Passive Intermodulation Fundamentals

Jay R. Maple
Applications Engineer
303.378.3475

Smiths Group PLC

Global Technology Company
Listed on the London Stock
Exchange
22,000 employees, Active in 50
countries
2010 sales = $5.4 Billion USD

New company name

Kaelus is global company that designs and manufactures complex and
technically sophisticated RF products for use in the rapidly growing wireless
communications market.
We are not a new company but the consolidation of some leading industry
brands within Wireless Telecoms: Triasx, Summitek, Allrizon and the commercial
division of TRAK Microwave Ltd.

Test Instrument Heritage

Summitek Instruments: Denver, CO
Founded in 1996, Acquired by Smiths in 2001
Summiteks primary business is manufacturing Passive
Intermodulation (PIM) test equipment
>800 Bench-top PIM systems worldwide

Triasx: Brisbane, Australia

Founded in 1995, Acquired by Smiths in 2008
Recognized leader in the design and manufacture of
innovative RF filter based products
Pioneered development of Portable PIM systems with Telstra
in Australia in 2004
Partnership with Summitek in 2007
>1000 Portable PIM systems worldwide

#1 PIM Test Equipment manufacturer

worldwide.

What is Passive InterModulation (PIM)

PIM = Interference

PIM = Noise generated by Tx signals interacting with

materials in the RF path
PIM = Reduced BTS Coverage and Capacity

What causes PIM?

Anything introducing distortion within the RF path;
Loose / inconsistent metal to metal contacts
Not enough contact pressure.
Cracked solder joints
Cold solder joints
Scratches or dents at mating interfaces
Burrs
Metal flakes, chips, dust
Improperly formed / sized parts
Misaligned parts
Rough mating surfaces (saw cut)
Loose bolts
Ferromagnetic materials (steel, nickel, etc.)
Contamination
Trapped between mating surfaces
Trapped between plating layers
Surface Oxides.

The result
MANY unwanted frequencies are generated.
Desired

Interference

Interference
f
1

f -f
2 1

2f -f
3f -2f 1 2
4f -3f 1 2
1 2

2f -f
2 1

3rd Order
5th Order
7th Order

3f -2f
2 14f -3f
2 1

2f

f +f
1 2
1

2f

Ideal Infrastructure
Minimum loss

Incident signals

Linear Infrastructure

Transmitted signals

(No new frequencies)

Minimum

Reflected signals

Reflections measured by sweep test

Measures the quality of impedance
matching in the system.

Return Loss:

Return Loss

Pr

PT

-3 dB

50%

50%

-6 dB

25%

75%

-9 dB

12.5%

87.5%

-12 dB

6.3%

93.7%

-15 dB

3.1%

96.9%

-18 dB

1.6%

98.4%

-21 dB

0.8%

99.2%

Return Loss is a ratio of Power Reflected to Power Transmitted

Has become the standard quality metric to measure installation
quality

Non-ideal Infrastructure

Incident signals

Transmitted signals
Non-Linear Infrastructure
(Creates new frequencies)

Reflections still measured by sweep test

Reflected + interference signals

Interference measured by PIM tester

Smiths Group PLC

Sweep test measures efficiency of signal propagation

PIM test measures ability to propagate signals without

generating interference

Both tests are important and necessary to insure quality site

construction.

PIM testing is not new!

Summitek Instruments has been producing bench top

PIM test systems for more than a decade
Summitek has delivered more than 800 BPIM systems
worldwide
These systems have been used by RF equipment
manufacturers to reduce PIM in their component designs

What is new is the availability of

rugged, portable versions.
Portable PIM test sets were developed in Australia at the
request of Telstra by Summiteks sister division, Triasx
Summitek / Triasx have delivered more than 1000 PPIM
systems worldwide
These systems are being used by network operators
worldwide to reduce PIM in their RF infrastructure

How does a PIM tester work?

PIM Test Equipment

Low PIM Load

PIM Source

Transmit tones in
Guard Band frequencies
BTS Transmit

1945 MHz

BTS Receive

IM3

F1

F2

Test Tone (5 KHz)

Guard Band

PIM level is expressed in either

dBm or dBc
dBm

dBc
0dBc

2 x 20 Watts
+43 dBm

Absolute power relative to1mW

PIM

-143 dBc
CARRIER

-100 dBm

PIM

CARRIER

0dBm

Power relative to the carrier level

PIM level is meaningless without also

stating the carrier power level.
20 Watts

2 Watts

PIM level is VERY dependent on test power level

+43 dBm

IEC 62037 recommends 2x 20W (+43dBm) test

carriers

-100 dBm

-130 dBm

Noise Floor
PIM

2W not enough power to certify a site

PIM

0dB
m

CARRIER

+33 dBm

3dB change in PIM level for every 1dB change in

test power
CARRIER

However 4W test sets are useful.

