πŸ“‘ SignalGround Services Training

Learn to use RF Intelligence services for wireless deployment analysis

8 Services Production Ready Interactive Labs
πŸ“‹ Service Catalog
Spectrum Intelligence
Tower Infrastructure
CBRS / Private 5G
Public Safety
AV Corridor
Marine Intelligence
Broadcast Intelligence
Railroad & PTC
βœ… Assessment

πŸ“‹ SignalGround Service Catalog

8 Services

Click any service card to access its dedicated training module with tutorials, examples, and practice labs.

πŸ“‘ Spectrum Intelligence

Comprehensive RF environment analysis across all FCC-licensed bands

βœ“ Production

πŸ—Ό Tower Infrastructure

FCC-registered towers, height analysis, colocation opportunities

βœ“ Production

πŸ“± CBRS / Private 5G

Citizens Band Radio Service - Private LTE/5G at 3.5 GHz

βœ“ Production

🚨 Public Safety

FirstNet, P25, public safety + hospital/trauma center integration

βœ“ Production

✈️ AV Corridor

Aviation RF corridor analysis, VHF airband, Part 77 obstruction assessment

βœ“ Production

βš“ Marine Intelligence

Coast stations, ship stations, VHF marine communications

βœ“ Production

πŸ“Ί Broadcast Intelligence

TV broadcast stations, VHF/UHF coverage, interference zones

βœ“ Production

πŸšƒ Railroad & PTC

Positive Train Control 220 MHz, railroad communications

βœ“ Production

πŸ’‘ How to Use This Training

Each service module includes: Overview β†’ Who Benefits β†’ How to Run Reports β†’ Understanding Output β†’ Key Calculations β†’ Practice Lab β†’ Quiz

πŸ“‘ Spectrum Intelligence

Comprehensive RF environment analysis across all FCC-licensed frequency bands. The foundation service that provides complete spectrum situational awareness.

Overview
Who Benefits
How To Use
Understanding Output
Key Calculations
Practice Lab

What is Spectrum Intelligence?

Spectrum Intelligence is SignalGround's foundational service that provides a complete picture of all FCC-licensed radio transmitters within a specified geographic area.

  • πŸ“Š

    Complete RF Environment

    Every licensed transmitter: cellular, microwave, land mobile, satellite, and more

  • πŸ—ΊοΈ

    Interactive Mapping

    Visualize signal locations with color-coded frequency bands

  • πŸ“ˆ

    Band Analysis

    Distribution by frequency band with congestion scoring

  • πŸ“‹

    Full Inventory

    Searchable table with callsign, frequency, licensee, location

Frequency Bands Covered

BandFrequency RangeCommon Uses
VHF Low30-50 MHzBusiness, Public Safety
VHF High150-174 MHzMarine, Public Safety
UHF450-470 MHzBusiness, Utilities
700 MHz698-806 MHzFirstNet, LTE
800 MHz806-869 MHzCellular, P25
900 MHz896-940 MHzSMR, Trunking
Microwave2-40 GHzPoint-to-Point Links

Who Benefits from Spectrum Intelligence?

🏒 Enterprise IT Teams

Before deploying wireless infrastructure, understand what signals already exist at your site. Avoid interference with existing licensed operations.

πŸ“‘ RF Engineers

Get baseline spectrum data for site surveys without expensive equipment. Identify potential interference sources before they become problems.

πŸ—οΈ Real Estate Developers

Assess RF environment for new construction. Understand tower proximity and cellular coverage for tenant amenities.

πŸ₯ Healthcare Facilities

Protect sensitive medical equipment from RF interference. Plan wireless network deployments that coexist with existing systems.

πŸ›οΈ Government Agencies

Spectrum management and coordination. Identify licensed operations in areas of interest for security and planning.

πŸ’Ό Telecom Consultants

Provide clients with instant RF intelligence. Generate professional reports for site assessments and due diligence.

How to Generate a Spectrum Report

Access the Service

Navigate to http://localhost:3100 or click Spectrum Intelligence in the SignalGround portal.

Enter Location

Type any US address, city, or coordinates. Examples: "Pittsburgh, PA", "1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC", "40.4406, -79.9959"

Select Radius

Choose search radius: 5 km (campus), 10 km (urban), or 25 km (metro/regional)

Generate Report

Click "Generate Report" and wait 5-30 seconds for database query completion. A serial number is assigned for tracking.

Explore Results

Use tabs to navigate: Map view, Charts, Band Analysis, Full Inventory. Export to CSV for offline analysis.

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip

Start with 10km radius for urban areas. If you get too many results (2000+), reduce to 5km. For rural areas, use 25km to capture sparse deployments.

