Practical considerations for laboratory based spectral monitoring in the High Frequency (HF) band

With spectral management of the radio spectrum becoming such a large concern in modern society due to an increasing need for faster wireless data transfer, the current utilization of the radio frequency spectrum must first be measured and analyzed before improvements to the current system can be designed and implemented. Choosing the High Frequency (HF) band to serve as a representative of the entire radio frequency spectrum, an active monopole antenna coupled with a portable spectrum analyzer was utilized to measure the ambient HF field strength at a laboratory site in Oklahoma City. This recorded data was then analyzed to determine the basic shape and characteristics of the ambient HF spectrum.