Training Module

on
MW radio engineering

Learning today

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

excerpt from the

Scientific American

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)

Line of sight Point to Point MW

link
400

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

Deployment and applications

FWS (Point-to-Point Transport) and
FWA (BWA, Access) Hops
POP
Point of Presence

ClearBurst MB Point-to-Multipoint FWA

(Fixed Wireless Access) Broadband
Links

155 Mbit/s So
net/SDH FWS
(Fixed
Wireless Sys
tem) Hop

Nodal (Hub) Site

CPE

CPE

CPE

PB
X

CPE Customers
Premises Equipment:

- Sonet/SDH (PTP)
- ATM Switch

- Frame Relay
- Video

Conference

- LAN/IP
- POTS

- Base Station
- Sonet/ SDH

- T1/E1
- ISDN

FWS and FWA (BWA) Radio Hops

Long Distance 2xT1/E1 Unlicensed Hop

Access Hops

Short Distance SONET/SDH Hop

Short Distance 4xT1/E1 Hops

OC-12 or STM-4
Fiber Ring
X
X

NMS system

Transport Hop
Sonet/SDH NxOC-3 or NxSTM-1
Backbone FWS (Radio-Relay) Hop

GSM Network layout

Fiber and MW transmission media in

GSM/CDMA Networks

FWS Microwave Applications

PCS/Cellular Site Interconnection
(North American Hierarchy)

z (N
8 GH

18 G
Hz (

1)
x DS

MTSO (MSC) - Switching Office

BTS - Base Station
BSC - Base Station Controller
23 GHz (OC-3)

DS3
)

38 G

BTS

Hz (
Nx

BTS

DS1
)

BTS

BSC
(DS3 or OC-3NxO
C-3 ) or 155 (Nx0
C

MTSO
(MSC)

BTS
-3) Self-Healing

Ring

BSC

Access and metro /transport networks

Core Network Topologies

Some Attributes of Digital Microwave

Radios

Superior availability - route security (no cable cuts)

Rapidly expandable and upgradeable, in-service if protected

High quality - no multihop noise addition

Rapid deployment over difficult terrain and into urban areas

Economical - no copper or fiberoptic cable deployment

Robust to fading and interference

Insensitive to antenna feeder system and long-delayed on-path

echoes

Highly efficient data and broadband transport

Exacting in-service visibility of radio hop performance with NMS

Seamless interconnectivity to an ever-expanding digital transport

(fiberoptics and other), PABX/MSC switch, and LAN/IP world.

Typical Electromagnetic spectrum

M o b ile R a d io
V H F T e le v is io n
F M B r o a d c a s t R a d io
S h o r tw a v e R a d io
M o b ile R a d io
F ib e r O p tic s
A M B r o a d c a s t R a d io

V is ib le L ig h t

U H F T e le v is io n
M ic r o w a v e s

1M H z

1000m
(3 0 0 K H z )

10M H z

100m
(3 M H z )

100 M H z

10m
(3 0 M H z )

1G H z

1m
(3 0 0 M H z )

10G H z

10cm
(3 G H z )

100G H z

1cm
(3 0 G H z )

10

1m m
(3 0 0 G H z )

12

10

14

Transport and Access Bands

Network Management
Element Manager
SNMP Interface

Capacity
NxOC-3/STM-1
3xDS3/OC-3/STS-3
4xDS3, 4xE3/STM-1

1:N

Backbone
Transport
Broadband Wireless Access (FWA)

DS3 or 28 T1
E3 or 16 E1
16 T1

Backbone
& Access

8 E1
4 T1/E1

Access

Unlicensed

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

Example of capacity and frequency

bands

CEPT PDH Hierarchy

VF/data/LAN/IP and
teleconferencing circuits
1
2.
..

