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by Marshall Brain

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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:

Brain, Marshall.  "How the Radio Spectrum Works"  01 April 2000.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/radio-spectrum.htm>  10 February 2012.
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Gadgets Deconstructed

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Inside this Article
  1. Introduction to How the Radio Spectrum Works
  2. Radio Frequency List
  3. Radio Frequency Scanners
  1. Lots More Information
  2. See all Radio articles

Lots More Information

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More Great Links

  • Spread Spectrum Scene - Radio spectrum links
  • The Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • NTIA: Office of Spectrum Management
  • FCC Radio Spectrum Home Page
  • Allocation of Radio Spectrum in the United States
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Inside this Article
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Prices: Radio Spectrum Books

  • Dynamic Spectrum Access and Management in Cognitive Radio Networks
    Dynamic Spectrum Access and Management in Cognitive Radio Networks

    Are you involved in designing the next generation of wireless networks? With spectrum becoming an ever scarcer resource, it is critical that new systems utilize all available frequency bands as efficiently as possible. The revolutionary technology presented in this book will be at the cutting edge of future wireless communications. Dynamic Spectrum Access and Management in Cognitive Radio Networks provides you with an all-inclusive introduction to this emerging technology, outlining the fundamentals of cognitive radio-based wireless communication and networking, spectrum sharing models, and the requirements for dynamic spectrum access. In addition to the different techniques and their applications in designing dynamic spectrum access methods, you'll also find state-of-the-art dynamic spectrum access schemes, including classifications of the different schemes and the technical details of each scheme. This is a perfect introduction for graduate students and researchers, as well as a useful self-study guide for practitioners.

    $34.11

  • Cognitive Radio Networks
    Cognitive Radio Networks

    Fueled by ongoing and increasing consumer demand, the explosive growth in spectrum-based communications continues to tax the finite resources of the available spectrum. One possible solution, Cognitive Radio Network (CRN), allows unlicensed users opportunistic access to licensed bands without interfering with existing users. Although some initial study has been conducted in this field, researchers need a systematic reference book that presents clear definitions, functions, and current challenges of the CRNs. Cognitive Radio Networks presents state-of-the-art approaches and novel technologies for cognitive wireless radio networks and sheds light on future developments in these areas. Comprising the contributions of many prominent world-wide cognitive radio researchers, this book covers all CRN essentials including spectrum sensing, spectrum handoff, spectrum sharing, and CRN routing schemes. Divided into five parts, the book addresses the physical layer, medium access control, the routing layer, cross-layer considerations and advanced topics in cognitive radio networks. The chapters also review research, management, support, and cognitive techniques such as position and network awareness, infrastructure and physical and link layer concerns. The editors of this volume are noted experts in the field of wireless networks and security. Dr. Yang Xiao’s research has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Army Research, Fleet & Industrial Supply Center San Diego (FISCSD), and the University of Alabama’s Research Grants Committee. Dr. Fei Hu has worked with NSF, Cisco, Lockheed Martin, Sprint, and other organizations. By bringing together the combined input of international experts, these editors have advanced the field of this nascent technology and helped to forge new paths of discovery for progressive communications possibilities.

    $42.13

  • Cognitive Radio Architecture: The Engineering Foundations of Radio XML
    Cognitive Radio Architecture: The Engineering Foundations of Radio XML

    An exciting new technology, described by the one who invented itThis is the first book dedicated to cognitive radio, a promising new technology that is poised to revolutionize the telecommunications industry with increased wireless flexibility. Cognitive radio technology integrates computational intelligence into software-defined radio for embedded intelligent agents that adapt to RF environments and user needs. Using this technology, users can more fully exploit the radio spectrum and services available from wireless connectivity. For example, an attempt to send a 10MB e-mail in a zone where carrier charges are high might cause a cognitive radio to alert its user and suggest waiting until getting to the office to use the LAN instead. Cognitive Radio Architecture examines an "ideal cognitive radio" that features autonomous machine learning, computer vision, and spoken or written language perception.The author of this exciting new book is the inventor of the technology and a leader in the field. Following his step-by-step introduction, readers can start building aware/adaptive radios and then make steps towards cognitive radio. After an introduction to adaptive, aware, and cognitive radio, the author develops three major themes in three sections:FoundationsRadio CompetenceUser Domain CompetenceThe book makes the design principles of cognitive radio more accessible to students of teleinformatics, as well as to wireless communications systems developers. It therefore embraces the practice of cognitive radio as well as the theory. In particular, the publication develops a cognitive architecture that integrates disparate disciplines, including autonomous machine learning, computer vision, and language perception technologies. An accompanying CD-ROM contains the Java source code and compiled class files for applications developed in the book. In addition, for the convenience of the reader, Web resources introducing key concepts such as speech applications programmer interfaces (APIs) are included.Although still five to ten years away from full deployment, telecommunications giants and research labs around the world are already dedicating R&D to this new technology. Telecommunications engineers as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students can learn the promising possibilities of this innovative technology from the one who invented it.Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

    $100.74

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