1. Andrew Clegg http://www.spectrumwiki.com
SpectrumWiki
Andrew Clegg
NSMA Spectrum Management 2012, May 16, 2012

2. What is a Wiki?
A website that allows the creation and editing of online encyclopedia-like content in an open and collaborative environment
A wiki invites all users to edit any page or to create new pages within the wiki Web site, using only a plain-vanilla Web browser without any extra add-ons [Ward Cunningham, inventor of the wiki]
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3. Advantages of a Wiki
Leverages a much broader range of knowledge and expertise than can be achieved by one person
Effort is distributed among many, with each person contributing knowledge in their particular realm of experience and interest
Self-correcting
Self-updating
The wiki goal:
Authoritative, searchable, publicly available knowledge base, including text, images, documents, references, and links to relevant external material
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4. What is a Wiki?
Best-known example of a wiki is Wikipedia
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5. What is a Wiki? Best known example of a wiki is Wikipedia
Wikipedia entries may be edited by anyone
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6. What is a Wiki? Best known example of a wiki is Wikipedia
Wikipedia entries may be edited by anyone
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7. What is a Wiki? Best known example of a wiki is Wikipedia
Wikipedia entries may be edited by anyone
Over time and after multiple edits, the result is an accurate, up-to-date, and feature-rich entry
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8. What is SpectrumWiki?
A wiki enhancement to an existing spectrum-focused Web site that is optimized for information about the use of the radio spectrum
SpectrumWiki build up band-by-band information on:
Specific uses for each band, including current, historical, and future applications/systems/technologies
Pending proceedings, rule changes, legislation, auctions, and current events that impact each band and each service
Technical information (propagation characteristics, hardware & antennas, etc.)
Other useful information as supplied by the contributors
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9. SpectrumWiki
Presently provides an electronic interface to the latest version of the U.S. allocation table
Ancillary data also available:
Footnotes
Auction data
Band plans
Common frequencies and channels
Engineering data
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10. SpectrumWiki Enter a frequency at the top right of any page...
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11. SpectrumWiki
Query Returns:
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12. SpectrumWiki
Query Returns:
Allocation tables
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13. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables 11/17/2018
U.S. Non-Federal Government
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14. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables 11/17/2018
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
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15. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables 11/17/2018
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
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16. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes 11/17/2018
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes
Only those relevant to the current frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
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17. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes (hyperlinked)
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes (hyperlinked)
Only those relevant to the that frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
FCC rule parts (hyperlinked)
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18. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes (hyperlinked)
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes (hyperlinked)
Only those relevant to the that frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
FCC rule parts (hyperlinked)
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19. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes (hyperlinked)
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes (hyperlinked)
Only those relevant to the that frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
FCC rule parts (hyperlinked)
Auction history for band
Hyperlinked to FCC auction pages
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20. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes (hyperlinked)
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes (hyperlinked)
Only those relevant to the that frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
FCC rule parts (hyperlinked)
Auction history for band
Hyperlinked to FCC auction pages
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21. SpectrumWiki Query Returns: Allocation tables Footnotes (hyperlinked)
U.S. Non-Federal-Government
U.S. Federal Government
ITU Allocations (Regions 1, 2, 3)
Footnotes (hyperlinked)
Only those relevant to the that frequency band
No more flipping through 150 pages of footnotes
FCC rule parts (hyperlinked)
Auction history for band
Hyperlinked to FCC auction pages
Includes individual and total net auction bids for band
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22. SpectrumWiki Query Returns (cont’d):
Common frequencies, channels, and bands
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23. SpectrumWiki Query Returns (cont’d):
Common frequencies, channels, and bands
Band plans
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24. SpectrumWiki Query Returns (cont’d):
Common frequencies, channels, and bands
Band plans
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25. SpectrumWiki Query Returns (cont’d):
Common frequencies, channels, and bands
Band plans
Engineering data
Covers the lowest and highest frequency on the page, and the midpoint
Wavelength
ITU and IEEE band designators
Isotropic collecting area
Free space loss at 1 m; 1, 10, 100, and 1000 km; geostationary orbit, and the moon
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26. Why Create a Spectrum Wiki?
