Agenda

Antenna Fundamentals
Smart Antennas
Space Diversity vs Polarization Diversity
RF Optimization - Downtilts

Antenna Fundamentals

Antenna Fundamentals - An Antenna is...

Antennas are transitional structures between
free space and guided wave devices
Used to transmit and receive EM waves
800 MHz

Antenna Dimension

c
frequency

1900 MHz

= wavelength
c = speed of light (3108 m/s)

Antenna Fundamentals - Parameters

Radiation Pattern
Lobes - main lobe, side lobes, back lobe
Beamwidth
Directivity

Antenna Fundamentals - Pattern

90

Side-lobe

Main-lobe

Back-lobe
Beamwidth

180

-6dB
-3dB
0dB
270

3dB point

Antenna Fundamentals - Omni Pattern

z

Horizontal
Plane

Vertical
Plane

y
z

3D

x
x

Antenna Fundamentals - Directional Pattern

z

Horizontal
Plane

Vertical
Plane

y
y

3D

Antenna Fundamentals-Omnis and

Directional
Omnidirectional (Omni) Antennas
Coverage pattern is a circle
Usually located in low-traffic
(rural) areas
Directional Antennas
Coverage directed to
a specific area
Increase system capacity
60, 90 and 120 are
the most common

Antenna Fundamentals - Gain

Isotropic
Radiator

GA[dBi]
GA[dBd]

Dipole

2.15 dBi = Gain of

Dipole Antenna

Antenna Fundamentals - Types

Panel Antenna

/2 Dipole

Monopole

2
Coax cable

/2

Phased Array/2
/2
/2

Phasing
Stub
Matching
Stub and
Feed Line
Phasing
Stub

Dish Antenna

Yagi-Uda Antenna

Smart Antennas

Smart Antennas
A smart antenna system consists of:
A combination of multiple antenna elements
A DSP capable of automatically optimize the
radiation and reception pattern in response of
variations in the propagation environment
How does it work?
Listen to the mobile with multiple elements
Energy arrives at different time and phase
DSP correlates signals and computes location of the
mobile
Sends back signal toward the same direction

Smart Antennas
There are two main types:
Switched Beam - fixed number of predefined patterns
Adaptive Array - infinite number of patterns adjusted
in real time
How do smart antennas help?
Increase signal quality through better RF control
Increase capacity through better reuse
Interference rejection
Better range/coverage

Smart Antennas
A

OMNI - CONFIGURATION
1) GOOD TRUNKING
EFFICIENCY

C
B

THREE-SECTOR
COFIGURATION
1) MODERATE TRUNKING
EFFICIENCY

2) VULNERABLE S/I RATIO

2) BETTER S/I RATIO
3) LARGE FREQ.REUSE
RATIO

3) MODERATE FREQ. REUSE

RATIO

THREE-SECTOR
COFIGURATION USING
FOUR NARROWBEAM
ANTENNAS PER
SECTOR
1) MODEARTE TRUNKING
EFFICIENCY
2) EXELLENT S/I RATIO
3) SMALL FREQ. REUSE

RATIO

Smart Antennas
S W IT C H E D -B E A M
C O N C E P T :
O n e s e c to r u s e s o n e
tr a n s c e iv e r , o n e c h a n n e l s e t a n d
5 n a rro w b e a m b e a m s to c o v e r
th e a re a .
B a s e s ta tio n r e c e iv e s fiv e
v e r s io n s o f u p lin k s ig n a l b y fiv e
a n te n n a s . It e s tim a te s th e
s tr o n g e s t o n e a n d d e fin e s th e
b e a m w h ic h h a s th e b e s t
r e c e p tio n . In th is c a s e , it is b e a m
B 4 . T h e s a m e b e a m is u s e d fo r
d o w n lin k tr a n s m is s io n .
In te fe r e n c e is d e c r e a s e d o n b o th
u p lin k a n d d o w n lin k d u e to th e
n a r r o w b e a m a n te n n a r e c e p tio n
a n d tr a n s m is s io n .

B 1

B 2

B 3
M 1

B 4
M 2

B 5

Smart Antennas
(1) SECTOR CONSISTS
OF THREE BEAMS

B1

B1
B2

(2) MOBILE IS SERVED

BY BEAM B4 BECAUSE
UPLINK SIGNAL IS
OPTIMALY RECEIVED
BY B4

B2

B3

B3
CHANNEL 444

(3) MOBILE CHANGES

LOCATION

M1

(4) MOBILE IS SERVED BY

BEAM B3 BECAUSE THAT
BEAM PROVIDES OPTIMAL
UPLINK RECEPTION

(5) DURING THE TRANSITION

FROM B3, COMMUNICATION
CHANNEL STAYS THE SAME
(CHNNEL444)

M1
CHANNEL 444

B5

B4

B4

B5

Space Diversity vs.

