Federal Aviation Administration Radio Frequency Interference Mike Biggs Senior Engineer FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Spectrum Management Seminar

Federal AviationAdministrationRadio Frequency Radio Frequency

InterferenceInterference

Mike BiggsMike Biggs

Senior EngineerSenior Engineer

FAA Spectrum Engineering ServicesFAA Spectrum Engineering Services

Spectrum Management Seminar Spectrum Management Seminar

Nairobi, KenyaNairobi, Kenya

September 18, 2007September 18, 2007

2Federal AviationAdministration

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 dB D/U for co-channel DME assignments


US RFI Yearly Activity Statistics 1995 Events =1995 Events = 11091109

1996 Events =1996 Events = 12481248

1997 Events =1997 Events = 13981398

1998 Events =1998 Events = 15761576

1999 Events =1999 Events = 15961596

2000 Events =2000 Events = 17711771

2001 Events =2001 Events = 17211721

2002 Events =2002 Events = 16591659

2003 Events =2003 Events = 16981698

2004 Events =2004 Events = 17121712

2005 Events =2005 Events = 16421642

2006 Events = 2006 Events = 16961696

ICAO Spectrum Management Seminar

September 2007


RFI CategoriesAuthorized TransmissionsAuthorized Transmissions

Properly Licensed (i.e. FM, AM, TV)

Unauthorized TransmissionsUnauthorized Transmissions

Wireless Video Cameras

High Power Cordless Telephones

Unlicensed Pirate FM Stations Spurious

IntentionalIntentional

Unauthorized Jamming

“Phantom” Controllers

UnintentionalUnintentional

Spurious Transmissions


September 2007


RFI SourcesCitizens Band (CB) Radios (5Citizens Band (CB) Radios (5thth harmonic) harmonic)

Paging SystemsPaging Systems

Stuck Microphone TransmissionsStuck Microphone Transmissions

Cell phone Spurious Emissions Cell phone Spurious Emissions

Electronic Attack (EA) MissionsElectronic Attack (EA) Missions

Power line Noise (Broadband Noise)Power line Noise (Broadband Noise)

Anomalous Propagation Anomalous Propagation

Atmospheric ConditionsAtmospheric Conditions

Amateur “HAM” RadioAmateur “HAM” Radio

Land Mobile/DispatchLand Mobile/Dispatch


September 2007


US National Airspace System RFI


September 2007

Most Common Source of RFI:Most Common Source of RFI:Unauthorized TransmissionsUnauthorized Transmissions

Pirate FM Broadcast SpuriousPirate FM Broadcast Spurious

Most Common FAA Victim:Most Common FAA Victim:

VHF/UHF Voice CommunicationsVHF/UHF Voice Communications

Most Difficult RFI to Resolve:Most Difficult RFI to Resolve:High Altitude Pilot Only Reported RFIHigh Altitude Pilot Only Reported RFI

Intermittent RFI (Airborne/Ground)Intermittent RFI (Airborne/Ground)

Broadband RFI on Many FrequenciesBroadband RFI on Many Frequencies

Phase Shift Keying RF Transmissions Phase Shift Keying RF Transmissions


US RFI Investigation ResourcesFAA Personnel and Organizations:FAA Personnel and Organizations:

ATC Spectrum Engineering ServicesATC Spectrum Engineering ServicesHeadquartersHeadquartersTechnical CenterTechnical CenterCommand CenterCommand Center

Frequency Management Officers (FMO)Frequency Management Officers (FMO)Technical Operations Service AreasTechnical Operations Service AreasAeronautical CenterAeronautical Center

Technical Support Field Specialists (Technicians)Technical Support Field Specialists (Technicians)

Aviation System Standards (Flight Inspection)Aviation System Standards (Flight Inspection)One International FIOOne International FIOSix National FIOsSix National FIOs


September 2007


Automated or ManualAutomated or Manual

Full Equipment SuiteFull Equipment Suite

DF Control/MappingDF Control/Mapping

20 - 3000 MHz20 - 3000 MHz

Regional Regional Used mainly by FMOsUsed mainly by FMOsMost Complete Measurement SystemMost Complete Measurement System

RFI Investigation Resources

FAA Assets and Software FAA Assets and Software ToolsTools

Radio Frequency Interference Radio Frequency Interference Monitoring (RFIM) VansMonitoring (RFIM) Vans


September 2007


29 RFID

Systems

GPS DF Antenna

L1 - 1575.42 MHz

RegionalRegional

Automated Vehicle mounted Automated Vehicle mounted mobile DFmobile DF

Detection Band 20-2000 MHzDetection Band 20-2000 MHz

Portable DF (RFID)


September 2007


RegionalRegional

Most Cost effective Most Cost effective First choice First choice

instrument for instrument for technicianstechnicians

Approx. 300Approx. 300

K95-100 SystemsK95-100 Systems

GPS DF AntennaGPS DF Antenna

L1,L2,L5L1,L2,L5

VHF Yagi AntennaVHF Yagi Antenna

DirectionalDirectional

Regional System Management Office Regional System Management Office (SMO)(SMO)

