Digital Microwave Communication Overview

Definition of Microwave
Microwave is a kind of electromagnetic wave. In a broad sense, the microwave
frequency range is from 300 MHz to 300 GHz. But In microwave communication, the
frequency range is generally from 3 GHz to 30 GHz.
According to the characteristics of microwave propagation, microwave can be
considered as plane wave. The plane wave has no electric field and magnetic field
longitudinal components along the propagation direction. The electric field and
magnetic field components are vertical to the propagation direction.
Therefore, it is called transverse electromagnetic wave and TEM wave for short.

Transmission Methods in Current Comunication Networks

Development of Microwave Comunication

Concept of Digital Microwave Communication

Digital microwave communication is a way of transmitting digital information in
atmosphere through microwave or radio frequency (RF).
Microwave communication refers to the communication that use microwave as
carrier.
Digital microwave communication refers to the microwave communication that
adopts the digital modulation.
The baseband signal is modulated to intermediate frequency (IF) first . Then the
intermediate frequency is converted into the microwave frequency.
The baseband signal can also be modulated directly to microwave frequency, but
only phase shift keying (PSK) modulation method is applicable.
The electromagnetic field theory is the basis on which the microwave
communication theory is developed.

Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel

Configuration (1)
Generally-used frequency bands in digital microwave transmission:
7G/8G/11G/13G/15G/18G/23G/26G/32G/38G (defined by ITU-R
Recommendations)

Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel

Configuration (2)

In each frequency band, subband frequency ranges, transmitting/receiving spacing

(T/R spacing), and channel spacing are defined.

Microwave Frequency Band Selection and RF Channel

Configuration (3)

7G
Frequency
Range

7425-7725

7110-7750
7250-7550

F0
(MHz)

T/R
Spacing
(MHz)

Channel
Spacing
(MHz)

7575

154

28

7575
7275
7597
7400

161
196
196
161

7
28
28
3.5

Primary and
Non-Primary
Stations
Fn=f0-161+28n,
Fn'=f0-7+28n,
(n: 1-5)

Digital Microwave Communication Modulation (1)

Digital baseband signal is the unmodulated digital signal. The baseband signal
cannot be directly transmitted over microwave radio channels and must be
converted into carrier signal for microwave transmission.

Digital Microwave Communication Modulation (2)

The following formula indicates a digital baseband signal being converted into a
digital frequency band signal.

ASK: Amplitude Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier
amplitude (A). Wc and remain unchanged.
FSK: Frequency Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier
frequency (Wc). A and remain unchanged.
PSK: Phase Shift Keying. Use the digital baseband signal to change the carrier phase
(). Wc and A remain unchanged.
QAM: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation. ). Use the digital baseband signal to
change the carrier phase () and amplitude (A). Wc remains unchanged.

Microwave Frame Structure (1)

RFCOH

RFCOH: Radio Frame Complementary Overhead

RSC: Radio Service Channel

MLCM: Multi-Level Coding Modulation

INI: N:1 switching command
DMY: Dummy
ID: Identifier
XPIC: Cross-polarization Interference Cancellation
FA: Frame Alignment
ATPC: Automatic Transmit Power Control
WS: Wayside Service

Microwave Frame Structure (2)

RFCOH is multiplexed into the STM-1 data and a block multiframe is formed. Each
multiframe has six rows and each row has 3564 bits. One multiframe is composed
of two basic frames. Each basic frame has 1776 bits. The remaining 12 bits are used
for frame alignment.

I: STM-1 information bit

C1/C2: Two-level correction coding monitoring bits
FS: Frame synchronization
a/b: Other complementary overheads

Digital Microwave Communication Equipment

Microwave Equipment Category

Trunk Microwave Equipment

High cost, large transmission capacity, more stable performance, applicable

to long haul and trunk transmission

RF, IF, signal processing, and MUX/DEMUX units are all indoor. Only the
antenna system is outdoor.

All Outdoor Microwave Equipment

All the units are outdoor.
Installation is easy.
The equipment room can be saved.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment (1)

The RF unit is an outdoor unit (ODU). The IF, signal processing, and MUX/DEMUX
units are integrated in the indoor unit (IDU). The ODU and IDU areconnected
through an IF cable.
The ODU can either be directly mounted onto the antenna or connected to the
antenna through a short soft waveguide. Although the capacity is smaller than the
trunk, due to the easy installation and maintenance, fast network construction, it's
the most widely used microwave equipment.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment (2)

Unit Functions
o Antenna: Focuses the RF signals transmitted by ODUs and increases
the signal gain.
o ODU: RF processing, conversion of IF/RF signals.
o IF cable: Transmitting of IF signal, management signal and power
supply of ODU.
o IDU: Performs access, dispatch, multiplex/demultiplex, and
modulation/demodulation for services.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Installation

Microwave Antenna (1)

Antennas are used to send and receive microwave signals.

