Passive Inter-Modulation

PIM challenges for 3rd and

4th Generation Networks
 Agenda
•CCI Background.

•What is PIM?

•PIM effects on wireless Networks.

•PiM-Pro

•RL vs. PIM Measurements.

•Testing With PiM-Pro

•Q&A
 CCI- Background
• Founded in 1996
– Solid experience in Wireless
– North American
Headquarters in South
Hackensack, NJ
– Engineering /Manufacturing
Center in Seabrook, N.H > 10,000 Co-site Systems Deployed
– Installation Services Centre,
Chicago
– Manufacturing in Shanghai
– Over 400 people, USA,
Canada, Europe, China
– ISO 9001
– RF Systems based Product
Solutions for 2G, UMTS,
LTE
• Amplifiers, Filters,
Combiners
What is PIM?

UPLINK DOWNLINK
Mobile
RX TX Talks here
Listens here
BS
Talks here
Listens here
PIM : What is it?
 PIM: What is it…
• Passive Inter-Modulation (not caused by active
components: amplifiers, mixers, etc..)

• Produced by the presence of multiple carriers

• Undesired distortion

• Can’t get rid of it, but we can reduce it

Typical base station
 Caused by………
• Ferromagnetic effect on metals (iron, steel, nickel, etc…)
caused by higher current density as power increases.
• More noticeable above 10W radio power
• Low “bulk resistivity” materials are best, (silver, copper,
aluminum, tungsten)
• Corrosion and oxidation (diode effect)
• Loose connectors
• Dirt at connector junctions (point of contact)
• Moisture and wind……etc
PIMs of concern are…..

7th 3rd
5th
IM signals of concern
 PIM vs. Power
Output Power dBm PIM measurement dBm
Load PIM Performance
33 (2W) -130 50 -100
44 45 46
34 -130
41 42 43
-105
35 -130
38 39 40
36 -130 35 36 37
33 34 -110
37 -130
38 -130
-115
39 -130
40 (10W) -129.5
-120
41 -126.5
42 -123.8 -125
43 (20W) -120.7
44 -117.9 -130
45 -113.5
46 (40W) -111.1 0 -135
Output Power (2 tones) dBm
PIM measurement dBm
 PIM slope steeper than power slope
PIM Performance (LOAD)
40W -100
20W 46
45
44
10W 43
42
41 -111.1
40 -110
39 -113.5
38
37
2W 36 -117.9
35
34 -120.7
33
-120
-123.8
-126.5
-129.5
-132 -132 -132 -132 -132 -132 -132 -130

PIM signal above Rx noise floor

-140

PIM below Rx noise floor

-150

Output Power (2 tones) dBm PIM dBm

1 -160
 Spectral Density
LTE higher capacity converts to higher peak to average ratio, more
prone to PIM
-100 dBM PIM Standard (20W) -
100 @900 Mhz

Measurement
taken at 700 MHz.

Performing as
expected
Same PIM standard at 2W

Lack of PIM test

power masks real
PIM levels

Will not expose

poor performing
components

Misleads operator
to believe PIM is
better than it really
is
PiMPro
PIM-Pro Block diagram
 Introducing PIM-Pro
• PIM-Pro Analyzer can precisely
measure 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th IM

• Light portable unit

• 40W (2W to 40W)
• PIM Vs. Time analysis,
(dynamic PIM test)
• Swept frequency
• Rx Interference
• High sensitivity Receiver
< 175 dBc
• RL measurement
PIM-Pro: Power in a small unit

• Small rugged case

• Touch screen display
Accessory Kit
 Creative Software
• Robust Linux operating system

• Intuitive Multilayer Software design

• HTML (and PDF) file storage format

• USB Interface

• Ethernet/LAN connectivity
System configuration
Screen
System Resources
 PIM and Return Loss

RL in Tx band, good diagnostic aid to find open cables

IM selection
Frequency sweep
Rx Interference
PIM vs. Time
 PIM-Pro Models (current &
future roadmap)
IM3, PIM as % Rx IM5, PIM as % Rx Expected Release
Frequency band Rx range MHz Tx Range MHz Range range Date

