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Spectrum Issues: Ultra-Wideband Operations. NASA Spectrum Managers Association. May 20, 2003 Holiday Inn Hotel Rosslyn, VA James E. Hollansworth NASA Glenn Research Center. Current Issues. Protection of existing public safety and space science spectrum dependent services from RFI UWB
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Spectrum Issues: Ultra-Wideband Operations NASA Spectrum Managers Association • May 20, 2003 • Holiday Inn Hotel • Rosslyn, VA • James E. Hollansworth • NASA Glenn Research Center
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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