Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA)

Subhash Yadav
RAN-SME NOKIA-OPTUS
 Overview of Connection with TMA

• Installed on the tower top, a TMA is a device for amplifying uplink signals. As an
optional component of the antenna system, the TMA compensates for the feeder
loss caused by a long feeder to improve the uplink sensitivity and converge. In
SRAN5.0, both NodeBs and BTSs support TMA and smart TMA (STMA). An STMA
has a built-in Smart Bias Tee (SBT) in comparison to a TMA. The power supply
switch and attenuation factor need to be set for both TMA and STMA.
• In a network whose uplink coverage is limited, the TMA can be installed to
improve the RX sensitivity and expand the cell radius, thus reducing the number
of BTSs and minimizing investments. Users need to determine whether to install
the TMA according to the actual project requirements.
• BTSs power and control the TMA. Huawei BTS provides the TMA with 10 - 13 V
output voltage. When a major alarm related to the TMA is reported, the BTS
automatically sets the attenuation value of the RX channel to 0. After the alarm is
cleared, the BTS automatically restores the attenuation value of the RX channel
to the configured value.
• The RET control signals, power supply, and RF signals of the TMA are
transmitted through the feeder. This facilitates operation and
maintenance. The SBT powers the TMA through the feeder and
provides the RCU with control signals.
• Huawei BTS also supports dual-TMA. Dual-TMA indicates that each
TMA contains two pairs of RX/TX branches. Each sector needs to be
configured with only one TMA. Each TMA also contains a low noise
amplifier (LNA) for monitoring alarms.
• The functions of the two pairs of RX/TX branches of a TMA are the
same. The RX channel has two RX filters and one LNA. When the
input DC is faulty, the LNA is automatically ignored. The Bias Tee is
configured on the BTS side of the TMA. The Bias Tee of a smart TMA
(STMA) is referred to as an SBT. The Bias Tee can distinguish the
combined signals of RF signals and DC signals, power the LNA, and
provide the RCU with RET control signals. The TX channel contains a
TX filte
 RF Receiver Channel Attenuation

• The TMA can improve both the uplink RX gain and the RX sensitivity. When the
BTS measures the uplink RX level, the measurement result must reflect the actual
radio environment. Therefore, the TMA gain must be compensated reversely on
the RF RX channel to ensure that the RX quality is improved and the RX level
reflects the actual radio environment when the BTS measures the uplink RX level.
• When the TMA is configured, users need to set the RF RX channel attenuation of
the RF antenna interface and the RX channel corresponding to the TRX to obtain
the TMA gain according to the actual requirement.

• For the NodeB, you can run the MML command ADD ALD to add the TMA for the
antenna line device (ALD), run the MML command SET TMAMODE to set the
work mode of the TMA, run the MML command SET TMAGAIN to set the gain of
the TMA, and run the MML command SET RXATTEN to set the attenuation of
the RX channel.
 Power Supply for TMA
• The TMA needs to be powered by the BTS/NodeB through the RF
feeder:
•  For the BTS, RXU board types such as the RRU3008, RRU3908,
GRFU, and MRFU can directly provide power for the TMA. The
DRFU, however, does not directly provide power for the TMA.
Instead, it needs to be installed with a GATM board to provide
power for the TMA. You can run the MML command SET
BTSRXUBP/SET BTSDATUBP to enable the power switch.

•  For the NodeB, the RF module provides power for the TMA. You
can run the MML command SET ALDPWRSW to enable the
power switch.
 Monitor TMA

• The working status of the TMA can be determined according to the

status of the feeding current on the TMA. The methods of reflecting
the working status of the TMA through the feeding current vary
according to TMAs. Users need to configure feeder boards for TMAs
according to the actual TMA feature configuration.
• There are three alarm modes: MODE1 has only one type of alarm
whose alarm severity is critical, and the alarm current threshold is
fixed and greater than the normal working current; MODE2 has two
types of alarms whose alarm severities are critical and warning, and
the alarm current is fixed and greater than the normal working
current; MODE 3 has two types of alarms whose alarm severities are
critical and warning, and the warning alarm current is periodical pulse
current, while the critical alarm current is fixed.
DBS Station connect the RET Antenna
together with STMA
When conect the RET together with STMA,
the process of RET antenna control is as
follows:

• 1. The M2000 or LMT issues the control command to

the BBU, and then the BBU sends the command to the
RRU.
• 2. The RRU modulates the control command into OOK
signals and then transmits the signals and the DC power
from the RF port to the STMA.
• 3. The STMA demodulates the OOK signals into RS485
signals and then transmits the signals and part of the
DC power to the RCU.
BTS Station connect the RET Antenna
together with STMA
BTS Station connect the RET Antenna via SBT

 When connect the RET via the SBT, the process
of RET antenna control is as follows:

• 1. The M2000 or LMT issues the control command to

the BBU, and then the BBU sends the command to
the RRU.
• 2. The RRU modulates the control command into On-
Off-Keying (OOK) signals and then transmits the
signals and the DC power from the RF port to the
SBT.
• 3. The SBT demodulates the OOK signals into RS485
signals and then transmits the signals and part of the
DC power to the RCU.