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CONTENTS

www.ANTENNASONliNE.COm

2010APRil/mAYwww.AntennasOnline.com

Volume 13 / Issue 2

Editor & PublisherDavid Webster

Director of ContentShannon Given

Associate EditorsHeather Krier, Nick Depperschmidt

Assistant EditorAaron Butzen

Director of SalesJessi Albers

News EditorsLaura Mayo, Sue Hannebrink, Jeremy Fleming, Jessi Albers

Manager of AdministrationMarsha Grillo

Director of Support ServicesMarc Vang

Circulation/Data EntryRoss Webster

Office ManagerJulie Williams

Advertising Sales and MarketingLaura Mayo, Account Executive

Julie Hammond, Production ManagerJennifer Graham, Marketing Assistant

ANTENNA SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY (ISSN #1092-2553) is a publication of

Webcom Communications Corp.

Subscriptions for one year (bi-monthly) are free to qualified recipients in the U.S., $44 for non qualified U.S. and $60 outside the U.S. Single copies are $20 each plus shipping. Back issues are available. Payment must be made in US funds in order to process the or-der. Direct all subscription inquiries, orders and address changes to Fulfillment Services.

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fEATuRESTactical Tuned VHf Antenna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Am Towers and wireless Carriers can Profitably Partner . . . . . . . 21RfiD Chips De Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

PRODuCTS & SERViCESEditor’s Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Test & measurement. . . . . . . . 12Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13wireless/wi-fi/lTE. . . . . . . . . .15

DEPARTmENTSindustry News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27marketplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Advertising index . . . . . . . . . . . 29

page 6 page 8

page 11 page 13

APRil/mAY 2010 ANTENNA SYSTEmS & TECHNOlOgY 3

EDiTOR’S CHOiCE

www.ANTENNASONliNE.COmANTENNA SYSTEmS & TECHNOlOgY APRil/mAY 20104

Rayspan Releases Antenna Solution for lTE DevicesRayspan Corp., a provider of metamaterial and RF air interface

solutions for wireless communications, has released Rayspan MTM-E solutions for long-term evolution (LTE). MTM-E is an antenna solution that can support six or more bands operating from 698 MHz to 960 MHz in the low band and 1,710 to 2,170 MHz as well as 2.6 GHz in the high band without requiring any switching elements or matching circuits. MTM-E is a small LTE antenna platform, meeting the require-ments for portable LTE devices such as mobile phones, laptops, USB dongles, wire-less routers and wireless modems. The Rayspan MTM-E solution is the only antenna technology that offers integrated LTE, 3G, Bluetooth and GPS all from a single-feed antenna solution.

“Rayspan MTM-E is uniquely suited to the requirements of wire-less and mobile standards and especially LTE,” said Gregory Poil-asne, VP of Business Development at Rayspan. “We are pleased to be able to offer an LTE antenna solution that not only leads the industry in performance, integration, low power consumption and

time to market, but is ready for manufacturers today.” Unlike competing 3D antennas designed for LTE, the MTM-E antenna is a simple 2D design in which copper artwork is printed directly on a device’s printed circuit board (PCB) using standard PCB manufacturing techniques. This enables MTM structures to be built using the finest line widths and spacing available for an-tennas. These MTM structures, along with eliminating the need for switching elements and matching circuits, simplify system integration, lower power consumption, accelerate time to market and allow for smaller handset designs. The Rayspan MTM-E solution complies with the current LTE standard, which calls for multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology requiring two separate antenna structures that operate over the same frequency band, at the same time, and from the same location. The MTM-E MIMO antenna solution exhibits ex-cellent MIMO gain performance with greater than 50 efficiency values in free-space for handset applications, better than -10dB in near field isolation, and better than 0.3 far-field envelop correla-tion coefficient. The secondary LTE MIMO antenna also supports 3G diversity and GPS applications.

ARA, inc. Reveals ARA-243 Series Antenna Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has released the 243 series antenna. This series is a small and lightweight fold-

http://www.AntennasOnline.com

EDiTOR’S CHOiCE

www.ANTENNASONliNE.COm APRil/mAY 2010 ANTENNA SYSTEmS & TECHNOlOgY 5

able SATCOM antenna line. Utilizing input provided by former special operations communications experts who served in Af-ghanistan and other hotspots around the world, the engineering team at ARA has created a smart, convenient and user-friendly mini SATCOM antenna system.

One of many convenient features of the ARA-243 series is its ability to diversify its functions in order to sat-isfy a variety of military communica-tion needs. Each system is available with a wide range of attachments. Each attachment is compatible with the top RF part of the system, giving users the freedom to switch functions with simplicity and ease. This system includes all this functionality while providing optimal gain and commu-nication link performance. Antenna Research’s 243 series hosts a variety of different prod-ucts to fit a soldiers every need. The ARA-243T is an antenna with a sturdy, yet compact tripod, with continuous azimuthal and eleva-tion adjustment. The ARA-243P is an antenna with an easy to hold pistol grip. ARA’s Engineering team consulted with several gun experts in order to find the most practical and comfortable grip. The result was the use of a grip that is part of a widely used rifle. The ARA-243M is the magnetic mount model. This model can be used to secure the antenna to the top of a Connex container or other metallic surface when an operator may not have room to deploy a full tripod. The ARA-243K model is an antenna kit that includes all of the aforementioned attachments (tripod, pistol and magnetic mount). This system features a carrying case that is MOLLE compliant so that it can be attached to the outside of the ruck-sack. The pistol grip model comes with a smartly designed holster that can be worn by the operator.

Texas instruments Delivers Quad-Radio Single Chip Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) has unveiled its WiLink 7.0 single-chip solution to integrate WLAN 802.11n, GPS, FM transmit/receive and Bluetooth technologies. Integrating these capa-bilities on a true single chip, the 65-nanometer WiLink 7.0 solution reduces costs by 30 percent, reduces size by 50 percent and delivers improved coexistence performance as compared to today’s existing solutions. “TI’s announcement that its Bluetooth/FM/GPS/WLAN combination IC is sampling to major OEMs marks the first of its kind, demonstrating the strong future for combination ICs that enable

device manufac-turers to offer multiple radios without sacrific-ing performance, space require-ments or profit margins,” said Lisa Arrowsmith, analyst, IMS Re-search. “IMS Re-search forecasts that by 2013, more than 4.5 billion combination ICs featuring a variety of radios will have been shipped.” “As the first company to put the power of GPS, WLAN, Blue-tooth and FM technologies on a single chip, we are excited to have solved some of the market’s most complex coexistence challenges,” said Haviv Ilan, vice president and general manag-er, wireless connectivity solutions, TI. “This type of innovation builds on our strong heritage in the wireless market and commit-ment to spearhead next-generation advancements. With its ability to support simultaneous use of all four radios, the WiLink 7.0 solution will truly revolutionize the way people interact with their devices and connect to the larger world.” The WiLink 7.0 solution is sampling to major OEMs today. Devices using the WiLink 7.0 solution are expected to enter the market by the end of 2010.

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NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES ANTENNAS


Powerwave Optimizes Next-generation Antenna family for Emerging wireless markets

Powerwave Technologies, Inc., a pro-ducer of end-to-end wireless coverage and capacity solutions, has optimized its antenna product line to address the needs of emerging wireless markets and help bridge the digital divide.

“Offering high efficiency, as much as one dB in gain above competing offer-ings and remote electrical tilt functional-ity, Powerwave antenna offerings are well suited for emerging markets, enabling op-erators to cover more range with less net-work downtime and financial burden.”

Globally, the number of mobile sub-scribers is expected to climb to 5 billion by 2015, and a large proportion of those new users will be in developing nations and/or in rural areas with little to no exist-ing infrastructure. A wide range of wire-less protocols, from GPRS to WiMAX, are being leveraged as wireless networks in emerging markets begin to take shape. However, the key criteria they all share is the need for reliable, cost-effective wireless infrastructure.

“There is great potential for mobile broadband to become a viable fixed-line alternative in emerging markets, but also great challenge for operators to build and run highly efficient networks to counteract lower Average Revenue Per User,” said Khurram P. Sheikh, chief product and development officer, Powerwave Tech-nologies, Inc. “Offering high efficiency, as much as one dB in gain above competing offerings, and remote electrical tilt func-tionality, Powerwave antenna offerings are well suited for emerg-ing markets, enabling operators to cover more range with less network downtime and financial burden.”

Building on the company’s existing family of single-and dual-band antennas, Powerwave’s optimized antennas offer high ef-ficiency, low interference and improved gain per length, enabling operators to quickly and cost-effectively deploy new services le-veraging frequencies in all major frequency bands: 700/800/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz.

Powerwave antenna options include fixed electrical tilt sup-port, as well as remote electrical tilt functionality under one an-tenna radome. Powerwave antennas have the ability to provide consistent performance across frequency bands and down tilts via Powerwave’s patented Aperture Coupled Patch technology, which ensures consistent performance over the entire band and the elimination of dead zones. This also translates to reduced to-tal cost of ownership as operators can cover more area with few-er cell sites. The Aperture Coupled Patch also offers improved azimuth tracking, translating into less optimization needed by the network.

SY250-Hf2SNm(u) Yagi Directional Antenna Sinclair presents the new heavy duty model in the SY250 series of advanced Yagi directional antennas. The SY250-HF2SNM(U) is designed for 40 mm ice loading and high front-back ratio. Covering a frequency range of 138 to 174 MHz, this extra broadband antenna ensures improved performance in extreme wind and ice conditions. These models are universally mountable i.e. they can be center, end or wall mounted with optional clamps. Mounting clamps are available upon request. Aeroflex’s DC to 40 GHz SMARTÊ 5300 reduces life cycle cost of high-performance, high-speed RF and microwave testing For high-performance, high-speed testing of RF and micro-wave devices, Aeroflex introduces the SMARTÊ 5300 general-purpose test environment. The DC to 40 GHz SMARTÊ 5300 is unique in its ability to test, monitor and control any Device Under Test (DUT) within a single test environment. “SMARTÊ 5300 eliminates a large rack of test equipment and replaces it with a compact test system that is quickly reconfigured and redeployed to suit any individual DUT or production line,” said Dr. Francesco Lupinetti, senior business development execu-tive for Aeroflex’s High Speed Test Solutions. “The SMARTÊ 5300 also has the ability to emulate legacy and obsolete instru-ments. In this market, long-term support is a major concern. The fact that we can offer customers a ‘future-proof’ system gives customers peace of mind.” SMARTÊ 5300 is designed for para-metric and functional testing in the mili-tary/aerospace and high-performance commercial markets. The system is well suited for customers with one or more of these demanding RF/microwave test requirements including high throughput produc-tion, large number of unique tests per DUT, highly repetitive tests per DUT, product lines requiring rapid software reconfiguration of test systems, and replacement of racks of older or obsolete equi-ment with a “synthetic” or software-defined test environment. The Aeroflex SMARTÊ 5300 is currently available for de-livery 24 to 28 weeks upon receipt of order. Because of the SMARTÊ 5300’s high degree of customization and scalability, prices can vary considerably.

