Radio Frequency Interference Spectrum Management Seminar Nairobi Kenya

• Radio Frequency Interference Spectrum Management Seminar Nairobi, Kenya September 18, 2007 Mike Biggs Senior Engineer FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Federal Aviation Administration

What is Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)? • ITU Definition: The effect of unwanted energy due to one or a combination of emissions, radiations, or inductions upon reception in a radiocommunication system, manifested by any performance degradation, misinterpretation, or loss of information which could be extracted in the absence of such unwanted energy. • Criteria to mitigate inter-system interference are established as an element of ICAO SARPs. – E. g. , 8 d. B D/U for co-channel DME assignments Federal Aviation Administration 2

US RFI Yearly Activity Statistics Q 1995 Events = 1109 Q 1996 Events = 1248 Q 1997 Events = 1398 Q 1998 Events = 1576 Q 1999 Events = 1596 Q 2000 Events = 1771 Q 2001 Events = 1721 Q 2002 Events = 1659 Q 2003 Events = 1698 Q 2004 Events = 1712 Q 2005 Events = 1642 Q 2006 Events = 1696 ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 3

RFI Categories QAuthorized Transmissions QProperly Licensed (i. e. FM, AM, TV) QUnauthorized Transmissions QWireless Video Cameras QHigh Power Cordless Telephones QUnlicensed Pirate FM Stations Spurious QIntentional QUnauthorized Jamming Q“Phantom” Controllers QUnintentional QSpurious Transmissions ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 4

RFI Sources QCitizens Band (CB) Radios (5 th harmonic) QPaging Systems QStuck Microphone Transmissions QCell phone Spurious Emissions QElectronic Attack (EA) Missions QPower line Noise (Broadband Noise) QAnomalous Propagation QAtmospheric Conditions QAmateur “HAM” Radio QLand Mobile/Dispatch ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 5

US National Airspace System RFI QMost Common Source of RFI: QUnauthorized Transmissions QPirate FM Broadcast Spurious QMost Common FAA Victim: QVHF/UHF Voice Communications QMost Difficult RFI to Resolve: QHigh Altitude Pilot Only Reported RFI QIntermittent RFI (Airborne/Ground) QBroadband RFI on Many Frequencies QPhase Shift Keying RF Transmissions ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 6

US RFI Investigation Resources QFAA Personnel and Organizations: QATC Spectrum Engineering Services QHeadquarters QTechnical Center QCommand Center QFrequency Management Officers (FMO) QTechnical Operations Service Areas QAeronautical Center QTechnical Support Field Specialists (Technicians) QAviation System Standards (Flight Inspection) QOne International FIO QSix National FIOs ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 7

RFI Investigation Resources QFAA Assets and Software Tools Q Radio Frequency Interference Monitoring (RFIM) Vans Automated or Manual DF Control/Mapping Full Equipment Suite 20 - 3000 MHz ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Regional Used mainly by FMOs Most Complete Measurement System Federal Aviation Administration 8

Portable DF (RFID) Regional Automated Vehicle mounted mobile DF Detection Band 20 -2000 MHz 29 RFID GPS DF Antenna Systems L 1 - 1575. 42 MHz ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 9

Handheld DF (K 95 -103) Regional System Management Office (SMO) 33 Offices in the NAS K 95 -103 Detection Coverage 20 – 3000 MHz Typically 2 miles Regional Most Cost effective First choice instrument for technicians Approx. 300 GPS DF Antenna VHF Yagi Antenna K 95 -100 Systems L 1, L 2, L 5 Directional ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 10

Airborne DF (OAR-4400) AVN Flight Check NASE/RFI Program to assist in locating RFI/GPS sources First Choice when High Altitude PIREPS ONLY DF Control/Mapping Operated Automation ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 GPS DF Array & VHF DF Array L 1, L 2, L 5 & 108 - 174 MHz Federal Aviation Administration 11

National RFI Initiative QFAA Assets and Software Tools Q Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), Miami (MIA) Q FAA Intranet Web based Graphical User Interface (GUI) Q Web Browser Control of Fixed DF and Spectrum Analyzer Chicago NIMDS New York NIMDS Master IMDS Los Angeles NIMDS Miami NIMDS ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 12

Interference Monitoring Detection System (IMDS) WEB IMDS Receiver Tuned Frequency DF Processor Bearing Averaging Triangulation Multiple Audio Playback Capability Synchronized Spectrum Analyzer Spectral View ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 13

Mapping Triangulation WEB IMDS Triangulated Bearing Averages Overlay on Map Increases Fix Calculation Ellipse Accuracy Multiple Ellipse Calculation for Smaller Ellipse ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 14

New IMDS Version 2. 0 Control ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 15

Example Engineering Analysis Tools Q Automated Frequency Manager (AFM) Q Flight Explorer Aircraft Situation Display (FE ASD) Q Space Loss Calculator (SPLC) Q Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS) Q Various Government Database Systems Q Government Master File (GMF) Q FCC Wireless Frequency Database ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 16

Flight Explorer ASD Aircraft Situation Display (ASD) Traffic Flow of potential aircraft PIREPS RLOS Footprint Lowest Aircraft Altitude VENN Diagram Overlay Area ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 17

Space Loss Calculator Propagation Loss Determine the potential signal levels received by Aircraft Analyze: Intermodulation FM Worksheet Site Specs Soil Conductivity ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 18

Audio Spectrogram Analysis Audio Detection Visual Intensities Used for Matching with known sources Audio Spectral Views ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 19

Maintenance Management System Facility ID Start Date/Time Summary Cause Code 84 Code 7 RFI Events Logged ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 20

Event Manager Reporting Tool Facility ID Start Date/Time Summary NOCC Code 84 Code 7 RFI&GPS Events Logged Tracked & Updated Daily by FAA ASR Liaison ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 21

aero. RFI – Internet Reporting Commercial and Private Pilots Reporting Special aero. RFI Team Internet e. Mail Messaging ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 22

COMM RFI/GPS Reporting Flow NAV RFI RCL/LMR MMS NAPRS Reports ILS RADAR RFI GPS NOCC EM Reports ENROUTE NAS Services Impacted - Reported By Users TERMINAL NOCC Phone – e. Mail Reports aero. RFI Reports Liaison Reports Linked Field Personnel Reporting Linked Private Pilots Network Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS) Intranet FAA Network Records ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 23

Spectrum Engineering Event Tracker Open Active Events Report Search Code 84 RFI Events Fields Drop Down Selection for Search Execution ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar September 2007 Federal Aviation Administration 24