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Umts RF Optimization
Umts RF Optimization
Contents
1 RF Optimization............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 RF Optimization Flow Chart...............................................................................................................1
1.2 Single Site Spot Check........................................................................................................................1
1.2.1 Checking the Antenna Feeder System......................................................................................2
1.2.2 Checking Foreground and Background Configuration............................................................2
1.2.3 Checking Single Site Functions...............................................................................................3
1.3 Coverage Test.......................................................................................................................................3
1.4 Data Analysis and Troubleshooting.....................................................................................................4
1.4.1 Feeder Problem.........................................................................................................................4
1.4.2 Antenna and Environment Problems........................................................................................5
1.4.3 Pilot Pollution Problem............................................................................................................6
1.4.4 Handoff Problem......................................................................................................................9
1.4.5 Other RF Problems.................................................................................................................10
1.5 Making an Antenna Feeder Adjustment Scheme..............................................................................10
1.5.1 RF Optimization Methods......................................................................................................11
1.5.2 RF Optimization Influence.....................................................................................................11
1.5.3 Influence of RF Optimization on KPI....................................................................................12
1.6 Implementing Antenna Adjustment...................................................................................................13
1.7 Optimization Verification..................................................................................................................13
2 UMTS Antenna...........................................................................................................................................15
2.1 Basic Antenna Knowledge.................................................................................................................15
2.2 Antenna Classification and Application............................................................................................18
2.2.1 Omni Antenna.........................................................................................................................18
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1 RF Optimization
1.1 RF Optimization Flow Chart
Before network optimization is started, all sites should have been checked and should
be assuredly able to work normally. In an actual project, however, it is usual that some
base stations fail to work normally due to lax or absent single site check, affecting
startup of subsequent optimization work. To ensure orderly performance of network
optimization, spot check is necessary for single sites. Single site spot check needs to
implement the following tasks:
1)
Select sites for spot check according to project size and network situation. Usually
about 20% of the sites should be included. Moreover, the selected sites must
involve all site types, including sites in each area.
2)
Put forth items that need to be checked according to the contents indicated in the
Site Commissioning Report. Make a spot check plan.
3)
Accompany customer service engineers to check the selected sites as planned, and
put forth information that needs correction for any site with problems.
4)
When all the selected sites are spot-checked, and over 20% of them are found with
problems, it is necessary to recheck other sites not involved in this spot check. If
no problem is found, skip the recheck.
5)
Complete a Single Site Spot Check Report based on the single site check results
for the purpose of troubleshooting.
Ascend the rooftop to check the site longitude and latitude, antenna mount height,
antenna downtilt, and directional angle for consistence with the planned values.
For the towers that are not mountable, complete the check on the ground.
2)
Turn on the power amplifier of one sector, and turn off the others. If the power
amplifier gives no alarm, measure the pilot signal strength beneath this sector.
Typically the Ec value is about 55dBm.
3)
This step is performed simultaneously with Step 2 to check whether the cell
scrambling code is consistent with the planned value.
Check whether the neighbor list configuration is consistent with the planned
value.
2)
In the case of idling, the RTWP value (namely the uplink RSSI) of each cell on
2
4) Set parameters in the search window. There are settings in both LMT and OMC-R,
and the setting in LMT is valid.
2)
This coverage test uses Scanner plus test mobile phone to collect data simultaneously.
The test data collected by the mobile phone is helpful to judge the uplink coverage, and
know the change of signal in each section of the road if call hold is performed
simultaneously.
Different rates of services require different signal conditions. The table below lists the
pilot signal strength and quality reference values of border coverage corresponding to
common services.
Table 1 Reference values of border coverage corresponding to common services
Service
UMTS RF Optimization
CS12.2K voice
-105dBm/-13dB
CS64K video
-98dBm/-10dB
PS64K
-100dBm/-11dB
PS128K
-95dBm/-10dB
PS384K
-85dBm/-8dB
The data in this table is provided only for general reference, and the object of RF
optimization performed after site commissioning is usually an idle network, where the
service border will shrink with increasing number of users.
Cell cluster coverage test. Know the distribution of each cell in the context of
mutual signal inhibition in a cell cluster, and, in combination with site spacing and
network planning results, identify the cells that do not meet coverage requirement.
