PCTEL SeeGull MXflex Quick user guide

SeeGull MX
flex
®
SeeGull MX flex
®Scanning Receiver
Hardware Reference Manual
Document Number: 100117-00
Revision G
July 2019

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Rev. G
Table of Contents
1. Preface............................................................................................................................................................4
1.1. Purpose............................................................................................................................................................4
1.2. Applicability....................................................................................................................................................4
1.3. Notices.............................................................................................................................................................8
1.4. Compliance .....................................................................................................................................................8
2. Overview and System Requirements...........................................................................................................9
2.1. General Description.........................................................................................................................................9
2.2. Measurement Options......................................................................................................................................9
2.3. System Requirements....................................................................................................................................12
3. Installation ...................................................................................................................................................13
3.1. Integration .....................................................................................................................................................13
3.2. Setup..............................................................................................................................................................14
4. Operation.....................................................................................................................................................16
4.1. Calibration.....................................................................................................................................................16
4.2. Software Upgrades........................................................................................................................................16
5. RF Antenna Information............................................................................................................................17
5.1. Antenna Verification.....................................................................................................................................17
5.2. Cellular Antennas..........................................................................................................................................17
5.3. Indoor RF Antenna Information....................................................................................................................21
5.4. GPS Antenna Information.............................................................................................................................21
6. Indoor Kit Information...............................................................................................................................22
6.1. Indoor Kits ....................................................................................................................................................22
7. Troubleshooting...........................................................................................................................................23
7.1. No Power: Receiver LED not Illuminated ....................................................................................................23
7.2. Received Signal Strength Appears Low........................................................................................................24
8. Support.........................................................................................................................................................25
8.1. Contact Information ......................................................................................................................................25
8.2. Warranty Information....................................................................................................................................26
8.3. Calibration Notice .........................................................................................................................................26
8.4. Return Material Authorization Procedure for the SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receivers...............................27

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Rev. G
List of Figures
Figure 1. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver................................................................................................................9
Figure 2. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver Base Dimensions.................................................................................13
Figure 3. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver Air Intake (Right Side View)................................................................13
Figure 4. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver Air Exhaust (Left Side View)...............................................................13
Figure 5. Connections and Switches for SeeGull MXflex............................................................................................15
Figure 6 - OP123.........................................................................................................................................................17
Figure 7 - OP278H ......................................................................................................................................................17
Figure 8 - Antenna Gain for OP278H, OP379H, OP697 and OP451..........................................................................18
Figure 9 - OP379H ......................................................................................................................................................18
Figure 10 - OP451 .......................................................................................................................................................19
Figure 11- OP697 ........................................................................................................................................................19
Figure 12- OP034H .....................................................................................................................................................21
Figure 13. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver Power................................................................................................23

