Latest monthly update from Radio Spectrum Management New Zealand

As reported over recent months, Radio Spectrum Management New Zealand has been conducting a review of the Radiocommunications Act 1989 and had called for submissions.

The deadline has now expired and 27 submissions were received. These have now been published on the RSM website and the regulator is now calling for public scrutiny of the submissions and lodgement of any cross submissions. The deadline for receipt of cross submissions is 26 November 2014.

Vehicle-mounted LED lighting at a logging operation in Marlborough has been producing so much interference that radio systems have become inoperable during night-time hours. The operators of the site brought the problem to the attention of RSM and a solution was found - as much as possible, separate the lights from the affected antennas.

RSM says that an audit of emergency lighting suppliers found that suppliers were generally unaware of the need to ensure their lights met the EMC specification AS/NZS CISPR15.

RSM further found that other electronics fitted to logging vehicles were causing interference. The interference could be minimised by placing the radio’s antennas centrally to roof of the vehicle’s cabin.

The regulator is encouraging operators to use only approved LED lighting and to separate antennas from sources of electronic interference.