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Radio Transmitter Approvals Workshop: All You Need to Know

Join Washington Laboratories and AmericanTCB for a comprehensive overview of methods and requirements for EMC and Radio Regulations – All You Need to Know!

European Commission asks CENELEC to produce a European Standard for powerline modems

Following the failure of the Power Line Telecommunications (PLT) amendment of CISPR 22 to reach the Committee Draft for Vote (CDV) stage, the European Commission has asked the European electrotechnical standards committee, CENELEC, to produce a Europ...

Work starts to amend CENELEC standards affected by the Digital Dividend in Europe

In Europe, terrestrial television is currently broadcast in the UHF band in the frequency range 470 - 862 MHz. As a result of spectrum efficiencies brought about by the switch to digital broadcasting, in the next few years across Europe the frequen...

ANSI Accredited Standards Committee on Electromagnetic Compatibility, C63®, initiates recognition program

ANSI Accredited Standards Committee on Electromagnetic Compatibility, C63®, has initiated a program to recognize individuals who have given outstanding service to the C63® committee over an extended period of time. Nominees for the C63® Outsta...

FCC inquires on survivability of broadband infrastructure

Under the auspices of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an investigation into the survivability of the nation’s broadband service network. In a Notice of Inquiry is...

Commission moves to ease video device regulations

Seeking to foster a more competitive marketplace for so-called “smart video” devices, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments on specific steps it can take to facilitate the development and sale of such devices for use wit...

New Standard for Component Level ESD Sensitivity Testing

The ESD Association and JEDEC Solid State Technology Association today announced the publication of ANSI/ESDA/JEDEC JS-001-2010 for Electrostatic Discharge Sensitivity (ESD) Testing – Human Body Model (HBM) – Component Level. The product of a J...

Ham radio operator keeps his license

A Seattle, WA man has been allowed to renew his amateur radio operator license after a nearly two year battle with the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The licensee, David Titus, experienced a troubled childhood th...

FCC News

FCC modifies rules for HAC requirements

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has modified its hearing-aid compatibility (HAC) rules, and has proposed additional rule changes.

FCC amends rules for amateur radio operators in emergencies

The Federal Communications Commission has amended its regulations to allow amateur radio operators to participate in emergency and disaster preparedness drills.

Company recalls counterfeit circuit breakers

Miami Breaker, Inc. of Miami, FL has announced the recall of about 43,600 counterfeit Square D-brand circuit breakers.

TVs recalled due to fire hazard

PDI Communications, Inc. of Springboro, OH is recalling about 2700 of its 26-inch and 32-inch, wall-mounted LCD television sets, manufactured in China and installed in healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes.

New standards list for the EU’s directive on the safety of toys

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has published an updated list of standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity with the essential requirements of its directive relating to the safety of toys (88/378/EEC).

EU Commission releases 2010 RAPEX stats on unsafe products

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has released statistics on notices of unsafe consumer products that have been processed through the EU’s rapid information system (RAPEX) during the first half of 2010.

Current Issue: September 2010
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Lightning and Miss Liberty

Written by Mike Violette
One hundred million volts, more or less. That is the potential that is developed as roiling masses of air and water and ice molecules furiously swap electrons during a thunderstorm. Charge separation, caused by the friction in the air, related to the mechanism of static built up by rubbing balloon on cat, fills the atmosphere with pockets of ions–positive and negative. As the voltages build, the normally-insulating air molecules stress and disassociate and filaments of current crackle across the sky, releasing mega-joules of energy in each stroke. The supersonic expansion of the ionized air along the stroke path, boiled to a plasma, cracks in a sonic boom, rolling across the sky as thunder.
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