Joint RSGB/UK Microwave Group/AMSAT-UK response on Ultra Wide-Band
The Radio Society of Great Britain, the UK Microwave Group and Amsat-UK have published a joint response to European plans to allocate spectrum space to Ultra Wide Band (UWB), a wireless version of the popular USB technology that is used to connect devices such as mice and keyboards to computers, but can also be used for the higher data rates needed for PC monitors, wireless DVD players and HDTV.
UWB is unlike other radio technologies in that it generates short pulses made up of lots of frequencies, rather than modulating a signal on a particular carrier frequency. This approach, known as carrier-free radio, allows massive amounts of information to be transferred quickly.
However, there are serious concerns that the technology could threaten the amateur microwave bands, especially if it were used outdoors as an alternative to wireless network technologies like Wi-Fi.
In the response, the RSGB and its partners wrote: “We recognise that UWB short-range links will have a useful role and observe that UWB vendors are exerting considerable pressure for UWB's adoption. We stress that UWB must fully comply with the International Radio Regulations and that all such devices must operate on a non-protected, non-interference basis.”
Under a draft ECC Decision, the European Union suggested that UWB transmissions would principally be in the 3.1-10.6GHz range. This range encompasses a number of amateur radio and amateur satellite service bands, creating the possibility of interference.
The RSGB and its partners are therefore calling for the technology to include masking to protect the amateur bands. “In order to protect our services (notably in the 3.40-3.41GHz band) we urge the adoption of the mask proposals without due concession to UWB proponents,” they wrote in their response.
The RSGB and its partners are also worried that the ECC Draft Decision has underestimated the amount of outdoor UWB usage that will take place and have urged that “to avoid harmful interference, it is important to minimise the outdoor activity of UWB”. Despite such concerns, the RGSB, the UK Microwave Group and Amsat-UK are largely supportive of the draft ECC Decision. “In general, we applaud the draft decision and would urge its adoption subject to reservations we have at 3.4GHz and outdoor usage.”
A copy of the joint paper can be downloaded.
July 2007 - Joint RSGB/UK Microwave Group/AMSAT-UK comment on Ofcom’s implementation of the European UWB decision.