[BC] FCC rules

[Jeff Glass]

In a message dated 2/14/2010 8:00:27 AM Central Standard Time, broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:

>yes JEFF, there is an engineer in the FCC....
>actually there is a main or chief engineer and a small handful of other book smart engineers,,, they have not been in the fields to really understand the real workings of radio...  the chief does but the others don't.
>the rest is attorneys that don't care about real radio...

>bill

BILL:

That's fine. Do you have a name and phone number, or a department I can ask for? The guys that have not been in the field would be likely be of more help with this, given that it is a theoretical question. I don't know; not sure if I would bet on anything that has to do with the government.

Their examples are not practical examples if one cannot repeat their calculations and get the same results. Their assumptions and my assumptions are obviously not the same. I've had this same problem with other "examples" in the FCC rules. After days of grinding and going through a tube of "lube" for my slide rule (caution: hyperbole alert!), I hit pay dirt.

For the benefit of those who have just now walked in to join us, I'm working the example in 73.185 (d). I know what the 8.42 dB "is", but how did they get that number? I can get close, but I can't get 8.42. Best I can get is 8.31 dB when I take the rules for significant figures into cosideration.

They are likely more ready to jump at the chance to prove me wrong about an "error" in the rules than to just sit down and help me. Most government people I have worked with will break their back proving you wrong, but they would not pee in your ear if your brain was on fire to "help."  Maybe I've had a run of bad luck, and there are more people who are willing to help. Let's hope so.

Jeff Glass