Narrow-band measurement of the field radiated by GSM900

and GSM1800 base stations

Update: 10 - 2004

I. Realisation of the measurement

1. Measuring equipment
The measuring instrument used is a Rohde and Schwarz FSP spectrum analyser.
This apparatus is equipped with the appropriate calibrated antenna (see point I.7).

2. Field measurement : general

The measuring results of the spectrum analyser (voltage expressed in dBV) are converted
into a radio field value (expressed in dBV/m) according to the following conversion formula
(I) :
EL = UL + ( KA + AC ) (I)
where UL = level measured in dBV
EL = field measured in dBV/m
KA = k factor of the antenna used in dB/m
AC = loss caused by the cable used between the antenna and the
measurement receiver, in dB

3. Spectrum measured
The downlink frequency bands allocated to the GSM operators are the following :
Proximus : 935.2 MHz 941 MHz, 947.2 MHz 953 MHz and 1805.2 MHz 1820 MHz
Mobistar : 941.2 MHz 947 MHz, 953.2 MHz 959 MHz and 1820.2 MHz 1835 MHz
Base : 925.2 MHz 930 MHz, 932.2 MHz 935 MHz and 1858 MHz -1879.8 MHz
For measurement purposes the total GSM spectrum is divided into three bands :
Band 900
: 925 960 MHz
Band 1800 Proximus and Mobistar: 1805 1837 MHz
Band 1800 Base
: 1848 1880 MHz
Since the band measured in 900 MHz is larger than the GSM band, other emissions than GSM
can be measured. These are cordless telephones of the CT1+ standard between 930 MHz and
932 MHz, and of the CT1 standard between 959 MHz and 960 MHz. As the occasion arises,
a supplementary report of this measurement is drawn up.

4. Principle of the measurement

Based on the parameters defined under point I.5 each of the bands defined above is measured
by the spectrum analyser with a sweep time of 10 ms.
The measurement is carried out in maxhold during 6 minutes.

5. Parameters of the measurement

The following parameters have been chosen for the measurement:
-

Detector
Resolution Bandwidth (RBW)
Video Bandwidth (VBW)

: Max-Peak
: 100 kHz
: 100 kHz

Since the objective is to evaluate the maximum radiated power, the measurement is carried
out in Max-Peak. A 100 kHz RBW makes it possible to distinguish accurately enough the
various frequencies in the spectrum. The same VBW value is chosen as for the RBW.

6. Frequencies measured
The maximum field is located in the spectrum and all frequencies the amplitude of which is
more than 20 dB below that maximum, are measured. In fact, the values below that limit
hardly have any impact on the final result.

7. Antenna used
An 880 - 2175 MHz omnidirectional antenna of European Antennas with reference EVD2
TRI-SI/704 is used.
Both that antenna and the cable connecting it to the spectrum analyser are calibrated. Factors
KA and AC (see point I-2) are given below for the various frequency bands.
Frequency band
925 - 960
1805 - 1837
1848 - 1880

KA
28,7
33,5
34,4

AC
1,8
2,8
2,8

KA + AC
30,5
36,3
37,2

The antenna is fastened to a support at a height of 1.50 m.

8. Carrying out the measurement

A maximum radiation location is searched for ('worst case' policy) in order to determine the
measuring point.
At this location, the three frequency bands specified under point I-3 are measured one after
the other. The measurement is carried out in maxhold (see point I-4) using the parameters
specified under point I-5.

After six minutes of measurement, the screen is frozen. The maximum level is determined
and the lower limit (see point I-6) is displayed. All frequencies with an amplitude higher than
this limit are measured.
The measurements are automatically taken by means of software piloting the spectrum
analyser. The software automatically calculates the field value based on the voltage measured
(see point I-2).
The output is an Excel table representing all values measured and a print-out of the three
spectrum bands measured.

II. Processing of the results

1. General
Depending on the case we process the data in two different ways.
To start with the results are processed for the first time. That processing is described in point
II-2. It has the advantage that a result is given immediately and the disadvantage that when
operators use Synthetised Frequency Hopping (SFH), this way of calculating the total
radiation field leads to an overestimation of the results.
When the field values measured according to this first processing are low or when there
appears to be little chance of overestimation, the data processing stops after this first step.
However, in the measuring report we point out that this result may be overestimated.
In the other cases further analysis of the results is required to allow for the use of SFH by the
operators. In that respect we need to ask the operators to give the technical parameters of
their transmitting stations. That analysis is described in point II-3.

