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Engineering Encyclopedia

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Configuration Of Saudi Aramco Narrowband Radio Systems

Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services. Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramcos employees. Any material contained in this document which is not already in the public domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given, or disclosed to third parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part, without the written permission of the Vice President, Engineering Services, Saudi Aramco.

Chapter : Communications File Reference: CTR20101

For additional information on this subject, contact J. S. Phillips on 873-0228

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CONTENTS

PAGES

Saudi Aramco Narrowband Radio Systems: Infrastructure And Services........ 1 Major Saudi Aramco System Configurations .................................................. 18 Function And Characteristics Of Saudi Aramco Narrowband Radio Equipment ....................................................................................................... 70 Glossary ........................................................................................................ 116

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SAUDI ARAMCO NARROWBAND RADIO SYSTEMS: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES The following topics that pertain to the infrastructure and the services of Saudi Aramco narrowband systems are covered in this section: Infrastructure Land/Mobile Radio Marine Radio Aviation Radio INMARSAT

Infrastructure Figure 1 shows an overview of the major communication sites within the Saudi Aramco communications network. Basically, communications sites are located where Saudi Aramco activities occur. The major Saudi Aramco centers (Dhahran, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Safaniyah, and Udhailiyah) have the greatest concentration of communication facilities. Base station transceivers for the various narrowband communication systems are located at Saudi Aramco sites along the eastern coast from Safaniyah to Haradh. Further inland, base station transceivers are located at Khurais, Abu Jihan, and Mazalij. Base station transceivers also are located along the East-West pipeline to Yanbu.

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Saudi Aramco Communications Sites Figure 1

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The narrowband communications systems that are used by Saudi Aramco can be categorized as push-to-talk systems, Improved Mobile Telephone Service (IMTS) systems, paging systems, extended subscriber systems, and the INMARSAT system. Push-to-talk systems are the conventional two-way radio systems, that is, push-to-talk systems are those systems that include components such as hand-held radios, vehicle-mounted radios, and base stations. Push-to-talk systems are configured to provide simplex or half-duplex operation. Simplex operation uses one frequency for communications between base stations and mobile radios, and for communications between mobile radios. When a user depresses the push-totalk switch, that user may transmit from his radio. All other radios that are tuned to that frequency (and within ranges) may hear the information that is transmitted from the transmitting radio. The radios may not transmit while another radio transmission is in progress. Half-duplex operation uses two frequencies: one frequency for base station to mobile transmissions and one frequency for mobile to base station transmissions. With the half-duplex arrangement, the base stations can communicate with all mobile stations; however, the mobile stations cannot communicate directly with each other. Information to be conveyed between mobile stations must be transmitted through a base station. As with simplex operation, simultaneous transmissions from mobile stations and base stations do not occur with half-duplex operation. The IMTS and extended subscriber systems are full-duplex systems. IMTS provides mobile telephone service to designated individuals. The extended subscriber system connects telephones that are located at remote fixed locations into the Saudi Aramco telephone network. Full-duplex operation allows simultaneous two-way communications between base stations and either mobile or remote stations. Full-duplex operation also requires separate frequencies for the base station transmit (mobile receive) and base station receive (mobile transmit). The paging system is a one-way communication system. Base stations transmit signals that activate "beepers" that are carried by designated individuals. The "beepers" are small receivers that provide some sort of tone, vibration, or message upon reception of a designated signal. The reception of the signal informs the individual that he has a message. The transmitters for the IMTS systems, the paging systems, and several of the push-to-talk systems are networked together to allow narrowband communication system users in one area of the country to communicate with users in other areas of the country. These base station transceivers are connected through use of wideband communications systems.

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Wideband communications systems include microwave systems, fiber optic systems, and metallic cable systems. The majority of these base station transceivers are located at the major Saudi Aramco communication centers. Because transmissions pass through the INMARSAT satellite, the operation of the INMARSAT system is different from the operation of conventional communications systems. The INMARSAT system allows users, who have no other communication facilities, to communicate from remote locations through the satellite with other stations at virtually any other location in the world. Land/Mobile Radio The majority of Saudi Aramco narrowband communication systems are land/mobile radio systems. The systems that are included in the land/mobile radio systems are the IMTS, extended subscriber, paging, and push-to-talk systems. The following topics that pertain to land/mobile radio systems are covered in this section: Purposes Frequencies Performance Characteristics Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Purposes The purposes of land/mobile radio systems vary with the type of land/mobile system. The purpose of IMTS is to provide mobile telephone service to certain designated individuals throughout the Eastern Province. The purpose of the extended subscriber service is to provide telephone service to fixed locations in remote areas. The purpose of the paging system is to inform those individuals who are issued beepers that a message has been left for them. The purpose of the push-to-talk systems varies from system to system. Many of the push-to-talk systems are configured with stand-alone base stations. Stand-alone base stations are base stations that are not connected to other base stations via the wideband system. This configuration is used for organizations that require only local communication. The systems that have stand-alone base stations may be designed for simplex or half-duplex operation. For example, the transportation, water injection, tactical fire, and old emergency networks are configured for one frequency: simplex operation. The gas local, emergency, and ISD division networks are configured for half-duplex operation.

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Many of the push-to-talk systems are configured with networked base stations. These land/mobile systems provide service over a wide area, and they allow system users in one part of the country to communicate with system users in other parts of the country. This configuration is used for organizations that require communication between widely separated parties. Both half-duplex operation and simplex operation are used with networked base stations. The following are some of the organizations that use a half-duplex networked configuration for their land/mobile communications networks: Oil Central Oil South Drilling Gas Central

The following are some of the organizations that use a simplex networked configuration for their land/mobile communications networks: Utilities Construction Drilling Industrial Security Frequencies Several frequency allocations in both the VHF and UHF frequency bands are used for land/mobile communications systems. The Consultif Committee for International Radio (CCIR) has allocated frequencies for use by land/mobile communication systems. The Ministry of Post, Telephone, and Telegraph (MOPTT) further allocates frequencies for use within Saudi Aramco. The 50 MHz to 70 MHz and 150 MHz to 174 MHz frequency bands are the VHF bands that are used by Saudi Aramco land/mobile systems. The 406.1 MHz to 420 MHz frequency bands and the 450 MHz to 470 MHz frequency bands are the UHF frequency bands that are used by Saudi Aramco land/mobile systems. Most of the UHF land/mobile systems use frequencies between 460 MHz and 470 MHz; however, frequencies between 407 MHz and 414 MHz are used for security and emergency types of land/mobile systems.

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Performance Characteristics The frequency response of all land/mobile communications systems, with the exception of the paging system, is a nominal voice channel. The nominal voice channel ranges from .3 kHz to 3.4 kHz. In narrowband radio systems, the voice channel typically is limited to .3 kHz to 3 kHz. This frequency band is sufficiently large to provide an intelligible speech output; however, the frequency band is kept small to minimize the bandwidth of the transmitted carrier. The reduced carrier frequency bandwidth allows closer channel spacing. A small transmitter frequency deviation (_ 5 kHz) is required to maintain the close spacing between land/mobile radio channels. The power output of transmitters depends on the coverage requirements of the system. A typical base station transmitter is rated for a 100-watt output power. Typical fixed transceivers, such as a desk-top transceiver and vehicular-mounted transceivers, are rated for a 40-watt output power. The hand-held transceivers usually are rated for a 5-watt output power. Beyond the transmitter output power, the range of the transmitters depends on the transmit antenna gain, the antenna height, and the propagation conditions in the area. As an example, the coverage area of the Power Distribution Department/Gas Central Network base station in Shedgum extends from Abqaiq to Uthmaniyah. The coverage area is the area in which the signal from a transmitter is of sufficient amplitude to be detected by a receiver. The size of the coverage area also depends on the following receiver characteristics: Receiver antenna gain Antenna height Receiver sensitivity

Obviously, the coverage range of fixed transceivers, vehicular-mounted transceivers, and hand-held transceivers is smaller than the typical coverage range of a base station transmitter. Many of the base stations that are used by Saudi Aramco use omni-directional antennas to provide a relatively circular coverage area. Areas with difficult propagation conditions and areas along a coast or border may require an offset or directional antenna. These types of antennas concentrate the radiated power in one direction. Because extended subscriber installations are point-to-point communications systems, extended subscriber installations also use directional antennas.

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Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Figure 2 shows an overview of the Power Distribution Department (PDD)/Gas Central Local Network. This network employs many of the features that are found in other land/mobile communications systems. The Gas Central portion of this network is a system that employs networked base stations. These base stations extend from Zuluf in the north to Haradh in the south. The PDD local portion of the network only provides for mobile-to-mobile communication. All of the base stations that are shown in Figure 2, with the exceptions of the Dhahran Tower and the Uthmaniyah base stations, have both Gas Central and Local Base stations. The Dhahran Tower and Uthmaniyah local base stations are used in the Local Network. The Gas Central Network is configured for half-duplex operation. Because the coverage areas of adjacent base stations may overlap, two separate pairs of frequencies are used by the network. Interference could result from base stations that transmit at the same frequency and that have overlapping coverage areas; therefore, the frequency pairs, red and green, are alternately used by the narrowband base stations. For example, the Dhahran and the Shedgum base stations use the green frequencies, but the Abqaiq base station, which has a coverage area that overlaps the coverage area of the Dhahran and Shedgum base stations, uses the red frequencies. The following frequencies are used by the Gas Central Network: Red (transmit) Red (receive) Green (transmit) Green (receive) 464.800 MHz 469.800 MHz 464.850 MHz 469.850 MHz

The transmit frequencies are the frequencies of the base station transmitters; the receive frequencies are the frequencies of the mobile station transmitters. The PDD Gas Local Network is configured for half-duplex operation (red and green). Additionally, a gas local base station is located at the Dhahran tower and Uthmaniyah tower. The frequencies are alternated between coverage areas (red and green). Because the PDD local network only provides for local communication, two separate frequencies are used; the network is not used as a wide area network. With two sets of frequencies, the transmissions from one coverage area will not interfere with the transmissions from another coverage area.

