12804206L1ATRACER 4206 System (Plan A)
12804206L1BTRACER 4206 System (Plan B)
612804206L1-1A
September 2002
Trademarks
Any brand names and product names included in this manua l are trademarks, registered trademarks, or
trade names of their respective holders.
To the Holder of the Manual
The contents of t his manual are curre nt as of the date of publi catio n. ADTRAN reser ves the right t o change
the contents without pri or notice.
In no event will ADTRAN be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages or for
commercial losses even if ADTRAN has been advised thereof as a result of issue of this publication.
This manual provides a complete description of the TRACER 4206 system and system software.
The purpose of this manual is to provide the technician, system administrato r, and manager with
general and specific inf ormation related to the planning, insta llation, operation, and maintenance of the
TRACER 4206. This manual is arranged so that needed information can be quickly and easily found. The
following is an overview of the cont ents.
Explains the basics of analyz ing a wireless microwave link, or path. The significant
parameters are defin ed, and several recommendations are offered.
Provides step-by- step in struc tions on how to in sta ll the TRACER 4206 unit , dete rmin e the
parameters for the syst em, install the network and option modules, and power up the
system.
Cautions signify information that could prevent service interruption.
Warnings provide information that could prevent damage to the equipment or
endangerment to human life.
Safety Instructions
When using your telephone equipment , please follow these basic safety precautions to reduce the risk of
fire, electrical shock, or personal injury:
1. Do not use this product near water, such as a bathtub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a
wet basement, or near a swimming pool.
2. Avoid using a telephone (other than a cordless-type) during an electrical storm. There is a remote
risk of shock from lightning.
3. Do not use the telephone to report a gas leak in the vicinity of the leak.
4. Use only the power cord , power supply, an d/or ba tteries indicate d in the manua l. Do not disp ose of
batteries in a fire. They may explode . Chec k with local codes for special disposal instructions.
Federal Communications Commission Radio Frequency Interference Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant
to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to pro vide reasonable protection against ha rmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio fre quency energy and, if not install ed and used in accor dance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio freque ncies. Operation of this equipment in a
residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense. This device is designed for commercial use only.
Shielded cables must be used with this unit to e nsure compliance with Class A FCC limits.
Changes or modificati ons to this unit not e xpressly appr ov ed by the par ty responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment .
This equipment ha s been tested and found to comply with the limits for an intentional radiator, pursuant to
Part 15, Subpart C of the FCC Rules. This equipment genera tes, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy. If not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, it may cause interference to radio
communications.
Changes or modificati ons not expre ssly approved by ADTRAN coul d void th e user’s
authority to operate the equi pment.
The FCC does not require licensing to implement this device. License-free operation in the industrial,
scientific, and medical band is documented in FCC Rules Part 15.247. It is the responsibility of the
individuals desi gning and implementing the radio system to assure compliance with any pertinent FCC
Rules and Regulations. This device must be professionally installed.
Exposure to Ra dio Frequ ency Fi elds
The TRACER 4206 is designed to operate at 5.8 GHz with 100 mW maximum transmit power.
This level of RF energy is below the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) leve ls specified in FCC OET
65:97-01. The installation of high gain antenna equipment in the system configuration may create the
opportunity for expos ure to levels higher than recommended for the general popula tion at a distance less
than 15 feet (4 .6 meter) from t he center of the antenna. The following precautions must be taken during installation of this equ ipment:
•The installed a ntenna m ust no t be loca ted in a manner t hat a llows expo sure o f the general pop ulation to
the direct beam path of the antenna at a dista nce less than 15 feet (4.6 meters). Install ation on towers,
masts, or rooftops not accessible to the general population is recommended; or
•Mount the antenna in a manner that prevent s any personnel from entering the area within 15 feet (4.6
meter) from the fron t of the anten n a.
•It is recommended that the installer place radio frequency hazard warnings signs on the barrier that
prevents acce ss to the anten n a.
