Telecommunications

The European Union recently published an updated edition of the Radio Equipment Official Journal.  With this edition important publications of standards include:

EN 300 113 V2.2.1         Land Mobile Radios

EN 300 219 V2.1.1         LMR Tx & specific Rx response

EN 300 296 V2.1.1         LMR analog speech

EN 300 341 V2.1.1         LMR integral ant & specific Rx response

EN 300 390 V2.1.1         LMR with integral antenna

EN 300 220-2 V3.1.1     Short Range Devices 25-1000MHz

EN 300 220-3-1 V2.1.1  SRDs   869.2-869.25MHz

EN 300 220-3-2 V1.1.1  SRDs   LDC/HR frequency bands 

EN 300 220-4 V1.1.1      SRDs   169.4-169.475MHz

EN 300 330 V2.1.1         SRDs   9kHz-25MHz

EN 302 208 V3.1.1         RFID 865-868MHz & 915-921MHz

EN 300 433 V2.1.1         CB Radios

EN 301 502 V12.5.2       GSM Base Stations

EN 301 511 V9.0.2         Mobile stations GSM 900/1800

EN 301 908-2 V11.1.1    CDMA (UTRA FDD) User Equipment

Manufacturers should review the full Official for the standards that may apply to a specific product. For more information contact Steve Laya at 630-495-9770 x 119 or sglaya@elitetest.com

Labels: Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

Title: 

EMC Test Engineer

Year Started at Elite:

2021

Areas of Expertise/Interest:

Test Automation and 3D Modeling

Education: 

BS in Aerospace Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Any unique hobbies, talents, skills, experiences, etc.: 

I volunteer with shelter cats on weekends.

Anything that customers/colleagues would find surprising about you?

I write music for piano and cello.

Proudest moment in life so far: 

Finishing my engineering degree during the pandemic.

What would you consider to be your passion outside of work? How did you get started in it? Any advice for anyone looking to try this activity?

Cycling. The trails in DuPage County are expansive and I’ll probably never explore them all. It’s important to get accurate statistics of how far you go, how many calories you burn, etc. That motivates you to keep going farther and to get more out of it.

Most rewarding/favorite aspect of working at Elite:

The opportunities to assist my colleagues with their work. The feeling of a common goal is strong.

If you had a personal motto, what would it be?

“It was like that when I got here.”

If you could be paid in something other than money, what would you choose?

Time.

With the deadline for compliance with the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) coming on June 13^th, 2017, manufacturers of wireless transmitters should be preparing their CE Marking conformity assessment files now to reflect the requirements in the RED.

Here’s a quick summary of steps to take to ensure your continuing compliance:

1. Determine if your product falls within the scope of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

If your product includes broadcast receivers such as FM or TV tuners then you will now need to comply with the Radio Equipment Directive. Remember that all products under the scope of the RED, including FM or TV tuners, will need to comply with requirements for Effective Use of Spectrum along with EMC and Low Voltage Directive essential requirements, with no voltage limit applying. Line-connected Telephone Terminal Equipment is now in the EMC Directive.

Marine, aerospace, and military radio and receiver applications may not fall under the RED but check your specific application to confirm which directives apply.

Also, products that have traditionally been only required to meet the EMC, LVD, or MSD directives which now include a modular wireless device will fall under the RED. 

2. Identify the harmonized standards that apply to your device.

Review the Radio Equipment Directive Official Journal for updates on the suitable harmonized standards to apply. Most radio transmitter standards can be downloaded from www.ETSI.org.

3. Determine if newly published standards have additional requirements and address gaps in compliance.

If the harmonized standard for your device does not appear in the OJ, then review the Work Program for an approximate publish date. Based on this information a manufacturer can determine if a harmonized standard can be applied for a self-declaration or if the conformity assessment will need to be a type of approval.

4. Confirm that you have addressed EMC essential requirements.

In addition to RED EMC standards such as EN 301 489, you may also need to apply application-specific standards, such as EN 61326, EN 13308, or others. Review the EMC Directive Official Journal for applicable standards.

