Basic RF Overview
Created by
Pulok Sinha ((Trainer,, ALUMS))
09320096525
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Objectives
In this session basic RF aspects will be covered:
¾ Decibel(dB)
¾ Decibel with respect to mW (dBm)
¾ Propagation Mechanisms
¾ Transmission Problems in RF Propagation
¾ Antennas
¾ Antenna Types
¾ Radiation Pattern
¾ Antenna Properties
¾ Azimuth
i h andd requirement
i
¾ Antenna tilt
¾ Diversityy
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Basic Definition
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Decible(dB)
Decible (dB)
Deci bel (dB)
• dB is a relative unit of measurement used to describe power gain
or loss.
• Decibel is logarithmic value that represent ratio of two given
power.
power
• dB can be expressed as follows:
X dB = 10 log
l (Po / Pin)
• The powers Po ad Pin must be in the same units. If the units are
not compatible,
compatible then they should be transformed.
transformed
• Equal power corresponds to 0dB.
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Decibel with respect to mW (dBm)
Deci bel wi t h r espect t o mi l l i - wat t (dBm)
( dBm)
• dBm is a standard unit for measuring levels of power in relation
to a 1 milli-watt reference signal.
• It is different from the dB because A dB has no particular
defined reference while a dBm is referenced to a specific
quantity: the milli-watt (1/1000 of a watt).
• dBm can be expressed as follows:
dBm =10 log10 (Signal Power / .001 watt )
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Free Space Loss
¾ Free
Free-- space loss (FSL) is the loss in signal strength of an
electromagnetic wave that would result from a line-of-sight path
through free space (usually air),
air) with no obstacles nearby to cause
reflection or diffraction.
¾ It does not include factors such as the gain of the antennas used at
the transmitter and receiver, nor any loss associated with hardware
imperfections.
¾ Formula for Free Space Loss is given by
Free Space Loss (dB) = 32.44 + 20log F + 20log D
F is frequency in MHz
D is Dist in KM
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Propagation Mechanisms
Propagat ion Mechanisms
Reff l ect i on
• Occurs when a wave impinges upon a smooth surface.
• Dimensions of the surface are large relative to λ.
• Reflections
R fl ti occur from
f th surface
the f off the
th earth,
th from
f b ildi
buildings,
walls, mountains, etc.
Di f f r act i on
dimensions relative to λ and sharp irregularities (edges).
• Occurs when the path is blocked by an object with large
(edges)
• Diffraction gives rise to bending of waves around the obstacle.
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Propagation Mechanism
Scat t er i ng
on the order of λ or less, causing the reflected energy to spread
• Occurs when a wave impinges upon an object with dimensions
out or “scatter” in many directions.
• Small objects such as street lights, signs, & leaves cause
scattering
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Transmission Problems in RF Propagation
In radio communication the transmission quality varies from
one place to another.
Two major factors affecting quality of transmission are:
1. Distance between transmitter and receiver
2. Reflections or obstructions due to man made or
natural structures
General Transmission problems affecting Transmission
Quality:
Path Loss
Shadowing
Multi path Fading
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Path Loss
As the MS moves away from the Base Station the signal
strength reduces
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Path Loss
As the MS moves away from the Base Station the signal
strength reduces.
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Path Loss
As the MS moves away from the Base Station the signal
strength reduces
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Path Loss
As the MS moves away from the Base Station the signal strength
reduces
This decrease in strength is called PATH LOSS.
Power Loss ∞ d2f2, where d is the distance from the BTS and f is the
frequency
q y
Thus power decreases with distance and frequency
But in the cellular system, due to the presence of Base Station this
problem does not occur as a new transmission path is established
before the previous is broken
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Shadowing
More often we observe hills
hills, trees and buildings between MS
and the BTS
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Shadowing
More often we observe hills ,trees and buildings between MS
and the BTS
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Shadowing
More often we observe hills ,trees
trees and buildings between MS
and the BTS
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Shadowing
More often we observe hills ,trees and buildings between MS and the BTS
This environmental attenuation of radio signal is called SHADOWING.
