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CAMP FOSTER, Japan — As new military personnel arrive on Okinawa, it is important that service members are aware that some of the wireless devices individuals brought with them may cause interference with local emergency services.
The government of Japan reported that use of certain foreign-made products are running on radio wave frequencies that do not comply with the regulations established in Japanese law.
“The wireless devices are causing interference to the local Japanese emergency services, cellular-phone services and other local businesses, such as trucking companies, that all pay to use frequencies,” said Gunnery Sgt. Sonia F. Powell, Marine Corps Bases Japan spectrum manager for G-6 Communications.
“As spectrum managers, we are responsible for effectively and efficiently managing the electromagnetic spectrum critical to the Marine Corps’ ability to utilize and control use of this critically saturated, limited resource during current and future operations,” said Powell. “As well, we are responsible for compliance with applicable international, national, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy and Marine Corps statutory or regulatory policies.”
According to MCBJ/III Marine Expeditionary Force Order 2400.1, family radio-service devices, commonly known as “walkie talkies,” baby monitors, wireless television cameras and cordless phones, unless they operate in the 2.4 gigahertz frequency range, are prohibited. Most cordless phones transmit at 900 megahertz, which causes interference.
All personnel who fall under the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement need to avoid wireless devices that run in the 900 MHz and 400 MHz range, according to Powell, but are authorized to use devices that run on other frequencies.
“The main culprits of the interference are baby monitors, cordless phones and family service radios,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan A. Denato, the spectrum manager for III MEF G-6 Communications.
Service members and their families should research the products they want to buy to ensure they are within regulation.
“Research is the key,” said Denato. “If you buy an item online, it usually shows the characteristics of the item and the frequency band. Also, the manual for the item will state the frequency band of operation. Lastly, look for the Japanese technical conformity mark or certification mark.”
All permissible foreign-made consumer products are marked with the Japanese technical conformity mark, also known as the certification mark. This identifies products that do not interfere with Japanese emergency services.
“Installation spectrum managers have informed the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and the housing office on these issues, and they are assisting in ensuring SOFA personnel are not in violation,” said Denato.
All services are currently working to combine efforts to reduce harmful interference to our host country, according to Powell.
“If you do not follow these regulations, you may be causing harmful interference to someone else around you,” said Denato. “If you are causing interference, it may be costing an emergency worker a vital line of communication or interfering with a business that paid for that spectrum.
“Remember, we are guests. Complying with the law ensures we are being good ones,” he added.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2011 01:22 |
| Story ID: | 76266 |
| Location: | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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