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PDD/Gas Central/PDD Local Network Figure 2


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Marine Radio The following topics that pertain to marine radio systems are covered in this section: Purposes Frequencies Performance Characteristics Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Purposes The purpose of marine radio systems is to provide for communications among shore facilities and nearby ships. These communications may be from ship to ship, from ship to shore, or from shore to shore, and they are used for docking, loading, or unloading activities and for general administrative functions. Frequencies Marine radio operates in both the UHF and VHF frequency bands. The majority of the marine systems operate in the VHF frequency band. Saudi Aramco systems operate on the following marine frequencies: Channel 10 Channel 11 Channel 12 Channel 13 Channel 14 Channel 16 Channel 18 Channel 19 Channel 20 Channel 21 Channel 67 Channel 80 156.50 MHz 156.55 MHz 156.60 MHz 156.65 MHz 156.70 MHz 156.80 MHz 156.90 MHz 156.95 MHz 157.00 MHz 157.05 MHz 156.375 MHz 157.025 MHz

The Ras Tanura Mooring System is a four-channel system that operates between 165 and 167 MHz. The Juaymah Mooring System is the only half-duplex UHF system that is used for Saudi Aramco marine activities, and most of the frequencies in this system are around 408 MHz and 419 MHz; however, at Berth 51 and Berth 52, the frequencies are around 469 MHz and 466 Mhz.

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Performance Characteristics The marine communications systems essentially are push-to-talk systems, and the configuration of the Saudi Aramco marine communications systems is very similar to the configuration of the land/mobile push-to-talk systems. Because these systems share the same configuration, the performance characteristics of the marine systems are very similar to the performance characteristics of the land/mobile push-to-talk systems. Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Figure 3 is a diagram of the Marine Channel 16 System. This system is typical of a number of the Saudi Aramco marine systems. The system is configured for simplex operation, and it employs a number of stand-alone base stations. Base stations are located at the Juaymah Platform, the Juaymah Tressel, the Ras Tanura (RT) Terminal, and Dhahran. A receive- only station is located at Ras Tanajib Comm, and a transmit-only station is located at Tanajib Marine. The frequency that corresponds to channel 16 is 156.80 MHz.

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Marine Channel 16 Figure 3

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Aviation Radio The following topics that pertain to aviation radio systems are covered in this section: Purposes Frequencies Performance Characteristics Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Purposes The purpose of the aviation radio systems is to provide for communications between the crews of both fixed-wing/helicopter aircraft and ground control personnel. Frequencies VHF frequencies are used for the aviation air-to-ground communication systems. The frequencies that are used for communications between helicopters and ground stations are 138.225 MHz and 138.250 MHz. The frequencies that are used for communications between fixed-wing aircraft and ground stations are 138.200 MHz and 138.250 MHz. Performance Characteristics The aviation communications systems essentially are push-to-talk systems, and the configuration of the Saudi Aramco aviation communications systems is very similar to the configuration of the land/mobile push-to-talk systems. Because these systems share the same configuration, the performance characteristics of the aviation systems are very similar to the performance characteristics of the land/mobile push-to-talk systems.

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Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Figure 4 shows the configuration of the various Saudi Aramco aviation air-to-ground communications systems. The following are the locations of the stand-alone aviation base stations that are used for communications with fixed-wing aircraft: Udhailiyah Khurais Dhahran Safaniyah Ras Tanura (RT) Abu Ali Shedgum Haradh-G2

Stand-alone base stations that are used for communications with helicopters are located at airstrips at Ras Tanura (RT), Abu Ali, Ras Tanajib Support, and Marjan G1. These standalone base stations provide for local communications between ground support personnel and aircraft that are within range of a base station. A separate aviation system that employs networked base stations is in place along the East/West Pipeline. The locations of these networked base stations are as follows: Km 82 to Km 402 Yanbu NGL to PS 6 PS 3 to PS 10

Because these base stations are networked, ground control personnel can communicate with aircraft over a larger area than would be possible if stand-alone base stations were used.

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Aviation Air-to-Ground Figure 4

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INMARSAT The following topics that relate to the INMARSAT system are covered in this section: Purposes Frequencies Performance Characteristics Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Purposes The purpose of the INMARSAT system is to provide communications for individuals who cannot be served by any other communications system. The INMARSAT system is a satellite system that provides narrowband communications services to the subscribers of the service. Originally, the INMARSAT system was conceived for maritime use; the INMARSAT system is replacing the conventional HF communications systems that have been used for maritime service. In Saudi Aramco, INMARSAT supplements existing HF systems. The INMARSAT system can provide communications for operations, such as deep desert exploration, that originally were provided through use of HF systems. Frequencies With respect to satellite systems, two frequencies are specified: the uplink frequency and the downlink frequency. The uplink frequency is for transmissions from the ground station to the satellite; the downlink frequency is for transmissions from the satellite to the ground stations. With the INMARSAT system, two sets of uplink frequencies and downlink frequencies are specified: one frequency for the link between the coast earth stations (CESs) and the satellite and one frequency for the link between the satellite and the transportable stations. The CESs transmit in the 6 GHz band, and they receive in the 4 GHz band. The transmissions between the portable stations and the satellite occur in the L band. The L band extends between 1 GHz and 2 GHz. Performance Characteristics Three standards have been developed for the INMARSAT system: A, B, and C. Basically, the standards specify items, such as the required frequencies, bit rates, and error performance, that must be met by the equipment that is designed to conform with a standard.

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Although the equipment that is manufactured by different companies may have slightly different transmitter power levels or antenna sizes, all of the equipment that is manufactured to conform with one of the standards will have virtually the same performance characteristics. The A standard is designed for use on larger ships, and it requires a large amount of equipment. The A standard is impractical for portable stations. To overcome these problems, the B and C standards have been developed. The B standard provides telephone services that employ digital speech processing and coding. Basically, the speech is converted to a digital signal. This digital signal is then encoded. The encoding allows the system to employ error correction. The use of error correction improves the quality of the output audio signals. As with standard telephone systems, a typical 300 Hz to 3400 Hz voice channel is transmitted over the B standard systems. Data may also be transmitted through B standard systems. The user may select between two data rates: 9600 bits per seconds and 16000 bits per second. These data rates are comparable to the data rates that can be achieved over conventional analog telephone systems. The C Standard provides for low bit rate data transmissions. The power and size requirements for C standard applications are very low; however, the C standard only provides a 600 bits per second data transmission rate. Typical Saudi Aramco Applications Figure 5 shows a typical Saudi Aramco INMARSAT system application. The Saudi Aramco transportable satellite terminals are used in locations such as a deep desert rig. The terminal communicates with the Indian Ocean INMARSAT satellite, which in turn communicates with the Jeddah ground station. The Jeddah ground station is connected to the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network. The Saudi Aramco Telephone Network also is connected to the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network. A call between the transportable satellite terminal and a telephone that is connected to the Saudi Aramco Telephone Network passes through the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network, the Jeddah ground station, and the Indian Ocean INMARSAT satellite.

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INMARSAT Figure 5

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MAJOR SAUDI ARAMCO SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS In the previous section, the purposes and applications of the various narrowband communications systems that are used by Saudi Aramco were reviewed. The following topics that pertain to the configurations of the major Saudi Aramco systems are covered in this section: Improved Mobile Telephone Service (IMTS) System Paging System Push-to-Talk Systems Extended Subscribers INMARSAT Satellite System

Improved Mobile Telephone Service (IMTS) System The purpose or function of the IMTS system is to provide mobile telephone service for designated individuals. The following topics that pertain to the configuration of the IMTS system are covered in this section: Configuration Call Scenario Configuration Figure 6 is a block diagram of the UHF IMTS system. An IMTS system consists of the following major components: Central Office IMTS Terminal Base Stations Mobile Telephones

Central Office - Central offices are components of telephone switching systems. Each

telephone within a telephone network is connected into the telephone network through a central office. The central office provides two basic functions: call routing and call supervision. Call routing is required to route both incoming and outgoing calls to the correct location. Call supervision is required to establish the talking path between the parties that are involved in the call and to provide the necessary control signals that are used by the telephone network to establish, monitor, and break connections. All incoming and outgoing UHF IMTS calls are

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routed through the Dhahran central office, whereas all incoming and outgoing VHF IMTS calls are routed through the Abqaiq central office.

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IMTS System Figure 6

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IMTS Terminal - The IMTS terminal is the heart of the IMTS system, and it is the

interface between the telephone network and IMTS radio base stations. The following functions are performed by the IMTS terminal: office. Provides receiver voting. Selects the channel for idle tone transmissions. Recognizes when a mobile telephone attempts to seize a channel or has answered a call. Stores mobile telephone identification numbers. Stores valid numbers for outgoing IMTS calls. Makes and breaks connections between base stations and the central

A 2 kHz idle tone is transmitted on one channel by each base station. The purpose of the idle tone is to provide the mobile telephones with the identification of the channel to monitor. The UHF IMTS system has eight channels: F1 through F8. Each mobile telephone scans the eight channels until the channel that contains the idle tone is received. After the channel that contains the idle tone is received, the mobile telephone will monitor that channel. Seizures and call answers must be recognized so that the IMTS terminal can connect the appropriate telephone to the central office. The recognition of these actions is performed with the transmission and reception of various acknowledge tones. The mobile telephone identification numbers are used to identify which mobile telephone has an incoming or an outgoing call. The mobile telephone identification number (ANI) is analogous to a conventional telephone number. The IMTS system only allows outgoing calls to be placed to telephones that are within a particular calling area; therefore, each time an outgoing call attempt occurs, the IMTS terminal determines whether the called telephone number is located within the allowable calling area. Those telephone numbers that are valid for each mobile telephone are stored by the IMTS terminal.

