> FCC "approval" is a funny business.  From my understanding of it,
> everything made, sold or used in the US must meet FCC regulations.

If it's got a clock rate (or other on-board signal) at 9kHz or greater, with
an exception for digital watches.

> Now if you are sure that you
> equipment is in compliance (which requires a million dollars of
> equipment to really be sure) then your are OK (again this is my
> understanding).

As the manufacturer, you are responsible. You can just put a sticker on it
that says it complies. If the FCC tests it, and it fails, you better look
out.  The usual path is to test a prototype that is identical to a
production unit, and then to re-test samples every time you make a
"substantive" change (your judgement as to what substantive means)

If you've tested with a lab, and haven't made any changes, then the worst
you can expect on a violation is that the FCC will demand a re-test, and
make you fix whatever shows up, and handle any units in the field. (possibly
a shield kit or cable ferrites)

If you wing it, you're on your own, and the FCC can get pretty nasty,
especially if you are intentionally violating the spec.

You can get a pretty good sense of it for about $2k, invested in a GOOD
wideband receiver.  We tried the approach with the HP spectrum analyzer, but
it turns out that although this instrument is supposedly designed for EMI
testing, it "dosen't pick up pulsed noise very well"... !($$#%!(#%&#

I use an Icom R-8500 and scan 30 MHz to 1GHz with a discone antenna at 10'
See my web page at http://www.cedar.net/users/dvanhorn/hamrad/index.html
"EMI a practical guide for practical people". It's a bit tongue in cheek,
but it describes a way to do your own pre-scans and save plenty money.  This
is NOT a substitute for independent testing, but it makes it a better bet
that you pass on the first try.

> Now very few companies have all the needed
> equipment for this testing, so they hire an independent lab to
> test the equipment.  And in my experience they ALWAYS find something
> wrong with whatever it is.

The only way to be sure, is to have a real lab test it. I usually get the
"Is that thing on?"
level, passing part B by about 20dB or better, with a 14 MHz micro, and
switching power supply, but I have once hit the point where I was off-scale
at 162 MHz. The Icom found that immediately. (This is how the Icom was
bought!)

They will also test for conducted noise below 30 MHz on the cables, but I've
never had anything show up there, so I have no experience to relate on that.
I always pass.

> Now if you can get your sample product to pass FCC as measured by
> the independent lab, you can now put on a sticker saying so, and
> if one of the widgets don't pass, you point them to the report
> (which in this case cost about $10,000 US) and they make the lab
> recalibrate its equipment, but you are not in trouble.

I usually pay $1k for a half-day in the chamber, or $2k for a half-day at
the open-field site.  If you're quiet in the chamber, then you pass and
that's it. If you're marginal, then you go to open-field and test again. If
you're under by at least 3dB, you pass.

> The amazing thing is that we have found almost every off-brand PC
> misses FCC regulations by a long mile -- I mean not even close; but
> they got their sample to pass, and this gives them the right to
> sell that eguipment here (I guess they 'paid' their dues to the
> independent lab and are now in).  Of the PCs we tried to use for
> a system component, only IBM, HP and Dell computers would on their
> own pass FCC requlations before we added our board into it.

The FCC is back with teeth this time. Recently Commissioner Hollingsworth
has been heard PERSONALLY tagging violators on the ham HF bands, which is
unheard of in the history of ham radio, and in the last several months,
they've been handing out big fines as well.   Non-compliant equipment can be
$10k per unit per day!

I would get it tested if I were you.