Spectrum Analyzers Field User Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld Spectrum Master, Site Master, Cell Master, and BTS Master

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1 Spectrum Analyzers Field User Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld Spectrum Master, Site Master, Cell Master, and BTS Master RF Measurements Why use a Spectrum Analyzer? Spectrum Analyzer Setup (Part 1) A Users Spectrum Analyzer Block Diagram Description First > DC Block Attenuator PreAmp IF RBW Filter Envelope VBW Filter Mixer Detector Units Trace Modes Limits & Measurements RF Measurements Why use a Spectrum Analyzer? Spectrum Analyzer Setup (Part 2) The first mixer level is critical for proper performance. If an Over-the-Air (OTA) signal is overdriving the first mixer, false signals, or spurs, may appear. The noise floor may also rise and hide signals of interest. This can happen even if the OTA signal is outside of the current span. Using Markers Instrument Setup Marker Measurements A Spectrum Analyzer lets you see signal problems. If you can't see it, you can't fix it. Why use a spectrum analyzer? Spectrum analyzers display RF signals from base stations and other emission sources. They find rouge signals, measure carriers and distortion, and verify base stations. Unlike a power meter, they validate carrier frequency and identify desired and undesired signals. Spectrum Analyzer Setup RF signals have a frequency, bandwidth, and power. To best view an RF signal, three things need to be set. Adjust the center frequency to center the desired signal. Entering a known carrier frequency is a common way to do this. Other common methods use the knob or arrow buttons, a channel number, or the Marker to Center function. Adjust the span so that the desired signal covers about half of the screen. Adjust the reference level to bring the top of the signal near the top of the screen. This is a flexible process. Often, it is best to start out with a close center frequency, an approximate reference level, and narrow the span (span down) in stages, re-centering the signal as you go. Otherwise, the signal may move off the side of the screen as you span down. Common Cellular Bands (MHz) E-UTRA Band Uplink Downlink Block Diagram Description Spectrum analyzer users need to understand major analyzer functional blocks. While most of the choices described here are made automatically, manual selections are possible and can be helpful. The DC block prevents DC voltage from entering the instrument, and allows measuring lines with DC power. The step attenuator helps to prevent overdriving the first mixer; excessive level at the first mixer causes distortion visible on the display. Spectrum analyzers normally enable the step attenuator when the reference level is over -20 dbm or so. The step attenuator raises the noise floor when enabled, but allows measuring higher signal levels. ou can think of this as matching the dynamic range of the analyzer to the input signal level. A preamplifier is often the first block in a spectrum analyzer. Use it for weak signals, lower than about -50 dbm. When on, it reduces the noise floor by about db. Turn it off if the RF signals are higher than -40 dbm or so. The preamplifier reduces the noise level, allowing lower-level signals to be seen in the yellow trace, where they couldn t be seen without the preamp in the green trace. The first mixer is the first down-conversion stage, the stage that changes the RF frequency to an intermediate frequency (IF). The step attenuator and preamplifier allow adjusting the input signal to match what the first mixer needs to see. IF section contains further mixers and creates more IF frequencies. Resolution Bandwidth (RBW) sets the level of signal detail displayed. RBW also affects the noise floor. Lower RBW settings show more detail and create a lower noise floor, but cause slower sweeps. Higher RBW settings are good for wider spans since they sweep faster, at the cost of less detail and a higher noise floor. Two traces showing the effect of two different resolution bandwidths (30 khz in yellow and 300 khz in green) Swept Local Oscillator The Envelope detector converts the signal into a video signal that can be displayed. The video filter (VBW) averages the envelope, giving more stable answers for noisy or noise-like signals (such as digital modulation). It is also useful when looking for small consistent signals near the noise floor, such as spurious CW signals, as well as when measuring noise or Signal-to-oise Ratio (SR). Sweep Generator Block Diagram Description (continued) The detector samples the IF signal and converts it to digital samples. The input to the detector normally is many more samples than can be displayed on the screen. The detector chooses how to display signals when the RBW is less than a display point. The detector groups samples, creating one group for each display point. It then chooses one number related to each group for display. Peak displays the largest sample of each group. This is the default detector and is useful when looking at CW signals, as well as an intermittent or bursty signal. RMS calculates the average power of the grouped samples and displays that. This is useful when measuring noise or noise-like signals. Many cellular signals are noise-like. egative displays the smallest sample of each group. This is useful when looking for dropouts of a signal, mostly in zero span. Sample picks just one of the input samples Quasi Peak (not shown) is useful and EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) measurements. This is a special detector type that emulates the response of the human ear to impulses. Sweep speed is normally set automatically. It can be helpful to set lower sweep speeds manually when working with intermittent signals. In this case, the Max- Hold trace setting is also helpful. Units converts the trace into other units, such as Watts or Volts. Trace Modes include normal, average, max-hold and min-hold. Average reduces the variation of noise and noise-like signals. Max-hold and min-hold creates a record of the signals highest and lowest excursions, respectively, and is useful for finding transients and measuring the power of wideband bursted signals ones that can t be measured in zero span due to the bandwidth. Limits and Measurements examine the trace to see if a limit line has been exceeded, and create numerical answers such as channel power. The Sweep Generator tunes the Local Oscillator (LO) over frequency (Center Span/2 to Center + Span/2), and provides a reference for the x-axis of the display. The rate of tuning is controlled by the sweep time control. ormally this is left to run as fast as possible for spectrum displays. Spectrum analyzers display an overload message if overload occurs. The first response is often to raise the reference level, either directly or by manually increasing the attenuation of the step attenuator. An alternative is to use an external band pass filter to limit OTA signals to the band of interest. While filters do a great job of attenuating unwanted signals, you must have the right filter that passes the signal you are measuring with minimal loss. Anritsu has a selection of filters for this purpose. Coupled mode is the default operating mode for spectrum analyzers. In this mode, attenuation, RBW, and VBW An external filter can reject high-level signals that limit low-level measurements. values adjust automatically, set by the user s choice of reference level and span. In coupled mode, both span and reference level affect the noise floor. Manual mode allows attenuation, RBW, VBW and to be set directly from the instrument s front panel. Manual mode allows making finer tradeoffs in noise level, distortion, trace variation, and sweep speed. Manual attenuation capability is helpful when checking for distortion. A quick check to see if a signal is spurious is to change the step attenuator 10 db. If the signal doesn t change, all is well; it is a real signal. If it changes by 10 db or more, it is an internally generated intermodulation product. Sometimes the distortion can simply be ignored; in other cases increase the attenuation until the distortion level doesn t change. Manual RBW capability is helpful when a lower noise floor, even at the expense of a slower sweep speed, is desirable, or faster sweep speed is needed, at the expense of higher noise floor and poorer frequency resolution. Every 10 times change in RBW means a 10 db change in the noise floor. Some spectrum analyzers will have a lower noise floor, at any given RBW, than others. The noise figure specification determines this, or you can estimate noise figure from F (DAL 10*log(RBW for DAL))-174. where DAL is the Displayed Average oise Level specification, and RBW for DAL is the RBW used for the DAL spec often this is 1 Hz, or the spec is normalized to 1 Hz, but this is not always the case. Low-level signals are easier to see if attenuation is minimized and the preamplifier is on. Selecting lower RBW directly reduces the noise floor, and makes CW signals easier to see; unfortunately, many cellular communication signals are also noise-like and do not benefit from reduced RBW. Selecting lower VBW smoothes both the noise and noise-like signals, and can make it easier to see signals near the noise. Trace Averaging can also be used to further smooth the noise. Intermittent signals can be viewed or monitored by max hold traces, gated sweep (on the next page), Save on Event with Limit Lines, and spectrograms. Markers make it easy to verify amplitude & frequency points on the spectrum; the marker table lets you see up to 6 markers and delta values at a glance. Instrument setup is faster when using Markers. The marker functions Peak Search and Marker Freq to Center can be very helpful, as they will find and center the strongest signal. Unique marker measurement capabilities include fixed and tracking delta measurements ( Delta or is shorthand for difference). Fixed markers are useful for delta measurement when the signal is intermittent. In this case, the reference marker can be fixed, or frozen, at a specific amplitude, even if the signal goes away. A tracking marker follows changes in trace amplitude. Marker delta measurements can either use marker 1 as the reference, allowing six delta measurements, or use each of the six markers to have their own delta marker. This will allow up to 6 delta measurements and 12 total markers on one screen. This is a good way to measure and document signals. Quick Conversion: dbm to Watts Rule of doubles: Every 3 db change in power doubles or halves the power. The Times Ten rule: otice how the 10 s digit in the dbm row corresponds to the number of zeros on the milliwatt (mw) row. (e.g. 40 dbm = 4 zeros in mw, 10,000) 40 dbm 10,000 mw 10.0 Watt 30 dbm 1,000 mw 1.0 Watt 20 dbm 100 mw 0.1 Watt 10 dbm 10 mw 0.01 Watt 0 dbm 1 mw Watt -10 dbm 0.1 mw µwatt -20 dbm 0.01 mw 10.0 µwatt -30 dbm mw 1.0 µwatt Visit us at