1st
Order

2.048 Mbit/s
(30/31 Ch)

30/31*

PCM Channel
Banks

E1

1
2
3
4

M2-8

8.448 Mbit/s
(120 Ch)

2nd
Order

E2

1
2
3
4

E3
M8-34
3rd
Order

34.368 Mbit/s
(480 Ch)

E4

*30 VF Channels with signaling channel or

31x64 kbit/s Data Channels (no signaling)
E3
16 x 2.048 Mbit/s
E1 Trunks

1
2.
..
16

M2-34
SkipMux
mux
Skip

1
2
3
4

M34-140
Radio
MUX

140 Mbit/s
(1920 Ch)

34 Mbit/s
(480 Ch)
PDH -Plesiochronous
(asynchronous) Digital
Hierarchy

CEPT Hierarchy is the international TDM digital standard everywhere

except North America (USA, Canada), Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

TDM: CEPT PDH Hierarchy

PDH - Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy
Designation

No. of
E1 Trunks

Bit Rate
(kbit/s)

Line
Code

Voice
Channel
Equivalent

E0
E1
E2
E3
E4

30/31 = 1E1
1
4
16
64/63*

64
2,048
8,448
34,368
139,264

AMI
HDB3
HDB3
HDB3
CMI

1
30
120
480
1920/1890*

CEPT PCM Analog-Digital PCM Quantizing Code is A-Law

AMI, HDB3, & CMI codes are bipolar.
Cable types: 120 Twisted Pair, 75 Coax
(Length/type assigned for 6 dB maximum loss)
Ref: ITU-T G.703, G.704

*63 E1 (1890 VF ch) are mapped in

Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)

SDH Fundamentals: Rates

Line Rate
(Mbit/s)

SDH Signal

PDH Signal
# E1 (2048 kbit/s)

VF

Transport

Radio
or Fibre

2.048

VC - 12

30

34.368

VC - 3

16

480

51.84

Sub-STM-1*

21

630

139.264

VC - 4

64

1,920

155.52

STM - 1

63

1,890

622.08

STM - 4

252

7,560

2488.32

STM - 16

1,088

30,240

1:N Radio
or Fibre

9953.28

STM - 64

4,032

120,960

Fibre

Ref.: ITU-R Rec. F.750-3 (1997)

SDH
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
PDH
Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy
*Sub-STM-1 RR-STM, STM-0 = 51 Mbit/s for Radio Relay)

SDH Fundamentals: Mux

Pointer Processing
SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
STM Synchronous Transport Module
VC
Virtual Container
TU
Tributary Unit
TUG Tributary Unit Group
AU
Administration Unit
AUG Administration Unit Group
ATM Asynchronous Transport Mode
RRRP Radio-Relay Reference Point
NNI Network Node Interface
Sub-STM-1 = RR-STM (52 Mbit/s for radio)
= STM-0

Multiplexing
Aligning
Mapping

DS1

VC11

TU11

E1
DS1

VC12

TU12

DS2

VC2

x3
x1

TUG-2

x1

E3
DS3
x1

E4
ATM

TU-2

x4

VC3
x1

x1

VC3

x7

TU-3

TUG-3

x3

AU3

Sub-STM-1

x3

AUG

x1

VC4

Note: Bold indicates commonly available multiplexer interface

RRRP

AU4

x3

STM-N

NNI

Basic Building blocks of MW Link

Basic Building blocks of MW Link

Classical Design
Waveguide

Waveguide

RF
f [GHz]

Circulator, Filter
(CBN)

Circulator, Filter
(CBN)

RF = Radio frequency
e.g. 7.5 GHz, 18.7 GHz

TX

RX

Transmitter

Receiver

IF = Intermediate frequency
e.g. 140 MHz
Modulator
16 - 128 QAM

Demodulator
16 - 128 QAM

BB = Baseband
e.g. 155 Mbit/s
Channel

Channel

Basic blocks of radio

IDU

Important to know

IDU Functional blocks

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

ODU functional modules

Link Block Diagram

Line
Interfac
e
DEMUX

RX FPGA
DEMUX Frame
Frame Sync
Private Link

TX MUX
FPGA

DEMOD

TX IF PLL
TX IF

310MHz

MOD

AGC

DEMOD Lock
Low BER (>1e-9) AGC
High BER (>1e-3)
ODU Communication

Synth Up Conv. Osc

Unlock
Synth TX Offset Voltage
Synth TX Main Loop
Unlock
Synth TX Offset Loop
Unlock
ALC