Ideal (and possibly only) method to collect and organize detailed and authoritative band-by-band information about how the radio spectrum is used
No single person possesses detailed knowledge and expertise of more than a small fraction of radio spectrum uses and applications
The totality of information to be collected and presented by SpectrumWiki will be invaluable to the wireless community for regulatory, technical, coordination, and informational purposes
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27. Why not use Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is a great resource, but is not suitable for researching information pertaining to radio frequencies or services
Wikipedia is driven by keywords, not by alternative data such as frequencies or services
Wikipedia cannot be queried to display, for example, all the uses of the band – 1990 MHz, or all of the applications of the Broadcasting-satellite (space- to-Earth) service.
Wikipedia requires some knowledge of HTML and of the Wikipedia editing language
SpectrumWiki will, to the greatest extent practicable, be optimized for radio spectrum information, reducing the need for specialized syntax
Wikipedia will be a valuable external reference, but it does not provide the intrinsic specialized capabilities envisioned for SpectrumWiki.
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28. What About Spectrum Dashboard?
The FCC has rolled out a nice graphical interface called Spectrum Dashboard, “for citizens to search spectrum in the United States”
SD is a good entry point for basic information on allocations, licensees & licensing statistics, and high-level descriptions of spectrum use
SD contains only official information approved for public release by the FCC
No extensive background information, or information that is contrary to, or critical of, government spectrum policy
Example entries
1525 – 1559 MHz: “This band is used in the Mobile Satellite Service”
1559 – 1610 MHz: “This band is used in the Radionavigation Satellite Service”
18 words total, and no mention of one of the hottest current spectrum issues: Potential interference from LightSquared MSS ancillary terrestrial service (1525 – 1559 MHz) into the GPS L1 downlink (1559 – 1610 MHz) (No mention of ATC or GPS, for that matter!)
SD will never be a portal for gleaning “the rest of the story”
SD is a good complement to SpectrumWiki, especially for information on current licensing data by band and by geographic area
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29. The Starting Point
As a starting point, SpectrumWiki will be pre-populated with the following information:
Wireless Spectrum Finder (aka Spectrum Guide), by Benn Kobb
2002 book on telecommunications, government, and scientific radio frequency allocations in the U.S., 30 MHz – 300 GHz
Most of the information is in need of updating
Needs to be expanded below 30 MHz
Rights to WSF/SG are now owned by SpectrumWiki
NTIA Federal Spectrum Use Summary (2010)
Very general information on Federal spectrum use from 30 MHz to 3 THz
Needs expansion below 30 MHz
Information is very general; more specifics are needed
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30. Current Status and Schedule
The wiki functionality is presently under development
Initial concepts, mock-ups, and beta code have been created
The initial SpectrumWiki database is being developed
A basic functioning beta site (wiki only) is expected to be available for testing in summer 2011
The wiki functionality will be incorporated into the existing site ~fall 2011
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31. SpectrumWiki Beta (Example Entry)
Example: Create a new Wiki entry
Explanation of how the latest generation of consumer “atomic clocks” operate
WWVB time 60 kHz
Text entry with two accompanying photographs
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32. SpectrumWiki Beta (Start New Entry)
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33. SpectrumWiki Beta (Edit New Entry)
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34. SpectrumWiki Beta (Add a Picture)
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35. SpectrumWiki Beta (Preview)
After submitting the new wiki entry, it will appear whenever any user submits a query that includes the frequency 60 kHz
Anyone reading the entry can further edit the material to correct, expand, update, or improve the information
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36. SpectrumWiki Next steps: Summary Contributors
First version of SpectrumWiki will require validation for all contributors to help assure quality of contributions
Username/password will be required to enable editing
No authentication will be required to view the site
Interested beta contributors and beta testers are welcome
Summary
SpectrumWiki will combine experts across a wide spectrum of spectrum, with web-enabled collaborative techniques, to create an encyclopedic inventory of U.S. radio spectrum utilization and applications
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