Interference Identification Mitigation

Interference Identification and Mitigation
0. Authoring Team

Manager, RF Engineering, San Diego 858-621-7118 San Diego RF Engineering 8/19/02
Your input is important. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions
regarding this document, contact the person listed above by e-mail or phone. Your knowledge and insight are invaluable resources for improving Sprint PCS documentation.
Authoring Team
Terry Kolody, RF Engineer, San Diego Michael Erich, Senior Engineer, San Diego Derek Yachanin, RF Manager, San Diego and Hawaii Michael Lawson, Senior Engineer, Corporate RF Darryl Romero, RF Technician, Southern California
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0. Authoring Team
Table of Contents
Authoring Team .................................................... 1 1.1. Summary of Changes .................................................... 4 1. General ............................................................. 4 1.2. Purpose .......................................................................... 4 1.3. Scope ............................................................................. 4 1.4. Responsibility................................................................ 4 2. Introduction ................................................... 5 2.1. General Information ...................................................... 5 2.2. Required Elements for Task Completion ...................... 5 Process Flowcharts....................................... 6 3.1. Overall Process.............................................................. 6 Performance Statistics ............................... 12 4.1. Verify Hardware operation.......................................... 12 Defining Interference .................................. 13 PCS Spectrum Blocks .......................................................... 14 5.1. Isolate Approximate Area of Interference From Performance Statistics .......................................................... 14 5.2. RF Engineering Proceeds to Area and Investigates Cause .................................................................................... 15 5.3. Identify Interference Type........................................... 16 Location of Interference ............................. 21 6.1. Triangulation and Location of the Interference Source.21 Mitigation of Interferer ................................ 24 7.1. Turn off interfering source .......................................... 24 After Action Review .................................... 25 8.1. Update Management ................................................... 25 8.2. Report Generation an Submission............................... 25
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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0.
9.
After Action Review Reporting Format ...... 28
10. Approval Page.............................................. 29
List of Tables
Table 0-1: Changes by Section Heading ......................................... 4
List of Figures
Figure 3-1: Interference Mitigation Flowchart................................ 6 Figure 3-2: Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues Flowchart .......... 7 Figure 3-3: Identify Interference Flowchart.................................... 8 Figure 3-4: Locate Interference Source Flowchart ......................... 9 Figure 3-5: Mitigate Interference Flowchart ................................. 10 Figure 3-6: After Action Review Flowchart ................................. 11 Figure 5-1: PCS Channel and Block Allocations.......................... 14 Figure 5-2: Normal Uplink Band with no Nearby Mobiles .......... 17 Figure 5-3: Normal Uplink Band with a local F1 Mobile in Call . 18 Figure 5-4: Representation of Uplink Band Interference.............. 18 Figure 5-5: Normal CDMA Downlink Carriers............................ 19 Figure 5-6: Downlink Band with GSM Carrier Interfering .......... 20 Figure 5-7: Typical GPS Downlink band...................................... 21 Figure 6-1: Triangulation Method................................................. 22 Figure 6-2: Multiple Triangulation Measurements ....................... 23 Figure 9-1: After Action Review Report Format .......................... 28
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0. 1. General
1.1. Summary of Changes
Table 0-1: Changes by Section Heading

Section # All 5 2.2 5.2 7.1/7.1.1 5 7.1.3 Description of Change Final Draft complete (TK) May 20, 2002 Process tuned with results from San Diego RF Pilot test. Added Analog Phone to equipment list. August 19, 2002. Modified procedure based on Chicago Pilot Test August 19, 2002 Modified wording to clearly indicate procedure - Online Feedback Dec 6, 2002 Added MTA/BTA and Auction web site link. Changed Core RF Contact number December 17, 2002
1. General
1.2. Purpose
The propose of this document is to provide a procedure for identifying, locating and mitigating harmful interference to the Sprint PCS CDMA network.
1.3. Scope
This document contains the Sprint PCS recommended interference identification, location and mitigation procedures.
1.4. Responsibility
The San Diego RF Manager will be responsible for maintaining this document. Contact the San Diego RF manager at 858-621-7118.
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2. Introduction
2.
Introduction
2.1. General Information
CDMA is an interference-limited technology. Generally when, we speak of interference, we speak of it as it relates to the interference generated by mobiles in the current sector, or adjacent sectors. However, any other source of interference (Io) can have a dramatic impact on system capacity, coverage and performance. Generally, there are two broad classes of interference that have an impact on system performance. The first type is broadband spectral interference which will causes a rise in the overall noise floor (Io) and can also impact the coverage area of the mobile. Typically this type of interference is caused by the environmental conditions in which the BTS receiver resides. For example, the ambient noise floor for a suburban or urban cell generally is higher than that for a rural cell site. The second type of interference is that caused by a transmitting device that can act as a jammer when it appears in band. This type of interference is harmful to network performance. This document deals with finding and mitigating these sources.
2.2. Required Elements for Task Completion

