rf vue standards 2.0

American Tower I‐DAS

RF‐Vue Standards Manual

May 6, 2011

Version 2.0

September 17, 2010 ATC DESIGN STANDARDS: RF‐VUE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Initial Requirements........................................................................................... 3

2. Setup................................................................................................................. 4

3. Importing and Formatting Drawings.................................................................. 10

4. Scaling the Drawing........................................................................................... 12

5. BTS Setup.......................................................................................................... 17

6. Designing the DAS............................................................................................. 20

7. Output Plots..................................................................................................... 21

8. Recommended Settings.................................................................................... 22

9. Deliverables..................................................................................................... 23

10. Sample Trunking Diagram................................................................................

11. Contact Information.........................................................................................

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Initial Requirements

The design standards contained in this manual are intended for the purpose of preparing RF prediction

models on behalf of American Tower Corporation only. All information included here is confidential and

is not to be disseminated without the expressed written consent of American Tower.

Design firm contracted to perform the work ("Designer") must be running iBwave RF‐Vue Version 5.2.6,

and have at a minimum the Propagation Module. Collection and Optimization Modules optional. Google

Earth also required. Basic competence with both programs is required.

Designer must be familiar with the basic principles of in‐building DAS design. This includes familiarity

with link budgets, DAS terminology, and DAS equipment architecture. The information included in this

document is based on Andrew/Commscope ION‐B equipment. This is a double‐star fiber‐based DAS, and

needs to be set up to be a neutral‐host system.

These standards are subject to change, and all deliverables are subject to review and approval by ATC

DAS RF Engineering.


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Set Up

1. Open IBWave software. Program should open to a browser window set to a Startup Page.

2. On the Menu bar, select Project ‐> New

3. Another browser Window should open, titled New Project. Enter the Project Name in the

Design Information panel.

4. In the directory on the left side of the New Project browser, under Preferences, select Company

Info. Put your name as Designer. Insert ATC logo if available.

5. Under Preferences, next select Units. Under General, set for "All Imperial", and under RF, set

Antenna Gain to dBi.


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6. Under Preferences, next select Part ID. Click OFF "Cable" and "Jumper";

Set Generate Options button to "Generate IDs for new parts only"


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7. Under Prediction, select Advanced. In the Floors panel, set "Number above or below predicted

floor" to "1".

8. Under Propagation Models, select Dominant Path, and set all frequencies being used in the

prediction as follows:

LOS Exponent: 2.5

OLOS Exponent: 2.6

NLOS Exponent: 2.7.


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9. Under Propagation Models, select Path Loss Exponent. Set frequencies as follows:

700 LTE‐ n= 2.4, sigma= ‐9.1

850 Cellular‐n= 2.4, sigma= ‐9.6

1700 AWS‐ n=2.6, sigma= 13.9

1900 PCS‐ n=2.6, sigma= ‐14.1

10. Under Propagation Models, select Free Space Path Loss. Set building material to ‐7.


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11. Click "OK" at the bottom of the New Project browser.

12. A new tab should open titled "Design Plan." The default page setup is usually set to 8‐1/2" x 11",

Portrait view.

13. On the Menu bar, select Project ‐> Page Setup.

14. On the Print Setup tab, set Paper Size to 11x17.

15. On the Print Setup tab, set Paper Orientation to Landscape.

16. On the Page Size tab, make sure that "Same as Printer" is selected under the Page Size frame.

17. On the Page Size tab, click the button in the lower right corner marker "Set current page size as

default."

18. Click "OK" at the bottom of the Page Setup browser.

19. At any time, hit the F6 key to view page extents.


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20. On the Menu bar, select Plans ‐> New Layout Plan.

21. A new browser window will appear, titled Plan Properties for "Project Name". Enter the Project

Name under Properties, followed by the floor that the layout will show. (e.g. "American Tower

HQ‐ 1").

22. In the Plan Properties browser window, under Custom Text, enter the following passage (if

applicable): "This prediction has not been optimized with measured data collected from the

site." Be sure this note is added to the Custom Text for Layout Plan.