Understanding Spectrum Output

Report Header

FieldDescriptionExample
Serial NumberUnique report identifierSG-20260127-A3F2
LocationGeocoded addressPittsburgh, PA
RadiusSearch area25 km
Total SignalsLicensed transmitters found2,847

Signal Record Fields

FieldDescription
CallsignFCC-assigned station identifier (e.g., WQED123)
Frequency (MHz)Operating frequency in megahertz
BandFrequency band category (VHF, UHF, Microwave, etc.)
City/StateLicensed location of the transmitter
DistanceDistance from search center in kilometers
Entity NameLicensee/owner name (when available)

Key RF Calculations

Free Space Path Loss (FSPL)
FSPL (dB) = 20Γ—log₁₀(d) + 20Γ—log₁₀(f) + 32.44
Where d = distance in km, f = frequency in MHz. Fundamental calculation for estimating signal strength at a distance.
Distance from Coordinates
d = √[(Ξ”lat Γ— 111)Β² + (Ξ”lon Γ— 111 Γ— cos(lat))Β²]
Haversine approximation for distances under 100km. Returns distance in kilometers.
Band Congestion Score
Congestion = (signals_in_band / total_signals) Γ— 100
Percentage of total signals in each frequency band. Higher scores indicate more crowded spectrum.

Practice Lab

πŸ“ Exercise 1: Basic Spectrum Survey

Generate an Spectrum report for your current city with a 10km radius. How many total signals were found? What is the most common frequency band?

πŸ“ Exercise 2: Compare Urban vs Rural

Run reports for New York, NY and Billings, MT with 25km radius. Compare the signal counts and band distributions. What patterns do you observe?

πŸ“ Exercise 3: Healthcare Site Assessment

A hospital is planning to deploy a new wireless patient monitoring system at 2.4 GHz. Generate a spectrum report for the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. What existing signals might cause interference?

Try It Now

Enter a location to see how Spectrum Intelligence works

πŸ—Ό Tower Infrastructure

Complete database of FCC-registered antenna structures. Analyze tower locations, heights, colocation opportunities, and regulatory compliance.

Overview
Who Benefits
How To Use
Understanding Output
Key Calculations

What is Tower Infrastructure?

Tower Infrastructure provides access to the FCC's Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) database - the authoritative source for all registered towers in the United States.

⚠️ Important Distinction

Towers = Physical antenna structures (from ASR database)
Sites = Licensed transmitter locations (from ULS database)
One tower can host multiple sites/transmitters!

  • πŸ“

    Height Analysis

    Above Ground Level (AGL) and Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) measurements

  • πŸ—οΈ

    Structure Types

    Lattice, monopole, guyed tower, building mount, water tank, etc.

  • 🀝

    Colocation Scoring

    Identify towers suitable for adding equipment

Tower Structure Types

TypeDescriptionTypical Height
TOWERGeneric tower structure50-300m
LTOWERLattice tower (self-supporting)60-200m
MTOWERMonopole tower30-60m
GTOWERGuyed tower (with guy wires)100-600m
BANTBuilding-mounted antenna10-50m
TANKWater tank mount30-60m

Who Benefits from Tower Infrastructure?

πŸ“‘ Tower Companies

Identify colocation opportunities. Analyze competitive tower inventory in target markets.

πŸ“± Wireless Carriers

Site acquisition planning. Find existing infrastructure to lease instead of building new.

✈️ Aviation Planners

Obstruction analysis for flight paths. FAA coordination requirements.

πŸ›οΈ Municipal Planners

Zoning and permitting decisions. Tower density analysis for community planning.

How to Use Tower Intelligence

Enter Location

Specify your target area by address, city, or coordinates.

Review Tower Map

Towers are displayed with markers sized by height. Click any tower for details.

Analyze Height Distribution

Use the charts tab to see tower height statistics and structure type breakdown.

Export Inventory

Download full tower list as CSV for further analysis in Excel or GIS software.

Understanding Tower Output

FieldDescription
Registration NumberFCC ASR registration ID
Height AGLHeight above ground level in meters
Height AMSLHeight above mean sea level
Structure TypeTower construction type
OwnerTower owner/registrant name
CoordinatesPrecise lat/lon location

Key Calculations

Radio Horizon (Line of Sight)
d (km) = 4.12 Γ— √h (meters)
Maximum distance to the radio horizon based on antenna height. A 100m tower has a radio horizon of 41.2 km.
Colocation Suitability Score
Score = (height_factor Γ— 0.4) + (structure_factor Γ— 0.3) + (access_factor Γ— 0.3)
Composite score indicating how suitable a tower is for adding additional antennas.

