RF spectrum monitoring and management system based on an RF receiver multi-server architecture

In this paper the authors describe an extension of a distributed spectrum monitoring and management system that already works and that includes four main nodes corresponding to the different ANACOM's spectrum monitoring centers located at Portuguese islands and continental Portugal. Due to the necessity to perform special monitoring actions in regions where the existing spectrum monitoring system has a limited coverage, a set of remote RF spectrum monitoring units were designed and implemented based on the use of “plug-in” low cost RF receivers. Considering that each remote RF monitoring node is characterized by Internet connection using 3G/UMTS modems with USB interface, a client/server architecture was implemented. Each remote station includes an RF receiver as hardware and a server application developed in LabVIEW that permits to control the RF receiver locally but also from the client application installed on the base stations using the web browser functionalities. Additional functionalities such as RF spectrum occupancy tests automatic control, data logging, RF receiver audio broadcasting, remote unit IP and data file secure transfer, were implemented on the server side while tasks such multi-server remote control, SSH file transfer control, data analysis and report generation functionalities were implemented on the client side of the application.