The measurement of electromagnetic (RF) noise in the HF spectrum

A system has been developed for the measurement of man-made noise in the 2-32 MHz (HF) frequency band, a major concern to those who must operate, maintain, and plan for HF receiver installations. The system has the ability to obtain an accurate and statistically significant characterization of the radio frequency (RF) noise across the entire HF spectrum. The developed system is virtually fully automated and, once set up, requires very little user intervention. The author describes two data-gathering schemes that utilize an automated spectrum analyzer and a computer controller to gather noise data. The techniques have been utilized in the field to gather noise data. The results of these surveys have compared quite favorably with the best available estimates of manmade noise in business, residential, rural, and quiet rural areas