548mw intro 2
TRANSCRIPT
Fundamentals of Microwave
Technologies
Historical Perspective Founded during WWII. Used for long-haul
telecommunications. Displaced by fiber optic networks. Still viable for right-of-way bypass and
geographic obstruction avoidance.
Wireless Transmission Transmission and reception are achieved
by means of an antenna . Directional :
Transmitting antenna puts out focused beam .
Transmitter and receiver must be aligned . Omnidirectional “Isotropically” :
Signal spreads out in all directions . Can be received by many antennas .
Wireless Examples Terrestrial microwave transmission
. Satellite transmission . Broadcast radio . Infrared .
Terrestrial Microwave Used for long-distance telephone service . Uses radio frequency spectrum, from 2 to
40 GHz . Parabolic dish transmitter, mounted high . Used by common carriers as well as
private networks . Requires unobstructed line of sight
between source and receiver . Curvature of the earth requires stations
(repeaters) ~30 miles apart .
Microwave Applications
Television distribution . Long-distance telephone
transmission . Private business networks .
Microwave Advantages :
No cabling needed between sites . Wide bandwidth . Multichannel transmissions .
Disadvantages : Line of sight requirement . Expensive towers and repeaters . Subject to interference -e.g. passing
airplanes, rain .
Satellite Microwave Transmission
A microwave relay station in space . Can relay signals over long distances .
Wireless TechnologiesMicrowave Microwave systems transmit voice and data through the
atmosphere as super-high-frequency radio waves
One particular characteristic of the microwave system is that it cannot bend around corners; therefore microwave antennas must be in "line of sight" of each other
The following are some of the characteristics of the microwave system:
1. High Volume 2. Long distance transmission 3. Point to point transmission 4. High frequency radio signals are transmitted from one terrestrial
transmitter to another 5. Satellites serve as a relay station for transmitting microwave
signals over very long distances. See image next slide
Wireless TechnologiesLow-Orbit Satellite and Microwave
Transmission
Microwave Spectrum Range is approximately 1
GHz to 40 GHz Total of all usable frequencies
under 1 GHz gives a reference on the capacity of in the microwave range.
Microwave Impairments Equipment, antenna, and
waveguide failures. Fading and distortion from
multipath reflections. Absorption from rain, fog, and
other atmospheric conditions. Interference from other
frequencies.
Microwave Engineering Considerations Free space & atmospheric
attenuation. Reflections. Diffractions. Rain attenuation.
Skin affect Line of Sight (LOS) Fading Range Interference
Microwave Engineering Considerations
Free Space & Atmospheric Attenuation
Free space & atmospheric attenuation is defined by the loss the signal undergoes traveling through the atmosphere. Changes in air density and absorption by atmospheric particles.
Reflections Reflections can occur as the
microwave signal traverses a body of water or fog bank; cause multipath conditions
Diffraction Diffraction is the result of
variations in the terrain the signal crosses
Rain Attenuation Raindrop absorption or scattering
of the microwave signal can cause signal loss in transmissions.
Skin Affect Skin Affect is the concept that high
frequency energy travels only on the outside skin of a conductor and does not penetrate into it any great distance. Skin Affect determines the properties of microwave signals.
Line of SightFresnel Zone Clearance Fresnel Zone Clearance is the
minimum clearance over obstacles that the signal needs to be sent over. Reflection or path bending will occur if the clearance is not sufficient.
LOS & FZC-cont’dFresnel Zone
D1
D2
72.2D1 X D2
F x D
secret formula
Microwave FadingNormal Signal
Reflective Path
Caused by multi-path reflections and heavy rains
Range The distance a signal travels and
its increase in frequency are inversely proportional.
Repeaters extend range: Back-to-back antennas. Reflectors.
Range-cont’d High frequencies are repeated/received
at or below one mile. Lower frequencies can travel up to 100
miles but 25-30 miles is the typical placement for repeaters.
Interference Adjacent Channel Interference.
Digital not greatly affected. Overreach
Caused by signal feeding past a repeater to the receiving antenna at the next station in the route. Eliminated by zigzag path alignment or alternate frequency use between adjacent stations.
Components of a Microwave System
Digital Modem. Radio Frequency (RF) Unit. Antenna.
Digital Modem The digital modem modulates the
information signal (intermediate frequency or IF).
RF Unit IF is fed to the RF unit which is
mounted as close physically to the antenna as possible (direct connect is optimal).
Antenna The antenna is a passive device
that radiates the modulated signal. It is fed by direct connect of the RF unit, coaxial cable, or waveguides at higher frequencies.
Waveguides
Waveguides are hollow channels of low-loss material used to direct the
signal from the RF unit to the antenna.
Modulation Methods Primarily modulated today with
digital FM or AM signals. Digital signal remains quiet until
failure threshold bit error rate renders it unusable.
Bit Error Rate (BER) The BER is a performance measure
of microwave signaling throughput 10 or one error per million
transmitted bits of information. Data fail over is at 10 ; voice traffic
can withstand this error rate.
Diversity Space Diversity Frequency Diversity Hot Standby PRI
Space DiversityNormal Signal
Faded Signal
Transmitter Receiver
Space Diversity-cont’d Space Diversity protects against
multi-path fading by automatic switch over to another antenna place below the primary antenna. This is done at the BER failure point or signal strength attenuation point to the secondary antenna that is receiving the transmitted signal at a stronger power rating.
Frequency Diversity
Receiver
Active XTMRFrequency #1
Protect XTMRFrequency #2
RCVRFrequency #1
RCVRFrequency #2
Transmitter
Frequency Diversity-cont’d Frequency Diversity uses separate
frequencies (dual transmit and receive systems); it monitors primary for fail over and switches to standby. Interference usually affects only one range of frequencies. Not allowed in non-carrier applications because of spectrum scarcity.
Hot Standby*
Receiver
System XTMRPrimary #1
System XTMRStandby #2
failure switch
Active RCVR#1
Standby RCVR#2
Transmitter
*Hot standby is designed for equipment failure only
PRI
ReceiverTransmitter
Connect to PRI interface
& PSTN
Connect to PRI interface
& PSTN
To PSTN To PSTN
System Transmission
Facilities
System Receiver Facilities
Availability Formula
Percent Availability equals:
1 – (outage hours/8760 hours per year)
Private microwaves have 99.99% availability
Microwave Path Analysis Transmitter output power Antenna gain
proportional to the physical characteristics of the antenna (diameter)
Free space gain Antenna alignment factor Unfaded received signal level
Microwave Radio Applications