2 Spectrum Analyzers Field User Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld Spectrum Master, Site Master, Cell Master, and BTS Master General Purpose Measurements General Purpose Measurements Limits and Intermittent Signals Specifications & Accessories Tracking Generator Measurements Channel Power, Rx oise Floor Field Strength Measurements Occupied Bandwidth (Occ BW) Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR) Spectrum Masks Gated Sweep Sensitivity and DAL Prefilters Transmission Measurements Use the Occupied Bandwidth measurement as a quick check that the transmitter is operating properly. Spectrum Masks make it easy to check regulatory compliance. Instrument specs such as DAL indicate performance under specific conditions; changing the RBW, attenuation, and preamp setting adapts the instrument to the measurement need. Channel Power measurements show the total power over a channel width. Channel power measurements check transmitter power. The measurement represents the sum of RF power over the channel bandwidth. It yields a more meaningful number than a single frequency marker measurement. Channel power is often the first thing checked on a transmitter. It is both a first pass diagnostic for the radio and determines cell size, so it needs to be set accurately. A 1.5 db difference in transmitted power translates to approximately a 15% difference in coverage area. If a transmitter s channel power is off slightly, an adjustment often will fix it. If the power is a long way out of adjustment, the cause may be a radio, antenna, or feedline fault. Rx oise Floor uses the channel power measurement, but on the uplink, or receive channel. In this application, the spectrum analyzer measures power while the receive channel is not being used. Rx oise Floor indicates the power levels of receive channel interference. Typical limits for Rx oise Floor are approximately 20 db above the ideal noise floor numbers for the channel width. This would be -100 dbm for GSM/ EDGE, -90 dbm for cdma2000/1xevdo, and -80 dbm for WCDMA. To measure these low signal levels, turn on the instrument s preamp. If you are near a base station, you may need to adjust the input attenuation or move to where the base station signal is weaker; sometimes this can be closer to the base station. Occupied bandwidth is the spectrum width that contains a large percentage of the carrier power, often 99%. This measurement is used to make sure that carriers fit within assigned channel bandwidths. Spectrum Masks provide a pass-fail test on the spectrum. A spectrum mask will create an alarm if violated. Once shared, they ensure consistent pass-fail standards for all users. Occupied bandwidth violations typically indicate a gross fault in the transmitter. In this case, look for signal distortion and modulation quality faults such as, as well as failed filters. Masks may be used when custom limits are needed, or for many different in-band and out-of-band spurious emission tests. They are also useful for spectrum monitoring since they can cause an alarm when a new signal appears or an old signal goes away. Adjacent Channel Power measures the amounts of carrier power leaking into the next channel (the adjacent channel) and the channel past that (the alternate channel). High values of adjacent channel power generally indicate a transmitter fault. When making a spurious emission test, a violation generally indicates low-level distortion of the carrier. If a violation occurs, it is a good idea to any check external filters and the modulation quality measurements. Adjacent and alternate channel power measurements refer to the occupied channel, so the numbers are in db down from the carrier or db down for short. Another common measurement unit is dbc, which means db relative to the carrier. Gated Sweep allows a spectrum analyzer to pause the sweep when the signal goes away, and resume sweeping when the signal is present. This can eliminate the spectrum due to the signal being switched on & off, or it can be used to measure the noise level when the signal is off. Gated sweep is often the quickest way to see the spectrum shape of just the modulation for TDMA & TDD signals such as GSM, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, and WiBro. Adjacent channel power measurements are normally standard specific, so exact limits depends on the signal standard. Most standards specify values between -45 and -65 db down for the adjacent channel and perhaps 10 db lower for the alternate channel. Gated sweep and spectrum masks, when used together, allow checks for spurious emissions on TDMA & TDD signals. Field Strength is channel power run through a conversion to compensate for the gain or loss of the external antenna, and to convert to the strength of the field. Since a field is spread out over an area the units are different instead of dbm, you get dbm/m2; instead of Volts, you get Volts/m. This is because the bigger the area, the more signal there is. Users can export field strength measurements, with GPS based location information, to PC-based mapping programs. Mapping coverage or interference is a powerful way to gain insight when the RF situation is complex. Displayed Average oise Level (DAL) is one measure of a spectrum analyzer s inherent noise level. A DAL of -160 dbm with a 1 Hz RBW filter is a very good number for a handheld spectrum analyzer. The rule of thumb is that for every 10 times increase in RBW, the noise floor increases by 10 db. So a spectrum analyzer with a good DAL at 1 Hz RBW, relative to other spectrum analyzers, will have a good DAL at any RBW. A low DAL is very helpful when hunting for interference or spurs since these signals may be weak when first spotted, even if they are strong at the site of the interference. Prefilters Spectrum analyzers have a wide RF front end. Stronger signals at any input frequency, even if not in the current span, may reduce their sensitivity, causing front-end overload and/or a higher noise floor. The solution is either to move away from locally strong out-of-span signals, such as those coming from broadcast towers, to use a directional antenna, pointed away from the strong signal, or to use an external prefilter. External prefilters take two forms. Antennas, particularly highly directional antennas often have a sharp roll-off, creating some filtering effect on the signal. More formally, external prefilters are available in a wide range of configurations. The proper prefilter will greatly reduce out-of-band signals and make over-the-air signal analysis much easier. Choose the proper filter to eliminate large signals For more information, please see Interference Concepts, Tools, and Techniques at Use the ACPR measurement to check if there is leakage into nearby channels Gated Sweep setup screen shows the zerospan signal (bottom trace) with markers for the gate and the resulting spectrum (top trace) Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications visit: A tracking Generator is useful for transmission measurements (2-port). Tracking Generator measurements require both generation and measurement of a signal. This allows characterization of a wide array of passive and active radio components including amplifiers, filters, antennas, and even much of a radio s signal path. These are scalar measurements. Transmission measurements include: Gain, which is useful for amplifier measurements Loss, which is useful for passive devices including filters and cables Passband width, showing the frequency range over which the device works Passband tilt, showing gain or loss at various frequencies within the passband Filter slope, the change in gain over frequency at the edges of a pass band. One of the most valuable two-port checks is to measure power loss in all or part of a BTS signal path. Dynamic Range Dynamic Range is the ability of an analyzer to measure both small signals and large signals at the same time. It can be measured in many different ways, to reflect the ability to make different kinds of measurements. One of the popular metrics for Dynamic Range shows the ability to measure 3rd order distortion 2/3(TOI-DAL). This shows the case where 3rd order distortion products for 2 tones are at the noise floor. Be careful to use DAL in dbm, rather than dbm/hz. Optimizing the Dynamic Range of a spectrum analyzer is done by using Manual Mode to trade off distortion and noise levels versus sweep time. The optimization will be different for different signals and different measurements. For example, the best dynamic range for 3rd order distortion on CW signals is achieved by using minimum RBW & VBW, and setting the input attenuator so that instrument-generated distortion is at the noise floor. This can be further refined by using trace averaging. Document o , Rev A Printed in the United States