To complete this process and successfully locate and mitigate an interferer you will need the following gear: Spectrum Analyzer capable of scanning 1400MHz-2000MHz Directional Antenna (Small Yagi or other panel antenna) Magnetic Compass Maps of the interference area Protractor Dual mode PCS phone in Analog mode.
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3. Process Flowcharts
3.
3.1. Overall Process
Process Flowcharts
Sprint PCS Interference Identification and Mitigation Flowchart

4. Poor performan 4.1 Potenti Hardwa Issue 5. interferen 6. interferen sourc 7. Interferen 8. After revie
En d
4.1. Net Ops verifies cell if needed. Switch tech switch / trunk OK 4.1.3 Inform RF Manager Core RF d situatio 5.2 Determine Interference Performance
6.1. Peak Measure Si l to
7.1. RF Interferen Vi i Sourc
8.1.1 Inform RF Manager, Ops and Core N Group of
OK Bad H d 4.1. Faulty Repair as 5. Interferen 5.3 RF Visits impacted Spectru Analyze Direction Antenna, mobile h d Use handset narrow area Loss Sync Timing sympto Use Analyzer to interferenc High Drops / Bl sympto k Ye 5.4. Scan1Uplink Look Interferen Ye Ye 6.1.5 Update RF Manager Core RF situatio No 5.4. Scan Downlink Look Interferen 5.4.4 Update RF Manager Core RF situatio Ye OK 6. Interferen Sourc OK Move Closer to Interferer and triangulati 6.1. Plot Line Measured on M
7.2. Turn off
Ye
8.2.1 Local Eng. After Review
5.4. Scan GPS 3 Look Interferen
6.1. Can 4 Location Triangulate
No
6.1.3 Move New Repe Measureme
No 7.1.3 Escalate Require Involve Core Ye OK No Can Location be Pointed No 6.1. If Interference not be Escalate to RF 7.1.2 Update LRF Manager l Core RF situatio
8.2. AAR 2 Sent to Diego Manage Interferen Mitigation tuned as
8. After revie
8.2.2 Core Reviews
8.2.3 Distributed to National
7. Interferen
8.2.4 Core Corresponds interferer. ih escalation require
Figure 3-1: Interference Mitigation Flowchart
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3.1.1. Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues

4.1 Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues
4.1.1 Net Ops verifies cell operation if needed. Switch tech verifies switch / trunk performance
OK
4.1.3 Inform Local RF Manager and Core RF group of situation
OK Bad Hardware
4.1.2 Faulty equipment. Repair as required.
5. Identify Interference
Figure 3-2: Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues Flowchart
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3.1.2. Identify Interference

5. Identify interference
5.2 Determine Area of Interference from Performance Stats
5.3 RF Visits area impacted with Spectrum Analyzer, Directional Antenna, and mobile handset. Use handset to narrow search area. Use Spectrum Analyzer to idenfiy interference.
Loss of Sync or Timing loss symptoms
5.4.3 Scan GPS Band Look for Interference
High Drops / Blocks symptoms
Yes 5.4.1 Scan Uplink Band Look for Interference
Yes
No
5.4.2 Scan Downlink Band Look for Interference
Yes
5.4.4 Update Local RF Manager and Core RF group of situation
OK
6. Locate Interference Source
Figure 3-3: Identify Interference Flowchart
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3.1.3. Locate Interference Source