23. Repeat steps 20,21,&22 for all levels of the building to be included in the prediction.


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Importing and Formatting Drawing Files

1. On the Menu bar, select Prediction ‐> Import Walls

2. A new browser window will appear, titled Select Import File. Browse to find the DWG file

prepared for the project, select it, and click "Open" at the bottom of the browser window.

3. Another browser window will open, titled "Wall Importer." It will have a black background. The

DWG files should appear in the center of the window.

4. Verify that all the layers are selected in the directory frame on the left.

5. Click the Import button at the bottom of the screen.


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6. A new browser winder titled "Select material for layer '0'" will appear. Select the appropriate

material for each layer (e.g. Wall Partition ‐> Partition [Drywall] for the layer labeled "Wall

Partition Drywall.")

7. When all of the layers have been assigned a material type, click "OK" at the bottom of the

"Select material..." browser.

8. An additional pop‐up window will appear that will ask you to set the height of the floor above

the ground plane. For all commercial and public buildings, set this for 15 feet. For residential and

hotels use 10 feet.


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9. The imported walls should appear like below:

Scaling the Drawing

1. Minimize RF Vue.

2. Open Google Earth.

3. Locate the building being modeled in the prediction.

4. Select an easily identifiable feature on the building that is also outlined in the IB Wave model

(e.g. an Anchor store on a shopping mall). Zoom in close to that feature.

5. On the Toolbar, select the "Add Path" button.


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6. In the new browser window that pops up (titled "Google Earth‐ New Path"), type in the name of

the property or project.

7. Click once on one side of the building feature, and only once more at the other side.

8. Click "OK" at the bottom of the New Plan browser.

9. On the Menu bar, select Save ‐> Save Place As


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10. In the Save File pop‐up window that appears, name the file after the property or project, and

under Save as Type, select "Kml (*.kml).

11. Click Save on the Save File window, saving it in the same folder as the rest of the files for the

project.

12. Close Google Earth.

13. Restore RF Vue.

14. Select the Ruler button on the Tools toolbar. In the same place that you traced the path in

Google Earth, extend the ruler across the same path.


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15. Click once on the blue line that appears. Two white squares should appear on either end of the

line.

16. Double‐click on the same line. A new pop‐up window should appear titled "Line Properties."

17. Click the button titled "Set Geo location from KML".


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18. Another pop‐up window should appear, titled Import placemark's coordinates.

19. Browse for the KML file created for the project. Select the file and click Open at the bottom of

the window.

20. Click OK on the Import placemark's coordinates window.

21. Click Ok on the Line properties window.


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BTS Setup (part 1)

1. On the Menu bar, select Project ‐> Add System

2. The System Wizard ‐ System Source pop‐up window will appear. Under Signal, have each setting

as follows:

Region/Country: USA

Band: (ATC Engineering will provide)

Technology: (ATC Engineering will provide)

Block: ALL

Nb. of ch.: (ATC Engineering will provide)

Leave C/N (min) at 10.0 dB unless otherwise directed.

3. Under System Sources, select Base Station Sector.

4. Click Next


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5. IF WCDMA or CDMA is selected under Technology, under the "Propagation calculations based

on" frame, select Pilot/CPICH.

6. Make sure that Pilot/CPICH is set for 10% for AT&T UMTS under Walsh codes power frame

unless otherwise instructed. For Verizon use 15%, and Sprint/Nextel 20%.

7. Click Next.

8. Under BTS sector configuration frame, set the following under Uplink:

RX comb. losses: ‐10

BTS NF: 4.00


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9. Tx power/ch. (overhead + traffic) should be as follows, per technology:

GSM: 43 dBm

UMTS: 46 dBm

CDMA: 43 dBm (or full power)

LTE: 44.9 dBm

SMR: 43 dBm (or full power)

10. Click Finish. (NOTE: you will have to come back to this window to set the Downlink after the

system is set up.)

