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”.

 

IOOB  (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).