PilotAware

British Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: GeoffreyC on August 20, 2021, 06:10:10 pm

Title: Ofcom EMF licence changes
Post by: GeoffreyC on August 20, 2021, 06:10:10 pm

Earlier in the year Ofcom 'consulted' on changes to radio licences to bring in checking of EMF limits that might harm members of the general public (i.e. passengers we carry).

The BMAA and LAA both intervened as the Ofcom process was extremely confusing,  which resulted in a much clearer set of guidance from Ofcom https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/220797/emf-licence-condition-what-you-need-to-know-aeronautical-radio.pdf and this summary from the BMAA and LAA https://www.bmaa.org/news/bmaa-news/ofcom-electromagnetic-field--emf--licence-conditions

I received an email from Ofcom today advising that they are now varying my licence following this EMF consultation.

The PDF process covers what you need to do to be compliant for hand-held or panel radios and for transponders,  but for other equipment you have to run the EMF calculator on Ofcom's website https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence/emf/calculator
It asks a lot of questions about power output, etc,  which for my pilotaware I don't know.

Has the calculation been done already for PAW so we can share it and don't all have  to go through the same process?     Would need to be done for Atom ground stations as well I would imagine?

Thanks, Geoffrey

Title: Re: Ofcom EMF licence changes
Post by: Admin on August 23, 2021, 01:13:58 pm

Hi Geoffrey

I ran the calculator with the Worst case scenario of 0.25 Watts (ERP) at 1% duty cycle
(we are much less than this)

the result cones out as

Low power. No further assessment required

Title: Re: Ofcom EMF licence changes
Post by: GeoffreyC on August 23, 2021, 01:21:47 pm

Quote from: Admin on August 23, 2021, 01:13:58 pm

Hi Geoffrey

I ran the calculator with the Worst case scenario of 0.25 Watts (ERP) at 1% duty cycle
(we are much less than this)

the result cones out as

Low power. No further assessment required

Great thanks, that's really good to know. I think we're supposed to keep evidence of the EMF result in our aircraft reccords.  Could you upload a screenshot then we can all be compliant?

Geoffrey

Title: Re: Ofcom EMF licence changes
Post by: Sparky67 on November 20, 2021, 06:51:51 pm

I saw this appear in another radio environment so ran a calc for my son’s syndicate Jodel’s Trig radio and transponder, plus the PAW box. All three are within the OfCom safe EMF limits. If you would like to see a copy of the results just drop me a pm.

Cheers,

Martin