Base Station Antenna Considerations in Wireless Network Deployment By David Shani V.P. Int’ Sales and Marketing With MTI Wireless Edge

The Motivation Improving the Cost-Performance ratio of a wireless network by using High-Grade base station antennas. Invest few more $, gain many K$. ¥-£€ $$

Antenna Related Problems  Coverage  Cell Size  Non Line Of Sight  Frequency Reuse  Interference and Co-Existence  Environmental Conditions

Coverage Allows service to as many users as possible to increase revenue.

Cell Size Allows larger cell size to decrease number of base stations.

Non Line Of Sight Allows REASONABLE service to users that are not in line of sight with the base station.

Frequency Reuse Efficient reuse of the same frequency channels.

Interference and Co-Existence Allows co-existence of several networks in the same area with minimum interference.

Environmental Conditions Withstanding severe environmental conditions to minimize failures and maintenance.

Antenna Parameters  Gain (main lobe)  Half Power Beam Width  Side Lobe  Nulls  Front to Back Ratio  Cross Polarization  Environmental Conditions

Radiation Pattern

Elevation Radiation Pattern

Azimuth Radiation Pattern

Gain (Main Lobe) The amplification of the transmitted/received power. The higher the gain is, the longer the possible distance between the user and the base station for effective link. That allows larger cell size and requires less base stations.

Half Power Beam Width The angle of which the main lobe gain is higher then half of the maximum power. The wider/narrower the HPBW is, the wider/narrower the area that can be covered with one antenna That allows an efficient coverage design of the cell.

Side Lobe Level The gain of transmitted/received signal in unwanted directions. The lower the side lobes level are, the less interference received/transmitted and the network efficiency is improved.

Nulls Directions where the antenna gain is very low and signal can not be received/transmitted. With a special technique called “Null Filling” we can improve the antenna coverage.

Null and Null Fill

Main Lobe-Null-Side Lobe 244m 120 m 30 m 78m

Front to Back Ratio The ratio between the energy radiated forward (wanted) to the energy radiated backwards (unwanted). The higher the ratio is, the less interfering energy transmitted/received from/to the back.

Cross Polarization The suppression of a signal received by the antenna at a perpendicular polarization (unwanted), compared to the same signal if received with the same polarization as the antenna (wanted). Allows spatial separation.

Spatial Separation H/F1V/F1V/F2H/F2H/F3V/F3 60 o 120 o 240 o 180 o 0o0o 300 o V: Vertical Polarization H: Horizontal Polarization

The Result

Environmental Conditions  Operating temperature-40°C to +71°C  VibrationIEC Random 4M3  Mechanical shockIEC M3  HumidityETSI EN T4.1E  Water tightnessIEC529 IP67  Salt Spray500 hours per IEC 68  Solar radiationASTM G53  Ice and Snow25mm radial  FlammabilityUL-94 V2  Wind load EN (survival 220Km/h, operating 160Km/h)

Summary and Conclusions MTI Wireless Edge, the world leader of flat panel antennas for Fixed Wireless is offering a wide range of High Grade Base Station antennas that can improves a wireless network performance, hence the service availability, which ends with better coverage, translated into improved Return On Investment (ROI).