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The IMTS terminal is illustrated in Figure 7. The IMTS terminal provides the connections between the base stations and the central office (C.O.) so that dialed numbers, conversations, busy signals, and other information can be transmitted between the central office and the mobile telephones. The receiver voter panel provides the best received signal from the mobile telephone to the central office. The computer work station that is shown in Figure 7 provides the processing and storage functions for the IMTS terminal. The channel inputs/outputs (I/Os) provide the interface between the work station and the control equipment for each channel and the central office. DID and DOD are acronyms for Direct Inward Dialing and Direct Outward Dialing, respectively. The DID and the DOD units provide the interface between the IMTS terminal and the central office. The base unit provides the interface between the IMTS terminal, the voter panel, and the transmitter steering (bridge). Telephone calls from the telephone network that are to be routed to mobile telephones are routed through the DID unit. Telephone calls from mobile telephones are routed to the central office through the DOD unit. All of the information that is transmitted between the central office and a mobile telephone is routed through the base unit. Because the IMTS system is a four-wire system and the trunks that connect the CO to the IMTS terminal are two-wire circuits, a hybrid is required. The hybrid performs the conversions between two-wire circuits and four-wire circuits. A two-wire circuit is a circuit in which both transmission directions are carried over a single wire pair or radio channel. A four-wire circuit is a circuit that employs two wire pairs or channels for the two-transmission directions. The trunk selector selects between the DID trunks and the DOD trunks, dependent upon whether the call is from land to a mobile unit or from a mobile unit to land.

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IMTS Terminal Figure 7

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The purposes of the voter panel are to determine which receiver provides the highest quality received signal and to connect the output of that receiver to the base unit. Figure 8 shows a block diagram of a voter panel. The voter panel consists of receiver modules and an audio module. The output of each receiver is connected to a receiver module. The receiver module amplifies and squelches (as required) the receiver input. The amplified signals from each receiver module are alternately applied by the select and hold switches on the receiver modules to a select and hold timer that is located in the audio module. The select and hold timer provides an input to the select circuit on the receiver module for the channel that has the best received signal. The select circuit provides a gate signal for the selected audio gate that allows the selected audio gate to connect the amplified received signal to the audio amplifiers on the audio module. The received signal is then output from the audio module to the base unit.

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Voter Panel Figure 8

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The transmitter steering (bridge) that was shown in Figure 7 connects the signals to be transmitted to the correct transmitter. The transmitter that is to broadcast the signals is the transmitter that is associated with the receiver that has been selected by the voter panel. The transmitter steering (bridge) consists of three transmitter selectors and two audio splitter units. Each transmitter selector is associated with several of the base stations. If the receiver for a given base station has been selected by the voter panel, a signal from an associated receiver module is output to the associated transmitter selector. The transmitter selector then signals the associated base station transmitter to transmit. The audio splitters split the audio signals that are received from the IMTS base unit into separate signals for each base station transmitter. During a call, the only transmitter that transmits is the transmitter at the base station with the receiver that has been selected by the voter panel.
Base Stations - The base stations are basically UHF transmitters and receivers. The

locations of the base stations are as follows: Safaniyah Abu Hadriyah Berri Ras Tanura Dhahran Abqaiq Shedgum Surge Tank Udhailiyah

The base stations are linked to the IMTS terminal through the fiber optic and/or microwave backbone communications systems. Figure 9 is a table that provides the frequencies that are used for the different IMTS channels.

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IMTS Channel Frequencies Figure 9


Mobile Telephones - The mobile telephones that are used by the IMTS system contain a

transmitter, a receiver, and control circuits. The transmitter and the receiver provide the link between the IMTS system subscriber and the base stations. The control circuits are required to ensure that the transmitter and the receiver are tuned to the correct frequency. Call Scenario Figure 10 shows a simplified block diagram of the IMTS system; this block diagram is referenced throughout the descriptions of the call scenarios. The following call scenarios will be examined in this section: From Land to Mobile Call From Mobile to Land Call

From Land to Mobile Call - Initially, all of the IMTS base stations transmit the idle tone

on one of the channels, provided that there is at least one channel that is free of traffic. Each mobile telephone that is activated (turned on) monitors the channel that broadcasts the idle tone. The following sequence is followed when a call is placed from a land telephone to a mobile telephone:

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The central office routes the call to the IMTS terminal. Because all IMTS mobile telephone numbers begin with 87704 and 87705, the IMTS terminal discards the first three digits of the called telephone number, and it passes the last four digits to the SUB FILES (subscriber files). The subscriber files are stored in the computer work station. If the four digits correspond to a mobile telephone number, the computer work station provides the ANI that corresponds to the digits of the base stations for transmission. The IMTS terminal also removes the idle tone. All mobile telephones that are activated receive the transmitted ANI; however, only the mobile telephone that is assigned that ANI can decode the ANI. After the ANI has been decoded, the mobile telephone that is assigned the ANI transmits an acknowledge tone. The other mobile telephones begin to scan for the next idle channel. After receipt of the acknowledge tone, the IMTS terminal switches on ringing for the called telephone. The ringing signal is transmitted by all of the base stations. If the base station does not receive an acknowledge tone, a recorded announcement that states that the dialed telephone is not available is returned to the calling telephone. In response to the ringing signal, the called telephone goes off-hook. "Off-hook" is the telephone terminology that describes when the telephone handset is removed from its cradle. The called telephone begins to broadcast as soon as the telephone has gone off-hook. For 400 milliseconds, the voter panel determines which receiver provides the best signal. This site initially is selected to handle the call; the other transmitters stop transmitting. With the site selected, the IMTS terminal connects the call through to the central office. The voter panel continues to monitor the quality of the received signal from each site. If the quality of the received signal from another site becomes better, that site is selected, and the transmitter at the original site drops off.

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IMTS Block Diagram Figure 10

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From Mobile to Land Call - Initially, all of the IMTS base stations that are on a single

channel transmit the idle tone. Each mobile telephone that is activated monitors the channel that broadcasts the idle tone. The following sequence occurs when a call is placed from a mobile telephone to a land telephone: The mobile telephone that is to place the call goes off-hook. When the mobile telephone goes off-hook, the mobile telephone transmits a seize tone. The seize tone is received by the IMTS terminal, and it is acknowledged by the IMTS terminal by means of the transmission of an acknowledge tone. The voter panel selects the site based on the quality of the signals that are received from the various sites. The other transmitters cease to transmit on this channel. When the IMTS terminal acknowledges the seizure, the IMTS terminal switches the idle tone to the next available channel. The other mobile telephones that are activated scan the channels until the channel that contains the idle tone is received. The mobile telephones then monitor this new channel. When the calling mobile telephone receives the acknowledge tone, the mobile telephone transmits its ANI. The IMTS terminal determines whether the ANI is valid. If the ANI is valid, the IMTS terminal connects the central office to the mobile telephone, and the central office applies a dial tone for the mobile telephone. Upon receipt of the dial tone, the telephone number is dialed. The IMTS terminal monitors the dialed number to determine whether the dialed number is valid. Those calling areas that may be reached by each mobile telephone are programmed into the IMTS terminal computer work station. Generally, the mobile telephones may be restricted to a particular local calling area or to the Eastern Province.

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Paging System (464.3 MHz) The purpose/function of the paging system is to notify designated personnel through portable radio receiving units that there is a message for the designated personnel. The radio receiving units are referred to as pagers. Pagers are used by personnel who spend considerable time in the field or away from their office telephones. The paging system is a tone and voice system that employs transmitters at various major communications sites. The following topics that pertain to the paging system are covered in this section: Configuration Figure 11 is a block diagram of the paging system. The paging system consists of the following major components: the paging terminal, networked base stations, modems, and the pagers. The paging terminal is located at the Dhahran telephone central office. The terminal processes the calls to pagers, and it stores messages. All calls to a pager are routed through the paging terminal. When a call is placed to a pager, the terminal converts the dialed telephone number to a pager identification number, and it provides a recorded message to the caller to leave a message for the called party. The pager identification number is analogous to the IMTS ANI. Dependent on the telephone number that was dialed, the paging signal will be transmitted from either one of three areas or a combination thereof: the Northern Area, the Central Area, or the Southern Area. The paging terminal routes a signal that corresponds to the pager identification number of the pager that was called to the base stations in the appropriate area or areas. When prompted by the recorded message, the caller leaves a message for the called party. The paging terminal stores these messages. The nominal message length that can be stored by the paging terminal is 15 seconds. The paging terminal provides a queue to store multiple messages that have been left for a single individual. A group call feature that allows one individual to leave a message to a group of paging system subscribers also is available. A telephone access number is assigned to each individual who is assigned a pager. The telephone access number allows these individuals to access their messages that are stored by the paging terminal. The base stations broadcast the signal that corresponds to the pager identification number of the pager that was called. This signal is broadcast from all of the base stations in the appropriate area. The Northern Area base stations are those base stations that are north of Configuration Call Scenario

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Dhahran. The Southern Area base stations are those base stations that are south of Dhahran. The Dhahran base station is the only Central Area base station. The pagers are simply radio receivers that contain a decoder and an alerting device. When turned on, the pagers receive the 464.300 MHz signals that are transmitted from the paging base stations. A signal to a pager that is transmitted by the base stations is received by all of the pagers that are turned on and within the range of a base station; however, because the pager identification number is transmitted, only the pager for which the transmission is intended can decode the signal. When the signal is decoded, the decoder signals the alerting device to inform the wearer that a message has been left for that individual.

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Paging System Figure 11

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Call Scenario The following sequence occurs when a call is placed from a telephone to a pager telephone number: The caller dials the telephone number for the desired pager. The paging terminal "answers" the call. After a recorded message and at the "beep" prompt, the caller leaves the desired message. The paging terminal stores the message. The paging terminal converts the telephone number to a paging identification number that corresponds to the dialed number. A signal that corresponds to the called paging identification number is routed to the area that corresponds to the dialed number. Each transmitter in the appropriate area transmits a signal that can be decoded only by the pager that is assigned to the called individual. The called pager notifies the wearer that a message has been left for that individual. The "beeped" individual dials his telephone access number and retrieves any messages that are queued for that individual.