Th
Thus signal
i l strength
h iincreases or decreases
d depending
d di on the
h presence
of obstacles between the Tx and Rx antenna
Thus a mobile subscriber experiences both PATH LOSS and
SHADOWING
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Multipath Propagation
• Multipath, is the result of reflections and scattering of radio
waves due to buildings, mountains and other objects, etc.
• M lti th in
Multipath, i effect,
ff t creates
t multiple
lti l transmission
t i i path
th off the
th
signal which arrive at the receiver at different times
• When the components are in phase, the signal gets added.
• Wh
When they
h arrive
i out off phase,
h they
h cancell each h other.
h
• Give rise to
− Rayleigh Fading
− Ricean fading
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Rayleigh Fading
Rayl ei gh Fadi ng
• The Rayleigh fading is applicable to obstructed propagation
paths.
• All the signals are NLOS signals and there is no dominant direct
path.
• Signals from all paths have comparable signal strengths.
• The instantaneous received power seen by a moving antenna
becomes a random variable depending on the location of the
antenna.
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Ricean Fading
Ri cean Fadi ng
• This phenomenon is due to multipath propagation of the
signal.
• In this case there is a partially scattered field.
• One dominant signal.
g
• Others are weaker.
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Antennas
Ant ennas
• Antenna is an essential p
part of a transmitting
g or receiving
g
system which is designed to radiate or to receive
electromagnetic waves.
•A
An antenna
t can also
l b viewed
be i d as a transitional
t iti l structure
t t
between free-space and a transmission line (such as a coaxial
line).
• An important property of an antenna is the ability to focus and
shape the radiated power in space e.g.: it enhances the power
in some wanted directions and suppresses
pp the p
power in other
directions.
• Many different types and mechanical forms of antennas exist
and each type is specifically designed for special purposes.
purposes
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Antenna Types
Ant enna Types
In mobile communications two main categories of antennas used
are:
− Omni directional antenna
These antennas radiates equally in all horizontal direction.
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Antenna Types
− Directional antenna
• These antennas are mostly used to get higher gain compared
to Omni-directional antenna and to minimise interference
effects in the network.
• In these type of antennas, the radiation is directed at a
specific angle instead of uniformly across all azimuth angles
in case of Omni antennas.
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Radiation Pattern
Radi at i on Pat t er n
• The main characteristics of antenna is the radiation pattern.
• The antenna pattern is a graphical representation in three
dimensions of the radiation of the antenna as a function of
angular direction.
• Antenna radiation performance is usually measured and
recorded in two orthogonal principal planes (E-Plane and H-
plane or vertical and horizontal planes).
planes)
• The pattern of most base station antennas contains a main
lobe and several minor lobes, termed side lobes.
• A side lobe occurring in space in the direction opposite to the
main lobe is called back lobe.
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Radiation Pattern
Radiation Pattern
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Antenna Properties
Di r ect i vi t y of Ant enna:
• Directivity is the ability of an antenna to focus energy in a
particular direction when transmitting or to receive energy
better from a particular direction when receiving.
G i n off A
Gai Antt enna:
• The gain is a measure of how much of the input power is
concentrated in a particular direction.
• It is expressed with respect to a hypothetical isotropic
antenna, which radiates equally in all directions.
• The relation between gain and directivity includes a new
parameter “η“ which describes the efficiency of the antenna.
η
G=η.D
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Antenna Properties
Beamwi dt h of an Ant enna:
• Beamwidth is usually understood to mean the half-power
beamwidth.
• Half power Beamwidth (HPBW) is the angle between the half-
power p
p points of the main lobe, referenced to the p
peak power
p of
main lobe.
• Beam width is categorized as:
− Horizontal Beamwidth
− Vertical Beamwidth
• Beamwidth is measured in degrees.
