Recent Experimental Radio Filings at the FCC

Companies request permission from the FCC to test cell phone jamming, antenna-induced interference, millimeter-wave transmission, RFID, radar, and remote-controlled streetlights.

CellAntenna Corporation requests Special Temporary Authority to test cell phone “denial” (jamming) technology at the Maryland Correctional Institution in Jessup, Maryland. The supporting exhibit describes some coexistence issues faced by the technology.

Antenna manufacturer dbSpectra files an application and supporting exhibit to conduct tests of passive intermodulation distortion (sometimes called the rusty-bolt effect). Through long-term testing of production antennas, the company hopes to reduce this source of interference in land-mobile radio systems. Testing will occur on various VHF and UHF frequencies at Lewisville, Texas.

Mokulele Research Corp. requests Special Temporary Authority to test broadband TCP/IP connections on millimeter-wave frequencies (46.75-46.95 GHz) between a ground station and aircraft. Testing is to take place in Haleiwa, Hawaii. This is a demonstration for NASA.

SouthConn Technologies requests Special Temporary Authority to demonstrate a remote control and monitoring system for street lighting. Operation is to be on 910.500-919.625 MHz at San Jose, California.

Sportvision applies to test an auto race track wireless data system to provide communications between vehicles and base stations. The system allows TV viewers to see the location of the cars in real time; the vehicles are equipped with GPS receivers and other sensors that generate a data packet every 200 milliseconds. Operation will be at 2395-2400 MHz. An accompanying exhibit states the technology is derived from IEEE 802.11b hardware.

SRC applies to test several SR Hawk surveillance radar systems on 16.21-16.50 GHz at Syracuse, New York.

Vista Research applies to test a radar-based surveillance system on 9.3-9.5 GHz at several sites in California. An accompanying exhibit says test project takes Furuno marine radars, modifies signal processing algorithms, and makes them part of a land-based sensor system. The system is to be deployed by the US Army and other government agencies for detection, tracking, and classification of people and vehicles. This is one of several instances in the last few months of marine radar being repurposed for non-marine applications in an experiment.

Walmart files an application to conduct RFID testing in Rogers, Arkansas on various frequencies between 800 and 956 MHz. A supporting exhibit says the current Bentonville, Arkansas lab works on North American RFID reader standards and frequencies. The Rogers lab will conduct RFID tests on frequencies and power levels allowed for RFID in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The goal of the research is to ensure that an RFID solution developed in the US can be deployed globally.

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