2F1 - F2 3F1 - 2F2

LTE 700 693-730 745-793 34/37MHz, 90% >100% Now

GSM/CDMA 850 824-849 869-894 5/25MHz, 20% >100% Now

GSM 900 880-915 925-960 25/35MHz,70% >100% Now

DCS 1800 1710-1785 1805-1880 55/75MHz, 70% >100% Q4 2011

PCS 1900 1850-1910 1930-1990 40/60MHz, 66% >100% Now

UMTS- AWS 1920-2060 2110-2170 10/140MHz, 7% >50% Now

UMTS-2100 1920-1980 2110-2180 0% 0% Q1 2012

LTE (LTE-BRS) 2500-2570 2620-2690 >100% >100% Q2 2012

LTE 800 831-862 790-821 Q3 2012

WiMax 3410-3484 3515-3594 60/74MHz, 80% >100%

Current Devs Current models On road map

 PIM-Pro Strengths
• Best “Power to weight” ratio PIM analyzer on the market
• Weighs 37lbs, PIM-Pro 1921 32lbs, competition >50lbs
• Rugged design designed to handle harsh conditions
• Ease of use, simple GUI with short user learning curve
• Intuitive and flexible report generation
• Crisp bright proven TFT touch screen
• Low power consumption, 450 Watts, (efficient design)
• Great Receiver: better than -140 dBm sensitivity
• Competitively priced
 Return Loss vs. PIM
Return Loss test:
• Measurement of Tx efficiency
• Poor RL impedes a signal’s ability to propagate in
intended direction
• Single tone, low power (10 mW), sweep test
------------------------------------------------------------
PIM test:
• Measure of interferences created (in Rx band)
by high power multi tone propagation
• Two tone high power CW test
Testing with PiMPro
 Important Consideration

• Validate/Calibrate
equipment used in the
test.
• Connector should not be
damaged or dirty.
• All connector should be
tight with torque wrench.
• Low PIM load and
adaptor must be used.
 Testing Duplexer
•Connect Tx port of the
duplexer to the output port of
the PiMPro.

•Connect the Rx port of the

duplexer to a Spectrum
Analyzer or connect a low PIM
Load.

•Connect a high power low

PIM load to the input port of
the Duplexer.
 Testing Diplexer
•Connect the com port of the
diplexer to the output port of
the PiMPro.

•Connect the frequency band

of desire port of the diplexer to
high power low PIM Load.

•No load is required in the

other band port.
 Testing X-Pol Antenna
•Place the antenna on non-metallic supports
at least 1foot off the ground.

•Clear sky RF field of view required to avoid

excitation of secondary PIM sources which
could cause false PIM failures. (no fence, no
metal objects, shelter, equipment cabinet…..)

•Connect either port of the X-

Pol antenna to the output port
of the PiMPro.

•Connect the second port of

the X-Pol Antenna high power
low PIM Load.
 Testing TMA
•Connect the TMA input port
to the output port of the
PiMPro.

•Connect the output port of

the TMA to high power low
PIM Load.
 Testing Cable

•Connect either port of the

cable Assembly or Jumper to
the output port of the PiMPro.

•Connect the second port of

the cable assembly or jumper
to high power low PIM Load.
 Testing DAS Tray
•Connect one Tx/Rx port of the
DAS Tray under test directly to
the RF output port of the PIM test
equipment.

•Connect high power low PIM

load to all of the DAS tray input
ports.

•Connect SMA load to Tx OUT to

DAS) port.

•Connect SMA load to Rx IN

(from DAS) port.

•Please repeat steps 1 to 4 to test

all input ports of the DAS tray.
 Ask the right questions
Buyer beware………………
1. Portable 2 Watt analyzers…….
2. Distance to PIM……..is not DTF
3. Interference signals as PIM…….
1 GHz Swept Frequency
• 1GHz DF
• 1M filter window
100MHz swept DF
•100 MHz DF
•10M Filter window
DTP has limited use
• 700 LTE
•22 MHz DF
•21M Filter window
Thank you