Detection of illegal transmitters

Investigate on spectrum violations by unauthorized emitters

Generally, users of radio transmitting devices must get a license if the respective radio service is not explicitly exempted from licensing. Users that operate transmitters illegally can interfere legal radio services, being possible even on out-of-band frequencies. Unlicensed transmitters mean not only potential harm to other spectrum users, it is also unfair to the registered users that pay license fees. And for the regulatory bodies, this offence means a loss of earnings.

In order to take such unlicensed transmitters out of service, authorities use a selection of Rohde & Schwarz spectrum monitoring solutions. These allow operators successfully to get to the bottom of the illegal emissions.

Regulatory spectrum monitoring

Loading the licensed transmitters

In order to recognize illegal transmitters, the spectrum monitoring system needs data of the legal emitters. Over open interfaces, the Rohde & Schwarz systems retrieve these data from all common spectrum management databases. Then the systems match the measured emissions on air with the entries from the database and distinguish the illegal transmitters.

Illegal emission detection

Detecting illegal transmitters usually requires target oriented routine measurements. Operators select areas, frequency ranges, time periods and other parameters. Automatic routines of the Rohde & Schwarz spectrum monitoring systems support operators with such measurements.

Transmitter identification

Evaluations of measurement results and in-depth signal analysis, focusing on the emission can help identifying the illegal transmitter. The Rohde & Schwarz solutions can even follow up sporadic emissions, the use of different frequencies, the change of the transmitter location or other tactics, applied by users of illegal transmitter.

Preservation of evidence

In order to collect evidence for spectrum enforcement and procurement, regulatory bodies can store data of the illegal emission. The Rohde & Schwarz systems can record raw data of signals as I/Q data, demodulated signals or trace data only. Recordings can be automatically triggered, when potential illegal emissions appear. Later, the recorded data can be reproduced and verified. Finally, the recordings can be used for evidence against the illegal radio stations.

Terminating the illegal transmission

The broad portfolio of Rohde & Schwarz spectrum monitoring systems makes it easy to locate the sources of illegal emissions. Fixed and transportable stations can even automatically take bearings of sporadically upcoming signals. Mobile monitoring stations use intelligent algorithms to home in on signals for narrowing the location down. With portable systems, operators can approximate the emissions on the last meters for catching the offender in the act of the illegal transmission.

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