University of Malaya

KEEE 2142
Introduction to Communication System
Dr.Harikrishnan
Department of Electrical Engineering
e-mail: hrkhari@um.edu.my

Microwave Radio Communication

Microwaves are generally described as electromagnetic waves with frequencies that range from
approximately 500 MHz to 300 GHz or more.

Microwave signals has relatively short wavelengths due to their inherently high frequencies.

The vast majority of electronic communications systems established since the mid-1980s have
been digital in nature and thus carry voice, video and data information in digital form.

Terrestrial (earth-based) microwave radio relay system using (FM) or digitally modulated
carriers (PSK or QAM) still provide approximately 35 % of the total information carrying circuit
mileage.

There are many different types of microwave systems operating over distances that vary from
15 miles to 4000 miles in length.

Intrastate microwave system categorized as short haul because they carry information for
relatively short distances.

Long haul microwave system are those used to carry information for relatively long distances

In a typical microwave radio link, information originates and terminates at the terminal stations,
where repeaters are used to relay the information to the next downlink microwave station.

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

Figure 1 shows a microwave radio link that are interconnected by three repeater stations.

Figure 1
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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

As the described in Figure 1 the geographic location of the stations must be carefully selected
such that natural and man-made barriers do not interfere with propagation between stations.
Advantages

Disadvantages

Radio systems do not require a right of way acquisition

It is more difficult to analyze and design circuits at

microwave frequencies

Because of their high operating frequencies, microwave

radio systems can carry large quantities of information.

Measuring techniques are more difficult to perfect and

implement at microwave frequencies.

High frequencies mean short wavelengths, which require

relatively small antennas.

It is difficult to implement conventional circuit components

(resistors, capacitors, inductors and so on) at microwave
frequencies.

Distances between switching centers are less

Transient time is more critical at microwave frequencies

Minimal crosstalk exists between voice channels

It is often necessary to use specialized components for

microwave frequencies.

Each station requires the purchase or lease of only a

small area of land.

Microwave frequencies propagate in a straight line, which

limits their use to line of sight applications

A vast majority of existing microwave radio systems are frequency modulation, which of course
analog. Recently however systems have been developed that use either PSK or QAM
modulation

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

Satellite communication systems are similar to terrestrial microwave radio systems. The primary
difference is one propagates within the Earths atmosphere and the other outside.

Frequency modulation (FM) is used in microwave radio systems rather than amplitude
modulation (AM) because AM signals are more sensitive to amplitude nonlinearities.

Transmitter

Receiver
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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

The permissible distance between an FM microwave transmitter and its associated microwave
receiver depends on several system variables, such as transmitter output power, receiver noise
threshold, terrain, atmospheric conditions, system capacity and performance expectations.

A single hop microwave system, is inadequate for most practical system applications, where
with systems that are longer than 40 miles or when geographical obstructions, such as
mountain, block the transmission path, repeaters are needed.

Repeater

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

A microwave repeater is a receiver and a transmitter placed back to back or in tandem with the
system. The location of intermediate repeater sites is greatly influenced by the nature of the
terrain between and surrounding sites.

The exact distance is determined primarily by line of site path clearance and received signal
strength. For frequencies above 10 GHz, local rainfall patterns could also have a large bearing
on path length.

Over time radio path losses vary with atmospheric conditions that can vary significantly, causing
a corresponding reduction in the received signal strength of 20, 30, or 40 or more dB. This
reduction in signal strength is referred to as radio fade.

Diversity suggests that there is more than one transmission path or method of transmission
available between a transmitter and receiver. In microwave systems, the purpose of using
diversity is to increase the reliability of the system by increasing its availability.

When there is more than one transmission path or method of transmission available, the
system can select the path or method that produces the highest quality received signal.
Generally the highest quality is determined by evaluating the carrier to noise (C/N) ratio at the
receiver input.

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

Frequency diversity microwave system

Free space path loss is often defined as the loss incurred by an electromagnetic wave as it
propagates in a straight line through a vacuum with no absorption or reflection of energy from
nearby objects.

