RACOM Ray2 User manual

User manual
.
RAy2 Microwave Link
.
fw 1.3.x.x
2/18/2015
version 1.8.7
www.racom.eu
RACOMs.r.o. •Mirova1283•59231NoveMestonaMorave•CzechRepublic
Tel.:[phone]•Fax:[phone]•E-mail: [e-mail]

Table of Contents
Important Notice .................................................................................................................................. 7
Quick Start Guide ................................................................................................................................ 8
List of documentation .......................................................................................................................... 9
1. RAy2 – Microwave Link ................................................................................................................. 10
2. Implementation Notes ................................................................................................................... 12
2.1. Link calculation ................................................................................................................... 12
2.1.1. Free space loss calculation ..................................................................................... 12
2.1.2. Link budget calculation ............................................................................................ 12
2.1.3. Fade margin ............................................................................................................ 13
2.1.4. Rain attenuation ...................................................................................................... 13
2.1.5. Multipath fading ....................................................................................................... 16
2.1.6. Fresnel zones calculation ........................................................................................ 17
2.2. Example of microwave link design ..................................................................................... 18
3. Product .......................................................................................................................................... 21
3.1. Mounting ............................................................................................................................. 22
3.2. Connectors ......................................................................................................................... 22
3.3. Power supply ...................................................................................................................... 23
3.4. Status LEDs ....................................................................................................................... 25
3.5. Technical parameters ......................................................................................................... 25
3.6. Dimensions ......................................................................................................................... 26
3.7. Ordering codes ................................................................................................................... 27
3.7.1. Microwave units ....................................................................................................... 27
3.7.2. Feature keys ............................................................................................................ 27
4. Accessories ................................................................................................................................... 28
4.1. Overview ........................................................................................................................... 28
4.2. Details ................................................................................................................................ 30
5. Step-by-step Guide ....................................................................................................................... 36
5.1. Service access ................................................................................................................... 37
5.1.1. Menu Link settings - General ................................................................................... 38
5.1.2. Menu Link - Service access - Services ................................................................... 39
5.1.3. Menu Link - Service access - Users ........................................................................ 40
5.1.4. Menu Maintenance - Feature keys .......................................................................... 40
5.2. Basic link configuration ....................................................................................................... 40
5.3. Link test .............................................................................................................................. 40
6. Installation ..................................................................................................................................... 42
6.1. Line of sight test ................................................................................................................. 42
6.2. Antenna mounting .............................................................................................................. 42
6.2.1. Mounting methods ................................................................................................... 42
6.2.2. Mounting the FOD unit on the antenna ................................................................... 45
6.2.3. Lubrication and preservation of the antenna pivot .................................................. 49
6.2.4. Flexible waveguide .................................................................................................. 49
6.3. Connectors assembly ......................................................................................................... 50
6.4. Grounding ........................................................................................................................... 52
6.5. Start up ............................................................................................................................... 57
6.5.1. Noise on the site ...................................................................................................... 57
6.5.2. Directing antennas ................................................................................................... 57
6.5.3. Link test ................................................................................................................... 60
6.5.4. Parameters setup .................................................................................................... 60
7. Configuration ................................................................................................................................. 61
7.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 61
7.2. Status bar ........................................................................................................................... 62
3© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link

7.3. Status ................................................................................................................................. 64
7.3.1. Status - General ...................................................................................................... 65
7.3.2. Status - Radio .......................................................................................................... 65
7.3.3. Status - Switch interface .......................................................................................... 66
7.3.4. Status - Service access ........................................................................................... 66
7.3.5. Status - Radio link statistics ..................................................................................... 66
7.4. Link settings ....................................................................................................................... 67
7.4.1. General .................................................................................................................... 67
7.4.2. Radio ....................................................................................................................... 68
7.4.3. Service access ........................................................................................................ 70
7.4.4. Alarm limits .............................................................................................................. 77
7.5. Switch settings ................................................................................................................... 79
7.5.1. Status ...................................................................................................................... 79
7.5.2. Interface ................................................................................................................... 86
7.5.3. QoS ....................................................................................................................... 101
7.5.4. Advanced ............................................................................................................... 104
7.6. Tools ................................................................................................................................. 124
7.6.1. Maintenance .......................................................................................................... 124
7.6.2. Live data ................................................................................................................ 132
7.6.3. History ................................................................................................................... 135
7.6.4. Logs ....................................................................................................................... 139
7.6.5. Ping ....................................................................................................................... 140
7.7. Help .................................................................................................................................. 141
8. Command Line Interface ............................................................................................................. 144
8.1. Connection via CLI ........................................................................................................... 144
8.1.1. Telnet ..................................................................................................................... 144
8.1.2. Putty ...................................................................................................................... 144
8.1.3. SSH ....................................................................................................................... 144
8.2. Working with CLI .............................................................................................................. 145
8.2.1. SSH keys ............................................................................................................... 146
8.2.2. Scripts .................................................................................................................... 146
8.3. Configuration with CLI ...................................................................................................... 147
8.3.1. Configuration file .................................................................................................... 147
8.3.2. Firmware upgrade ................................................................................................. 147
8.3.3. Remote unit authorization ...................................................................................... 147
9. Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................... 149
10. Technical parameters ............................................................................................................... 151
10.1. General parameters ...................................................................................................... 151
10.1.1. Technical parameters overview ........................................................................... 151
10.1.2. Link speed ........................................................................................................... 153
10.1.3. Frequency overview 10 GHz and 11 GHz, for CS 28 MHz ................................. 155
10.2. Nominal frequency tables description ............................................................................ 156
10.3. RAy2-10 parameters ...................................................................................................... 157
10.3.1. Upper/Lover Limits .............................................................................................. 157
10.3.2. Radio parameters ................................................................................................ 158
10.3.3. Nominal frequencies, band 10.30 – 10.59 GHz .................................................. 162
10.3.4. Nominal frequencies, band 10.15 – 10.65 GHz .................................................. 165
10.4. RAy2-11 A,B parameters ................................................................................................ 169
10.4.1. Upper/Lover Limits .............................................................................................. 169
10.4.2. Radio parameters ................................................................................................ 170
10.4.3. Nominal frequencies, duplex 490 MHz ................................................................ 173
10.4.4. Nominal frequencies, duplex 530 MHz ................................................................ 179
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.4
RAy2 Microwave Link