Light weight (11 lbs)

Battery operated

Highly portable

Able to identify loose connections

Able to find very bad components

PIM Sources at the cell site:

Site
Guy Wires
Steel Tower
Other Sites IMD
RF In-Line Surge Arrestors
Low Grade Antennas
Roof Flashing/Vent Hoods
Installation
Poorly torqued connectors
Scratches
Stress Fractures
Contamination
On conduction materials
Dielectric material

Materials
Rust
Ferromagnetic materials
Poor Quality Plating
Test Equipment
Poor Quality Loads
Low quality or damaged jumpers,
adapters and connectors
Misc.
Cracked / Cold Solder joints
Contact Pressure

Relatively new Portable PIM test

equipment.
Portable PIM test equipment enables system level testing to be conducted at the
cell site.

On site PIM testing reveals:

Installation workmanship issues

Components damaged during installation

Components damaged in transit

Historically, Sweep testing has

been the only method available to
measure installation quality.
A low power signal is transmitted into the
system and the magnitude of the reflected
signal is measured
The Tx frequency is stepped across the
operating range of the site and the ratio of
Reflected Power vs. Transmitted Power is
displayed at each frequency
Sweep testing will identify many defects:
Kinked jumpers, crushed coax
Poorly matched components (Antennas,
Filters)
Sweep testing can not identify PIM problems at
a site
One frequency transmitted at a time
At very low power

Both Sweep testing and PIM testing

are needed to ensure optimum cell
site performance.
This is illustrated by test data collected at cell
sites exhibiting poor KPIs

Survey Results
80.0%

>100 feed lines surveyed

19 operators, 11 countries

73.4%

70.0%
60.0%
50.0%

Many PIM problems recorded

40.0%
30.0%

Few VSWR problems found

The sites were originally commissioned with
Sweep test equipment so it is no surprise that
the VSWR results are good

20.0%
10.0%

5.5%

0.0%
PIM problems

VSWR problems

PIM defects found:

The PIM defects found were primarily
due to workmanship issues at the RF
connections

Survey Results
70%
62.50%
60%

Many lines had multiple defects

50%

Other Passive Devices with PIM

problems included:

41.25%
40%

30%

Diplexing filters
Surge Protectors
Bias-Ts

20%

17%

16.25%

Antennas

Other
Passive
Devices

10%

KPI improvements reported on the

majority of sites repaired

0%

Feed Cables

Jumper
Cables

How to recognize PIM problems in

your network:
High Dropped Call Rate
PIM induced noise
shrinks the effective
cell size.
Gaps in coverage result
in higher dropped call
rate.

Significant increase in call drops after a new carrier was added to a

DAS system with PIM problems.

How to recognize PIM problems in

your network:
GSM: Elevated Interference on Idle (IOI) channels
High interference levels before
fixing PIM problems.

PIM problems corrected

Increased successful traffic

channel (TCH) allocations

Decreased interference after fixing

PIM problems.

How to recognize PIM problems in

your network:
CDMA: High Access Channel Utilization

BTS is blind to new mobiles trying to access the cell

Not impacting Dropped Call Rate because the call never

initiated on the sector

PIM problems corrected

Significant improvement
after fixing PIM.

How to recognize PIM problems in

your network:
High Average Receive Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) differential between Main
and Diversity paths.
PIM problems corrected
BTS PIM causing elevated
average noise on the Main
branch

Diversity path not impacted

Rx levels tracking
together
Main

Key indicator of an internal

interference problem

External interference would

impact both paths equally

Diversity

Severity of PIM in your system:

f1

f2

IM3

IM3

IM5
IM9

RX Band

IM5

IM7

IM7

IM9

TX Band

Higher Tx power = higher PIM levels

IM3 increases 3dB for every 1 dB increase in Tx power

Lower order non-linearity = higher PIM level

Frequency combinations:
More operating bands sharing a feeder = higher probability of PIM in a Rx band (e.g.,DAS)
Wider bandwidth signals = higher probability of PIM in the Rx band (LTE)
Low order PIM in a Rx band = high noise rise

PIM Severity:
5th Order
11th

Order
-93 dBm

9th Order

3rd Order
-60 dBm

7th Order

Outside
PCS Rx
band for F1
& F2
selected

Spectrum Analyzer Mode

Higher order products can be quite severe!

Repairing IM3 reduces ALL IM products.

Metal flake

Resistive loads
generate PIM

90 connectors
typically not as
good as straight
connectors.