Heavy Duty gPS Timing Antenna Can be used for Network Synchronization Mobile Mark has recently introduced a Heavy Duty GPS Tim-ing Antenna that can be used for a wide variety of applications including network synchronization in equipment cabinets and cell towers, geographic surveying, railroad track-side electronics shacks and agri-business planting.

Powerwave Family

http://www.AHSystems.com

http://www.AHSystems.com

NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES ANTENNAS


The new GPS Timing Antenna, the NT-1575, is housed in a rugged and weather-resistant radome that has undergone rigorous temperature, moisture, shock and vibration testing. The antenna has a 4 dBi patch element and a 26 dB L.N.A. and is designed for right-hand circular polarization (RHCP). The interior of the antenna is completely sealed with high impact foam.

“Our customers were asking for an extremely durable and low profile timing antenna and the new NT-1575 meets their needs,” said Ken Lukowski, VP Sales. “They like the fact the foamed interior provides additional protection from shock and vibration.”

The compact antenna measures 1.6-inches (40 mm) tall by 3.66-inches (93 mm) in diameter. It terminates with a TNC Jack connector and can be surface mounted to a 0.75-inch diameter hole or pole mounted on pipes up to 2.5 inches outside diameter.

The antenna has been tested to and passed the following in-dustry and military standards: EN-61373, IEEE-1478, and MIL-STD-810G. The antenna has also been rated at IPx7 for water ingress resistance and has an ESD rating of 15KV.

Pulse monopole Antennas Enable multiple m2m Applications Pulse, a producer of electronic component and subassembly

design and manufacturing, has released a new set of monopole antennas that deliver ZigBee 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and ISM bands 868 megahertz (MHz), 915 MHz and 2.4 GHz. These antennas are suitable alternatives to using trace antennas because they oc-cupy very little printed circuit board space while maintaining their key properties regardless of changes to the board. They provide a radio interface for multi-purpose machine-to-machine (M2M) devices and applications such as data loggers, remote control, tracking, monitoring, Smart Grid, auto-mated meter reading (AMR), tags, remote keyless entry, indus-trial, metering, secu-rity, automation and point-of-sale (POS).

The monopole family of ceramic an-tennas consists of the W3000, W3014, W3016 and W3043. Due to their small size they are well suited to solutions where PCB size is limited for the an-tenna. Compared to a PCB antenna, the high temperature ceramic (HTC) material used in the monopole family means they detune less due to human tissue proximity or device mechanics, making them a well suited choice for hand-held or body worn products. These antennas can be used for multiple functions because their operating frequencies can be changed simply by implementing different matching circuits.

The smallest antenna is the W3043, at 3.2 mm wide by 1.6 mm

long by 1.1 mm high with a weight of 33 mg. It is matched to 2.4 GHz or other frequencies. The W3000, also compact, measuring 7 mm by 1.6 mm by 1.6 mm and weighs 86 mg. It's used for 2.4 GHz and ISM band 868. With clearance, these antennas measure 66 mm² (11 mm by 6 mm). Compared to a typical 2.45 GHz FR-4 trace antenna which measures 200 mm² (20 mm by 10 mm), Pulse’s monopole anten-nas deliver 67 percent more board space. Thus, a smaller device can be designed or space freed up for other components, and PCB costs are reduced. The W3014 is a 10 mm by 3.2 mm by 1.5 mm chip with a weight of 240 mg. It uses ISM band 915 so it can be used for de-signs containing a suitable matching circuit. The W3016 is well suited for ISM band 868 and is 10 mm by 3.2 mm by 4 mm with a weight of 600 mg. “With so many emerging applications in the M2M sector, de-signers need an antenna solution which accommodates different ground plane sizes and product dimensions,” said Elaine Baxter, marketing manager, Pulse Wireless Devices Antenna Division. "Pulse's new range of ZigBee and ISM band ceramic monopole antennas offers a comprehensive and flexible portfolio which can be matched to the majority of M2M applications. They provide more reliability and higher performance than traditional trace an-tennas used on the PCB.” All Pulse monopole antennas are RoHS compliant and fully com-patible with surface mount devices. They are easy to implement and come with Pulse's worldwide technical support. The antennas are packaged in tape-and-reel. Prices range from $0.25 to $0.55 and may vary according to destination and order configuration.

SkyCross Expands its imAT Antenna Offering for lTE SkyCross has combined its iMAT antenna technology with ad-vanced digital band-switching to deliver an improved antenna so-lution for LTE. This solution not only delivers performance with up to 2.5 times faster 4G data rates, but it also supports the legacy wireless protocols that operate alongside LTE, while doing so in a small footprint. iMAT specifically addresses the MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) requirement of 4G protocols. Mobile de-vices that support MIMO typically require multiple an-tenna resonators, but space constraints and interference issues make this a difficult im-plementation challenge. SkyCross iMAT antennas utilize a pat-ented antenna design technique that enables a single optimized antenna element to take the place of multiple antennas, which lowers cost, improves MIMO performance and streamlines the integration process when compared to traditional antennas. Since LTE devices must support legacy 3G networks as well as added features, band-switching technology from SkyCross enables the antenna to actively tune across multiple frequencies as required

ANTENNAS NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES


for the function operating on the device at that moment. This further reduces the space occupied by the antenna, especially at 700 MHz, while still delivering improved performance for all of the device’s features. Current SkyCross designs support up to 10 bands includ-ing 700 MHz band 13 and 17 for North American LTE, 2600 MHz band 7 for global LTE carriers, as well as legacy penta-band 3G cel-lular, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which emerging 4G smartphones require. SkyCross can apply this innovative antenna technology to support any combination of bands needed, so device manufacturers can select which bands apply to their designs.

PCTEl unveils New Dual Polarization mimO Antenna for Broadband wireless mobile Applications

PCTEL, Inc. has unveiled its new Medallion Dual Polarization GPS Multi-Band mobile antenna. The new model, based on the popular Medallion mobile antenna platform has been enhanced to provide MIMO coverage for broadband wireless frequencies used for voice, video and data transmission in public safety, emergency response and mass transit applications.

PCTEL’s new Medallion antenna provides dual vertical and horizontal polarization and diversity at 2.3 to 2.7 GHz frequencies commonly used for data and streaming video communications. The antenna enables enhanced data throughput with faster transfer speeds and decreased interference in urban areas with high lev-els of wireless activity. The modular design of the Medallion platform adapts easily to other frequen-cy applications, including 3.5 GHz WiMAX. The Medallion antenna also supports no tune, multi-band coverage of GSM 850/1900 and GSM 900/1800 frequencies as well as GPS L1 track-ing. Other features include low profile housing and over-molded gasket design for water and dust ingress protection. “Our Medallion platform has been extremely well received in the marketplace since its intro-duction last year,” said Jeff Miller, vice president and general manager of PCTEL’s Antenna Prod-ucts Group. “We are pleased with the Medallion’s performance in emergency response, fleet man-agement and locomotive applications. The plat-form’s versatility has allowed us to expand our offering by applying new technologies and added frequencies, as shown with this new multi-band MIMO antenna with GPS tracking.”

Panorama launches ultra wideband Ceiling mount Antenna Panorama Antennas, a RF antennas company, has launched the next generation of in-building antennas. Designed to support a multi-service, multi-operator wireless environment, the CMWB-038-6 operates on the full wireless spectrum, from 380 MHz through to 6 GHz in a single antenna. A true wideband system, Panorama’s CMWB-038-6 allows businesses and fa-cilities to support multiser-vice/multi-operator wireless coverage. Any number or combination of services are supported including TETRA UHF, GSM 400, AWS 700 MHz, Quadband GSM, 3G UMTS, 2.4 GHz WLAN, LTE and WiMAX enabling simultaneous mobility for employees, consum-ers and emergency services whilst providing in-building service providers and DAS installers with a convenient ‘one size fits all’ solution. The aesthetically pleasing form ensures that the antenna blends into the ceiling furniture. With a highly efficient design the antenna delivers wireless coverage in the most complex of locations and structures, includ-ing multi-building campus sites, high-rise offices or large com-plexes such as airports. “The rapid evolution of wireless technologies is a complex

AntennasAssembliesCustom designs for critical data transmission

We design and build custom application-specificantennas exceeding your electrical and mechanicalparameters. Our antenna specialists use sophisticatedsimulation software and in-house testing to optimizeyour antenna. And our vertical integration allows us touse a wider range of materials in the manufacturingprocess and deliver prototypes and productionvolumes in shorter lead times.

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IMS2010 I Anaheim Convention CenterMay 23-28, 2010

Have you seen what WWW.IMS2010.ORGhas to offer lately?

If you haven’t been to the IMS2010 website please take a moment to log on and view updates for the upcoming IMS2010 symposium. The IMS2010 website is a great place to start if you are not familiar with the symposium or local area. Here you can gather general information and also learn about travel and lodging near the Anaheim convention center. We also recommend that you view the technical program schedule along with learning more about who is exhibiting and how your company can become an exhibitor.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for two fun-filled hours of networking with “Microwave & RF” female colleagues during IMS2010. There is a Women in Microwave Engineering (WIM) reception happy hour to be held Tuesday evening at the Uva Bar located in Downtown Disney. Check the IMS program for more details.

For those family and guest of attendees, please be sure to visit the IMS2010 hospitality suite which will be located at the Sheraton Hotel. Only a short distance from the Anaheim convention center, we have created a comfortable setting where you can meet with friends, grab a snack, check email and learn what the local area has to offer. There will also be special activities for the children.