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 4 Rev G
1. Preface
1.1. Purpose
This document is a user’s manual for the
SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver. It
describes the main features and options
available for the SeeGull MXflex and
provides instructions related to setup,
operation, and maintenance of the
scanners. This document may be
supplemented by other documentation for
the SeeGull MXflex or related PCTEL
products and applications.
1.2. Applicability
The SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver
conducts drive test and site-specific
measurements of mobile networks around
the world to optimize wireless network
performance, survey tower sites, monitor
base stations, demodulate RF signals and
analyze wireless market data.
The SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver is a
software-defined receiver, capable of
supporting multiple protocols and up to 8
frequency ranges. It can be configured for
TD-LTE, LTE FDD, NB-IoT, WCDMA,
CDMA, EV-DO, GSM and 5G New Radio
(NR) technologies.
The following 3GPP bands are supported
for 5G New Radio (NR)
•N1 (UL: 1920 MHz – 1980 MHz, DL:
2110 MHz – 2170 MHz)
•N2 (UL: 1850 MHz - 1910 MHz; DL:
1930 MHz - 1990 MHz)
•N3 (UL: 1710 MHz – 1785 MHz; DL:
1805 MHz – 1880 MHz)
•N5 (UL: 824 MHz – 849 MHz; DL:
869 MHz – 984 MHz)
•N7 (UL: 2500 MHz – 2570 MHz; DL:
2620 MHz – 2690 MHz)
•N8 (UL: 880 MHz – 915 MHz; DL:
925 MHz – 960 MHz)
•N12 (UL: 699 MHz - 716 MHz; DL:
729 MHz - 746 MHz)
•N20 (UL: 832 MHz - 862 MHz; DL:
791 MHz - 821 MHz)
•N25 (UL: 1850 MHz - 1915 MHz;
DL: 1930 MHz - 1995 MHz)
•N28 (UL: 703 MHz – 748 MHz; DL:
758MHz – 803MHz)
•N34 (UL/DL: 2010 MHz - 2025 MHz)
•N38 (UL/DL: 2570 MHz - 2620 MHz)
•N39 (UL/DL: 1880 MHz - 1920 MHz)
•N40 (UL/DL: 2300 MHz - 2400 MHz)
•N41 (UL/DL: 2496 MHz – 2690MHz)
•N50 (UL/DL: 1432 MHz - 1517 MHz)
•N51 (UL/DL: 1427 MHz - 1432 MHz)
•N65 Band (UL: 1920 MHz - 2010
MHz; DL: 2110 MHz - 2200 MHz)
•N66 Band (UL: 1710 MHz - 1780
MHz; DL: 2110 MHz - 2200 MHz)
•N70 (UL: 1695 MHz – 1710 MHz,
DL: 1995 MHz – 2020 MHz)
•N71 (UL: 653 MHz – 698MHz, DL:
617 MHz – 652MHz)
•N74 (UL: 1427 MHz – 1470 MHz,
DL: 1475 MHz – 1518 MHz)
•N75 (1432 MHz – 1517 MHz)
•N76 (1427 MHz – 1432 MHz)
•N77 (3300 MHz – 4200 MHz)
•N78 (3300 MHz – 3800 MHz)
•N79 (4400 MHz – 5000MHz)
•N80 (1710 MHz – 1785 MHz)
•N81 (880 MHz – 915 MHz)
•N82 (832 MHz – 862 MHz)
•N83 (703 MHz – 748 MHz)
•N84 (1920 MHz – 1980 MHz)
•N86 (1710 MHz – 1780 MHz)
The following bands are supported for LTE
FDD with a subset of these bands
supported for WCDMA, CDMA, EV-DO and
GSM:
•E-UTRA 1 (2100 MHz UMTS)
•E-UTRA 2 (1900 MHz)
•E-UTRA 3 (1800 MHz)

