A Spectrum Management Tool to Aid Efficient Frequency Assignments at Test Ranges

Increasing demands for telemetry bandwidth in conjunction with commercial encroachments on telemetry spectrum have created a need for test range operations personnel to make frequency assignments in the most efficient manner possible. The Spectrum Management System (SMS) project researches a potential tool to bring advanced capabilities to the assistance of test range operations. Features that appear to have significant utility are: frequency assignment optimizations to simultaneously satisfy device and spectrum constraints, prediction of RF channel quality across airspace, and support for frequency reuse. A prototype system is currently being trialed at selected test ranges.