6. Locate interference source
6.1.1 Peak Signal. Measure Azimuth to Signal
6.1.2 Plot Line with Measured Azimuth on Map
6.1.4 Can Interferer Location be Triangulated?
No
6.1.3 Move to a New Location. Repeat Measurements
Yes
Move Closer to the Interferer location and repeat triangulation
No
Can Interferer Location be Pin Pointed?
No
6.1.5 If Interference can not be isolated, Escalate to Core RF
Yes
6.1.5 Update Local RF Manager and Core RF of situation
OK
7. Mitigate Interference
Figure 3-4: Locate Interference Source Flowchart
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3.1.4. Mitigate Interference
7. Mitigate Interference
7.1.1 RF Visits Interference Source
7.2.1 Turn off Source?
Yes
No
7.1.3 Escalate as Required. Involve Core RF
7.1.2 Update Local RF Manager and Core RF group of situation
OK
8. After action review
Figure 3-5: Mitigate Interference Flowchart
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3.1.5. After Action Review

8. After action review
8.1.1 Inform Local RF Manager, Net Ops and Core RF Group of situation
8.2.1 Local RF Eng. Generate After Action Review Report
8.2.2 AAR Sent to San Diego RF Manager. Interference Mitigation process tuned as required.
8.2.2 Core RF Reviews ARR
8.2.3 AAR Distributed to all National Markets
8.2.4 Core RF Corresponds with interferer. FCC escalation if required.
Figure 3-6: After Action Review Flowchart
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4. Performance Statistics
4.
Performance Statistics
An outside interference source, such as a rogue transmitting device, typically will manifest itself in the network by causing a sharp sudden degradation in system performance of a cell, sector, or cluster of cells. However, such a sudden degradation in system performance can also be an indicator of other problems, such as commercial power failures, traffic jams resulting from car accidents, natural disasters, etc. Interference should be investigated as the problem source only when all other logical causes for network degradation have been eliminated.
4.1. Verify Hardware operation

4.1.1. Verify proper Cell and Switch Operation If call blocking and call dropping is only happening at a single cell site, verify the suspected bad sector/cell by connecting a spectrum analyzer to the Rx test port on the BTS. Check for any unusual noise or anomalies associated with the reverse or forward link CDMA signal. Check for GPS alarms on BTS. If interference is detected, there is not likely to be a BTS equipment problem. Proceed with interference detection and mitigation procedure. If Call blocking/dropping or GPS alarms are occurring at multiple sites, verify whether the suspected sites are in the same cluster or geographic location. Contact the MSC and verify all common hardware (trunks, MUXes, Frame Relay shelfs, etc.) is operational. If the problem sites are all in the same geographic area, it is unlikely that a BTS equipment problem exists. GPS alarms at multiple sites are a good indicator of GPS Interference. 4.1.2. Fix Faulty Hardware If no interference is detected, proceed with vendor recommended troubleshooting procedures to locate and correct the problem with the BTS. 4.1.3. Inform Management Team of the Situation Inform the local RF Manger that interference is suspected in your market. The local RF Manager will keep Core RF Interference
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5. Defining Interference
Management informed of the situation. Proceed with interference detection and mitigation procedure.
5.
Defining Interference
Interference is the reception or any signal other than the one that is intended. It can be natural, man made, or a combination of both. It is often frequency, geographic and/or time dependant. Unintentional and unexpected RF sources of interference can occur with surprising frequency and can completely disrupt a communication link. Some examples of unintentional sources include computers, microwave ovens, UPS units, power switches, vehicles, and florescent lights. The best way to prevent interference from these sources is to remove them from the area. Intentional RF interference sources fall into two categories, Local and Terrestrial. Local RF transmitters include but are not limited to cellular phones, cordless phones, AM radios, FM radios, studio transmitter links, paging systems, airport radar and amateur radio transmitters. These sources are usually not the same frequency as PCS systems but can cause problems at high power levels or harmonic frequencies. Terrestrial and airborne RF interference sources can include cellular transmit towers, microwave links, airport radar, airplane radar, marine radar and military electronics. These sources can cause significant problems for PCS band transmissions and reception. This type of interference is characterized by strong signal strength with intermittent brief signal dropouts.
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PCS Spectrum Blocks

