Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Radio frequency range description list?

[Andre-John Mas]

On 2013-04-02, at 11:03, "Tom Rondeau" <address@hidden> wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 2, 2013 at 10:51 AM, Alexandru Csete <address@hidden> wrote:
>> Hi Andre,
>> 
>> I think it would be a mistake to consider a no reply on this list as a
>> general no to your question. Clearly, there must be such databases out
>> there, otherwise maintaining things like the US Frequency Allocation
>> Chart [1] or the ITU-RR [2] would be a nightmare. How you get the
>> source of those publications I do not know. There are also smaller
>> databases embedded in various SDR and other receiver software out
>> there that could be a starting point.
>> 
>> I foresee two significant challenges in implementing your idea:
>> - Most of the spectrum is allocated for multiple uses
>> - Allocations are in most cases made for specific uses but they do not
>> necessarily imply a specific configuration
>> 
>> I think it will be a big help for you to narrow down the scope as much
>> as possible.
>> 
>> [1] 
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Frequency_Allocations_Chart_2011_-_The_Radio_Spectrum.pdf
>> [2] http://www.itu.int/pub/R-REG-RR
> 
> 
> The FCC is doing a much better job providing this kind of information,
> too. See the Spectrum Dashboard:
> http://reboot.fcc.gov/reform/systems/spectrum-dashboard
> 
> There are APIs for automating access to their databases. I've hacked
> around with this some, both with PHP and Python (and simple wgets),
> and it's not bad; usable at least. But translating the data here into
> usable information is going to be a trick.
> 
> I have a feeling other regulators, like OFCOMM, specifically, have
> similar databases available for access.
> 
> Also look at www.tvfool.com. It's specific to TV signals, but there
> might be something the learn from it.
> 
> I think you should definitely pursue this project and see where you
> get. As Alex said, there's overlapping services, geographical
> differences, and, I'm sure, just random things in there that are going
> to make it hard. Which is probably a large part of why no one has done
> it before. But maybe it just needs a bit of hacker mentality.

Hi Tom,

I'll look into these APIs and see what they have to offer. 

From looking at the charts there are overlapping services, as you indicate. My 
approach would be to ignore this detail, focusing on the providing the data in 
an appropriate format, and the let someone else deal with how their program 
works out which data is being transmitted. 

I am sure the first version of the data files will need to be improved on, but 
i believe its easier to correct something concrete, than imagine work yet to be 
done. I'll start off small and see what happens. Hopefully I don't get 
discouraged. 

Regards

Andre