Digital microwave communication uses microwave frequencies to transmit digital information through the atmosphere. It involves modulating a digital baseband signal onto an intermediate frequency, which is then converted to microwave frequencies for transmission. Common modulation methods include ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM. Microwave equipment includes trunk equipment for long-haul transmission and split-mount equipment where the RF unit is outdoors and connected via IF cable to the indoor unit. Key components are the microwave antenna and ODU/IDU units which perform RF processing, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing.
Digital microwave communication uses microwave frequencies to transmit digital information through the atmosphere. It involves modulating a digital baseband signal onto an intermediate frequency, which is then converted to microwave frequencies for transmission. Common modulation methods include ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM. Microwave equipment includes trunk equipment for long-haul transmission and split-mount equipment where the RF unit is outdoors and connected via IF cable to the indoor unit. Key components are the microwave antenna and ODU/IDU units which perform RF processing, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing.
Digital microwave communication uses microwave frequencies to transmit digital information through the atmosphere. It involves modulating a digital baseband signal onto an intermediate frequency, which is then converted to microwave frequencies for transmission. Common modulation methods include ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM. Microwave equipment includes trunk equipment for long-haul transmission and split-mount equipment where the RF unit is outdoors and connected via IF cable to the indoor unit. Key components are the microwave antenna and ODU/IDU units which perform RF processing, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing.
Digital microwave communication uses microwave frequencies to transmit digital information through the atmosphere. It involves modulating a digital baseband signal onto an intermediate frequency, which is then converted to microwave frequencies for transmission. Common modulation methods include ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM. Microwave equipment includes trunk equipment for long-haul transmission and split-mount equipment where the RF unit is outdoors and connected via IF cable to the indoor unit. Key components are the microwave antenna and ODU/IDU units which perform RF processing, modulation/demodulation, and multiplexing.
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Digital Microwave Communication Overview
Definition of Microwave Microwave is a kind of electromagnetic wave. In a broad sense, the microwave frequency range is from 300 MHz to 300 GHz. But In microwave communication, the frequency range is generally from 3 GHz to 30 GHz. According to the characteristics of microwave propagation, microwave can be considered as plane wave. The plane wave has no electric field and magnetic field longitudinal components along the propagation direction. The electric field and magnetic field components are vertical to the propagation direction. Therefore, it is called transverse electromagnetic wave and TEM wave for short.
Transmission Methods in Current Comunication Networks
Development of Microwave Comunication
Concept of Digital Microwave Communication
Digital microwave communication is a way of transmitting digital information in atmosphere through microwave or radio frequency (RF). Microwave communication refers to the communication that use microwave as carrier. Digital microwave communication refers to the microwave communication that adopts the digital modulation. The baseband signal is modulated to intermediate frequency (IF) first . Then the intermediate frequency is converted into the microwave frequency. The baseband signal can also be modulated directly to microwave frequency, but only phase shift keying (PSK) modulation method is applicable. The electromagnetic field theory is the basis on which the microwave communication theory is developed.
Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel
Configuration (1) Generally-used frequency bands in digital microwave transmission: 7G/8G/11G/13G/15G/18G/23G/26G/32G/38G (defined by ITU-R Recommendations)
Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel
Configuration (2)
In each frequency band, subband frequency ranges, transmitting/receiving spacing
(T/R spacing), and channel spacing are defined.
Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel
Configuration (3)
7G Frequency Range
7425-7725
7110-7750 7250-7550
F0 (MHz)
T/R Spacing (MHz)
Channel Spacing (MHz)
7575
154
28
7575 7275 7597 7400
161 196 196 161
7 28 28 3.5
Primary and Non-Primary Stations Fn=f0-161+28n, Fn'=f0-7+28n, (n: 1-5)
Digital Microwave Communication Modulation (1)
Digital baseband signal is the unmodulated digital signal. The baseband signal cannot be directly transmitted over microwave radio channels and must be converted into carrier signal for microwave transmission.
Digital Microwave Communication Modulation (2)
The following formula indicates a digital baseband signal being converted into a digital frequency band signal.
ASK: Amplitude Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier amplitude (A). Wc and remain unchanged. FSK: Frequency Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier frequency (Wc). A and remain unchanged. PSK: Phase Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier phase (). Wc and A remain unchanged. QAM: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation. ). Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier phase () and amplitude (A). Wc remains unchanged.
Microwave Frame Structure (1)
RFCOH
RFCOH: Radio Frame Complementary Overhead
RSC: Radio Service Channel
MLCM: Multi-Level Coding Modulation
INI: N:1 switching command DMY: Dummy ID: Identifier XPIC: Cross-polarization Interference Cancellation FA: Frame Alignment ATPC: Automatic Transmit Power Control WS: Wayside Service
Microwave Frame Structure (2)
RFCOH is multiplexed into the STM-1 data and a block multiframe is formed. Each multiframe has six rows and each row has 3564 bits. One multiframe is composed of two basic frames. Each basic frame has 1776 bits. The remaining 12 bits are used for frame alignment.