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 5 Rev G
•E-UTRA 4 (2100 MHz AWS)
•E-UTRA 5 (850 MHz)
•E-UTRA 6 (850 Japan)
•E-UTRA 7 (2600 MHz IMT)
•E-UTRA 8 (900 MHz UMTS)
•E-UTRA 9 (1700 MHz Japan)
•E-UTRA 10 (Ext. AWS)
•E-UTRA 11 (1500 MHz Japan)
•E-UTRA 12 (Lower 700 MHz A/B/C)
•E-UTRA 13 (Upper 700 MHz C)
•E-UTRA 14 (Upper 700 MHz D)
•E-UTRA 17 (Lower 700 MHz B/C)
•E-UTRA 18 (Lower 800 MHz Japan)
•E-UTRA 19 (Upper 800 MHz Japan)
•E-UTRA 20 (800 MHz EU)
•E-UTRA 21 (1510 MHz Japan)
•E-UTRA 22 (3.5 GHz)
•E-UTRA 23 (2 GHz S-Band)
•EUTRA 24 (L Band 1600)
•E-UTRA 25 (1990 MHz [Ext. 1900])
•E-UTRA 26 (Upper Ext 850 MHz)
•E-UTRA 27 (Lower Ext 850 MHz)
•E-UTRA 28 (700 APAC CALA)
•E-UTRA 29 (700 MHz D/L US)
•E-UTRA 30 (2.3 GHz WCS)
•E-UTRA 31 (450 MHz)
•E-UTRA 32 (1500 MHz L-Band D/L)
•E-UTRA 65 (2100+)
•E-UTRA 66 (2110-2200 MHz)
•E-UTRA 67 (700 EU, DL only)
•E-UTRA 68 (700 ME)
•E-UTRA 69 (IMT-E 2570-2620 MHz)
•E-UTRA 70 (AWS-4)
•E-UTRA 71 (US 600)
•E-UTRA 72 (APAC 450)
•E-UTRA 73 (PPDR, EU PMR/PAMR
45)
•E-UTRA 74 (L-Band)
•E-UTRA 75 (1500 SDL 1432-1517
MHz)
•E-UTRA 76 (1400, 1427-1432 MHz)
•E-UTRA 85 (Lower 700 A+)
•E-UTRA 252 (U-NII-1)
•E-UTRA 255 (U-NII-3)
The following bands are supported for TD-
LTE:
•E-UTRA 33 (1900 TDD)
•E-UTRA 34 (2000 TDD)
•E-UTRA 35 (1900 PCS Lower TDD)
•E-UTRA 36 (1900 PCS Upper TDD)
•E-UTEA 37 (1900 PCS Center Gap
TDD)
•E-UTRA 38 (IMT Extension 2.5G)
•E-UTRA 39 (1.9 TDD)
•E-UTRA 40 (2.3 TDD)
•E-UTRA 41 (2.5 TDD)
•E-UTRA 42 (3.4 TDD)
•E-UTRA 43 (3.6 TDD)
•E-UTRA 44 (700 APAC TDD)
•E-UTRA 45 (TD 1500)
•E-UTRA 46 (TD Unlicensed 5500
MHz)
•E-UTRA 47 (TD Unlicensed 5855–
5925 MHz)
•E-UTRA 48 (3550-3700 MHz)
•E-UTRA 49 (CBRS Band for TD-
LAA 3550-3700 MHz)
•E-UTRA 50 (1432-1517 MHz)
•E-UTRA 51 (1427-1432 MHz)
•E-UTRA 52 (3300-3400 MHz)
•TDD Proprietary (170 MHz)
•TDD Proprietary (1.4 MHz)
•TDD Proprietary (1.8 MHz)
The following bands are supported for RSSI
channel measurements:
•TETRA Public Safety 380, 390 Band
(380 - 390 MHz MS, 390 - 400 MHz
BS)
•TETRA Public Safety 410, 420 Band
(410 - 420 MHz MS, 420 - 430 MHz
BS)
•TETRA Public Safety 450, 460 Band
(450 - 460 MHz MS, 460 - 470 MHz
BS)
•TETRA Public Safety 870, 915 Band
(870 - 876 MHz MS, 915 - 921 MHz
BS)

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 6 Rev G
Features
•Blindscan for NR/
GSM/CDMA/EVDO/WCDMA/LTE:
oHigh-Speed
oFast-Speed with Extended
Detection
oHigh Dynamic Range
•Mobile Measurement
•Concurrent measurements
•Fast TopN/eTopN scanning speeds
•High dynamic range
•Low false detection rate
•Scans multiple bands without
performance degradation
•Built-in GPS
•LTE FDD Measurement Averaging
•LTE FDD and TD-LTE MIMO
•LTE FDD eMBMS
•LTE, WCDMA, GSM Layer 3,
•NB-IoT TopN measurements
•Outdoor and Indoor Modes
•USB Interface
•Plug-and-play capabilities
•Compatibility with industry-leading
drive test, data analysis, and RF
planning tools
•Modular architecture for easy
upgrades
•Ignition sense
•Sleek, durable design
Supported Measurements
5G New Radio (NR)
•Maximum # of Channels: 24
•NRTop N Reference Signal Scan
•PCI/Beam Index
•PSS_RP, PSS_RQ, PSS_CINR
•SSS_RP, SSS_RQ, SSS_CINR,
SSS_delay spread
•RSPBCH_RP, RSPBCH_RQ,
RSPBCH_CINR, SSB_RSSI,
SSB_RP, SSB_RQ, SSB_CINR,
SSB_Idx
•MIB
•Time Offset
LTE (FDD and TDD)
•Top N and Top N Reference Signal
Scan
•Automatic Bandwidth detection or
manual selection
•P-SCH/S-SCH RP, RQ, CINR, Time
Offset
•RSRP, RSRQ, CINR
•Cyclic Prefix
•Time Offset
•Multi-Path Delay Spread
•Averaging Modes (LTE FDD only)
•Sub-band
•Antenna Path (2 x 1 or 2 x 2) for
RSRP, RSRQ, CINR, Time Offset
and Multi-Path Delay Spread
TD-LTE Specific
•Uplink/Downlink Configuration #
•DwPTS Symbol
The following parameters are available
for LTE MIMO only
•Top N 2x2 and 4x4 MIMO Specific
Parameters including Condition
Number (CN), Estimated Channel
Quality Indicator (ECQI) and
Estimated Throughput (ETPUT) for
four LTE Transmission Modes
•Top N 4x4 MIMO Specific
Parameters including Eigen Value
Ratio and Rank
•Channel Matrix (for Top N 4x4, 4x2
and 2x2 MIMO only) Specific
Parameters including Channel
Matrix and noise Level
The following parameters are available
for LTE eMBMS only
•eMBMS Area ID
•eMBMS Cluster ID