Push-to-Talk Systems The vast majority of Saudi Aramco's narrowband communication systems consists of push-totalk systems. The purposes/functions of the push-to-talk systems vary with the application and the configuration of the systems. Generally, push-to-talk systems can be classified as either repeatered systems or as non-repeatered systems. The purpose of a repeatered system is to provide wide area communications. The purpose of a non-repeatered system is to provide communications in a local area.

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The Northern Remote Division Security System will be used to describe the operation of both repeatered and non-repeatered push-to-talk (PTT) systems. This system has three channels. The first channel is used on a half-duplex repeatered system. The second channel is used for a simplex non-repeatered system. The third channel is used for simplex non-repeatered communications between personal radios and from personal radios to mobile radios and fixed transceivers. The following topics that pertain to push-to-talk systems are covered in this section: Non-Repeatered Systems Repeater Systems

Non-Repeatered Systems The following topics that pertain to non-repeatered push-to-talk systems are covered in this section: Configuration Call Scenario

Configuration - Figure 12 is a block diagram of the Local Channel for the Northern

Remote Division Security System. The radio system consists of a console, base stations, fixed transceivers, personal radios, and mobile radios. The console is located at the Ras Tanajib ISD building. The base stations are located at Ras Tanajib, Berri, Nariyah, Wariyah, and Khursaniyah. The base stations are configured for remote control. Both transmission and reception are alone on 410.450 MHz. The console is a remote controller that allows an individual at the Ras Tanajib ISD building to transmit to and receive information from the base stations. The console provides the microphone, the speaker, and the controls that are required for an individual at the console to transmit to and to receive information from the base stations. Voice signals to be transmitted and control tones are transmitted from the console to hub equipment at Ras Tanajib communications site. The control tones are used by the base station line equalization and control equipment to control the base station transmitters. Received voice signals are transmitted from all Ras Tanajib communications sites to the console. The Ras Tanajib hub contains a voter, line equalization and control equipment, transmitter and receiver, transmission line components, and an antenna. Each base station receiver transmits to the voter either the received audio signal or, if the receiver is squelched, a 1950 Hz tone. The voter selects the best received signal for transmission to the console. The operation of the voter is similar to the operation of the voter that was discussed in the IMTS section.

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Local Channel Figure 12

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The line equalization and control equipment performs three functions: the equipment equalizes the lines to the various base stations, and it inserts the correct amount of delay into the transmitted audio signals as is required for simulcast operation, and it interprets the control tones from the console to control the keying of the base station transmitters. Because the system is a simulcast system, the line equalization and delay function is required. A simulcast system is a system that simultaneously transmits the same information from more than one base station on the same frequency. Interference and degraded system performance result from simulcast base station transmissions that are not simultaneous, of equal amplitude, and in phase. Because each base station simultaneously transmits the same information, the signals from the console must simultaneously reach each base station. Interpretation of control tones is required to key the base station transmitters. When an individual at the console depresses the PTT switch, the transmitters are keyed, and the voice signals are transmitted to the base stations for transmission. Control tones are used to indicate to the control equipment that the PTT switch has been depressed. Two tones are used: a 2175 Hz tone and a 1950 Hz tone. The 2175 Hz tone is first transmitted for 125 milliseconds to alert the control equipment. After the 2175 Hz tone, the 1950 Hz tone is transmitted for 40 milliseconds. The 1950 Hz tone is the signal to key the base station transmitters. After the 1950 Hz tone has been transmitted, the 2175 Hz tone is transmitted as long as the PTT switch is depressed. This tone is the transmitter holding tone; the tone ensures that the transmitters remain keyed as long as the PTT switch is depressed. In order for the line equalization and control equipment to perform these two functions, two signal paths are present through the line equalization and control equipment: a transmit audio signal path and a keying signal path. The components through which the transmit audio signals pass are as follows: From the ISD BLDG Industrial Security Console TX/RX Audio and Control Interface Keying Control Assembly Bridging Amplifiers Delay Lines Equalizers To the Base Station Transmitters

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A block diagram of the line equalization and control equipment is shown in Figure13. In the transmit audio signal path, the TX/RX audio and control interface processes the signals from the console to separate the transmit audio signals from the keying signals. The transmit audio signals pass through the keying control assembly to the bridging amplifiers. The bridging amplifiers compensate for the losses that are inserted by the delay lines and equalizers and ensure that the level to each destination is correct. The delay lines ensure that the transmit audio signals from the console simultaneously reach each base station. Also, the amplitude and phase of the transmit audio signals must be equal. The transmit audio signals may be transmitted to the base stations over either a microwave system or a twisted wire pair; however, only signals to the Ras Tanajib Comms base station are transmitted over a twisted wire pair. In the keying signal path, the control tones are connected to the TX/RX Audio and Control Interface from the console. This interface removes the control signals from the voice signals, and it transmits each control signal to the keying control assembly. The keying control assembly routes the voice signals to be transmitted to the base station transmitters through the delay and equalization circuitry. The keying signals are routed to the transmitter keying control assembly. The transmitter keying control assembly provides the transmitter keying signals that are transmitted to the base station transmitters through the keying relay assemblies. The transmitter keying signals are transmitted to the Ras Tanajib base station through a twisted wire pair and to the other base stations through microwave systems.

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Line Equalization and Control Equipment


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Figure 13

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Figure 14 shows a block diagram of the remainder of the base station components: the transceiver rack and the antenna. The transceiver rack contains the transmitter (TX1), the receiver (RX1), the cavity filter, the RF patch panels, the low noise amplifier (LNA), and the transmit/receive relay. The transmitter receives an audio input, a transmitter keying input, and a master frequency reference oscillator input. The keying input (TX key) causes the transmitter to begin to transmit. The keying relay assembly was discussed in the previous section. The audio input (TX audio) provides the information that frequency modulates the transmitted carrier. The TX key and TX audio inputs are outputs from the line equalization and control equipment through the terminal blocks. The terminal blocks simply provide a connection point. The master frequency reference is used by the transmitter to ensure that the correct carrier frequency is maintained. The importance of the base station transmitter frequency stability is increased in simulcast systems. Because the system is a simulcast system, any variation between the transmitter frequencies of the various base stations will introduce distortion and decrease system performance. The output of the transmitter is connected to a cavity filter through a transmission line and RF patch panel. The cavity filter ensures that no unwanted signal components are transmitted. When the transmitter transmits, the transmit/receive relay connects the cavity filter output to the antenna. The transmit/receive relay also connects the receiver to the antenna when transmission stops. The relay is also activated by the keying relay assembly. The base station transmitters that are used in this system are rated at 100 watts. Received signals are coupled from the antenna to a cavity filter through a transmission line and the transmit/receive relay. The cavity filter ensures that no frequencies that could interfere with the received signal are coupled to the receiver. An LNA compensates for the losses that are inserted by the filter, and it boosts signal strength for the receiver. The audio output from the receiver (RX audio) is sent to the voter through the terminal blocks. Several different types of antennas are used for the base station antennas. The type of antenna that is used depends on the desired coverage area for the base station. For example, the Ras Tanajib and Wariyah base stations are located near the edge of the northern remote division coverage area; therefore, directional antennas are used to focus the transmitted energy within the desired coverage area. Two directional antennas are used at the Nariyah base station to form an effective bi-directional antenna that provides a long, narrow coverage area. More omni-directional types of antennas are used at the Berri and Khursaniyah base stations.

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Mobile radios, personal radios, and fixed transceivers are self-contained transceivers. The fixed transceiver's transmit power is 50 watts, the personal radio's transmit power is 5 watts, and the mobile radio's transmit power is 40 watts. The mobile radios and fixed transceivers are configured for two-channel operation over the local channel and the division channel. The personal radios are configured for three-channel operation. The third channel is for personal radio to personal radio communications; however, the mobile radios and fixed transceivers can monitor this communication on the division channel.

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Base Station Figure 14

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Call Scenario - The following scenario occurs when an individual at the console

depresses the PTT switch and speaks into the microphone: The console sends the 2175 Hz tone, which is followed by the 1950 Hz tone and another 2175 Hz tone, to the line equalization and control equipment. After the tones have been transmitted, voice signals are transmitted. The line equalization and control equipment removes the control tones from the voice signals. The voice signals are split into five signals for the five base stations, amplified, and sent to the delay lines. The delay lines insert the correct amount of delay for each base station. The voice signals then are equalized and transmitted to each base station transmitter. The line equalization and control equipment simultaneously transmits the transmitter keying signal to each base station transmitter to key the transmitters. Each keyed transmitter simultaneously transmits the voice signals. The transmitted carrier frequency is 410.450 MHz. Any fixed transceiver, mobile radio, or personal radio that is turned on within the range of the transmitters and that is selected to the correct channel will receive the transmitted voice signals, and it will provide an audio output through a speaker.

The following scenario occurs when an individual with a personal or other mobile radio transmits: Any fixed transceiver, mobile radio, or personal radio that is turned on within the range of the personal radio and that is selected to the correct channel will receive the transmitted voice signals, and it will provide an audio output through a speaker. The transmitted signal is received at varying levels by the receivers at one or more of the base stations. The received level at a base station depends on the proximity of the personal radio, the propagation conditions, and the radiation pattern of the base station antenna.

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The received voice signals are transmitted from the base station receivers to the voter at the Ras Tanajib Comms site. The voter selects the highest-quality received signal, and it transmits the signal to the console in the ISD building. The console provides an audio output through the console speaker.

Repeatered Systems The following topics that pertain to a repeatered system are covered in this section: Configuration Call Scenario

Configuration - Figure 15 is a block diagram of the Division Channel for the Northern

Remote Division Security System. The radio system consists of a console, base stations, fixed transceivers, personnel radios, and mobile radios. The location of the components is the same location as the local channel; however, the base stations can be configured as remotes or as repeaters. A repeater is a base station that transmits the signals that are received from the console and the signals that are received by the base station receiver. The base station transmit frequency is 408.875 MHz, and its receive frequency is 413.875 MHz. The console is the same console that is used by the local channel. The console performs the same functions for the division channel as the functions that were described for the local channel.