•Prior to installing the antenna to the TRACER 4206 output, make sure the power is adjusted to the
settings specified in section 2 of this manual.
•During antenna installation, be sure that power to the TRACER equipment is turned off in order to
prevent any energy presence on the coaxi al connector.
•During installation and alignment of the antenna, do not stand in front of the antenna assembly.
•During installation and alignment of the antenna, do not handle or touch the front of the antenna.
These simple precautio ns must be taken to prevent general population and instal lation personnel from
exposure to RF energy in excess of specified MPE levels.
Customer Service, Product Support Information, and Training
ADTRAN will repair and return this produ ct if within five years from the date of shipment the product
does not meet its published specif ication or the product fails while in service.
A return material author ization (RMA) is required prior to retu rning equipment to ADTRAN. For service,
RMA requests, training, or more information, use the contact information given below .
Repair and Return
If you determine that a repair is neede d, please contact our Customer and Product Servi ce (CAPS)
department to have an RMA number issued. CAPS should also be contacted to obtain information
regarding equipment curr ently in house or possible fees associated with repair .
CAPS Department(256) 963-8722
Identify the RM A num b er cl early on t he pac k age (b el ow addre s s) , and return to the follow ing ad d ress :
ADTRAN Customer and Product Service
901 Explorer Blvd. (East Tower)
Huntsville, Alabama 35806
RMA # _____________
Pre-Sales Inquiries and Applications Support
Your reseller should serve as the first point of contact f or support. If additi ona l pre-sale s support is neede d,
the ADTRAN Support web site provides a variety of support services such as a searchable knowledge
base, latest product documentation, application br iefs, case studies, and a link to submit a question to an
Applications Engineer. All of this, and more, is available at:
http://support.adtran.com
When needed, further pre-sales assistance is available by calling our Applications Engineering
Department.
Your reseller should serve as the first point of contact for suppor t. If additional support is needed, the
ADTRAN Support web site provides a variety of suppo rt services such as a searchable knowledge base,
updated firmware relea ses, latest product documentation, service request ticket genera tion and
trouble-shooting tools. All of this, and more, is available at:
http://support.adtran.com
When needed, further post-sales assistance is availabl e by calling our Technical Support Center. Please
have your unit serial number available when you call.
Technical Support(888) 4ADTRAN
Installation and Mainte nance Supp ort
The ADTRAN Custom Extended Services (ACES) progra m offers multiple types and levels of ins talla tion
and maintenance servic es which allow you to choose the kind of assistance you need. This support is
available at:
http://www.adtran.com/aces
For questions, call the ACES Help Desk.
ACES Help Desk(888) 874-ACES (2237)
Training
The Enterprise Ne twork (EN) Technical Trai ning Depar tment offe rs tr aining on our m ost popula r pr oducts.
These courses include overviews on product features and functions while covering applications of
ADTRAN's product lines. ADTRAN provides a variety of training options, including customized training
and courses taught at our facilit ies or at your site. For more informati on about training, please cont act your
T erritory Manager or the Enterprise Training Coordinator.
Training Phone(800) 615-1176, ext. 7500
Training Fax(256) 963-6700
Training Emailtraining@adtran.com
This section of ADTRAN’s TRACER 4206 System manual is designed for use by network engineer s,
planners, and designers for overview information about the TRACER 4206.
It contains general inf ormation and describes physical and operational concepts, network relationships,
provisioning, test ing, alarm st atus, and sys tem monitor ing. This se ction s hould be use d in conjuncti on with
Section 3, Engineering Guidelines, of the system manual.
Section 1, System DescriptionTRACER 4206 System Manua l
1.SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The ADTRAN TRACER® 4206 wireless sys tem provi des four ind ependent T1 c ircuits ove r a wir eless li nk
for up to 30 miles (line-of-sight path required). As authorized under Part 15.247 of the FCC Rules, the
TRACER 4206 operates license-free in the 5.8 GHz unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM)
band, requiring no FCC licensing of end users.
