Troubleshooting RTWP Faults

This section provides information required to troubleshoot RTWP faults. The information includes fault
descriptions, background information, possible causes, fault handling method and procedure, and
typical cases.

Fault Description
An RTWP-related alarm is reported if there are received total wideband power (RTWP) faults in the
radio frequency (RF) channels of an RF unit.

Related Information
Related alarms are as follows:
ALM-26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced
ALM-26521 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Too Low

Possible Causes
The setting of attenuation on the RX channel of the RF unit is incorrect.
The feeder connected to the RF unit is faulty.
Passive intermodulation (PIM) exists.
External interference exists.
The feeder is improperly connected to the antenna.
The hardware in an RF module is faulty.
Faults may be caused by other uncertain factors.

Troubleshooting Flowchart

Figure 1 Troubleshooting flowchart for RTWP faults

Troubleshooting Procedure
1. Rectify the faults and modify the improper settings.
a. Run the LST ALMAF command to check whether alarms related to ALD or TDM are
reported (applicable only to 3900 series base stations). If such an alarm is reported,
clear the alarm by referring to Troubleshooting ALD Link Faults.
b. Run the LST RXBRANCH command to check whether attenuation of the RX channel
of the RRU is configured as planned.
If it is not configured as planned, run the MOD RXBRANCH command to modify the
configuration. If it is configured as planned, go to 1.c.
Command output for 3900 series base stations (The values of Cabinet No., Subrack
No., and Slot No. are 0 for the BTS3202E.)

List RxBranch Configure Information

----------------------------------- Cabinet
No. = 62 Slot No. = 0 RX Channel No. =
of RX Channel = ON Attenuation(0.5dB) =
Initial0(0.1dB) = 0 RTWP Initial1(0.1dB)
Initial2(0.1dB) = 0 RTWP Initial3(0.1dB)
Initial4(0.1dB) = 0 RTWP Initial5(0.1dB)
Initial6(0.1dB) = 0 RTWP Initial7(0.1dB)
results = 1)

No. = 0 Subrack
0 Logical Switch
0 RTWP
= 0 RTWP
= 0 RTWP
= 0 RTWP
= 0 (Number of

c. Check whether the ALM-26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced or

ALM-26521 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Too Low alarm is reported.
If either of the alarms is reported, clear the alarm by referring to ALM-26522 RF Unit
RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced or ALM-26521 RF Unit RX Channel
RTWP/RSSI Too Low. If the ALM-26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI
Unbalanced alarm cannot be cleared by referring to ALM-26522 RF Unit RX
Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced, perform 2 to 6.
2. Check whether PIM interference exists.
PIM has a typical characteristic: The level of the intermodulation products increases with the
transmit power. Using this typical characteristic, the existence of PIM interference can be
determined. If the uplink interference increases significantly with the transmit power, PIM
interference exists. Otherwise, PIM interference does not exist. You can increase the
transmit power by adding a downlink simulated load, and then compare the received signal
strength indicator (RSSI) values before and after the simulated load is added.
The procedure is as follows:
a. Run the ADD CELLSIMULOAD command to add a simulated load. For example,
ADD CELLSIMULOAD: LocalCellId=x, SimLoadCfgIndex=9;
The simulated load and transmit power have a positive correlation with the value of
the SimLoadCfgIndex parameter.
NOTE:
Note that load simulation is mainly used in interference tests. You are advised not to
use load simulation for a cell with more than six active UEs. Otherwise, the
scheduling performance cannot be ensured.
b. Start RSSI tracing.
From the main menu on the M2000 client, choose Monitor > Signaling Trace >
Signaling Trace Management. In the left navigation tree, choose LTE > Cell
Performance Monitoring > Interference RSSI Statistic Detect Monitoring. Then,
click New in the right pane. An RSSI tracing task is created. Figure 2 shows an
example of RSSI tracing results.
If the values on one RSSI curve are significantly greater than the values on other
RSSI curves, PIM interference exists. If values on all RSSI curves are basically the
same, there is no PIM interference and go to 3.

Figure 2 RSSI tracing result

If PIM interference exists according to the preceding investigation, use either of the
following methods to determine the location or device where PIM is introduced:
a.

Add a simulated load and shake the cable segments by segments from the RF unit
top to the antenna port. If RSSI values change dramatically when shaking a segment,
PIM interference is introduced by this segment.

b.

Breakpoint-based PIM detection:

By using breakpoints, divide the cable connecting the RF unit top to the antenna port
into several segments by using breakpoints. Disconnect the cable at the breakpoints
one by one along the direction from the RF unit top to the antenna port. Each time the
cable is disconnected at a breakpoint, connect the breakpoint to a matched load or a
low-intermodulation attenuator, add a downlink simulated load, and check whether the
RTWP values increase. Ensure the inserted attenuator has low intermodulation
interference so that it will not add additional PIM interference to the cable. If the RTWP
values increase, PIM interference is introduced by the device or cable before this
breakpoint.
For example, set four breakpoints from the RF unit top to the antenna port, as shown
in Figure 3. At first, disconnect the cable at breakpoint 1, connect breakpoint 1 to a
low-intermodulation attenuator, and add a downlink simulation load. If RTWP values
do not change, PIM interference is not caused by the RF unit. If RTWP values
increase, PIM interference is caused by the RF unit. Perform the similar steps to the
other breakpoints.

