Antennas and Feeder System

ZTE University CDMA-BSS Team

Content

BTS Antenna System Structure BTS Antenna Specification and Meanings

BTS Antenna System Structure

Antenna
1/2 Clamp 7/16 Din Connector 1/2 Jumper Tower Top Amplifier 7/8 Cable 7/8 Cable Grounding Machine house 1/2 Jumper EMP

Grounding clip

Cabinet

Grounding bar

Content
BTS Antenna System Structure BTS Antenna Specification and Meanings

What is the Antenna?

An antenna is just a passive conductor carrying RF current:

RF power causes current to flow in the antenna current flowing radiates electromagnetic fields electromagnetic fields cause current in receiving antennas

Blah blah blah bl ah

Antenna Specifications and Meanings

Electrical properties
Halfwave Dipole Antenna Operation Frequency Band Antenna Gain Radiation Pattern Horizontal/Vertical Beamwidth

Mechanical properties
Size Weight Radome material Appearance and color Working temperature Storage temperature Windloading Connector types Package Size Lightning Protection

Radiation Pattern Downtilt Front/Back Ratio Sidelobe Suppression and Null Filling Input Impedance VSWR Polarization Isolation

Electrical Properties

Antenna should be tested strictly in the lab before selling. We make the choice according to our requirement

Antenna Foundation:Halfwave Dipole

Halfwave dipole is a classic antenna and it is very popular. It can be used independently, or multiple dipoles can be combined together into an antenna matrix.

A halfwave dipole has two symmetrical arms, one arm is wave length of the radio frequency signal. Wavelength 1/4 Wavelength 1/2 Wavelength 1/4 Wavelength 1/2 Wavelength Dipole

1900MHz 157mm 800MHz 375mm

Halfwave Dipole Radiation Pattern

1 dipole
(received power)1mW

Multiple dipole matrix

Received power4 mW

GAIN= 10log(4mW/1mW) = 6dBd

Antenna Gain

Attention: Antennas are passive devices; they do NOT amplify RF energy.

What is antenna gain? On the condition of same input power and same position of space, the ratio between the power radiated from the practical antenna and from the ideal isotropic antenna is called the antenna gain.

Same amount of energy, focussed in a particular direction

Gain Calculation: dBd and dBi

Ideal Isotropic antenna

2.15dB

eg:

0dBd = 2.15dBi

Halfwave dipole

Gain Calculation: dBd and dBi

Isotropic vs. Dipole
dipole

isotropic

Directional Antenna Azimuth Pattern

PLAN VIEW

dB Gain ref Dipole (dBD)

dB Gain ref isotropic (dBi) 0dBi (ref) 0dBD (ref)

G=s1/s0

unitdBi

G == s1/ GA0 unit:dBd

ERP and EIRP

Reference Antenna

Effective Radiated Power (ERP and EIRP) apparent power in a particular direction. It is equal to actual transmitter power times antenna gain in that direction.
Radiated power = Input power x

TX
100 W

antenna gain

or in dB = dBm + dB(i or d) eg:50dBm

B
Directional Antenna EIRP B A (ref)
TX 100 W

4.4 dBi

EIRP = 54.4 dBm (right picture) ERP is expressed in comparison to a standard radiator ERP: compared with dipole antenna
EIRP: compared with isotropic antenna

A B
275w 100w

Antenna Gain Example

Antenna Gain = + 18 dBi

EiRP = +39 + 18 = +57 dBm

jumper -0.5dB Ant Input Power = + 39dBm -3dB Heliax Cable

jumper

Base Station Transmitter (20 watts)

-0.5dB

Convert to dBm 10Log(20) + 30 = +43 dBm

Antenna Radiation Pattern

The first basic function of antenna is to radiate energy to outer space. The second basic function is to radiate most of energy to the desired direction. But in fact, the practical radiation is very complex, it is called: radiation pattern

Beamwidth

The radiation pattern has several lobes; the strongest is called the main lobe and the others are side lobes.

From the peak of the main lobe, the radiation will become weaker and weaker as it spreads to the side. The angle between two position which is 3dB below the peak is called beamwidth or halfpower angle.

