Global spectrum observatory network setup and initial findings

• Published in: 2014 9th International Conference on Cognitive Radio Oriented Wireless Networks and Communications (CROWNCOM) pp. 79 - 88
• Main Authors: Taher, Tanim, Attard, Ryan, Riaz, Ali, Roberson, Dennis, Taylor, Jesse, Zdunek, Kenneth, Hallio, Juhani, Ekman, Reijo, Paavola, Jarkko, Suutala, Jaakko, Roning, Juha, Matinmikko, Marja, Hoyhtya, Marko, MacKenzie, Allen
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: ICST 01-06-2014
• Subjects: Antenna measurements; big data; dynamic spectrum sharing; Educational institutions; Internet; Observatories; Radio frequency; Servers; spectrum management; Spectrum Occupancy measurements; spectrum usage trends
• ISSN: 2166-5370; 2166-5419
• DOI: 10.4108/icst.crowncom.2014.255402

This paper describes the current efforts underway to set up matched long-term continuously running spectrum observatories in the US (in Chicago and Blacksburg) and in Turku, Finland. The measurement equipment setup is described, along with the architecture for the networked database used to aggregate, archive and share the spectrum measurement data collected across the multiple international locations. High performance computer infrastructure to permit analysis and as appropriate fusion specific elements of the terabytes of data is described. The measurement parameters and spectrum measurement band plans are listed. Preliminary analysis results are also provided - particularly, simple occupancy statistics in Chicago and in Turku. To demonstrate the utility of the global spectrum observatory network, an interesting example is provided that compares and contrasts the very different signals that occupy the same spectral band, but in different geographic regions.