5. Confirm that you have addressed LVD essential requirements including RF hazards.

The LVD harmonized standard should be applied to assess electrical safety essential requirements. Commonly applied standards include EN 60950-1 for ITE and transmitters as well as EN 61010-1 for instrumentation and controls. Also, manufacturers need to comply with RF hazard requirements such as EN 62311 or others applicable to the product and application. Review the LVD Official Journal for applicable standards.

6. Ensure all labeling and traceability requirements are met.

One of the more significant changes to the RED is to include product traceability requirements. This means that manufacturers will need to include a model, batch, or serial number on their products and note it on their Declaration of Conformity.

7. List any restrictions for use or authorization requirements.

If the use of the wireless device comes with restrictions or if the device is required to be operated with a license, then it is necessary to notify end users appropriately with a pictogram label and other instructions. Review the Elite Blog on notification for RED restrictions or authorized use.

8. Review and update your Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

Update your Declaration of Conformity so it accurately reflects all the directives that apply and references the harmonized standards that were used to provide the presumption of conformity.  

9. Create or update your Technical File.

Manufacturers are required to maintain a technical file for 10 years after the product was placed in the European market. Review Annex V of the directive for the scope of information required to be included in a technical file. 

We recommend that wireless device manufacturers who incorporate “radio modules” in their products that have the Article 3.2 Effective Use of Spectrum testing performed by the radio module OEM, request a copy of the actual compliance report from the module OEM and include it in their technical file. 

10. Self-Declare or Type-Approval

If a harmonized standard is published in the RED Official Journal and that standard is used to demonstrate compliance with the RED then a manufacturer or importer can self-declare compliance with the RED – see Annex II.

However, if a manufacturer does not apply a RED harmonized standard in full then the self-declaration process is not suitable and the conformity assessment options are Type-Approval certificate as described in Annex III of the Directive, or the Annex IV full quality assurance process.

For more information on these steps or the RED compliance process, contact Steve Laya or Dan Crowder at Elite.

Steve Laya 630-495-9770 x 119

Dan Crowder 630-495-9770 x 101

Labels: Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

Manufacturers of wireless transmitters and receivers must comply with Radio Equipment Directive (RED) by June 13^th, 2017. After that date, the R&TTE Directive will no longer apply. A manufacturer can presume conformity with the RED if they apply harmonized standards in full. A list of harmonized standards is published in the Official Journal (OJ) for the RED and new standards are regularly being added to the OJ.

But the list of harmonized standards published in the RED OJ is presently significantly incomplete. So how do manufacturers know when the standards that apply to their products will be available for their conformity assessment?

To help anticipate publish dates for RED standards, the European Commission has made available a Work Program summary that lists the various standards under consideration for the OJ and their approximate publish dates.

Manufacturers are encouraged to review this list and the RED OJ on a regular basis. If the standards that apply to their products are published or are going to be published in the OJ by the June 13^th, 2017 RED deadline date, then they would be able to issue a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and self-declare compliance with the RED. This process is described in Annex II of the RED and is called Conformity Assessment Module A Internal Production Control.

However, if the harmonized standards applicable to their products are not published and are not scheduled to be published by June 13^th, 2017 then Annex III of the Directive can be used as the conformity assessment. This process is an EU-Type examination based on internal production control and will require a Notified Body for the RED to review the technical file and issue a type examination certificate.

Radio Equipment Directive Official Journal

All Active Work Items For Directive ‘2014/53/EU’

For more information on this process, contact Steve Laya or Dan Crowder at Elite.

Steve Laya 630-495-9770 x 119

Dan Crowder 630-495-9770 x 101

Labels: Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

The European Union has released a draft implementing act for labeling radio equipment having service restrictions and for equipment requiring authorization (licensing). The draft was just recently issued and manufacturers have 60 days to respond with their input on the policy before the comments period ends on March 16^th, 2017, after which the act will go into force.  

The label notification applies only to radio equipment that is subject to restrictions or licensing in at least one EU Member State. The notification format is a table pictogram having the abbreviations for the Member States where any restrictions or authorization requirements apply. The design includes a booklet alert sign intended to communicate to the end user the need to read the manual to review the device restrictions before use.

