Reliable Measurements ofWi-FiTM Electromagnetic Pollution byMeansofTraditional Spectrum Analyzers

Thewideandrapid diffusion ofwireless technologies makestheelectromagnetic interference and electromagnetic pollution important topics fortoday society. Aboveall, Wi-Fi TM, based ontheIEEE802.11TM family standards, isthemostemployed technology tooffer wireless local networking forin-home and enterprise connectivity. Inaddition, longrange applications canbe today realized too. Eventhough therelatively lowemitted power, theshort distances amongtheWi-FiTsources andtheintentional andnon-intentional users, press formonitoring theelectromagnetic field strength andfor verifying itscompliance withtheapplicable emission limits. Themonitoring operations aregenerally madeby suitable measurement chains which include atraditional spectrum analyzer, duetotheir relatively low-costs andlarge diffusion. Theuseofthis kindofinstrument forpowermeasurement onnoise-like signals characterized bypulsed behavior, suchasWi-FiTm, requires to carefully setmanyinstrument parameters toobtain reliable measurement results. Inthis paper, adetailed measurement campaign iscarried outfor investigating themostproper measurement method andinstrument settings able toguarantee reliable measurements ofelectromagnetic emissions duetoWi-FiTM. Practical hints andguidelines for configuring thespectrum analyzer mainparameters aregiven.