1.6 Understanding Radio Jargon

Many common terms in RF engineering are used differently depending on the specific community where they are used. The following gives a non-exhaustive example of the variety of terms that can be found.

C (i.e. the wanted signal level) is referred to in different radio standards and documents as follows. It is specified for a given sensitivity and a given desensitisation.

• Useful signal (ETSI TS 145.005 - Chapters 5.1.2 and 5.1.3);
• Wanted signal mean power (ETSI TS 136.104 - Table 7.5.1-1);
• Pw (ETSI TS 136.101 - Table 7.6.3.1-1);
• Prefsens + desensitisation (ETSI TS 136.104 - Table 7.5.1-1, ETSI TS 136.101 - Table 7.6.3.1-1) ;
• “C”.

I_OOB  (i.e. the allowed power of an interfering blocking signal as specified by the standard) is referred to in different standards as follows. It is specified for a given frequency offset, a given sensitivity and a given desensitisation.

• Blocking signal level (ETSI TS 145.005 - Table 5.1-2a);
• Puw (ETSI TS 136.101 - Table 7.6.3.1-1);
• Interfering signal mean power (ETSI TS 136.104 - Table 7.5.1-1).

Sensitivity is referred to in different standards as:

• Reference sensitivity level (ETSI TS 145.005 - Tables 6.2-1x);
• Reference sensitivity (ETSI TS 136.101 - Table 7.3.1-1);
• Reference sensitivity power level (ETSI TS 136.104 - Tables 7.2.1-1 and 7.2.1-2);
• Prefsens (ETSI TS 136.101 - Table 7.3.1-1, ETSI TS 136.104 - Tables 7.2.1-1 and 7.2.1-2).