Mobile Radio Network Design in the VHF and UHF Bands: A Practical Approach

Mobile Radio Network Design in the VHF and UHF Bands......Page 4
Contents......Page 8
Foreword......Page 18
Preface......Page 20
Glossary......Page 22
PART ONE......Page 26
1.1 Mobile Radio Network Design in the Modern World......Page 28
1.2 Network Stakeholders......Page 31
1.3 Spectrum Coexistence......Page 32
1.4 The Network Design Activity......Page 33
1.5 Project Resources......Page 34
1.8 A Practical Approach, Not the Practical Approach......Page 36
2.1 Introduction......Page 38
2.2.1 The International Telecommunications Union......Page 39
2.3.1 CEPT......Page 42
2.3.7 National Bodies......Page 43
2.4.2 ETSI......Page 44
2.4.6 NTIS......Page 45
2.4.7 NTIA and ITS......Page 46
3.1 Introduction......Page 48
3.3 Types of Mobile Network......Page 49
3.4 Direct Mode......Page 50
3.5 Single Site......Page 51
3.6 Simulcast......Page 53
3.7 Trunked Radio Systems......Page 54
3.8 Cellular Systems......Page 57
3.10 Other Approaches......Page 58
3.11 Fixed and Mobile Convergence......Page 60
4.1 Introduction......Page 62
4.2 The Electromagnetic Spectrum......Page 63
4.3 Propagation Mechanisms at VHF and UHF......Page 64
4.3.2 Reflection......Page 65
4.3.3 Scattering......Page 67
4.3.4 Refraction......Page 69
4.3.5 Diffraction......Page 72
4.3.6 Absorption......Page 73
4.5.1 General Properties of Point-to-Area Models......Page 74
4.5.2 ITU-R P.370 and ITU-R P.1546......Page 76
4.5.3 Okumura-Hata, COST 231 Hata and Other Point-to-Area Models......Page 78
4.5.4 IF-77 and ITU-R P.528 Models......Page 80
4.5.5 Other Point-to-Area Models......Page 82
4.6.1 General Properties of Point-to-Point Models......Page 83
4.6.2 Bullington Method......Page 86
4.6.4 Edwards and Durkin Method......Page 87
4.7 Hybrid Models......Page 88
4.8 Radio Clutter in Propagation Models......Page 90
4.9 Tuning Propagation Models......Page 92
4.10.4 Radio Environment......Page 93
4.10.7 Available Data......Page 94
4.12 Propagation Model Summary......Page 95
References and Further Reading......Page 96
5.1 Introduction......Page 98
5.1.1 Statistics Relevant for Fading......Page 99
5.1.2 Lognormal Distribution......Page 100
5.1.3 Rayleigh Distribution......Page 101
5.1.4 Ricean Distribution......Page 102
5.1.5 Other Statistical Distributions......Page 103
5.2.1 Slow Fading (Shadowing) Mechanisms......Page 104
5.2.2 Slow Fading and Propagation Model......Page 105
5.3.1 Fast Fading Mechanisms......Page 107
5.4 Receiver Antenna Environment – Body Loss and Other Factors......Page 110
5.5.1 Generic Link Diagram......Page 111
5.5.4 Tuning Units, Amplifiers and Combiners......Page 113
5.5.5 Base Station Antennas......Page 114
5.5.7 Receiver Sensitivity......Page 116
5.6.1 Introduction......Page 118
5.6.2 Link Loss Calculation to Determine Level at Receiver......Page 119
5.6.3 Link Budget to Determine Maximum Allowable Loss......Page 120
5.6.4 Link Budget to Determine MMOFS......Page 121
5.7 Expressing the Link Budget in a Planning Tool......Page 123
5.8 Balanced and Unbalanced Links......Page 124
5.9 Equipment Data Sheets and Reality......Page 125
References and Further Reading......Page 126
PART TWO......Page 128
6.1 Introduction......Page 130
6.2 Network Design Professionals......Page 133
6.2.2 Senior Network Design Engineer......Page 134
6.2.3 Network Designers......Page 135
6.2.4 Network Design Capability Strategies......Page 136
6.3.1 The Concept of Stakeholders......Page 138
