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Spectrum Management

Protecting a Vital, Limited Resource

Overview

Many Federal agencies use radio frequency spectrum to perform vital operations. NTIA manages the Federal government's use of spectrum, ensuring that America's domestic and international spectrum needs are met while making efficient use of this limited resource. NTIA carries out this responsibility with assistance and advice from the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee and by:

  • establishing and issuing policy regarding allocations and regulations governing the Federal spectrum use;
  • developing plans for the peacetime and wartime use of the spectrum;
  • preparing for, participating in, and implementing the results of international radio conferences;
  • assigning frequencies;
  • maintaining spectrum use databases;
  • reviewing Federal agencies' new telecommunications systems and certifying that spectrum will be available;
  • providing the technical engineering expertise needed to perform specific spectrum resources assessments and automated computer capabilities needed to carry out these investigations;
  • participating in all aspects of the Federal government's communications related emergency readiness activities; and
  • participating in Federal government telecommunications and automated information systems security activities.

Related content


Interference Protection Criteria Simulation

Report ID
Technical Report TR-19-540
August 01, 2019
Robert J. Achatz; Brent L. Bedford
Abstract

Interference protection criteria (IPC) determine the interfering signal power a system can tolerate when sharing spectrum with other services. IPC are typically determined by measurements, but good measurements are often hindered by restrictions on equipment availability and inaccessible intermediate signals, performance metrics, and operational parameters. The purpose of this research is to determine if radio system software simulation can accurately emulate these measurements and alleviate their hindrances. Our approach is to use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) radio system simulator software to model previous IPC measurement test fixtures and compare simulated to measured results. Measurements of mutual interference between SPN-43C radar and LTE systems are compared. The comparison revealed that 1) when the SPN-43C pulse repetition interval was the same as the LTE subframe period SPN-43C interference in the LTE UE was highly dependent on which OFDM word within the LTE subframe the SPN-43C pulse was repeatedly placed on and 2) simulation is more accurate than measurement for IPC tests with fixed threshold radars such as SPN-43C. These revelations show that simulation is a useful addition and potentially viable alternative to IPC measurement.

Keywords: spectrum engineering; spectrum sharing; electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) analysis; Long Term Evolution (LTE); interference protection criteria (IPC); Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS); radio system software simulation; surveillance radar

Received Signal Power Measurements On Select Air Traffic Control Radars In Colorado

Report ID
NTIA Technical Report TR-19-542
August 01, 2019
Jeffery A. Wepman; Edward F. Drocella Jr.; April Lundy; Paul M. McKenna; Heather E. Ottke; Yeh Lo
Abstract

Received signal power measurements were performed on the Common Air Route Surveillance Radar (CARSR) operating in the 1300–1370 MHz band in Parker, Colorado and on the Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR 9) operating in the 2700 2900 MHz band in Platteville, Colorado. The measurements were taken along five radials extending from each radar transmitter. Four or five fixed locations were chosen along each radial where predicted received signal power varied from relatively strong to weak levels. Multiple peak received power measurements were made at each location to provide statistically significant results. In another effort, these measurements will be used to validate spectrum usage contours and the methodology used to generate them as developed by the Office of Spectrum Management (OSM) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Keywords: radar measurements; airport surveillance radar (ASR); received signal power measurements; peak received power; Common Air Route Surveillance Radar (CARSR) ; spectrum usage contours

Emission Measurements of a Contraband Wireless Device Jammer at a State Prison

Report ID
Technical Report TR-19-541
September 01, 2019
Frank H. Sanders; Geoffrey A. Sanders; John E. Carroll
Abstract

This report describes emission spectrum measurements of a wireless jammer device operated temporarily inside a South Carolina state prison maximum security housing block. The measurements were intended to demonstrate the operation of the jammer in four commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) bands between 730 MHz to 2.155 GHz. Spectrum measurements of the jammer emissions were performed indoors and outdoors with two measurement bandwidths. Measurements at each location were performed with the jammer on versus off, so as to show the relative power levels of the jamming and ambient CMRS signals at each location. This report’s data can be applied in future electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) analyses. However, the data provide no information as to whether a CMRS wireless device can or cannot perform its intended communications function in the presence of a competing signal of specified strength. Only thorough theoretical analysis, well-engineered simulation and modeling, plus selected measurements in controlled (laboratory) environments can objectively quantify the impact of interfering transmissions on CMRS wireless devices.

Keywords: electromagnetic compatibility (EMC); harmful interference; denial-of-service jamming; radio jamming; commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) jamming; communications jamming; micro-jammer; wireless device jamming

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