1. COST286 EMC in Diffused Communications Systems Professor Andy Marvin Chairman, COST 286 Management Committee

2. Current Status of COST 286 Now at end of first of four years Thirteen member countries Two Working Groups undertaking a Project Census –Simulation and Design –Derivation of suitable Measurement and Design Technique Two Workshops –Current Capabilities and Future Needs –Powerline Communications Three Joint Technical Actions Four Short Term Scientific Missions Website at www.emc.york.ac.uk/cost286/

3. Joint Technical Action 1 Antenna/wire coupling in the near field 1. Introduction During COST 261 action, a first formulation of a generic problem concerning the coupling of communication antenna’s into a wire has been done. The purpose was to start a discussion between the participants, how to translate a rather simple problem into numerical electromagnetic codes for simulation. The wire had a fixed length and a fixed height above a ground plane. A small tuned dipole antenna was used to generate an electromagnetic field at short distance of the wire. It is referred to the COST 261 website for a detailed description of this COST 261 JTA http://www.emc.york.ac.uk/cost261/collaborative/COST261JTAYork4. pdf http://www.emc.york.ac.uk/cost261/collaborative/COST261JTAYork4. pdf

4. Joint Technical Action 1 In the meantime, several other research projects are dealing with similar problems. 1.1. LINK report, a UK project on the cumulative effect of multiuse of mobile phones and cellular radiocommunication systems. The report deals partly with the specific problem of the cumulative effect of field strenght and coupling into wires, when more people are simultaneously using mobile phones. 1.2. Mobelcar, a research project by Flanders Drive, on the use of GSM in busses and coaches, and the interference into the cabling. 1.3. TEMCA2, a European research project within the 5th Framework, dealing with EMC and testing of large machines in situ. Part of this work is concerned with the correlation between radiated immunity and conducted immunity testing using BCI like methods. 1.4. GEMCAR, a European research project within the 4th Framework, dealing with EMC and the coupling of intereference into the cabling of cars. 1.5. Papers presented during the 1st Workshop on “EMC in diffused communication systems”, COST 286, Wroclaw 17/18 september 2003, dealing with the interference of wireless communication systems and LAN wiring in offices and buildings. It follows that the coupling at short distance into the cabling of a system, within a restricted space, may be seen as a generic problem.

5. Joint Technical Action 1 Formulation of the generic problem. The generic problem deals with the coupling of near-field radiating antenna’s into the cabling of a system, within a restricted space. The problem may be defined in three phases, which will be spread over the full duration of the COST 286 period. Phase 1: Wire above a ground plane in open area: simulations and measurements. Phase 2: Enclosure problem: resonances. Phase 3: Wire in an enclosure, and cumulative effect of more sources All phases must be validated by measurements, at least by some of the participants.

6. Joint Technical Action 2 1. EMC analysis of LF unstructured telecom networks A first discussion was started during the December 4th, 2003 MCM in Brussels. The following items were mentioned for further consideration: 1.1. Frequency range to be considered: upto 150 KHz or the wide band applications, using the frequency range from 1.5 MHz upto 30 MHz 1.2. How is interference coupled onto the (mains) cabling by radiation? 1.3. What is the radiated emission from these networks. Is it possible to define an "Antenna Factor (AF)” for an unstructured network? 1.4. Coupling of the equipment onto the wiring (how? filtering? modulation type?) 1.5. Measurement of the noise present at unstructured networks (especially PCL types). How to measure the noise? Use of statistical methods? Frequency of Time domain measurements? Reference is also given to the German ‘NB30 documents’.

7. Joint Technical Action 2 TPE - Repeater path Cable length: 420 m Signal injection: Phase - Neutral Signal detection:Phase - Neutral

8. Joint Technical Action 2 20dB @ 7MHz 25dB @ 16MHZ 30dB @ 3MHz 40dB @ 11MHZ Attenuation “Wireless” PLT

9. Joint Technical Action 3 EM-ambient site survey of industrial environments 1. Introduction The origin of this proposal is forthcoming from the European 5th Framework research project TEMCA2, dealing with the EMC characterisation and validation of large machines and installations in-situ. The lack of data about the EM ambient in industrial environments has been noticed within this project. 1.1. There are nearly no data available on the EM ambient in industrial environments. This is the case for both conducted and radiated ambient levels. 1.2. Some data should be available in an older ITU document. 1.3. Standards EN 61000-2-x provides guidance for the characterisation of EM ambient levels under different circumstances. The knowledge of the ambient noise is of particular interest in planning and setting up wireless data communications in industrial applications.

10. Joint Technical Action 3 1. Formulation of the problem A first discussion was started during the December 4th, 2003 MCM in Brussels. The following items were mentioned for preliminary action and further consideration: 1.1. Provide a summary of the EN 61000-2-x standard series 1.2. Compare some available data with the older ITU model of ambient EM noise 1.3. How to collect the data, and present them in function of frequency range or time domain for impulsive noise ? The target of this action could be to propose a guidance document of collecting and presenting the data of an RF ambient. A second discussion took place during the MCM of March 25-26 th, 2004 in Liege. A lot of documents related to this JTA3 were identified.

11. Short Term Scientific Missions Four STSMs were approved by the MC and were undertaken in June ’04 –Dr V Degardin (Lille) visited University of York and the Open University concerning PLT EMC measurement and prediction. –Mr J Newbury (OU) visited Universities of Lille and Liege to liaise with Profs Catrysse, Beauvois and Degaque on PLT EMC measurements –Dr A Vucievic (EPFL) visited University of Uppsala concerning the EMC aspects of PLT –Dr A Rubinstein (EPFL) visited University of Uppsala concerning the new developments in the parallelisation of the NEC EM computer code

12. COST 286 Concluding Remarks Action is now one year old. All essential aspects are in place and the MC is functioning well (including via email) Two successful Workshops resulting in three Joint Technical Actions to support our work Four (hastily arranged) STSMs successfully undertaken (subject to MC approval of the final reports)