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).