We look forward to your attendance and participation in the coming year at IMS2010!

Anaheim, CaliforniaCome visitfor IMS2010

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ANTENNAS NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES


battleground for both businesses and operators alike,” said Chris-topher Jesman, managing director. “There is a constant drive for integrated solutions that can cover all the bases, with the flex-ibility to enable system upgrades without complete infrastructure change. With the CMWB-038-6, Panorama has an in-building solution that can facilitate all of these demands.”

Radio waves Releases New 15 gHz Discriminator for Dragonwave ODu

Radio Waves, Inc. has released a new member of the Discriminator family to cover the 15 GHz microwave band. This latest Discriminator is the HP-CPE-15DW2 and it integrates directly with the Dragonwave ODU. The Dis-criminator is known for its low profile and improved side lobe performance.

“At Radio Waves we are committed to developing innovative antenna prod-ucts,” said Andy Singer, president of Radio Waves. “Our 15 GHz Discrimi-nator is a very aesthetically pleasing solution for 15 GHz microwave instal-lations that make it easier to get landlord and zoning approval.”

New RET Antennas for Cellular Applications Sinclair’s latest offering for the cellu-lar antenna market is the Remote Electrical Downtilt Adjustable Antenna, featuring 0° to 10° electrical downtilt either manually or by AISG compatible remote control unit. These wideband antennas cover a broad spectrum of wireless frequencies from 806 to 2,170 MHz. SX400 and SX500 series antennas cover 806 to 960 MHz and 1,710 to 2,170 MHz respectively, and both offer dual polariza-tion and horizontal beamwidth of 33, 65 or 90°. For applications requiring fixed down-tilts non-RET versions of these antennas are also available. For more comprehensive coverage the SX400/500 series combines SX400 and SX500 series antennas into a single radome, covering 806 to 960 MHz and 1,710 to 2,170 MHz in dual ports or 806 to 960 MHz, 1,710 to 1,880 and 1,920 to 2,170 MHz in triple ports.

Send new product releases to Heather Krier at [email protected]

http://www.kenbotong.com

http://www.antennafactor.com

NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES TEST & mEASuREmENT


PXA Signal Analyzer with Embedded lTE and HSPA+ measurement Applications

Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s new advanced measurement ap-plications embedded in the Agilent N9030A PXA signal analyzer are used to test radio frequency (RF) transmitters.

The advanced measurement applications test a variety of sig-nal standards in cellular communication and digital video. Sig-nal standards include LTE-FDD, LTE-TDD, W-CDMA/HSPA/HSPA+, DVB-T/H and ISDB-T.

For LTE FDD and TDD, the N9080A and N9082A applications enable one-button testing that simplifies the design, validation and manufacturing of base stations (BTS) and user equipment (UE) in accordance with 3GPP standards (TS 36.141 and TS 36.521-1). The applications support all LTE channel bandwidths; channels and signals for uplink and downlink; in-band trans-mitted signal quality measurements; and out-of-band unwanted emissions measurements. Key measurements include error vec-tor magnitude (EVM), frequency error, adjacent channel power (ACP), spectrum emissions mask (SEM) and transmit on/off power (unique to TDD). The applications also include a wealth of essential measurement functions and provide a unique capability to recall enhanced test model (E-TM) setups for modulation qual-ity measurements, simplifying RF transmitter conformance tests.

The N9073A W-CDMA/HSPA/HSPA+ measurement applica-tion provides one-button RF transmitter conformance measure-ment of BTS and mobile station (MS) devices in accordance with 3GPP test standards (release 99 to 8). Key measurements include error vector magnitude (EVM), frequency error, peak code do-main error, spectrum emissions mask (SEM) and adjacent chan-nel power (ACP). The N6153A DVB-T/H and N6155A ISDB-T measurement ap-plications provide one-button, standards-based power and modu-lation analysis capabilities. These simplify the design, evaluation and manufacturing of DVB-T/H and ISDB-T modulators, trans-mitters, amplifiers, tuners and gap fillers/repeaters. The PXA signal analyzer is the highest-performance member of the Agilent X-Series. Combining the PXA with an embedded measurement application provides excellent dynamic range, up to –87 dB for 3GPP ACLR, and power meter-like accuracy of ±0.19 dB, reducing the number of tools needed in BTS R&D and manufacturing. The PXA is the only signal analyzer to provide simultaneous 140 MHz bandwidth with up to 75 dBc of spurious-free dy-namic range. This allows multi-carrier signal analysis as well as

analysis and troubleshooting of the digital predistortion (DPD) techniques used in power amplifiers in wide-bandwidth sys-tems such as LTE. For engineers transitioning from 3G to 4G, the 140-MHz bandwidth is the best choice for true 4G mobile broadband systems such as LTE Advanced, which extends LTE to a 100 MHz bandwidth. The N9030A PXA signal analyzer is available worldwide. Base prices range from $51,900 for the N9030A-503 (3.6 GHz) to $66,300 for the N9030A-526 (26.5 GHz).

Spectrum XT Delivers wireless Spectrum Analysis with Powerful New features and universal uSB form factor AirMagnet, Inc., a Fluke Networks company, has released AirMagnet Spectrum XT, a USB-based professional spec-trum analyzer solution that combines in-depth RF analysis with real-time WLAN information for quick and accurate troubleshooting of wireless performance problems. This new combined “impact analysis” view of RF interference on a network’s overall performance helps to more effectively pin-point the root-cause of interference issues, enabling IT staff to quickly identify and troubleshoot RF issues that are more critical than others. AirMagnet Spectrum XT is now available in the universal and convenient USB form factor, allowing it to be used on any notebook, netbook or Tablet PC. Spectrum XT detects, identi-fies and helps locate those individual sources of RF interfer-ence that impact the performance of the WLAN network, in-cluding non-WLAN devices such as Bluetooth, conventional/inverter microwave ovens, analog/digital cordless phones, digital video monitors, ZigBee devices, game controllers, RF jammers, baby monitors, wireless cameras and many more. “RF interference can have a major impact on the overall performance of a WLAN. AirMagnet’s spectrum products have always offered the industry’s most comprehensive and powerful features for identifying and troubleshooting RF problems,” said Chia-Chee Kuan, VP of engineering at AirMagnet. “The latest release of AirMagnet Spectrum XT continues that innovation and further demonstrates our com-mitment to the product. By offering a combined view of the impact analysis of RF interference on a network's overall per-formance, Spectrum XT helps network managers pinpoint the root-cause of interference problems.” AirMagnet Spectrum XT is available now at a US list price of $2,495. Until June 30, users can take advantage of the early-adopter program and purchase Spectrum XT at an introductory price of $2,195.

Are you an A, B or C?Your subscription to Antenna Systems & Technology might be about to expire. Check your status in the colored box lo-cated in the mailing label on the front cover. Subscribe on-line at www.AntennasOnline.com.

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In Building Solution Provider

47 Post Irvine, CA [email protected] www.aceantenna.co.kr www.opisys.com Tel. 949-916-5283 Fax. 949-916-5264

Improve your signal indoors for Homes, Businesses and Warehouses

Stay Connected Indoors

Why SOHO repeaters?

Improves Call Quality

Eliminates In-Building Dead Zone

Significantly Reduces Dropped Calls

Helps Improve Data Rate

Compact and Light-Weight

Easy to Install

Complete Kits Available Sales Representative Wanted

USHR-800/1900 USHR-800H/1900H

4.7" X 5.3"X 2.3"

4.7" X 5.3"X 2.3"

3.1" X 3.8"X 1.54"

3.1" X 3.8"X 1.54"

Dimensions

NFemale

NFemale

SMAFemale

SMAFemale

RFConnector

65655050Gain (dB)

121277OutputPower (dBm)

1850-1990824-8941850-1990824-894Frequency

(MHz)

USHR1900H

USHR800H

USHR1900

USHR800Model

Size : 3-5/8 X 4-3/4 Inch

gaAs and SOi Antenna Switch modules for 2/3/4g wireless Broadband and mobile Handset Applications

Skyworks Solutions, Inc. has introduced a family of antenna switch modules (ASMs) for 2/3/4G handset and data card plat-forms using both gallium arsenide (GaAs) and silicon on insulator (SOI) technologies. Skyworks products address the three primary switching functions: main antenna, diversity and band/mode. “These solutions highlight the breadth and dep th of our tech-nology as we look to best serve our customers’ needs on multiple fronts and with highly integrated architectures.” These compact solutions deliver state-of-the-art technology to meet both high performance and low-cost architectures, depend-ing upon the interface requirements. By delivering a comprehen-sive RF switch portfolio based on both technologies, Skyworks is able to augment its already broad portfolio of world-class switch-es currently used in the company’s front-end modules. “Skyworks is pleased to be supporting such a broad range of next-generation wireless broadband and mobile handset applica-tions with our new family of antenna switch modules,” said Dr. Gene A. Tkachenko, Skyworks’ senior director of engineering. “These solutions highlight the breadth and depth of our technol-ogy as we look to best serve our customers’ needs on multiple fronts and with highly integrated architectures.” The SKY13362 is a single-pole 10-throw (SP10T) ASM with an integrated complementary metal oxide semiconductor

(CMOS) decoder and dual low pass harmonic filters. The small 3.0 by 3.8 mm switch has five 3/4G transmit-receive (TRx) ports, three receive (Rx) ports, and two global system for mobile communications (GSM) transmit signal low-pass harmonic filters that make it the flexible choice for multiple combinations of 2/3/4G multimode cel-lular applications. Using advanced switch tech-nologies, the ASM main-tains low insertion loss and high isolation on both transmit, transmit-receive and receive switching paths. The SKY14152 is a low-cost, single-pole eight-throw (SP8T) ASM for use in multimode embedded data cards. The compact 3.2 by 3.2 mm device is designed for universal mobile telecom-munications system (UMTS), code division multiple access (CDMA2000), enhanced data for GSM evolution (EDGE) and GSM applications and supports flexibility with up to five 3/4G TRx bands. The device consists of an SP8T switch, GSM trans-mit signal low-pass harmonic filters and a RX SAW filter. The SKY14153 is a low-cost, single-pole, four-throw (SP4T) switch designed for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) and diversity switching applications that demand

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NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES COmPONENTS


high linearity and low-insertion loss. The compact 2.0 by 2.0 mm switch is optimized for third generation partnership project (3GPP) 3/4G bands from 0.70 to 2.7 gigahertz (GHz).

