Characterization of multiple interference

impairing CATV networkss return path

transmission.
Vronique Moeyaert, Laurent Robette*, Jean-Christophe Froidure*,
Jrme Hanoteau, Michel Blondel
Moeyaert@telecom.fpms.ac.be

Facult Polytechnique de Mons

Service dElectromagntisme et de Tlcommunications *MULTITEL a.s.b.l.
Boulevard Dolez, 31
B-7000 Mons
BELGIUM

Abstract
Due to the high demand of new services emerging from residential subscribers (Internet
access, second telephone line, ) and small industries (LAN to LAN interconnection, ),
classical broadcast tree-and-branch CATV (Community Antenna TeleVision) networks are
evolving towards an interactive HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) topology, able to support video,
voice and data. Since reliable communications must be established on a shared medium, the
upstream path quality becomes a very important issue. Indeed, there are many factors that
make cable system performance in the upstream direction lower relative to the downstream
direction. The work presented in this paper focuses on multiple interference measurement
which is defined by EN50083-10 as a mix of ingress noise and intermodulation distortion
products in the case of a cable TV networks return path.

1 Introduction
Due to the high demand of new services emerging from residential subscribers (Internet
access, second telephone line, ) and small industries (LAN to LAN interconnection, ),
classical broadcast tree-and-branch CATV (Community Antenna TeleVision) networks are
evolving towards an interactive HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) topology, able to support video,
voice and data.

Since reliable communications must be established on a shared medium, the upstream path
quality becomes a very important issue. Indeed, there are many factors that make cable
system performance in the upstream direction lower relative to the downstream direction. One
factor is the sub-split bands choice (5 to maximum 65 MHz) where man-made noise is
prevalent, particularly in the 5 to 15 MHz portion of the spectrum. An other impairment is the
noise funneling phenomenon: it is the summation of all unwanted noises (Gaussian noise,
ingress noise and impulse noise) from both the subscribers and the cable plant in the return
transmission system. Gaussian noise is identified as filtered white noise coming from active
equipments within the network, while ingress and impulse noises refer to signals picked up by
the network.

EN50083-10 defines ingress noise as a " noise permanently present but slowly varying in its
intensity as a function of time", e.g. short wave broadcasts, amateur radio, citizen bands, ... .
Ingress noise occurs when shielding is inadequate or has been broken for some reason. Over-
the-air RF signals enter the system and interfere with reverse signals. Likewise, impulse noise

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 is defined as a "noise caused by electromagnetic interference into cable networks
characterized by pulses with a duration typically under 10 s". Common sources are
generally man-made (vehicle ignition, neon signs, power line switching transients, electric
motors, electronic switches, household appliances, ...) but also natural (static from lightning,
galactic noise, ...).

The work presented in this paper focuses on multiple interference measurement which is
defined as a mix of ingress noise and intermodulation distortion products in the case of a
cable TV networks return path.

EN50083-10 has defined a way to realize multiple interference measurement, based on

regular spectrum analyzer traces acquisition and post-processing. It also defines a way to
process the data in order to obtain a practical parameter for an interactive service
implementation : the "channel availability".

Nevertheless, for monitoring purpose, information other than channel availability can be
extracted from systematic spectrum analyzer measurements. An approach of the data handling
process, best know under DISP (Discrete Interfering signal Probability) Matrix Method has
been described in. It gives so much information that interpreting all results is time consuming.
This paper will focus on some important graphs to generate in order to obtain a reasonable
statistical knowledge of a return paths multiple interference behavior.

2 Description of the field trial site and the measurement setup.

Measurements on an interactive field trial were performed in Namur (Belgium) during the
year 1999 (weeks 15, 30 & 31).

Figure 1: HFC map of Namur town center.

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 The INATEL CATV network of Namur town center, operated by ELECTRABEL and its
subcontractor CODITEL, has been completely renewed since 1998. It has evolved from a
classical coaxial tree-and-branch structure towards a two-way HFC topology. The network
was divided in 9 nodes, each having an ONU (Optical Network Unit) being linked to the
headend by the way of two optical fibers. Node sizes vary from 500 to 1200 subscribers
divided in 4 coaxial links bearing maximum 4 trunk amplifiers and one distribution amplifier
in cascade. The biggest node (node 1&2) includes 32 amplifiers. All coaxial cables (except
drop cables), amplifiers and taps have been replaced by new equipment for the trial purpose.
Available bandwidths are respectively 5 to 25 MHz and 47 to 600 MHz for upstream and
downstream transmissions. The return path of Namurs network does not hold any noise
filtering equipment, neither at subscribers premises, nor at taps locations.