3 Interference Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, Site Master S332/62E, Spectrum Master w/ Options 25/27/31 and Master Software Tools What is Interference? Types of Interference Types of Interference When to Hunt Uplink Interference Do I have Uplink Interference? Interference is a receiver issue. Receiver desense occurs when an un-desired signal enters the receivers front end and causes a reduction in sensitivity. This reduced sensitivity, in turn, lowers the apparent carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I) of the desired signal. The unwanted, or interfering, signal does not need to be on the receive channel. If strong enough, it only needs to be within the radios Rx duplexer or pre-selector frequencies. In extreme cases, receiver blocking occurs and the desired signal is lost entirely. Types of Interference Self Interference is common within cellular systems. Common sources of selfinterference include: Coverage issues due to power settings, mast height, or antenna tilt. Enhanced RF propagation over water. s in the P Offset or Scrambling Code settings for CDMA and W-CDMA systems. Aliasing of P Offset or scrambling codes. Multipath, when the number of paths exceed the number of receiver fingers. Impulse noise is a common source of interference. It is mostly a problem at lower frequencies, save for arcing base station RF components, which cause problems centered on the carrier frequency. Impulse noise shows up as an intermittent rise in the spectrum analyzer s noise floor, or if in a wide span, in a shape similar to the illustration. Sources include: Lightning arrestors Arcing antennas Arcing duplexers Electric motors Bakery ovens Welders Electric fences Harmonics are signals that occur at multiples of a radios carrier frequency. Often, the worst harmonic is the third. For example, if a carrier is at 300 MHz, the harmonic at 3 x 300, or 900 MHz, would be the strongest. Sometimes harmonics become much worse than the legal limit. For instance, a transmitter with a class B output stage may lose a transistor, only amplifying half of the signal. This will produce a Picket Fence array of harmonics across the spectrum. In other cases, legal harmonics may be an issue. For instance, the third harmonics of a United States UHF TV station on channel 38 through 41 will be in the PCS uplink bands. If the UHF station is physically close to the PCS band cellular receiver, the cellular receiver may be de-sensed or blocked by this legal signal. Intermodulation Distortion (IM) is caused by two or more strong signals and a non linear device such as a transistor, diode, or an environmental diode created by rust or corrosion. The two or more strong signals need to be stronger than +7 dbm, or so, to make the non-linear device switch. IM is often called the Rusty Bolt effect. More accurately, it is called Passive Intermodulation (PIM). The formula for the most common IM products are: 2f1 f2 2f2 f1 Where f1 and f2 represent the frequency of strong suspect source signals. Here s an example of potential IM between a PCS 1900 MHz band transmitter and a cell site on the new AWS MHz band: Transmitter back feed can create IM, as shown below. If the antenna and filter frequency response allow, and if the antenna isolation is poor, one transmitter s signal can reach the transistors in another transmitter s output stage, creating IM. Shared antennas can create IM if the antenna or antenna cable run is corroded. Environmental diodes also can create IM. Rusty roofs, rusty fences, corroded cables, and corroded connectors all can provide the rust needed for intermodulation. ear Far problems may occur near the edge of a metro area, or near microcells, where one network operator has better coverage than another. If a cell phone is a long ways from its tower, it will be transmitting at high power. If, at the same time, it is near another operator s tower, one it cannot hand off to, it may be transmitting within the other base station s pre-selector and cause de-sense. ear Far problems can be reduced by co-location. Unintentional interference occurs when radio operators are unaware they are transmitting in another s band. This is usually easily corrected. Intentional interference does occur, often with the best of intentions. Employers want to keep their employees off the phone; drivers want other drivers to keep their eyes on the road, and so on. A web search will spot many different types of cell phone jammers. Repeaters can cause interference in two ways. The spectrogram shows a small office repeater, illegally installed, that had insufficient isolation between the two antennas which created an oscillation. A different repeater issue comes up when a network operator installs a large area repeater that unintentionally amplifies other operator s signals. This can lead to unexpected excess coverage problems and frequency re-use issues. One of the most important things to know about interference hunting is when, and where, to start looking for the signal. As the flow chart shows, there are a number of diagnostic clues that indicate interference. The most critical step in this decision tree is the Rx noise floor. If it is possible to monitor this from the switch, this becomes a powerful monitoring tool. If the Rx noise floor is high, it is time to start looking for the interference that makes it high. Rx oise Floor tests can be done by hooking up to a Rx test port, or the Rx antenna, for the affected sector and make measurements when calls are not up. It is best if the receive pre-filter is between the spectrum analyzer and the Rx antenna, since that will allow the spectrum analyzer to see the same signal the receiver does. Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) base stations, such as GSM, CDMA, and W- CDMA, can use the spectrum analyzer s channel power measurement, but use it at the receive frequency. This approximates the switch s Rx noise floor measurement. The measurement must be made during a quiet time when no calls are up. The same screen also normally has occupied bandwidth, to aid in signal identification. Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems, such as TD-SCDMA and WiMAX can use the gated power measurement on the Power vs. Time screen to approximate the switch Rx noise floor measurement. Again, the Rx noise floor measurement must be made during a quiet time, when no calls are up. Receiver De-Sense can be caused by strong signals outside the channel, but within the pre-filter. The illustration shows a signal just outside a W-CDMA Rx channel (indicated by the vertical dotted lines) which is lowering the cell s receive coverage. Once interference is seen at the Rx antenna, it is time to find it again at ground level and locate the source. Downlink Interference Downlink interference is also a receiver issue. In this case, the interference hunt needs to start from the area identified as faulty by customer complaints. Visit us at

4 Interference Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, Site Master S332/62E, Spectrum Master w/ Options 25/27/31 and Master Software Tools Interference Monitoring Master Software Tools Identifying Interference Locating Interference Locating Interference If the interfering signal is not present when you are at the base station, interference monitoring can help. The goal of monitoring is to find out when the interference happens, what it looks like on the spectrum analyzer, how it behaves in the frequency domain, and where it is visible. Once data is captured, it can be moved to a PC or laptop for off-line analysis. Visual Recognition by signal shape requires experience, but is a quick way to identify common signals. Spectrum Analyzer sensitivity is important when Plotting interference signal strength is a searching for an interference source. The better the sensitivity, the larger the area over which a signal can be detected. Modern hand-held spectrum analyzers, when optimized for interference hunting, are capable of displaying a noise floor under -160 dbm. powerful way to locate elusive signals. Since the Master series instruments have a GPS option, it s possible to hunt down interference by recording an interference signal s power readings by location which can then be placed on a PC based map. There, the readings can be collected and compared to readings from other signal hunting sessions. This can be very useful when dealing with an intermittent signal. This technique can also be used for frequency clearing and checking coverage. The spectrogram is quite useful when looking for intermittent or hopping signals. First, its colors allow spotting signal patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. By adjusting the top and bottom colors, these differences can be highlighted. Second, when paused, it is possible to scroll through the data, viewing intermittent signals of interest in both the spectrogram mode and the conventional Power versus Frequency mode. Remote Monitoring is useful if a local area network (LA) is available at the monitoring sight. In this case, it can be very helpful to hook the BTS Master up and operate the instrument remotely. This makes it possible to monitor the site from the office, modifying the instrument setup when the interference appears to get a better view of the issue. This is a good way to characterize an intermittent interfering signal without multiple trips to the site. Save-on-Event masks are a helpful way to simplify stand-alone signal monitoring. It is very useful when a LA is not available. The best way to create a Save-on-Even mask is to first collect a max-hold waveform of the normal spectrum. The mask (limit lines) can then be created with a one button click. It can then be set to capture traces only when unusual events, such as interference, occur. This extends monitoring time and expedites analysis. On the lower side of the signal, a minimum mask can be created, which will save traces only when signals that should be present are not. This would show if a carrier went missing for some reason. Movie capability allows replay of significant parts of the power versus frequency captured traces in real-time. This allows viewing the trace as if you were there during the interfering event. By seeing the signal in this manner, it is sometimes possible to recognize the interference immediately. The histogram allows correlating captured signal strength, at a frequency, to time. This helps characterize how the interfering signal behaves over time. If it shows, for instance, that the interference consistently shows up between 3:00 PM and 3:05 PM on weekday afternoons, that s a good time to run the interference hunt. Call signs are a quick way to identify traditional radio signals. Even paging signals broadcast a Morse code identifier. These call signs can be found in regulatory data bases, such as the US De-sense can be an issue for spectrum analyzers FCC s data base at as well as radio hlicense.jsp. Regulatory data bases gives receivers. When a information on licensed transmitters, including spectrum analyzer is location, frequency, signal type, and contact used to hunt signals in phone numbers. the physical vicinity of a strong transmitter, Signal identification software can identify the front end may be de-sensed. There are a digital signals. Many digital signals, cellular