For configuration and testing, the TRACER 4206 provides the capability to control the remote TRACER
4206 through a separate maintenance channel. The TRACER 4206 has several built-in test capabilities
including remote loopba ck. Complete configuration and performance data is available through menus
accessed using a standard RS-232 terminal interface.
2.FEATURES AND BENEFITS
The following is a brief list of TRACER 4206 features and benefits:
Configuration and Management
•Easy to use VT100 control port (RS-232 inte rface) for configuration and monitoring
•Remote configuration
Operational
•Four Transparent T1 transmi ssion, over digital microwave link
Section 2, Microwave Path Engineering BasicsTRACER 4206 System Manual
1.LINE-OF-SITE
The TRACER 4206 system is designed for operation in the 5725 MHz to 5850 MHz unlicensed Industrial,
Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency band. Radio wave propagation in this band exhibits microwave
characteristics, which are ideally suited for point-to-point, line-of- sight communications. Line-of-sight
essentially requires that the transmitting antenna and receiving antenna are able to “see” each other, and
that the straight-line path between the two antennas is free of any obstructions, such as buildings, trees,
mountains, and, in longer paths, even the curvature of the earth.
Point-to-PointWireless communication from a single site to another
individual site. Contrast with point-to-multipoint
Line-of-SightAn unobstructed, direct path exists between the
transmitting and the receiving antennas.
2.DECIBELS
The received signal power equation is often expressed in a decibel (dB) format, which turns the power
multiplication a nd division operations into addition and subtraction operations. In gener al, any quantity
can be expressed in decibels . If the quant ity (x) is a power level, the decibel equivalent is defi ned as
x
If the quantity x is referenced to a milliwatt (mW), then the decibel-milliwatt (dBm) is used instead of a
generic decibel.
x
dBm
dB
10 log10x()⋅=
⋅=
10 log
x
------------ -
10
1mW
(dB)
(dBm)
3.RECEIVER POWER
The radio frequenc y (RF) signal power that is a vailable at the input to the receiving TRACER 420 6 system
is the next parameter of inter est in analyzing a wireless path. The TRACER 4206 has a maximum output
power level of 100 mW, which is e quivalent to 20 dBm. This output signal will be attenuated and distorted
by various factors, all of which will degrade the original signal and affect the signal strength and quality as
sensed by the receiving unit. A simplified power budget analysis is beneficial to perform after verifying a
suitable line-o f-sight path to determine if the microwave path is suit able, even for ideal, non-distorted
signals.
The equation relatin g received signal power to the other microwave parameters is
The transmitted power is limited for the 5.8 GHz ISM band to 1W or 30 dBm. The actual transmit and
receive antenna gain values are strictly dependent upon the physical characteristics of the antennas
installed for each link. Typical gains are between 20 and 40 dB. For example, a 4 foot diameter Parabolic
dish has 34.2 dB of gain at 5.8 GHz. The carrier wavelength is the physical wavelength of the main RF
carrier being used for communic ation, and is usually approximated at the cent er frequency of the band,
which is 5787.5 MHz. This gives a wavelength of 5.18 cm.
The path distance is simply the physical distance between the transmit and receive antennas. For the
TRACER 4206 these distances can range up to 30 miles. The final parameter L incorporates all other
signal power losses in the microwave link, most of which are caused by antenna feed.
4.ANTENNA GAIN
Best performance will res ult from the use of a parabolic dish antenna. Antenna gain is determi ned by the
size of the dish, with typical features detailed below. Dish manufacturers will be able to supply gains for
other types of antennas.