2)
Whole network coverage test. Know the distribution of signal throughout the
whole network, the same as 1.
Typically a directional site has three cells, each of which uses two feeders (one for both
receiving and transmitting and the other for only receiving) as its antenna. On the base
station side, the feeders are further connected to NODE B cabinet through a jumper.
This series of connections is prone to error during construction of the engineering
team. The two feeders connected to one antenna are likely to be connected to any one
or two cells, so the symptom of incorrect feeder connection is that a signal transmitted
by one antenna of three cells could come from any one or two of the three cells in this
site.
Analysis:
During optimization, it is necessary to check whether each coverage signal actually
measured in an area of each base station is consistent with the planned coverage cell.
Normally, the strongest signal in this direction near each antenna should be the cell
corresponding to this antenna. In the case of occurrence of a strong signal of other
cells, first check whether there is incorrect feeder connection.
Solution:
If incorrect feeder connection is found, contact an equipment engineer concerned to
ascend the site to check feeder connection.
UMTS RF Optimization
direction. Such a result may cause a certain coverage hole, but this problem can be
improved by proper adjustment of the antenna directional angle. The actual antenna
downtilt may sometimes deviate from the design. The possible cause is that the antenna
pole is not vertical to the ground or the measurement is not accurate.
Analysis:
An easy way to measure the downtilt is using the antenna-attached scale label provided
by the antenna manufacturer. This method needs first to paste a correct scale label to
the antenna and then make fine adjustment against the scale. A more accurate method
to measure the downtilt is to use a gradienter directly. The prerequisite of these two
methods is that the antenna pole or support is installed vertical to the ground, ensuring
that the measured antenna downtilt is actually its downtilt relative to the ground.
Therefore, for those antennas that are mounted on a tower or whose poles are mounted
on walls, it is a must to measure whether their poles are vertical to the ground.
Solution:
The problems above can be found by measurement with special tools. Upon finding
such a problem, notify the engineering team to correct it. If there is an obstruction or a
pole cannot be vertical to the ground, improvement is possible by adjusting the
directional angle and downtilt. Decrease of downtilt is liable to cause overshooting and
increase interference, while increase of downtilt tends to cause a coverage hole.
Moreover, excessive downtilt may also cause beam distortion, resulting in new
interference. Therefore, proper adjustment is very important to guarantee the whole
network performance.
Generally speaking, directional angle adjustment is helpful to solve the problem of
large-area weak coverage, while downtilt adjustment can solve a problem of coverage
distance. It is a prerequisite of quality assurance that the engineering team follows the
flow strictly for construction. Equipment engineers verification after installation is
also very important.
High site overshooting. If the space link loss caused when an antenna pilot signal from
a remote high site reaches a test point is the same as the link loss caused when a pilot
signal from a near low site reaches the same test point, it is probable that several pilot
pollution areas with close Ec/Io values are caused at this test point. Furthermore,
presence of a high site may usually cause a large antenna downtilt, resulting in antenna
beam distortion. And the coverage waveform may squeeze against the side lobe,
resulting in pilot pollution in the side lobe coverage area.
R1
R2
Base station coverage area
Neighbor base station
Base station
Ring layout of base stations. As the base stations are arranged into a ring, the ring
center can receive a few pilot signals from around, and the pilot Ec/Io values are close.
Figure 3 Schematic diagram of pilot pollution due to ring layout of base stations
Signal distortion caused by street effect and strong reflectors. Due to the propagation
characteristics near the UMTS downlink 2000M frequency, the downlink signal has
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UMTS RF Optimization
strong reflection, and propagation of remote pilot signal along tubular streets is likely
to cause interference to coverage areas of other cells. Moreover, strong reflection of
signal by some buildings and walls may also cause pollution to nearby pilot coverage.
Influence of pilot pollution: Pilot pollution has a negative effect on network
performance. The symptom and analysis are detailed as follows:
1)
2)
3)
Handoff failure. When mobile stations move in this area, as there are many strong
pilot signals and mutual change occurs rapidly, frequent handoff occurs to mobile
stations as a result. In such a state of soft handoff, the mobile stations need to
communicate with multiple base stations simultaneously. Although diversity gain
can improve the call quality of this mobile station, according to ZTE research,
handoff gain is negative at the instant of handoff, that is, not only there is no gain,
but the possibility of handoff failure is increased.