The SKY14155 is a low cost, double-pole, four-throw (DP4T) switch designed for broadband, 3/4G band switching applications which demand low insertion loss, high isolation and high linear-ity. The compact 2.0 by 2.0 mm switch is manufactured using a state-of-the-art SOI process and is optimized for 3G WCDMA mode/band switching applications. The SKY18106 is a SP8T ASM designed for multimode, high power switching applications that demand low harmonics and in-sertion loss. The 3.2 by 4 mm switch is optimized for both 2G GSM/EDGE and 3G WCDMA applications and supports up to six 3/4G TRx ports with very low insertion loss, high isolation and excellent linearity under antenna mismatch conditions. Samples of the SKY14152, SKY14153, SKY14155 and SKY18106 are currently available.

RfmD introduces Single-Placement Rf front Ends RF Micro Devices, Inc., a producer in the design and manufac-

ture of high-performance radio frequency components and com-pound semiconductor technologies, has introduced the RF7178, a front end module to integrate a quad-band, class 12-compliant GSM/GPRS power amplifier, a pHEMT antenna switch and re-ceive SAW filters.

The RF7178 offers full quad-band transmit performance (GSM850/EGSM900/DCS1800/PCS1900) and four dedicated receive ports in a compact single-placement package. Both the transmit and receive paths are performance-optimized to deliver a low-loss, high efficiency front end solution without requiring additional matching components. RFMD has also introduced the RF7177, a dual-band (EGSM900/DCS1800) front end module that is pin-to-pin com-patible with the RF7178 and features a similar feature set inte-grating the pHEMT antenna switch and SAW filters. When com-bined, RFMD's RF7178 and RF7177 provide a scalable platform solution for handset manufacturers seeking advanced levels of integration, streamlined inventory management and minimal de-ployment of valuable RF design resources. Compared to traditional discrete implementations, the RF7178 and RF7177 each eliminate approximately 10 component place-ments, thereby reducing assembly costs, improving line yields and lowering the costs associated with purchasing and managing inventory. Additionally, by allowing the use of common printed circuit boards (PCBs) across handset models, the RF7178 and RF7177 reduce handset manufacturers' inventory costs and en-able configurable end-products based upon regional and/or cus-tomer-specific requirements. The RF7178 is production released and samples are currently available. The RF7177 is scheduled for production release in the June 2010 quarter.


wiRElESS / wi-fi / lTE NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES


Innovative Antenna Solutions

Applied EM Inc, 144 Research Drive, Hampton VA 23666 Phone: (757) 224 2035, Fax: (757) 282 7808

[email protected]

www.appliedem.com

Compact Ultra Wideband Antennas Compact Broadband DF Antennas

Anti-Jam GPS Array Conformal “Paint-on” Antennas

Axell wireless Extends Digital Repeater Product Range for mobile Network Operators Solutions for in-Building, On-Board and lTE

Axell Wireless, a provider of wireless coverage solutions, has launched three new digital repeaters that allow mobile operators to extend network reach and to efficiently exploit new commer-cial opportunities. The new digital products, Digital Multiband repeater for inbuilding applications, the Digital OnBoard train repeater and the Digital LTE repeater all provide operators a cost effective means of deploying mobile voice and broadband data services in complex and challenging environments. The accelerating global demand for multi-megabyte mobile data services requires reliable and high performance network equipment and each mobile operator to make increasingly effi-cient use of their available radio spectrum. To meet those require-ments, Axell Wireless has developed a digital multiband repeater (D-MBR) that provides coverage for 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz and LTE operating at 2600 Mhz in a single box. The D-MBR allows mobile operators to serve subscribers on all major net-work types and frequencies in the same building without having to deploy a number of devices. Based on a highly resilient digital architecture, the D-MBR features a massive 240 MHz bandwidth capability which, combined with multiple sub-band filtering, of-fers the perfect solution for operators working in either demand-ing spectrum allocations or physical environments.

Planned Europe-an deployments of LTE promises much higher data transfer speeds for subscrib-ers but presents unique radio fre-quency challenges of getting the ser-vice into the com-mercial and public buildings where most of the services will be used. De-ploying dedicated base stations to every location along with the associated high speed backhaul connection required by LTE is not economically viable for most mobile operator business mod-els. To meet this challenge, Axell Wireless has developed the dig-ital Axell 2626 LTE repeater. The 2626 LTE is a sophisticated off air repeater that allows operators to pick up outside signals and simply and cost effectively propagate them throughout a build-ing. It has the potential to substantially limit the investment that would otherwise be required in base station infrastructure. Following the EU’s decision to standardize cross-border com-munications through the pan-European connection of GSM-R networks, Axell Wireless has developed a new digital onboard

http://www.appliedem.com

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NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES wiRElESS / wi-fi / lTE


repeater (D-OBR) for in-train cellular and GSM-R coverage. The D-OBR will allow the train operators system to automatically retune services at border crossings to support local network op-erators thus providing passengers with seamless voice and data connectivity during their journey. For maximum flexibility, the system also enables the train operator to turn off the service when entering a territory where it has no agreement in place with a mobile provider. The D-OBR supports up to 5 separate cellular bands covering all major European frequency allocations includ-ing LTE at 2600 Mhz. Ian Brown, CEO of Axell Wireless, said, “Axell pioneered re-peater technology in the 80s and since then we have continued to focus on technical leadership and innovation. Our latest digital coverage solutions are designed to be technology agnostic so that operators have the flexibility to provide coverage for any wireless standard at any major frequency band. In a world in which opera-tors are increasingly having to squeeze more capacity and benefit out of their existing spectrum allocations this is a major advantage. Extending network reach in a highly competitive environment and extracting benefit from the LTE challenge are a key focus for the industry right now. Axell’s solutions deliver on both counts.”

flexible, modular fiber Base unit to Support multi-Band and multi-Standard Distributed Antenna Systems

Powerwave Technologies, Inc. has introduced its Fiber Base Unit (FBU), a flexible and modular platform for wideband cover-age distributed antenna systems (DAS), designed to support wire-less coverage in a range of venues including subways, airports, office buildings, shopping malls and stadiums. As mobile users continue to demand seamless wireless access wherever they roam, dedicated in-building coverage systems are a suitable solution for improving quality of service. Critical mar-ket requirements for these systems include flexibility, broadband functionality, easy installation and swift upgrades to ensure a future-proof solution. Powerwave’s FBU, which converts and re-converts RF signals to optical signals, is easy to install and main-tain, and provides network operators, integrators and OEMs with a cost-effective, configurable and multi-standard system for feed-ing in-building coverage solutions based on Powerwave’s Nexus FT and fiber optical repeaters. “Operators are always challenged with providing comprehen-sive coverage, especially in settings such as urban centers, trans-portation systems and terminals,” said Khurram P. Sheikh, chief product and development officer, Powerwave Technologies, Inc. “Our Fiber Base Unit offers a small footprint with significant flexibility and functionality to ensure repeater networks large or small can address wireless coverage system needs today and as they evolve in the future.” Composed of individual modules with defined functionality – such as RF filtering, combining, remote control, alarming, optical interface and more – the FBU is configurable with up to six fiber optical nodes with optional wave division multiplexing (WDM). Designed for mounting in a 19-inch rack system, the unit features

slot-in design for each module, providing for easy serviceability and reconfiguration. Powerwave’s FBU offers long-reach fiber optic distribution and can manage up to 24 remote units per rack. Powerwave’s FBU can be managed remotely through Power-wave’s Netway Vision, a SNMP-based platform that centrally monitors and manages critical network interconnected remote-controlled devices, and via a third-party SNMP-compliant NMS software package.

multi-radio 802.11n wireless Distribution System Provides unprecedented wi-fi mesh / Backbone Capacity Xirrus, Inc. has released its next step in RF Innovation: multi-link 802.11n wireless mesh. The advent of the 802.11n standard has enabled unprecedented data capacity over Wi-Fi networks. Combining this with the unique, multi-radio architecture of the Xirrus XN Wi-Fi Arrays, a Wi-Fi mesh backbone can now be ac-complished with a level of performance previously only possible with dedicated, expensive, point-to-point systems or wire itself. A Wireless Distribu-tion System, or WDS, is a system that uses Wi-Fi to connect mul-tiple Access Points to-gether in a daisy chain or mesh configuration. In the past, Wi-Fi has not been very effective for deploying high per-formance WDS because of legacy Wi-Fi band-width limitations and the limited number of radios used in standard products. A traditional Access Point typically has only two radios, with one radio allocated to the WDS or a repeated mesh link and one radio servicing local Wi-Fi stations. There are several funda-mental limitations with this design: • A single 802.11n radio in the Access Point limits the wire-less backbone link to a maximum 300Mbps data rate. This single radio’s bandwidth is typically shared among multiple APs in a meshed fashion that significantly reduces the effective bandwidth even further. • The second 802.11n radio remaining in the AP is used for sta-tion connectivity and must operate in only one of the two avail-able Wi-Fi bands, 2.4GHz or 5GHz, limiting performance and flexibility of the network. • A single radio backhaul link creates a bottleneck for all traffic and a single point of failure. • The limitations mentioned above can be alleviated in part by dedicated wireless backbone / backhaul devices, but this means additional components and cost added to the network. Xirrus has overcome these limitations with its enhanced WDS implementation in the 802.11n XN Wi-Fi Arrays. Up to three 802.11n radios can be dedicated and aggregated into a single

wiRElESS / wi-fi / lTE NEw PRODuCTS & SERViCES


wireless link, and up to four such links can be created per Ar-ray. The radio density of Xirrus’ new XN12 and XN16 Arrays provides the flexibility to create multiple wireless links in one device to create a Wi-Fi backbone as an element of an all wireless network, while at the same time servicing up to hundreds of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi clients - all in one device. “With up to 16 radios, the Array offers tremendous flexibil-ity and advantages when designing wireless networks,” said Jose Villarreal, Xirrus Wi-Fi Consulting Engineer. “We can offer cus-tomers solutions to deploy Wi-Fi across a campus environment with multiple buildings without having to spec out a multitude of different devices. And most importantly, performance is not compromised as it typically is with shared radio mesh networks. The Array can dedicate radios at the full performance 802.11n provides for either backhaul or servicing clients without the need to chop up resources to fit the application.”