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Block Diagram of the Division Channel for the Northern Remote Division Security System Figure 15

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Figure 16 is a block diagram of the voter and the line equalization and control equipment that are used for the division channel. The voter receives the received audio signals from the base station receivers, and it selects the best signal for transmission to the console. The signal is transmitted to the console through the TX/RX audio and control interface. The voter also transmits the selected audio signal and a keying signal to the keying control assembly. The TX/RX audio and control interface receives both the audio signals to be transmitted and the control tone signals from the console. The audio signals to be transmitted and the transmitter keying signals are transmitted from the TX/RX audio and control interface to the keying control assembly. The keying control assembly routes the audio signals to be transmitted to the base station transmitters through the delay and equalization circuitry. The division channel delay and equalization circuitry is identical to the circuitry that is used for the local channel. The keying signals are routed to the transmitter keying control assembly. The transmitter keying control assembly provides the transmitter keying signal that is transmitted to the base station receivers through the keying relay assemblies. The audio and transmitter keying signals are transmitted to the Ras Tanajib base station through a twisted wire pair. The audio and transmitter keying signals are transmitted to the other base stations through wideband systems. Because the division channel is a repeatered network, the base station transmitters can be keyed by either keying signals from the console or by the selected audio signals from the voter. If desired, the repeater function can be suspended by the repeat disable switch at the console. The repeat disable command is transmitted as a control tone from the console to the TX/RX audio and control interface. The repeat disable control tone is interpreted by the TX/RX audio and control interface, which, in turn, provides the repeat disable command to the voted repeat disable control. When the repeat disable command is present, the voted repeat disable control signals the keying control assembly. This signal prevents the voter keying signal from signaling the keying control assembly to key the base station transmitters.

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Line Equalization and Control Figure 16

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Figure 17 shows the base station transmitter (TX2), the receiver (RX2), the transmission lines, and the antenna. The division channel base station transmitters, receivers, and antennas are very similar to those transmitters, receivers, and antennas that are used by the local channel. The transmit frequency is 408.875 MHz. The receive frequency is 413.875 MHz. Several different components are located between the antenna and the transmitter/receiver. An isolator is used between the transmitter and the antenna. The isolator prevents energy from being reflected back to the transmitter. The duplexer performs a function that is similar to that of the transmit/receive relay. The duplexer couples energy from the transmitter to the antenna, and it prevents the transmitter energy from being coupled to the receiver. The duplexer also couples the energy from the antenna to the receiver, and it prevents the energy that is received by the antenna from being coupled to the transmitter. Because two receivers share the same antenna, a multicoupler is required. The multicoupler couples the received 413.875 MHz signals to the division channel receiver and the received 408.275 MHz signals to the auxiliary receiver (RX5). The auxiliary receiver is used for medical services. The same fixed transceivers, mobile radios, and personal radios are used for the division channel as are used for the local channel.

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Base Station Figure 17

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Call Scenario - The following scenario occurs when an individual at the console

depresses the PTT switch and speaks into the microphone: The console sends the 2175 Hz tone, which is followed by the 1950 Hz tone and another 2175 Hz tone, to the line equalization and control equipment. After the tones have been transmitted, voice signals are transmitted. The line equalization and control equipment removes the control tones from the voice signals. The voice signals are split into five signals for the five base stations, amplified, and sent to the delay lines. The delay lines insert the correct amount of delay for each base station. The audio signals then are equalized and transmitted to each base station transmitter. The line equalization and control equipment simultaneously transmits the transmitter keying signal to each base station transmitter, which keys the transmitters. Each keyed transmitter simultaneously transmits the voice signals. The transmitted carrier frequency is 408.875 Mhz. Any fixed transceiver, mobile radio, or personal radio that is turned on within the range of the transmitters and that is selected to the correct channel receives the transmitted audio signals, and it provides an audio output through a speaker.

The following scenario occurs when an individual with a personal radio transmits and the repeat disable function is not selected: The signal is transmitted from the personal radio at 413.875 MHz. The transmitted signal is received at varying levels by the receivers at one or more of the base stations. The received level at a base station depends on the proximity of the personal radio, the propagation conditions, and the radiation pattern of the base station antenna. The received voice signals are transmitted from the base station receivers to the voter at the Ras Tanajib Comms site. The voter selects the highest-quality received signal, and it transmits the signal to the console in the ISD building and to the keying control assembly.

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When repeater operation is enabled, the keying control assembly routes both the received audio to the base station transmitters and keys the base station transmitters. The base station transmitters re-transmit the received audio at 408.875 MHz. Any fixed transceiver, mobile radio, or personal radio that is turned on within the range of the transmitters and that is selected to the correct channel receives the transmitted audio signals, and it provides an audio output through a speaker.

Extended Subscriber The purpose/function of the extended subscriber system is to allow individuals at remote locations to have access to the Saudi Aramco Telephone Network. The following topics that pertain to the extended subscriber system are covered in this section: Configuration Figure 18 is a block diagram of an extended subscriber system installation. An extended subscriber installation consists of a conventional telephone, a subscriber radio, and a central office radio. Generally, extended subscriber facilities are designated as either central office end or subscriber end. A conventional full-duplex transceiver is used for the central office and subscribes radios of an extended subscriber installation. A highly directional antenna is connected to the transceiver. Because all transmissions between the central office end and the subscriber end are point-to-point, directional antennas are used. Also, the use of directional antennas helps to minimize interference between the extended subscriber installation and any other radio systems utilizing the same frequency. Calls that are routed to an extended subscriber telephone are processed through the central office in the same manner as are other calls; however, instead of the twisted wire pair that connects conventional telephones to a central office, the extended subscriber connection is through a radio. The signaling and voice signals for the extended subscriber telephone are routed through the central office to the central office end transmitter. The signaling and voice signals that are outputs of the extended subscriber telephone are routed from the central office Configuration Call Scenario

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end receiver to the central office. The subscriber radio is connected to a conventional telephone.

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Extended Subscriber Figure 18

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Call Scenario The following call scenarios will be examined in this section: To an Extended Subscriber Telephone From an Extended Subscriber Telephone

To an Extended Subscriber Telephone - The following sequence occurs when a call is

placed from a telephone to an extended subscriber telephone: The call is routed to the central office that serves the extended subscriber. The central office routes the call to the central office end transmitter. The transmitter transmits an alerting tone to the subscriber end receiver. The subscriber-end receiver processes the alerting tone, and its transmitter returns an acknowledge tone. After receipt of the acknowledge tone, the central office switches on the ringing signal for the called telephone. The ringing signal is transmitted by the central office end transmitter. In response to the ringing signal, the called telephone goes off-hook. The subscriber-end transmitter begins to transmit as soon as the telephone has gone off-hook. In response to the off-hook condition of the called telephone, the central office end transmitter begins to transmit. To the individuals who are engaged in the telephone call, the call proceeds in the same manner as a conventional call. When one of the telephones returns to an on-hook condition, the call is terminated.

From an Extended Subscriber Telephone - The following sequence occurs when a call is

placed from an extended subscriber telephone: The extended subscriber telephone that is to place the call goes offhook. When the extended subscriber telephone goes off-hook, the subscriber end transmitter transmits a seize tone.

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The seize tone is received by the central office end receiver, and it is acknowledged by the central office by means of the transmission of a dial tone. Upon receipt of the dial tone, the telephone number is dialed, and the call proceeds as a conventional telephone call.

INMARSAT The purpose/function of the INMARSAT system, as the system is used by Saudi Aramco, is to provide a method for Saudi Aramco personnel outside existing communications infrastructure to communicate with other Saudi Aramco personnel. The following topics that relate to INMARSAT are covered in this section: Configuration Figure 19 is a block diagram of an INMARSAT communications link. The INMARSAT communications link consists of a transportable INMARSAT terminal, the INMARSAT satellite, the coastal earth station (CES), and the telephone network (PTT). The INMARSAT terminal is a self-contained transmitter and receiver that includes a telephone interface (the voice card), a data interface, and an antenna. The transmitter and the receiver share a single parabolic antenna. A duplexer separates and routes the transmitted and received signals. Many INMARSAT terminals include a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that is used to fix the position of the terminal. The GPS system uses reference signals that are transmitted from satellites in known orbits in order to determine the position of a GPS receiver. The location that has been determined by the GPS receiver is used by the terminal to train the antenna toward the INMARSAT satellite. The transmitter components include an up-converter and a high power amplifier (HPA). The receiver components include a low noise amplifier (LNA) and a down-converter. The transmitter and the receiver share a terminal control unit (TCU) and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU receives inputs from the telephone and data interface, the TCU, the RF card, the up-converter and the down-converter. It also provides outputs to the telephone and data interface, the TCU, the RF card, the up-converter, and the down-converter. Basically, the CPU performs the majority of the control functions that are required by the terminal. The TCU receives and processes the operational commands from the terminal front panel controls. These operational commands include requests for channels and commands to begin and end transmissions.
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The RF card processes the voice and data signals that are output to the transmitter and that are input from the receiver. The RF card also provides the data interface. The voice card provides the telephone interface with the RF card. The output to the transmitter from the RF card is converted to the transmit frequency by the up-converter. The HPA amplifies the upconverted signal to the transmit power. The uplink frequency from the terminal is approximately 1.6 GHz. The downlink frequency to the terminal is approximately 1.5 GHz. The LNA amplifies the received signals, and the downconverter converts the received frequency to an intermediate frequency signal that is output to the RF card. The INMARSAT system employs three geo-synchronous satellites. A geo-synchronous satellite is a satellite that is positioned over the equator and orbits the earth exactly once per day; therefore, geo-synchronous satellites appear to remain in a stationary position. The Indian Ocean INMARSAT satellite is normally used by Saudi Aramco. The satellite receives the transmitted signals from the terminal, and it retransmits those signals to a CES. The downlink frequency from the satellite to the CES is approximately 4 GHz. The satellite also receives the signals that are transmitted from the CES, and it retransmits those signals so that the signals can be received by INMARSAT terminals. The uplink frequency from the CES to the satellite is approximately 6 GHz. The CES provides the interface between the INMARSAT system and the telephone network. The CESs utilize a 10 to 13 meter transmit/receive antenna on the satellite link. The CES that is normally used by Saudi Aramco is located in Jeddah. The Jeddah CES is linked with the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network (PTT). Calls to an INMARSAT terminal are routed to the Jeddah CES. The CES transmits the call to the Indian Ocean INMARSAT satellite. Calls from an INMARSAT terminal are received by the Jeddah CES, and they are routed through the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network to the called telephone.