11. On the Layout tab where the Equipment Room is located, place the BTS.


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Designing the DAS

1. For a shopping mall, begin by placing a directional antenna aimed at each of the (indoor)

entrances to the anchor stores. Use the following antenna model for the directionals:

(Cellular Specialties) CSI‐AP/806/2.5/7‐10

2. For the interior of the shopping mall, or for all other building types, use the following

omnidirectional antenna:

(Huber + Suhner) SWA 0764/360/6/30/V, also known as 1399.17.0085 Sencity Optima

3. Develop an array of antennas that will cover the entire coverage area at ‐85 dBm over 95% of

the coverage area, unless otherwise directed. This threshold means ‐85 dBm for GSM and SMR

traffic channels, but also ‐85 dBm for the Pilot/CPICH for CDMA, UMTS, and LTE. It is

recommended that in relatively open areas, set the omni antennas about 150' apart to begin

with, and closer in more dense environments. These can be adjusted after the predictions run.

4. Insert all of the necessary cabling, splitters, couplers, and jumpers as needed to connect the

system. We recommend that in most cases, use only 3 antenna per HPRU for best coverage

results. Other situations may require different configurations (i.e. corridors, ballrooms, etc.).

5. Once the system is completely cabled, click on Power per Carrier for each system in the

prediction to verify connectivity. If there is no EiRP output figure, check the connections.

6. At this point, we go back to the BTS Wizard and finish configuring the BTS. Because cable

footages, attenuators, and head‐end combining schemes may change at or before

commissioning, the safest way to approach the design is to determine what the output PPC

(power per carrier) should be at the HPRU. This can be checked in the Link Budget report.

Required output values for the HPRU will be provided by ATC. Adjust the Downlink by adding

in‐line attenuators until the output PPC at the HPRU matches the value provided by ATC for

each system as close as possible.

7. Select the Prediction Area button and trace the exterior footprint for the building at each level.

8. Once the correct BTS power levels are set, proceed to adjust the design so that it meets the ‐

85dBm/95% coverage threshold for all systems (see note #3).


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Output Plots

On the upper right hand side of the screen, select the Prediction tab. Select the Add Output

Map button. Add each of the following output maps as listed below. Have the legend set for Rainbow.

RSSI/RSCP/RSRP

This is the default setting. This output map should already be prepared when the initial

prediction is run. Be sure to label all GSM or SMR plots as RSSI, CDMA, LTE, or UMTS.

Sector Isolation

You will need to resave the file with a different name (Site Name‐ Sectors). Based on the

number of sectors the site is to be divided (this figure will be provided by ATC), you will need to

reset each of the RF Sources (BTS) to the same frequency and technology. Be sure that channels is

set to "ALL" and that each sector is given a different name.

Decide upon a sensible and balanced division of HPRUs across the site. Have the remotes in each

respective sector connect to the same TFLN cards connects for that sector's BTS.

Select the Soft Handoff plot. Use a Given Value of ‐75 dBm for the Outdoor Signal if Benchmark

Data is unavailable. Make sure that under Color Scheme, you select "System Color."

Run the plot. Be sure to select (check box) all systems for the output map.

Best Server/BCCH Footprint

Select the Best Server Plot. Make sure that each of the systems are assigned different colors

under System Info. Under the Specific tab of the Output Map Configuration window, select

Combine same provider. Under the Filters tab, select only the GSM or SMR systems. Under the

Color Schemes tab, select Use system color. Click OK and run the plot.

SNIR/EcIo

Unless you have actual macro data for the site, do not select "Consider outdoor signals." Under

the Filters tab, select the GSM systems for SNIR plots, CDMA/UMTS systems for EcIo plots.

Under the Color Schemes tab, click the Edit button, and click Edit gradient. Be sure to adjust the

legend so that the color gradient is appropriately calibrated to the range of data.

Coverage Prediction vs. Benchmark Data/Coverage Prediction vs. CW Data

The benchmark legend needs to match the prediction legend. The benchmark or CW data needs

to be overlaid upon the prediction plot on all levels. DO NOT import BM data onto a separate

layout page from the predictions.


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External Leakage‐

Simply delete the prediction boundary and re‐run the RSSI/RSCP plots. Make sure that there is

at least ‐100 dBm at 100' away from main points of egress from the building.

