Modern microwave radio systems are extensively used as a cost effective method for the backhauling of mobile traffic, and this has gained new significance with 3G and 4G mobile networks. In addition microwave links are used for long haul and medium haul network for carrying bulk data and telephony traffic. This course provides a comprehensive coverage of microwave transmission and link design principles that meets the performance and availability objectives. Key challenges facing the industry with regards to the incorporation of packet based traffic are addressed in this course.
Technical personnel responsible for the planning, operation and maintenance of microwave radio systems.
Instructor led classes, tutorial exercises and Path Loss 4.0 microwave link planning tool.
On completing this course, participants will be able to:
EXPECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Identify factors which affect microwave propagation
- Outline the general layout of microwave transmit and receive chain
- Interpret a microwave antenna radiation pattern envelope
- Compare and contrast the different microwave antennas
- Perform path profile planning from topographical data
- Perform link budget calculations
- Compute fade margins based on Vigent Barnett and ITU Rain model
- Conduct frequency planning based on ITU guidelines
- Understand quality and availability objectives, metrics and methods used to improve these
TARGET AUDIENCE
This course primarily intended for technical personnel involved in the planning, design, management or support of SDH Networks.
COURSE DETAILS
Introduction
- Microwave Spectrum
- Merits and Demerits of microwave communication
- Application areas for m Microwave transmission
- Path planning
Radio Equipment Characteristics
- Equipment Configuration (Indoor, Outdoor, Split)
- Basic Radio System Diagram
- Modem
- Transceivers
- Frequency and Space Diversity
Microwave Antennas
- Antenna Characteristics
- Electrical Performance Parameters
- Radiation Pattern Envelope
- Standard Parabolic, Shielded, Grid, Focal Plan antennas.
- Radomes
Microwave Propagation
- Free Space Loss
- Reflection
- Scattering
- Diffraction
- Atmospheric Refraction
- Atmospheric Absorption
- Rain Attenuation
Site Survey and Path Profile Planning
- Establishing Planning Briefs
- Path profile calculations
- Radio repeaters
- Atmospheric Refraction
- Calculation of Tower Heights: Fresnel Zone and Earth Bulge
- Path and Site Surveys
- Case Study
Microwave Link Engineering
- System gain and fade margin
- Availability Models
- Multipath fade margin: Vigent Barnett
- Rain fade margin: ITU-R rain model
- Protection vs. Diversity
- Measures to overbuild a link
Frequency Planning
- Causes of interference
- Interference conditions
- Basic ITU arrangement of frequency planning
- Frequency reuse
Quality and Availability Objectives
- Availability objectives
- G.821 and G.826 performance objectives
- ITU-R Hypothetical Reference Path