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INMARSAT Satellite Network Figure 19

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Call Scenario The following call scenarios are described in this section: Call from an INMARSAT Terminal Call to an INMARSAT Terminal

Call from an INMARSAT Terminal - This call scenario assumes that the INMARSAT

terminal is energized and that the antenna has been trained to the correct orientation. The following scenario occurs when a call is placed from an INMARSAT terminal: Voice is selected on the front panel controls. The telephone handset is removed from the hookswitch and the Select Channel pushbutton is pressed. The hookswitch is the device that holds the handset and that signals either when a call is to be placed or when it has been terminated. When the Select Channel pushbutton is depressed, a signal that identifies the desired CES is transmitted from the terminal. The terminal transmits a request for channel signal to the CES. If a channel is available, the CES replies with a 2600 Hz tone. Upon receipt of the 2600 Hz tone, the terminal acknowledges the 2600 Hz tone with the transmission of its own 2600 Hz tone. If a channel is not available, the busy indicator lights. If the busy indicator lights, another request for a channel may be made after six seconds. The CES responds to the 2600 Hz tone from the terminal with the transmission of a 425 Hz "go ahead with dialing" tone. This tone is analogous to the standard dial tone. Upon receipt of the 425 Hz tone, the telephone number of the called telephone is dialed. Standard dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals are transmitted to represent the dialed digits. DTMF signals are the normal tone signals that are transmitted from a standard tone telephone to a central office. For calls that are directed to company telephone numbers, the CES routes the call to the Saudi Arabian National Telephone Network, and the Saudi Aramco Telephone Network routes the call to the called telephone.

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The called telephone rings, and the called party answers the telephone to establish the connection. The call proceeds as a normal telephone call. When desired, the call can be terminated through placement of the telephone handset back on the hookswitch.

Call to an INMARSAT Terminal - This call scenario assumes that the INMARSAT

terminal is energized and that the antenna has been trained to the correct orientation. The following scenario occurs when a call is placed to an INMARSAT terminal: When the calling telephone dials the telephone number for the INMARSAT terminal, the call is routed to the Jeddah CES. The CES transmits a tone that signals the called INMARSAT terminal that an incoming call is present. An intermittent audio tone is transmitted from an annunciator on the TCU. The tone signifies the presence of an incoming call. The call is answered, and the connection is established by removal of the telephone handset from the hookswitch. The call proceeds as a normal telephone call. When desired, the call can be terminated through placement of the telephone handset back on the hookswitch.

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FUNCTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SAUDI ARAMCO NARROWBAND RADIO EQUIPMENT Narrowband radio systems consist of transmitters, receivers, antennas, and control equipment. It is important for the Communications Engineer to understand the function, characteristics, and operation of these components. The following topics that pertain to the function and characteristics of Saudi Aramco narrowband radio equipment are covered in this section: Transceivers A transceiver is a piece of equipment that combines a transmitter and a receiver. Figure 20 is a block diagram of a typical General Electric transceiver. The transceiver consists of two circuit boards: a synthesizer/interconnection circuit board and a transmitter/receiver circuit board. The synthesizer/interconnection circuit board contains a microprocessor, a synthesizer, microphone audio amplifiers, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and control circuitry. The control circuitry processes the inputs from the channel selector switch, the channel guard switch, and the PTT switch. The microprocessor receives inputs from the PTT switch, the channel guard switch, and the channel selector switch. The microprocessor controls the operation of the synthesizer. The purpose of the synthesizer is to control the operation of the VCO. Basically, the VCO is an oscillator whose frequency depends on the control signals from the synthesizer and the audio signals from the microphone audio amplifiers. The microphone audio amplifiers amplify the voice signals from the microphone. The output from the VCO is used by the transmitter and the receiver. When the transceiver receives, the output frequency of the VCO is determined by the channel selector switch. The frequency for each channel that can be received by the transceiver is stored in memory that is available to the microprocessor. Based on the position of the channel selector switch, the microprocessor recalls the frequency from the memory and provides a data output signal to the synthesizer. The synthesizer generates a signal at the frequency that is called for by the microprocessor. This signal is compared to a feedback signal from the VCO. A control voltage is generated from this comparison. The control voltage is applied to the VCO, and it controls the operating frequency for the VCO. Transceivers Filters/Combiners/Multicouplers Antennas/Transmission Lines Control Equipment (Tone and DC Control)

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The VCO frequency varies from 1134.33 to 185.66 MHz. Because lower frequency oscillators allow more precise frequency control, the VCO frequency is not set to the transmit frequency. The VCO output frequency is converted to the system frequency by tripler circuits in the transmitter and the receiver circuitry. When the transceiver transmits, the microprocessor and synthesizer operation is the same; however, the VCO receives an additional input from the microphone audio amplifiers. The audio input to the VCO frequency modulates the VCO output signal. When transmitting, a tripler circuit triples the frequency of the output signal from the VCO. Once tripled, the output frequency is in the range of the 450 MHz band. The tripled signal is then amplified and coupled to the antenna through an antenna switch and a low-pass filter. The antenna switch decouples the transmitted signal from the receiver circuitry. When receiving, the received RF signal is coupled to an RF amplifier from the antenna through several filters. The output frequency of the VCO is also tripled in the receiver circuitry. The amplified received RF signal is mixed with the frequency-tripled VCO output signal. The mixer produces a difference frequency output of approximately 45 MHz. The 45 MHz signal is the first IF frequency. The first IF frequency signal is amplified and applied to an integrated circuit that generates the second IF frequency signal, limits the signal, detects the audio, and performs squelch functions. The detected audio is then applied to the channel guard circuitry. If a receive signal is not present, the squelch circuitry suppresses the audio output from the integrated circuit. The channel guard circuitry determines whether the received signal contains the correct channel guard code. If the received signal contained the correct channel guard code, the audio signal is amplified and applied to the speaker. If the correct channel guard code does not contain the received signal, the audio signal is suppressed.

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Transceiver Figure 20

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Filters/Combiners/Multicouplers Filters, combiners, and multicouplers are peripheral equipment that is required for the proper operation of a narrowband communication system. A filter is a device that is designed to allow only certain frequencies to pass. Combiners and multicouplers essentially are the same device; they are used to allow more than one signal to share a signal transmission line. Filters Filters are divided into the following four categories: Low pass High pass Band stop Band pass

A low pass filter is a filter that is designed to attenuate those components of a signal that are above a set frequency, which is called the cut-off frequency. All of the signal components that are below the cut-off frequency are not attenuated. A high pass filter performs the opposite function of a low pass filter; a high pass filter attenuates all of the signal components that are below the cut-off frequency. A band stop filter has two critical frequencies. A band stop filter attenuates all of the signal components whose frequency falls between the two cutoff frequencies. A band pass filter attenuates all of the signal components that are outside of the frequency range between two cut-off frequencies. Multicavity filters frequently are used on the transmission lines between antennas and the associated transmitters and receivers. When placed between an antenna and a receiver, the filter is designed to pass only those frequencies that the receiver is designated to receive. The use of filters between receivers and antennas helps to reduce noise and intermodulation distortion. When placed between a transmitter and an antenna, the filter is used as a bandpass filter that removes any unwanted components from the transmitted signal. These components include harmonics of the transmit frequency that are generated by the mixing in the transmitter.

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Figure 21 shows a typical multicavity bandpass filter and its characteristics. The size of the cavities in a multicavity filter determine the frequencies that the filter will pass. Screws are used to vary the effective size of the cavities. Because the screws change the effective size of the cavities and the size of the cavities determines the frequencies that the filter will pass, the screws are used to tune the filter so that the filter passes the desired frequency band.

Typical Multicavity Bandpass Filter Figure 21

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Combiners/Multicouplers A combiner is a device that combines the outputs of several transmitters for transmission over a single antenna. A multicoupler is a device that separates the received signal from an antenna into signals that are applied to different receivers. For example, two receivers, a 413.875 MHz ISD/Div base station receiver and a 408.275 MHz Medical receiver, share an antenna at the Dhahran communications site. A multicoupler is used to separate the signal that is received by the antenna into a 413.875 MHz signal and a 408.275 MHz signal. Although combiners and multicouplers essentially are the same device, multicouplers usually include a low noise RF amplifier that compensates for the losses that are inserted by the multicoupler. Figure 22 is a picture of a typical combiner.

Combiner Figure 22

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Antennas/Transmission Lines Antennas and transmission lines are required with all narrowband radio systems. Antennas are required to radiate the transmitted electromagnetic energy and to capture the received electromagnetic energy. Transmission lines are required to connect antennas to their associated transmitters and receivers. Antennas Various types of antennas are used in narrowband communications systems. The type of antenna that is used depends upon the application. For example, the antenna for a push-totalk base station requires omni-directional coverage in the horizontal plane and the concentration of energy along the surface of the earth. An extended subscriber antenna requires a very narrow radiation pattern. A vehicular-mounted antenna must provide a circular radiation pattern, and the antenna must be small and lightweight. Figure 23 is the specification sheet for a typical UHF base station antenna. The antenna is a stacked, dual-folded, dipole antenna. A dual-folded dipole antenna provides an omnidirectional radiation pattern. When the dipoles are stacked, radiation in the vertical plane is suppressed. The antenna can be mounted on top of a tower or along the side of a tower. The antenna can provide an omni-directional horizontal radiation pattern or an elliptical horizontal radiation pattern; however, if the antenna is mounted along the side of a tower, the radiation patterns are distorted. The gain with an elliptical horizontal radiation pattern is 7.8 dB. The gain with an omni-directional radiation pattern is 6.6 dB. The vertical beamwidth is 14_. In the frequency bands that are used by Saudi Aramco UHF narrowband radio systems, the bandwidth of the antenna is up to 24 Mhz. The large bandwidth allows a single antenna to be used for half-duplex or duplex applications.