High cost, large transmission capacity, more stable performance, applicable
to long haul and trunk transmission
RF, IF, signal processing, and MUX/DEMUX units are all indoor. Only the antenna system is outdoor.
All Outdoor Microwave Equipment
All the units are outdoor. Installation is easy. The equipment room can be saved.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment (1)
The RF unit is an outdoor unit (ODU). The IF, signal processing, and MUX/DEMUX units are integrated in the indoor unit (IDU). The ODU and IDU areconnected through an IF cable. The ODU can either be directly mounted onto the antenna or connected to the antenna through a short soft waveguide. Although the capacity is smaller than the trunk, due to the easy installation and maintenance, fast network construction, it's the most widely used microwave equipment.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment (2)
Unit Functions o Antenna: Focuses the RF signals transmitted by ODUs and increases the signal gain. o ODU: RF processing, conversion of IF/RF signals. o IF cable: Transmitting of IF signal, management signal and power supply of ODU. o IDU: Performs access, dispatch, multiplex/demultiplex, and modulation/demodulation for services.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Installation
Microwave Antenna (1)
Antennas are used to send and receive microwave signals.
Parabolic antennas and cassegrainian antennas are two common types of
Different frequency channels in same frequency band can share one antenna.
Antenna Adjustment (1)
Antenna Adjustment (2)
During antenna adjustment, change the direction vertically or horizontally.
Meanwhile, use a multimeter to test the RSSI at the receiving end. Usually, the voltage wave will be displayed as shown in the lower right corner. The peak point of the voltage wave indicates the main lobe position in the vertical or horizontal direction. Large-scope adjustment is unnecessary. Perform fine adjustment on the antenna to the peak voltage point.
When antennas are poorly aligned, a
small voltage may be detected in one direction. In this case, perform coarse adjustment on the antennas at both ends, so that the antennas are roughly aligned.
The antennas at both ends that are well
aligned face a little bit upward. Though 12 dB is lost, reflection interference will be avoided.
Antenna Adjustment (3)
During antenna adjustment, the two wrong adjustment cases are show here. One antenna is aligned to another antenna through the side lobe. As a result, the RSSI cannot meet the requirements.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Antenna (1)
Antenna gain Definition: Ratio of the input power of an isotropic antenna Pio to the input power of a parabolic antenna Pi when the electric field at a point is the same for the isotropic antenna and the parabolic antenna. Calculating formula of antenna gain:
G = Pio/Pi = (D/)2 *
Half-power angle Usually, the given antenna specifications contain the gain in the largest radiation (main lobe) direction, denoted by dBi. The half-power point, or the 3 dB point is the point which is deviated from the central line of the main lobe and where the power is decreased by half. The angle between the two half-power points is called the half-power angle.
Calculating formula of half-power angle:
0.5 = (65o ~ 70o) /D
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Antenna (2)
Cross polarization discrimination Suppression ratio of the antenna receiving heteropolarizing waves, usually, larger than 30 dB. XdB10lgPo/Px Po: Receiving power of normal polarized wave Px: Receiving power of abnormal polarized wave
Antenna protection ratio
Attenuation degree of the receiving capability in a direction of an antenna compared with that in the main lobe direction. An antenna protection ratio of 180 is called front-to-back ratio.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (1)
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (2)
Specifications of Transmitter o Working frequency band Generally, trunk radios use 6, 7, and 8 GHz frequency bands. 11, 13 GHz and higher frequency bands are used in the access layer (e.g. BTS access). o Output power The power at the output port of a transmitter. Generally, the output power is 15 to 30 dBm.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (3)
Local frequency stability
If the working frequency of the transmitter is unstable, the demodulated effectived signal ratio will be decreased and the bit error ratio will be increased. The value range of the local frequency stability is 3 to 10 ppm.
Transmit Frequency Spectrum Frame
The frequency spectrum of the transmitted signal must meet specified requirements, to avoid occupying too much bandwidth and thus causing too much interference to adjacent channels. The limitations to frequency spectrum iscalled transmit frequency spectrum frame.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (4)
Specifications of Receiver
o Working frequency band
Receivers work together with transmitters. The receiving frequency on the local station is the transmitting frequency of the same channel on the opposite station. o Local frequency stability The same as that of transmitters: 3 to 10 ppm o Noise figure The noise figure of digital microwave receivers is 2.5 dB to 5 dB.
Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (5)
Passband To effectively suppress interference and achieve the best transmission quality, the passband and amplitude frequency characteristics should be properly chosen. The receiver passband characteristics depend on the IF filter.
Selectivity Ability of receivers of suppressing the various interferences outside the passband, especially the interference from adjacent channels, image interference and the interference between transmitted and received signals.
Automatic gain control (AGC) range
Automatic control of receiver gain. With this function, input RF signals change within a certain range and the IF signal level remains unchanges.