Figure 3 Schematic diagram for breakpoint-based PIM detection

If the interference is caused by the RF unit, replace the RF unit. If the interference is caused
by the cable, replace the cable and then check whether the interference still exists. If the
interference is removed, no further action is required.
If the interference persists, check whether the interference exists in the antenna.

Monitor the results in Broadband on-line frequency scan for at least 30 minutes or
until the 26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced alarm is reported. Then,
send the local tracing results, running logs of RF units, and investigation results to Huawei
technical support for fault diagnosis.
For the procedure for performing Broadband on-line frequency scan, see Monitoring
eNodeB Performance in Real Time > Spectrum Detection in 3900 Series Base Station
LMT User Guide.

Check whether a crossed pair connection exists (applicable only to 3900 series base
stations).
Description
RF channels in an RF unit must be used by the same sector except in MIMO mutual-aid
scenarios. The purpose is to ensure the consistency between the direction and coverage of
an antenna so that balanced RTWP values are obtained. If the RF channels of an RF unit
are used by different sectors, the RF unit will have different RTWP values. Note that the
ALM-26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced alarm is reported only when
the number of UEs is significantly different between two cells with a crossed pair
connection.
The ALM-26522 RF Unit RX Channel RTWP/RSSI Unbalanced alarm caused by a
crossed pair connection has the following characteristics:
a.

The alarm is reported in at least two sectors under the same eNodeB.

b.

RTWP variations of different RF channels are uncorrelated.

c.

RTWP variations are similar in different sectors.

Troubleshooting Method
The cells with a crossed pair connection can be determined by using either of the following
two methods:
d.

Perform drive tests and trace signaling without interrupting the services.
Make a phone call in a cell (for example, cell 1). Check whether the UE accesses cell
1, where the UE is located. If the UE accesses another cell (for example, cell 3), the
antennas of cells 1 and 3 are cross-connected.

e.

Run the STR CROSFEEDTST command to start a crossed pair connection test.
If the antenna system is not equipped with an external filter, the Start Test Frequency
and End Test Frequency parameters do not need to be specified. The test will be
performed in the test frequency band supported by the RF unit. If the antenna system
is equipped with an external filter, specify the Start Test Frequency and End Test
Frequency parameters to the start frequency and end frequency, respectively, for the
external filter.
NOTE:
Note the following before starting a crossed pair connection test:

This test is an offline test and the execution of this command interrupts
services. If this command is executed on a multi-mode RF unit or an RF unit
connected to an antenna shared by the local and peer modes, the services of the
peer mode carried by this RF unit are also interrupted.

This test cannot be performed simultaneously with the VSWR test or distance
to fault (DTF) test.

This command applies to the scenario where RF modules are in 2T2R mode.
If this command is executed in other scenarios, the result may be incorrect.

The VSWR test has a great impact on the precision of this test because the
VSWR will cause a gain loss. You are advised to perform a high-precision VSWR
test before running this command. If the VSWR is greater than 2.5, you are not
advised to run this command.

This test cannot be applied to 1T2R RF units if RRU combination is not used.
Otherwise, the result may be incorrect.

This command does not apply to multi-RRU cells, distributed cells, or cells
under the eNodeB with an omnidirectional antenna.

This command does not apply to the scenario where all antennas of one
sector are connected to another sector.

Do not start this test if the number of sectors that work in the same frequency
band and support the test is less than two.

If the bandwidth between the start frequency and end frequency of the
external filter is less than 10 MHz, the execution output is not reliable.
The Crossed value of RESULT appears in pairs. If RESULT is Crossed for two
sectors, a cross pair connection exists between the two sectors. Detailed information
about the sectors with a crossed pair connection is displayed in the detection result.
The result is similar to the following:
To start a cross feeder test, run the following command: STR
CROSFEEDTST:; The result is shown as follows: +++
HUAWEI
2012-02-02 10:54:58 O&M
#453 %%STR CROSFEEDTST:;%% RETCODE
= 0 Operation succeeded. Session ID = 65537 (Number of
results = 1) --END +++
HUAWEI
2012-02-02
10:55:15 O&M
#452 %%STR CROSFEEDTST:;%% RETCODE = 0
Progress report, Operation succeeded. Report Type = Cross
Feeder Test Progress Status = Success Session ID = 65537

Cross Feeder Test Result ------------------------ Sector No.

RESULT 0
Normal 1
Normal (Number of
results = 2) --END
Handling Suggestion
After the sectors with a crossed pair connection are determined, adjust their antenna
connection. Since there are three types of crossed pair connections (main-main, maindiversity, and diversity-diversity), several rounds of antenna adjustment may be required
before the test result verifies no crossed pair connection.

Check whether random electromagnetic interference exists.

If the fault is not caused by the preceding factors, it may be caused by random
electromagnetic interference. Occasional electromagnetic interference has a small impact
on the network performance. Therefore, ignore it if the RTWP imbalance alarm is not
frequently triggered. If the RTWP imbalance alarm is frequently triggered, contact Huawei
technical support.

Typical Cases
None

If the fault persists, contact Huawei technical support.