number of small receive filters available for signals among them, do not transmit a easily spectrum analyzers that eliminate this issue. decoded call sign. The Fixed Markers are one of the simplest ways to Master series of spectrum analyzers look for changes in a signal as you move around. has a Signal ID option A marker can be placed on the interfering signal which takes much of and frozen, or become fixed, in amplitude. A the mystery out of the second marker is used to show the difference spectrum. between the fixed marker and the current trace. Scrambling Code or Pilot Scanners can be used to troubleshoot interference problems caused by the network operator s own signals. These powerful tools give information to identify self interference sources including signal quality, pilot dominance, scrambling codes, P Offsets, and Sector IDs. Signal Strength Meters offer both visual and audible feedback on signal strength. It s a quick way to hear the signal strength change as you move around or swing a directional antenna. When close to an interference source, this can be a fast way to find the source. The RSSI display can be used in a similar manner. The Folder Spectrogram allows views of more than 15,000 recorded traces at once. Like the spectrum analyzer based spectrogram, it is a great help when looking for weak signals, drifting carriers, or hopping Direction Finding (DF) work is best done with a signals. When directional antenna, Multipath Scanners analyze specific digital loaded with the such as a agi, tuned results of a Save-on-Event signal monitoring signals to look for excessive reflections. to the band of interest. session, the time mark on each trace can be Excessive multipath creates interference from The DF process fading, particularly particularly useful. involves taking a series affecting CDMA and The 3D-Spectrogram can make recorded of directional readings, W-CDMA cell phone signals near, or on, other signals really or bearings, of the reception. These stand out. As an example, take a look at suspect signal and scanners show the the small interference signal near the green recording those various time delays, in marker in the plot below. readings on a map. By distance, chips, and taking readings closer and closer to the source, micro-seconds a the signal can be found, even if reflections are specific digital signal experiences. present. Channel Scanners work on any signal and are useful when looking for IM or harmonics. They can help spot signals widely separated in frequency that turn on and off together. This action indicates a cause-and-effect relationship between the two signals. Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications visit: Some signals are difficult to spot from ground level. It can be helpful to take bearings from building rooftops if possible. If not, bearings can be taken at ground level at an intersection, followed by travel in the direction of the strongest signal. Repeat as needed to find the source. Resolving Interference Once interference is located, the issue needs to be resolved. If the signal is illegal or the result of equipment problems, the solution is often to turn the offending transmitter off. In some cases personal safety may be at stake. In this case, please get assistance from regulatory or police agencies. In other cases, a transmitter or receiver will need filtering. There is a wide array of band pass, band reject, and notch filters available and more can be custom made. Sometimes, due to legal rights and contracts, the only solution is to choose another location for one of the radios. If the issue is IM, it is time to clean up environmental diodes. This can involve relocating transmitter antennas to ensure adequate isolation, swapping out old multi-carrier antennas, and dealing with rusty or corroded junctions. Corrosion can be dealt with by cleaning the affected joint, insulating the junction so electrical contact is no longer made, or by making a solid electrical connection between the offending parts. Some fences or galvanized structures may need to be removed or replaced. Old lightning arrestors are prone to arcing, as are corroded or fractured antennas. Generally, the only way to deal with this is to replace the part. Document o , Rev C Printed in the United States

5 Cable and Antenna Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld Site Master, LMR Master TM, VA Master TM, Cell Master, or BTS Master Antenna Sweeping Why Sweep Antennas? Commissioning Sweeps Why sweep antennas? Poor VSWR/Return Loss can damage transmitters, reduce the coverage area, and lower data rates. For instance, a return loss of 10 db means that 10% of the total power is not radiated and (if the transmitter is still running) that the coverage area is 10% smaller than the transmitter power settings might imply. Reduced coverage increases dropped and blocked calls due to weak signal areas and network loading imbalances. On the data link side, the increased signal distortion caused by a low return loss means that data rates are reduced and capacity suffers. Finally, poor Return Loss or VSWR can cause transmitter shutdown and even damage, taking out a sector until repaired. Keeping antenna systems in shape means the system as a whole runs better. Uptime is increased, call drops go down, data rates go up, and both managers and customers are happier. Commissioning sweeps provide the basis for acceptance of the antenna systems. They also provide a reference trace for use when looking for changes later. For best accuracy, they use a short and a load at the top of the antenna run. They may also be done with an antenna attached. The same data that is used for Return Loss or VSWR is also used for the Distance to Fault (DTF) calculations and display. Users can change between the two displays at will. This reduces the number of traces that must be archived and tracked by half. Cable loss is also an important commissioning check. Excessive cable loss reduces the radiated power, but also, can mask return loss issues, creating false good readings later. GPS location reporting allows verification of the trace location. This validation increases the credibility of the measurements and adds value to the work. Antenna Sweeping (continued) Maintenance Sweeps Troubleshooting Sweeps Common Faults Maintenance sweeps can catch faults early, which will increase network uptime, reduce dropped calls, and allow consistently higher data rates. Since every cable has a different sweep signature, it can be difficult to judge changes. But a reference trace, from the commissioning sweeps, makes it easy to see changes. Once a problem is spotted, whether from a VSWR alarm or a maintenance sweep, it s time to troubleshoot the problem. Troubleshooting sweeps are inherently different from maintenance or commissioning sweeps, since they require a flexible use of the instrument, calibrations, and settings to accurately locate the fault. FlexCal is a BTS Master capability that allows users to change frequency range without a new calibration, which is helpful when troubleshooting. Common faults include connector, cable and antenna faults. When looking for faults, it s important to know that most faults are connector related. This includes loose connectors, corroded connectors, and poorly installed connectors. Most remaining faults are cable related. This includes water in the cable, loose weather wrap, pinched cables, poorly installed ground kits, bullet holes, and even nails in the cable! A small portion of the faults are antenna related. It is possible to damage GPS antennas by sweeping. Their active components are not intended to take higher power levels so they should be replaced by a load (for Return Loss) or a short (for DTF) before measuring the line. Measurement accuracy is critical. That s why there are a variety of calibration routines as discussed in other parts of this guide. Improper use of the calibration standards, or use of an antenna sweeper with lower specifications, can lead to inaccurate measurements and unnecessary equipment replacement due to false fails. What is the cost of a false fail? Return Loss and VSWR Measuring Reflections Setting Cable Types Limit Lines Return Loss, or VSWR if you prefer, can be used as a one-number screening tool. As seen above, the markers for this sweep are set at the edges of the antenna s pass band. The trace between the markers is better than 15.5 db, (or a VSWR of 1.40) a common limit for sweeps with an antenna at the far end. This trace would typically be accepted as good. Reflections are measured using either VSWR or Return Loss. These are two different ways to measure the same thing. Return Loss is a logarithmic scale, and Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is a linear scale. our choice can be made by personal preference, the unit s limit numbers are given in, or by company requirements. Here s the conversion formula: Return Loss = 20 log VSWR +1/VSWR-1 VSWR = 1+10 RL/20 /1-10 -RL/20 However the quickest conversion is to just change the instrument units to the preferred settings. Limit lines can be created on the Master series sweepers and, when, accepted, moved from one instrument to another using a USB stick or Compact Flash Memory. This makes looking for faults straightforward and helps ensure consistency. Return loss, with an antenna on the far end, should be between 15 to 25 db. For a line with a load on the far end, the value should be between 30 and 40 db. Further information on Return Loss and VSWR testing can be found in the application note Understanding Cable & Antenna Analysis at Distance to Fault (DTF) Comparing Traces Propagation Velocity and Cable Loss Frequency Range DTF is a way to locate faults identified by Return Loss or VSWR measurements. Trace comparisons are often used for diagnostics because small changes in cables will have large effects on the DTF trace. Because of this, it is accepted practice to take reference sweeps of each cable at commissioning time for later comparison. Changes are often more significant than actual values. Even so, typical values with a good setup are: Open or Short 0 to 5 db Antenna Better than 16 db Connectors Better than 25 db Propagation velocity (PV or V p ) directly affects distance accuracy. PV must be set either manually or by entering a cable type. Cable Loss also needs to be set accurately, either