4)
Capacity loss: frequent handoff may decrease system capacity, especially the
downlink capacity being limited, and one UE communicates with multiple cells,
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increasing downlink load on the base station, but decreasing system capacity.
Solution: The key of pilot pollution optimization is to form a main pilot. In the RF
optimization phase, the adjustment means available include:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Add sources
UMTS RF Optimization
For the relationship between antenna downtilt and coverage distance, please refer to
section 2.3.
Solution:
Change the handoff area position and signal distribution by adjusting the antenna
directional angle and downtilt. If the handoff area is too small, reduce the downtilt or
adjust the antenna direction properly. If the signals in the handoff area change too
frequently, consider adjusting the downtilt and directional angle to ensure signal
strength in individual cells changes smoothly.
1.4.5
Other RF Problems
During RF optimization, it also should be noted to make sure the base station
transmitting power works normally from the base station RF end to the antenna side.
Standing wave ratio is an important index. Before optimization, it is necessary to make
sure the standing wave ratio in each cell of the base station is smaller than 1.3 on the
UMTS operating frequency. This work should be implemented by an equipment
engineer with a standing wave ratio tester.
Meanwhile, the power output from each power amplifier port should be kept within a
stable range.
Identify any area of poor coverage according to the analysis result of test data;
2)
3)
4)
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5)
Currently, the antenna model used most in each network is an Andrew directional
antenna Andrew umwd_06516_2d.
Antenna parameter characteristics determine the fact that the maximum directional gain
17dbi can only be obtained in the main lobe direction of a directional antenna, and the
gain may decrease in the horizontal and vertical directions other than the main lobe, so
adjusting the antenna directional angle and downtilt will affect the quality of downlink
signals received in various areas. Similarly, adjusting the antenna position and mount
height will also affect the quality of downlink signals.
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UMTS RF Optimization
When the downlink coverage quality of some sites changes, the Ec/Io of corresponding
received signals will change as well. As network handoff is judged according to the
size of Ec/Io of received signals, the network handoff area will also change even if the
handoff algorithm is not changed practically.
Pilot pollution typically means there are many signals with close Ec/Io values or there
are strong signals alien to the planning design, so changing downlink coverage quality
by adjusting engineering parameters of antenna can also eliminate some pilot pollution
areas.
Feeder connection adjustment can solve the problem of abnormal receiving and
transmitting of base station signals resulting from inverse feeder connection, and
normal standing wave ratio is another prerequisite for a base station to work normally.
Adding power amplifiers can increase effective coverage distance of a base station.
Generally, the reason for base station uplink coverage limitation is that the uplink
transmitting power of a UMTS mobile phone is only 21dBm. A tower amplifier can
offset the loss of uplink signals along the feeder.
1.5.3
Coverage ratio
2)
3)
4)
Contact the engineering team to determine the number of antennas that need
adjustment and the operation date;
2)
3)
4)
Test engineers collect post-optimization whole network drive test data. Note that
the test conditions must be the same as before optimization;
2)
Optimization engineers analyze the test data and evaluate optimization result;
3)
If the whole network coverage fails to meet the requirement, return to the steps in
section 1.4 to test and analyze specially the areas still with problems, and provide
an analysis report and adjustment scheme;
4)
5)
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2 UMTS Antenna
2.1 Basic Antenna Knowledge
The main parameters of antenna performance include pattern, gain, input impedance,
standing wave ratio, polarization, lobe width, and front-to-back ratio.
1.
2.
3.
Echo loss
Echo loss is reciprocal of the absolute value of reflection coefficient and is
represented with a decibel value. Echo loss ranges from 0dB to infinity. The
smaller the echo loss, the worse the match. The larger the echo loss, the better the
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match. 0 means total reflection, while infinity means perfect match. In a mobile
communications system, echo loss is usually required to be larger than 14dB.
4.
