Railway radio equipment - Technical specifications

Summary

This leaflet describes the technical rules governing analogue radio equipment in the rail sector.

The leaflet does not detail the specific conditions for digital radio operations nor technical regulations governing GSM-R.

The leaflet describes first of all the general framework conditions and refers to national regulations in force and corresponding national and international standards. The different characteristics of the radio links are then listed.

The next section refers to regulations governing radio equipment utilisation and interference reduction. Regulations for the protection of personnel from dangerous electrical currents as well as regulations governing rail applications are also mentioned.

Conditions specific to the railway environment, such as supply voltage for fixed stations, vehicle-mounted sets as well as portable sets and the required temperature ranges, are listed and explained.

Chapter 3 goes on to describe other environmental conditions such as vibrations, shocks, dust, water, humidity and recommends corresponding degrees of protection.

A further paragraph defines a minimum performance rating to protect against intermodulation effects.

The leaflet then looks at type testing as carried out by the national regulatory authorities as well as aptitude testing by the railways. This chapter gives details of operational tests under extreme supply voltage and within different predefined temperature ranges.

Further parameters for vibrations and shocks are also mentioned, such as tests for checking the different degrees of protection. Before the final operational test is mentioned, values are defined for radio-electric characteristics.

Chapter 6 describes the reliability of the radio sets, e.g. MTBF, accelerated ageing, temperature test, shock and vibration test and minimum values as well as permanent testing of sets and equipment.

The test programme ends with a final check after accelerated ageing.

As stated above, digital radio equipment is not covered by this leaflet. As such, an additional leaflet describing the same requirements for this type of equipment will be necessary.