πŸ“± CBRS / Private 5G

Citizens Broadband Radio Service (3.5 GHz) - The spectrum band enabling private LTE and 5G networks for enterprises.

3550-3700
MHz Band
Overview
Who Benefits
CBRS Tiers
How To Use
Key Calculations

What is CBRS / Private 5G?

CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) is a 150 MHz band of spectrum (3550-3700 MHz) that enables private LTE/5G networks without requiring expensive licensed spectrum.

🎯 Why CBRS Matters

CBRS enables enterprises to build their own private cellular networks for IoT, industrial automation, healthcare, and campus connectivity - without waiting for carriers.

  • πŸ“Š

    GAA Deployment Tracking

    See all General Authorized Access deployments in your area

  • πŸ“‘

    Channel Utilization

    15 channels across the band - see which are congested

  • ⚠️

    ESC Zone Awareness

    Environmental Sensing Capability zones near naval installations

Who Benefits from CBRS?

🏭 Manufacturing

Private LTE for factory automation, AGVs, real-time monitoring.

πŸ₯ Healthcare

Reliable connectivity for patient monitoring, telehealth, asset tracking.

🏫 Education

Campus-wide private 5G for students and IoT devices.

🏒 Enterprise

In-building coverage where carrier service is weak.

CBRS Access Tiers

TierNamePriorityDescription
1IncumbentHighestNavy radar, FSS earth stations - must be protected
2PALMediumPriority Access License - purchased at auction
3GAALowestGeneral Authorized Access - license-free, opportunistic

πŸ’‘ Key Insight

CBRS Intelligence primarily tracks GAA deployments from the FCC database. These represent actual CBRS devices registered with SAS (Spectrum Access Systems).

How to Use CBRS Intelligence

Enter Location

Specify your target deployment area.

Review CBRS Map

Existing GAA deployments shown with coverage circles. Size indicates channel count.

Analyze Channel Utilization

See which of the 15 CBRS channels are most/least congested in your area.

Check Interference Risk

Review the interference scoring and ESC zone proximity warnings.

CBRS Calculations

CBRS Path Loss (3.5 GHz)
PL (dB) = 32.44 + 20Γ—log₁₀(3550) + 20Γ—log₁₀(d_km) = 103.5 + 20Γ—log₁₀(d_km)
Pre-calculated for CBRS band center frequency. At 1km: 103.5 dB path loss.
Cat A vs Cat B Coverage
Cat A: ~250m radius (indoor/low power) | Cat B: ~1km radius (outdoor/higher power)
Category A devices limited to 1W EIRP. Category B can use up to 47 dBm EIRP.
Channel Congestion
Congestion = deployments_on_channel / max(deployments_any_channel)
Relative congestion score per channel (0-100%). Choose less congested channels for new deployments.

🚨 Public Safety

Public safety communications and healthcare infrastructure combined. FirstNet, P25, 800 MHz trunking, plus hospital/trauma center data.

Overview
PS Bands
Healthcare Data
Readiness Score
How To Use

What is Public Safety Intelligence?

Public Safety Intelligence combines RF analysis with healthcare facility data to provide a complete emergency services picture for any location.

🚨 Critical for Emergency Planning

First responders, emergency managers, and healthcare planners use Public Safety Intelligence to assess communication readiness and healthcare capacity.

  • πŸ“±

    FirstNet Analysis

    Band 14 (758-768/788-798 MHz) coverage for first responders

  • πŸ“»

    P25/800 MHz

    Trunked radio systems for police, fire, EMS

  • πŸ₯

    Trauma Centers

    Level I-V trauma facilities with bed counts

  • 🚁

    Helipad Locations

    Medical evacuation landing zones

Public Safety Frequency Bands

BandFrequency RangePrimary Use
FirstNet 700758-788 MHzLTE Band 14 for first responders
800 MHz PS806-869 MHzP25 trunking, legacy analog
VHF PS150-174 MHzFire, EMS, rural coverage
UHF PS450-470 MHzPolice, urban systems
900 MHz896-940 MHzSMR, backup systems

Healthcare Integration

Public Safety Intelligence integrates HIFLD (Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data) hospital information:

Data PointDescription
Facility NameOfficial hospital name
Hospital TypeGeneral Acute Care, Psychiatric, Military, etc.
Bed CountTotal licensed beds
Trauma LevelLevel I (highest) through Level V
HelipadWhether facility has helicopter landing

Emergency Readiness Score

Public Safety Intelligence calculates a composite readiness score (0-100) based on:

FactorPointsCriteria
FirstNet Coverage+20Any FirstNet signals present
800 MHz PS+15Any 800 MHz public safety signals
VHF Coverage+10VHF public safety signals
UHF Coverage+10UHF public safety signals
Signal Densityup to +15Based on total PS signals found
Trauma Center+15Any trauma center in range
Hospital Densityup to +10Based on hospitals found
Helipad+5Any helipad hospital in range
75-100
EXCELLENT
50-74
GOOD
25-49
MODERATE
0-24
LIMITED

How to Use Public Safety

Enter Location

Specify the area you want to assess for emergency readiness.