For most low-power wireless devices manufacturers can apply harmonized standards to comply with the Radio Equipment Directive. These harmonized standards specify the technical requirements including permitted frequency ranges, transmit power levels, and receiver operations. However, manufacturers still need to determine if any specific market or application restrictions exist for their product’s end use.

Transmitter restrictions for low-power devices can be found in ERC Recommendation 70 03. For example, Radio Microphones, Assistive Listening Devices, and Audio Multimedia Streaming System Annex 10 outlines allowable frequency bands, restrictions, and licensing. Radio Microphones operating at 1492-1518MHz are required to apply for an individual license and are restricted to indoor applications.

If you have a transmitter that you believe may have restrictions or license obligations, contact Elite for a review of your device application.

Contact Steve Laya at 630-495-9770 x 119. 

Labels: Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

As part of our commitment to wireless device testing, Elite has recently acquired a Rohde & Schwarz CMW500 communications tester. This instrument is essential for testing cellular, WiFi, and GNSS-enabled products.  Its purpose is to establish the RF communications link and monitor the transmitter/receiver performance.

This instrument will support Elite testing services in three areas:

1) Elite can now provide a live RF link to support communications evaluation during EMC and environmental stress testing.  Many of the products tested at Elite now incorporate a cellular or WiFi radio and often times a communication link has to be established and monitored during the test.  With this instrument, Elite engineers can communicate with the client’s radio and monitor attributes such as block errors, packet errors, or others.  By providing a CMW500 right here at Elite we can test products having cellular communications or other services without the client having to ship their tester.

2) CE Mark Immunity Testing.  The R&TTE (and RED) harmonized standards such as EN 301 489-7 and EN 301 489-24 specify BER and throughput performance criteria to evaluate immunity compliance.  With the CMW500 we will be able to set up the cellular (or WiFi) communication channel and monitor performance live and thereby evaluate pass/fail criteria.  Having this equipment in-house will enable Elite to provide a comprehensive and, where required, a more appropriate assessment of CE Mark compliance.

3) Pre-compliance TRP/TIS Measurements. Certainly for PTCRB/GCF services Elite relies on the expertise of our partner 7Layers to get Verizon, ATT, Sprint, and global network operator acceptance.   But at Elite we can now help clients locally by offering PTCRB pre-compliance services.  Using our CMW500 and a 3D chamber we can measure TIS receiver sensitivity (or TRP) so that final compliance at 7Layers will proceed with greater confidence.   

For more information on the CMW500 Communications Tester view the YouTube presentation from Rohde & Schwarz for a description of the basic LTE features for this instrument.  Contact Steve Laya at Elite for more information on the other cellular, WiFi, or GNSS capabilities and configuration of our CMW500.  

Steve Laya,  630-495-9770 x 119

Email

Check out this quick video explaining how the instrument works

Labels: Radio Communications Tester

The following links connect to the current Official Journals for R&TTE, RED, EMCD, and LVD:

RED     2014-53-EU – Harmonized Standards – C 416/5 – 11 November 2016

R&TTE  1999-5-EC – Harmonized Standards – C 249 – 8 July 2016 (PDF)

EMCD    2014-30-EC -Harmonized Standards – C 293/29 – 12 August 2016 (PDF)

LVD       2014-35-EU – Harmonized Standards – C 249 – 8 July 2016

Labels:

• Wireless transmitters
• Latest News

By Steve Laya, Elite Electronic Engineering

We regularly receive important information from NIST, our liaison to Europe for CE Marking conformity assessment.  Recently we were informed that the harmonized standard for Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN) 5GHz WiFi will be significantly delayed for release.  The publish date of EN 301 893 in the new Radio Equipment Directive (RED) Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)will not occur until after the June 12^th 2017 transition date for the RED. 

NIST is advising Notified Bodies such as Elite to anticipate the need from device manufacturers for type approval services covering 5GHz WiFi and to follow up and participate in ongoing standards updates to EN 301 893.

Background:
The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) 2014/53/EU becomes mandatory as of June 13, 2017.  Products placed on the EU market as of that date must meet the RED.  [The R&TTE Directive can then no longer be used.]    