Antenna polarization
Antenna polarization refers to the electric intensity direction resulting from
antenna radiation. When the electric intensity direction is vertical to the ground,
this electric wave is called vertically polarized wave; when the electric intensity
direction is parallel to the ground, this electric wave is called horizontally
polarized wave. Due to electric wave characteristics, the signal propagated in the
horizontal polarization mode may produce polarized current on the earth surface
when it travels close to the ground. This polarized current is affected by earth
impedance to generate thermal energy, resulting in quick attenuation of electric
signal. By contrast, the vertical polarization mode rarely produces polarized
current, thus avoiding immense attenuation of energy and ensuring effective
propagation of signals.
Therefore, in a mobile communications system, propagation is usually
implemented in the vertical polarization mode. In addition, a kind of dualpolarized antenna is introduced recently with development of new technologies. In
terms of design conception, it is classified into two modes: vertical & horizontal
polarization and 45 polarization. The latter is generally superior to the former in
performance, so it is adopted currently in most cases.A dual-polarized antenna
combines two antennas that are in cross-polar directions of +45 and -45 and
work simultaneously in the receiving and transmitting duplex mode, which can
reduce the number of antennas needed in each cell. Moreover, cross polarization
in 45 directions can effectively ensure good diversity reception.(Its polarized
diversity gain is about 5dB, which is 2dB higher than a single-polarized antenna.)
5.
Antenna gain
Antenna gain is used to measure ability of an antenna to receive and transmit
signals in a specific direction. It is one of the most important parameters for
selecting a base station antenna.
Generally speaking, gain is improved mainly by reducing the lobe width of
radiation on the vertical plane, but maintaining omni radiation on the horizontal
plane. Antenna gain is extremely important for operation of a mobile
communications system, because it determines signal level of the cell edge.
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UMTS RF Optimization
angle on the vertical plane, the quicker the signals attenuate when deviated from
the main bean direction, the easier to control the coverage range precisely by
adjusting antenna tilt.
7.
Front-to-back ratio
This parameter indicates how well the antenna can suppress the back lobe. If an
antenna with a low front-to-back ratio is selected, its back lobe is likely to cause
overshooting, resulting in disorderly handoff relationships and call drop. This ratio
usually ranges from 25dB to 30dB. An antenna with a front-to-back ratio of 30dB
should be preferred.
antenna with practically the same gain in all horizontal directions, while a directional
station uses a directional antenna whose horizontal gain changes obviously. Typically,
an antenna with horizontal beamwidth (B) of 65 is selected in an urban, while an
antenna with horizontal beamwidth (B) of 65, 90 or 120 can be selected in a suburb
(depending on site type configuration and local geographic environment). In a rural, it
is the most economic to select an omni antenna that can provide large-scale coverage.
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UMTS RF Optimization
often applied when a downtilt angle is less than 10. When the antenna downtilt angle
is increased further, dents appear in the front of coverage, and both sides are pressed
flat. That is, the antenna pattern is distorted, resulting in insufficient coverage in the
front of this antenna and aggravated interference to base stations on both sides.
Another defect of mechanical downtilt is warping of the rear lobe, which may cause
interference to adjacent sectors, resulting in call drop of high-level users in nearby
areas.
No downtilt
Electrical downtilt
Mechanical downtilt
The electrical downtilt principle is to tilt vertical antenna pattern by changing the phase
of antenna elements in the same array, changing the maximums of vertical component
and horizontal component, and changing the field strength of synthetic components. As
the field strength in all directions of an antenna increases or decreases simultaneously,
this can ensure the antenna pattern varies not much after the tilt is changed, and the
coverage distance of the main lobe direction is shortened. At the same time, the
coverage area of the whole antenna pattern is reduced in the sectors of the service cell,
but without causing interference.
Although electrical downtilt is relatively expensive, its downtilt angle has a wider
range (larger than 10), its antenna pattern has no obvious distortion, and the rear lobe
is also tilted simultaneously, without causing interference to near-end high-rise users.
Antenna downtilt modes can be selected according to customer and coverage
requirements. You may select a fixed electrical downtilt, tunable electrical downtilt, or
remote-controlled tunable electrical downtilt antenna. A fixed electrical downtilt
antenna with small angles plus a mechanical downtilt scheme for the commissioning
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UMTS RF Optimization
2.3.2 Relationship between CDMA Antenna Downtilt and Cell Coverage Radius
Antenna downtilt: when an antenna is mounted vertically, its transmitting direction is
horizontal. In view of co-channel interference and time dispersion, an antenna of a
small-area cellular network usually has a downtilt angle. Antenna downtilt modes
include mechanical downtilt and electrical downtilt.
