CompuServe Messages

Jonathan, This isn't a simple answer, so you'd probably better save it. A PC clone is a bit of a different case than an Amiga-based approval. Some of our costs were incurred because of distance (no labs in Montana), and a large amount due to the Amiga 500's inherent non-compliance. Labs tend to know more about PC clones, and that will "grease" the process, and amplify any help they offer. Cost is one of those highly variable things. Probably what you were being told ($5k) is the lab fee; which can vary based on a number of things. Let's talk about the process. First, you take your "thing" into the lab proper, in a building somewhere. They put it on a bench and point some test gear at it. They measure all over the RF spectrum and graph it. That usually takes about a day. A good lab accounts for that day in the quoted price. A good lab will also point out to you exactly where in the RF spectrum your device appears to fail, and then will use an RF sniffer to help you localize the problem unless it's totally obvious (and those problems are NOT usually obvious, btw). Perhaps a small cap can help, or a choke. A good lab might have those around for you. If not, and you forgot, you're coming back, and that will cost you more – a lot more, usually. Now, let's say you get thru the "lab day". A good lab will also have counted a day in the field. And it's really "in the field", too… they have what some (me) like to call a "calibrated cow pasture" where they are outdoors, away from all RF generating devices, or where RF interference is known *exactly* (such as a nearby FM broadcast station) and accounted for in the report(s) to the FCC. You go thru the same tests, and again, if there are NO problems, you're looking at about a day. The testing is more stringent, so you are very likely to find new problems. Again, if problems are found, and you have the *fast* means to fix them in your "pocket" either by the virtue of the lab's preparedness or your own, you can still <continued>