The Radio Spectrum: Managing a Strategic Resource [Hardcover]

Radio frequencies have become a basic resource for the development of the information society. In fact, radio waves are a mandatory vehicle in order to carry the message to customers and a truly worldwide communication needs their properties. Given the market demands for more and more frequencies, means have to be found to share this limited resource most effectively and to continuously improve its efficiency. Radio spectrum management is thus a major objective for our modern world.

This book describes the current tools for spectrum management with their fundamental technical and legal basis. It outlines the global evolution of radio services in their different application domains and introduces the actors who contribute to the collective management of the spectrum. It also discusses the main questions these actors have to deal with and answer in order to design for the future.

Acknowledgement and Credits xi

Introduction xiii

Part 1. The Basis of Spectrum Management 1

Chapter 1. A Bit of History, Physics and Mathematics 3

1.1. Waves 4

1.2. Propagation 10

1.3. Directivity 11

1.4. Link evaluation 18

Chapter 2. Telecommunications 25

2.1. Modulation and bandwidth 26

2.2. Bandwidth and noise 30

2.3. C/N (or C/I) and S/Nm 34

2.4. Multiplex, multiple access 39

2.5. A balance between carrier power, noise and interferences 45

Chapter 3. Geography and Radio Communications: Radio Network Engineering 51

3.1. Regions and countries 52

3.2. Radio implementation in the field 55

3.3. Propagation on the Earth 59