motorola Redefines wireless lAN Quality of Service with Powerful indoor 802.11n Solution

The Enterprise Mobility Solutions business of Motorola, Inc. has announced that its adaptive tri-radio AP-7131 access point (AP) is now available with a powerful 802.11n transmit-radio with increased receiver sensitivity, resulting in expanded wire-less LAN (WLAN) coverage when compared with other 802.11n APs available in the marketplace. For customers, this translates into considerable savings on infrastructure costs and accelerat-ed return on investment, while giving them the confidence that their wireless infrastructure provides the quality of service (QoS) and improved performance required to support mobile access to business-critical voice, video and data services. The AP-7131 is currently available with two configuration options for its third ra-dio, which can provide always-on Motorola AirDefense Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (Wireless IPS), rogue detection and troubleshooting or offer 3G wide area network (WAN) backhaul. "Motorola's high-performance tri-radio 802.11n APs have raised convergence at the WLAN edge to new levels with con-current video, voice and data transmission, network services, mesh networking and full-time Wireless IPS or 3G backhaul in a single integrated device," said Darryl Morin, president and chief executive officer, Advanced Wireless, Inc. "Now, by lead-ing the industry in coverage performance with the breakthrough 27.7 dBm transmit-radio, Motorola took 802.11n networking to the next level, enabling our customers to reduce the number of APs required to provide high-quality coverage, further lowering acquisition and support costs." Motorola's latest 802.11n adaptive AP is a virtual network-in-a-box, allowing it to offer full wireless and wired networking, mesh and security services in a dependent or independent mode. It can also be used as a stand-alone AP within small to medium businesses. In adaptive mode, the AP 7131 combines the benefits of central management and site-survivability to help reduce the complexity of deployments in remote offices. In a campus WLAN switch environment, it can be centrally managed for large-scale deployments. This unique multi-mode operation is supported by

the same firmware version to greatly simplify the task of building a large-scale, multi-site wireless enterprise. The powerful AP-7131 achieves its coverage in three ways. First, the aggregate radio transmit power is increased from 24.7 dBm to 27.7 dBm, doubling the output signal strength. Second, the receiver sensitivity is improved to -96 dBm, allowing the AP to not only transmit data to clients at further distances, but also receive data from them while maintaining maximum QoS. Finally, Motorola's adaptive AP uses a 3 by 3 antenna array with three transmitter and receiver chains, providing an optimal multiple in-put multiple output (MIMO) configuration for improved coverage and reliability, as opposed to the 2 by 3 antenna arrays with only two transmitter chains commonly found in the marketplace today. The AP-7131's third radio is currently available in two options. The first includes a wireless sensor that supports dedicated, 24/7 dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz) Motorola AirDefense Wireless IPS. The sensor radio also supports Motorola AirDefense Ad-vanced Troubleshooting, which enables Level 1 help-desk sup-port staff to immediately and remotely mirror a user's problem, test it from a device's perspective through to the application and identify the root cause that requires repair. The second option of-fers an expansion slot for a 3G WAN backhaul, which can be used for primary network access or high-availability.

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Wireless Solutions

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wHiTE PAPER


By Chris Vale • Poynting Antennas

A major concern voiced by many users in recent years has been the fairly poor state of broadband antennas for communications and jamming applications, particularly for manpack and vehicular deployments where compactness and mobility are essen-tial. Modern tactical requirements demand higher efficiencies and more compact form factors as well as the ability for multiple radio systems to co-exist on one platform. The classical broadband whip-type HF/VHF/UHF antennas suffer from poor per-formance mainly as a result of physical constraints that the designers must manage. wideband whip Antennas for Hf/VHf/uHf The requirement is for a compact omni-directional antenna with a low VSWR over a wide bandwidth, about 100 percent (from 30 to 88 MHz) for VHF for example, and as high gain as possible. This requirement cre-ates a problem for a design point of view as it is hard to achieve. The favorite solution to the problem is known, euphemistically, as passive matching. What actually happens is that resistive loading is employed to help match the antenna as close as possible to 50Ω. In essence, at frequencies where the antenna works poorly, the load takes over and presents a more acceptable impedance to the radio. More advanced designs may also make use of distributed loading (in-ductive and resistive) on the whip radiator itself, which can offer a better performance at the higher frequencies, but can come with the price of reduced power handling and more bulky and heavier whips. The method of lossy matching is a major approach in all wideband (instantaneous bandwidth) whip and dipole-like anten-nas. The impact, from a performance point of view is primarily low antenna efficien-

cy, which is experienced as much lower gain than could be achieved with a loss-less antenna (e.g. a narrower band whip or dipole). The plot in Figure 1 shows the typical gain loss in dB as a result of using passive matching (no distributed loading) in a typical wideband antenna. A value of 4 dB is not insignificant. It means that about 60 percent of the power delivered by the radio is lost to the match-ing network alone. In a tactical scenario where both vehicles use the same antenna system, a gain drop of even as low as 3 dB in the antennas results in a drastic re-duction of operational range. These losses mean a lot. In addition to the loss in gain, there is often the question of where to put the lost energy that is converted via the re-sistance in the matching network into heat. Often, such wideband matched antennas need to be bulky and heavy to accommo-date schemes for heat dissipation. Generally, however, the advantages of the wideband matching achieved in this way outweigh the drawbacks of the lower gain. First, the bandwidth offered is instan-taneous, the antenna is perpetually matched across the band. Second, the antenna is cost effective, as it only uses passive com-ponents and the whip structure itself. As a result, the use of wideband matched anten-nas has become quite popular.

Active matching with the Tactical Tuned VHf Antenna There is clearly a tactical advantage with a more efficient alternative to the wideband matched approach. A well-known alterna-tive is to use a device known as an Auto-matic Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU), which attaches to the antenna and switches in and out reactive components (capacitors

Tactical Tuned VHf Antenna

Figure 1. Gain lost as a result of passive match-ing in a typical VHF/UHF whip antenna

Figure 2.

wHiTE PAPER


and inductors) in L, T or π matching net-work topologies to match the antenna at the frequency it is currently being used. Such ATUs have been popular in the HF space. The catch has been the sheer size and weight of the ATUs as well as their inability to hop quickly, which have rendered them fairly useless for modern frequency agile communications and jamming platforms. Using advanced PIN diode-based tech-nologies, some new matching strategies and compact electronic engineering, Poynting has developed a new antenna tuning sys-tem that integrates directly into the mount-ing base of a whip antenna, and is able to tune in sub- 100 μs speeds, providing the advantages of lossless matching in a tacti-cally useful product that can accomplish fast hopping. As with all such systems, the technology must be deployed with a radio that can command the antenna by providing the desired operating frequency and switch-ing strobe. Currently the design is married to a 1.8 m VHF whip and is designed for vehicular applications, but the technology can be adapted for other platforms, such as manpack and extended frequency ranges. Figures 3 and 4 provide measured per-formance comparisons of the Tactical Tuned VHF Antenna versus a passively matched whip of same length. Also in-cluded is data from a typical commercially available passively matched antenna from another company. Apart from the higher gain and improved VSWR, which provides an increase in op-erational range of communications plat-forms and a much easier time for radio out-put power amplifiers, a second advantage stemming from the use of the tactical tuned antenna is higher rejection of unwanted in-band interference signals than would be

obtained when using a wideband antenna system, as a result of the higher Q of the tuned antenna system. The benefit of this is that co-existing VHF radio systems will tend to operate much better with each other than previously possible.

field Testing of Prototype Tactical Tuned VHf Antenna

In field trials with a pair of prototype Tactical Tuned VHF Antennas, the capa-bilities of the prototype system were tested using practical frequency hopping military radios. The tests aimed to establish what tangible improvements in transmission effi-ciency and reverse intermodulation product rejection could be observed over a typical competing wideband passively matched whip antenna, such as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

Transmission Efficiency TestsTo establish what effect the tactical

tuned VHF antenna has in terms of improving the transmission efficiency, the received signal strength is compared when using the tactical tuned VHF antenna and a standard wideband pas-sively matched whip antenna at the transmitting side as shown in Figure 5. The antennas are driven via a frequency hopping capable military VHF radio through a

power meter that measures through and reflected power. The tactical tuned VHF antenna is tuned on command by the radio via an RS485 interface.

On the receiver side, a standard wideband passively matched whip antenna serves as a sense antenna for a spectrum analyser which measures incoming power levels. This setup allows the effect of improved matching and improved antenna efficiency to be evaluated. Table 1 shows some re-sults obtained showing the expected 3 dB advantage obtained, which ties up with the predictions from the gain data in Figure 3. One big advantage that was observed in the transmission efficiency tests related to the reduction of radio output amplifier cutback due to the improved matching of the tuned antenna. The excellent match obtained by the tuned antenna compared to the fairly poor matching obtained in a wideband matched antenna (typically 3:1 VSWR or worse) implies that the in some cases as much as 3 dB more power is available from the radio.

intermodulation Product TestsThe use of PIN diode–based active

matching in an antenna raises the issue of the possibility of exacerbated inter-modulation products over the more simple passively matched wideband antenna sys-tems. On the other hand, we also know that the increased frequency discrimina-tion of a high-Q matched antenna provides some advantages in rejecting intermodula-tion products arising from the radio output stage. As such, it is instructive to study

Table 1. Results of transmission efficiency field trials at 44 MHz

Wideband Passively Matched AntennaForward power Reflected power Received power

46.7 dBm 27.7 dBm -94.0 dBm

Tactical Tuned VHF AntennaForward power Reflected power Received power

46.4 dBm 40.0 dBm -97.0 dBm

Figure 3. Gain comparisons of Tactical Tuned Antenna vs. wideband matched alternatives

Figure 4. VSWR Comparisons of Tactical Tuned Antenna (when tuned) vs. wideband matched alternatives

Figure 5.

wHiTE PAPER


the reverse intermodulation product lev-els arising from co-located radio systems when using the tuned antennas versus the wideband passively matched antennas.

