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Research and Development |
Propagation research
Electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC)
Mathematical
research in spectrum management
Sharing
studies and co-ordination information
Ultra
Wide Band (UWB)
Convergence
and emerging technology
Spectrum
Efficiency Scheme (SES)
Economic
studies
Future
Spectrum Requirements
Other
Archive
(reports completed before April 1998)
Disclaimer: Any opinions and
suggestions expressed in any reports are those of the contractor concerned and
may not reflect the opinion or policy of the Radiocommunications Agency.
Propagation research is concerned
with the development of methods, which predict radiowave propagation. This is
essential in the understanding of current and 
in
the development of future radio services. A significant amount of the Agency's
propagation research has been carried out at the Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory (RAL).
The following studies were undertaken outside RAL:
Man Made Noise Measurement Programme Final Report
Zipped PDF file (4.1 MB)
(522 KB)
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
EMC research is concerned with the susceptibility of non-radio devices to radio waves, and vice versa.
Optically transparent RF attenuating
structures (RTCG, November 2000)
Mathematical Research in Spectrum Management
The Agency's mathematical programme is concerned with constructing mathematical models that can be used in spectrum management. The goal of the mathematical programme is to find an objective measure of spectrum efficiency which will enable the calculation of better assignments. In addition to the theoretical work, considerable effort is being focussed on computational techniques.
Sharing studies and co-ordination information
Traditionally, propagation research has concentrated on intra-service interference. Inter-service interference is a common phenomenon, particularly at the boundaries of designates frequency bands.
PDF File (1.45 MB)
Convergence and emerging technology
Research on convergence and emerging technology is related to the Convergence Green Paper and to scenario studies on the Future of Communication in 2010.
See also: Convergence topic page
Spectrum Efficiency Scheme (SES)
Spectrum Efficiency Scheme 2004/05 - Call for expressions of interest
Ofcom has secured funding from HM Treasury in 2004/05 for research to improve the efficiency of radio spectrum management and use.
The Spectrum Efficiency Scheme (SES) will include research in support of Ofcom's duty to ensure the optimal use of the electro-magnetic spectrum and further Ofcom's aim to remain at the forefront of technological understanding. It also supports the recommendations made in the Review of Radio Spectrum Management (Professor Martin Cave, March 2002), and aims to foster the early sharing of information between members of the radio community.
We are now seeking expressions of interest under the SES. The closing date for these is 22 January 2004, with research work expected to begin by 1 April 2004 and to end by March 2005.
For details please vist the Ofcom website at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about_ofcom/contract_tenders/ses/index.htm
Spectrum Efficiency Scheme 2003/04
Aims of Scheme
This Treasury funded research programme seeks technical innovation in the efficient use of the radio spectrum in the UK. In order to do this, it aims to encourage collaborative studies and the sharing of information between members of the radio community at the earliest possible stage in their exploration of new radio technologies and market opportunities.
The research is directed at novel technology that is pre-competitive, collaborative and speculative. By encouraging the cross-fertilisation of ideas between academia and commercial partners, it is forging new links in the radio industry and new opportunities for the use of the radio spectrum in the UK.
Overview of Current Status
Brief Descriptions of Projects
AY4462A
Consortium: Culham Electromagnetics and Lightning, Arup Communications,
University of Warwick, National Physical Laboratory
Description:
Demonstration of a practical implementation of Isolated Spectrum Selective Islands
(ISSI), including design of passive FSS panels, solving practical deployment
issues, benefit analysis and using novel FSS structures. The materials used
for internal walls within buildings will be assessed for their RF characteristics
in the course of this work.
AY4462B
Consortium: BAE Systems Limited
Description: Project will make active (electrically switched) FSS panels
which can be used to electrically switch WLAN propagation on or off between
one room and another. These will be used in an office demonstration of switched
ISSI in which two adjoining rooms are either radio isolated or joined at the
flick of a switch.