6.3.2 Stakeholders in Typical Projects......Page 139
6.4 A ‘Business-Centric’ Approach to Design......Page 142
6.5 Design Elements......Page 145
6.6 Project Phases and Project Life Cycle......Page 147
6.6.1 The Classic Life Cycle......Page 148
6.6.2 The Prototyping Life Cycle......Page 150
6.6.3 The Spiral Life Cycle......Page 151
6.6.4 Combining Project Life Cycles......Page 152
6.7.1 Our Approach to Projects......Page 154
6.7.2 Specification and Documentation within the Project......Page 155
6.7.3 The Business Case......Page 157
6.7.5 The Contract......Page 158
6.7.7 User Requirements Specification......Page 159
6.7.8 Functional Specification......Page 161
6.7.10 Test Specification......Page 162
6.8 Design Deliverables......Page 163
References and Further Reading......Page 164
7.1 Introduction......Page 166
7.2.1 History of Planning Tools......Page 167
7.2.3 Future Trends in Planning Tools......Page 168
7.3 Benefits of Using Design Tools......Page 170
7.4 Radio Network Design Tool Fundamentals......Page 172
7.5.1 Import and Handling of Available Environmental Data......Page 174
7.5.3 Data Views......Page 176
7.5.4 Mensuration......Page 180
7.5.6 User-defined Data Manipulation......Page 181
7.6 Propagation Modelling......Page 182
7.7.1 Path-Based Predictions......Page 184
7.7.2 Coverage-Based Predictions......Page 188
7.7.3 Traffic Predictions......Page 193
7.7.4 Interference Predictions......Page 195
7.7.5 Frequency Assignment......Page 200
7.7.6 Modelling Radios......Page 201
7.7.7 Ancillary Features......Page 202
7.7.8 Advanced Features......Page 203
7.7.10 Selecting the Right Tool for the Job......Page 208
7.8.1 Introduction to Environmental Data......Page 209
7.8.2 Digital Terrain Maps and Digital Elevation Models......Page 212
7.8.3 Clutter Data......Page 216
7.8.4 Building Data......Page 217
7.8.5 Image Data......Page 218
8.1 Introduction......Page 220
8.2 Project Requirements Statement......Page 221
8.2.2 The Spectrum Environment......Page 222
8.2.4 The Required Services......Page 224
8.2.6 The CIS Project......Page 225
8.4 The RNDS Project Team and the Stakeholders......Page 226
8.4.1 Countyshire Investigation Services (CIS)......Page 228
8.4.3 Spectrum Services Ltd (SSL)......Page 230
8.4.6 Interacting with Stakeholders......Page 232
8.5 Project Activities......Page 233
8.6.1 Starting the Method Statement......Page 234
8.6.2 Project Resources......Page 236
8.7 Elucidating Project Requirements......Page 238
8.8 Detailed Design Document......Page 241
8.9 Test Specification......Page 243
8.11 Quality Plan......Page 244
8.13 Producing a Baseline......Page 245
8.14 Outline Planning and Dimensioning......Page 247
8.16 Continuing with the Project......Page 248
9.1 Introduction......Page 250
9.2.2 Practical Definition of Service Requirements......Page 251
9.2.3 Definition of Geographic Service Areas......Page 253
9.3 Initial Design Approaches......Page 254
9.3.1 Grid Style Approach......Page 255
9.3.2 Selective Design Approach......Page 256
9.3.3 High Point Approach......Page 257
9.3.4 Existing Site Approach......Page 258
9.4.1 Setting Up Coverage Predictions......Page 259
9.4.2 Performing Coverage Predictions......Page 262
9.4.3 Configuring Prediction Results......Page 263
9.4.4 Interpreting Coverage Predictions......Page 266
9.5.1 Introduction......Page 268
9.5.2 Nominal Base Station Parameters......Page 269
9.5.3 Mobile Parameters......Page 270
9.6 Base Station Design and Optimisation......Page 273
9.7.2 Greenfield Projects......Page 275
