Do I need to re-do FCC Part 15 certification if I use an external antenna?
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Re: FAQ: Where can I find certification info?
I'd used a PCB trace antenna instead of the chip one. I then reached out to a testing lab regarding the FCC certification of my device. Their response was that not only I need to do FCC Part 15 Subpart C (intentional radiators), but I also need to take care of the ID transfer.
They referred to FCC documentation stating "Equivalent antennas must be of the same type (e.g., yagi, dish, etc.), must be of equal or less gain than an antenna previously authorized under the same grant of certification (FCC ID), and must have similar in-band and out-of-band characteristics (consult specification sheet for cutoff frequencies)."
They told me my options were the following:
- Ask Onion to add the particular antenna on my behalf. I would still go through the testing lab to test and modify the existing certification, however, in this case, a transfer of ID is not necessary.
- Transfer of ID route. With Onion's blessing, I will transfer the FCC ID to my name, and I can add the antenna to the certification.
What is your opinion on that? Is it really that complicated, or they are missing something?