Spectrum Issues: Ultra-Wideband Operations

1. Spectrum Issues: Ultra-Wideband Operations NASA Spectrum Managers Association • May 20, 2003 • Holiday Inn Hotel • Rosslyn, VA • James E. Hollansworth • NASA Glenn Research Center

2. Current Issues • Protection of existing public safety and space science spectrum dependent services from RFI • UWB • MSS ATC • Other “new” unlicensed services/devices • Unregulated spectrum usage on a widespread scale will inevitably lead to an increased man-made noise environment

3. Ultra-wideband Regulatory Activities • Report & Order released May, 2002 • Numerous Petitions for Reconsideration filed • Additional Order allowing legacy Ground Penetrating Radars released July, 2002 • Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making adopted by FCC February 13, 2003, released March 12, 2003 • Published in Federal Register/Vol 68 No. 77/Tuesday, April 22, 2003 Rules and Regulation Pages 19746-19752 • Published in Federal Register/Vol 68, No.77/Tuesday, April 22, 2003/Proposed Rules Pages 19773-19777 • Anticipate Numerous Petitions for Reconsideration to be filed

4. UWB Activities • FCC approves “first” UWB device • Time Domain’s PulsOn200 chip set “meets” FCC UWB rules • Device reportedly emits “unintentional” radiation in 1-3 GHz range • FCC interpretation of R&O rules in question • Sets dangerous precedent • Authorization expected to be challenged • MultiSpectral Solutions Inc. Spider 650 “meets” FCC UWB rules.

5. Ultrawideband (UWB) Characteristics / Concerns • UWB proponents seek to manufacture unlicensed commercial UWB devices that will occupy frequencies allocated to other services • Forecast commercial applications in 10’s/100’s of millions • Aggregation effects raise the noise floor and interfere with low-power signals first (GPS, space sensors, astronomical RF signals, etc) A Monocycle Pulse in Time and Frequency

6. Optical Effects of Single Light Source

7. Effects of Multiple City Light Sources

8. Light Pollution in the USA

9. Immediate UWB Concerns • Why does NASA care? • Impacts to multiple bands • Not limited to UWB, but with a variety of new technologies • Devices proposing to operate unlicensed. • Operational densities which could raise the Noise Floor. • NASA, DOT/FAA, NOAA, DOE and the private sector are coordinating in a time-urgent effort • NASA is conducting a thorough Noise Floor Study (2 Parts) • University effort to characterize & model UWB effects • Interference effects testing & simulations • DoD and DOT/FAA are conducting related analysis and testing efforts • Adequate time is needed to permit systematic scientific assessments to be performed and peer-reviewed

10. NASA UWB Investigation • NASA/LaRC EMC testing reveals potential RFI from UWB to aircraft avionics June, 2002 • NASA initiating a broad program of investigation of effects from FCC approved UWB devices • Effects on noise floor in select frequency bands • Effects on aircraft avionics and GPS signal reception • Collaboration with other Federal Agencies and Departments • Collaboration with private industry. • Efforts expected to aid in quantifying potential impact of UWB emissions prior to FCC release of “new R&O” • Provide sound scientific/engineering basis for safe and efficient regulation of UWB operations. • We were able to support the first R&O and MO&O

11. NASA UWB Study Organization

12. Current NASA Recommendation • No further changes to UWB rulemaking until results of ongoing noise floor analyses and interference test efforts have been subjected to peer-review by all stakeholders and made available to the public

13. Stay Tuned