NTIA Report TR-05-429

Interference Potential of Ultrawideband Signals Part 2: Measurement of Gated-Noise Interference to C-Band Satellite Digital Television Receivers

August 2005

Michael Cotton, Robert Achatz, Jeffery Wepman, Paul Runkle

Abstract: This report demonstrates that digital television (DTV) susceptibility to gated-noise interference cannot be predicted by interference power characteristics alone. It was found that DTV susceptibility is also dependent on temporal characteristics of the interfering signal and the bandwidth of the DTV receiver. A test system was developed to inject interference with known characteristics into a victim receiver and quantitatively measure susceptibility. In this experiment, a C-band satellite DTV victim receiver was exposed to gated-noise interference, whose temporal characteristics are defined by gating parameters such as on-time, fractional on-time, and off-time. The specific gating parameters considered in this report include on-times of 0.01, 0.10, 1.00, and 10.00 µ and fractional on-times of 1.00, 0.50, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.0625. Results showed that DTV susceptibility was strictly dependent on average power of the interfering signal only when off-times were less than the reciprocal bandwidth of the victim receiver. For longer off-times, however, susceptibility was dependent on the temporal characteristics of the interfering signal. Moreover, high correlation was observed between susceptibility and forward error correction performance of the receiver.

Keywords: digital television; interference; satellite communications; ultrawideband

• Report (7.4 MB)

• Appendix A: Extension of Experiment to GN(MB) Signals

• Appendix B: Verification of Susceptibility Results

• Appendix C: Theoretical Anaylsis of Gated Guassian Noise

• Appendix D: Characterization Measurements

Disclaimer: Certain commercial equipment, components, and software are identified in this report to specify adequately the technical aspects of the reported results. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, nor does it imply that the equipment or software identified is necessarily the best available for the particular application or uses.

To request a reprint of this report, contact:
Margaret Luebs, Publications Officer
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences
Voice: (303) 497-3572
info@its.bldrdoc.gov

For technical information concerning this report, contact:
Michael Cotton, Electronics Engineer
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences
Voice: (303) 497-7346
mcotton@its.bldrdoc.gov