A narrow frequency range left empty between adjacent radio channels or frequency bands. This dead space prevents signal bleed and adjacent-channel interference, ensuring that transmissions do not overlap or degrade one another. Engineers size these bands based on the roll-off characteristics of the filters used in the transmitters and receivers.
Heard on the job
Check the spectrum analyzer to make sure our carrier isn't spilling over into the guard band.
Related terms
Frequency band
A defined contiguous range of radio frequencies allocated for a specific purpose.
Spectrum
The entire range of electromagnetic frequencies available for transmitting wireless communication signals.
OFDM
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, a digital transmission method using multiple subcarriers.