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Communication Infrastructure of Aviation

Deniss Brodnevs
Organizational Structure. Mg.sc.ing
VHF Communication. Lo. V-206a brodnev@inbox.lv
2017

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Organizational Structure of Aviation

Communications Disciplines

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ICAO Annexes

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annexes 1 to 18

Annex 1 Personnel Licensing Annex 11 Air Traffic Services

Annex 2 Rules of the Air
Annex 3 Meteorological Service for
international Air Navigation
Annex 4 Aeronautical Charts
Annex 5 Units of Measurement to be
Used in Air and Ground Operations
Annex 6 Operation of Aircraft
Annex 7 Aircraft Nationality and
Registration Marks
Annex 8 Airworthiness of Aircraft
Annex 9 Facilitation
Annex 10 Aeronautical
Telecommunications
Annex 12 Search and Rescue
Annex 13 Aircraft Accident and
Incident Investigation
Annex 14 Aerodromes
Annex 15 Aeronautical Information
Services
Annex 16 Environmental Protection
Annex 17 Security: Safeguarding
International Civil Aviation Against Acts
of Unlawful Interference
Annex 18 The Safe Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Air

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ICAO Annex 10

ANNEX 10 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation Aeronautical

Telecommunications (Volumes I, II, III, IV and V)

Three of the most complex and essential elements of international civil aviation are
aeronautical communications, navigation and surveillance. These elements are
covered by Annex 10 to the Convention.

Annex 10 is divided into five volumes:

Volume I — Radio Navigation Aids
Volume II — Communications Procedures including those with PANS status
Volume III — Communication Systems:
Part 1 — Digital Data Communication Systems
Part 2 — Voice Communication Systems
Volume IV — Surveillance Radar and Collision Avoidance Systems
Volume V — Aeronautical Radio Frequency Spectrum Utilization

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ICAO Annex 10 –
Aeronautical Telecommunications
The five volumes of this Annex contain:
• Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)
• Standard: any specification for physical characteristics, configuration,
material, performance, personnel or procedure, the uniform application of
which is recognized as necessary for the safety or regularity of international
air navigation and to which Contracting States will conform in accordance
with the Convention
• Recommended Practices: any specification for physical characteristics,
configuration, material, performance, personnel or procedure, the uniform
application of which is recognized as desirable in the interest of safety,
regularity or efficiency of international air navigation and to which
Contracting States will endeavour to conform in accordance with the
Convention
• Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS)
• Guidance material on aeronautical communication, navigation and surveillance
systems (GM)

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ICAO Annex 10 vol.3

Volume III of Annex 10 contains SARPs and GM for various air-ground and
ground-ground voice and data communication systems, including:

• aeronautical speech circuits

• aeronautical telecommunication network (ATN)
• aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN)
• aeronautical mobile service
• aeronautical mobile-satellite service (AMSS)
• aircraft addressing and reporting system (ACARS)
• very high frequency (VHF) air-ground digital link (VDL)
• high frequency data link (HFDL)
• secondary surveillance radar (SSR) Mode S air-ground data link
• selective calling system (SELCAL)
• emergency locator transmitter (ELT)

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ICAO Annex 10 vol.5

In Volume V of Annex 10 - Aeronautical Radio Frequency spectrum Utilization.

SARPs and guidance material on the utilization of aeronautical frequencies are
defined here.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has set up a framework in which

the demands for radio spectrum from individual States are balanced with the
interests of different radio service users to produce a planned radio environment
incorporating interference-free, effective and efficient radio spectrum use. Volume V
contains information on the assignment planning of individual aeronautical radio
stations operating or planned to operate in different frequency bands.

Doc 9718 - Handbook on Radio Frequency Spectrum Requirements for Civil

Aviation. This document is an unedited advance version of an ICAO publication
as approved, in principle, by the Secretary General, which is rendered available to
the public for convenience.

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Radio Spectrum used by Aviation

DISTRESS FREQUENCIES
• The frequencies 2 182 kHz and 4 125 kHz offers possibilities for voice
communication between aircraft and stations of the maritime mobile service.
• The aeronautical mobile (R) service frequencies 3 023 kHz and 5 680 kHz
may be employed for coordinated search and rescue operations with the
maritime mobile service.
• The frequency 500 kHz is the international distress frequency for Morse
radiotelegraphy to be used for that purpose by ship, aircraft and survival craft
stations.
• The band 406 – 406.1 MHz is used exclusively by satellite emergency position
indicating radio beacons (ELT, EPIRB, PLB) in the earth-to-space direction.
• With respect to survival craft stations, the use of the frequency(ies) 121.5 MHz
and 243 MHz also is possible, if the survival craft is capable of operating on it.

