SCIF & SAPF Radio Frequency (RF) Testing
Client
Many
Industry
SCIF & SAPF
Scope of Work
MD Acoustics, LLC (MD) was retained by a defense contractor client to conduct Radio Frequency (RF) testing at a secure facility to validate a 60 decibel (dB) shielding effectiveness (SE) requirement. While the project’s original proposal included acoustic validation testing, this component was formally removed prior to execution. Operating strictly in accordance with the IEEE 299 standard, MD evaluated seven distinct frequencies ranging from 30 MHz to 18 GHz. Navigating site accessibility constraints associated with an adjacent facility, MD tested 45 total locations across the enclosure’s walls and ceiling, capturing 630 discrete SE measurements.
Outcome
Although the physical barrier failed to meet the blanket 60 dB SE requirement—with all 45 test locations registering a localized failure at some point during the evaluation—it demonstrated robust high-frequency protection by passing nearly all tests at the 10 GHz and 18 GHz marks. A granular analysis of the data isolated the enclosure’s primary breach zones, revealing that severe failures (recording an SE below 40 dB) were heavily concentrated around the entry/exit doors, inside the electrical room, and across the ceiling. Furthermore, vertical antenna orientations yielded 50% more failures than horizontal orientations, pointing toward a distinct structural vulnerability within the ceiling assembly. However, the diagnostic data proved that the facility’s baseline is strong, as approximately half of all recorded failures still achieved a shielding effectiveness above 50 dB. Rather than delivering a generic “fail” assessment, MD mapped the enclosure’s exact physical weak points, providing the client with the actionable engineering data required to execute targeted, cost-effective remediation.
Scope of Work
MD Acoustics, LLC (MD) was retained by a defense contractor client to conduct Radio Frequency (RF) testing at a secure facility to validate a 60 decibel (dB) shielding effectiveness (SE) requirement. While the project’s original proposal included acoustic validation testing, this component was formally removed prior to execution. Operating strictly in accordance with the IEEE 299 standard, MD evaluated seven distinct frequencies ranging from 30 MHz to 18 GHz. Navigating site accessibility constraints associated with an adjacent facility, MD tested 45 total locations across the enclosure’s walls and ceiling, capturing 630 discrete SE measurements.
Outcome
Although the physical barrier failed to meet the blanket 60 dB SE requirement—with all 45 test locations registering a localized failure at some point during the evaluation—it demonstrated robust high-frequency protection by passing nearly all tests at the 10 GHz and 18 GHz marks. A granular analysis of the data isolated the enclosure’s primary breach zones, revealing that severe failures (recording an SE below 40 dB) were heavily concentrated around the entry/exit doors, inside the electrical room, and across the ceiling. Furthermore, vertical antenna orientations yielded 50% more failures than horizontal orientations, pointing toward a distinct structural vulnerability within the ceiling assembly. However, the diagnostic data proved that the facility’s baseline is strong, as approximately half of all recorded failures still achieved a shielding effectiveness above 50 dB. Rather than delivering a generic “fail” assessment, MD mapped the enclosure’s exact physical weak points, providing the client with the actionable engineering data required to execute targeted, cost-effective remediation.
