Application layer modification to enable transmission gaps

Television white space devices are operable to communicate information over television white space and, more specifically, to quiet a transmitter for sensing signals in the television white space. A method for inconspicuous quieting of the transmitter in a television white space device inserts, from an application layer, information into a transport stream for transmission by the transmitter of the television white space device to produce a null window of time within the transport stream at a predetermined time. The method also transmits the transport stream by the transmitter of the television white space device and quiets the transmitter during the null window of time. The method senses, by a white space sensor of the television white space device, existing signals in the white space during the null window of time.