Section 2, Microwave Path Engineering BasicsTRACER 4206 System Manual
5.PATH LOSS
The expression
2
4πd
L
P
where
fcarrier frequency (Hz)
λcarrier wavelength (c / f) (meters)
dpat h dist ance (meters)
cspeed of light, free-space (meters)
is called the path loss, and increases rapidly as either path length increases or carrier wavelength decreases
(which happens as the carrier frequency increases). So, longer microwave paths will naturally experienc e
more path loss than shorter paths. Likewise, higher frequency microwa ve communication will experience
more path loss than lower frequenc y microwave communication.
Table 2 on page 16, tabulates pa th loss values for various path lengths for the TRACER 4206 system.
Values not listed in the table can be interpolated from those listed.
--------- -
==
λ
Table 2. Path Loss for Given Path Lengths
Path Length
4πdf
----------- -
(miles)
1112
2118
3121
4124
5126
10132
15135
20138
25140
30141
35143
2
(dB)
c
Path Loss
(dB)
When using decibel notation, the received power equation becomes
TRACER 4206 System ManualSection 2, Microwave Path Engineering Basics
P
L
L
Where, in the second equation the path loss has been lumped into a single quantity, LP, as discussed
previously. When using decibel notation, it is necessary that all quantities are individually converted to
decibels prior to performing addition and subtraction.
When d is expressed in miles and f in GHz, the path loss expression in decibel s becomes
L
96.620 log10d() 20·log+
P
10
f()⋅+=
(dB)
Figure 1 illustrate s a wireless link containing all of the parameter s previously discussed.
λ
G
T
T
d, L
P
G
R
P
R
Figure 1. Example Microwave Path with Parameters
6.ANTENNA ALIGNMENT
With line-of-sight microwave communications, optimum system performance requires that the
transmitting a nd receivi ng a ntennas are proper ly aligne d. This will ensure m aximum recei ved signal p ower
at each receiver. Antenna alignment must be achieved in both azimuth (along a horizontal plane) and
elevation (along a vertical plane). A received sig nal strength indicator (RSSI) is used to aid the equipment
installer in deter mining when alignment is maximized, by simply ensuring maximu m RSSI. The RSSI
indicator for the TRACER 4206 system is provi ded through the VT100 terminal menus accessed through
the RS-232 inter face, and is present ed as a series of bars indicating signal strength. More bars means mo re
RSSI, which ensures more received signal strength and better link performance.
If the local system has acquire d a useful signal from the remote system, then the remote TRACER 4206
RSSI can also be viewed from the local TRACER 4206 VT100 terminal menu interface.
An RSSI T est point is also provided on the front panel. The vol tage (relative to the gnd test point) present
on this test point represe nts a relative signal level of receive stre ngth from the far end. The voltage at this
test point can vary from approxi matly 0 to greater than 4 Volts DC, with 0 Volts corresponding to no signal
and 4 Volts or better to full signal strength.
Antenna Beam Patterns
Directly related to the subject of antenna alignment is the topic of antenna beam patte rns. Antennas being
used with the TRACER 4206 system will have a particula r beam shap e determined in part by the physical
construction and geometr y of the antenna. The antenna beam patterns are character ized by a dominant
main lobe, which is the preferred lobe to use for point-to-point communicati ons, and several side lobes, as
Section 2, Microwave Path Engineering BasicsTRACER 4206 System Manual
shown in Figure 2 on page 18. The antenna alignm ent step to set ting up a microwa ve link is in f act steer ing
the main lobes of both a ntennas until the main lobe of one transmitter is centered on the receiving element
of the receiving antenna.
main lobe
side lobes
Figure 2. Typical Antenna Beam Pattern
Antennas are also designed to radiate RF energy efficiently for a specific range of frequencies. Please
consult the data shee t for your parti cular ante nna make and model to e nsure that it is specified to ope rat e in
the 5725 MHz to 5850 MHz frequency band.
Fresnel Zones, Earth Curvature, & Antenna Heights
The Fresnel zones correspond to r egions in the microwave path where reflections of the intended signal
occur and combine in both constructive and destructive manners with the main signal, thereby either
enhancing or reducing the net power at the receiver.