manually, or by selecting a cable type. False cable loss values can mask Return Loss or VSWR problems. The frequency range for DTF sweeps should be set to stay within the load s bandwidth. If an antenna is used for the load, any portion of the DTF sweep that goes outside of the pass band is mostly reflected, reducing the accuracy of the vertical axis Return Loss or VSWR measurements. A wider frequency range improves distance resolution and lowers the maximum measureable distance. However, if an antenna is in place at the other end of the cable, the DTF frequency range should be restricted to the antenna s pass band. Further information on DTF testing can be found in the application note Distance To Fault at Antenna Isolation For Base Stations For Repeaters Setup Poor base station antenna isolation allows RF signals from one base station antenna to leak to another. If the leak is strong enough, BTS signal quality can be compromised causing dropped and blocked calls. This sort of problem can affect more than just the radios with poor isolation. Failures mean that the sector is prone to excessive intermodulation distortion, which lowers signal quality, increases dropped calls, and can cause interference with other radio services. Base station antenna isolation limits, when dealing with cellular systems typically should be lower than the -50 to -60 dbm range, although different situations require different limit numbers. Repeaters with insufficient isolation between the two antennas are prone to oscillations, creating interference that can seriously harm communications over a wide area. Repeaters are tested in much the same manner as base stations; however they require better isolation numbers. Consult your repeater installation instructions for specific guidelines. The setup for antenna isolation tests uses the BTS Master, Cell Master, or Site Master s Two Port Insertion Loss capability. After a two port calibration (An OSLIT cal), the signal source is connected to one antenna while the sense terminal is connected to the other. The amount of power lost during the transmission is the antenna isolation. Further information on isolation testing can be found in the application note Tower Mounted Amplifiers, Diagnostics and Isolation Measurements and Practical Tips on Transmission Measurements at Visit us at

6 Cable and Antenna Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld Site Master, LMR MasterTM, VA MasterTM, Cell Master, or BTS Master Tower Mounted Amplifiers (TMAs) Transmission Line Concepts Calibration and Accuracy Tower Testing Which Calibration to Use? Antenna and cable sweepers need to be calibrated to correct for the very small reflections that will otherwise lower the accuracy of the measurement. The accuracy of the instrument depends on the accuracy of the Open, Short, and Load (OSL) used for calibration. Open, Short, and Load (OSL) InstaCal, FlexCal Open, Short, Load, Isolation, Through (OSLIT) TMAs create a larger receive coverage area. If a TMA has low gain, distortion, is in bypass mode, is improperly installed, or is completely open, a base stations receive coverage can be seriously compromised. TMA failure, whether partial or complete, reduces the uplink coverage area which in turn leads to dropped calls. TMA failure can also lead to cell load imbalances and call blocking. Antenna cables are a type of transmission line, a cable that has constant impedance throughout its length. Any change in impedance causes a partial radio signal reflection. A poor load, cable, or connectors can reduce the calibration accuracy enough to mask problems with the base station s antenna and cable run. TMAs can be tested on the tower, which verifies the TMA and the installation as well as saving the time and expense of hiring a tower crew to bring the TMA down. TMA tower testing can be done with the BTS Master, and many other Anritsu two port testers, which have: A built-in bias tee, with voltage selection, to supply power to the TMA High RF power mode (0 dbm) for tower testing Lower RF power mode (-35 dbm) for direct gain measurements on the ground A current draw display, to check for excessive TMA current drain TMA gain can be measured using the two port insertion loss measurement. The procedure is to first measure the TMA noise floor when set up as shown in the illustration. Then, remove TMA power and take a second noise floor reading. The difference between the two readings is the gain of the TMA. The TMA must have a power fail bypass mode for this to work. When checking TMA gain, it is helpful to save the two traces. This makes it easy to use delta markers to measure the difference. It also makes it easy to check for in-band flatness, pass-band width, and the slope of the TMA filters. Further information can be found in the application note Tower Mounted Amplifiers, Diagnostics and Isolation Measurements and Practical Tips on Transmission Measurements at Changes in impedance, in turn, are caused by mismatches, or physical changes in the cable, such as: arrow spots, perhaps caused by clamps, sharp bends, cable stretch, or other external pressure Change in the internal insulating material, the dielectric, for instance, when water gets into the cable Connectors, particularly when improperly installed, loose or corroded. Physical damage such as bullet holes or nails The term Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) comes from how radio waves are distributed along a transmission line. When reflections are present, a combination of the forward (incident) and reflected wave produce a standing wave that forces the RF voltage to vary with distance. The ratio between the high and low voltage in the transmission line is the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio. The log version of VSWR is called Return Loss. It is important to use a phase stable cable when a jumper is needed. While standard cables can be used for jumpers, and even can be calibrated to very good numbers, a standard cable s reflections can change when it is moved or bent. This can change the noise floor by 20 db or more. A phase stable jumper cable will remain calibrated when flexed. Caring for Precision Cables and Connectors Precision cables and connectors are sensitive to mishandling. It only takes one mishandled attachment and detachment to lower the accuracy of a precision connector. Mishandling can destroy the accuracy of an OSL calibration standard. The key is to avoid twisting the body of the connector, making sure that that the center pin (gold coated in the picture) does not rotate when attaching the precision connector. This prevents the formation of circular rubbing marks on the center pin that destroy the accuracy of the connector. Precision cables have a minimum bend radius. If the cable is bent too tightly, or pinched, the center conductor moves closer to the shielding, changing the impedance and causing a reflection. At this point, the abused cable is no longer a precision cable. Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications visit: Line Sweep Tools (LST) Trace Processing File Transfer Limit Lines OSL is the most accurate calibration for one port tests such as Return Loss, VSWR, and DTF. An OSL calibration requires the use of three precision standards, and is as accurate as the standards. This calibration can be done either at the instrument test port, or at the end of a phase stable cable, in which case it compensates for the length of the cable. This is useful when measuring DTF. One side effect of the high accuracy OSL calibration is that it is dependent on the frequency span of the antenna tester. If the start and stop frequency is changed, the OSL cal will need to be redone. InstaCal can be used with the Site Master and Cell Master. It allows a quicker OSL style calibration with a slight loss of accuracy. It changes the open, short, and load electronically, making calibration faster. FlexCal can be used for troubleshooting tasks at a slight cost in accuracy. FlexCal uses the OSL calibration, but does the calibration over the full range of the sweeper. This allows users the flexibility to change the sweep start and stop frequencies as needed to better resolve a fault without stopping to recalibrate the instrument. OSLIT is used for the two port tests. Two port tests, as mentioned elsewhere, use a signal source, a device under test, and a measurement of the output of that device. After running an OSLIT, it is possible to check TMAs, amplifiers, filters, antenna isolation, and many other active and passive RF devices. Line Sweep Tools is a PC based program that makes life easier for people testing cables and antennas. It helps with collecting traces, verifying traces, and generating reports in an industry accepted manner. It also helps ensure common pass/fail standards across the organization. Trace processing tools in LST include: Marker presets a quick way to make sure markers are set to the same place on each trace. File renaming A quick way to rename trace file names, titles, and subtitles. A database a way to collect groups of traces, say, from one base station, into one file for ease of forwarding. Report generation an industry standard report generator. Ways to compare traces by overlaying to quickly spot changes. With this capability, trace analysis becomes much simpler. In addition, LST s output files can be viewed in the legacy Handheld Software Tools (HHST) software, ensuring compatibility between users of either software tool. File transfer between the Master series instruments and a PC allows trace validation, report generation, and archiving. Transfer can happen several ways. Perhaps the simplest is to copy or save the trace to either a USB memory stick or a Compact Flash RAM. Data can also be transferred over an USB or Ethernet cable. Limit lines, either single limits, or multi-point limits, can be created by LST, as well as the Master series cable and antenna testers. This is a powerful way to ensure that common pass/fail standards are used by everyone involved in testing antennas and antenna cables. Further information on two port testing can be found in the application note Tower Mounted Amplifiers, Diagnostics and Isolation Measurements at Document o , Rev B Printed in the United States

