), and Second Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, ET Docket 93-62, FCC 97-303, adopted August 25, 1997.