RF Connector Selection:

Avoid using Type-N

7-16 DIN connectors are more robust and produce less PIM

Poor cable
preparation

Dirt / trash

Poor cable
preparation

Poor cable
preparation

Cable damage

PIM testing should be dynamic

Passing a static PIM test does not necessarily insure long term performance
Lightly tap RF connections
Flex cables while holding connector fixed
If PIM level jumps out of specification make repairs
Find problems before Mother Nature does!
Wind induced vibration
Temperature variations

Multiple PIM Sources

1

Largest PIM
generator may mask
smaller sources.

PIM displayed

PIM Source #1
PIM Source #2

Multiple PIM Sources

1

Larger PIM source

must be removed
before lower level
source can be seen.

PIM displayed

PIM Source #1
PIM Source #2

PIM sources can be external

to the system!

Incident signals

Transmitted signals
Linear Infrastructure

PIM

Reflected + interference signals

External PIM Sources

Typical 65 Beamwidth
Antenna Patterns
4 ft. (1.2m)
800MHz

End View
(Azimuth Pattern)

Side View
(Elevation Pattern)

8 ft. (2.4m)
800MHz

If external PIM is suspected,

rotate antenna on mast.
PIM

PIM

45 Rotation

Elevation tilting may be more effective

to identify external PIM sources.

PIM

PIM

15 Rotation

External PIM Sources

Antenna Testing
Make sure there are no PIM sources within
the field of view of the antenna!
Recommendations:

SKY

PIM

PIM

BE SAFE!
Point antenna toward the sky

No metal objects within the half-power

beam widths of the antenna in both Azimuth
and Elevation

Antenna should be placed on non-metallic

supports during test

Test equipment and test operators should be

located off the end of the antenna; not the
side

Use a known good antenna to verify the

test environment before testing

SKY

PIM

Antenna Testing

The Benefit
Rx Noise floor
before PIM
testing

5dB reduction in
Rx Noise floor
after correcting
PIM problems.

1dB improvement in receiver sensitivity can

mean as much as 11% fewer radio base
stations

Source
Harri Holma and Antii Toskala, WCDMA & UTMS Nokia
Finland 2004. publisher John Wiley and Son USA

Held calls before

PIM testing

Increased held
calls after
reconstruction
using PIM tester

Summary
PIM = reduces site performance
PIM sources can be eliminated / minimized through:
Careful construction techniques
Use of low PIM components
Careful site design
PIM testing should be dynamic (not static)
PIM testing AND VSWR testing are needed to verify system performance

Break

PIM test equipment: iHA Series:

Highly portable
Battery operated
2x 2W test tones
Fixed frequencies
Useful for component
testing / fault finding

PIM test equipment: iMT Series:

High Power - Economy

2x 20W test tones
Fixed frequencies
Rugged construction
Integrated transit case
Laptop interface for
reporting
New iMT-850B

PIM test equipment: iQA Series:

High Power - Premium

Adjustable power (2 20W)
Adjustable frequencies
Rugged construction
Integrated transit case
Panel PC with touch screen interface,
on-board reporting

Accessory Kits:

iQA-130A Soft Case

iQA-110A Hard Case

Transit case
Jumper cables
Adapters
Wrench
Torque Wrench
Low PIM load
PIM source
Cleaning kit

iQA Series

Precautions

iQA Physical Characteristics

Telescoping
handle

Shock mounted
electronics

360 air inlet filter

surrounding
electronics

Fold-out legs for

bench use.

Cooling fans
2 on sides
4 internal

Storage pouch
Wheels

Rugged case

iQA User Interface

6

iQA Software
15

USER
SCREEN

16

14

17
18

13
20
19

10

11

12

iQA Software Additional

User Modes

Time Trace

Frequency Sweep

Spectrum Analyzer

iQA Software - Reports

Build final site report as you go
No post processing of data required
Output finished report from the iQA in
.PDF format
Screen shot pictures available for
engineering reports

iMT series

iMT Physical Characteristics

Telescoping
handle

Weather
resistant seal
Internal
Cooling fans
Wheels

Rugged,
integrated
transit case

iMT User Interface

6

2
1

4
3

10

iMT Software
Remote Terminal Application loaded on
Laptop Computer.
Very similar to iQA software
Serial connection between laptop & iMT
Laptop controls iMT operation
Reports stored directly to laptop computer

iHA Series

iHA Series
RF on button

Battery Check
Display Mode

Measurement
Level LEDs

Alarm
LEDs

RF Output
Port

RF ON
indicator

Verification Procedure

Contact Us:
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+61.(0).7.3907.1200
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+86.21.5219.2719
Europe, Middle East, India
+44.(0).1383.410386

2011 Kaelus Inc. All Rights Reserved

www.kaelus.com

Thank you

2011 Kaelus Inc. All Rights Reserved

www.kaelus.com