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 7 Rev G
•eMBMS Frame Configuration
NB-IoT
•Measurement Modes:
oTop N NRS (Narrowband
Reference Signal)
oNPSS (Narrowband Primary
Synchronization Signal)
oNSSS (Narrowband
Secondary Synchronization
Signal)
•Data Modes:
oNRS: RP, RQ, RSSI, CINR
oTime Offset
oNPSS: RP, RQ, RSSI, CINR
oNSSS: RP, RQ, RSSI, CINR,
Time Offset
•Operation Mode:
oIn-Band
oGuard Band
oStand-alone
GSM
•BSIC Decoding Scan
•RSSI Channel Scan
•C/I (Co-Channel Interference)
WCDMA
•Maximum # of Channels: 24
•Top N Scan
•P-SCH/S-SCH Scan
•Ec
•Ec/Io and Aggregate Ec/Io
•Signal to Interference Ratio (SIR)
•Rake Finger Count
•Time Offset
•Multi-Path Delay Spread
•Eps/Io and Ess/Io
•RSSI Channel Scan
CDMA
•Maximum # of Channels: 24
•Top N Scan
•Ec
•Ec/Io and Aggregate Ec/Io
•Pilot Delay and Delay Spread
•RSSI Channel Scan
EV-DO
•Maximum # of Channels: 24
•Top N Scan
•Ec
•Ec/Io and Aggregate Ec/Io
•Pilot Delay and Delay Spread
•RSSI Channel Scan
MULTI-TECHNOLOGY
•Aggregate Power measurement
(RSSI, EPS or Spectrum Analysis)
•Delay and Signal Strength of
neighboring cells
•Peak Preamble Power measurement
•RSSI Channel Scans
•Spectrum Analyzer measurements
•High Performance GPS Receiver
For more information please visit
www.pctel.com.

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 8 Rev G
1.3. Notices
WARNING: These devices have no
protection against lightning. Please turn off
the scanning receiver during a thunderstorm
and, if applicable, take antennas inside the
vehicle before a thunderstorm approaches.
The scanning receiver itself is not intended
for “in weather” outdoor use.
NOTICE:There are no user serviceable
parts inside the SeeGull MXflex scanning
receivers.
1.4. Compliance
CE Safety Compliance
PCTEL SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receivers
are compliant to EN 60950-1 Information
Technology Equipment-Safety- Part 1:
General Requirements.
EMC Compliance
PCTEL SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receivers
are compliant to EN 301 489-1
Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio
spectrum Matters (ERM); ElectroMagnetic
Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio
equipment and services; Part 1: Common
Technical Requirements.
RoHS Compliance
PCTEL SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receivers
delivered to participating European nations
are compliant to EU Directive 2011/65/EU
(RoHS).
PCTEL SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receivers
are compliant to "Administrative Measure on
the Control of Pollution Caused by
Electronic Information Products" ("China
RoHS").
ISO Compliance
RF Solutions Quality Management System
has been certified to be compliant with ISO
9001:2015.