The narrower the beamwidth, the better of concentration of the radiation and the higher of the gain.
3dB Beamwidth Peak - 3dB

60 (eg)

Peak Peak - 3dB

Horizontal 3dB Beamwidth

Directional Antenna65/90/105/120 360

Omni

Horizontal 3dB Beamwidth

Typical 90 3dB beamwidth sketch map

20,30 beamwidth antennas are mostly used in narrow areas such as a highway65 are usually used in city area90s are used more in suburbs and countryside.

Vertical 3dB Beamwidth

48,33,15,8are some common values for the vertical 3dB beamwidth.

If the vertical beamwidth is small, then we can control the coverage by adjusting the downtilt. Directional Omni

Antenna Downtilt

Mechanical Downtilt
Physically tilt the antenna. The pattern in

front goes down, and behind goes up. This is

popular for sectorization and special omni

applications

Electrical Downtilt (fixed and adjustable)

Incremental phase shift is applied in the

feed network
the pattern droops all around, like an

inverted saucer
common technique when downtilting omni

cells

Different Downtilt Effects

Non down tilt

Electronic downtilt

Mechanical downtilt

Downtilt Adjustment

In general, the original downtilt can be calculated

= arctan (h/R)A/2 antenna downtilt hantenna height Rcell coverage radius A---antenna vertical 3dB beamwidth

In this formula, the main lobe of antenna will point to the edge of cell coverage. Actually, the antenna will often need downtilt adjustment during optimization to ensure the real coverage does not go too far or too near.

Front to Back Ratio

Front-to-back ratio
Antenna front-to-back ratio measures how much energy is

radiated outside the antennas main beam.

Back Power (interference)

Front Power

Back power

Front power

Front/Back = 10 log(FP/BP)

typically 18 to 30dB, the larger the better

Up Sidelobe Restraint

Usually, the up sidelobe energy is not used. So we perform restraint on the up sidelobe.

UP SIDELOBE (dB)

DOWN SIDELOBE
(dB)

Sidelobe Suppression and Null Filling

Antenna Input Impedance

When antenna and feeder cable are connected, the best condition (best antenna efficiency) would be if their impedance are completely matched.

There are four parameters that can be used to measure antenna efficiency, these are;

Reflectance, Traveling Wave Coefficient, VSWR, Return Loss VSWR and Return Loss is commonly used.

Cable 50 ohms

Antenna 50 ohms

Voltage Standing Wave Ratio

Forward: 10W 50 ohms Backward: 0.5W 80 ohms

9.5 W

Return Loss 10log(10/0.5) = 13dB VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio)

VSWR Characteristics

Impedance and Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) / Return Loss

Input impedance of the antenna must match the characteristic

impedance of the transmission line

Otherwise, a reflected wave is generated, directed back towards the

energy source.
The ratio between the maximum and minimum voltage is defined as

the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR).

0dBi

EIRP = +39.8 dBm

Return Loss = 20 Log VSWR +1 = 14dB VSWR-1

+40 dBm (10 watts) (400mW) +26 dBm

Ant VSWR = 1.5:1

Antenna Polarization

Polarization describes the orientation of the electric field vector.

Vertical

Horizontal

+ 45degree slant

- 45degree slant

Dual Polarization Antenna

V/H (Vertical/Horizontal)

Slant (+/- 45)

Antenna Port Isolation

In dual polarization antenna, complete port isolation is impossible. If one port receives an input energy, some of the energy will provide interference in the other port.

In this example the isolation is 30dB, the higher the better.

10log(1000mW/1mW) = 30dB

1000mW ( 1W)

1mW

Antenna Mechanical Properties

Antenna Dimensions

LWH The Length is related to the vertical bandwidth and gain The Width is related to the horizontal bandwidth The Height is related with the techniques adopted

Antenna Weight

Antenna weight affects transmission and deployment

Radome Material

Radome material may be PVC or Fiberglass which are water-proof, weatherproof, and has anti-aging characteristics

Appearance Color
Some antennas are made very pleasing to look at or made to blend with the environment

Physical Parameters

Operating Temperature Range Typical range-40C Typically-40C Connector Type 7/16DINNSMA female +70C

Storage Temperature Range +70C

Mast
Mast diameter 45-90mm

Lightening Protection

Lightning arresters are directly connected to ground

Main Feeder

Jump Cable

Connectors
7/16DIN-F CONNECTOR 7/16DIN-M and N-M CONNECTOR

Feeder Installation Annex

Trimming Tool or Hand Tool Kit Clamp Grounding Kit Wall Glands Universal Ground Bar