When a manufacturer assessed compliance of radio equipment under the essential requirements of RED Articles 3.2 and 3.3 and harmonized standards are (a) applied only in part, (2) available but not applied, or (3) are not available – it is mandatory for that manufacturer to use a Notified Body (per RED Article 17.4).  

Because of technology advancements associated with LTE-LAA, the development of the technical standard for assessing compliance per EN 301 893 is still in development and waiting for approval.   

Note: For a brief description of the issues behind LTE-LAA see the webpage section on Wikipedia regarding “Controversy”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_in_unlicensed_spectrum).

The ETSI BRAN standards development working group is confirming that the revisions to the current version of EN 301 893 will not be ready in time to be placed in the OJEU (as a harmonized standard for the RED), and therefore manufacturers will be required to use a Notified Body for the type of equipment falling under this standard (Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN); 5 GHz high-performance RLAN) for a period of time until the document is finalized and becomes a harmonized standard.  As such, there may be a high demand for NB involvement during a period of time. 

The ETSI BRAN is also reaching out to the Notified Body community to advise them that the document will not be completed, to increase the level of understanding of changes being made (with emphasis on the addition of a new complex sharing mechanism test methodology to address new technologies),   and to provide contact information for those that want to become involved.     

In order to be prepared for this [high NB] demand, and because of the complexity of the new sharing mechanism, Notified Bodies are requested to follow up with, or participate in the work, ongoing in ETSI BRAN to become familiar with these major changes in EN 301 893.

Elite is presently a Notified Body for the R&TTE Directive and is actively working to complete its submittal processes for status as a Notified Body for the RE Directive.  We will keep clients posted on our progress toward this credential.

Link to the attached document from the REDCA for more detail on the status of EN 301 893.   ETSI Status on EN 301 893

Contact Steve Laya for more information on the changing status of this harmonized standard as well as for other European wireless regulations.

Steve Laya
Elite Electronic Engineering
630-495-9770 x 119
Email

On June 12, 2016, a one-year transition period began for manufacturers of radio equipment to update their European Union compliance files from conformity with the R&TTE Directive to the new Radio Equipment Directive (RED). After June 13, 2017, all radio transmitters and receivers will need to comply with the RED. But before you rush into compliance with the RED you may want to wait a while and perhaps until after January 2017 to do so.  

As of August 8, 2016, only four harmonized standards have been published in the Official Journal for the new Radio Equipment Directive, and compliance by self-declaration to the RED is only allowed if a harmonized standard, i.e. one is published in the Official Journal (OJ), is applied in full. Otherwise, a radio device manufacturer has to apply alternate conformity assessment processes such as type approval by a notified body. But this approach may be problematic too since there are only a few notified bodies that have been officially recognized to date.

A full suite of harmonized standards was planned to be published in the RED OJ by the start of the transition date in June 2016.  But because there are several significant updates to standards the process to reach a consensus on regulations for new wireless technology has taken much longer than anticipated. The European Commission has announced that it is planning to release RED OJ updates on a more regular basis, but it’s likely we will not see an OJ that includes the more common standards such as EN 300 328, EN 300 220, or EN 301 489 until the end of 2016.

That means that manufacturers of products that are currently assessed under the R&TTE Directive will need to maintain their existing compliance file a bit longer and perhaps up to June 2017. Manufacturers of new transmitter equipment will need to comply with the R&TTE if there is not an applicable standard published in the OJ for the RED.

Elite will keep you posted on the latest updates as we hear of them. Watch for our upcoming newsletters.

Labels:

• Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
• R&TTE Directive

The European Commission is finalizing specifications for the labeling on products that will indicate when a transmitter is restricted for use in certain countries. Since the RF spectrum in Europe is not fully harmonized, manufacturers of wireless transmitters must be aware of any unique country restrictions or special limitations for operations. Limitations for use of a transmitter may include operating on unauthorized frequency bands, output power levers that are lower than other EU countries, or shorter transmit duty cycles.

Only the Member States where a restriction exists will be identified on the label. The restriction itself does not have to go on the package but should be noted in the instruction manual. The label and its indication of a possible restriction are meant for the users that buy the product.

The final release of the implementing act specifying the use of this pictogram will come later in 2017. Elite will keep you posted on any updates or official release of the new regulation.

