ITU-R - International Telecommunication Union/ITU Radiocommunication Sector
Scope
Introduction This Report is a summary of the information available on the question of interference in the bands shared with sound broadcasting in the Tropical Zone for the determination of the radio-frequency protection required for a broadcast signal in the presence of interference. The radio-frequency (RF) protection ratio is the value of the radio-frequency wanted to-interfering signal ratio that enables@ under specified conditions@ the necessary audio-frequency protection ratio to be obtained at the output of a receiver (Recommendation 638). These specified conditions include such diverse parameters as spacing delta f of the wanted and interfering carrier@ emission characteristics (type of modulation@ modulation depth@ frequency deviation@ etc.)@ receiver input and output levels as well as the receiver characteristics (selectivity and susceptibility to cross-modulation@ etc.). The audio-frequency (AF) protection ratio is the agreed minimum value of the audio-frequency signal-to-interference ratio considered necessary to achieve a subjectively defined reception quality. This ratio may have different values according to the type of service desired (Recommendation 638). The wanted signal is from a broadcasting station operating in the shared bands in the Tropical Zone and the interfering signal may be either: ?? from A1A/A1B and A2A/A2B telegraphy@ ?? A3E telephony and broadcasting or combinations of more than one type of emission. Agreed values of protection ratios are necessary for the solution of frequency assignment problems in amplitude modulation sound-broadcasting systems and may also serve as basic reference data for the evaluation of the relative effectiveness to be expected of various amplitude modulation transmission systems. The minimum wanted field to which this protection ratio is to be maintained is also to be determined taking into account the noise levels prevalent in different parts of the Tropical Zone. In this Report@ Part I deals with the considerations for the determination of protection ratios and Part II is concerned with the determination of the minimum value of the wanted field to which the recommended protection ratio is to be maintained.