7 GSM/GPRS/EDGE Base Station Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, or Spectrum Master with Options 40/41 Start Here Use BTS Over-the-Air (OTA) tests to spotcheck a transmitters coverage and signal quality. Use the Direct Connect tests to check transmitter power and when the OTA test results are ambiguous. OTA Start Find location several blocks from tower, square to face, and away from reflective surfaces Found good spot? Freq. Occupied Bandwidth Phase Power vs. Time Origin Offset Done Start Direct Connect Transmitter Test Fix frequency reference Start Direct Connect Transmitter Test Troubleshooting Hints These two tables provide guidance from the first indication of a fault, a poor Key Performance Indicator (KPI), to the BTS or Spectrum Master test, and finally, to the field replaceable unit. Key Performance Indicators vs. Test Call Blocking or Denial C/I Power Power vs. Time (Slot) Occ BW Phase Freq Origin Offset Time Slot Shortage x x x x x x UL Interference x x xx Call Drop Radio Link Timeout x x x xx xx x x x UL Interference x x x xx DL Interference xx x x x x x x x Test vs. BTS Field Replaceable Units Freq Ref Radios MCPA Filters Antenna Power x xx x x Power vs. Time (slot) x xx x x Occupied Bandwidth (OCC BW) xx x x x Phase xx x Vector Magnitude () x xx x x Frequency xx Origin Offset xx Rx oise Floor Antenna Down Tilt Carrier to Interference Ratio (C/I) x x x x xx Rx oise Floor xx GSM/GPRS/EDGE BTS Block Diagram x = probable, xx = most probable Locating Over-the-Air Test Spots To test a BTS Over-the-Air (OTA) it is necessary to find a good location. To find a good OTA test site, look for a place squarely in the sector, a block or two from the tower, and away from surfaces that may reflect radio waves. A good location will have a C/I ratio better than 20 db. A directional antenna for the BTS Master will help to screen out unwanted signals and improve the OTA C/I reading. In some urban areas, locating a good OTA site can be difficult. In these cases, it may be quicker to hook up to the BTS for testing. Anritsu BTS Master Pass/Fail screen provides status of BTS Direct Connect Transmitter Tests Transmitter tests can be run while hooked up to the: A. Output of the BTS (Point A ). B. Test port (Point B ) which is essentially the output of all of the amplifiers. C. Output of the power amplifiers (Point C ). The goal of these measurements is to increase voice coverage, data rate, and EDGE capacity by accurate power settings, low out-ofchannel emissions, and good signal quality. Good signals allow the cell to have better capacity and a better return on investment. The antenna is the last link in the transmission path. If hooked up at point A, it is helpful to sweep the antenna(s) at the same time, to ensure a high quality signal. OTA Signal Quality Test Carrier to Interference (C/I) Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) The Carrier to Interference (C/I) ratio indicates the quality of the received signal. This measurement can be used to locate a good spot for OTA testing. It also can be used to identify areas of poor signal quality. The Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) gives the base station id. The etwork Color Code (CC) identifies the owner of the network. The Base Station Color Code (BCC) identifies the sector. Guidelines: C/I ratios for OTA signal quality testing should be higher than 20 db. C/I ratios for coverage testing, should be higher than10 db over 95% of the coverage area. BSIC, CC, and BCC numbers should be as specified by the network operator. Consequences: C/I ratios under 20 db will prevent accurate OTA signal quality testing. EDGE data rates will also be affected. C/I ratios under 10 db will cause coverage issues including dropped calls, blocked calls, and other handset reception problems. BSIC, CC, and BCC faults indicate coverage issues that lead to dropped calls. Common Faults: For OTA signal quality testing, the C/I ratio will vary with location. Be aware that interference or a faulty BTS may cause a low C/I. For coverage and BSIC issues, check for a weak signal or excessive coverage from another sector. Check antenna down tilt, BTS power, BTS signal quality, and look for interference. Visit us at

8 GSM/GPRS/EDGE Base Station Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, or Spectrum Master with Options 40/41 Cell Size Power Meter Measurements Average Burst Power Guard Period Measurements Power vs. Time (Slot) Power vs. Tiime (Frame) Out-of-Channel Emissions Occupied Bandwidth (Occ BW) Frequency Signal Quality Tests Phase (for GSM) Pass Fail Mode Signal Quality Tests for EDGE Vector Magnitude () Origin Offset The High Accuracy Power Meter can measure RF power to an accuracy of ± 0.16 db. Traffic channels may need to be changed to BCCH channels for the duration of the test. Power versus Time (Slot and Frame) should be used if the GSM base station is setup to turn RF power off between timeslots. When used OTA, this measurement can also spot GSM signals from other cells. Average Burst Power is discussed to the left. Occupied Bandwidth is a measurement of the spectrum used by the carrier. The occupied bandwidth contains 99% of the signal s RF power. Phase is a measure of the phase difference between an ideal and actual GMSK modulated voice signal. Phase measurements are required for the GMSK modulated signals used for GSM voice transmissions. Vector Magnitude () measures the difference between an ideal and an actual 8-PSK signal. measurements are required for the 8-PSK modulated signals used for EDGE data transmissions. Average Burst Power, shown to the right, can be used in-service on all channels. Guidelines: Most network operators set their base stations to within ±1.0 db of specification. Guidelines: The GSM signal should be within the GSM mask, and EDGE signals should be within the EDGE mask. The signal s off-time must coincide with the mask. Guideline: Occupied bandwidth should be between 230 khz and 280 khz for GSM signals. Guideline For GSMK signals, phase error should be: Less than 5% for RMS Phase Less than 20% for Peak Phase Guideline For 8-PSK signals, should be: Less than 7% for (rms), measured before any passive combiners Less than 22% for (pk), measured before any passive combiners Consequences: High or low values will create larger areas of cell-to-cell interference and create lower data rates near cell edges. Low values create dropouts and dead zones. Consequences: Violations of the mask create dropped calls, low capacity, and small service area issues. Consequences: Excessive occupied bandwidth can create interference with adjacent channels or be a sign of poor signal quality, leading to dropped calls. Consequences: Poor signal quality leading to dropped calls, blocked calls, and missed handoffs. Consequences: Dropped calls, blocked calls, low data rate, and low sector capacity. Common Faults: Common faults include lack of amplifier calibration, radio drift, large VSWR errors, damaged connectors, and damaged antennas. Rx oise Floor When looking for uplink interference a good first step is to check the Rx oise Floor. To do this, hookup to a Rx test port, or the Rx antenna, for the affected sector and make measurements on the receive channel when calls are not up. Look first for a high received Rx noise floor by using the GSM channel power measurement on the uplink channel. Also check for signals outside the Rx channel but still passed through the Rx filter. These signals can cause receiver de-sense, a reduction in receiver sensitivity that effectively lowers the cell s receive coverage. Common Faults: Small violations of the mask during on-time indicate (see ) issues. If the off-time misses the mask, look for radio timing issues. If a second set of offtimes is visible OTA during what should be ontime, look for excessive GSM coverage. Rx oise Floor (continued) Guideline: Less than approximately 100 dbm received noise floor when no calls are up. Consequences: Call blocking, denial of services, call drops, low data rate, and low capacity. Common Faults: Receiver de-sense from co-channel interference, in-band interference, or passive intermodulation. Intermodulation products can cause interference and in turn may be caused by a combination of strong signals and corrosion. This corrosion can be in the antenna, connectors, or nearby rusty metal. This issue is often called the rusty bolt syndrome. Common Faults: Check for proper carrier filtering and distortion caused by high amplifier power levels. Faulty radios, filters, and bad antennas can also cause occupied bandwidth problems. Frequency is a check to see that the carrier frequency is precisely correct. The BTS Master can accurately measure Carrier Frequency OTA if it is GPS enabled or in GPS holdover. Guideline: Frequency should be less than ± 0.05 ppm. Consequences: Calls will drop when mobiles travel at higher speed. In some cases, cell phones cannot hand off into, or out of the cell. Common Faults: First, check the reference frequency and the reference frequency distribution system. Check the backhaul and if used, the GPS. Common Faults: Phase faults can be caused by distortion in the radio units or power amplifier. Trace the fault through the signal chain to find the faulty Field Replaceable Unit. Pass Fail Mode (shown on the previous page as the BTS Master screen) is a way to set up common test limits, or sets of limits, for each instrument. Guideline: A green Pass field is required for all tests. Consequences: Inconsistent settings between base stations, leading to inconsistent network behavior. Common Faults: Failures come from BTS aging, hard faults, and variable standards. Common Faults: Radio units, power amplifiers, filters and antenna system can cause faults. Trace the fault through the signal chain to find the faulty Field Replaceable Unit. Origin Offset is a measure of the DC power leaking through local oscillators and mixers. This fault lowers signal quality and is normally caused by radio units and up-converters. Guideline: Origin Offset should be less than - 30 db for EDGE measurements. Consequences: Origin Offset faults will lower and Phase measurements and create higher dropped call rate. Common Faults: Origin Offset is created in the radio units Amplifiers and passive components do not create this error. Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications visit: Document o , Rev A Printed in the United States

