Matsutec HP-528A AIS transponder (compliance with international standards?)

[SailingFan]

I used to build PC clone computers in the United States. I have some insight on this FCC approval business that could ease some minds.

Just an unrequested interjection, but the issue of US FCC approval came from a time when IBM was trying to shut down cloned PC manufacturing by claiming in the courts that the PCs made by other organizations than their own IBM factories and suppliers may be causing electrical noise in neighboring equipment (completely baseless claim), with the sole goal of shutting down competition.

What happened was that the off-brand producers then got their units tested, proved no harmful radiated "noise" existed during operation, or at least none different from that of the off-the-shelf IBM version, and these primarily offshore suppliers gained an official stamp of approval that US consumers then inferred demonstrated the off-brands as good as the IBM originals, thus cementing the PC Clone industry forever since in the United States, ultimately shoving IBM out of consumer home computing pretty effortlessly (yes, a side note) but also resulting in this "new" law being applied to ALL consumer and other) electronics for sale in the United States.

That is how the notification requirement comes to be on US sold electronics (there are more old laws on the US books than you can imagine) but there is no requirement that it be on electronics produced or sold elsewhere as long as it was not specifically targeted to American consumers. Likely, that is the only reason that it was not cast or labeled into your Internationally marketed AIS.

I severely doubt any non-US entity even cares about it, and really the US no longer even cares in terms of enforcement unless the device you have uses a case that is sold specifically in the United States because those in the trade know the origin of this ridiculous law and frankly have better things to do and to hit people on it. More it is useful to nail someone who ticks off an American inspecting officer who has nothing else to use against the offender I would think. Really, it was more a marketing exercise back then (1970's through VERY early 1980's) than anything else, and it really is only there now because it is a pain to get it removed from the books when so many bureaucracies in the US are quibbling for decreasing levels of funding for greater control within their shrinking areas of the pie (more groups, smaller slices of pie, even if the pie is massive overall).

Short of it, no problem, that unit was not apparently destined for a US consumer sale, so it was not stamped with the required label. No harm, no foul, you are legal. Entirely so, relative to US law, as the stamp goes on based on where the unit is intended AT MANUFACTURE, to be sold, specifically applying only to US sales. Nobody else cares.

[goboatingnow]

I do notice on Matsutec web site their current AIS product claims compliance with the relevant IEC specifications. While this is not the same as “ certification” it’s an indication they know what they are doing

Certification doesn’t test AIS compliance anyway.