C-Band Telemetry Usage in Europe & Threats

Update 2014 Guenter Mueller for Gerhard Mayer

Former Chair ICTSEuropean Society for Telemetry (EST)

gmayer@gvm-consultants.com

International Consortium for Telemetry Spectrum

ITC 2014 ICTS General Session 22 Oct, 2014 San Diego CA

Agenda

1. Overview: European Allocations

2. Present C-Band Usage

3. Upcoming Threats from WRC-12 Resolutions & WRC-15 Action Items

4. Coordinated Actions

5. Conclusions

AMT Allocations in Europe

• L-band deleted, but still used in some countries.

• S-band for AMT applications (CEPT/ERC Rec.62-02E)- Core band 2300 – 2330 MHz - Extension band 2330 – 2400 MHz Not harmonized, used in a part of countries, only !

• WRC-07 C-band global 5091 – 5150 MHz Region 1 5150 – 5250 MHz

That is the only real harmonized AMT band in Europe !

Interference & noise scenario

S-band: Billions of „Part 15“ and „3 & 4g-mobile“ devices can create significant out-of-band spurious emissions

• Spectral occupancy & interference studies in various regions show frequently noise levels of -90..-100 dBm in the band 2300 - 2380 MHz-80..- 70 dBm in the band 2380 - 2400 MHz

C-band: WRC´07 bands 5091 – 5150 MHz (global)and 5150 – 5250 MHz (Region 1 extension) show-103…87 dBm

Ref. FCC TAC Noise Environment Subcommittee

NTIA Reports Spectrum Survey Measurements Wellens et al.; RWTH Aachen University, Germany

S- vs. C-band noise level24h-comparison in Aachen /Germany

European C-band introduction

• Austria: Payload tests for border surveillance• France: Airbus to test AB 350 et al.

Spain may be later part of the Airbus network.• Germany: DLR and Fraunhofer doing operational tests,

Airbus Mil. & Space C-band vs. S-band evaluation. Airbus-Eurocopter in planning status, ops. expected from 2017 on.

• The Netherlands: NRL, systems procured.• Sweden & Norway: VIDSEL Range: procurement C-band

tracking station in process, test flights in 2014. Andoya Range pondering to introduce C-band.

• Switzerland: Armasuisse in planning status for 2017-2020.

• UK: BAES and Qinetiq in planning status.

Status of C-band use

• Austria Diamond Aircraft Systems: doing tests of payload systems for border

surveillance tasks• France AIRBUS: reception network 5091-5150 MHz,10 Mbps FM; change to COFDM

TX, now available; C-band tests finished, FT A350 op`nal.• Germany Airbus Mil.& Space: 5105 MHz, B=10 MHz, FT since 2013(small aircraft and

Tornado), preparing project support from 2014 onward; FT UAV „Scout“.DLR: 5140 / 5180 MHz, B=21MHz, 5W,bi-dir.link (networked radio),

test phase done, operational for scientific flight tests & project „Vabene“.RDE: URV tests, 4470 MHz, B 20 MHz (NATO support); FT UAV „KZO“.• The NetherlandsNRL & Navy: diversity up & dwn link, vessel to helicopter and vessel to

(unmanned) Mine Sweeper „Seehund“, successful FT 2012

Providers C-band components & systems

• Artronics: S- & C-band tracking station prototype (2014).

• Insys Aero: datalinks for AvioXnet and video systems

• Kraus Messtechnik: complete networked telemetry systems, C band up & downlink

• STT: airborne components

• Zodiac: ground & airborne components, COFDM transmitter available.

New threat potential from WRC-12 Resolutions

Critical Action Items to AMT C-Band Allocations by WRC-15 Action Items:

1.1: „to seek additional spectrum for IMT“1.5: „use of bands allocated to the FSS for

Command & Control of UAS” 1.7: „review the use of band 5091-5150 MHz by the FSS” 1.17: „spectrum requirements including aeronautical allocations to support wireless avionics intra-communications”

Threats from AI 1.1 for the WRC-15

• The primary future threat for AMT is the Agenda Item 1.1 "to seek additional spectrum for IMT”

• Interaction with IMT delegates revealed that reallocating additional spectrum in the range 2000-2500 MHz is their utmost priority and the commercial interests are prepared to pay enormous amounts of money for access !

