FCC:
Q: I keep receiving letters from companies like Universal Licensing, Inc. or Federal Licensing Co. telling me I need to 1) buy a full set of FCC rules, 2) modify my license to reflect an accurate count of mobiles, etc 3) renew my license, 4) file a construction notification and/or 5) respond to an audit request. All of them say I'll be fined thousands of dollars if I don't respond! What do I do?
A: Examine your mail carefully. Is it from the actual Federal Communications Commission in Washington, DC? If it is, follow the instructions exactly or give us a call so we can help you follow the instructions. If it isn't from the FCC, most of the time you can disregard the letter. However, sometimes the letters from the non-FCC businesses tell you there's a problem with your license because you didn't receive or disregarded an official letter from the FCC. It's a really good idea to call us so we can determine if you need to do something or not.
Q: What is the FCC audit?
A: The FCC audited all of the licenses a couple of years ago to determine if the frequencies were still being used. They sent out a couple of letters and if they didn't receive a response by a certain date, they cancelled the license. If a licensee needed their license and didn't respond to the FCC's letters, they had to file a request with a waiver letter explaining why they didn't respond and why they thought the FCC should reinstate it. If the FCC didn't think they had a really good reason for not responding to their letter in a timely manner, they cancelled the license anyway. The licensee's only option at that point was to relicense from scratch. Most of the time, though, they granted the request. If, however, you find that your license has been cancelled and you don't know why, this is probably what happened. Give us a call to find out how (and if!) you can relicense.
Q: What is the FCC Construction letter?
A: Since the FCC audit of all licenses, the FCC now requires notification of construction of every new or modified license within one year of granting the license. They send out one letter reminding you to notify them. If you don't respond by 15 days after the construction deadline date, you have to file it with a waiver letter telling why you didn't respond in a timely manner. If you miss your construction date by a month or so, your license goes into Termination Pending. Then you have to file a non-docketed pleading stating your very good reason why you missed your deadline date to keep your license from being terminated. So it's very important to file your construction notice as soon as you can.
SERVICE:
Q:What's the best way to care for my NiCd/NiMH/LiION batteries so they last?
A: According to Motorola, the following tips will help you obtain optimized performance and a longer life cycle from your Motorola rechargeable battery.
- Charge your new battery overnight before using it. This will enable you to obtain maximum battery capacity.
- If used batteries need to be stored for more than 30 days, discharge them about 50% of their capacity and store in a cool, dry location.
- If your batteries have been stored for more than 60 days, fully discharge and recharge.
- When using a Motorola rapid charger, leave your battery on the charger for 1-2 hours after the green light appears.
- Do not leave your radio and fully-charged battery in the charger. Continuous charging will shorten battery life.
- Only charge the battery when it needs it.
- Stabilize batteries to room temp (72°) before charging. Charging below 40° and above 104° will decrease cycle life.
- There are special instructions for impres™ chargers. Please consult your product documentation or ask your service representative.
- If you have more questions, please email us at info@gemstatecom.com for answerrs.
PARTS:
Q: I see a big difference in price between Motorola batteries & other brands of batteries? Why should I pay more?
A: Motorola two-way batteries are tough - many years of experience has taught them how to make them that way. Motorola designs and engineers each battery to provide optimum performance. So you get clear, reliable communication under tough conditions.
And independent test results have confirmed that Motorola batteries beat the competition - decisively. Motorola hired an independent company to test their batteries against the competition. There were three tests - impact, vibration, and static. The drop test consisted of 42 impacts per battery; 88% of the Motorola batteries passed, 33% of Battery Zone batteries passed, 20% of the Power Products batteries passed and 0% of the Multiplier & Honeywell batteries passed. Motorola scored 100% on the vibration and static tests and the competition scored 57% or less.