When all of the plots are run, generate a PDF of each output plot for each system. These need to be

submitted to ATC IBW Engineering for approval.

RECOMMENDED SETTINGS:

1. Preferred Parts list should include at least the following items (for Andrew ION‐B designs):

1. Antenna‐ Cellular Specialties ‐ CSI‐AP/806/2.5/7‐10 2. Antenna‐ Huber + Suhner‐ SWA 0764/360/6/30/V 3. Fiber BDA‐ Andrew‐ TFAH US6B 4. Splitter‐ Andrew‐ S‐2‐CPUS‐L‐N 5. Splitter‐ Andrew‐ C‐6‐CPUS‐L‐N 6. Splitter‐ Andrew‐ C‐10‐CPUS‐L‐N 7. Cable‐ Andrew‐ HL4RP‐50A 8. Cable‐ Corning‐ 012EB4‐T3201C20 9. Fiber BDA Hub‐ Andrew‐ TFLN2504/4

2. Under Prediction Properties, run the Resolution at around 3' or 1 meter. This can be higher for very

large properties, or lower for small properties, but this is about where we get the best balance between

resolution and processing time.

3. Have the Indoor Prediction legend set for Rainbow, Discreet.

4. Re‐number the remotes and antennas according to the following system:

a) Remotes are two digits. They run in groups of 4, and go 1‐1, 1‐2, 1‐3, 1‐4. After the fourth

number, you change the first digit and start again: 2‐1, 2‐2, 2‐3,2‐4,3‐1, 3‐2...etc.

b) Antennas are three digits. The first two are always the same as the remote that drives them, the

third number is the sequential identifier for the antennas connected to the remote. For

example, 1‐2‐1, 1‐2‐2, 1‐2‐3, 1‐2‐4, etc.


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DELIVERABLES:

Deliverables will be specified for each project. Design packages may include any or all of the following:

1. GSM RSSI plot for each frequency band

2. GSM BCCH Footprint Plot for each frequency band

3. GSM SNIR Plot for each frequency band

4. SMR RSSI plot for each frequency band

5. SMR BCCH Footprint Plot for each frequency band

6. SMR SNIR Plot for each frequency band

7. UMTS RSCP plot for each frequency band

8. UMTS Sector Isolation Plot for each frequency band

9. UMTS External leakage plot for each frequency band

10. CDMA RSCP plot for each frequency band

11. CDMA Sector Isolation Plot for each frequency band

12. CDMA External leakage plot for each frequency band

13. LTE RSCP plot for each frequency band

14. LTE Sector Isolation Plot

15. LTE External leakage plot

16. WiMAX RSCP plot

17. WiMAX Sector Isolation Plot

18. WiMAX External leakage plot

19. EMF report

20. Materials List

21. Trunking Diagram

ATC will require all plots in PDF format, page size formatted for 11x17, except for the EMF report and

Materials list, which should be formatted for 8‐1/2 x11.

ATC will require all source files for the project (*.ibw files).

Only the plots for the requested technologies will be required (i.e. for Sprint/Nextel, only SMR 800, SMR

900, and CDMA 1900 will be required. UMTS, LTE, and GSM not applicable).


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SAMPLE TRUNKING DIAGRAM

NOTES:

1. Observe that the sectors are segregated into color‐coded areas on the diagram and labeled

accordingly.

2. Antennas and RUs are labeled with ID number.

3. Splitters and couplers labeled with coupled input‐to‐output value (i.e. 6 dB coupler, 2:1 splitter, etc.)

4. All cable routes are shown orthogonal.

5. Note in‐line attenuators between BTS and TPOI cards.


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QUESTIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION:

Please contact‐

Ludwik Wodka

DAS Solutions Design Supervisor

919‐466‐5816 (desk)

919‐349‐3745 (mobile)

[email protected]

Santosh Sarikonda

RF Engineer

919‐466‐5540 (desk)

[email protected]

Andrew Pigney

Sr. RF Manager

919‐466‐5981 (desk)

[email protected]

rf vue standards 2.0

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