To aid in finding interference a PCS Spectrum allocation chart has been included for reference. It is important to know which block and channel(s) you are operating in before hunting for an interferer.
1200 Channels spaced 50KHz apart on each of Forward and Reverse Link Compute Channel Numbers and Frequencies Enter Chan Transmitter Number Mobile 25 Resulting Enter Freq (MHz) Freq (MHz) 1851.25 1851.25 Resulting Chan No. 25
Center Freq MHz 1850.000 + 0.050N
Channel # 0 <= N <= 1199
Base
25
1931.25
1931.25
25
0 <= N <= 1199
1930.000 + 0.050N
A
1850 1865
D
1870
B
1885
E
1890
F
1895
C
1910
Reverse (Uplink) Link Transmit
15MHz
5MHz
15MHz
5MHz
5MHz
15MHz
1930
1945
1950
1965
1970
1975
1990
Forward (Downlink) Link Transmit
Figure 5-1: PCS Channel and Block Allocations
BTA/MTA/License holders can be found on the following web site: http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/broadbandpcs/
5.1. Isolate Approximate Area of Interference From Performance Statistics

When an area experiences interference, it typically affects sites closest to the source of the interference first. Sites that are located farther away suffer less performance degradation. By reviewing current cell performance an approximate location can be determined for the interferer. If the cause is uplink or downlink typically only block/drop/TCCF/origination counts will be affected. If a group of cells
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lose GPS sync, GPS interference could be the cause and should be investigated. Use this information to help narrow the search area/band. Interference can also happen inside large venues and facilities. This type of interference may not impact clusters of cells but individual serving cells or sectors. Interference may only affect a single carrier or it may affect multiple carriers. Different interference sources will have different areas of impact and this should be taken into account when investigating. There may also be multiple interferers, in which case start with the strongest one and mitigate one at a time and tackle them one by one. Symptoms of uplink band interference: Cell drop rates increase over a large area Cell block rates increase over a large area Attempt rates decrease over a large area
Symptoms of downlink band interference: Cell drop rate increases but area is more confined then uplink interference Cell block rates increase but area is more confined then uplink interference Call performance is ok in well covered areas but degrades in weaker areas Attempt rate unaffected, TCCF rate high.
Symptoms of GPS interference: Group of cells experiencing sync/timing issues
5.2. RF Engineering Proceeds to Area and Investigates Cause

Once a rough area has been determined, RF Engineering will proceed to the area equipped with a mobile handset, spectrum analyzer, and a directional antenna. If you are unfamiliar with Spectrum Analyzer
operation refer to the appropriate user manual. If a spectrum analyzer is not available a drive test unit equipped with a spectrum analyzer option can be a good substitute. Before using the spectrum analyzer to find the interferer you should use a mobile phone to narrow the area search area. Begin making test calls. When you get to areas that you have origination/termination/drop problems you should then begin using the spectrum analyzer. If you try to identify the interferer in areas where call processing is unaffected you may not find the inteferer and waste valuable time looking. The mobile is a great tool in narrowing the search area. A Sprint PCS phone set to Analog roaming mode should be used when operating in areas that are suffering performance issues from interference when communications to and from management/RF engineering are required. Once you are located in an area of poor call processing connect a spectrum analyzer to a nearby BTS RX test port or receive diversity antenna to aid in searching for the source of interference. A portable directional antenna such as a small Yagi or panel antenna can also yield good results. Ideally you should be above the local surrounding clutter, as this will reduce the likelihood of receive multipath. If taking measurements from a rooftop repeat the measurements a couple of times from different points separated by several yards to overcome any potential multipath fading. The majority of readings should have the same direction or azimuth however it is possible to have multiple sources in different directions. It is also entirely possible to make these measurements in building. Interference can happen and is common in places like airports and convention centers. CAUTION: Accidental connections of test gear to a BTS transmit port can cause permanent equipment damage.
5.3. Identify Interference Type

