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Understanding Microwave link : applications, configuration, operating parameters, system calculations Line of Sight requirements and Antenna Heights Antenna Installation alignment and its parameters, safety and quality MW Link Installations and commissioning : standard practices : NECs approach Concluding : General site issues: questions & answers
July 1892
In the specification to one of his recent patents, Thomas A. Edison says: I have discovered that if sufficient elevation be obtained to overcome the curvature of the earths surface and to reduce to the minimum the earths absorption, electric signaling between distant points can be carried on by induction without the use of wires.
MICROWAVE PATH ENGINEERING OVER 110 YEARS AGO!
Basic characteristics
Operates on a Line-of-sight" principle Use Two antennas aimed directly at one another Transmit Digitally modulated Microwave Frequencies through free space from one terminal to another Typically transmit simultaneously in both directions (Full Duplex)
300
200
100
0 .5
1 .0
1 .5
2 .0
2 .5
3 .0
3 .5
4 .0
4 .5
5 .0
D is ta n c e ( m ile s )
T y p ic a l P a th P r o file
PB X
- LAN/IP - POTS
- T1/E1 - ISDN
Conference
Access Hops
NMS system
Transport Hop
Sonet/SDH NxOC-3 or NxSTM-1 Backbone FWS (Radio-Relay) Hop
MTSO (MSC) - Switching Office BTS - Base Station BSC - Base Station Controller
23 GHz (OC-3)
18 G Hz (
DS3 )
38 G
Hz ( Nx
DS1 )
BTS
BTS
-3) Self-Healing Ring
MTSO (MSC)
BSC
1M H z
10M H z
100 M H z
1G H z
10G H z
100G H z
10
12
10
14
1000m (3 0 0 K H z )
100m (3 M H z )
10m (3 0 M H z )
1m (3 0 0 M H z )
10cm (3 G H z )
1cm (3 0 G H z )
1m m (3 0 0 G H z )
Capacity
NxOC-3/STM-1 3xDS3/OC-3/STS-3 4xDS3, 4xE3/STM-1 DS3 or 28 T1 E3 or 16 E1 16 T1 8 E1 4 T1/E1
Backbone Transport
Broadband Wireless Access (FWA) Backbone & Access
Unlicensed
Access
2 T1/E1
T1/E1 8 6 Frequency Band: 2 Typical Path Lengths: >15-60mi/25-100km 11 13 10 18 37 42 GHz 23 26 7-15mi/12-25km 5-10mi/8-17km 1-5mi/2-8km
1st Order
E3
M8-34 3rd Order 34.368 Mbit/s (480 Ch)
E1
E2
E4
M34-140 Radio MUX 140 Mbit/s (1920 Ch)
CEPT Hierarchy is the international TDM digital standard everywhere except North America (USA, Canada), Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
SDH Signal
VC - 12 VC - 3 Sub-STM-1* VC - 4 STM - 1 STM - 4 STM - 16 STM - 64
VF
30 480 630 1,920 1,890 7,560 30,240 120,960
Transport
Radio or Fibre
SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy PDH Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy *Sub-STM-1 RR-STM, STM-0 = 51 Mbit/s for Radio Relay)
x4 x3 x1
TUG-2
x7
VC3 TUG-3
x1 x3
AU3
x3
Sub-STM-1 AUG
RRRP NNI
VC3
TU-3
STM-N
E4 ATM
VC4
AU4
x3
Classical Design
Waveguide RF
f [GHz]
Waveguide
TX
Transmitter
RX
Receiver
IDU
Important to know
ODU configuration
ODU Layout
Outdoor Units (ODUs) are software configurable so that capacity upgrades can be made without climbing towers. Indoor Units (IDUs) support capacities of 2/4E1, 4/8E1, 16E1, E3, 4/8DS-1, or DS3 and are frequency independent so that they can be used with any ODU of like capacity.
Minimal Installation time Single coaxial cable connection between IDU and ODU Dual polarity DC input of (21.6 to 60 VDC) Adjustable transmit output power Frequency/channel setting via keypad or laptop PC Diagnostic loopbacks accessible via laptop PC Capacity to store 25 different channel plans
TX Synth
TX MUX FPGA
MOD
310MHz
PA
DEMOD Lock Low BER (>1e-9) AGC High BER (>1e-3) ODU Communication
Far End SP
LIU Input MUX PLL TX FPGA TX IF PLL TX IF
MUX
MOD
DEMOD
AGC
DEMOD Lock AGC RX FPGA Low BER (>1e-9) DEMUX Frame High BER (>1e-3) ODU Communication Frame Sync Private Link
N x e l p r o
N e l p r o x
DEMOD
AGC
PA
N e l p r o x
N e l p r o x
70MHz
LNA
Synth Rx Main Loop Unlock Synth Rx Offset Loop Unlock Synth Rx Offset Loop Voltage
RX Synth
TX Synth
PA
PA
70MH z
LNA
Synth Rx Main Loop Unlock Synth Rx Offset Loop Unlock Synth Rx Offset Loop Voltage
RX Synth
IDU-Indoor Unit
ODU Components
Protection and Diversity The Need for Protection and Diversity In the past, short traffic interruptions without traffic disconnect in microwave links were often acceptable to many private users. Expectations changed with the digital microwave transport of MSC-cell site data, ATM, high speed data transfer, teleconferencing, imaging (medical, etc.), and such technology as the new digital mobile trunking systems. Excessive numbers of short fade hits (circuit interruptions) are now barely tolerable, except in LAN/IP transport and access (millimeterwave) hops impacted by rain cells, long-term outages (traffic disconnects) are usually unacceptable.