B a idth
Beamwidth
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Antenna Properties
Hor i zont al Beamwi dt h:
• Horizontal beamwidth is the beamwidth of the radiation pattern
in Horizontal Plane .
• Generally, in City, antenna with 65⁰ Horizontal Beamwidth is
g
used and in highway y antenna with 33⁰ Horizontal Beam width
is used.
Ver t i cal Beamwi dt h:
• Vertical Beamwidth of an antenna is the beamwidth of the
radiation pattern in vertical plane.
• Vertical beamwidth Varies from 4⁰ - 8⁰ depending upon the
model of the antenna
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Antenna Properties
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Relation Between Antenna Properties
Rel at i on bet ween Beam wi dt h, Gai n and Di r ect i vi t y
Beamwidth G i
Gain Di
Directivity
i i
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Azimuth
Azi mut h:
• An azimuth is an angular measurement in a spherical
coordinate system. It gives apparent direction of an object
• It is measured in degrees.
• Measured with help of compass
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Obstacle requirement for Azimuth
Obstacle requirement
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Antenna Tilt
Ant enna Ti l t :
• The tilting of the vertical main lobe towards the ground by
specific angle with respect to horizon is known Antenna tilting.
• The Maximum power of the lobe is at zero and can be place
within the cell by
y down tilting
g the antenna.
• Down tilt can be use to:
− Improve the coverage
− Reduce interference
− Adjust the cell radius
• Basically there are two types of Down tilting
− Mechanical Tilt
− Electrical Tilt
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Comparison between Mech & Elec Tilt
Mechani cal Down t i l t El ect r i cal Down Ti l t
¾In Mechanical down tilting, ¾In Electrical down tilt, the
antenna is physically down beam is tilted by altering the
tilted towards the ground. signal phasing.
¾In a mechanical down tilt as ¾Electrical tilting
g is done by
y
the front lobe moves downward using the tilt knob integrated in
the back lobe moves upwards. the antenna
¾Sidelobe increase with ¾In
Electrical down tilting,
g, all
mechanical down tilting the lobes (main, back as well as
¾Mechanical tilt have no impact side) has distinct advantage of
on the gain. tilting
¾In electrical down tilting, gain
also reduces in all direction
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Comparison between Mech & Elec Tilt
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Comparison between Mech & Elec Tilt
Mechanically tilted Antenna Electrically tilted Antenna
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Diversity
Di ver si t y:
• Diversity
Di it techniques
t h i i an effective
is ff ti means which
hi h enhances
h th
the
immunity of the communication system to the multipath fading.
• Diversity reception is a way to improve the quality and strength
of the signal arriving at the base station, by receiving it in several
independent ways
• Two forms of diversity reception often employed are:
− Space diversity
− Polarization diversity
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Spatial Diversity
Spat i al (Space) Di ver si t y
• The spatial diversity antenna system is constructed by physically
separating two receiving base station antennas.
• If they are far apart, the received signals will be independent of
each other.
• If one has suffered fading, the other may not.
• A suitable distance is generally about 10 wavelengths (10λ)
• Plan
Pl views
i off two
t possible
ibl tri-sectored
t i t d site
it antenna
t systems
t
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Polarization
Pol ar i sat i on
• Polarisation
l is the
h propagation off the
h electric
l f ld vector .
field
• Antennas used in cellular communications are usually vertically
polarised or cross polarised.
Dual Pol ar i sed Ant ennas
• A dual-polarisation antenna consists of two sets of radiating
elements which radiate or, in reciprocal, receive two orthogonal
polarised fields.
fields
• Dual Polarised antenna are of 2 types
− Vertical Polarised
− C
Crossed
d Polarised
P l i d
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Polarization
Ver t i cal Pol ar i zed ant enna:
• Good diversity performance only in cities
• Horizontal termination cannot be used for Tx
Cr oss Pol ar i zed ant enna
• Equivalent diversity results compared to space diversity either in
cities or in rural areas
• Both terminations are suitable for Rx and Tx
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Questions
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