• Studies are already being conducted to find more bandwidth in the telemetry-intensive S- and C-Bands (2200-2400 & 4400-6700 MHz)

AMT C-Band threat fromBroadband Wireless Systems

• The European Commission (EC) supports the specific concept of „Licenced Shared Access“ (LSA) as one form of sharing in other bands, too.

• DIGTALEUROPE recommends to the European Commission (EC) LSA-studies in the 5 GHz range; 5091 – 5250 MHz is one candidate „for the benefits of RLAN, WiFi and WiMax services“.

• German Spectrum Agency recommends AMT users to

define protection critera in a joint European Study.

Threats from other AI´s for the WRC-15

• New Action Items for the FSS, MSS and Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC) also demonstrate threat potential to ATM C-band allocations:– 1.5 “use of bands allocated to the FSS for C² of UAS” – 1.7 “review the use of band 5091-5150 MHz by FSS” – 1.17 “spectrum requirements including aeronautical

allocations to support wireless avionics intra-communications”

– All have to be tracked and analyzed by the ICTS very diligently & carefully ! Details were already presented in the “ICTS Region 1 Report “, update 2014.

C- Band test activities

• Airbus Toulouse initial FT with10 Mbps 10W-FM onboard with C-band gnd network, now with OFDM Transmitter.

• Airbus Military and Space prepared FT C-band vs. S-band,

with small aircraft and Tornado.

• Airbus Helicopers did successful evaluation flights, using a Zodiac test system (5W, COFDM).

• Vidsel Range in Sweden did flight tests S-band vs. C-band (with Helicoper), inclusive interference studies from their C-band Radar.

AMT bands over 15GHz

• Requirements will further increase; WRC´07 allocations satisfying medium term needs, only

• Lessons learned from WRC´07: from identifying a specific need to a WRC decision one decade min. is required !

• No chance for future augmentation under 15 GHz ! (Ref. US Study „15 GHz & up“,2009)

„Bands already allocated to AMS from 15 – 40 GHz should be studied asap for AMT use and one band selected for a pilot demonstration “

Ka - band test activities

• Europen Soc. of Telemetry procuring prototype onboard and gnd system to evaluate Ka-band (27,0-27,5 GHz) ops; tests to compare with S- or C-band on small aircraft.

• Initial tests with a 24 GHz (5W, FM) system, using HAM radio components. Availability of a research frequency band, with no problems for licencening.

• Test flights on a small aircraft planned from 2015 on.

Drawback: budget restrictions for spectum stewardship

• Less contacts of AMT practitioners with CEPT and ITU delegates, resulting in less international attendance & influence on AMT interests.

• Well established contacts & links to Region-1+3 ATM practitioners and spectrum administrations will „dry up“, since not further cultivated.

• Result: Lack of information exchange to organise international coordinated countermeasures, to cope with present & future TM spectrum threats…

Countermeasures: Now what ??

• WRC-15 Preparations are in process.• Of interest and concern to AMT interests are:

– Working Party 5B – maritime & aeronautical mobile services

– Working Party 4C – spectrum utilization for MSS and RDSS

– Working Party 5D – IMT Systems– Joint Task Group Meetings

Work of regional project / study teams:– ATU, APT, CEPT, CITEL

Conclusions (1)C-band use in Europe

• Increasing interest in the EU is evident to use C-band. Introduction in 8 countries observed.

• Five vendors of EU-made on board and ground equipment on market, beside those selling US products.

• Further promotion of C-band use in Region 1 needed ! South Africa is key point, with its influence to the African developing countries.

• Further coordinated actions of the AMT community will be needed to defend the co-primary user status of WRC-07 C – bands!

Conclusions (2)Threats to AMT bands

• 2300-2400 MHz will be under severe threat by Res. 223 (WRC-12) with AI 1.1 (WRC-15) and the LSA lobby.

• 5091-5150 MHz may come under threat by AI1.5;1.7;1.17. • 5150-5250 MHz considered by the LSA lobby as one

candidate band for RLAN, WiFi and WiMax !

• ICTS delegates must remain in the relevant study groups of the ITU Working Parties 4 & 5 and regional parties (APT, CEPT, CITEL) and for the preparation of the WRC-15.

• Coordinated actions with key countries,(in Asia, South Africa, South America) will be crucial to cope the threats of AMT bands !

Questions / Discussion