9 W-CDMA/HSDPA Base Station Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, or Spectrum Master with Options 35/44/65 Start Here Use BTS Over-the-Air (OTA) tests to spotcheck a transmitters coverage and signal quality. Use the Direct Connect tests to check transmitter power and when the OTA test results are ambiguous. OTA Start Find location with high pilot dominance, low multipath Found good spot? Run Signal Quality Tests Freq. PCDE Run PC-based Throughput Test Done Start Direct Connect Transmitter Test Fix frequency reference Start Direct Connect Transmitter Test Troubleshoot backhaul Troubleshooting Hints These two tables provide guidance from the first indication of a fault, a poor Key Performance Indicator (KPI), to the BTS or Spectrum Master test, and finally, to the field replaceable unit. Key Performance Indicators vs. Test Call Blocking or Denial Pilot Power ACLR & SEM PCDE Power shortage x x Freq Code Shortage x xx xx x oise Floor UL Interference x x Call Drop Rx oise Floor OTA or Ec/Io Ec Excess Scram Codes Radio Link Timeout x x x x x x x x x x UL Interference x x DL Interference x x x x x x x x x Test vs. BTS Field Replaceable Units Freq Ref Ch Cards MCPA Filter Antenna Pilot Power xx x x Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) x x xx x Spectral Emission Mask (SEM) x x xx x Peak Code Domain (PCDE) xx Vector Magnitude () x x x x Frequency xx oise Floor x x OTA or Ec /Io x x x x x Good Throughput? Multipath Antenna Down Tilt Ec x xx Excess Scrambling Codes x xx Multipath x x = probable, xx = most probable W-CDMA/HSDPA BTS Block Diagram Locating Over-the-Air Test Spots To test a BTS Over-the-Air (OTA) it is necessary to find a location with good pilot dominance and low multipath. The BTS Master pilot dominance and multi-path measurements are ideal for this task. OTA testing requires a pilot dominance higher than 10 db and a multipath number less than 0.3 db. To find a good OTA test site, look for a place squarely in the sector, a block or two from the tower, and away from surfaces that may reflect radio waves. A directional antenna for the BTS Master will help to screen out unwanted signals. In some urban areas, locating a good OTA site can be difficult. In these cases, it may be quicker to hook up to the BTS for testing. Anritsu BTS Master Pass/Fail screen provides status of BTS Direct Connect Transmitter Tests Transmitter tests can be run while hooked up to the: A. Output of the BTS (Point A ). B. Test port (Point B ) which is essentially the output of the Multi- Carrier Power Amplifier (MCPA). C. Input to the MCPA (Point C ) if the signal is accessible. D. Frequency reference system (Point D ) for carrier frequency errors. The goal of these measurements is to increase data rate and capacity by accurate power settings, low out-of-channel emissions, and good signal quality tests. Good signals allow the cell to provide a better return on investment. The antenna is the last link in the transmission path. If hooked up at point A, it is helpful to sweep the antenna(s) at the same time, to ensure a high quality signal. Multiple Sector Coverage Checks Scrambling Code, Ec/Io, Ec, Pilot Dominance Scrambling codes indicate which sectors are present at the current location. Too many strong sectors create pilot pollution. Ec is a measure of pilot power Over-the-Air. It is often used to check coverage levels. It should be highest near the tower, declining to a minimum level at the handoff point. Ec/Io indicates the quality of the signal from each scrambling code. Guidelines: Scrambling Codes: 3 or fewer codes, within 15 db of the dominate code, over 95% of the coverage area. Ec: Should be higher than -88 dbm over 97% of the coverage area. Ec/Io: Should be higher than -9 db over 95% of the coverage area. Pilot Dominance: Higher than 10 db for OTA signal quality testing. Consequences: Scrambling Codes: Low data rate, low capacity, and excessive soft handoffs. Ec: Call drop, low data rate, and low capacity. Ec/Io: Low data rate and low capacity. Common Faults: Scrambling Codes: Antenna down tilt, pilot power, and repeaters. Ec: Antenna down tilt, pilot power, building shadows, and other obstructions. Ec/Io: Antenna down tilt, damaged antennas, pilot power, and co-channel interference. Visit us at

10 W-CDMA/HSDPA Base Station Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master, or Spectrum Master with Options 35/44/65 Single Sector Coverage Checks Cell Size Out-of-Channel Emissions Multipath BTS Power and Pilot Power Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) Vector Magnitude () Peak Code Domain (PCDE) Multi-Channel ACLR Spectral Emission Mask (SEM) Frequency oise Floor Multipath measurements show how many, Pilot Power sets cell size. A 1.5 db change in power levels means approximately a 15% change in coverage area. ACLR measures how much of the carrier gets how long, and how strong the various radio signal paths are. Multipath signals outside tolerances set by the cell phone or other UE devices become interference. is the ratio of errors, or distortions, in into neighboring RF channels. ACLR, and multi- the actual signal, compared to a perfect channel ACLR, check the closest (adjacent) and signal. applies to the entire signal. second closest (alternate) RF channels on both Symbol for each code is available on the single carrier and multi-carrier W-CDMA signals. marker measurements and in the Code Domain Power Table view. Frequency is a check to see that the Pilot power is an in-service measurement if the BTS has a test port. Use the high accuracy power meter for the best accuracy (+/ db). Signal Quality Tests Signal Quality Tests carrier frequency is precisely correct. The BTS Master can accurately measure Carrier Frequency OTA if the instrument is GPS enabled or in GPS holdover. Guideline: Limits are set by User Equipment Guideline: The signal should be within +/- Guidelines: -45 dbc for the adjacent Guideline: 17.5 % when transmitting a Guideline: Frequency should be less (UE) needs. Multipath signals within -15 db of the strongest signal should be within the time range the UE can deal with and be numerically equal to, or fewer than, the UE s fingers. 2.0 db of specification under normal conditions. channels, -50 dbc for the alternate channels. composite signal using only QPSK modulation. than: OTA signal quality testing requires a multipath power less than 0.3 dbm. In certain regions of the world, for Local Area 12.5 % when transmitting a composite (low power) base stations, the adjacent channel signal that includes 16 QAM modulation. should be -8.0 dbm (for Band I, Band IX and 8.0 % when transmitting a composite signal Band XI) or 2.0dBm (for Band VI). that includes 64 QAM modulation. Wide Area BTS: +/ ppm Medium Range BTS: +/- 0.1 ppm Local Area BTS: +/- 0.1 ppm Consequences: The primary issue is cochannel interference leading to dropped calls and low data rates. Consequences: High values will create Consequences: The BTS will create interference for neighboring carriers. This is also an indication of low signal quality and low capacity, which can lead to blocked calls. Consequences: Dropped calls, low signal quality, low data rate, low sector capacity, and blocked calls. This is the single most important signal quality measurement. Consequences: Calls will drop when pilot pollution. High or low values will cause dead spots/dropped calls and cell loading imbalances/blocked calls. Common Faults: Buiding shadows, antenna tilt, and repeaters. Common Faults: The first thing to check is Common Faults: First, check the Tx filter, the MCPA calibration followed by large VSWR faults and damaged connectors. then the MCPA and the channel cards. Also, the antenna system can generate intermodulation due to corrosion. Common Faults: faults can be caused by distortion in the channel cards, power amplifier, filter, or antenna system. Common Faults: First, check the reference frequency and the reference frequency distribution system. If a GPS frequency reference is used, check it as well. Rx oise Floor Rx oise Floor (continued) SEM checks closer to the signal than ACLR does. Peak Code Domain is a measure of the When looking for uplink interference a good first step is to check the Rx oise Floor. To do this, hookup to a Rx test port, or the Rx antenna, for the affected sector and make measurements when calls are not up. Look first for a high received Rx noise floor by using the W-CDMA RF channel power measurement on the uplink channel. Also, use the spectrum analyzer to check for signals outside the Rx channel but still passed through the Rx filter. It also is sensitive to absolute power levels. Guideline: Less than approximately 80 Regulators in many countries require regular dbm received noise floor when no calls are up. measurements of spectral emissions. Consequences: Call blocking, denial of services, call drops, low data rate, and low capacity. Common Faults: Receiver de-sense from co-channel interference, in-band interference, or passive intermodulation PIM). mobiles travel at higher speed. In some cases, cell phones cannot hand off into, or out of the cell. oise Floor is the average level of the visible errors between one code channel and another. s on individual code channels likely originate on the channel cards. noise floor. This will affect and PCDE. Guideline: Must be below mask. Received Guideline: -33 db or less at a spreading Guideline: -35 db, or lower, is a typical power levels matter so be sure to use the right external attenuation value. factor of 256. limit. Consequences: Failing this test leads to interference with neighboring carriers, legal liability, and low signal quality. Consequences: Dropped calls, low signal quality, low data rate, low sector capacity, and blocked calls. Consequences: Dropped calls, low signal Common Faults: Check amplifier output Common Faults: Check the channel cards first, particularly if passes. Common Faults: A high noise floor can be caused by cross talk in the channel cards, cochannel interference, and high. filtering first. Also look for intermodulation distortion or spectral re-growth. Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications visit: quality, low data rate, low sector capacity, and blocked calls. Document o , Rev D Printed in the United States

