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Executive Summary

This report addresses the feasibility of using SHF (3-30GHz) and EHF (30-300GHz) to provide wireless camera connectivity for the 2012 London Olympics and PMSE generally over a longer timescale.

Existing wireless cameras typically use spectrum around 2.3GHz. After an initial analysis of requirements, propagation and equipment availability we focused on spectrum at 7.5GHz and 60GHz. At 7.5GHz the propagation characteristics are not dissimilar to those at 2.3GHz, making this an ostensibly feasible choice. At 60 GHz, propagation is very different, but there is an emerging commercial interest in the band in the USA (for point to point links and personal area networks).

We developed a model to predict the range at different frequencies, talking into account the modulation schemes, link budgets and noise performance that would be expected. Theory suggested that the performance of 7.5GHz equipment at 1W should not be dissimilar to the performance of 2.3GHz equipment at 100mW. However it would be necessary to conduct empirical trials to confirm this.

We researched the applications of wireless cameras and explored the suitability of higher frequencies for each of these applications. We found that there is scope in principle for migrating a proportion of existing usage at 2.3GHz to higher frequencies.

In the case of electronic news gathering (ENG), the need to deploy equipment which will cope with unpredictable ad hoc situations will discourage migration to higher frequencies. However, in outside broadcast (OB) applications, we determined that it would be feasible to implement system architectures which would accommodate the shorter range of 7.5GHz versus 2.3GHz.

We found the greatest opportunity for using 7.5GHz to be in stadium OB applications. Some increase in power will be needed and the number of receive antennas may also need to be increased. But the use of 7.5GHz would allow greater frequency reuse than would be possible at 2.3GHz.

Increased transmitter power and the use of multiple receive antennas may make the use of 60GHz possible within stadia on the back of technology developments at this frequency. It may also be possible to deploy 60GHz line of sight links in mobile OB to helicopter and OB/ENG helicopter to static vehicle applications. Though the activity at 60GHz will undoubtedly start to open up the use of higher frequencies, existing applications are not sufficiently close to those of wireless cameras to make the technologies relevant in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Overall our analysis suggests that approximately one third of existing usage could be migrated to frequencies higher than those used at present.

• Examining the potential to use SHF and EHF spectrum to support Wireless Camera PMSE applications - Report Prepared by Sagentia [pdf]
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