The radio frequency interference monitoring system (RFIMS)

The mobile radio frequency and interference monitoring system (RFIMS), developed for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is designed to monitor radio frequency emissions from 100 kHz to 18 GHz, using both custom-designed and commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software, combining to form a computer-controlled integrated electronics package. The system allows a variety of spectrum monitoring methods which are used to characterize the RF emissions of various FAA and commercial transmitters. These include radars, navigational aids, HF communication systems and commercial broadcast systems. This paper describes the RFIMS design objectives and discusses the power of RFIMS as a spectrum monitoring tool and as an interference-resolution mechanism.