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Aeronautical Mobile Service –

VHF Communication

VHF radio is a primary means of communication between

aircraft and the ground (air-to-air) or between two
aircrafts (air-to-air).

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VHF Communication

VHF voice communication is used for:

• Air Traffic Control (ATC)
• Approach and departure information (ATIS – Automatic
Terminal Information Service)
• Meteorological information transmission (VOLMET - French
origin vol (flight) and météo (weather report)), or meteorological
information for aircraft in flight.

VHF digital data communication is used to:

• Automatically downlink status and failure reports (in conjunction
with OMS)
• Uplink information by the pilot request (DATIS, DVOLMET)

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VHF Communication

• The band 117.975 – 132 MHz was allocated to the Aeronautical Mobile (R)
Service in the ITU Radio Regulations (1947).
• By subsequent revisions at ITU World Administrative Radio Conferences the
bands 132 – 136 MHz and 136 – 137 MHz also were added.

In the case of the band 136 – 137 MHz, international applications have
not yet been agreed, and these frequencies should be brought into use
on a regional basis where and in the manner required.

The minimum separation between assignable frequencies in the aeronautical

mobile (R) service shall be 8.33 kHz.

In some regions or areas, 100 kHz, 50 kHz or 25 kHz channel spacing

provides an adequate number of frequencies suitably related to
international and national air services will remain adequate for services
operating within such regions or areas.

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• The band 117.975 – 132 MHz was allocated to the Aeronautical Mobile (R)
Service in the ITU Radio Regulations (1947).
• By subsequent revisions at ITU World Administrative Radio Conferences the
bands 132 – 136 MHz and 136 – 137 MHz also were added.

In the case of the band 136 – 137 MHz, international applications have
not yet been agreed, and these frequencies should be brought into use
on a regional basis where and in the manner required.

The minimum separation between assignable frequencies in the aeronautical

mobile (R) service shall be 8.33 kHz.

In some regions or areas, 100 kHz, 50 kHz or 25 kHz channel spacing

provides an adequate number of frequencies suitably related to
international and national air services will remain adequate for services
operating within such regions or areas.

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VHF Communication

VHF COM band selection

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VHF Communication –
Allotment plan

VHF
allotment
plan
(ICAO
Annex 10
vol. 5)

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• VHF COM operates in the band 117.975 – 137 MHz

• Channel spacing 8.33 kHz (EU) and 25 kHz (VDL require 25 kHz + guard bands!)
• Radiotelephone emissions shall be double sideband (DSB) amplitude modulated
(AM) carriers (A3J)

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• VHF COM operates in the band 117.975 – 137 MHz

• Channel spacing 8.33 kHz (EU) and 25 kHz (VDL require 25 kHz + guard bands)
• Radiotelephone emissions shall be double sideband (DSB) amplitude modulated
(AM) carriers (A3J)
• Frequency stability.
• The radio frequency of operation shall not vary more than plus or minus
0.005 per cent from the assigned frequency.
• Where 25 kHz channel spacing is introduced in accordance with Volume V,
the radio frequency of operation shall not vary more than plus or minus
0.002 per cent from the assigned frequency.
• Where 8.33 kHz channel spacing is introduced in accordance with Volume V,
the radio frequency of operation shall not vary more than plus or minus
0.0001 per cent from the assigned frequency.

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VHF Communication – Ground and

Airborne equipment requirements
The requirement on the airborne transceiver equipment is less onerous than on the
ground equipment

Transmitter ground specification

Frequency stability ±0.0001% / 0.002% (8.33 / 25 kHz channel separation)
Designed to give field strength of 75 μV/m (–109 dBW/m2) on a ‘high number of
occasions’, with modulation depth of greater than 85 %

Transmitter air specification

Frequency stability ±0.0005% / 0.003% (8.33 / 25 kHz channel separation)
Designed to give field strength of 20 μV/m (–120 dBW/m2) on a ‘high percentage of
occasions at appropriate range and altitude’

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VHF Communication – Ground and

Airborne equipment requirements
The requirement on the airborne transceiver equipment is less onerous than on the
ground equipment

Receiver ground specification

Frequency stability ±0.0001% / 0.002% (8.33 / 25 kHz channel separation)
Field strength of 20 μV/m (–120 dBW/m2), to provide a wanted/unwanted output
voice signal of >15 dB (with depth of modulation 50 %) on a ‘high percentage of
occasions’
Adjacent channel rejection >60 dB
-NOTE: The next assignable frequency will normally be plus or minus 50 kHz as
specified in Annex 10 vol.5.