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UHF Base Station Antenna Figure 23

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UHF Base Station Antenna Figure 23 (Cont'd)

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Figure 24 shows the specification sheet for a typical UHF base station antenna that has an offset radiation pattern. This type of base station antenna is used in situations in which one area requires additional gain or in situations in which the base station is located along a boundary or a coast. The antenna is constructed of eight folded dipoles that are in a collinear area. A collinear area is an array in which all of the elements are aligned. In the forward direction, the antenna has a 10 dB gain.

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UHF Offset Antenna Figure 24

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UHF Offset Antenna Figure 24 (Cont'd)

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Figure 25 shows the specification sheet for a typical VHF base station antenna. The antenna is a stacked, folded dipole antenna. The operation of this antenna is very similar to the operation of the UHF base station antenna that was previously discussed. The gain of the antenna is 6 dB with an omni-directional radiation pattern and 9 dB with an offset radiation pattern. The vertical beamwidth is 16_.

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VHF Base Station Antenna Figure 25

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VHF Base Station Antenna Figure 25 (Cont'd)

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Figure 26 is the specification sheet for a directional antenna that would be used for an extended subscriber application. The radiation patterns for the antenna show that the radiated power is concentrated in the forward direction. The horizontal beamwidth is 40_, and the vertical beamwidth is 30_. The antennas can be mounted with a vertical polarization or a horizontal polarization.

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Directional Antenna Figure 26

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Directional Antenna Figure 26 (Cont'd)

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Figure 27 shows the specification sheet for a vehicular-mounted UHF antenna. The antenna is a 5/8 wavelength whip antenna that includes a phasing section and a loading coil. The phasing section separates the radiator that is above the phasing section from the radiator that is below the phasing section. The loading coil provides impedance matching that allows the antenna to be end-fed. The phasing section ensures that the radiators are fed in phase. This type of antenna provides an omni-direction horizontal radiation pattern, and it concentrates radiation in the vertical plane along the surface of the earth. The gain of the antenna is 5 dB.

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Vehicle UHF Antenna Figure 27

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Vehicle UHF Antenna Figure 27 (Cont'd)

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Figure 28 shows the specification sheet for a vehicular-mounted VHF whip antenna. The antenna includes a loading coil. The loading coil increases the electrical length of the antenna. This type of antenna provides an omni-direction horizontal radiation pattern, and it concentrates radiation in the vertical plane along the surface of the earth. The gain of the antenna is 3 dB.

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Vehicle VHF Antenna Figure 28

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Transmission Lines Generally, coaxial cable is used for the UHF and VHF transmission lines. Twisted pairs typically are used to carry the control signals in narrowband radio systems. Figures 29A and 29B are the specification sheets for a typical coaxial cable that can be used as the transmission lines in UHF and VHF communications systems. This coaxial cable has solid copper outer and inner conductors with a foam dielectric. At 450 MHz, the cable inserts a 2.74 dB loss per hundred meters. At 174 MHz, the cable inserts a 1.63 dB loss per hundred meters. Because of the low losses that are inserted by solid outer conductor coaxial cable, this type of cable is usually used to connect base station antennas to the base station transmitters and receivers. The solid-copper outer conductor-type of coaxial cable is expensive. For short, low power applications, such as the connection between a mobile radio and the vehicular-mounted antenna, the braided-copper outer conductor-type of coaxial cable is used. Coaxial cable that has a braided outer conductor does not shield as well against either radio frequency interference (RFI) or electromagnetic interference (EMI) as does coaxial cable that has a solid outer conductor. Typically, braided outer conductor coaxial cable also has higher losses and lower power handling capabilities; however, on mobile radios, a short, very flexible cable is required. Braided, outer conductor coaxial cable is used when very flexible cable is required. Twisted wire pairs are used for some narrowband communication system applications. For example, twisted wire pairs are used to carry control and audio frequency signals. Because of low power handling capabilities, high losses, and poor shielding, twisted wire pairs generally are not suitable as VHF and UHF transmission lines.

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Coaxial Cable Figure 29A

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Coaxial Cable Figure 29A (Cont'd)

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Coaxial Cable Figure 29B

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Coaxial Cable Figure 29B (Cont'd)

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Control Equipment Control equipment is required to allow the remote control of base station equipment, to allow base stations to act as remotes or as repeaters, and to improve system performance. Remote control of base station equipment is required so that fixed communications sites do not have to be located on the user's premises. For example, the remote controller at the Dhahran Fire Station allows individuals at the fire station to transmit and receive information from a base station at the Dhahran Communications Site. Base station remote/repeat controllers allow a base station to perform as a remote or as a repeater. A remote is a base station that transmits the information that is received from a remote controller. A repeater is a base station that retransmits information that it receives. The base stations in nonrepeatered networks, such as the Community Maintenance Network, operate as remotes. The base stations in wide area networks, such as the Drilling Network, can be configured to operate as remotes and as repeaters; therefore, these wide area network base stations are controlled by base station remote/repeat controllers. The following topics that pertain to control equipment are covered in this section: Remote Controllers (DC and Tone) Base Station Remote/Repeat Controller

Remote Controllers (DC and Tone) A typical remote controller that is used in Saudi Aramco narrowband communications systems is the MASTR Controller that is manufactured by General Electric. The MASTR controller is a desk-top control console that is used for the remote control of base stations. The controller can be configured for either dc or tone control. When dc control is used, the base station functions are activated by specific dc current levels. When tone control is used, the base station functions are activated by specific frequency tones. The following topics that relate to control equipment are covered in this section: DC Control Tone Control

DC Control - The MASTR controller can perform a maximum of six different dc control functions. The control functions are performed through the application of six different dc current levels and polarities, each of which activates switches at the base station transceiver. Figure 30 is a table that shows the currents that are applied for the various dc control functions.

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The following are the six control currents: -11 milliamps -6 milliamps -2.5 milliamps 0 milliamps +6 milliamps +11 milliamps

Depending on the configuration of the system, the different currents may perform different functions. For example, if the system is configured for the remote controller to control a single base station transmitter and receiver (1 Freq. TX 1 Freq. RX), -2.5 milliamps activate the base station receive function, and +6 milliamps activate the base station transmit function. As the configuration of the system becomes more complex, more control currents are required. For example, if the system is configured for the remote controller to control two base station transmitters and two base station receivers, and if the system employs channel guard (2 Freq. TX 2 Freq. RX Channel Guard Disable), all six control currents are required.

DC Control Currents Figure 30

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Two of the functions that are listed in Figure 30 are the channel guard disable and the repeater disable functions. Channel guard is a system that minimizes adjacent channel and co-channel interference. Adjacent channel and co-channel interference are further discussed in Module CTR 201.02, Isolating System Problems in Narrowband Radio Systems. With channel guard, a unique code is transmitted by the transmitters in the system. This code can be interpreted only by the receivers in the system. Any signal that is received by a receiver that does not contain the correct channel guard code is rejected by the receiver. MASTR controllers can incorporate the use of channel guard. Channel guard can be disabled by either the channel guard on-off switch on the MASTR controller or the monitor switch on a channel guard microphone. When channel guard is disabled, all non-noise unsquelched signals that are received by the base station can be heard at the MASTR controller. Repeater disable is a function that allows the MASTR controller to disable base station repeater transmissions. When base stations are connected in a wide area repeater configuration, a base station may transmit when keyed by the controller or when a transmission from another base station is presented to the base station by the network. When the repeater disable switch is depressed, the base station will only transmit when keyed by the controller. The repeater disable function is selected with the repeat disable switch. Repeater disable can function with and without channel guard. The main components of a MASTR controller that is configured for dc control are the system board, the audio board, the dc control board, and the console components. Figure 31 is a block diagram of a MASTR controller that is configured for dc control. The system board primarily provides the power supply and connection points for the other controller components. The audio board connects to the system board. The line amplifier on the audio board amplifies the audio signals from the receiver, and it supplies the amplified received audio signals through the system board to the controller front panel speaker. The microphone amplifier on the audio board amplifies the audio signals from the controller microphone, and it supplies the amplified audio signals to the system board. From the system board, the amplified signals are transmitted on a twisted pair line to the base station.

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The dc control board receives input control signals from console components, such as the PTT switch, the repeater disable switch, the receiver selector switch, the transmitter selector switch, and the channel guard switch. Control signal inputs are connected to the current select matrix. The current select matrix output depends upon the combination of input control signals that are applied. Three outputs from the current select matrix are available. These outputs activate the current level switches. The outputs from the current level switches are further manipulated by the polarity controls to establish the six control currents: _11 milliamps, _6 milliamps, -2.5 milliamps, and 0 milliamps. The control current output from the dc control board is connected to the system board. From the system board, the control current signal is transmitted on a twisted pair line to the base station.