5.3.1. Search Uplink Band for Interference The search should begin with the uplink frequency band. Set up the equipment to observe your uplink band. Reference Figure 5-1 for channel assignments. Look for any signal that should not normally be
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found in the uplink band. A typical CDMA uplink band should appear to have no signal and a low noise floor, -110dBm. This holds true even at the base station. A CDMA carrier, commonly referred to as a Bart head (Bart Simpson), will only be seen if a mobile is in close proximity to the test antenna. Normally this is not the case. You may need to pan the antenna and use different polarization to best see the interferer. Watch the band for a few minutes. The interferer may be intermittent or have a low duty cycle. Be patient. If you do not see any interference in the uplink proceed to testing the downlink frequencies. If an interferer is identified move on to triangulating its position. Test gear set up in data logging mode can also prove helpful in tracking intermittent interference. Logs may indicate patterns that can be used to pinpoint interference locations.
Figure 5-2: Normal Uplink Band with no Nearby Mobiles
Figure 5-2 shows a normal uplink band. Signals in the band are normally at or near the noise floor. Note the lack of any strong carriers or other signals, this is normal.
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Figure 5-3: Normal Uplink Band with a local F1 Mobile in Call
Figure 5-3 shows a normal uplink band with a mobile in conversation mode 5 feet from the antenna. This is not the normal case but you may observe a Bart head when nearby mobiles transmit. It is not interference.
-55dB
-110dB
1850
1860
Figure 5-4: Representation of Uplink Band Interference
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Figure 5-4 represents actual uplink interference generated by a US Navy vessel in San Diego harbor. Normally the uplink band is at or near the noise floor with no visible carriers. This signal was so strong nearby mobiles transmitting could barely be seen over the Navy signal. Not all uplink interference will be this easy to identify. 5.3.2. Search Downlink Band for Interference If no interference is observed in the uplink band, the downlink band should be checked next. Look for any signal that would not normally be seen in the downlink band. A typical CDMA downlink band will have a distinct Bart head for each carrier and each Bart head should be uniform in height and 1.25 MHz wide. Areas between carriers should be at or near the noise floor. It is possible to have an interferer hide in the Bart head. Panning of the search antenna and changing locations will help to unmask such an interferer and cause it to rise above the CDMA Bart head. Watch the band for a few minutes. The interferer may be intermittent or have a low duty cycle. If an interferer is identified you should move on to triangulating its position.
Figure 5-5: Normal CDMA Downlink Carriers
Figure 5-5 shows a normal two-carrier downlink band. It is normal to see Bart heads in the downlink band. A typical CDMA carrier will have a distinct Bart head for each carrier and each Bart head should be
uniform in height and 1.25 MHz wide. Large spikes protruding from or beside a Bart head indicate interference. Interference can also be wide band. In this case Io will be adversely effected and the noise floor will be higher than normal.
-80dB
-90dB
-100dB
-110dB
1930
1935
1940
Figure 5-6: Downlink Band with GSM Carrier Interfering
Figure 5-6 shows a fictional downlink interferer, in this case a 200KHz wide mistuned GSM base radio. This signal could also appear inside the Bart head. 5.3.3. Search GPS Band for Interference It is possible to have GPS interference. This will show up as a loss of sync to a cell or cluster of cells. In the case of an individual cell suffering sync or timing problems hardware causes should be eliminated first. Look for any signal that should not be in the GPS downlink band. A typical GPS downlink (1559 1610MHz) band will resemble a CDMA downlink band, with little or no visible signal. GPS uses Spread Spectrum technology and resembles the CDMA downlink. Any defined signal should be considered interference. Watch the band for a few minutes. The interferer may be intermittent or have a low duty
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6. Location of Interference
cycle. If an interferer is identified you should move on to triangulating its position.
1559MHz
1610MHz
Figure 5-7: Typical GPS Downlink band.
A typical GPS downlink band will have no clear transmitters present. Anything that is should be considered interference. 5.3.4. Inform Management Team of the Situation Inform the local RF Manager of the current situation. Information to report must include type (Uplink, Downlink or GPS), frequency and bandwidth of the interferer. Local RF Management will keep Core RF Interference Management abreast of the situation.
6.
Location of Interference
6.1. Triangulation and Location of the Interference Source.
Triangulation is a process by which the location of a transmitting source can be determined by measuring either the radial distance, or the direction, of the received signal from two or three different points.
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Triangulation is sometimes used in cellular communications to pinpoint the geographic position of a user or interferer. The drawing below illustrates the basic principle of triangulation. In the scenario shown, the location of the emitter is determined by measuring the relative direction of the signal from three different locations. The area where the radials overlap becomes the search area for the emitters location.
Figure 6-1: Triangulation Method
6.1.1. Begin Triangulation Use a spectrum analyzer and a directional antenna to locate the source of the Interference. Peak the signal coming from the interferer using the directional antenna and measure the direction or azimuth of the signal using a compass. 6.1.2. Map Location of Interferer Plot this as a straight line on a map from the current location, remembering to correct for compass declination.
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6.1.3. Repeat Triangulation Measurements Proceed to a new measurement location, preferably far enough away from the first measurement point to get good triangulation. Repeat the azimuth measurement on the peaked signal. Plot this new line on the map. 6.1.4. Interferer Location Triangulated Repeat this process at least one more time from another new location. When completed you should have 3 intersecting lines. This is the approximate location of the interferer within a triangle of uncertainty. As you get closer to the target area, you may need to repeat the triangulation measurements. Measurements should be made much closer to the triangle of uncertainty then any previous rounds. The first set of measurements will be a good approximation of the location, while the second and any subsequent rounds will help pinpoint the interferers exact location. This method can also be used to find interferers inside a large building.
Figure 6-2: Multiple Triangulation Measurements
Once the interferer has been located you can begin the mitigation process. Remember that the longer the interferer broadcasts the more network performance is impacted.
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7. Mitigation of Interferer
6.1.5. Inform Management Team of the Situation Inform the local RF Manager of the current situation. Information to report must include location and identity of interferer. Local RF Management will keep Core RF Interference Management abreast of the situation. Sprint PCS phone placed in analog mode will facilitate communications in areas of interference. 6.1.6. Interference Location Can Not be Isolated In the rare case where the interference source cannot be triangulated and identified, notification to Core RF Interference Management Group is mandatory. Core RF has tools available to identify interference caused by passive emissions or other hard to detect sources. If the situation warrants Core RF will dispatch a team to isolate and mitigate the interference.
7.
Mitigation of Interferer
7.1. Negotiate the turn off of interfering source
7.1.1. Visit Interfering Site RF engineering will visit the location of the interference and negotiate to turn it off. Maintaining a professional approach when dealing with an interfering agency is a must. In most cases interference is unintentional, however interference impacts the network and the interfering party must be made aware of this. If the interferer is unwilling to stop the emissions, escalate to Core RF. Do not physically turn off the source without permission from the source owner. The act of turning off a receiver without permission of the transmitter owner is illegal. Escalate to Core RF if you do not get permission from the owner. 7.1.2. Inform Management Team of the Situation Inform the local RF Manager of the current situation. Report the status of the interferer and state the need for Core RF escalation if required. The local RF Management will keep Core RF Interference Management abreast of the situation.
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8. After Action Review
7.1.3. Escalate to Core RF Management If the interfering agency or person does not want to cease harmful transmissions or continues to cause interference, Core RF will be notified and they will escalate to senior management and in some cases the FCC. Core RF Interference Management may be reached at 913-890-2519.
8.
After Action Review