Receiver air specification

Frequency stability ±0.0005% / 0.003% (8.33 / 25 kHz channel separation)
Field strength of 75 μV/m (–109 dBW/m2), to provide a wanted/unwanted
output voice signal of >15 dB (with depth of modulation 50 %) on a ‘high percentage of
occasions’
Adjacent channel rejection 8.33 kHz channels: 60 dB or more at plus or minus 8.33 kHz
with respect to the assigned frequency, and 40 dB or more at plus or minus 6.5 kHz

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• VHF COM operates in the band 117.975 – 137 MHz

• Channel spacing is 8.33 kHz (EU) and 25 kHz
• Radiotelephone emissions shall be double sideband (DSB) amplitude
modulated (AM) carriers (A3J)

the LOS distance achievable between two points (i.e. the limit where the
communication ray grazes the horizon) can be defined by

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• VHF COM operates in the band 117.975 – 137 MHz

• Channel spacing 8.33 kHz (EU) and 25 kHz
• Radiotelephone emissions shall be double sideband (DSB) amplitude
modulated (AM) carriers (A3J)
• VHF COM ensure Line-Of-Sight (LOS) communications ONLY:
• Air-to-ground is limited to 200NM (between sea level and FL350 – FL400)
• Air-to-air is limited to 400NM (between two FL350 – 400)

It generally gives a good

conservative estimate to
which horizon
communications
can be established and
maintained for a very-
high availability factor
(>99.9 %)

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

• For low aerospace links attention should be given to terrains which can result
in LOS obstruction.
Practical testing should be
carried here after a design
has been decided
to verify critical or
marginal areas to ensure
network availability factor
at least 99.9 %

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

If there are low altitude where LOS conditions may not exist, there are two
techniques widely deployed to overcome this problem to some extent without having
the full cost and operational implications of straight cell splitting and full equipment
duplication and operation.
1. Frequency Coupling
At the situation when the out-of-hours traffic is significantly down and only one
operator is required to cover a number of sectors, the two frequencies can be
‘coupled’ such that all ATC information is transmitted out on both frequency channels.

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

1. Frequency Coupling
On the receive side the controllers’ console selects the voice stream by using a
voting circuit. Voting can be selected by signal strength (the usual method) or from bit
error rate (BER) analysis, which is usually more relevant to digital systems.

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

2. Extended Coverage for a Cell Using Offset Carrier

Techniques (CLIMAX)
If the topology of a sector is such that it cant be coverage by one base station, a
multi-carrier solution CLIMAX can be used.

This technology allows up to 5 separate radio stations to simultaneously transmit the

same audio signal using a single frequency assignment.

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

Each channel leg employs a discrete carrier frequency that is offset from the
assigned frequency. All offset frequencies lies in the receiver acceptable bandwidth.

• 2-carrier system. Carriers should be

spaced at plus and minus 5 kHz.
• 3-carrier system. Carriers should be
spaced at zero and plus and minus
7.3 kHz.
• 4-carrier system. Carriers should be
spaced at plus and minus 2.5 kHz
and plus and minus 7.5 kHz.
• 5-carrier system. Carriers should be
spaced at zero, plus and minus 4 kHz
and plus and minus 8 kHz.

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VHF Communication – BAND in use

Again on the receiver circuitry side, a simple voting system can be used to select
which base station is receiving the strongest signal and switch this into operation.

4 station CLIMAX system example

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Interference Immunity Performance

VHF ‘Hardening’ (FM immunity)

The spectrum in the band below 108 MHz is allocated to the FM broadcast (between
88 and 108 MHz). Typically the systems deployed here use very high power
transmitters (typically up to 1 kW) with omnidirectional antennas. Aircraft can
frequently come within a few hundred metres of these, particularly when coming into
land over a congested city.

This out-of-band phenomenon was

identified as a problem to avionics,
and more so to the navigation
equipment in the 108.000–117.075-
MHz band but to a lesser extent to
the communication avionics sitting
above this.

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Interference Immunity Performance

Intermodulation
The receiver input pass-band filter pass products within the 118–137-MHz range. If
the high-power signals would fall inside the receiver filter characteristic, a harmonic
components from broadcast and avionic multiple carrier frequencies would be
provided (causing
intermodulation
products).
In particular, third-
order harmonics are
generally considered
to be the most
problematic ones.

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Interference Immunity Performance

ICAO Annex 10 vol.3 Immunity requirements

After 1 January 1998, the VHF communications receiving system shall provide
satisfactory performance in the presence of two signal, third-order intermodulation
products caused by FM broadcast signals having levels at the receiver input of -5dBm.

After 1 January 1998, the VHF communications receiving system shall not be
desensitized in the presence of VHF FM broadcast signals having levels at the
receiver input of minus 5 dBm.

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VHF Communication System

Airborne Implementation

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VHF Communication System

Airborne Implementation

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