At the headend location, the output of all optical receivers was gathered with the aim to enter the
same cable modem headend interface when in service. Measurements on each receiver were
performed at a test point (cf. Figure 2) while a range of 75 terminated couplers authorized
measurements on partial sum of signals (node1&2 + node5; node3&4 + node6; node7 + node8;
node9 + node10 + node11) or on the whole sum (representing about 7000 connected households).

TP
NODE 11
TP
NODE 10
TP
NODE 9
TP PC
NODE 8
TP
NODE 7 GPIB
TP
NODE 6
TP
NODE 5 75
TP
NODE 3/4 50
TP
Spectrum analyser
NODE 1/2

Figure 2: Measurement setup on INATEL HFC network.

The measurement setup is based on a Rohde & Schwarz spectrum analyzer having a GPIB
interface connected to a PC. Data were captured following EN50083-10 which stipulates that
during almost 24 hours, the interference spectrum must be stored with a alternation of slow
traces (resolution bandwidth = 3 kHz; video bandwidth = 100 Hz; every hour of the day) and
of rapid traces (resolution bandwidth = 30 kHz; video bandwidth = 10 kHz; every 10
seconds). Measurements have to be made in a network which has all the forward channels in
operation and no signals on the return path. In the frame of our tests, slow traces were
captured as mentioned by the standard but rapid traces were acquired every minute with a 3
kHz video bandwidth. The granularity of the frequency scale between 5 MHz to 35 MHz was
60 kHz (500 points). Following that measurement rhythm, a 1.2 Mbytes text file was
generated about every four hours.

3 Data handling
A Visual Basic program was developed to perform post-processing on each file and to
automatically generate graphs in the EXCEL environment using personalized macro. Useful
information and presentation of results are, e.g.:

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 3.1 Spectrograms
This consists of a 2 dimensional graph (x-axis = frequency and y-axis = time) presenting the
noise level as a colour code (cf. Figure 3). This way of presenting results may give a straight
idea of which frequencies of the return path noise level are the most perturbed and/or when
the highest peak occurred. A good choice of colours, like e.g. temperature maps (blue = cold
& red = hot), may give this information at a glance!

Figure 3: Spectrogram : Lower frequency bands are perturbed, and the 6 MHz band is more impaired.
One can see "slow" traces. There are no out of band perturbations under 35 MHz.

3.2 Average, Minimum and Maximum levels in the spectrum analyzer

resolution bandwidth vs. Frequency
The knowledge of those 3 parameters gives an idea of the level limits of the multiple
interference records during the elapsed time.

Figure 4: Maximum, Minimum and Average : the minimum value gives an underestimated value of the
background noise. The average value gives an idea of the impact (the permanency) of all peaks of the
maximum value.

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 Figure 4 shows those parameters, as well as the difference between maximum and minimum
values. It is noticeable that this last information is about 20 dB and is reproducible whatever
the frequency, the node of the HFC network and the day of measurement.

It is also possible to focus the analysis only on the foreseen useful bandwidth (taking into
account some necessary spectrum analyzer bandwidth correction factors) in order to be sure
of the quality of the upstream frequency portion of interest.

3.3 Centile analysis

The concept of centile analysis is introduced to give a finer analysis of the permanency of
measured multiple interference levels. As an example, a 25% centile (= first quartile) analysis
of a set of measured spectrum traces gives a calculated level (in log values) that is exceeded
during 75% (100 - 25) of the elapsed time. Figure 5 shows some centile analysis: 1% (first
centile), 10% (first decile), 25% (first quartile), 75% (third quartile), 90% (last decile), 99%
(last centile), as well as the minimum, the maximum and the average.

Figure 5: First centile levels give a better idea of the background level than the minimum. The end of the
return path filter bandwidth is obvious with low centile analysis. It is clear that the majority of peaks in
the lower band are permanently present with a varying level. The comparison between the last centile
and the maximum gives and idea on the brief appearance of some peaks (e.g. at 21 MHz).

