Electronic warfare testing is a core competency for anyone building or evaluating RF countermeasures, C-UAS tools, or resilience features for drones and radios. For community groups, academics, and small teams there are three practical pathways to get useful, safe, and legal EW results: use emulation and shielded testbeds, partner with sanctioned test ranges, or obtain the correct experimental authorizations and operate inside coordinated test areas. Below I break those options down and give a hands-on checklist you can use to stand up community experiments without risking enforcement or collateral outages.

Why you cannot just “try it in the field” Operating transmitters that intentionally interfere with third party communications is prohibited by U.S. law and enforcement bodies. Unauthorized jamming or interference can disrupt 911, public-safety systems, aviation links, and commercial services. Federal agencies have repeatedly warned that marketing, sale, or use of jammers is illegal and that enforcement, seizure, and fines are possible. To validate this constraint, consult federal guidance on jammer enforcement and related public safety advisories.

Three practical testbed paths 1) Emulation and hardware-in-the-loop RF testbeds — safe and repeatable If your objective is algorithm validation, waveform effects, or stress testing protocols without radiating into the real world, use a shielded RF lab or an RF emulator/testbed. Large facilities such as Colosseum provide hardware-in-the-loop emulation that lets you exercise real SDR stacks and real radios while the RF coupling is simulated and contained. Emulators give repeatable channel models, controlled interference signatures, and the ability to rapidly iterate without spectrum coordination headaches. For city-scale and real-world channel experiments that do not involve intentional interference of live public networks, PAWR platforms and COSMOS style city-scale research testbeds provide remote-access nodes and controlled, permissioned deployments. These platforms are explicitly designed for experimentation and spectrum research.

2) Sanctioned government and military ranges — full-spectrum EW testing When you need to validate full-power emitters, jamming/anti-jamming performance, or integrated C-UAS systems in realistic environments, sanctioned ranges are the right option. Facilities such as White Sands Missile Range and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake host test programs for EW, weapons, and integrated sensor-effect trials and have the scale and range isolation required for high-power RF experiments. These ranges operate under strict safety, environmental, and airspace controls and can provide instrumentation, safety officers, and range control to prevent unintended interference outside the test footprint. For community groups the typical route is a partnership or paid access arrangement through a sponsoring organization, university, or company that already holds range relationships.

3) Licensed experimental operations — Part 5 / STA route for constrained radiated tests If your testing requires radiating into licensed bands but must remain non-disruptive, you can apply for experimental authorizations or special temporary authority. The FCC’s experimental licensing framework and STA process permit temporary research operations subject to technical limits, geographic constraints, and noninterference obligations. These authorizations require detailed technical submissions, and in shared or federal bands they will involve NTIA or federal coordination. For community groups, working with an institution that has experience preparing Part 5 or STA filings will greatly speed approvals and reduce risk. Consult the regulatory text for Part 5 and the STA rules when planning radiated tests.

Practical checklist for community groups (field-ready)

  • Define the test objectives precisely. Is your work algorithmic, waveform-level, or full RF effects? Emulation covers the first two. Full EW effects require a range and authorization.
  • Use emulation first. Validate software and SDR stacks on Colosseum or similar EMULATOR platforms before any radiated trial. This reduces range time and safety risk.
  • Choose the right partner. Universities, PAWR sites, and non-profit UAS test site operators commonly host experiments and can help with FAA and spectrum coordination. Examples include PAWR/POWDER platforms and city-scale research testbeds.
  • Do not buy or operate jammer hardware for use in public airspace or populated areas. Federal guidance and law enforcement statements make clear that unauthorized jamming and interference are illegal and dangerous. Use shielded chambers or authorized ranges instead.
  • If you need to radiate, file the paperwork early. Experimental licenses or STAs take time and technical detail. Include geographic coordinates, power spectral density, emissions masks, duty cycles, and fail-safe cutoffs in your application. Coordinate with NTIA if you intend to operate in government-shared bands.
  • Coordinate with the FAA for UAS flights. Any tests involving drones need airspace approval, detect-and-avoid protocols, and insurance or institutional oversight. NUAIR and FAA-hosted UAS test sites can assist with BVLOS and other approvals.
  • Instrument aggressively. Log raw I/Q when possible, record baseband and RF metadata, and instrument the environment for unintended emissions so you can demonstrate noninterference if questioned.
  • Safety and recovery. Range safety officers, RF monitors, and an on-site safety checklist are not optional. If a transmitter is misconfigured, shut it down immediately. Have spectrum monitors that cover adjacent bands and public-safety channels so you can detect bleed-over. Keep written procedures and the ability to physically and remotely disable transmitters.

Design considerations for a community test site

  • RF containment. Use anechoic chambers or screened outdoor ranges for low-power experiments. For anything above near-field low-power tests, move to a sanctioned range. Emulators are preferable for anything that could affect commercial services.
  • Repeatability. Emulators and managed testbeds yield repeatable fading and interference conditions. If your goal includes reproducible performance metrics for algorithms, do not skip emulation.
  • Data sharing and legal posture. Keep clear data-handling policies and anonymize anything that touches third party networks. Use written agreements and liability insurance when working with external partners.

How to start this month (practical roadmap)

  1. Prototype in software and SDR in a shielded lab or emulator. Export recorded I/Q data and noise profiles. Colosseum style facilities are a good next step.
  2. Engage an institutional partner. A university or PAWR platform sponsor can help with spectrum coordination and FAA/UAS approvals.
  3. If you must radiate on-site, prepare a Part 5 or STA package and submit it well before the planned test date. Anticipate questions on noninterference and provide monitoring plans.
  4. Book time on a sanctioned range for anything requiring higher power or integrated C-UAS effects testing. Work with range control on safety, environmental, and airspace deconfliction.

Closing advice Community groups should treat EW testing the same way an aircraft does: plan, simulate, coordinate, and then execute within authorized corridors. Emulation and managed testbeds let you move fast and fail cheap without creating public risk. When you need full-spectrum validation, use sanctioned ranges and formal experimental licenses. Follow the law, document everything, and build relationships with operators who understand the logistics of range control and spectrum coordination. That approach keeps your results credible and your community out of trouble.