Polarization Diversity

Diversity vs Fading
Wavefronts
of incident wave

Points of diffraction

Wavefronts
of secondary
wave

Obstacle
Transmitter

Direct
Wave

Multipath
Components

1
2
1= 2

Diversity vs Fading

Received Signal Level (RSL)

F la t T e r r a in M e d ia n S ig n a l
S lo w F a d in g (L o g n o rm a l S h a d o w
F a s t F a d in g

10
in g )
0
-1 0
-2 0
-3 0

4 0 W a v e le n g t h s

R a n g e fr o m T r a n s m itte r A n te n n a

Space Diversity vs Slow Fading

Space Diversity is the implementation of two receive
antennas with horizontal separation of at least 10
Combats Rayleigh fading by one of two methods:
Switched Diversity - System continually switches
between antennas and selects the largest signal of the
two
Diversity Combining - System corrects phase error in
two Multipath signals and combines power to produce
gain
Uplink gain is approximately 3.5 dB

Space Diversity vs. Fading

10 - 20

S ig n a l R e c e iv e d
b y A n te n n a 1

Rx A1

Rx A2

S ig n a l R e c e iv e d
b y A n te n n a 2

B a s e S ta tio n

Switched Diversity or Diversity Combining

D iv e r s ity S ig n a l

Polarization Diversity vs Fading

In a high Rayleigh environment, the mobile signal
received at the BTS has varying and uncorrelated
polarization
This un correlation occurs due to the Multipath reflections
encountered by the signal as it travels from the mobile to
the BTS
Since the reflection coefficient for each polarization is
different, the amplitude and phase of each reflection will
also be different
By implementing two receive antennas with orthogonal
polarization these components can be combined, thus
providing measurable gains

Polarization Diversity vs. Fading

It has been documented that polarization diversity can
yield gains up to 7 dB in high Multipath environments
Due to orthogonal of the antenna elements, they can be
co-located in the same radome, therefore eliminating the
need for horizontal spacing
Z

X
V2

V1

Multipath

X
Main Beam
X - Y plane

X - Z plane

Polarization Diversity vs Space Diversity

Under high Multipath environment, Polarization Diversity
(PD) can be as high as 7 dB, while Space Diversity (SD)
will only be 3.5 dB -PD wins !
SD is around 3.5 dB for all environments, while PD is only
higher for some dense urban environments - SD wins !
PD antennas typically do not have as good Front to Back
Ratios as vertically polarized antennas - SD wins !

Polarization Diversity vs Space Diversity

SD can be more costly than PD since it requires more real
estate and more equipment - PD wins !
Polarized antennas built with micro strip patch elements
exhibit better orthogonal than those built with dipoles
elements - SD wins !

In conclusion, Spatial Diversity wins !

PD should only be implemented in dense
urban areas after it has been determined by
testing that it provides additional gains
over SD

Down tilts for Optimal

Performance

RF Optimization - Downtilts
What is the Ultimate Goal ?
Adjust appropriate and relevant system parameters to
improve system performance
Which are the most important system parameters to
adjust ?
Neighbor Lists
Antenna Tilts
Power Adjustments
All other parameters should only be adjusted in special
situations and only if you know what youre doing...

RF Optimization - Downtilts
Once again, what is the goal of up/down tilting ?
To control RF instead of RF controlling you
To insure that in all areas there is a dominant
signal and no more than three strong signals
relative to all other signals
Minimize the amount of unusable RF in the
environment

RF Optimization - Downtilts
Electrical tilts
Reshape the pattern
for every tilt angle
Require change of
tilting harness
More popular today

Mechanical tilts
Reorient the pattern
Require mechanical
bracket
Not so popular today

RF Optimization - Downtilts
How to down tilt ?
Learn geometry of the arc
Figure out lookup angle
To insure that the aggregate of all other signals is not
detrimental to call quality
Minimize the amount of unusable RF in the
environment

RF Optimization Down tilts

Antenna Pattern - 0 degrees

Antenna Pattern - 10 degrees

RF Optimization Down tilts

At 0 tilt no effect on the h-plane
At 20 tilt the effect is
Max at center of the beam.
Min at sides of the beam

RF Optimization Down tilts

150 ft antenna

1.6 mi

0.5 mi

0.2 mi

minor

notable dramatic

RF Optimization Down tilts

PD1132 Sector Antennas

Gain: 16 dB Vertical Beam width: 8

Ant Ht: 164 = 50m

0 Downtilt

2 Downtilt

RF Optimization Down tilts

PD1132 Sector Antennas

Gain: 16 dB Vertical Beam width: 8

Ant Ht: 164 = 50m

4 Downtilt

6 Downtilt

RF Optimization Down tilts

PD1132 Sector Antennas

Gain: 16 dB Vertical Beam width: 8

Ant Ht: 164 = 50m 153 dB Coverage

8 Down tilt

10 Down tilt

RF Optimization Down tilts