N
le
p
rx
o

LIU Input

MUX PLL

Near End RF Plug-in

N
le
p
rx
o

Near End
SP

70MHz

DEMUX

MUX

DEMOD

PA

1778MH
z

LNA

RX Synth

Synth Up Conv. Osc Unlock

Synth TX Offset Voltage
Synth TX Main Loop
Unlock
310MH Synth TX Offset Loop
Unlock
z

TX IF PLL
TX IF

MOD

AGC

DEMOD Lock
AGC
RX FPGA
Low BER (>1e-9)
DEMUX Frame
High BER (>1e-3) ODU Communication
Frame Sync
Private Link

ALC

N
x
le
p
ro

Line
Interfac
e

Far End RF Plug-in

N
le
p
rx
o

LIU Input

PA

2158MH
z IF LO RT 1848 PLL

Synth Rx Main Loop Unlock

Synth Rx Offset Loop Unlock
Synth Rx Offset Loop Voltage

Far End SP
MUX PLL
TX FPGA

TX Synth

70MH
z

TX Synth

PA

2158MH
z IF LO RT 1848 PLL
1778MH
z

Synth Rx Main Loop Unlock

Synth Rx Offset Loop Unlock
Synth Rx Offset Loop Voltage

PA

LNA

RX Synth

Link Block Diagram

IDU-Indoor Unit

ODU Components

Signals on IF cable IDU-ODU

Protection and Diversity

Protection Schemes
and
Diversity Arrangements

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

*Reverse Channel Switch command from far end receivers

** If FD is permitted
87

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

Protected & Diversity - Dual Antenna

1+0 Equipment Protection - "1+1 HSB"

Configuration
f1
f1a

f1`
f1b

Station A
PR

Ch. 1
(STM-1) RPS

Station B
f1a

f1a

PR

MD TX

RX DM

MD TX

RX DM

OP

f1a

PR

f1b

C
B
N

C
B
N

10dB

f1a

OP

f1b

PR

DM RX

TX

MD

DM RX

TX

MD

f1b

OP

OP

f1b

10dB

RPS

Ch. 1
(STM-1)

1+0 Equipment Protection - Space Diversity

f1
f1a

f1`
f1b

Station A
PR

Station B
f1a

f1a

CBN

MD TX
MD TX
Ch. 1
(STM-1) RPS

OP

f1a

PR

f1b

C
B
N

DM RX
DM RX
OP

f1b

CBN

PR

RX DM
RX DM
f1a

C
B
N

OP

f1b

PR

TX

MD

TX

MD

f1b

OP

RPS

Ch. 1
(STM-1)

Typical spacing for

SD

Frequency
(GHz)

Minimum
Spacing (m)

Ideal Spacing
(m)

6,8

4,5

10

4,5

10

13

2,5

15

2,0

Microwave Radio Technology - Space Diversity

MD
STM-1

DM +

TX
RX
RX

CBN
Main
CBN
Div

CBN
Main
CBN
Div

TX
RX
RX

MD
STM-1

+ DM
Length
compensation

SD +HSB

Block Diagram - 2+0 Configuration with XPIC

horizontal f1a
Ch. 1
(STM-1)

MD

TX

140
MHz

CBN

DM RX

f1b

f1b horizontal

f1
OP1
OP2
f1

TX

RX DM
PW

f1a
Ch. 2
(STM-1)

f1b
2 Waveguide
pro Station

TX

140
MHz

Ch. 1
(STM-1)

f1a

PW

MD

140
MHz

CBN
f

MD

TX

CBN

CBN

DM RX
vertical f1b

MD

140
MHz

Ch. 2
(STM-1)

RX DM
f1a vertical

Clock synchronization
Data compensation

Microwave Radio Technology - Frequency Diversity

f
f1

f3

f3a

MD TX
MD TX
Channel 1

RPS

f3b

f1a

DM RX
DM RX
f1b

CBN

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

Primary Path
Insertion Loss

Standby Pass
Insertion Loss

6 dB unequal coupler

1.6 dB

6.4 dB

3 dB equal splitter

3.5 dB

3.5 dB

RFD Configurations

1+0

2+0

1+1 HH

1+1 HS

Hybrid module for NEC radios

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.

