Analyze RF Co-site Interference using Altair Feko

Smit Baua_20523
Smit Baua_20523 New Altair Community Member
edited March 2021 in Altair HyperWorks

RF co-site interference occurs when two or more co-located RF systems affect one another’s smooth operation. This normally occurs when two or more RF systems are operating physically close to one another and they are operating in such a way that one of the transmitters negatively impacts one or more receivers.

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RF co-site interference has been around since the emergence of wireless communications equipment and the problem is getting worse as the need for new RF communication systems grow. In today’s world, it is common to find multiple individual wireless systems installed within close proximity of one another on a single platform. It has become more important to have an understanding of RF co-site interference in such scenarios. Many other effects like intermodulation, harmonics, IF breakthrough, image frequency, receiver selectivity and blocking needs to be studied to avoid both in-band and out of band interference.

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With Altair’s simulation approach, engineers can use Altair Feko to foresee the co-location interference. One of the steps involved is the calculation of the coupling loss matrix. Coupling loss matrix is defined as the power ratio between powers at the terminals of the transmitting and receiving antennas. This means it includes antenna mismatch on both sides, antenna gain on both sides, and the path loss in between.

In the demonstrated example, three antennas operating at different frequencies are placed on an aircraft. The antennas are designed and optimized in Feko. Once optimized, the antennas are placed on the aircraft to perform in-situ analysis at all required frequencies of operation.  The S parameters representing antenna coupling results from Feko are used as an input to calculate the co-site interference.

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The main steps that are involved in setting up the co-site interference problem are as follow –

  1. Create equipment: Antenna
  2. Create equipment: Transmitters and receivers
  3. Create group of stations
  4. Specify coupling loss matrix
  5. Set up and run interference analysis

In addition to Adjacent channel interference, harmonic interference is taken into account.

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Please view the video below to learn more about the workflow and individual steps


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPELG2Eiuf4

The PDF of attached with this article provides step by step instructions for the above example.

To know more about other electromagnetic solutions and applications please refer the website by clicking here

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