9.8 Legacy Projects......Page 277
9.10 Coverage Design Deliverables......Page 278
10.1 Introduction......Page 280
10.2.1 Determining Subscriber Types......Page 281
10.2.2 Public Safety Example......Page 285
10.3 Representing Traffic Demand Metrics......Page 287
10.4.1 Introduction......Page 288
10.4.2 Erlang B......Page 289
10.4.4 Erlang C......Page 291
10.5 Determining Traffic Demand on a Site-by-Site Basis......Page 294
10.6 Capacity Planning for Traffic......Page 295
10.7 Modelling Mixed Services......Page 297
10.8 Designing for Traffic......Page 298
10.9 Traffic Analysis Deliverables......Page 300
11.2.1 Introduction......Page 302
11.2.2 Pilot System......Page 303
11.2.3 Regional Rollout......Page 304
11.2.4 Sparse Network......Page 306
11.3 Re-Broadcast/Relay Links......Page 308
11.4 Future Proofing......Page 309
12.2 Background to Backhaul......Page 310
12.3 Specifying Link Performance......Page 312
12.4.1 Line of Sight Condition......Page 313
12.4.2 Availability Calculations for Fixed Links......Page 314
12.4.3 Diversity Techniques to Improve Link Performance......Page 325
12.5 Calculating Microwave Reliability......Page 328
12.6.2 Equipment Thermal Noise......Page 330
12.6.3 Interference......Page 332
References and Further Reading......Page 336
13.2 Thermal Noise Floor, Receiver Noise Floor and Receiver Sensitivity......Page 338
13.3 Noise in the VHF and UHF Bands......Page 340
13.4 Interfering Radio Noise at the Receiving Antenna......Page 342
13.5.1 Introduction......Page 345
13.5.2 Co-Channel Interference......Page 346
13.5.3 Adjacent and Other Channel Offset Interference......Page 347
13.5.4 Multiple Interferers......Page 349
13.6 Interference Propagation Models......Page 352
13.7 Interference Mitigation Approaches......Page 353
References and Further Reading......Page 354
14.1 Introduction to Frequency Assignment......Page 356
14.2 Frequency Assignment in Context......Page 359
14.3 Network Frequency Plans......Page 361
14.4 Overall Assignment Process......Page 362
14.5.1 Prioritisation of Requests......Page 363
14.5.2 Manually Seeding Assignments......Page 364
14.5.3 Illustration of an Assignment Process......Page 365
14.6.1 Introduction......Page 366
14.6.3 Frequency Separation......Page 369
14.6.4 Inter-Modulation Products......Page 370
14.7 Assignment Methods for Mobile Units......Page 375
References and Further Reading......Page 378
15.1 Validation and Verification......Page 380
15.2 Introduction to Surveys......Page 381
15.3.1 Capturing Statistically Valid Data......Page 385
15.3.2 The Mobile Signal......Page 386
15.3.3 Sampling Rate......Page 387
15.3.4 Sample Gap Distance......Page 389
15.3.5 Selecting a Measurement Receiver......Page 391
15.3.6 Surveying Fundamentals Summary......Page 392
15.4 Digital Surveying......Page 393
15.6 Planning a Survey Campaign......Page 397
15.6.3 Emulating Hand-Portable Performance from a Vehicle Radio......Page 398
15.7 Network Analysis and Network Acceptance......Page 399
15.8 A Case Study......Page 401
15.9 Verification Deliverables......Page 402
16.2.2 Technology Analysis......Page 404
16.3 Project Phases and Documentation (Chapter 6)......Page 405
16.4 Setting Up the Project (Chapter 8)......Page 406
16.5.1 Environmental Data......Page 407
16.6 The URS (Chapters 6 and 8)......Page 408
16.9 Traffic Design (Chapter 10)......Page 409
16.12 Verification (Chapter 15)......Page 412
16.13.2 Design Deliverables......Page 414
16.14 Final Thoughts......Page 415
Index......Page 418