PARADISE DATACOM APPLICATION NOTE

Embedded Paired Carrier Quick Start Guide

AN_026C

Summary
This procedure describes how to establish a Paired Carrier link between two
Paradise modems. Paired Carrier does not work with cross-strapped transponders or
where there has been any form of signal regeneration (demodulation and
remodulation) of the signal on the transponder.
Method
You must get each link working correctly as a normal link prior to
switching Paired Carrier on! You must ensure that there is no
spectral inversion in the RF chain if there is then this must be
corrected by re-inverting it for Paired Carrier operation to work.
1. Ensure modem software version 1.9.66 or above is being used (Main, 3:View,
1:Unit) and configure the modems as for a normal link.
2. Ensure that the modem is Paired Carrier capable (Main, 3:View, 2:SAF and
down arrow to PCMAx settings).
3. Ensure Paired Carrier is switched off (Main, 2:Edit, 3:Rx, 7:Carrier,
4:Advanced, 2:PCMA, 1:Enable and set to OFF).
4. Before starting, it is strongly recommended to prepare for a BER data
transparency test, using data test sets connected to each modem, or using
the modem internal PRBS BER test feature, which can be temporarily
enabled if necessary.
5. Configure both Modems for identical services, including the same Tx and Rx
frequencies.
Different PRBS test patterns must be used in each direction (e.g. for
Modem 1 Tx to Modem 2 Rx use 2^15-1 and for Modem 2 Tx to
Modem 1 Rx use 2^23-1). This ensures that the two signals are
sufficiently different from each other to allow Paired Carrier to work.
6. Check the Tx power level setting is correct and bring up the first carrier (using
the selected common transmission frequency) and
Check the receive signal level, Eb/No, spectrum and constellation are
as expected.
Check the received signal is data transparent.
7. Switch the first carrier off.
8. Check the Tx power level setting is correct and bring up the second carrier
(using the selected common transmission frequency) and
Check the receive signal level, Eb/No, spectrum and constellation are
as expected.
Check the received signal is data transparent.
9. Switch the second carrier off.
To avoid non-linear distortion, ensure adequate HPA back-off when
using multiple carriers through a single amplifier, particularly with
higher order modulations when testing at a single site.
10. At each modem, set either location information or, alternatively, the round trip
delay to satellite (Main, 2:Edit, 3:Rx, 7:Carrier, 4:Advanced, 2:PCMA, 2:
Round Trip Delay). If location information is entered for the modem position

then the satellite delay will be calculated automatically. To minimise

acquisition time when using a round trip delay, the delay should be specified
to within 1ms of the nominal value that you have calculated.
11. Enable the Tx carrier in the first modem. Both demodulators should lock,
check the demod status screen for confirmation (Rx traffic LED should go
green ).
12. Enable the Tx carrier in the second modem. Both demodulators should go
out of lock (Rx traffic LED should go out). Please note: the combined carrier
power will increase by 3dBs when the second carrier is enabled. (Refer to
your link budget)
13. Enable Paired Carrier in the first modem (Main, 2:Edit, 3:Rx, 7:Carrier,
4:Advanced, 2:PCMA, 1:Enable and set to ON). Its demodulator should lock,
check the demod status screen for confirmation (Rx traffic LED should go
green).
14. Enable Paired Carrier in the second modem (Main, 2:Edit, 3:Rx, 7:Carrier,
4:Advanced, 2:PCMA, 1:Enable and set to ON). Its demodulator should also
lock, again check the demod status screen for confirmation (Rx traffic LED
should go green).
15. Enable the BER test and check for data transparency in both directions. Inject
errors via the BER testers in both directions and ensure they are received
correctly.
16. If the modems do not lock or are not data transparent then
Ensure there is no spectral inversion in the RF chain. If there is, then
this must be corrected by re-inverting it for Paired Carrier operation to
work.
Check the modem/satellite location information or round trip time that
has been set in each modem. The range entered for the round trip time
must cover the actual distance to the satellite. Try widening out the
round trip delay to ensure that it definitely covers the actual time delay
to satellite. Try switching from location to round trip delay or vice versa.
Switch Paired Carrier off and on again in each modem (to counter the
possibility of a false lock).
If this does not work then switch the carrier off and on again in each
modem.
Check the receive signal level and Eb/No are correct.
Check the spectrum and constellation for signs of signal degradation
such as noise or interference.
Otherwise check the general modem settings for correct configuration
and overlap of the two carriers (note that there are restrictions on the
supported level of power asymmetry and symbol rate asymmetry).
17. If the modems take a long time to lock then
Narrow the difference between the minimum and maximum round trip
delay times (if these are being used) to minimise the uncertainty in the
range to the satellite (Main, 2:Edit, 3:Rx, 7:Carrier, 4:Advanced,
2:PCMA, 2: Round Trip Delay). This has a significant effect on
acquisition time. If using a round trip delay then try switching to using
location information.
Check for signs of signal degradation such as poor Eb/No values or
poor spectrum and constellation.
18. If 1:1 or 1:N redundancy is being used, Paradise recommends setting the
modems to switch on Unit Faults only (i.e. setting the Tx and Rx fail
switchovers off via the Main > Edit > unit > Advanced > 1 for 1 menu option).
This is because when a modem is in standby, no transmit carrier is generated,
therefore there is nothing for Paired Carrier to cancel and the standby

demodulator will not lock because it cannot separate the two interfering
carriers (from the online modem and the remote modem). In this case, a
switchover from the online modem can never occur since the Standby modem
is, from a logical point of view, faulty and a switchover will not occur to a
Standby modem deemed faulty. Please refer to application note AN_027A
(1:1 quick start guide) for further details.
19. When using Paired Carrier with IP as the terrestrial interface type, Paradise
recommends setting the master hub transmit timing to Internal, the hub and
remote receive clocking to Satellite and the remote transmit clocking to Rx
reference. This ensures only one master clock is providing timing for both
modems and can prevent data pattern clashes (between the two overlapping
carriers caused by similarities in the satellite framing) that otherwise can
degrade Paired Carrier performance.
Paradise Datacom Limited
1 Wheaton Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 3UJ, England
Telephone +44 (0)1376 515 636
Facsimile +44 (0)1376 533 764
E-mail:support@paradise.co.uk
www.paradisedata.com

Paradise Datacom LLC

328 Innovation Blvd., State College, PA 16803, U.S.A.
Telephone +1 814 238 3450
Facsimile +1 814 238 3829
E-mail:ModemTechSupport@paradisedata.com
www.paradisedata.com
30th March 2011