33 Offices in the NAS33 Offices in the NAS

K95-103 Detection CoverageK95-103 Detection Coverage20 – 3000 MHz20 – 3000 MHz

Typically 2 milesTypically 2 miles

Handheld DF (K95-103)


September 2007


DF Control/Mapping

Operated Automation

GPS DF Array & VHF DF Array

L1,L2,L5 & 108 - 174 MHz

AVNAVN

Flight Check Flight Check NASE/RFI NASE/RFI

Program to Program to assist in assist in locating locating RFI/GPS RFI/GPS sourcessources

First Choice First Choice when High when High

Altitude Altitude PIREPS PIREPS ONLYONLY

Airborne DF (OAR-4400)


September 2007


FAA Assets and Software ToolsFAA Assets and Software Tools Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), Miami (MIA)

FAA Intranet Web based Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Web Browser Control of Fixed DF and Spectrum Analyzer

New YorkNIMDS

MiamiNIMDS

MasterIMDS

ChicagoNIMDS

Los AngelesNIMDS

National RFI Initiative


September 2007


WEB IMDS WEB IMDS

Receiver Receiver Tuned Tuned

FrequencyFrequency

DF Processor DF Processor Bearing Bearing

Averaging Averaging TriangulationTriangulation

Multiple Audio Multiple Audio Playback Playback CapabilityCapability

Synchronized Synchronized Spectrum Spectrum Analyzer Analyzer

Spectral ViewSpectral View

Interference Monitoring Detection System (IMDS)


September 2007


WEB IMDS WEB IMDS

Triangulated Triangulated Bearing Bearing

Averages Averages Overlay on Overlay on

MapMap

Increases Fix Increases Fix Calculation Calculation

Ellipse Ellipse AccuracyAccuracy

Multiple Multiple Ellipse Ellipse

Calculation for Calculation for Smaller Smaller EllipseEllipse

Mapping Triangulation


September 2007


New IMDS Version 2.0 Control


September 2007


Example Engineering Analysis Tools

Automated Frequency Manager (AFM)Automated Frequency Manager (AFM)

Flight Explorer Aircraft Situation Display (FE ASD)Flight Explorer Aircraft Situation Display (FE ASD)

Space Loss Calculator (SPLC)Space Loss Calculator (SPLC)

Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS)Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS)

Various Government Database SystemsVarious Government Database Systems

Government Master File (GMF)Government Master File (GMF)

FCC Wireless Frequency DatabaseFCC Wireless Frequency Database


September 2007


Flight Explorer ASDAircraft

Situation Display(ASD)

Traffic Flow of potential aircraft

PIREPS

RLOS Footprint

Lowest Aircraft Altitude

VENN Diagram Overlay Area


September 2007


PropagationLoss

Determine the potential signal

levels received by Aircraft

Analyze:

IntermodulationFM Worksheet

Site SpecsSoil Conductivity

Space Loss Calculator


September 2007


AudioDetection

VisualIntensities

Used for

Matching with known

sources

Audio Spectral

Views

Audio Spectrogram Analysis


September 2007


Maintenance Management System

Facility ID Start

Date/Time Summary

Cause Code 84 Code 7

RFI Events Logged


September 2007


Facility ID Start

Date/Time Summary

NOCC Code 84 Code 7

RFI&GPS Events Logged

Tracked & Updated Daily by

FAA ASR Liaison

Event Manager Reporting Tool


September 2007


Commercial and

Private Pilots

Reporting

SpecialaeroRFI

Team

InterneteMail

Messaging

aeroRFI – Internet Reporting


September 2007


RFI/GPS Reporting Flow

RCL/LMRRCL/LMR

NAV RFINAV RFI

ILSILS GPSGPS

RADAR RFIRADAR RFI

ENROUTEENROUTE TERMINALTERMINAL

NAS Services NAS Services Impacted - Reported Impacted - Reported

By UsersBy Users

MMS NAPRS ReportsMMS NAPRS Reports NOCC EM ReportsNOCC EM Reports

Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS)Spectrum Engineering Tracking System (SETS)

Intranet FAA Network Records Intranet FAA Network Records

LinkedLinked LinkedLinked

NOCC Phone – eMail NOCC Phone – eMail ReportsReports

aeroRFI ReportsaeroRFI Reports

Private Pilots Private Pilots NetworkNetwork

Liaison ReportsLiaison Reports

Field Personnel ReportingField Personnel Reporting

COMM RFICOMM RFI


September 2007


Spectrum Engineering Event Tracker

Open Active Events Report

Search Code 84

RFI Events Fields

Drop Down Selection for Search Execution


September 2007

Documents

Federal Aviation Administration Radio Frequency Interference Mike Biggs Senior Engineer FAA Spectrum Engineering Services Spectrum Management Seminar