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 9 Rev G
2. Overview and System
Requirements
This section describes the SeeGull MXflex
Scanning Receiver, including the applicable
system configuration and software
requirements.
2.1. General Description
The SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver
(Figure 1) is a tool for signal strength and
modulation measurement, engineered for
the rigors of mobile network testing during
planning, installation, and maintenance of
wireless networks. It supports up to seven
protocols with 4 band-designated receive
antenna (RX) ports.
Figure 1. SeeGull MXflex Scanning Receiver
The USB communication link allows the
host to control the operation of the scanner
and to receive measurement results.
Initial Inspection
Upon receipt of the scanning receiver,
inspect the shipping container and verify
that the contents are complete and match
the packing list. The receiver should look
similar to the picture in Figure 1. If the
contents are incomplete or the SeeGull
MXflex Scanning Receiver appears
damaged, please call the Technical Support
line at [phone].
2.2. Measurement Options
Optional multi-technology measurements
available for the SeeGull MXflex are
described below. These options can be
installed at the time of purchase or later as
a field upgradeable option. Please contact
your PCTEL sales or marketing
representative for pricing and delivery
information.
Enhanced Power Scan (EPSTM) Option
(OP533)
EPS Mode provides customizable power
measurements, improving flexibility and
precision over RSSI and Spectrum Analyzer
measurements for highly-tuned analysis of
individual parts of the RF signal. EPS
features include:
•Absolute Time Stamp
•Auto and Immediate Measurement
Modes
•Ability to set both Time and
Frequency parameters
•Measure Frequency Spans from 7.5
kHz to 20 MHz user selectable in
multiples of 2.5 kHz
•Measures Time Periods from 1 chip
(50 µs) to 20,000 chips (1sec)
Spectrum Analyzer Option (OP532)
The built-in Spectrum Analyzer feature
provides an effective means to detect and
troubleshoot frequency-related problems.
The Spectrum Analyzer shows a wealth of
information about the signal spectrum that is
not obtainable from the standard channel
power measurement.
The Spectrum Analyzer measures and
reports power spectral density using
frequency domain techniques (a segmented
FFT approach that ensures various
resolution bandwidths and fast update

SeeGull MXflex®Hardware Reference Manual
PCTEL, Inc. Page 10 Rev G
rates), whereas RSSI measurements use
analog and digital filters to select the right
frequency band and subsequently measure
total power.
One advantage of this approach is that the
Spectrum Analyzer can analyze the fast-
changing spectrum of an unstable
transmitter. The RSSI measurement in this
case will most often show a normal smooth
picture, as it averages a limited set of data
over time. The Spectrum Analyzer,
however, if used with an appropriate
resolution bandwidth, will reveal erratic
signal behavior due to its fast update rate
and unaveraged data.
The user may set the resolution bandwidth
to 5, 10, 20, 40 or 80 kHz. Output data may
be set to an average of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16
sweeps.
LTE eMBMS (OP546)
LTE eMBMS monitoring is available for FD-
LTE. These measurements verify the
correct setup by comparing collected data
on eMBMS subframes to Layer 3
messages. It verifies there are no
overlapping Area IDs and detects
synchronization problems. We provide a
custom measurement, Cluster ID, to
determine out of network interfering PCIs or
unsynchronized cell. It also verifies proper
operation and coverage for each MBSFN
•CINR, RFRP, RSRQ etc.
•Period, offset, # of subframes
Blind Scan Options
(OP534 All Blind Scan Technologies)
(OP534-GSM)
(OP534-WCDMA)
(OP534-FD-LTE)
(OP534-TD-LTE)
(OP534-CDMA)
(OP534-EVDO)
Blind Scan is available for 5G NR,LTE FDD,
TD-LTE, WCDMA, GSM, CDMA and EV-
DO technologies. This feature scans the
selected band and provides the active
channel numbers. Blind Scan is useful for
conducting a full band network search
where prior knowledge about active
channels is incomplete or unknown. It is
also beneficial for network benchmarking to
obtain a first-glance view of the RF
infrastructure density and configuration.
Mobile Blind Scan Option (Mobile
Measurement):
OP540 - All Technologies except 5G NR
OP540-GSM
OP540-WCDMA
OP540-CDMA
OP540-EVDO
OP540-TD-LTE
OP540-FD-LTE
Mobile Blindscan (Mobile Measurement)
combines the functionality to detect new
channels in defined Bands, known as
Blindscan, and performs additional
measurement on the identified channels. When
channels are no longer recognized, they are
removed from the monitoring channels.
LTE Power Analysis (OP537)
LTE Power Analysis is available for TD-LTE
and provides power of the resource block
and slot of the TD-LTE frame. This enables
users to identify interference that is time
(slots) or frequency (RBs)-selective, to
obtain a snapshot of overall traffic levels,
and to determine whether base station is
properly using the available resources.