Block Edge Mask Baseline Limits for Mobile Communication Network Base Stations in the 790-862 MHz Digital Dividend Spectrum

This paper reports on a study undertaken by the CEPT SE42 project team, with the objective of deriving regulatory radiation limits which mitigate the impact of adjacent-channel interference from fixed/mobile communication network base stations (BSs) in the 790-862 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum to digital terrestrial television (DTT) services below 790 MHz. A novel stochastic approach for the calculation of BS block edge mask (BEM) out-of-block (baseline) limits is presented. Results indicate that, for a typical BS in-block EIRP of 59 dBm/(10 MHz) or greater, the fraction of locations in which a DTT receiver would suffer unacceptable levels of interference does not improve significantly with a reduction in the BS BEM baseline EIRP limit below 0 dBm/(8 MHz). This is due to the finite frequency selectivity of the DTT receivers. It is also shown that for in-block EIRPs below 59 dBm, the baseline EIRP limit should be reduced proportionately in order for the DTT location failure rate to be broadly independent of the communication network deployment geometry. Finally, the benefits of crosspolar antenna discrimination and RF low-pass filtering at the DTT receiver are investigated as means for interference mitigation.