Exploration of TV White Spaces Using an RTL-SDR Spectrum Sensing Cognitive Radio Simulink Technique

Abstract

The aim of this work is to use a spectrum sensing cognitive radio developed in Simulink to explore the TV band spectrum between the frequency range of 470 MHz to 870 MHz in order to establish its capability for usage for unlicensed communications. The methodology chosen for this work was to explore, view and analyse TV spectrum between the 470 MHz to 870 MHz in the Urban region of Benin City using a Software defined radio interfaced with a real time model of a spectrum explorer in MATLAB-Simulink. This is to ascertain the spectrum activities of the primary users of the Spectrum. An Energy detector modelled in Simulink interfaced with a software defined radio was used to perform real time spectrum sensing, signal prediction and spectrum management decision. The energy detector in MATLAB-Simulink interfaced with the software defined radio forms the Spectrum sensing cognitive radio. It was implemented and it performed spectrum sensing in the 470 MHz to 870 MHz TV spectrum in real time. It was observed that the frequencies between 770 MHz to 800 MHz and 800 MHz to 831 MHz were 90% and 70% unoccupied by the Primary users respectively. Hence, these frequencies can be used alternatively for unlicenced communications as the secondary users during the deployment of the spectrum sensing cognitive radio in other to avoid interference with the primary users. The other frequencies aside the two ranges mentioned between the 470 MHz to 870 MHz had 70% to 100% occupancy by the primary users