11 LTE eodeb Troubleshooting Guide utilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell Master or Spectrum Master with Options 0541, 0542 and 0546 Start Here Use Over-the-Air (OTA) tests to spot-check a transmitter s coverage and signal quality. Use the Direct Connect tests to check transmitter power and when the OTA test results are ambiguous. Troubleshooting Hints These two tables provide guidance from the first indication of a fault, a poor Key Performance Indicator (KPI), to the BTS Master, Cell Master or Spectrum Master test, and finally, to the field replaceable unit. Key Performance Indicators vs. Test Sync Power RS Power Occupied BW, ACLR, & SEM (pk) (rms) Freq Rx oise Floor Call/Session Blocking Power shortage x x x Resource Block shortage x xx xx UL Interference x xx Call/Session Drop Radio Link Timeout x x x x x x x UL Interference x x DL Interference x x x x x x Test vs. BTS Field Replaceable Units Freq Ref Signal Generation MCPA Filters Antenna Sync Power x xx x RS Power x xx x Occupied BW x xx xx Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) x x xx x Spectral Emission Mask (SEM) x x xx x Vector Magnitude Peak ( pk) x xx Vector Magnitude (rms) x x x x Frequency xx OTA x x x x x x = probable, xx = most probable Pass Fail measurements simplify OTA and Direct Connect Transmitter Test with user specified Limit sets OTA Antenna Down Tilt Locating Over-the-Air Test Spots To test an eodeb Over-the-Air (OTA) it is necessary to find a location with good Sync Signal (SS) dominance. The SS dominance measurements are ideal for this task. OTA testing requires SS dominance readings higher than 10 db. To find a good OTA test site, look for a place squarely in the sector, a block or two from the tower, and away from surfaces that may reflect radio waves. A directional antenna will help to screen out unwanted signals. In some urban areas, locating a good OTA site can be difficult. In these cases, it may be quicker to connect to the BTS for testing. Anritsu BTS Master Direct Connect Transmitter Tests Transmitter tests can be run while connected to the: Output of the eodeb (Point A ). Test port (Point B ) which is essentially the output of the Multi- Carrier Power Amplifier (MCPA). Input to the MCPA (Point C ) if the signal is accessible Frequency reference system (Point D ) for carrier frequency errors The goal of these measurements is to increase data rate and capacity by accurate power settings, low out-of-channel emissions, and good signal quality tests. Good signals allow the cell to generate more revenue and provide a better return on investment. The antenna is the last link in the transmission path. If connected at point A, it is helpful to sweep the antenna(s) at the same time, to ensure a high quality signal. Multiple Sector Coverage Checks Sync Signal Power, Dominance, Cell ID, and Sync Signal (S-SS) affects cell size. S-SS is also used OTA to check coverage. It should be highest near the tower, declining to a minimum level at the handoff point. More information on SS is provided elsewhere in this guide. Dominance: The strength of the strongest S- SS compared to the others., RSRP, RSRQ, and SIR all indicate the quality of the received signal. In this screen, is measured on the PBCH signal, so as to not be affected by traffic. Cell, Group, and Sector ID: Identifies the source of the OTA signals detected. Guidelines: Dominance: Higher than 10 db for OTA signal quality testing. : Established from a known good base station at a location where the dominance figure is over 10 db. Cell, Group, and Sector ID: Should be set as defined by engineering. Consequences: Poor Dominance: Poor spot to test the BTS OTA. May be a result of excessive coverage, which will result in a loss of system capacity due to excessive co-channel interference. Poor : Call drops, call blocking, low data rate, and low capacity. Wrong Cell, Group or Sector ID: Dropped handoffs and island sectors. Common Faults: Antenna down tilt, damaged antennas, control channel power settings, and co-channel interference. Visit us at

12 LTE eodeb Troubleshooting Guide ut tilizing Anritsu s Handheld BTS Master, Cell C Master or Spectrum Master with Options 0541, 0542 and 0546 Channel Spectrum Occupied Bandwidth Tx Test MIMO Verification Out-of-Channel Emissions Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) Spectral Emission Mask (SEM) Signal Quality Tests r Vector Magnitude () Support Signals Control Channels and Syn Signal (SS Power) The transmitter s signal should be centered in the display, which indicates that the proper RF channel has been chosen. This display is also useful when looking for gross RF problems. Occupied Bandwidth measures the width of the frequency spectrum occupied by the transmitter s signal. The Occupied Bandwidth contains 99% of the signal s power. Tx Test measurement can be used OTA to verify low co-channel interference, MIMO operation, and frequency error. It is particularly useful for Remote Radio Head (RRH) installations where it s difficult to get direct access too the transmitters. However, it can also be used directly connected to verify each MIMO transmitter. The MIMO indicator verifies which transmitter iss connected. ACLR and SEM are used to measure how much of the transmitted signal leaks into adjacent channels. ACLR measures how much off the carrier gets into neighboring RF channels and checks the closest (adjacent) and secondd closest (alternate) RF channels on LTE signals. is the ratio of errors, or distortions, in the actual signal, compared too a perfect signal., in this screen, measures the PBCH, if there is no data traffi fic, and the PDSCH if there is traffic. is the most important signal quality measurement and is reported d by modulation type also in the Modulation Summary screen. Control Channels are used too allow user equipment to find and use the LTE network and to assess RF channel quality. Power/RE is the Resource Element power, whichh is often reported by User Equipment. Total Power per control channel is often reported by e-odeb equipment. Guideline: The defined LTE Occupied Bandwidths are 1.4, 3.0, 5.0, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. Guideline: OTA as a quality indicator: one cell ID detectedd (use directional antenna) or >20 db dominance, RS Delta power < 3 db, < 10%. Frequency < 10 Hz ( GPS). Measure at installation, track changes. Guidelines: -455 dbc for the adjacent channels, Guideline: 17.5% for QPSK modulation, -45 dbc for the alternate a channels. 12.5% for 16 QAM modulation, and 8% for 64 QAM modulation when done hooked up to the eodeb. Guideline: Control Channels typically t are all set to the same power level. However, usage may vary as experience with LTE increases. Consequences: Excessive Occupied BW results in interference with neighboringg carriers, dropped calls, and low capacity. Consequences: Poor or no MIMO operation will result in poor throughput, low sector capacity, dropped and blocked calls. Low dominance means high co-channel interference with similar consequences. Consequences: The eodebb will create interference for neighboring n carriers. c This is also an indicationn of low signal quality and low capacity, which can c lead to blocked calls. Consequences: Poor leads to dropped calls, low signal quality, low data rate, low sector capacity, and blocked calls. This is the single most important signal quality measurement. Consequences: Control channels set at thee wrong levels may prevent userr equipment from detecting the cell or registering. This may in turn cause dropped calls or data sessions and blocked calls. Common Faults: The Tx filters, MCPA, Signal Processing, and antennas may contribute to Occupied Bandwidth faults. Common Faults: disconnected or inter- sector cross connected MIMO transmitters, faulty MCPA, poor antenna installation. Common Faults: Check Tx filter, f MCPA and channel cards. Also, A the antenna system can generate intermodulation duee to corrosion. Common Faults: faults can be caused by distortion in the channel cards, power amplifier, filter, or antenna system. Common Faults: Improper settings in the signal processing and control section of the eodeb. Rx oise Floor When looking for uplink interference a good first step is to check the Rx oise Floor. To do this, connect to an Rx testt port, or the Rx antenna, for the affected sector and make measurements when calls are not up. Look first for a high received Rx noise floor by using the LTE RF channel power measurement on the uplink channel. Also, use the spectrum analyzer to check for signals outside the Rx channel but still passed through the Rx filter. Guideline: Less than approximately 80 dbm received noise floor when no calls are up. This level varies with the LTE RF channel bandwidth. Consequences: Call blocking, denial of services, call drops, low data rate, and low capacity. Common Faults: Receiverr desensitization from co-channel interference, in-band interference, or passive intermodulation. SEM checks closer to the signal than ACLR does. It also is sensitive to absolute power levels. Regulators in many countries require regular measurements of spectral emissions. Guideline: Below the mask. Power levels matter; use correct external attenuation a value. Consequences: Failing this test t leads to interference withh neighboringg carriers, legal liability, and low signal quality. Common Faults: Check amplifier output filtering first. Also look for intermodulation distortion or spectral re-growth. OTA Mapping, with Google Maps, allows analysis of signal quality at a particular location, or series of locations. This is an excellent way to find coverage and interference problems. Sync Signal (SS) Power setss cell size. It ss the average of P-SCH and S-SCH. A 1.5 db change means 15% change in coverage area. SS is an in-servicee measurement if the BTS has a test port. Use the high accuracy power meter m and a test signal for the best accuracy (± 0.16 db) Guideline: The signal should be b within ± 2.0 db of specification under normal conditions. Consequences: High values create excessive cell overlap leading to interference and low capacity. High or low values will cause low capacity, dropped and blocked calls. Common Faults: Check MCPAA calibration followed by large VSWR faults and damagedd connectors. Anritsu. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Data subject to change without notice. For the most recent specifications s visit: Document o , Rev C Printed in thee United States

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