Introduction to Radio Spectrum Monitoring and Measuring

This course will provide a thorough introduction to spectrum monitoring and related measurement techniques at a field facility of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Class members will initially receive an overview of the Agency, structure and responsibilities of its Enforcement Bureau, as well as organization of the Bureau's Field Facilities, its three Regions and its thirteen field offices. This hands-on training will be conducted at the Columbia Operations Center facility, located at the FCC's Laboratory in Columbia, Maryland.

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Sponsor

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Location

Columbia, Maryland

Training Dates

Sep 14 - 18, 2026

Sequence

Spectrum Monitoring and Management

Course participants will navigate the learning experience with guidance by their FCC course instructors through topics such as interference resolution, FCC enforcement actions, radio frequency radiation measurements, demonstrations, etc. Included will be small group training in field strength measurements and spectrum analyzer measurements – and later, in applications of spectrum monitoring with hand held equipment and mobile direction finding.

On the final day of the training, the course co-sponsor will offer hands-on training with the latest equipment for the class members at the Laboratory.

Participant Learning Objectives:

To obtain a working understanding of (1) spectrum management techniques related to enforcement of national and international radio regulations, and their practical application using spectrum monitoring and measurement tools; (2) how received signals are processed through receivers and spectrum analyzers to establish transmission parameters; (3) how special engineering measurement equipment is applied against various types of communication signals (including broadcast) to understand the basis for their complex monitoring results; (4) the fundamentals of basic monitoring, measuring, and direction finding theory; and

(5) the latest RF survey and measurement systems available today.