[Premium-Rx] FCC Remote Control receivers

[Ben Dover]

Hello Geoff.

Re. FCC monitoring vehicles;

A few years back at the Madison, WI "Broadcaster's Clinic", the Chicago FCC 
office was kind enough to exhibit one of thier mobile monitoring units.

The vehicle itself was a Ford E350 truck with duallies in the rear, carrying
a box body most commonly known as a "Type 3 Ambulance" body. These critters
are most commonly fitted with a HUGE 7+ litre Diesel engine, often fitted with
a turbocharger when used in ambulance service. Essentially, it was a walk-in
ambulance body, but without the windows...   the only ones there were in
the side
and rear doors. Incidentally, this one did NOT have the ambulance type
walkthru
to the cab.

The Ford E350 is a logical choice for this sort of work; as standard equipment
it has dual batteries (for cranking that monster Diesel), and has available to
medical type users a big 110 VAC sine wave inverter (standard or optional
gear,
I don't know) which would greatly simplify powering the monitoring gear. The 
Diesel is routinely set up (in ambulance service) with the heavy duty cooling
systems & generators required for long engine idling periods while pulling
the 
electrical and compressor loads required for heating and air conditioning the 
box, and providing the auxiliary electrical capacity needed for medical 
electronics and box lighting (which can get pretty intense).

The box appeared to be the standard 8' x 8' x 12' size.

The truck was all white; the only markings on it are FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION in VERY small letters on the side. Incidentally, it did NOT have
a Federal license plate, just a standard Illinois tag.

The only antennas visible outside were the standard antenna for the AM / FM
radio in the cab, and a cop car type high band whip (quarter wave) on top of
the cab. However...  the box appeared to be the fibreglass thye rather than
the matal type (both are common in ambulance service.


The interior was a bit of a surprise.

The floor and walls were CARPETED, and the ceiling was acoustic tile! Set
into the walls (in disguised relay racks??? I couldn't see them) was a big
assortment of Watkins Johnson receivers, a spectrum analyzer, and various
other bits and pieces of gear mainly aimed at AM / FM / TV broadcast type
measurements to determine technical compliance. There were a couple of 
loose, comfortable chairs (not anchored), and a Mr. Coffee! These guys are
set up to sit & monitor for a fairly long term if they want to, and do it
in comfort.

Surprisingly, I saw NO recording gear, and no comnputers in evidence.


Talking to one of the field engineers, I determined that the truck was set
up to effectively monitor anything from 10 KHz to well into the mircowave
spectrum. I imagine the outside storage compartments of the truck body held
various antennas and mounting hardware for them.

The field engineers also said that once every 60 days the truck took a trip 
to FCC headquarters for a complete recalibration and recertification of all
equipment; after all, the readings it produced are often the basis for the
violation & "apparent liability" notices that they issue, and it had BETTER
be reading right on the money!


73's,

Tom, W9LBB




At 09:08 PM 12/6/2004 -0800, you wrote:
>          I seem to recall something like 5 receiving positions.    info on
>the remote control software for W-J.              There are also some other
> special RV type vehicles with much larger and newer assortments of gear
>inside,  these after 9/11 are becoming rather classified although they can
>be seen at  large events such as inaugurations, visits by foreign
>dignitaries, and so  forth.    details to the  list.   Geoff Fors
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