International Consortium
for Telemetry Spectrum
C-Band Telemetry Usage
in Europe & Threats
Update 2014
Guenter Mueller for Gerhard Mayer
Former Chair ICTS
European Society for Telemetry (EST)
gmayer@gvm-consultants.com
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
Region 1
5091 – 5150 MHz
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 level
24h-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. AirbusEurocopter 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 Netherlands
NRL & 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 CBands (2200-2400 & 4400-6700 MHz)
AMT C-Band threat from
Broadband 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 intracommunications”
– 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 Cband 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 Cband. 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 coprimary 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