8.1. Update Management
8.1.1. Inform Management Team of the Situation Inform the local RF Manager of the current situation. At this point the interference should be mitigated or Core RF brought in to find and resolve the issue. The local RF Manager will keep Core RF informed of the situation.
8.2. Report Generation an Submission

8.2.1. Local RF Generates an After Action Review Report A final After Action Review report will be generated and submitted to the local RF manager by the local RF team that mitigated the interferer. The format of the report is detailed in Section 9. Required information includes: RF Engineer(s) involved RF team members involved in the interference mitigation Event Start time and date Event End time and date Duration Duration of the event Market(s) Market(s) impacted
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System(s) Lucent, Nortel, Motorola, Samsung Resulting action items Action items resulting from the interference event. Description of event Details of the entire event, Symptoms, Type of Interference, Location of Interferer, Identity of Interferer, Test Equipment Used, Spectrum Analyzer plots, etc. Event high points/low points What could have been better? What went well? Lessons Learned Improvements to process, etc. Impacted cell list List of cells where performance suffered. Performance Impact Detail network performance degradation. Include all relevant drop/block performance information. Recommendations Detail any recommendations resulting from the event/process. Associated Documents Any documents that can be associated with the event. This includes relevant SSEO documents.
8.2.2. Local RF Forwards AAR Report to San Diego RF Manager The Local RF manager will review the report and submit the report to the San Diego RF Manager who will use the input to refine and improve this process. The San Diego RF Manager will forward the report to the Core RF group. 8.2.3. Core RF circulates AAR report Core RF will review the report. The After Action Review report will then be forwarded to all Sprint PCS markets for information and reference. 8.2.4. Core RF Corresponds with Interfering Party Core RF will generate a letter addressed to the agency involved in the interference. All available data will be taken from the final report and used to justify Sprint PCSs stance and advice the interferer to cease
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and desist further interference. Core RF will furnish the local RF Manager a copy of this letter for reference. In the case where the interfering agency causes harmful interference a second time Core RF will have justification to formally report them to the FCC.
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9. After Action Review Reporting Format
9.
After Action Review Reporting Format

