Did you ever see the Matrix movie with Keanu “there is no spoon” Reeves?

Do you remember that scene where the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar set off an electromagnetic pulse device so that the Sentinels couldn’t tear the ship apart?

The makers of that film didn’t make that idea up. There are plenty of electronic devices out there that will disrupt the safe operation of other electronic gear because of the frequencies on which they operate.

The Radio Spectrum Management team from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment is responsible for ensuring that electronic devices comply with the Radiocommunications Act 1989.

While they don’t fly around in their own Nebuchadnezzar, they do know Kung Fu and have this to say:

“Radio services, including TV, mobile phone and wireless networking are essential to our society. These services will not work effectively if interference occurs, and most people will have experienced poor reception, dropped calls and slow network speeds due to interference.

Sometimes the problems are due to faulty equipment, but the biggest risk to good radio services comes from people buying and using electrical and electronic equipment (including radio transmitters) that doesn’t meet the standards needed.”

Details of the requirements, including product documentation and labelling can be obtained from the RSM web site, with help available from the team by phoning them on 0508 RSM INFO. Our RSM help page gives further important information around our expectations.

Compliant devices will display what is known as the C-tick or Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM). If your device does not have this or other documents which demonstrate compliance with the legislation, you cannot list it on Trade Me.

Some products are of sufficiently significant risk to radio services that their importation and use in NZ has been prohibited.

These products may be seized at the border, and RSM will take very seriously any attempt to sell them in New Zealand. Check the RSM web site for the current list of Prohibited items.

As a Trade Me member, you can help prevent interference by ensuring that radio equipment or electrical products you list meet required standards.

Occasionally Trade Me needs to step in. Members using our site are required to comply with the Radiocommunications Regulations; so where we find members listing illegal dog-tracking devices, radio jamming equipment and devices such as low power FM broadcasting transmitters - which operate on an illegal frequency and do not meet regulatory requirements - they will be removed from the site.

Members who continually list such items will have action taken on their account which includes having restrictions placed or being permanently banned from the site.

Remember, if your devices do not have C-tick or RCM marks, then there is no spoon…..

Do your listings have the C-Tick or RCM mark?