2. First processing of the data

a. Calculation of the total radiation field
All fields measured are added up in 'root sum square' in order to define the total radiation
field:

Et =

2
i

(II)

b. Taking into account polarisation

For practical reasons the measurements are carried out using only a vertically polarised
measuring antenna.
We have nonetheless taken a certain number of measurements in order to compare the fields
received in vertical and horizontal polarisation. At the various measuring points, the total

radiation field was practically identical in both directions of polarisation (the differences
being in the order of 1 dB). The field was, however, negligible in the third direction, which is
perpendicular to the first two directions.
This is because operators use cross-polarisation.
Therefore, it should be noted that we measure only in one polarisation direction. This is done
on the assumption that the radiation fields are equal in horizontal or vertical polarisation, and
that is why the values are added up in root sum square.
This corresponds with an enhancement of the total radiation field of 3 dB.

3. Further analysis to allow for the use of synthetised frequency hopping

by the operators
a. Calculation of the total radiation field
The principle of the measurement is that for each transmitting station the frequency of the
beacon is identified and that the field level measured on that frequency is multiplied by the
number of transmitters of the operator (in the way mentioned below). This operation is to be
done for the three operators and this for the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz band. The field values
are added up in root sum square.
Therefore, this procedure requires operators to inform us of the number of transmitters used
on the transmitting stations measured.
The calculation is done as follows.
E 900 = E 2 Pr, B ,900 xN Pr,900 + E 2 Mo , B ,900 xN Mo ,900 + E 2 Ba , B ,900 xN Ba ,900

(III)

E1800 = E 2 Pr, B ,1800 xN Pr,1800 + E 2 Mo , B ,1800 xN Mo ,1800 + E 2 Ba , B ,1800 xN Ba ,1800

Et = E 900 + E1800
2

(IV)

(V)

where :
E900 : Radiation field in the 900 MHz band

E Pr,B ,900 : Field level measured on the beacon of Proximus at 900 MHz
E Mo,B ,900 : Field level measured on the beacon of Mobistar at 900 MHz
E Ba,B ,900 : Field level measured on the beacon of Base at 900 MHz
N Pr,900 : Number of transmitters of Proximus on the station measured at 900 MHz
N Mo,900 : Number of transmitters of Mobistar on the station measured at 900 MHz
N Ba ,900 : Number of transmitters of Base on the station measured at 900 MHz
E1800 : Radiation field in the 1,800 MHz band

E Pr,B ,1800 : Field level measured on the beacon of Proximus at 1800 MHz
E Mo,B ,1800 : Field level measured on the beacon of Mobistar at 1800 MHz
E Ba ,B ,1800 : Field level measured on the beacon of Base at 1800 MHz
N Pr,1800 : Number of transmitters of Proximus on the station measured at 1800 MHz
N Mo,1800 : Number of transmitters of Mobistar on the station measured at 1800 MHz
N Ba,1800 : Number of transmitters of Base on the station measured at 1800 MHz
Et : Total radiation field
b. Taking into account polarisation
The remark made under point II-2-b also applies here. We allow for polarisation by adding 3
dB to the total radiation field.

4. Calculation of the radiated power density

Thanks to the data processing described above, the value of the electric field can be obtained.
Based on that the radiated power density is calculated as explained below.
Near field far field
In propagation mechanisms a distinction is made between near field and far field. In the far
field the plane wave model is a good approximation of the electromagnetic field propagation.
According to this model fields E and H are perpendicular to one another and have a constant
ratio.
The theoretical formula to deduce limit (d) between the near field and the far field is :
d = 2 x L2 /

(VI)

where

: wavelength
L : the biggest dimension of the antenna
perpendicular to the direction of observation

According to the operators, GSM900 antennas typically measure between 2 m and 2.6 m and
GSM1800 antennas typically measure 1.3 m. This results in the following maximum limits of
the near-field zone (in the antenna axis) :
For GSM900: from d = 2 x 22 / 0.32 = 25 m to
For GSM1800 :
d = 2 x 1.32 / 0.16 21 m

d = 2 x 2.62 / 0.32 42 m

In a far field zone the value of the radiation power density can be deduced from the value of
the electric field, according to the following formula :
S (W/m2) = E2 (V/m) / 377 (VII)
Reactive field region
There is a region very close to the antenna, called the reactive field region, for which formula
(VII) cannot be used. This region is about a few wavelengths big (1 m).

Intermediate region
In the region between the reactive field region and the far field zone formula (VII) can be
used as a first approximation.
Calculation of the power density in the case of our measurements
Our measurements are always carried out outside the reactive field region. We measure the
electric field and calculate the power density based on the field value measured, according to
formula (VII). When the measuring distance is smaller than the distance of the far field, the
power density value should be considered to be a first approximation.