In general, the odd numbered Fresnel zo nes (1, 3, 5, ...) add constructively at the receiver, while the even
numbered Fresnel zones (2, 4, 6, ... ) add destructively at the receiver.
The first Fres nel z one corresp onds to the main lobe, and must b e at least 6 0% fr ee of ph ysical obstructi ons fo r
the path calculations to be valid . Since the main lobe contains the vast majorit y of the microwave ener g y, this
zone is typically used to determine proper antenna heights when placing antennas on towers or buildings.
The curvature of t he Earth be comes a legit imate obst ructi on for pa th length s of 7 mi les or greater, and must
also be accounted for when determining minimum antenna heights.
The aggregate expression f or minimum antenna height that incorporates both the 60% first Fresnel zone
and the Earth curvature is given by
h72.1
d
---- -0.125d
+=
2
(feet)
4f
where f is in GHz and d is in miles.
Table 3 tabulates minimum antenna heights for given path lengths.
Coaxial cable will be re quired to at tach the TRACER 4206 to t he ant enna. The length of the cable wi ll vary
from a few feet to several feet, depending upon your application and the proximity of the TRACER 4206
to the antenna.
Various grades of coaxial cable will work suffic iently well for connecting the TRACER 4206 unit to the
antenna. A low-loss coaxial cable is suggested to minimize cable losses. One end of the cable will require
an N-type male connector (plug) to mate with the TRACER 4206 unit. The other end of the coax will
require a con nector com patible wit h the antenna chose n for the i nstallati on, which is usually al so an N-type
male connector (plug). Additionally, it is recommended that both connector s on the coaxial cable be
weatherproofed from the elemen ts to prevent corrosion and electrical shorting.
T able 3 gives typical loss figures for some of the more common coaxial cable types, per 100 feet.
Section 2, Microwave Path Engineering BasicsTRACER 4206 System Manual
Table 4. Typical Coaxial Loss for Common Cable Types, per 100 ft
Cable TypeCable Loss (dB/ft)
RG-213, RG-214, RG-293
1/4” Coax
3/8” Coax
1/2” Coax
5/8” Coax
5.8 GHz Elliptical Waveguide
20
11.36
9.65
6.49
4.90
1.23
In certain areas whe re lightning strikes are frequent, a lightning a rrestor should be installed directly on the
antenna coax. This will help protect the RF electronics in the downstream path from damaging voltages
and currents, including the TRACER 4206 unit.
8.RECEIVER SENSITIVITY
Receiver sensitivity is a value expressed in decibels referenced to one milliwatt (dBm) that corresponds to
the minimum amount of signal power needed at the receiver to achieve a given bit error rate (BER).
Receiver sensitivity is usually a negative number of decibels, and as such smaller receiver sensitivity is
better for a given BER. Several fact ors affect receiver sensitivity, including the data bandwidth of the
wireless link, and the amount of additional signal degradation introduced in the receiver electroni cs. The
receiver sensitivity of the TRACER 4206 is -89 dBm at 10
for frequenc y agil ity, should an interferer be nearby.
-6
bit error rate. Three band plans are provided
9.FADE MARGIN
Fade margin is a val ue indicating the amount of extra si gnal power available to the receiver to operate at a
maximum bit error rat e (BER). Higher levels of fade margin are better, and will protect th e vi ability of the
microwave link against signa l fading. For most applications, 20 to 30 dB of fade margin should ensure a
reliable link. Fade margin is simply the difference between the available signal power at the rec eiver and
the receiver sensit ivity, discussed previously:
FPRP
–PRGTGRL–LP–P
sens
–++==
sens
(dB)
10. PATH AVAILABILITY
The path availability of a wireless link is a metric that expresses the fractional amount of time a link is
available over some fixe d amount of time, and depends on several fa cto rs. Path availability is expr essed as