How to get EMC matters into good order with your clone microcomputer

Electromagnetic interference and disturbance, with regard to electronic equipment, have been under scrutiny for the last few years. Information material regarding EMC has been distributed in many different ways and the field's testing services have also been extended. Considering all these opportunities for gaining information and obtaining testing services, it has therefore been very surprising to learn how common it is to find microcomputers on the market which have serious defects regarding EMC aspects. It is also, a fact that interference problems can be detected and corrected with some planning and very little trouble. The Finnish EMC market surveillance authority prepared a study of 24 different makes of microcomputer and only in two cases did the interference level remain beneath maximum level EU norms. In seven cases, excesses were so great that sales bans had to be issued on the products. As is customary in these cases in Finland, all the incurred costs of banning were consequently carried by the manufacturers. This fact goes some way towards underlining the message that manufacturers are totally responsible for the planning for and insulation of EMC releases. This paper hopes to give a basic format as to how EMC matters should be handled with regard to microcomputers and how related problems can be avoided.