EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE 1987 No. 237 ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER FOR LAND TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
Sub-section 9(1) of the Radiocommunications Act 1983 (‘the Act’) provides that the Minister may, by instrument in writing, make standards for specified devices or devices included in a specified class of device.
Sub-section 9(2) of the Act provides that before making a standard the Minister shall publish the standard that he proposes to make and invite interested persons to make representations in connection with the proposed standard.
Sub-section 9(5) of the Act provides that standards, relating to radiocommunications transmitters may consist only of such requirement as to -
(a) the performance, design, finish and construction of radiocommunications transmitters; and
(b) markings, warnings, instructions or other statements to be impressed on, worked into, or annexed or affixed to, or to accompany, radiocommunications transmitters,
as are necessary for or in relation to -
(c) the operation of those radiocommunications transmitters;
(d) the prevention of prescribed interference, or risk of prescribed interference, to any other uses or functions of those radiocommunications transmitters; and
(e) the prevention or reduction of interference, or risk of interference, to radiocommunications.
Sub-section 9(7) provides that standards relating to receivers may consist only of such requirements as to -
(a) the performance, design, finish and construction of those receivers; and
(b) markings, warnings, instructions or other statements to be impressed on, worked into, or annexed or affixed to, or to accompany, those receivers,
as are necessary or convenient to be made for or in relation to:
(c) the operation of those receivers; and
(d) the prevention or reduction of prescribed interference, or risk of prescribed interference, to any uses or functions of those receivers.
The Minister for Communications published a notice in the Gazette of 27 May 1987 setting out the proposed standard and inviting interested persons to comment on it by 17 July 1987. The proposed standard was also circulated for comment to importers and suppliers. The standard was signed by the Minister for Land Transport and Infrastructure Support on 8 September 1987.
The standard applies to radiocommunications equipment in cordless telephones. A cordless telephone consists of a base station which is connected to the telephone network, and one or more portable stations. The link between the base station and portable station is by limited range radiocommunications instead of a wire extension, allowing more convenient access to the telephone network. Both the base station and each portable station incorporate a radiocommunications transmitter and a receiver. The standard is to come into operation on 1 December 1987.
Part 2 of the standard sets out general requirements for the design of cordless telephone equipment. The requirements restrict access to adjustment mechanisms which could permit operation of the device outside the technical parameters set in the standard (Clause 6) and restrict the type of antenna which can be used on a cordless telephone (Clause 8).
Where a cordless telephone has been tested for compliance with this standard, details of the compliance statement certificate are to be displayed on both the base station and each portable station. The model and the channels on which it operates are also to be displayed on each station (Clause 5).
Part 3 sets the general technical requirements for a transmitter in a base or portable station. The transmitter is to be capable of operation only on up to 10 specified channels of specified frequencies and not on more than one of those channels at any one time (Clause 10). Maximum limits are set for frequency error (Clause 11) and frequency deviation (Clause 12).
Part 4 of the standard sets the technical requirements for a transmitter in a base or portable station operating at a frequency above 2 MHz. Maximum limits are set for carrier frequency field strength (Clause 14) and unwanted emissions (Clause 15).
Part 5 of the standard sets the technical requirements for a transmitter in a base station operating at a frequency below 2 MHz. The transmitter is to be capable of utilising the AC mains network as an antenna (Clause 17) and maximum limits are set for the power input of the transmitter (Clause 18) and the power level of its mains coupled interference (Clause 19).
Part 6 of the standard sets a technical requirement for operation of the receiver in a base or portable station, setting a maximum limit for radiation from the receiver.