Introduction

Introduction to Trace Analysis

The new OPC OSCOR 5.0 software was specifically designed for sophisticated RF trace analysis and RF mapping. The ambient frequency spectrum continues to be a dynamically changing environment. From small towns to big cities, new signals are appearing almost daily. These signals include intermittent analog signals such as police and taxi radios, digital pagers and mobile phones such as GSM, CDMA, PCS, etc. Wi-Fi wireless LANs, blue tooth, and new technologies such as Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) are on the way.

In order to address this changing RF spectrum, REI has developed a new methodology and new software. The new OPC OSCOR 5.0 Software and USB Interface provides real-time download of all frequency step data from the OSCOR TSCM Spectrum Analyzer. This means that as the OSCOR sweeps across the Whip Hi, Discone, and MDC antennas (5MHz to 21GHz) the spectrum comprising of 120,000 data points is transferred to the PC for high-resolution display and storage.

This provides the capability to store spectrum trace analysis data from multiple locations or from different times in order to perform detailed high-resolution trace analysis comparisons. In other words, you can capture RF spectrum trace data from a friendly location such as the parking lot or outside of the target sweep area, and from multiple locations from within the target building. Then, these trace spectrums can be compared to determine if transmissions are emanating from certain locations within a building, and thus provide an accurate RF map of a facility. Furthermore, the OPC software provides the ability to capture trace data in the same location at different times. For example, you can compare the Peak Trace data that was captured last month with a current Peak capture to see if any new signals have been brought into the environment.

Trace analysis is done primarily using Peak Trace data, which ensures that if energy has been encountered from an intermittent transmitter such as a Frequency Hopper or a Burst (packet) transmitter, then the evidence and signal level of these transmissions is easily captured and compared using a difference spectrum.

The new trace analysis functionality built into the OSCOR and OPC 5.0 Software provides a new level of comparability to rapidly identify very sophisticated transmissions, and provides an accurate indication of whether a transmission is emanating from within an area of concern.

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