Review Readiness Score

The header shows the composite 0-100 readiness score with rating.

Analyze PS Coverage Map

Color-coded signals show FirstNet, 800 MHz, VHF, UHF presence.

Review Hospitals Tab

See trauma centers, bed capacity, helipad facilities.

View Heat Map

Signal density visualization shows coverage strength patterns.

✈️ AV Corridor Intelligence

Airport RF environments, VHF airband communications, and FAA obstruction analysis for aviation-aware site planning.

118-137
MHz Airband

Aviation Service Overview

AV Corridor provides aviation-specific RF intelligence for site planners, tower developers, and anyone working near airports.

Key Features

  • πŸ›«

    Airport Database

    All public airports with runways, elevation, type

  • πŸ“»

    VHF Airband

    118-137 MHz aviation communications

  • πŸ“

    Part 77 Analysis

    FAA obstruction surfaces for tower siting

Who Uses AV Corridor

  • Tower developers near airports
  • Drone operators checking airspace
  • RF engineers avoiding airband interference
  • Real estate developers near flight paths

βš“ Marine Intelligence

Coastal and maritime RF communications. VHF marine, coast stations, ship stations for port and harbor planning.

156-162
MHz Marine VHF

Marine Service Overview

Marine Intelligence specializes in maritime communications for coastal areas, ports, and harbors.

Station Types

TypeDescription
Coast StationLand-based maritime radio
Ship StationVessel-based radio
Marine UtilityHarbor operations

Key Frequencies

ChannelUse
CH 16 (156.8)Distress/Calling
CH 13 (156.65)Bridge-to-bridge
CH 22A (157.1)Coast Guard

πŸ“Ί Broadcast Intelligence

Television broadcast station coverage and interference analysis. VHF and UHF TV bands.

54-700
MHz TV Bands

Broadcast Service Overview

Broadcast Intelligence tracks television broadcast stations for interference analysis and white space identification.

BandFrequency RangeChannels
VHF-Lo54-88 MHz2-6
VHF-Hi174-216 MHz7-13
UHF470-700 MHz14-51

πŸ“ Note

FM Radio data (88-108 MHz) is not currently loaded in the database. Broadcast Intelligence focuses on TV broadcast stations.

πŸšƒ Railroad & PTC Intelligence

Positive Train Control communications in the 220 MHz band. Critical for rail corridor planning and interference analysis.

217-222
MHz PTC Band

Railroad PTC Overview

Positive Train Control (PTC) is a federally-mandated safety system that prevents train collisions, over-speed derailments, and unauthorized entry into work zones.

⚠️ Safety-Critical Communications

PTC signals at 220 MHz must be protected from interference. Any wireless deployment near rail corridors should check Railroad & PTC data.

Key Use Cases

  • Site planning near rail corridors
  • Spectrum coordination for 220 MHz band
  • Rail safety infrastructure mapping
  • IoT deployments near railroads

βœ… Services Knowledge Assessment

8 Questions
Progress 0/8

Q1: What is the difference between a Tower and a Site?

They are the same thing
Tower = physical structure (ASR), Site = licensed transmitter (ULS)
Site = physical structure, Tower = licensed transmitter
Both come from the same database

Q2: Which frequency band does FirstNet use?

150-174 MHz (VHF)
758-788 MHz (Band 14)
806-869 MHz (800 MHz)
3550-3700 MHz (CBRS)

Q3: What does CBRS GAA stand for?

Global Authorized Access
General Authorized Access
Government Approved Allocation
Guaranteed Available Airwaves

Q4: Which service would you use to find hospitals with helipads?

Spectrum Intelligence
AV Corridor
Public Safety
Tower Infrastructure

Q5: What frequency band does Positive Train Control (PTC) use?

156-162 MHz (Marine VHF)
118-137 MHz (Aviation)
217-222 MHz (220 MHz band)
470-700 MHz (UHF TV)

Q6: How many registered towers are in the FCC ASR database?

About 50,000
About 100,000
About 195,000
About 500,000

Q7: What is the CBRS frequency band?

2400-2483 MHz
3550-3700 MHz
5150-5850 MHz
5925-7125 MHz

Q8: Which data source provides hospital information in Public Safety Intelligence?

FCC ULS Database
FCC ASR Database
HIFLD (Homeland Infrastructure)
CMS Medicare Database