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DC Remote Controller Figure 31

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Tone Control - The MASTR controller can perform a maximum of twelve different

tone control functions. The control functions are performed through the application of two or three tones in sequence at a given level and for a given duration to the base station. Figure 32 is a table that shows the tones and tone durations that are applied for the various tone control functions. For example, to key the base station frequency 1 transmitter (TX-Freq. No.1), the MASTR controller applies 1950 Hz for 40 milliseconds. The functions that are performed by the tones are similar to the functions that are performed by the dc control signals. In addition to the dc control functions that were previously discussed, tone control can be used to control up to four transmit frequencies and two receivers or receive frequencies. Tone control can provide two auxiliary functions. The auxiliary functions are optional controls that can be programmed by the equipment end user. Two additional tones are applied to the base station when tone control is used: the Secur-it tone and the transmit hold tone. The Secur-it tone is applied for 125 milliseconds prior to the application of any other tone. Because the Secur-it tone is applied prior to any other tone, it performs an alerting function for the base station; that is, the Secur-it tone informs the base station that a control tone will follow. The Secur-it tone prevents any stray signals from activating a control function. The transmit hold tone is transmitted to the base station after the Secur-it tone and the transmit function tone have been transmitted. The transmit hold tone is transmitted with the voice signals as long as the PTT switch is depressed. The Secur-it tone is a 2175 Hz tone that is transmitted to the base station at the same level as normal voice signals. The function tones are transmitted 10 dB below the Secur-it tone level. The transmit hold tone is the same tone as the Secur-it tone; however, the transmit hold tone is transmitted 30 dB below the level of the Secur-it tone.

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Control Tone Functions Figure 32

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The main components of a MASTR controller that is configured for tone control are the system board, the audio board, the tone control board, the tone control function boards, and the console components. Figure 33 is a block diagram of a MASTR controller that is configured for tone control. The system board, the audio board, and the console components are identical to those components that are used for a MASTR controller that is configured for dc control. The tone control board receives inputs from the transmit frequency selector switch, the receive frequency selector switch, the channel guard switch, the channel guard monitor switch, the PTT switch, and the tone control function boards. Based on the status of these inputs, the tone control board determines the frequency of the tones that are to be transmitted. The tone control board has circuitry to generate the 2175 Hz, 1850 Hz, 1950 Hz, 1350 Hz, and 1250 Hz tones. The other tones are generated by the tone control function boards. Additionally, the tone control board contains the various control circuitry that is required to apply the Secur-it tone, to set the level of the tones, and to set the duration of the tones. The output tones from the tone control board are connected to the audio board. Basically, the tones are connected to the same amplifier that amplifies the audio signals from the microphone. The tones are then transmitted to the base station over the same twisted pair that carries the audio signals from the microphone. The tone control function boards generate various tones for the tone control board. Four tone control function boards are available: the receive frequency selector board, the channel guard/squelch level/repeater disable board, and two auxiliary function boards. The boards receive inputs from the appropriate function switches. Based on the inputs from the function switches, the tone control function boards generate signals for application to the tone control board. The enable signal turns on a function, the disable signal turns off a function, and the initiate signal gates the enable and disable signals.

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Tone Remote Controller Figure 33

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Base Station Remote/Repeat Controller The base station remote/repeat controller processes the signals that are received from a remote controller in order to control the base station transmitters and receivers. The base station remote/repeat controller also couples received audio from the base station receiver to the base station transmitter for retransmission. Figure 34 is a block diagram of a MASTR II base station tone remote/repeat control shelf that is configured to control two transmitters. This base station remote/repeat controller is used by Saudi Aramco in conjunction with MASTR remote controllers that are configured for tone control. The MASTR II base station tone remote/repeat control shelf is composed of a remote audio board, a transmitter control board, a Secur-it tone board, and repeater control boards. The remote audio board processes the audio signals from the base station receiver and the audio signals from the remote controller. Audio signal outputs from the remote audio board are supplied to the base station transmitter and to the audio line-out for transmission to the remote controller. The audio input from the base station receiver is amplified by the remote audio board and is then split into two signals. One signal is sent to the transmitter control board receiver tone notch filter. The receiver tone notch filter removes the 2175 Hz Secur-it tone and the transmitter hold tone. The audio signal, with the 2175 Hz tone removed, is returned to the remote audio board. The returned audio signal is further amplified and then output for transmission to the remote controller. The other amplified audio input signal is amplified and is an output to the base station transmitter through the repeater audio switch. The repeater audio switch is activated by the receiver unsquelched sensor (RUS) switch. Both received audio output signals can be suppressed by the RUS switch. The RUS switch is controlled by the RUS input from the base station receiver and the audio mute input from the Secur-it tone board. If the receiver is unsquelched, the audio signal outputs are available. If the receiver is squelched, the audio signal outputs are suppressed. If the base station transmitter is to transmit as a remote, the input audio signals from the remote controller are input to the transmitter notch filter on the transmitter control board. The transmitter notch filter removes the 2150 Hz Secur-it tone and the transmitter hold tone from the transmit audio signal path. The audio signal is coupled from the transmitter notch filter to an amplifier on the remote audio board. The output of the audio amplifier is an output to the base station transmitter through the remote audio switch. The remote audio switch is activated by the transmitter remote PTT switch.

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The transmitter control board keys the base station transmitter or transmitters when the appropriate control tones are received from the remote controller. The transmitter control board also contains the receiver tone notch filter and the transmitter tone notch filter that were previously discussed. The audio signals from the remote controller are supplied through the Secur-it tone board to three tone detectors: the 1950 Hz tone detector, the 1850 Hz tone detector, and the 2050 Hz tone detector. The 1950 Hz tone keys transmitter 1 as a remote. The 1850 Hz tone keys transmitter 2 as a remote. The 2050 Hz tone disables the channel guard. If either the 1950 Hz or the 1850 Hz tone is detected, a ground is placed on the appropriate transmitter remote PTT switch. The ground on the transmitter remote PTT switch keys the transmitter. If the 2050 Hz tone is detected, a ground is connected to the CG disable lead. The Secur-it tone board detects the presence of the Secur-it tone in the audio signals that are input from the remote controller to the audio board. A portion of the audio input signal from the remote controller that is the input to the transmitter tone notch filter is applied to the Secur-it tone board. The input audio signals are filtered, amplified, and applied to a Secur-it tone detector. An output signal from the Secur-it tone detector fires the one-shot. The operation of the one-shot allows the audio signals from the remote controller to be coupled to the transmitter control board. The transmitter control board uses the tones that are contained in the audio signal to key and un-key the appropriate transmitter. The Secur-it tone board also provides an audio mute output to the audio board. The audio mute output is available while the control tones are present in the audio signals from the remote controller. The audio mute signal mutes the audio signals that are received from the base station receiver through the RUS switch on the audio board. The repeater control board controls the operation of the base station transmitter when the base station transmitter operates as a repeater. The repeater control board contains a three-minute timer, a drop-out delay timer, and a receiver mute switch. The three-minute timer is an optional control that un-keys a transmitter after three continuous minutes of repeater transmissions. The three-minute timer is activated by the RUS operating switch (RUSOS) lead. When the receiver is unsquelched, the audio board RUS switch grounds the RUSOS lead. The three-minute timer is activated by the ground that is placed on the RUSOS lead. Until the three-minute timer times out, the operation of the timer places a ground on the transmitter repeat PTT switch. The ground on the transmitter repeat PTT switch keys the base station transmitter.

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Because the drop-out timer maintains the base station transmitter key during short interruptions in the received audio, the drop-out delay timer reduces the number of transmitter on-off cycles. The drop-out delay timer activates when the base station receiver squelches. The base station transmitter will remain keyed until the drop-out timer "drops-out." The dropout timer can be set for 0.5 to 8.0 seconds. If the receiver unsquelches during this time delay, the drop-out timer resets. If the drop-out timer drops out, the ground is removed from the transmitter repeat PTT switch. If the repeater disable function is available for the base station, the activation of the repeater disable function does not allow the ground to be placed on the transmitter repeat PTT switch. Depending on the status of the RUS and channel guard inputs, the receiver mute switch mutes the base station receiver. When the receiver is squelched by either the receiver squelch circuitry or the channel guard, the receiver squelch switch squelches the receiver through the receiver mute lead, and the receiver squelch switch does not allow the activation of the threeminute and drop-out timers.

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Remote/Repeater Controller Block Diagram Figure 34


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glossary CCIR Consultif Committee International Radio central office An international standards organization that is a branch of the International Telephone Union and that sets international radio policies and guidelines. A telephone network's switching office that provides the connections between subscriber telephones and the remainder of the telephone network. A communications device that allows several transmitters to share a single antenna. The insulating material that separates two conductors. A half-wave antenna. The portion of a satellite communications system that involves the transmissions from a satellite to an earth station. A communications device that allows a transmitter and a receiver to share a single antenna. The duplexer prevents the energy from the transmitter from being coupled to the receiver. A radio-telephone service that connects fixed remote telephones into the telephone network. A transmission mode in which the base and mobile units transmit on different frequencies, and these units can simultaneously transmit and receive. A transmission mode in which the base and mobile units transmit on different frequencies. As with a simplex system, neither the base nor the mobile units can transmit and receive at the same time. A mobile telephone service that provides direct inward and outward dialing. A satellite system that provides narrowband communications services. The system was designed for maritime usage.

combiner dielectric dipole downlink duplexer

extended subscriber system Full duplex

half-duplex

IMTS Improved Mobile Telephone Service INMARSAT (International Maritime Satellite)


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MOPTT Ministry of Post Telephone and Telegraph multicoupler radiation pattern remote repeater simplex

The Saudi Arabian government agency that controls communications-related activities, such as the allocation of frequencies, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A communications device that allows several receivers to share a single antenna. A graphical representation of the relative ability of an antenna to transmit energy or receive energy in any given direction. A base station that transmits the information that is received from a remote controller. A base station that retransmits the information that is received by the base station receiver. A transmission mode in which the base and mobile units transmit on the same frequency. Only one station may transmit at a time, and all transmissions can be heard by all of the system users. A type of broadcast system that simultaneously transmits the same information on the same frequency from a number of base stations. The complete removal of the audio output of a receiver when a received signal of sufficient quality is not present. The portion of a satellite communications system that involves the transmissions from an earth station to a satellite. An oscillator whose frequency is control by the voltage of a control signal. Typically used in FM transmitters and receivers. A device that selects the highest quality received signal.

simulcast

squelch uplink voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) voter

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