Figure 6 shows the setup used to compare the reverse intermodulation performance of co-located radio systems utilising the tacti-

cal tuned VHF antennas and the same co-located radio systems utilising wideband passively matched antennas. The co-locat-ed radio system has antennas located 2 m apart. The sense antenna is located nearby and is connected to a spectrum analyser, which picks up the (2f1 – f2) intermodu-lation product at 41.125 MHz, where f1 = 58.125 MHz and f2 = 75.125 MHz. The results shown in Table 2 illustrate the beneficial effects of the tuned antenna in terms of rejecting radiated intermodula-tion products. The results suggest that the reverse intermodulation products are heav-ily dominated by contributions from the radio output stage, rather than the antenna tuning network, and that the out of band re-

jection obtained ‘for free’ from the tuned an-tenna system is helpful in suppressing these products, a feature not offered by wideband matched antenna systems. The 10 dB reduc-tion in IM3 seen here means that the range of the jamming caused by intermodulation products will be reduced by a factor of three when using the tactical tuned VHF antenna as compared to a standard wideband pas-sively matched antenna. Poynting Antennas has developed ad-vanced, practically useful automatically tuned antennas for tactical deployment that provide significant advantages over the wide-band matched alternatives. Future develop-ment of this technology would be applicable to manpack platforms and in different fre-quency ranges. Practical field tests reveal real benefits from the point of view of transmis-sion efficiency and intermodulation product rejection for co-located radio systems.

Chris Vale leads the Defense and Specialized Omni-antenna and RF electronics engineering unit at Poynting Antennas (Pty) Ltd in Johan-nesburg, South Africa. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Table 2. Results of reverse intermodulation product field tests

Tactical Tuned VHF Antenna Wideband passively matched Antenna

Power level Forward power IM3 power detected Forward power IM3 power detected

Low 37.0 dBm -55.6 dBm 37.0 dBm -31.0 dBm

High 47.0 dBm -28.5 dBm 45.4 dBm -18.0 dBm

Figure 6.

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fEATuRE ARTiClE


For years, wireless carriers looking for places to hang their antennas and coaxial cables looked everywhere except at AM ra-dio broadcast towers. While the carriers un-doubtedly were tempted to incorporate the existing towers into their expansion plans

and save tens of thousands of dollars in erection costs, they usu-ally concluded the AM structures were too much trouble. They were intimidated by the seemingly incompatible requirements of AM and wireless technologies. They were further discouraged by stringent Federal Communications Commission regulations that protect AM towers and broadcast patterns. Their caution was totally understandable…then. Technological innovation has opened the way for cellular, PCS and SMR carri-ers to collocate on many of the estimated 10,000 AM structures in the United States. Many AM station owners are increasingly willing to rent space on their structures, perhaps many more owners than generally is known. Because the heights of their towers fall below federal regulatory minimums, some station towers are not required to register their structures with the Federal Aviation Administra-tion, which keeps an eye on towers as flight hazards. Not being listed, the towers for all practical purposes don’t exist to wireless system designers, which of course precludes the design-ers from making overtures to collo-cate. Hint: If tower owners want their vertical real estate in the collocation market, they are strongly encouraged to voluntarily register them with the FCC and FAA. What sort of problems are used to discourage collocating on an AM tower? Most wire-less carriers feared they would encounter difficulty in attaching their multiple antenna cables, but engineers have figured out how to carry the cables across the “hot” tower base without interfering with AM broadcasts. Station owners, meanwhile, needed assurance that the col-location method proposed by a wireless operator was reliable, acceptable to the FCC and no threat to the station’s signal coverage pattern. Such out-

comes were not always guaranteed. Now that the station owners have been assured that attached antennas will not disrupt their AM signal patterns, they are quite willing to add a new stream of rental revenue to their bottom lines. Other hurdles to collocation are mostly in the details of merging two technologies. AM and wireless cultures are different enough that experts in one area of engineering often are barely conversant with their peers in the other. AM broadcasting has evolved into a specialized field of lower frequency technology that can seem quite foreign to wireless system designers and constructors. Con-sequently, meshing the engineering and market needs of the two technologies, and coordinating the whole process with the FCC to ensure eventual license compliance, can be a headache. For this reason, and for other reasons I’ll mention later, station owners and carriers who bring in an experienced systems integrator early in the process save time and money. The central engineering difficulty in collocations is the func-tional merging of the AM bandwidth “antenna” – the tower itself,

which is the radiating element – with the self-contained wireless antenna and coaxial cable systems. This self-containment feature is what allows a wireless antenna to be affixed wherev-er suitable elevation can be achieved, even high on AM towers. The solution to overcoming the du-eling antenna properties is to isolate them. Two LBA Group, Inc. compa-nies with more than 35 years of expe-rience in AM broadcast and wireless industries collaborated to solve the problem. The companies developed a proprietary technological approach

called CoLoSite. The essential hardware for the fix was de-veloped and patented by LBA Technology, Inc. Lawrence Behr Associates, Inc. imple-mented necessary engineering and integration systems. Once installed, the system function-ally isolates the radiating ele-ments so completely that wire-less antenna and coaxial cable installations have virtually no effect on the host AM tower and the AM signal has no effect on the wireless antenna. Consequently, the number of wireless users on an AM tower is limited only by the tower’s

Am Towers and wireless Carriers can Profitably PartnerBy Lawrence Behr, Founder and CEO • LBA Group, Inc.

The hardware of a CoLoPole system at the base of an AM station tower in Massachusetts.

A “hot side” view of a modular CoLoCoils unit in place at an AM radio sta-tion in Vermont.

fEATuRE ARTiClE


structural capacity. Furthermore, if a tower owner subsequently decides to lease additional space to other wireless carriers, addi-tional isolation devices are readily added without re-engineering the system because expansion accommodations are permanently incorporated into the AM system.

Non-directional and directional AM towers have somewhat different isolation needs, so LBA Technology developed different systems to accommodate the two types of towers.

The FCC stipulates radiation patterns for each directional AM station to ensure that one station doesn’t interfere with another station’s broadcasts. To form a pattern, directional stations em-ploy multiple towers and the resulting pattern cannot be dis-rupted. While there is more than one way to collocate wireless antenna on a tower without disrupting the pattern, LBA’s cost-effective approach inserts an isolation system between the base station equipment and a tower.

The system, called CoLoCoil, prevents wireless transmission lines from interfering with the directional AM tower’s radiating signals. Because CoLoCoils are modular units, adding additional wireless antennas to a tower later is a simple mechanical process that hardly disturbs a station’s operation or a wireless carrier’s transmission.

On non-directional towers, an LBA system called CoLoPole typically is used. CoLoPole directly grounds an AM tower; wire-less antennas and transmission lines are bonded directly to the structure. A unique wire cage impedance transformer is employed

to match resistances and maximize the power transfer. The insu-lated cage is situated away from the tower for operational access. Besides empowering collocation, the system actually makes the AM station more efficient and further protects a tower against lightning. In other words, the fix gives station owners additional incentive to allow collocation on their towers. In short, the actual conversion of an AM broadcast tower to multiple-use not only is technically feasible, it is a proven win-win situation for station owners and wireless carriers. On the oth-er hand, successful transformations can’t be churned out like cut cookies. This is because numerous variables make each success-ful conversion a singular experience. Having a systems integrator on hand at the start of the process helps both parties negotiate complexities peculiar to a situation. Consider the varying factors to be weighed in considering the addition of wireless antenna to an AM structure:• Is the station facility suitable for collocation? While each station theoretically is a candidate for conversion, some stations are not technically or economically practical to convert.• Which of a station’s multiple towers (where more than one tow-er exists) would be the most effective host for wireless antenna? The choice is not always clear and choosing wrong is an expen-sive mistake.• Will an AM station’s transmission schedule accommodate a car-rier’s installation and maintenance needs? AM stations sometimes

Sotirios Angelatos’ AM radio station tower in New Port Richey, Fla., used to perform a single function: broadcast his Greek-language radio programs on WPSO-AM. That changed in 2000 when repre-sentatives of a wireless communications company, Sprint, suggested hanging an antenna from the structure. “They came to me,” Angelatos said in February during a break from his “Good Morning, Florida” program. “Usually whenever a carrier knows you have a tower, they approach you.” Sprint’s antenna enjoyed splendid isolation on the tower high above Pasco County for nine years until a second carrier, T-Mobile, hooked on in 2009. A third carrier, Clearwire, is preparing to join the other two by summer. This is a hastening trend, a profitable one for the radio station owner, and one made possible by engineers who figured out how to wed AM structures and self-contained wireless antennas without impairing the performance of either. Sprint collocated on Angelatos’ tower after contracting with a North Carolina telecommunications firm, Lawrence Behr Associates. To integrate the AM and wireless functions on the tower, Lawrence Behr Associates utilized a patented signal isolation device developed by LBA Technology engineers called CoLoPole. The primary component of the isolation system is situated between the base station and the tower and effectively cancels the threat to the AM transmissions from wireless carrier activity. With the system already in place, the later addition to the tower of T-Mobile was virtu-ally an invisible process to the radio station and Sprint. The same will be true when Clearwire connects up. Sotirios and his brother, Angelos, were born in Greece and have been broadcasting to Greek communities in Canada and the United

States for 40 years. The brothers moved to the Clearwater, Fla., area in 1979 and now preside over a Greek-language broadcast enterprise that includes WPSO, a second AM station WXYB, and television station WZRA. They purchased the 300-foot-tall tower that’s paired now with Sprint and T-Mobile systems, thus avoiding the difficulties often as-sociated with erecting a new tower. The same community resistance drives wireless carriers to AM tower owners. “They need towers and they are very hard to put up,” Sotirios Angela-tos observed. The situation obviously leverages existing tower owners and has worked out well for Angelatos. He said collocating antenna on his station’s tower has been a 100 percent positive experience. “I’ve never had any problem. I had a very good outcome with the first antenna and after T-Mobile went up everything still is working fine. It’s been a very good thing.” Disruption during initial installation of the CoLoPole apparatus is minimal. “After they install it, they have to tune it properly, but I’ve had no problems with the system.” Any aggravation experienced on the front end during installation is more than offset once the system is in place. The whole point of a station owner conceding space on a tower, after all, is to generate additional revenue from an otherwise static structure. While colloca-tion rates vary somewhat across the country, Angelatos is receiving between $1,800 to $2,000 a month for each antenna. The higher the placement of an antenna on a tower, the higher the rate charged. Whenever the subject of collocation comes up in conversation with other broadcasters, the gregarious Angelatos said he recommends it. “If you have a tower, use it,” he said.