AY4463A
Consortium: Cotares Ltd, Cambridge Broadband Ltd,
Cambridge University
Description: Full-scale demonstration of a FWA using 3.5GHz band with
WLAN local distribution. Area will cover urban, suburban and rural areas and
examine spectrum efficiency, coexistence and boundary issues. Trial system users
will be recruited and their experience monitored as the demonstration system
is stressed with a variety of data flows. The work will also examine the accuracy
of ray tracing models in planning such FWA networks.
AY4463B
Consortium: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Telecoms
Connect, Your Communications
Description: Evaluation of a FWA using 28GHz band with WLAN local distribution
to businesses and home users. It will cover both urban and rural and examine
technical issues and usage patterns as well as relative cost of providing service
at this frequency. A full-scale demonstration of the technology will be implemented
and used as a test bed to gather data and to evaluate novel ideas.
AY4464A
Consortium: ERA Technology Ltd, Building Research
Establishment, QinetiQ, National Physical Laboratory, University of Kent
Description: Application of FSS to selectively control propagation
into, out and through buildings. Evaluation of the practicalities of FSS panels
to clad the outside of buildings including building regulatory, cost, aesthetics
and maintenance issues. The work will use novel manufacturing technology to
formulate FSS panels for use in the demonstrators. These will show the ability
of FSS to increase signal in difficult areas e.g. stairwells and corridors.
AY4464B
Consortium: National Physical Laboratory, University
of Warwick
Description: Novel design of ultra-narrow band FSS panels with bandwidths
that are significantly narrower than those achievable with current state-of-the-art
structures. In addition, the demonstration on a scaled model of a method of
using waveguiding structures to control the propagation of radio around buildings.
This will consider both the technical and financial cost of using such technology.
AY4476A
Consortium: Antenova Ltd, Orange Ltd, Queen Mary,
University of London
Description: Design of novel MIMO antennas for PDAs, mobiles, and laptops.
Aim is to get signal independent, diverse, antennas in a small overall package
and at low cost. The project will investigate the use of high dielectric materials
and photonic band gap structures in order to get compact antenna designs for
use in these applications.
AY4476B
Consortium: York EMC Services Ltd, University of
Bristol, University of York, BT Exact Technologies, Toshiba Research Europe
Limited
Description: System demonstration of a MIMO test bed. This will use
monopole antennas and the antenna designs produced by AY4476A. Measurements
of MIMO channel and system capacity in the 5GHz band in mainly indoor environments
in order to ascertain the increase in spectrum efficiency that MIMO could deliver.
AY4483
Consortium: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, University of Manchester,
Cardiff University, Discrete Time Communications, Satconsult Ltd
Description: Investigating methods that would allow the spectrum used
for WLAN to be utilised more efficiently. Also covers use of WLAN for FWA and
the development of automatic planning tools at these frequencies. Intelligent
routing algorithms will be evaluated as a means of reducing network congestion
in a multiple hop, wide area, scenario.
AY4490
Consortium: QinetiQ, University College London, University of Bath,
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Description: Investigating ideas for improving the spectrum efficiency
of radar systems including using narrow band radar, frequency agile systems
and CDMA waveform coding. Setting up a user panel from industry to examine proposed
high-efficiency radar schemes with key stakeholders. Overall, the aim is to
formulate a workable strategy for improving radar spectrum usage in the UK.
There are currently no reports available.
Future
spectrum requirements for IMT 2000 systems (Methodologies to Estimate Spectrum
Requirements - final report by Quotient Associates Ltd, October 2003)
PDF File (1.2 MB)
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AY4434
- 2.4 GHz Monitoring Exercise
PDF File (6,094 KB) |
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Suppression and mitigation techniques
for interference from 900MHz microwave ovens (York EMC Services, January
2001) |
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Low power radio devices –
A guide for the purchaser and systems designer (York EMC Services, June
2000) |
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Communications via domestic mains
wiring investigation (March 1999) |
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Investigation into the implementation
of digital techniques for radiomicrophones (April 1998) |
Most reports , which were completed befeore April 1998, can be found in the Archive.
For further questions and comments, please contact research@ra.gsi.gov.uk
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