3.4 Temporal occurrence and frequency occurrence of thresholds

crossing
With the setup we used, each stored trace has 500 points (frequencies). It is important to know
the temporal evolution of the number of frequencies showing a level higher than a given
threshold. This gives an idea of which periods of the day are the most perturbed. It is also
important to know the most perturbed frequencies by counting the number of time the value
of a threshold was exceeded during a given measurement period. From that basis, correlation
with temperature, power consumption, ... could be made. An analysis following different
thresholds could also be realized. Figure 6 and Figure 7 are two expressions of the same
measurement. Figure 6 shows a temporal occurrence of threshold crossing: one can see an
obvious noise activity increasing at the beginning of the evening, and a noise decreasing
during the night (at the maximum, 40% of frequencies are crossing the threshold).

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 Figure 6: Temporal evolution of the 10 dBmV threshold crossing occurrence.

Figure 7: Frequency evolution of the 10 dBmV threshold crossing occurrence.

4 A case study as an example: impact of the introduction of a

directive attenuator on the noise level
Upstream information transmission is generally implemented by the way of burst modems.
This implies that, whatever the time slot, each subscribers emitted signal must reach the
modems receiver located at the headend with a same level. So, a regulation loop is installed
in actual modem technology in order to stabilize the reception level of each subscriber at the
headend independently of path loss variations. Nevertheless, that loop is unfair to subscribers
located on low taps attenuation values in the sense that it reduces their signal level while their
noise level remains statistically as high as other subscribers. Therefore, their signal to noise
ratio deteriorates.

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 The introduction of a directive attenuator in the return path implies a signal level reduction at
the headend side for all subscribers located before this attenuator. Therefore, due to the
regulation loop activity, their emission level will be higher and so becomes their signal to
noise ratio. There should also exist a reduction of all noise contributions coming from
concerned subscribers.

In Namurs HFC, node 5 is located near the station and is very perturbed. Therefore, we used
the measurement setup described by Figure 2 to evaluate the impact of the introduction of a
15 dB directive attenuator at the average distance between two return path amplifiers. Table 1
describes the principal test parameters we used. Figure 8 and Figure 9 show some results.

July August Slow traces Rapid traces

Beginning 26/07/99 11:13:38 06/08/99 17:32:35
End 28/07/99 10:36:33 09/08/99 10:40:33
Note Without directive With 15 dB directive
attenuator attenuator
Temperature > 25C >25C
Resolution bandwidth 3 kHz 30 kHz
Video bandwidth 10 kHz 100 Hz
Sweep time 250 seconds 0.25 seconds
Rhythm 1 each hour 1 each minutes
Table 1 : Test parameters.

Figure 8: Comparison of minimum values between two network configurations : with and without a
directive attenuator.

Figure 8 shows the comparison between the minimum values (be aware that all points may
not belong to the same stored trace) during the measurement time. One can see a general
improvement of the noise level but not so high that we could model in the case of Gaussian
noise (about 6 dB in the present configuration). Figure 9 shows the same tendency : a
lowering of the -10 dBmV threshold level crossing occurrence with an installed directive
attenuator.

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 Figure 9: Comparison of the 10 dBmV frequency level crossing between two network configurations :
with and without a directive attenuator.

5 Conclusions
The statistical level behavior analysis of multiple interference in a HFC return path is a very
difficult problem to solve. It has to be measured on unused frequency portions of the return
path and during long periods of time for confidence in results. We propose in this paper some
tracks to graphically interpret CENELEC EN50083-10 multiple interference measurements
results pointing out the most important evolutions to be analyzed. We used them to evaluate
the impact of a 15 dB directive attenuator in the return path of the fifth node on Namurs HFC
field trial.

6 Acknowledgement.
The authors would like to thank M. Roger VERMEREN from CODITEL (B) and M. Michel
LEFORT from ELECTRABEL (B) for their support and help during the measurement
process. Multitel Telecom is a research unit co-funded by the Ministre de la Rgion
Wallonne (B) and by the European Commission (EC).

References
[1] MOEYAERT V. et al. (1999), Physical layer characterization of hybrid fibre coax
(HFC) networks, Annals of telecommunications, vol. 54, n 5-6, May-June 1999
[2] CENELEC EN50083-10 (1999) : Cable networks for television signals, sound signals
and interactive services Part 10: System performance of return path.
[3] NCTA (1997), Recommended Practices for Measurements on Cable Television Systems:
Supplement on Upstream Transport issues.