Labels:

• Latest News
• Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

The following links connect to the current Official Journals for R&TTE, RED, EMCD, and LVD:

RED     2014-53-EU – Harmonized Standards – C 249 – 8 July 2016

R&TTE  1999-5-EC – Harmonized Standards – C 249 – 8 July 2016 (PDF)

EMCD    2014-30-EC -Harmonized Standards – C 173 – 13 May 2016

LVD       2014-35-EU – Harmonized Standards – C 249 – 8 July 2016

Labels:

• Wireless transmitters
• Latest News

The new Radio Equipment Directive (RED) begins its transition on June 13^th, 2016. Manufacturers can continue listing compliance with the R&TTE until June 13 2017 and can still reference harmonized standards for the R&TTE until this date. However, all new radio equipment will need to comply with the RED after June 13, 2017.

Download the European Commission explanation on transition dates

The technical requirements for radio transmitters will continue to be defined through harmonized EN standards and for the most part, the standards will not significantly change strictly as a result of the transition. However, wireless harmonized standards are regularly updated as they evolve for new technology. Looking forward, wireless manufacturers should expect new test requirements for receiver performance and other spectrum sharing techniques like “listen before talk” or adaptive frequency agility.  

Some EMC and electrical safety standards currently listed in the R&TTE may not be updated in time for inclusion in the official journal for the RED by June 13, 2016.  We anticipate a level of confusion over the next several months regarding the self-declaration of transmitters especially for determining the appropriate electrical safety standards.  Contact Elite for the latest status on suitable standards.

Over the next few years, the EU will be working toward a more rigorous system of market surveillance that may include product registration and database listing for products having a high rate of non-compliance.

Other key points to review in the RED include the following sections.

• Traceability information (art. 10.7 and 12.3)
• Frequency bands and max transmitted power (art 10.8)
• EU DoC (art 10.9)

Download Radio Equipment Directive 2014_53_EU

There is a significant effort by ETSI and the European Commission to develop the standards and processes for wireless transmitter compliance. As these requirements develop Elite will make the information available to clients by Blog and website. 

Labels: Radio Equipment Directive (RED)

With a productive meeting this past May in Dublin, the EU Commission’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee drafted several proposed changes to the Radio Equipment Directive proposal (dated 10/27/2012).  

4 things you need to know about R&TTE before considering the proposed changes:

1. This report urges the revision of Directive 1999/5/EC on radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of their conformity1 (R&TTE Directive) and is closely related to the implementation of the New Legislative Framework (NLF) adopted in 2008 as “the goods package”.
2. The R&TTE Directive establishes a framework for putting on the market, free movement, and putting into service the EU of radio equipment and telecommunications terminal equipment.
3. The Directive includes essential requirements for:
   1. The protection of health and safety
   2. The protection of electromagnetic compatibility
   3. The avoidance of harmful interference
4. The recent unprecedented growth in mobile devices and wireless applications;
   1. Creates risks of interference between the various products
   2. Necessitates efficient use of the radio spectrum is essential
   3. (Referencing the Doc: PE510.528v01-00)

The main objectives of the draft proposal are:

• To improve the level of compliance with the requirements in the Directive, and to increase the confidence of all stakeholders in the regulatory framework;
• To clarify and simplify the Directive, including some limited adaptations of scope, so as to facilitate its application and eliminate the unnecessary burden for economic operators and public authorities.

Some important changes – from our NIST representative (R. Saar):

1. Revised definition of “Radio Equipment” (and the Scope of the Directive):
   1. radio equipment means a product that intentionally emits or receives radio waves for communication or a product that must be completed with an accessory, such as an antenna, so as to emit or receive radio waves for communication
   2. Specifically, (1) receivers have been added back into the Scope, and (2) equipment that does not communicate has been taken out of the Scope.
2. Deletion of text related to the proposed equipment registration system.

For further details on the review of the R&TTE Directive, please contact Dan Crowder (decrowder@elitetest.com) and consult the following link:  https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/rtte/documents/legislation/review_en

Labels:

• NIST
• R&TTE Directive
• Radio Spectrum