Protection Schemes
Equipment degradation, failure: 1+1, hot-standby or on-line modules HS 1:N, one standby for >2 modules ..HS Antenna system misalignment, failure: Split transmitters + RCS* .HS+ST Two-dish hybrid diversity** .HD, SD+ FD Self-healing ring (loop) architecture ..SR
Protection Types
1+1 hot-standby protection .HS 1+1 on-line (paralleled elements) protection ...HS 1:N module protection .HS 1:N multiline protection .HS or HS+FD Split transmitters with RCS* ....HS+ST Self-healing ring (or loop) architecture ..SR
*Reverse Channel Switch command triggered by the dual failure (outage) of both far-end receivers
Station A
PR
f1a f1a
Station B
PR
MD TX MD TX
Ch. 1 (STM-1) RPS OP PR
f1a f1b
RX DM RX DM
C B N C B N
10dB
f1a f1b
OP PR
RPS
Ch. 1 (STM-1)
DM RX DM RX
OP
f1b
TX TX
10dB
f1b
MD MD
OP
Station A
PR
f1a f1a
Station B
PR
CBN
MD TX MD TX
Ch. 1 (STM-1) RPS OP PR
f1a f1b
RX DM RX DM
f1a
C B N
DM RX DM RX
OP
f1b
C B N
OP PR
f1b
RPS
Ch. 1 (STM-1)
TX TX
f1b
MD MD
OP
CBN
Frequency (GHz)
6,8
4,5
10
4,5
10
13
2,5
15
2,0
MD
STM-1
TX RX RX
TX RX RX
MD
STM-1
DM +
+ DM
Length compensation
SD +HSB
MD
TX CBN
f1b
f1b horizontal
140 MHz
DM RX PW
f1a Ch. 2 (STM-1)
f1 OP1 OP2 f1
TX CBN f
f1a
MD
140 MHz
Ch. 1 (STM-1)
RX DM PW
f1b
MD
TX CBN
140 MHz
TX CBN
MD
140 MHz
Ch. 2 (STM-1)
DM RX vertical f1b
RX DM f1a vertical
f f1 f3
f3a
MD TX MD TX
Channel 1 RPS
f3b
f1a
CBN
DM RX DM RX
f1b
f1 f1a
f3 f3a
f1 f1b
f3 f3b
Hot-Standby & Space Diversity Hot Standby Terminal Hot Standby Terminal with Space Diversity Receivers
* Power splitters in digital radios are always asymmetrical, not 3/3 dB as in analog radios, as data are errorlessly switched - not combined as are analog radio basebands. A 3/3 dB RF receiver splitter provides no protection benefits over the 1/7 dB splitter, and will lower fade margins 2 dB for 58% more outage time.
Splitter/Combiners
Waveguide Coupler 6 dB unequal coupler 3 dB equal splitter Primary Path Insertion Loss 1.6 dB 3.5 dB Standby Pass Insertion Loss 6.4 dB 3.5 dB
RFD Configurations
1+0
1+1 HH
2+0
1+1 HS
Ring (Loop) Protection (SR) Benefits of Ring Protection Cost-effective method of providing T1/E1 trunk redundancy in mixed radio, fiberoptics, span lines. Protects against Path, Site, and Equipment Failures with non-protected radio repeaters - lowers costs ~40%. Only protection from long-term periods of unavailability due to fiber cuts, power fades such as heavy rain at higher frequencies, infrastructure failures, etc. Operation, fault location, testing, and maintenance are simplified. A ring-closure microwave hop (perhaps longer or with degraded performance) or other T1/E1 trunk for ring closure (fiber, leased line) is necessary.