An overlarge mechanical downtilt angle may result in severe distortion of the antenna
pattern, thus bringing about many uncertain factors to network coverage and
interference, so antenna downtilt angle is recommended not larger than 25 degrees, and
mechanical downtilt angle should not exceed 15 degrees.
As shown by the vertical antenna pattern curve, when the main lobe maximum drops to
3dB, namely approaching to the part of antenna pattern where gain attenuation between
rays changes most, the co-channel interference to the affected cells is minimized.
For simple and effective implementation of the this part where gain attenuation
changes most, it is of obvious significance in physics and geometry to use half-power
angle rays of the main lobe to analyze the change areas of antenna downtilt angles.
This handling process matches the current design requirement, and makes analysis and
calculation operable, for half-power lobe width is one of the required electrical
performance indexes.
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2.3.2.1 Relationship between Antenna Downtilt and Cell Coverage Radius in a High Traffic
Area
A high traffic area here refers to an urban, especially a dense urban, where base stations
are dense and likely to interfere with each other. To enable most energy to radiate
within the coverage area and reduce interference to neighbor cells, it is necessary to
align the half power points on the main lobe with the coverage area edge when setting
an initial downtilt angle, as shown in Figure 5. The calculation formula of a downtilt
angle is as follows:
H
arctg( ) e _
L
2
(1)
In this formula,
H is effective height of this site, namely the difference between antenna mount
height and average height of ambient coverage areas;
L is the distance from the antenna of this site to the edge that needs to be covered in
this sector;
e_
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UMTS RF Optimization
2.3.2.2 Relationship between Antenna Downtilt and Cell Coverage Radius in a Low Traffic
Area
For a low traffic area, like a suburb, rural, road, and sea, to extend coverage as far as
possible, it is workable to reduce the initial downtilt angle and align the maximum gain
point of the main lobe with the coverage area edge, as shown in Figure 6. The
calculation formula of a downtilt angle is as follows:
H
arctg( ) e _
L
(2)
define the horizontal and vertical angles that are 3dB weaker than the main lobe.
At present, ZTE mainly uses a directional antenna Andrew umwd_06516_2d in UMTS
networks throughout China.
Table 2 Andrew umwd_06516_2d antenna performance parameters
Name
Value
Central frequency
2110.0 MHZ
Antenna gain
17.0dBi
Electrical downtilt
2 degrees
Front-to-back ratio
30dB
61.5 degrees
6 degrees
Polarization
Vertical polarization
The gain in the main lobe direction is 17dBi, and from these two antenna patterns we
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UMTS RF Optimization
can find out the difference between antenna transmitting gain in each horizontal and
vertical direction and the main lobe direction. For example, when the difference
between a direction and the antenna transmitting direction is 90 degrees, from the
horizontal pattern we can find out the value corresponding to 90 degrees is 22, so the
antenna transmitting gain in this direction is 17 - 22 = -5dBi.
2.5 Summary
When adjusting antenna directional angle, we should consider the horizontal halfpower angle of this antenna. An undersized enclosed angle between two sector
directions and a large overlapped coverage area are likely to cause frequent
handoff and can hardly ensure proper coverage around base stations. An overlarge
enclosed angle is likely to degrade signal quality of the handoff area. Normally, a
recommended enclosed angle between directional angles ranges from 90 degrees
to 140 degrees.
When adjusting antenna downtilt angle, we should consider the vertical halfpower angle of this antenna. Regarding adjustment of mechanical downtilt angle,
1-5 degrees adjustment will not cause much beam distortion and is a common
range; 6-9 degrees adjustment is recommended for high sites or dense sites; 10-12
degrees adjustment is usually applied to high sites in an urban.
The antenna mount height is optimal when the antenna is 5-10 meters higher than
the average height of the buildings around the base station. Besides, the antenna
mount height in neighboring base stations should not differ much. Any base
station that does not satisfy these two points is liable to have coverage problems,
and needs special attention.
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PR PT GT ( )G R ( )(
2
)
4d
(1.1)
distance and frequency. However, this free space model has a small effective range.