Free space path loss assumes ideal atmospheric conditions, so no electromagnetic energy is
actually lost or dissipated.

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

The mathematical expression for free space path loss is :

4D
LP =

where

LP

Free space path loss (unitless)

Distance (kilometers)

Frequency (hertz)

Wavelength (meters)

When the frequency is given in MHz :

L P = 32.4 + 20 log f ( MHz ) + 20 log D ( km )

(1)

When the frequency is given in GHz :

L P = 96.6 + 20 log f ( GHz ) + 20 log D ( km )

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(2)

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

In its simplest form, system gain (GS) is the difference between the nominal output power of a
transmitter (Pt) and the minimum input power to a receiver (Cmin) necessary to achieve
satisfactory performance.

System gain must be greater than or equal to the sum of all gains and losses incurred by a
signal as it propagates from a transmitter to a receiver.

In essence system gain represents the net loss of a radio system, which is used to predict the
reliability of a system for a given set of system parameters.

Ironically, system gain I actually a loss, as the losses a signal experiences as it propagates from
a transmitter to a receiver are much higher than the gains.

Therefore, the net system gain always equates to a negative dB value (loss). Because the
system gain is defined as a net loss, individual losses are represented with positive dB values,
while individual gains are represented with negative dB values.

Mathematically system gain in its simplest form:

G S = Pt C min
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(3)

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

where

GS

System gain (dB)

Pt

Transmitter output power (dBm or dBW)

Cmin =

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Minimum receiver input power necessary to achieve a given reliability and

quality objective

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

where

At

Transmit antenna gain relative to an isotropic radiator (dB)

Ar

Receive antenna gain relative to an isotropic radiator (dB)

LP

Free space path loss incurred as a signal propagates from the transmit
antenna to the receive antenna through Earths atmosphere (dB)

Lf

Transmission line loss between the distribution network (dB)

Lb

Total coupling or branching loss in the channel combining network between the
output of a transmitter and the transmission line (dB)

FM

Fade margin for a given reliability objective (dB)

A more useful expression for system gain is :

G S ( dB) = Pt C min FM ( dB ) + L P ( dB) + L f ( dB) + L b( dB) A t ( dB) A r ( dB)

(4)

Fade margin is sometimes called link margin is a fudge factor that considers the nonideal and
less predictable characteristic such as multipath propagation and terrain sensitivity.

Carrier to noise (C/N) ratio is probably the most important parameter considered when
evaluating the performance of a microwave communications system.

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

From:

N = kTB
N ( dBm ) = 10 log

kTB
kT
= 10 log
+ 10 log B
0.001
0.001

At room temperature of 290 K :

N ( dBm ) = 174dBm + 10 log B

(5)

Fade Margin (FM)

Fade margin is essentially a fudge factor included in system gain equation that considers the
nonideal and less predictable characteristic of radio wave propagation, such as multipath
propagation and terrain sensitivity.

FM = 30 log D + 10 log ( 6AB ) 10 log (1 R ) 70 (6)

multipath
effect
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terrain
sensitivity
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reliability
objectives
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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

where

FM

Fade margin

distance

frequency

Reliability constant

Roughness factor

Terrain area condition

Example 1
Refer to Figure 2. For a system gain of 112 dB, a total noise figure of 6.5 dB, an input noise power of -104
dBm and a minimum (S/N)out of the FM demodulator of 32 dB, determine the minimum carrier power and
the minimum transmit power. Given that the minimum C/N at the input to the FM receiver is 15 dB.
Example 2
For the system shown in Figure 3, determine Gs, Cmin/N, Cmin, N and Pt, given that Lb = 4 dB, Lf = 4.875 dB
and At = Ar = 37.8 dB. Given that the minimum C/N at the input to the FM receiver is 23 dB. The terrain of
propagation is a mountainous and dry environment, with A = 0.25 and B = 0.125.

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Microwave Radio Communication (contd)

Figure 2

Figure 3
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