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Technical Note

Microwave Radio System Gain and Fade Margin


Overview
Fade margin calculations are necessary to establish the expected performance of a properly designed microwave link. A path with higher fade margin will accommodate path fading and interference better than a path with lower fade margin. Higher system gain, the difference between the maximum transmit power and the receiver threshold at 10-6 BER, can better accommodate higher fade margins. This technical note looks at what constitutes the fade margin of a digital microwave radio link and introduces the primary fade margin path planning variables, and their design constraints. When considering fade margin, system gain is the primary performance indicator of a microwave radio, and not Tx power or Rx gain in isolation.

Fade Margin Definition


The fade margin of a digital microwave radio link is the amount by which a received signal level may be reduced without causing system performance to fall below a threshold value, which is typically specified at a BER of 10-6. From a path planning perspective it represents the design allowance that provides for sufficient system gain to accommodate expected fading, for the purposes of ensuring that the required quality of service is maintained. Fading events are most commonly caused by multipath fading and precipitation.

Fade Margin Calculation


Figure 1 shows how path gains and losses, the link budget, relate in the calculation of a link fade margin, which begins with the transmitter and moves across to the receiver. It shows a split-mount installation with the ODU direct-mounted to its antenna. The transmitter has been set for a Tx power of 20 dBm and assumes: The antennas have a gain of 40 dB Total path loss is 160 dB The Rx 10-6 threshold is -80 dBm The resulting fade margin is 20 dB, that is, the link can accommodate a reduction (fade) of 20 dB on the received signal level (RSL) before the onset of a 10-6 BER.
Figure 1. Link Gains and Losses

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Fade Margin Variables


For a given path the total path loss is fixed, meaning the variables available to an operator to change the fade margin are:

Tx power
Typically Tx power can be software-set over a range of 15 to 20 dB, to a maximum that depends on the frequency band and the capacity/modulation selected. On the lower 6 to 8 GHz bands, typical industry maximums are 28 to 30 dBm for QPSK and 24 to 25 dBm for 128 QAM. On the higher bands Tx power reduces. At 23 GHz typical industry maximums are 20 dBm for QPSK and 16 dBm for 128 QAM. It is worth noting that power consumption and therefore the heat generated by an ODU does not change significantly when Tx power is adjusted because the power amplifier (PA) stage operates in what is termed Class A, to achieve optimum linearity (minimum distortion) over power and modulation selection. As the modulation rate increases, so do the demands for distortion-free operation to maintain optimum amplitude and phase relationships within the QAM constellation. Hence the upper TX power limit is generally determined by the ability of the PA device to meet the constellation design objectives and ultimately the transmit mask. On higher frequency bands this requirement for linear PA operation is further constrained by the ability of the RF devices available to the industry. A higher Tx power is more difficult to achieve cost-effectively on the higher frequency bands. Ultimately, Tx power is a key consideration in the design of an ODU. A higher Tx power means more heat must be dissipated, requiring compromises in the quest for more compact and lighter ODUs. Bear in mind that heat stress is a primary cause of premature component failure; any reduction in operating temperatures will assist long term reliability of the ODU. Design for heat dissipation means ODU temperature limits must not be exceeded, even under high ambient conditions and solar gain, such as found in hot equatorial climates.

Antennas
The shielded parabolic antennas typically used on licensed-band point-to-point links range in size from 0.3 m to 1.8 m. Larger and smaller sizes are available, but their use is the exception. Key electrical specifications include frequency, gain, beamwidth, cross polarization discrimination, front-to-back ratio and VSWR. Key mechanical specifications include size, weight, wind loading, and the environment. But from a link budget viewpoint it is all about gain. Antenna gain is a measure of directivity and efficiency, and for parabolic antennas is primarily a function of antenna size. As the diameter of an antenna increases its gain increases and its beamwidth decreases. Directivity is the ability of an antenna to focus energy in a particular direction. Efficiency is how much of the energy fed to an antenna is actually transmitted (that which is not transmitted is lost as heat). Conversely, it is how much of the

10/8/2007 FadeMargin_SystemGain Copyright 2007 Harris Stratex Networks, all rights reserved.

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incident received energy is converted to a receive signal at the antenna port. The antennas used have efficiencies ranging from 50 to 70 percent. The gain figure for an antenna is measured in dBi, as gain relative to an isotropic radiator. Three gain figures are usually given; the bottom, top and mid-point of the specified frequency band. Generally, the gain of an antenna increases by between 3 to 5 dB for one increase in antenna size ( 0.3 m, to 0.6 m, to 1.2 m, to 1.8 m). As frequency increases the gain of an antenna increases for the same antenna size. For example, at 7 GHz the gain of a 0.6 m antenna is typically 30 dBi. At 23 GHz the same size antenna has a gain of about 40 dBi. Ultimately, the selection of an antenna size / gain is determined by the link budget, though can often be constrained by the size of antenna that can be supported due to weight and wind-loading considerations on its support structure. Also by local council environmental planning limitations.

Receiver Threshold
While strictly not a variable, it is in the sense that it does change with capacity/modulation and by frequency band, so does provide an input to appropriate selection of a link band and channel bandwidth for a required link capacity. Receiver threshold is about the minimum signal-to-noise (S/N) required at the input to the receiver to achieve the threshold BER, where the noise constraints are the noise figure of the receiver, and background thermal noise. As bandwidth increases, so does the background thermal noise. Receiver thresholds are usually specified for a 10-6 BER. For a 10-3 BER the threshold is typically 1 to 1.5 dB lower (more sensitive). On the lower 6 to 8 GHz bands, typical industry 10-6 thresholds range from -92 dBm for a 7MHz QPSK channel, to -70 dBm for a 28 MHz 128 QAM channel. On the higher bands thresholds are higher (less sensitive).

Summary
Datasheets for digital microwave radios specify Tx Power and Receiver Thresholds, and also System Gains. System gain is the difference between the maximum Tx power and Rx 10-6 threshold, and is specified for all capacity/modulation options on each frequency band. In essence, system gain is the primary indicator of a radios ability to support a hop where fade margin is a critical factor. On their own, Tx power and Rx threshold do not provide a complete indication of the RF performance of a link. Together, as a system gain, they provide a complete picture. The better the system gain, the better the performance under faded path conditions. In many situations, particularly on short hops, adequacy of fade margin will not be a primary consideration. The available system gain coupled with the smallest practical antenna (typically 0.3 m), will provide a fade margin in excess of what is needed to support the link availability objectives. In these situations Tx Power is backed-off in the interests of interference-reduction / frequency-reuse, and ultimately to ensure that receiver inputs are not overloaded. Generally, in the path planning stages the availability (reliability) figure for a path is decided first and the path variables adjusted to meet this figure. This involves the variables listed under Fade Margin Variables above, where typically the smallest antenna (lowest cost) is chosen for the available system gain.

10/8/2007 FadeMargin_SystemGain Copyright 2007 Harris Stratex Networks, all rights reserved.

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