When line of sight electromagnetic wave exists between a transmitter and a receiver,
this model is similar to an actual transmission model.
Obviously in a radio communications system, a base station will cover a complex area
populated with a large number of users. There is no line-of-sight electromagnetic wave
between most UE and NODE B. Line of sight propagation is subject to obstruction by
various buildings, trees, hills, and vehicles. Then a lot of non-line-of-sight
electromagnetic waves are generated from reflection, refraction, and diffraction by
these obstructions. This is how well-known multipath transmission comes.
Reflection
Diffraction
Transmittance
During multipath transmission, reception power attenuation is much faster than that
during free space propagation with increase of the distance between a transmitter and a
receiver. Generally speaking, in a dense urban or a room, reception power is in inverse
proportion no longer to square of the distance, but approximately to the fourth power of
the distance. In a suburb, it is in inverse proportion to the third power of the distance.
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UMTS RF Optimization
3.3.2
Electric Permittivity
Material
Electric Permittivity
Wood
-2
Gypsum plank
Plywood
Glass
4-10
Marble
12
Cement
4-6
Earth
5-30
Water
80
The smaller the electric permittivity, the larger the transmittance power, and the smaller
the reflection power. The larger the electric permittivity, the smaller the transmittance
power, and the larger the reflection power. When the electric permittivity is 3 (in
wetland), only half of energy is transmitted, and the other half is reflected. That is to
say, the smaller the electric permittivity, the closer to line of sight propagation the
electromagnetic wave is. At that time, the multipath influence is small.
Indoors transmittance loss during indoors coverage in a city depends on, to a large
extent, average height, density, material, structure, and wall thickness of buildings, and
base station signal path. As is known, due to underdeveloped economy and poor social
security in China, the buildings in small and medium sized cities, especially their lower
floors, are all equipped with doors and windows with metal burglar-resisting webs,
which make penetration loss reach 20~30dB. And the front stores along streets are
commonly equipped with aluminum alloy doors without a window, so the penetration
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As the environment of cities in China is greatly different from that in foreign countries,
the same type of loss is 8-10dB higher in China than in foreign countries.
Regarding the band of 1800MHz, its wavelength is shorter than that of 900MHz and
stronger in penetration, but with higher transmittance loss. Therefore, a building
adopting 1800MHz actually has higher transmittance loss than 900MHz.The GSM
specification 3.30 mentions that buildings in a city generally have the transmittance
loss of 15dB, and 10dB in the rural. The transmittance loss on 1800MHz is typically 510dB higher than that in the same type of areas on 900MHz.
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UMTS RF Optimization
This diagram shows the loss characteristics in the case that both transmitter and
receiver are located indoors. The loss ranges from 50dB to 80dB when the spacing
is 10M.
For 2.4GHz, path loss (in dB) = 40 + 35 * [LOG (D in meters)]
That is, the indoors transmission loss is about 35dB/10 multiples of thread.
Body loss
For a handset, the received signal field strength will be 4-7dB or 1-2dB lower
when it is attached to the waist or shoulder of a user than when the antenna is a
few wavelengths away from the body.
Generally body loss is set to 3dB.
In-vehicle loss
The in-vehicle loss caused by a metal-structured vehicle cannot be ignored.
Especially in an economically developed city, people spend part of their time in a
vehicle.
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v <= -1
-1 <= v <= 0
UMTS RF Optimization
The number of Fresnel zones being obstructed (n) can be obtained from this formula: n
= v2/2.
The Fresnel diffraction parameter is in direct proportion to 1/2 power of frequency.
This means diffraction loss increases with frequency.
Then it is known that diffraction loss depends mainly on obstruction height and
position relative to a transmitter and a receiver when electromagnetic wave is
obstructed on the propagation route during space propagation. If the relative height (h)
is smaller than or equal to zero, it means the loss is very small, and it is allowed to
neglect obstruction position (h=0, loss=6dB).On the contrary, the further an obstruction
is away from the center of line of sight path, the smaller the Fresnel zone, namely the
larger the influence on radio links by the obstruction. In this case, it is necessary to
consider the influence of the obstruction position. As a transmitter is normally much
higher than a receiver (outdoors), the diffraction loss of high buildings near a receiver
on the transmission route is larger than that of equally high buildings near a transmitter.
3.4.2
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