Parabolic antennas and cassegrainian antennas are two common types of

microwave antennas.

Microwave antenna diameters includes: 0.3m, 0.6m, 1.2m, 1.8m,2.0m,

2.4m, 3.0m, 3.2metc.

Microwave Antenna (2)

Different frequency channels in same frequency band can share one antenna.

Antenna Adjustment (1)

Antenna Adjustment (2)

During antenna adjustment, change the direction vertically or horizontally.

Meanwhile, use a multimeter to test the RSSI at the receiving end. Usually,
the voltage wave will be displayed as shown in the lower right corner. The
peak point of the voltage wave indicates the main lobe position in the
vertical or horizontal direction. Large-scope adjustment is unnecessary.
Perform fine adjustment on the antenna to the peak voltage point.

When antennas are poorly aligned, a

small voltage may be detected in one
direction. In this case, perform coarse
adjustment on the antennas at both
ends, so that the antennas are roughly
aligned.

The antennas at both ends that are well

aligned face a little bit upward. Though
12 dB is lost, reflection interference will
be avoided.

Antenna Adjustment (3)

During antenna adjustment, the two wrong adjustment cases are show here. One
antenna is aligned to another antenna through the side lobe. As a result, the RSSI
cannot meet the requirements.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Antenna (1)

Antenna gain
Definition: Ratio of the input power of an isotropic antenna Pio to the input power
of a parabolic antenna Pi when the electric field at a point is the same for the
isotropic antenna and the parabolic antenna.
Calculating formula of antenna gain:

G = Pio/Pi = (D/)2 *

Half-power angle
Usually, the given antenna specifications contain the gain in the largest radiation
(main lobe) direction, denoted by dBi. The half-power point, or the 3 dB point is
the point which is deviated from the central line of the main lobe and where the
power is decreased by half. The angle between the two half-power points is called
the half-power angle.

Calculating formula of half-power angle:

0.5 = (65o ~ 70o) /D

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment Antenna (2)

Cross polarization discrimination
Suppression ratio of the antenna receiving heteropolarizing waves, usually, larger
than 30 dB.
XdB10lgPo/Px
Po: Receiving power of normal polarized wave
Px: Receiving power of abnormal polarized wave

Antenna protection ratio

Attenuation degree of the receiving capability in a direction of an antenna
compared with that in the main lobe direction. An antenna protection ratio of 180
is called front-to-back ratio.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (1)

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (2)

Specifications of Transmitter
o Working frequency band
Generally, trunk radios use 6, 7, and 8 GHz frequency bands. 11, 13
GHz and
higher frequency bands are used in the access layer (e.g. BTS access).
o Output power
The power at the output port of a transmitter. Generally, the output
power is 15 to 30 dBm.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (3)

Local frequency stability

If the working frequency of the transmitter is unstable, the demodulated
effectived signal ratio will be decreased and the bit error ratio will be
increased. The value range of the local frequency stability is 3 to 10 ppm.

Transmit Frequency Spectrum Frame

The frequency spectrum of the transmitted signal must meet specified
requirements, to avoid occupying too much bandwidth and thus causing too
much interference to adjacent channels. The limitations to frequency
spectrum iscalled transmit frequency spectrum frame.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (4)

Specifications of Receiver

o Working frequency band

Receivers work together with transmitters. The receiving frequency
on the local station is the transmitting frequency of the same channel
on the opposite station.
o Local frequency stability
The same as that of transmitters: 3 to 10 ppm
o Noise figure
The noise figure of digital microwave receivers is 2.5 dB to 5 dB.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (5)

Passband
To effectively suppress interference and achieve the best transmission
quality, the passband and amplitude frequency characteristics should be
properly chosen. The receiver passband characteristics depend on the IF
filter.

Selectivity
Ability of receivers of suppressing the various interferences outside the
passband, especially the interference from adjacent channels, image
interference and the interference between transmitted and received signals.

Automatic gain control (AGC) range

Automatic control of receiver gain. With this function, input RF signals
change within a certain range and the IF signal level remains unchanges.

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment ODU (6)

Split-Mount Microwave Equipment IDU