ColoPole in Action:

fEATuRE ARTiClE


use different towers for day or night transmission, with power amped up or cut back at different periods. This schedule could affect a carrier’s efforts to install antennas and maintain them.• Is a tower readily accessible to construction / installation crews?• Is a tower’s load-bearing capacity sufficient for the addition of new antennas and other hardware? • How will hardware installation and tower reinforcement work be carried out to prevent damage to the AM station’s radial ground network of copper wire? Compliance with the FCC comes sharp-ly into play here.• Are an AM tower’s high RF voltages fully understood in plan-ning a conversion project? While AM stations need not always be shut down to install or maintain wireless antenna equipment, safety precautions approved by the FCC and OSHA are strictly followed. Collocation experts with AM know-how and RF cre-dentials can spare companies lots of grief.• Where should the wireless equipment building be located and how much shielding and filtering is required? Electromagnetic field modeling lets experienced designers pinpoint the best loca-tions for equipment packages. • What is a satisfactory lease or acquisition agreement? Negotia-tions can be as complex as the engineering behind it. AM station owners and wireless carriers have plenty of reasons to come together now that technology allows it. In a tower, a sta-tion owner owns an asset he can leverage by inviting carriers to

hang their hardware from it. As for a carrier, finding a suitable AM tower to share spares him expenditure of tens of thousands of dol-lars for construction of a separate tower; and that’s only if he can win approval of a tower from increasingly resistant zoning boards. Tower collocation is working across the country for such wire-less carriers as Sprint, ClearWire and AT&T. In all likelihood, the frequency of these tower mergers will increase once the word spreads that technological barriers to collocation have fallen.

Lawrence Behr is the founder of Lawrence Behr Associates, Inc., and subsequently, the LBA Group. Mr. Behr’s 35 years of experience span the areas of broadcast, military and commercial telecommunica-tions technology. He has frequently served as an expert witness be-fore the Federal Communications Commission, the courts and zoning authorities in communications regulatory matters. He presently is a director of the National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers. He is a frequent lecturer and author and holds patents on several inventions in antenna technology. Lawrence can be reached at [email protected].

DATE: March 3, 2010 Questions about electronic art:

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fEATuRE ARTiClE


While most of the developed world continues to weather what it hopes is the financial downturn’s last stand, it may be surpris-ing to hear about a country with a growing economy. During the same time prominent American companies and banks needed federal bail out money to stay afloat, Brazil has emerged as a lucrative market alternative for business owners and investors. Not so long ago investing in Brazil was no easy task. Hyper-inflation, a lack of viable credit and ultra protectionism made the country less than desirable for foreign or domestic technol-ogy investment. However, with the lowest interest rate in his-tory, 190 million potential new consumers and governmental policies such as The Action Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (PACTI 2007-2010) and The Program for Support of the Development of the Semiconductor Industry (PADIES), Brazil has forced itself onto the global technology marketplace. All of this potential would certainly be wasted, and Brazil’s economic feel good story would certainly fall flat if its people couldn’t first have the means to be consumers in the first place. Recognizing that advanced technology, training, and engineer-ing would be the path to Brazilian citizen’s financial prosperity, the Brazilian government created the national program for mi-croelectronics in 2003. The program has several components. First, to train design engineers. Secondly, to provide financial incentives to uni-versities and research centers to form small design centers so advanced technology prototypes could be produced in Brazil. From this was born Ceitec S.A., a government funded company with an integrated circuit fab equipped to manufacture ICs for RF, analog/digital and mixed signal applications. At first, Ceitec was envisioned as a smaller facility. However, with the donation of a semiconductor fab from Motorola, con-tinued government support, and the construction of a new facil-ity in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Ceitec is now the largest engineering design house in Brazil with some 60 engineers.

The facility, which uses a 0.6 micron process technology that was licensed from X-Fab Semiconductor Foundries AG, was recently christened with a visit from Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Minister of Science and Technology, Sergio Rezende. “We hope this is the first step, and with this step we should be able to attract industries to come here and use the facilities,” said Rezende. “Eventually, as the Brazilian and South American markets grows, this will create attractions for other companies to come here.” Ceitec’s first product is the CTC11001 monolithic integrated circuit, or the Chip Do Boi. The unit is a read only low fre-quency RFID unit designed to be used in passive transponders. The circuit is powered by means of inductive coupling using the RF signal transmitted from the reader to wake-up digital logic and send it back in a 128 bit identification telegram. An external coil inductor (typically 6.3 mH), a supply capacitor, (typically 6.5 nF), a resonance capacitor, (typically 390 pF) and a resistor (1M omega) are necessary to make the IC operate. The chip is complaint to ISO 11784/11785, features FDX-B transmission and had an operating frequency of 134.2 KHz with differential Bi-phase encoding. Additional features include on-chip voltage limiter and clock extraction, 128-bitsOTP memory, a reading range of up to 30 cm and a temperature range of -40ºC to 85ºC. The modulator is composed by a variable load connected be-tween antenna pads. The load is controlled by the encoded block, which changes the impedance according to the data to be sent. The reader senses the magnetic field reflected by the IC within the resonance range. After powered up, once the CT11001 has detected the incom-ing RF field, the IC continually transmits the 128 bits per frame as long as the RF signal is applied. Data is transmitted by back scattering, by means of modulating the chips output impedance,

RfiD Chips De BrazilNick Depperschmidt, Associate Editor • Antenna Systems and Technology

Ceitec S.A. headquaters in Porto Alegre, Brazil Ceitec’s first product, the Chip Do Boi, uses pas-sive RFID to track and monitor cattle in Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Sil-va tours Ceitec’s semiconductor fab in Porti Alegre, Brazil

fEATuRE ARTiClE


and this variation is sensed by the reader. “Company engineers working in Ceitec’s Porto Alegre design

center developed all of the intellectual property for this RFID chip design,” said Eduard R. Weichselbaumer, CEO of Ceitec S.A. “Once full production of these designs begins at our manu-facturing facility, these chips will reduce the county’s dependence on semiconductor imports and establish opportunities for the country’s top engineers.”

Cetiec’s first application for the Chip Do Boi is rather tradi-tional, cattle identification. In its first field tests, the RFID devices were applied to 500 cows in the Santa Rita Experimental Farm. In all Ceitec will test 10,000 RFID devices all over Brazil. The prod-uct enables electronic tracking and collection of data on the herd, thus eliminating human error. The chip monitors cattle from birth through slaughter, including vaccinations and health records. Prior to Ceitec’s Chip Do Boi, Brazilian ranchers had two options for traceability, an optical earring with numbers, or bar codes. Both alternatives offered varying degrees of difficultly and reliability in obtaining information from the cattle. “Our chip can be read with the cattle moving, and the informa-tion goes directly to the farm computer using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cable,” said Weichselbaumer. “There are also readers that store data from chips that can be downloaded to a computer, and por-

tals can be installed in places such as corrals.” Due to the high degree of reliability, meat traced electronically with the Do Boi chip has a higher value in the market and is better able to meet strict health regulations such as those in the Euro-pean Union. Thus making Ceitec’s new IC production important to the country’s industrial development plans. “The completion of Ceitec’s first chip design offers proof of Brazil’s ability to produce microelectronics within our borders,”said Rezende. “After chip production starts to ramp up in the company’s state-of-the-art semiconductor fab, it will help to fulfill our goal of making technology a more prominent part of our country’s economy.”

interested in writing a contributed article?Send abstract to Heather Krier at [email protected]

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Research and markets Releases RfiC Report Research and Markets has announced the addition of the The

Worldwide Industry & Market Opportunities and forecasts to 2014 for Commercial Silicon (Si) RFICs report to their offering. This report provides detailed information on the current sta-tus and (most importantly) forecasted markets and shipments of various classes of RFICs. In this context by using the acronym RFICs specifically means RF chips (die) manufactured in silicon and generally covering frequencies from a few hundred MHz to around 5 GHz. Important applications include active RFID, blue-tooth, cell phones, SATCOM and WiMAX. The report includes descriptions of some typical RFICs, a sum-mary of the end-user applications considered, a detailed coverage of the industry structure (including identification of the players and their international sales outlets), a study of speculated indus-try trends and extensive profiles of a selection of players. The major parts of the report comprise market forecasts (TAMs in millions) together with selected average selling prices and ship-ments forecasts. An industry directory and a glossary of abbrevia-tions are also provided. The authors are responsible for generating their own market data, including forecasts, by a series of careful and robust pro-cesses. First and foremost amongst these processes is the detailed contacting we operate with key executives within the industry manufacturers internationally as well as distributor companies. We also apply a rigorous appraisal of the market dynamics in terms of the influences of likely future events and trends. Under this production we include the probable emergence of disruptive technologies and changes affecting end-user sectors that would impact sales of the various types of products. All aspects, includ-ing market drivers, are critiqued in some depth of detail.

Hypres Successfully Transitions SQuiD Array Technology for Antenna Applications to SBiR Phase 3 Contract Hypres, Inc., developer of the Digital-RF product line, achieved a significant milestone by successfully transitioning its SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) array antenna application to the SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) Phase III level with a new contract value of nearly $3 million. In this phase, the company will collaborate with the US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) to pro-duce a high dynamic range Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) anten-na with improved performance, and significant size, weight and power improvements over conventional antennas. Transitioning technologies to Phase III is the goal of every SBIR program and represents successful R&D and prototyping in the earlier phases. “We are very excited about our success in SQUID array tech-nology and look forward to working with our partners to transi-tion it to mainstream weapon systems,” said Richard Hitt, Hypres CEO. “This important milestone was made possible by the dedi-cation and expertise of Dr. Oleg Mukhanov and his team and the excellent working relationship with the Navy.”

