JANUARY 2021
AEROSPACE & DEFENCE
INTERFERENCE HUNTING IN THE FIELD
Madhukar Tripathi
Head –MARCOM & OPTICAL PRODUCTS, ANRITSU INDIA PVT. LTD
What is Interference?
Interference is any unwanted signal that makes a radio receiver’s job harder such as illegal transmissions, unlocked and drifting transmissions, noise from leaky cable TV feeds, unsuppressed EMI from power tools or microwave ovens, local high power radios and even multi-path from nearby buildings and hills. Interference from both illegal and unintentional signals is a significant problem for mobile service providers, security services and government regulators. Interference degrades network performance, causing critical communications to be interrupted. Sources of Interference • Illegal jammers • Unlocked or drifting radios • Oscillating repeaters • Damaged or leaking RF cables • Improper antenna positioning • Pulsed signals (similar to radar) • Signals hidden in LTE uplink channels • “Pirate” TV/radio stations and BTS cellular equipment operating illegally
24
Spectrum monitoring system
Benefits of Real-time Spectrum Analysis for Resolving Interference Problems
RF field engineers have relied on spectrum analyzers to detect transient interferers and unwanted hidden signals for each wireless communications generation. As we enter a new era where millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies are becoming more commonplace due to the rollout of 5G and advanced aerospace/military systems, selecting the proper spectrum analyzer becomes more important. In fact, it can
•Vol - 03 / 01
