Special Temporary Authority to Test Radar Instrumentation

0995-EX-ST-2014 Text Documents

CReSIS (Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets)

2014-11-04ELS_155376

Special Temporary Authority to Test Radar Instrumentation




                          FRN: 0021252267
                Form 442 File Number: 0995-EX-ST-2014




                              Jawad Obaid
            Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS)
                University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
                           November 4th, 2014


                                                             Table of Contents

A. Purpose of Operation and Need for License ........................................................................................... 3
B. Locations of Proposed Operation ............................................................................................................ 3
C. Technical Specifications ........................................................................................................................... 4
   1. Frequency of Operation ....................................................................................................................... 4
   2. Effective Radiated Power (ERP) ........................................................................................................... 4
   3. Modulation Signal Description and Emissions .................................................................................... 4
   4. Antenna Information ........................................................................................................................... 5
   5. Equipment Utilized ............................................................................................................................... 5
   6. Station Class ......................................................................................................................................... 5
D. Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 5
E. Appendix ................................................................................................................................................... 5
   1. Flight Test Area Coordinates ................................................................................................................ 5


A. Purpose of Operation and Need for License
The purpose of this application is to request authorization from the FCC for CReSIS (Center for Remote
Sensing of Ice Sheets) at the University of Kansas to operate an aircraft-mounted radar system during
two flight tests (2-4 hours each flight) from March 2-13, 2015, near Grand Junction, Colorado, to test
and calibrate the radar system prior to deploying it later on a field mission to collect Arctic sea ice data.
The objective of the overall project is to collect radar survey data over Arctic sea ice from a manned
airborne platform (Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) contract number NNX13AQ30A). The radar data will
be used to map the snow-air and snow-ice interfaces for estimating the thickness of the snow cover
over sea ice.
Pre-deployment flight tests are needed near Grand Junction, Colorado, the location where the radar
systems will be installed by CReSIS on the NRL’s Twin Otter aircraft. Operation of the radar during flight
tests requires authorization from the FCC. We are including nominal operating parameters (frequency
and power), but we can adjust these to accommodate FCC requirements.

B. Locations of Proposed Operation
A two-week STA is requested to allow the operation of the aircraft-mounted radars during flight tests to
test the radars and calibrate the systems prior to deployment. The locations of operation are outlined in
Table 1.

                               Table 1 – Summary of Proposed Operation Locations
 Proposed Location
 Area near Grand Junction, CO                           Blue Mesa Reservoir and its surrounding area
                                                        near Grand Junction, Colorado, as shown in
                                                        Figure 1. Coordinates are provided in section E.1

The area of operation is located over the Blue Mesa Reservoir and its surrounding area, near Grand
Junction, Colorado, as shown in Figure 1. The operation will be limited to two flights, each flight lasting
two to four hours, between March 2 and March 13, 2015. The height of the transmitter will be between
500 and 1500 feet AGL.


Figure 1 - Proposed Site (Blue Mesa Reservoir and Surrounding Area, near Grand Junction, CO)


C. Technical Specifications
1. Frequency of Operation
CReSIS requests authorization to operate from 2 – 18 GHz bands.

2. Effective Radiated Power (ERP)
The effective radiated power (ERP) will not exceed 1 W average for 2 – 18 GHz.

3. Modulation Signal Description and Emissions
The 2 – 18 GHz signal is an FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) radar signal with a pulse
width of 250 μs, duty cycle of 100%, and a pulse repetition frequency of 4 kHz. These parameters can be
adjusted.


4. Antenna Information
The transmit antenna that will be used is a Q-Par Angus Ltd. WBHDP0.9-18S dual polarized horn
antenna. The antenna exhibits 4.5 to 13.4 dBi of gain across the 2-18 GHz band, with a half-power
beamwidth ranging from 110°-40° (azimuth and elevation) in the 2-6 GHz range and 30° across the
6-18 GHz range. The antenna will be radiating nadir, toward the surface of the earth.
The receive antenna that will be used is an A-Info LB-SJ-20180 broadband dual polarization horn
antenna. The antenna exhibits 15 dB of gain across the band, with a half power beamwidth between
80°-10°. The antenna will be pointing at nadir, toward the surface of the earth.

5. Equipment Utilized
Equipment used for this system is custom built at CReSIS. One unit will be used for each frequency band
under this STA application.

6. Station Class
This station will be Aeronautical Mobile in the areas described in section B, with a nominal altitude of
1500 feet AGL.

D. Contact Information
For questions about this application or in the unlikely event interference concerns should arise, please
contact:
        Jawad Obaid
        Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS)
        The University of Kansas
        2335 Irving Hill Rd
        Lawrence, KS 66045
        Telephone: (785) 864-4655
        jobaid@ku.edu

E. Appendix
1. Flight Test Area Coordinates
38.564 N, -107.408 W
38.564 N, -107.014 W
38.386 N, -107.014 W
38.386 N, -107.408 W



Document Created: 2014-11-04 14:16:11
Document Modified: 2014-11-04 14:16:11

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