Comsys mobile Completes Clearwire wimAX iiOT at AT4 wireless labs AT4 wireless, a wireless certification and testing laboratory and Comsys Mobile, a producer in communication processors for 4G mobile devices, have completed Clearwire WiMAX iIOT (inter-im Inter-Operability Testing) of the ComMAX CM1125 handset reference platform at AT4 wireless WiMAX labs in Herndon, VA. The ComMAX CM1125 is Comsys Mobile’s single-chip mul-timode mobile WiMAX/GSM-EDGE communication processor. Optimized for handsets and other hand-held devices, the CM1125 features low power operation, a highly embedded PHY/MAC, and high vehicular speed support while providing co-existence support for WiMAX, GSM-EDGE, WLAN and Bluetooth. The commercially available processor is supported by a complete handset reference design platform integrating solutions from multiple ComMAX ecosystem partners for accelerated time to market and reduced development costs. “Completion of Clearwire WiMAX iIOT is an important mile-stone for us. It is the most challenging IOT, but we passed it with flying colors in excellent time, which attests to the integrity of our solution,” said Ehud Reshef, director for WiMAX Prod-uct Marketing at Comsys Mobile. “We have always believed that the ComMAX CM1125 is a unique addition to the mobile WiMAX ecosystem and we are pleased that passing these tests will enable us to increase its implementation in the mobile WiMAX handset market.”


iNDuSTRY NEwS


“AT4 wireless is a globally recognized test facility for carrying out tests with the utmost efficiency according to the highest in-dustry standards. We are delighted to have been selected by Com-sys Mobile to perform these testing services in our laboratory,” said Tim Caesar, technical director Laboratories Division in AT4 wireless in Herndon, VA.”

In addition to WiMAX iIOT certification, the ComMAX CM1125 is currently completing GSM-EDGE testing at AT4 wireless laboratories in Malaga, Spain, with GSM-EDGE certi-fication expected shortly.

Crystal Rfi Solutions, llC AnnouncedOrganizers have announced the formation of Crystal RFI So-

lutions, LLC (CRFIS), a new company dedicated to providing global solutions for preventing and identifying the source of Ra-dio Frequency Interference (RFI).

CRFIS has introduced their first product, the RFI Sentry, which provides satellite operators and users the ability to prevent costly RFI to satellite transponders and to quickly identify sources of transponder RFI from anywhere around the world.

Crystal RFI Solutions, LLC is founded by Roger Franklin, chairman, and is managed by Mr. Rob Dowd, president.

“Radio Frequency Interference costs the global satellite com-munications industry millions of dollars each year in lost revenue and productivity,” Franklin said. “RFI Sentry enables the Satel-

lite Communications market to take advantage of a revolutionary methodology to help prevent RFI, quickly identify the source of RFI, and resolve transponder conflicts. In addition to benefiting the Satellite Communications Industry, the methodology can be applied to prevent or identify RFI in a wide range of fixed-fre-quency wireless RF communication networks where only a single transmitter is allowed within a given frequency range, physical destination, direction, or time including Terrestrial Microwave, WiMax, Cellular or Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) RF Relay Stations.”

Orbit Supplies a Tracking Antenna System to lockheed martin Orbit Technology Group has recently received an order from Lockheed Martin for an advanced tracking antenna solution. With a three month delivery requirement, Orbit successfully pro-vided Lockheed Martin with a portable 1.8 m S-band digital telem-etry tracking antenna for flight tests. This medium weight system has high-dynamic accuracy, user friendly operation and a reliable control interface. A cost-effective all in one solution, the advanced tracking antenna system also supports a wide variety of applications. "The recent order for an advanced tracking antenna solution continues our long standing relationship with Lockheed Martin,” said Avi Cohen, president and CEO of Orbit. “We look forward to working as partners for the foreseeable future.”

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RESEARCH & DEVElOPmENT


As rain interferes with radio signals, Eawag researchers have been able to measure rainfall using data supplied by the mobile telecommunications company Orange. The new method offers greater spatial resolution than traditional point measurements provided by rain gauges. In the future, this could be combined with intelligent control systems for sewer networks so as to reduce water pollu-tion in urban areas. Especially in built-up areas, sewer systems are frequently overwhelmed by unexpected rainfall: stormwater is mixed with sewage in pipes, the volume of water exceeds the capacity of retention basins and the murky mixture overflows into local surface waters. In this way, diluted but untreated wastewater, containing chemicals such as pharmaceuti-cals, cleaning agents and pesticides, is dis-charged into streams, rivers and lakes. Across the year as a whole, the inputs are relatively low, with only about 2 to 5 percent of the total load (depending on the individual sub-stance) entering surface waters via combined sewer overflows. However, short-term peak pollutant levels can be harmful to algae or fish. In addition, as project leader Jörg Rieck-ermann of Eawag’s Urban Water Manage-ment department points out, the problem will be exacerbated as a result of the increase in heavy rainfall events associated with warm-ing of the climate in Central Europe. “More accurate detection of rainfall at the local level would allow sewer systems to be controlled in such a way as to prevent overflows of wastewater as far as possible.” Rieckermann, an environmental engineer, is therefore developing a computer model that uses data from a mobile phone network to reconstruct rainfall events at a higher spatio-temporal resolution than is possible with con-ventional methods.

winning in the Rainfall lotteryHow does the method work? Rieckermann

and his research team are taking advantage of what is essentially a nuisance for mobile network operators – the fact that raindrops interfere with microwave radio links between base stations, thereby disrupting signal trans-mission. Data on the attenuation of signal strength is used to calculate the intensity of rainfall along the path between two anten-nas. Thanks to the density of the mobile phone network, the resolution of the Eawag rainfall data is superior to that provided by

rain gauges or weather radar. In contrast to point measurements, the mobile signal data is based on a network of overlapping micro-wave radio links. However intense a small-scale storm may be, it will not be captured by a rain gauge located even 100 meters away. As Rieckermann says, “It’s often a bit of a lottery.” While weather radar can cover a wide area, it has the disadvantage that radar signals are heavily attenuated by intense rain-fall. In addition, misleading echoes are gen-erated by the terrain – a major problem in a mountainous country like Switzerland.

first-Ever Data from SwitzerlandAlthough rainfall has previously been

measured using radio signals, such mea-surements have not been applied in practice to date. Using the data made available to Eawag by the mobile telecommunications provider Orange, it is now p ossible for the first time to employ this system for purposes of water pollution control. In order to apply the method to an area of around 150 km2, with an extensive sewer network, in the Zu-rich region, the researchers analyzed data from 23 microwave radio links in this part of Switzerland. For a two-month period, they compared the data with measurements from 13 rain gauges, two disdrometers and the Al-bis weather radar station operated by Meteo-Swiss. The model was thus calibrated, and precipitation can now be reconstructed from radio signal data. Rieckermann hopes that the accuracy of measurements will be further improved by also including drop size distri-bution in the calculations: while a few large

drops scatter and attenuate the radio signal in a similar way to numerous small drops, they generally mean less rain. Accordingly, a method taking these patterns into account is currently being developed by project part-ners at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

municipal Trials PlannedIn the near future, Rieckermann intends

to field-test the model in two municipalities. Here, control systems for retention basins are to be linked to local forecasts of precipitation intensity and movement. In at-risk areas, the retention basins are then to be regulated be-fore and during rainfall events so as to free up capacity to cope with the expected water volumes – keeping wastewater overflows to a minimum. Rieckermann said, “Against the background of climate change, this may be crucial. It means that existing reserves can be activated without having to rebuild the drainage system.” He believes that Swit-zerland, formerly a pioneer in wastewater treatment, should lead the way once again, “not least because this country has a dense mobile telecommunications network, even in remote areas, and so accurate rainfall data is widely available.”

measuring Rainfall with mobile Phone Antennas

Directional antennas transmit mobile phone signals over the rooftops of Zurich

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Advanced Materials (Particles,CNT,Coatings,Polymers,Composites,Soft&BioMaterials)

Electronics & Microsystems(NanoElectronics,Fluidics,Inkjet,WCM,MEMS,NEMS)

Medical & Biotech(Biosensors,BioNanoMaterials,DrugDelivery,Cancer,Phage,Medicine,Instrumentation)

Energy & Environment(Oil,Gas,Solar,Fuels,FuelCells,Storage,Grid,Lighting,EHS,Water)

Ventures, Investment & Partnering (Commercialization,IP,Venture,Policy,RegionalInitiatives)

Industrial Applications Showcase (Showcaseyourcommerciallyviabletechnologytocorporatepartners)

Nowinits13thyear,Nanotech2010willbringtogetherover5,000businessandtechnologyprofessionalstosharethelatestresearchanddiscovernewbusinessopportunities.

4�� Learnaboutthelatesttechnologiesthatarereadyforcommercialization.

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4�� Meet withbusinessandtechnologyprofessionalsfromover70countries.

4�� Showcase yourtechnologiesandsolutionstothousandsofattendees.

Register Today! www.nanotech2010.com 1-203-245-4201

June 21-25, 2010Anaheim, CA

Anaheim Convention Centerwww.nanotech2010.com

Platinum Sponsors:

Don’t miss the most important Nanotechnology Event of the Year!

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PRODUCED by: OffiCial PUbliCatiOn: SilvER SPOnSOR: mEDia SPOnSOR:

Register today at the Early Bird rates & save up to $200 on your Conference Pass! Or, register now for a FREE Expo Hall Pass!

Co-located with the Embedded Systems Conference Chicago!

Conference: June 7-9, 2010 • Exhibits: June 8-9, 2010Donald E. Stephens Convention Center • Rosemont, IL • www.sensorsexpo.com

Find the Solutions to Your Sensors &Sensing Technology Challenges!

Antenna Systems Subscribers: Visit: www.sensorsexpo.com to register or call 877-232-0132 or 972-620-3036 (outside U.S.). Use discount

code F358M for an EXTRA $50 OFF a Gold or Main Conference Pass!

• Energy Harvesting• Low-Power Sensing• Wireless Networking• Bio-Sensing

Gain the knowledge you need from leading experts and peers in the sensors industry.

• MEMS & MCUs• Monitoring Tools & Applications• Novel Approaches to Measurement• Power/Smart Grid Monitoring & Control

This year’s Conference Program includes more than 40 Technical Sessions in 8 Tracks covering:

Identify specific solutions to your most difficult detection and control-related challenges on the expo floor.

Sensors Expo brings together the largest and best-in-class showcase of sensing technologies and systems for attendees to evaluate and make informed decisions.

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http://www.sensorsexpo.com

your subscription is active and current. industry ... - antenna … · mhz as well as 2.6 ghz in...

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