Susceptibility Study of Audio Recording Devices to Electromagnetic Stimulations

Abstract

Little research has been performed to study how intentional electromagnetic signals may couple into recording devices. An electromagnetic susceptibility study was performed on an analog tape recorder, a digital video camera, a wired computer microphone, and a wireless microphone system to electromagnetic interference. Devices were subjected to electromagnetic stimulations in the frequency range of 1- 990 MHz and field strengths up to 4.9 V/m. Carrier and message frequencies of the stimulation signals were swept, and the impacts of device orientation and antenna polarization were explored. Message signals coupled into all devices only when amplitude modulated signals were used as stimulation signals. Test conditions that produced maximum sensitivity were highly specific to each device. Only narrow carrier frequency ranges could be used for most devices to couple messages into recordings. A basic detection technique using cross-correlation demonstrated the need for messages to be as long as possible to maximize message detection and minimize detection error. Analysis suggests that detectable signals could be coupled to these recording devices under realistic ambient conditions.

Department(s)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Center/Lab(s)

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Laboratory

Comments

This work was funded in full by the Missouri University of Science and Technology Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory.

Issued by Sandia National Laboratories, operated for the United States Department of Energy by Sandia Corporation.

Report Number

SAND2014-0560

Document Type

Technical Report

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1996 Sandia National Laboratories, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Feb 2014

Link to Full Text

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