Originally Posted by
j.d.roost
Thats good news. Any chance of selling off the pcb boards only? This would eliminate any hassle of dealing with the fcc and leaving it down to the end user who would be constructing a "hobby electronic project" at that point correct?
Originally Posted by
Racer X8000
+1 I would totally assemble my own from a kit. It'd be fun!
There's a fine line when it comes to meeting FCC regulations. Components for digital devices (like a computer motherboard) can get by without testing because emissions of the the final result (a computer in a box) are largely a function of the enclosure, wiring, other active components, RF suppression components (like ferrites), and care in assembly. Offering a kit steps over the line because it leaves no choices to the final user; one can reasonably expect that the device will be constructed using all of the provided components (which is the whole point of a kit!), so the kit must meet the regulations.
Even selling just PC boards is a can of worms, because the PC board is mostly responsible for the emissions of the finished device.
We would probably be on the safe side of the line if only the microprocessor were sold, leaving the rest of the construction of the device up to the end user. The FCC permits individuals to construct up to five devices of any given type for their own personal use, as long as they use "good construction practices" (a rather vague requirement, and which I am only paraphrasing).
The best possible scenario is for us to find a fellow racer who has access to the equipment necessary to determine compliance. I'd guess that there is at least one racer out there that works for a company that has the equipment, and might be able to do the testing gratis, or at least at a substantially reduced cost. If anyone knows of such an individual, please say so!
Originally Posted by
j.d.roost
I have built hundreds of diy guitar pedals this way (pre fab pcb or scratch from vero board).
Me too! Fun stuff. Analog equipment (like many guitar pedals) have no FCC restrictions because they don't contain high-speed digital circuitry.
On an unrelated note, it's good to know of other musically-inclined people who are also involved with RC. I've designed many electronic devices for music. An internet search will reveal some of them. If you're interested, you can see more here:
http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/z467/howardcano/
http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/...ctronic_Drums/
http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/...g_Synthesizer/