Radio noise is everywhere, and the problem is only getting worse with the explosion of electronic and wireless-enabled devices. Enhanced cellular services and the Internet of Things (IoT) are leading to the “interference of things” – presenting new challenges in the spectrum. Management of both licensed bands and unlicensed bands, especially with the recent introduction of systems that share both bands such as LTE-LAA, make the task even more complex and challenging. Hunting down sources of interference can be nearly impossible in many cases – signals may vary over time, be hidden under other signals, be intermittent or have a short duration. 

Interference hunting is part forensic investigation, and part measurement. Understanding the radio environment is an important first step. For example, investigation of the location of transmitters, their antenna characteristics and power output are key. Then, with the right tools and antennas, begin to assess the environment in the field. Tektronix tools employ real-time spectrum analysis and displays that use phosphor emulation techniques. We will examine how this technology works, and how it applies to the probability of intercepting signals that may be of short duration or hidden under other transmitters all in a noisy, congested spectrum. 

During this webinar, we explain both the art and the science of tracking down interference from forensics to measurements and offer examples to help your next interference hunting efforts be successful.

Speaker:

Mark Elo

Sr. Technical Marketing Manager, Tektronix

Mark Elo is a senior technical manager at Tektronix. He began his career as a design engineer in Hewlett-Packard's Microwave Division in 1990 and has since held various senior management positions at Agilent Technologies, Anritsu, Gigatronics and Keithley instruments in R&D, Marketing and Business Development. Mr. Elo has more than 25 years of test and measurement experience in RF and microwave instrumentation.