This is a quick presentation on spectrum monitoring which is a very crucial part of spectrum management. Spectrum monitoring assists spectrum managers in many ways, one of them being that they are able to develop plans and uses for the radio spectrum.

1. Spectrum Monitoring
MONERE TSHEPO

2. Content
1. Spectrum management
2. Spectrum monitoring
3. How does spectrum monitoring relate to spectrum
management?
4. Standards and regulations that assist spectrum monitoring
5. References
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3. 1. Spectrum Management
 Spectrum Management is the process in which the use of radio
frequency spectrum is regulated and controlled to avoid issues
such as interferences, and also promote the efficient use of
spectrum.
 In order for the Spectrum Management to be successful, goals
and objectives should be thoroughly stated. Below are two
spectrum management goals:
 Make the radio spectrum available for government and non
government uses to stimulate social and economic progress.
 Making efficient and effective use of the spectrum [1].
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4. Cont’d
 The four main functions of Spectrum Management are: Spectrum
planning, spectrum authorization, spectrum engineering and
spectrum monitoring which will be the focus of this presentation
[1].
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5. 2. Spectrum Monitoring
 Spectrum monitoring is the way of monitoring the use of the
frequency spectrum by means of using radio equipment. This can
include occupancy measurements such as spectrum occupancy,
channel occupancy and band occupancy.
 Monitoring can be done in two ways, either fixed site monitoring
or mobile monitoring.
 Fixed site monitoring involves the use of a fixed antenna on the
site, a receiver and a module for communication back to the
command centre.
 A mobile monitoring vehicle consists of direction finder, a receiver
and an antenna. In the next slide, types of monitoring are
illustrated.
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6. Types of monitoring
Fixed site monitoring station [2] Mobile monitoring Vehicle [3]

7. 3. How does spectrum monitoring
fit in to spectrum management?
 Spectrum monitoring assists spectrum managers in developing
plans on how the frequency spectrum should be used, how to
avoid incompatible usage and also identify harmful interference
which could be intentional or unintentional [2].
 Spectrum monitoring can also assist with compliance of spectrum
users by regularly monitoring usage of spectrum and making
sure each licensee abide by terms and conditions of their licence.
 The frequent monitoring of spectrum can also help spectrum
managers by being able to make plans for future use of radio
spectrum. i.e Road maps of future band plans.
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8. 4. Recommendations for
spectrum monitoring
 ITU-R SM.1723-2 is one of the standards used for spectrum
monitoring [4].
 This specific recommendation is for a mobile monitoring unit. It
covers the likes of the type of monitoring functions that can be
performed, the type of equipment that can be installed in the
unit and also the type of tasks that can be performed by the
equipment installed.
 The fifth generation network (5G), will require new type of
equipment for monitoring as most of the 5G bands will be
millimetre waves.
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9. 5. References
1. ITU-R. (2015). Handbook on National Spectrum Management. Geneva:
ITU.
2. ITU, 2019. Spectrum Monitoring and Compliance. [Online]
Available at: http://www.ictregulationtoolkit.org/toolkit/5.6#
[Accessed 24 May 2019].
3. GEW, 2016. Spectrum Monitoring. [Online]
Available at: http://www.gew.co.za/spectrum-monitoring/mms/
[Accessed 24 May 2019].
4. ITU, 2011. International Telecommunications Union. [Online]
Available at: https://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-SM.1723-2-201109-I/en
[Accessed 24 May 2019].
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