Component mountings- IF Module

The IF Module (IFM)

consists of the
following items:
TX IF assembly
RX IF assembly
DC-DC converter

dB

dB

2 * Syn

IF
2 * Syn

dB
DC

dB

dB

High integrated
RF Module

RF Diplexer

dB

CPU

DC

Modulare ODU-Design

Antenna

Some more configurations..

Operation mode 1+0 with integrated antenna

Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz

In some cases of interest in an offer because of the lowest price

IDU
STM-1

EOW
DPU

f1

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

coax.
cable

ODU

H
OP

Broad Band Filter

Operation mode 1+0 with separate antenna

IDU 155-16/128 LS
STM-1

EOW
DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

f1

coax.
cable

wave guide

ODU
Broad Band Filter

H
OP

Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz

Operation mode 1+1 HSB with integrated antenna

Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz
Master-IDU
EOW
DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

coax.
cable

f1

ODU

1,3 dB
H
BK

Slave-IDU
EOW
DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

Coupler

ODU

6,3 dB

Operation mode 1+1 HSB with integrated antenna

Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz
Master-IDU
EOW
DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

coax.
cable

f1

ODU

1,3 dB
H
BK

Slave-IDU
EOW
DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

Coupler

ODU

6,3 dB

Operation mode 4+0 or 2x(1+1) dual polarized CCDP with

XPIC
Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz

4 x IDU 155-16/128 LS
EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

ODU
f1

Waveguide

f3

EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator

Coupler

ODU

OMT

OP1

OP2

OP3

OP4

f1

f3

Demodulator

ODU LX Adjacent Channels

ODU S 1 Ch. to be left
EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator

ODU

Demodulator

Wave
guide

EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

Coupler

ODU

Operation mode 4+0, coupler version in dual polarized

CAP
4 x IDU
EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

Frequencies
7 up to 38 GHz
ODU
f3

f1

Waveguide
H

OP2

OP1

EOW

STM-1

DPU

EOW

STM-1

DPU

Power Supply
Modulator

Coupler

ODU

OMT

STM-1

DPU

OP4

f2

f4

Demodulator

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

ODU
Wave
guide

EOW

OP3

Power Supply
Modulator
Demodulator

Coupler

ODU

Frequency Patterns - Transmission via 2 Polarizations

Orthomode transducer
(OMT)
f1a

V: vertical

1.TX
Polarization
f1
MD

90

CBN

DM RX
f1b

H
horizontal

f1a

2.TX
Polarization
f1
MD
CBN

DM RX

Waveguide H
H

f1b
Waveguide V

Operational parameters and system planning

Microwave Frequency Required

Necessary Antenna Gain
Maximum Distance between terminals
Receive Signal Level Margin
Link availability

Understanding operating parameters

Understanding operating parameters

Understanding Threshold for receivers

Terms of Microwave Radio Technology - System Overview

TX

CBN
waveguide

CBN
waveguide

Output
power

Max. power
e.g. +31 dBm
[1.25 W]

RX

Input
power
System
attenuation
(e.g. 71.7 dB)

Antenna
CBN
waveguide gain
e.g.
e.g.
41.4
dB
5.3 dB

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

a = 92.4 + 20 log( d[km] f[GHz])

0

min. power
e.g. -73 dBm
[50 pW]

System Gain, Net Path Loss

EIRP = P0 - Lf + Ga (FCC/ETSI Constraints)
Ga
FREE SPACE LOSS
(NO FADE)

Lf

Transmitter
Output
Interface

P0
3

Repeater Station

NET PATH LOSS (NPL)

SYSTEM GAIN
(to 10-3 BER or
Top of
LOF)
Bay
Antenna
Port

RSL IN
1

Top of
Bay
Antenna
Port

SYSTEM GAIN. dB

NPL - NET PATH LOSS. dB

XMTR Power Out - RCVR RSL In

(for 10-3 BER) at the Antenna
Ports. Typically 100 dB

Waveguide In Site A to Waveguide

Out at Site B. Typically 60 dB
(Excluding Fade Activity)

Receiver
Input
Interface

Terminal Station
RECEIVER RSL INPUT. dB
RSL = XMTR Power Out - NPL
THERMAL FADE MARGIN. dB
TFM = System Gain - NPL

