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Changing the RF cost performance paradigm
Working with PIM – (Part 3 of 6)
Part 2 of this series of papers introduced the concept of Passive Intermodulation (PIM) within an RF system being a direct
reflection of physical construction quality. This paper provides an overview of the PIM RF phenomenon, its causes and
prevention.
A PIM source is often the root cause of poor receiver
performance, producing undesirable noise rise in spread
spectrum technologies, and receiver blocking or
desensitization in other technologies. The outcomes of this
performance degradation include:
• Dropped calls.
• Loss of coverage and capacity.
• High maintenance costs.
• Customer dissatisfaction, and
• Lost revenue.
Intermodulation Reviewed
Intermodulation – sometimes also referred to as
Intermodulation Distortion (IMD) – is the manifestation of
unwanted signals produced when two or more signals of
different frequencies, pass through a non-linear element
of an RF system. This non-linear feature may be due to
amplification, attenuation or impedance that varies
according to the magnitude of the voltage or current
present in applied signals. Intermodulation can be
categorized as:-
• Active Intermodulation - Unwanted RF signals
produced when two or more wanted signals transit a
powered system where distortion, and therefore
mixing, occurs due to non-linearity within one or
more of the active elements (e.g a signal amplifier or
Expanding this, using well-known trigonometric identities,
gives:
In this case, the output contains harmonics as well as sum
and difference frequencies.
The traditional rule of thumb is to look for odd-order
products (e.g 3rd, 5th , 7th , etc) that may fall in the uplink
or Rx (receive) band, knowing that even-order products
will fall out of band.
IM3 = 2f1 +/- 1f2
IM5 = 3f1 +/- 2f2
IM7 = 4f1 +/- 3f2, etc
some any other active device used to process RF
signals such as a receiver front end or the final
stages of a transmitter). Here the energy in the
unwanted signals is produced by the active elements.
• Passive Intermodulation (PIM) - Unwanted RF
signals produced when two or more wanted signals
transit or contact any non-linear passive element
within the RF path. This includes components of
interconnecting transmission infrastructure, antennas
and any re-radiating elements in proximity to the RF
signal field. Here the energy in the unwanted signal
is drawn from the wanted signals.
The Basic Math
In the past PIM has been treated as prospective Rx
interference only. Simply doing the math is the most
common way to confirm its relevance to Rx performance.
If the input consists of 2 sinusoidal signals, e.g
x(t) = I1cos(w1t) + I2cos(w2t)
the output signal will be y(t) = A . x2(t).
This rule usually remains true as long as the frequencies
forming the products are in-band frequencies.
PIM magnitude is a result of a number of variables
including carrier bandwidth, the number of primary
signals, the RF power in these and the non-linear
characteristic of the passive system element.
Generally for a given non-linear element, PIM levels will
increase with RF power and number of signals present.
If two signals of equal power were to produce PIM at
-90dBm then a 1dB increase in RF power can increase the
unwanted signal by up to 3dB to -87dBm. If three signals
mix at the same power level this would produce a 6dB
increase in the unwanted signal level.
PIM in the Field
In practice, the transmission system can contain a
complex mix of signals from a single band, multiple bands,
different RF protocols, collocated signals and other
external interference, which can form a multitude of
potential intermodulation products where signal path non-
linearity exists.
This is further complicated by the location of the PIM
source in the RF chain, making the receiver performance
potentially susceptible to both in-band and out-of-band
product
Further information visit our websites
www.summitekinstruments.com
www.triasx.com
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 Footprint
Changing the RF cost performance paradigm

Prevention - A System Component and

Construction Quality Matter

As pricing constraints have tightened on purchasing

departments, cheaper system components have prevailed.
This practice has proved costly in the long run, often
requiring lengthy site analysis and eventually component
replacement. Cheaper components being over specified,
or poorly manufactured and tested are often a PIM
source.

Some commonly found PIM sources include:

• High power loads - Used in large quantities
throughout indoor systems worldwide, they typically
exhibit very poor PIM, usually around -80dBc. These
are best replaced with low IM cable type loads
(typically <-150dBc).
• Poor connector designs – Many cheaper connectors
use fins or sharp edged veins to mate with the
conductor. These are often prime sources of PIM.
Figure 1 • Crimp connectors and braided cables - Are not
reliable and should never be used in the RF transmit
Figure 1 shows prospective PIM sources within the RF
path as any loose joint or braid thread is a potential
infrastructure at a typical BTS installation.
PIM source.
• Connectors - Need to tightened to the manufactures
Our experience is that greater than 60% of existing sites
specified torque levels, generally around 25 Nm in
have poor receiver performance resulting from
the case of 7/16 DIN type. Loose fittings can move
interference from a PIM source, with examples including:
and become a PIM source.
• N-type connectors - Widely considered a good RF
• Two in-band common path transmitter carriers are
component, are troublesome due to the numerous
distorted by the non-linearity of a poorly terminated
build standards, torque ratings and tightening
connector (the PIM source), mixing to form an in-
methodologies. Vibration often turns these
band Rx product that raises the noise floor, limiting
connections into a PIM source.
coverage and capacity.
• Construction cleanliness - Time and again our
• A transmitter carrier mixing with a second carrier
inspections of BTS continually discover issues with
from an adjacent antenna through loose screws of an
construction quality. The need for cleanliness in the
antenna element (the PIM source), to form an in-
construction of infrastructure cannot be overstated.
band Rx product that limits receiver performance.
Many connection issues come from water ingress,
• If the same transmitter carriers form out-of-band
contaminated surfaces, flux, metal fillings, burrs, dirt
products, it is still possible for these to limit
or other foreign objects, including dead insects or the
performance by mixing again to form a receiver in-
secretions thereof, being found in connectors. This
band IM product. Even the best receiver designs will
issue has become so important, that many connector
have some level of non-linearity with the potential to
manufacturers now ensure that cleaning techniques
produce in-band products from a wide range of
are incorporated their training programs.
sources including the local oscillator.
• Spread spectrum W-CDMA (5MHz bandwidth) at
Summary
850MHz and narrowband GSM 900MHz (250kHz
bandwidth) signals sharing a conductor containing a
RF cost performance
spur or burr acting as a PIM source, are likely to
requirements are best met
produce products that will cause coverage and
by constructing RF
capacity degradation across the GSM receiver band.
systems using the right
products, processes and
The best way to remove these problems is to lower or
certification testing from
remove the interference. Analysis using PIM as the quality
the outset. Ideally the completed system should achieve
metric is the simplest, quickest and most sure way of
the RF transparency discussed in part 2 of this series of
achieving this.
papers. Understanding what PIM is and how to use it as a
construction quality metric at the BTS is essential to
meeting the RF cost performance requirements of the
future.

Summitek Instruments and Triasx have a considerable understanding of PIM, each having over 15 years of experience in
the RF industry. Summitek is recognised globally as the leading supplier of high performance PIM analysis equipment
designed for the RF engineering laboratory or manufacturing environment, and Triasx as an RF component manufacturer
within the cellular industry. These two companies have teamed together to develop and support a range of portable test
sets that make use of PIM to measure the construction quality of the RF interconnecting infrastructure at the BTS.

Further information visit our websites

www.summitekinstruments.com
www.triasx.com

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