The IF Module (IFM) consists of the following items: TX IF assembly RX IF assembly DC-DC converter
dB
dB
dB
2 * Syn
IF
2 * Syn
RF Diplexer
dB DC DC CPU
dB
dB
Modulare ODU-Design
Antenna
Frequencies 7 up to 38 GHz
coax. cable
ODU
H OP
coax. cable
wave guide
ODU
Broad Band Filter
H OP
Frequencies 7 up to 38 GHz
coax. cable
f1
ODU
1,3 dB
H
BK
Slave-IDU
EOW DPU Power Supply Modulator Demodulator
Coupler
ODU
6,3 dB
coax. cable
f1
ODU
1,3 dB
H
BK
Slave-IDU
EOW DPU Power Supply Modulator Demodulator
Coupler
ODU
6,3 dB
Frequencies 7 up to 38 GHz
ODU
Waveguide
H f1 f3
STM-1
DPU
EOW
STM-1
DPU
OP1
OP2 OP4
Coupler
OP3
ODU
OMT
f1
f3
STM-1
DPU
ODU
Wave guide
EOW
STM-1
DPU
Coupler
ODU
Frequencies 7 up to 38 GHz
ODU
Waveguide
H f1 f3
STM-1
DPU
OP1
EOW
STM-1
DPU
Coupler
ODU
OMT
f2
f4
EOW
STM-1
DPU
ODU
Wave guide
EOW
STM-1
DPU
Coupler
ODU
f1 MD 1. Polarization TX
CBN
DM RX
f1b f1a
H horizontal
f1 MD 2. Polarization TX
CBN
DM RX
f1b
Waveguide H
H V
Waveguide V
Microwave Frequency Required Necessary Antenna Gain Maximum Distance between terminals Receive Signal Level Margin Link availability
TX
CBN waveguide
CBN waveguide
RX
Output power
Antenna CBN Free space attenuation e.g. 143.9 dB gain waveguide (Distance d = 50 km) e.g. e.g. (Frequency: f = 7.5 GHz) 41.4 dB 5.3 dB
System gain
Fading margin
Lf NET PATH LOSS (NPL) SYSTEM GAIN (to 10-3 BER or Top of LOF) Bay
Antenna Port RSL IN
1 2 3
P0
3 2 1
Repeater Station
SYSTEM GAIN. dB
Terminal Station
RECEIVER RSL INPUT. dB RSL = XMTR Power Out - NPL THERMAL FADE MARGIN. dB TFM = System Gain - NPL
NPL - NET PATH LOSS. dB Waveguide In Site A to Waveguide Out at Site B. Typically 60 dB (Excluding Fade Activity)
XMTR Power Out - RCVR RSL In (for 10-3 BER) at the Antenna Ports. Typically 100 dB
Free Space Loss = 32.4+20log(10)+20log(7000) = 32.4+20+76.90 = 129.30 dB RSL(dBm) = 20 dBm + 38 dBi 129.3 dB + 38 dBi = - 33.3 dBm
Directly determines the availability of the link by providing threshold cushion against signal fade due to environmental conditions, i.e. rain, snow, hail, etc. Rain data for geographic location is needed to calculate availability once RSL margin is known.
Technology
Technical Topics that define Digital Radio Hops System Gain, Net Path Loss RF Signal, Noise, and Interference Levels Static and Dynamic Thresholds Microwave Spectral Efficiency QAM, QPSK Modulation DSSS, OFDM/COFDM Signal Spreading Microwave Spectrum Calculations Co-Channel Dual Polarization (CCDP) Latency ATPC and DTPC Frequency Bands, Interference, Terrain Scatter Frequency Band Selection
ATPC
ATPC
DTPC/ATPC
Transmit and Receive RF Levels During 1-Hour Fade Activity in a High Fade Margin (60dB) 23 GHz DTPC Link. RSL follows fades below the setting point, -45 dBm in this example
-10 0 -10 Fade Depth, RSL w/o DTPC 10-6 BER Receiver Overload
Error-free
Fade Depth, dB
RSL
Fading
Stopped Fading
ATPC Off
10
Th + 15/18 dB
15/18 dB Un-Fading
-6
ATPC On
Time
ATPC
Important to know
NOTATION:
k = k-factor (4/3rds, etc.) h(t) = Tx dish height above the reflection plane
Important to know
Site Details Address, Lat-Long, Azimuth wrt North, equipment layout Access /permission/approach road
Link Budget
Expected Receive level/ Tx Planner/Operator Fade Margin Frequency of operations and Tx power; Type of antenna, Height of antenna, Polarization LOS cleared
Cabling details
5.5 MHz
14 MHz
5.5 MHz
16 E1 CAPACITY
Fade Margin Degradations Effective diversity arrangements lessen the impact of otherwise unacceptable conditions: Co- and adjacent-channel interference Antenna k-factor decoupling Antenna misalignments Dispersive (spectrum-distorting) fades Ducting, defocusing, and obstruction fades EMI and other environmental effects