AFTER ACTION REVIEW SUMMARY INTERFERENCE RF Engineer: Event Start: Review Date: Duration:
Date: M arket(s): Title:
Event End: System(s):
Severity Level:
Resulting Action Items: Ow ner
Deliverable
Est. Delivery
Disclaim er:
Inform ation contained within this document is considered reliable based on the inform ation available at the tim e of the After Action Review. New inform ation derived from Action item may change the conclusions of the AAR.
Description of Event
W hat w as done w ell?
W hat could have been done better?
RF ENGINEERING LESSONS LEARNED
Type (FYI or W arning)
Impacted Cell List?
Performance Impact Regular Period Impacted Period RECOM M ENDATIONS
Attempts
Blocks
Drops
O W NER
STATUS
ASSOCIATED DOCUM ENTS
Figure 9-1: After Action Review Report Format
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10. Approval Page
10. Approval Page

Prepared by: Terry Kolody RF Engineer San Diego RF Engineering 858-621-7137 mailto:tkolod01@sprintspectrum.com Michael Erich Senior RF Engineer San Diego RF Engineering 858-621-7129 mailto:merich01@sprintspectrum.com Derek Yachanin RF Engineering Manager RF San Diego & Hawaii 858-621-7118 mailto:dyacha01@sprintspectrum.com Michael Lawson Engineer Darryl Romero RF Technician Network Operations - Southern California 619-785-5700 mailto:dromer06@sprintspectrum.com Concurred by:
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10. Approval Page
Name Title Department Approved by: Name of Manager Title Department Name of Director (if applicable) Title Department
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Interference Identification Mitigation

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Interference Identification Mitigation

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Interference Identification and Mitigation

Interference Identification and Mitigation

Proprietary & Confidential

Interference Identification and Mitigation

Proprietary & Confidential

Interference Identification and Mitigation

After Action Review Reporting Format ...... 28

10. Approval Page.............................................. 29

Proprietary & Confidential

Interference Identification and Mitigation

1.1. Summary of Changes

Table 0-1: Changes by Section Heading

Proprietary & Confidential

Interference Identification and Mitigation

2.2. Required Elements for Task Completion

Proprietary & Confidential

Interference Identification and Mitigation

Sprint PCS Interference Identification and Mitigation Flowchart

6.1. Peak Measure Si l to

7.1. RF Interferen Vi i Sourc

8.1.1 Inform RF Manager, Ops and Core N Group of

7.2. Turn off

8.2.1 Local Eng. After Review

5.4. Scan GPS 3 Look Interferen

6.1. Can 4 Location Triangulate

6.1.3 Move New Repe Measureme

8.2. AAR 2 Sent to Diego Manage Interferen Mitigation tuned as

8.2.2 Core Reviews

8.2.3 Distributed to National

8.2.4 Core Corresponds interferer. ih escalation require

Figure 3-1: Interference Mitigation Flowchart

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Interference Identification and Mitigation

3.1.1. Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues

4.1.3 Inform Local RF Manager and Core RF group of situation

4.1.2 Faulty equipment. Repair as required.

Figure 3-2: Eliminate Potential Hardware Issues Flowchart

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Interference Identification and Mitigation

3.1.2. Identify Interference

5.2 Determine Area of Interference from Performance Stats

Loss of Sync or Timing loss symptoms

5.4.3 Scan GPS Band Look for Interference

High Drops / Blocks symptoms

Yes 5.4.1 Scan Uplink Band Look for Interference

5.4.2 Scan Downlink Band Look for Interference

5.4.4 Update Local RF Manager and Core RF group of situation

6. Locate Interference Source

Figure 3-3: Identify Interference Flowchart

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Interference Identification and Mitigation

3.1.3. Locate Interference Source

6.1.1 Peak Signal. Measure Azimuth to Signal

6.1.2 Plot Line with Measured Azimuth on Map

6.1.4 Can Interferer Location be Triangulated?

6.1.3 Move to a New Location. Repeat Measurements

Move Closer to the Interferer location and repeat triangulation

Can Interferer Location be Pin Pointed?

6.1.5 If Interference can not be isolated, Escalate to Core RF

6.1.5 Update Local RF Manager and Core RF of situation

Figure 3-4: Locate Interference Source Flowchart

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Interference Identification and Mitigation