§ 15.204   External radio frequency power amplifiers and antenna
modifications.

   (a) Except as otherwise described in paragraphs (b) and (d) of this
   section, no person shall use, manufacture, sell or lease, offer for
   sale or lease (including advertising for sale or lease), or import,
   ship, or distribute for the purpose of selling or leasing, any external
   radio frequency power amplifier or amplifier kit intended for use with
   a part 15 intentional radiator.

   (b) A transmission system consisting of an intentional radiator, an
   external radio frequency power amplifier, and an antenna, may be
   authorized, marketed and used under this part. Except as described
   otherwise in this section, when a transmission system is authorized as
   a system, it must always be marketed as a complete system and must
   always be used in the configuration in which it was authorized.

   (c) An intentional radiator may be operated only with the antenna with
   which it is authorized. If an antenna is marketed with the intentional
   radiator, it shall be of a type which is authorized with the
   intentional radiator. An intentional radiator may be authorized with
   multiple antenna types. Exceptions to the following provisions, if any,
   are noted in the rule section under which the transmitter operates,
   e.g., § 15.255(b)(1)(ii) of this part.

   (1) The antenna type, as used in this paragraph, refers to antennas
   that have similar in-band and out-of-band radiation patterns.

   (2) Compliance testing shall be performed using the highest gain
   antenna for each type of antenna to be certified with the intentional
   radiator. During this testing, the intentional radiator shall be
   operated at its maximum available output power level.

   (3) Manufacturers shall supply a list of acceptable antenna types with
   the application for equipment authorization of the intentional
   radiator.

   (4) Any antenna that is of the same type and of equal or less
   directional gain as an antenna that is authorized with the intentional
   radiator may be marketed with, and used with, that intentional
   radiator. No retesting of this system configuration is required. The
   marketing or use of a system configuration that employs an antenna of a
   different type, or that operates at a higher gain, than the antenna
   authorized with the intentional radiator is not permitted unless the
   procedures specified in § 2.1043 of this chapter are followed.

   (d) Except as described in this paragraph, an external radio frequency
   power amplifier or amplifier kit shall be marketed only with the system
   configuration with which it was approved and not as a separate product.

   (1) An external radio frequency power amplifier may be marketed for
   individual sale provided it is intended for use in conjunction with a
   transmitter that operates in the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, and
   5725-5850 MHz bands pursuant to § 15.247 of this part or a transmitter
   that operates in the 5.725-5.825 GHz band pursuant to § 15.407 of this
   part. The amplifier must be of a design such that it can only be
   connected as part of a system in which it has been previously
   authorized. (The use of a non-standard connector or a form of
   electronic system identification is acceptable.) The output power of
   such an amplifier must not exceed the maximum permitted output power of
   its associated transmitter.

   (2) The outside packaging and user manual for external radio frequency
   power amplifiers sold in accordance with paragraph (d)(1) of this
   section must include notification that the amplifier can be used only
   in a system which it has obtained authorization. Such a notice must
   identify the authorized system by FCC Identifier.

   [ 69 FR 54034 , Sept. 7, 2004, as amended at  78 FR 59850 , Sept. 30, 2013]

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