Receive signal level calculation

RSL(dBm) = Tx power(dBm) + Tx antenna
gain(dBi) Free Space Loss(dB) Branching Loss
Feeder
cable loss + Rcv antenna gain (dBi)
where
Free Space Loss(dB) = 32.4 + 20logF +20logD
For example:
where:
DPath
is Kms,
Given:
Distance F
of is
10MHz
Kms,
Radio Frequency is 7
GHz,
Tx Power is 20 dBm,
dBi

and

Antenna Gain(both sides) is 38

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

Receive signal level margin

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 and DTPC

DTPC Dynamic Transmit Power Control (TRuepoint, Galaxy 23)
ATPC Automatic Transmit Power Control (all other radios)
ATPC or DTPC, features that reduce transmit powers except with farend receiver alarms during deep fades, are occasionally assigned to
some microwave links for one of the following reasons:
Prevents receiver front-end overload in higher frequency links
assigned high rain fade margins
Complies with FCC (and other) EIRP constraints in short hops,
<17 km in the 6 GHz bands and <5 km at 10 and 11 GHz,
Prevents receiver overload in shorter 6, 10, and 11 GHz paths
requiring large antennas in frequency-congested areas
Reduces interference levels at hubbing sites and into adjacent
links in frequency-congested areas.

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

Fade Depth,
RSL w/o DTPC

-20
-30
-40
-50
-60

-20

10-6 BER Receiver Overload

Error-free

-30
-40
-50

DTPC RSL
Setting Point
-45 dBm

RSL
w/DTPC

-60

No
Outage

+20
+10

Transmitter
Output

-70

-10

Outage Threshold
-80

-70
0

10

20
30
40
1-Hour of Rain Fade Activity, Minutes

50

60

Transmitter Output Power, dBm

Fade Depth, dB

-10

Receive Signal Level, dBm

RSL

Fading

Stopped Fading

10

ATPC Off

Th + 15/18 dB

7/10 dB
7/10 dB
BER = 10

15/18 dB

-11

Un-Fading
BER = 10

-6

ATPC On

Time

ATPC

Important to know

Useful Formulas
Supplementing the Outage Model
For

English (ft, mi, GHz, dB)

Metric (m, km, GHz, dB)

96.6 + 20 log f + 20 log D

92.4 + 20 log f + 20 log D

0.67 d1d2/k

d1d2/12.7k

Path Loss
Earths curvature
F1 radius

72.1 (d1d2/f D)0.5

17.3 (d1d2/f D)0.5

Fn radius

F1 (n)0.5

F1 (n)0.5

Dish gain (55% efficiency)

7.5 + 20 log f + 20 log d

17.8 + 20 log f + 20 log d

66/fd

20/fd

1200 D/f h(t)

127D/f h(t)

Fn /2f

Fn/2f

Dish BW, degrees

Div. dish separation
Multipath delay, nsec

NOTATION:

= frequency, GHz

D = path length

k = k-factor (4/3rds, etc.)

d1, d2= distances (d1 + d2 = D)

h(t) = Tx dish height above

n = Fresnel zone number

the reflection plane

F1 = 1st Fresnel zone radius

d = dish diameter

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;

Cabling details

Type of antenna,
Height of antenna,
Polarization

LOS cleared

External alarm
termination
details/color code

NMS IP address/DCN
planning
/cabling/router/convert
er

Traffic E1/STM1
termination /Through

EOW, Auxiliary
channels/Sideway E1

Understanding Frequency
plan
Frequency Sub
Duplex [MHz]
Band [GHz]
10

350

10224
10574

350

10252
10602

Capacity

BW [MHz] / Channel Raster

16 E1

28

8 E1

14

4 E1

2 E1

3.5

25 MHz Channel Filter Bandwidth

5.5 MHz

14 MHz

16 E1 CAPACITY

5.5 MHz

Fade Margin Degradations

Effective diversity arrangements lessen the impact of
otherwise unacceptable conditions:

Co- and adjacent-channel interference

Low fade margins

Antenna k-factor decoupling

Antenna misalignments

Dispersive (spectrum-distorting) fades

Ducting, defocusing, and obstruction fades

EMI and other environmental effects