10.5. RAy2-11 C,D parameters ............................................................................................... 184
10.6. RAy2-17 parameters ...................................................................................................... 185
10.6.1. Upper/Lover Limits .............................................................................................. 185
10.6.2. Radio parameters ................................................................................................ 186
10.6.3. Nominal frequencies ............................................................................................ 189
10.7. RAy2-24 parameters ...................................................................................................... 195
10.7.1. Upper/Lover Limits .............................................................................................. 195
10.7.2. Radio parameters ................................................................................................ 196
10.7.3. Nominal frequencies 24.00-24.25 GHz ............................................................... 199
10.7.4. Nominal frequencies 24.05-24.25 GHz ............................................................... 205
11. Safety, environment, licensing ................................................................................................... 211
11.1. Frequency ....................................................................................................................... 211
11.2. RoHS and WEEE compliance ........................................................................................ 211
11.3. Liability for Defects and Safety Instructions .................................................................... 211
11.4. Important Notifications .................................................................................................... 212
11.5. Warranty ......................................................................................................................... 213
11.6. Declaration of Conformity ............................................................................................... 214
11.7. Country of Origin Declaration ......................................................................................... 217
A. Antenna dimensions ................................................................................................................... 218
B. Rain zone map ............................................................................................................................ 219
C. IP address in the PC (Windows XP) ........................................................................................... 220
D. IP address in the PC (Windows 7) .............................................................................................. 222
E. IP address in the PC (Windows 8) .............................................................................................. 224
F. SSH key generation ..................................................................................................................... 227
G. Https certificate ........................................................................................................................... 229
H. Unit block diagrams .................................................................................................................... 230
Index ................................................................................................................................................ 232
I. Revision History ........................................................................................................................... 235
5© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
RAy2 Microwave Link

6

Important Notice
Copyright
© 2014 RACOM. All rights reserved.
Products offered may contain software proprietary to RACOM s. r. o. (further referred to under the ab-
breviated name RACOM). The offer of supply of these products and services does not include or infer
any transfer of ownership. No part of the documentation or information supplied may be divulged to
any third party without the express written consent of RACOM.
Disclaimer
Although every precaution has been taken in preparing this information, RACOM assumes no liability
for errors and omissions, or any damages resulting from the use of this information. This document or
the equipment may be modified without notice, in the interests of improving the product.
Trademark
All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective owners.
Important Notice
• Due to the nature of wireless communications, transmission and reception of data can never be
guaranteed. Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors), or be totally lost. Significant delays
or losses of data are rare when wireless devices such as the RAy2 are used in an appropriate
manner within a well‐constructed network. RAy2 should not be used in situations where failure to
transmit or receive data could result in damage of any kind to the user or any other party, including
but not limited to personal injury, death, or loss of property. RACOM accepts no liability for damages
of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted or received using RAy2, or for the
failure of RAy2 to transmit or receive such data.
• Under no circumstances is RACOM or any other company or person responsible for incidental,
accidental or related damage arising as a result of the use of this product. RACOM does not provide
the user with any form of guarantee containing assurance of the suitability and applicability for its
application.
• RACOM products are not developed, designed or tested for use in applications which may directly
affect health and/or life functions of humans or animals, nor to be a component of similarly important
systems, and RACOM does not provide any guarantee when company products are used in such
applications.
7© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
Important Notice

Quick Start Guide
• The default addresses of the RAy2 units are:
○ 192.168.169.169/24 - unit labeled L
○ 192.168.169.170/24 - unit labeled U
• On your PC set up a similar address with the same mask, e.g. 192.168.169.180/24.
○To configure your PC’s address in Windows XP do the following: Start – Settings – Network
Connections:
Change properties of this connection – Internet Network Protocol (TCP/IP) – Properties – Use
the following IP address – input 192.168.169.180 and use the mask 255.255.255.0. Click OK
twice.
• Connect both RAy2 units to a PoE source and connect to a PC via PoE for configuration, see figure
Link Configuration below.
• Input the address of the connected RAy2 unit into the address field of your internet browser (such
as Mozilla Firefox), e.g. 198.168.169.169. Login as admin with password admin.
•Status menu provides information on connection.
•Link settings – Radio menu enables you to change the parameters of the radio and ethernet channel,
Link settings – Service access – Users menu lets you change login parameters.
• Continue as suggested by the Step-by-step Guide.
Fig. 1: Link Configuration
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.8
Quick Start Guide

List of documentation
User manuals
■Microwave Link RAy2 - this document
User manual RAy2-10, RAy2-11, RAy2-17, RAy2-24
■Microwave Link RAy11, 17, 241
User manual RAy11, RAy17, RAy24
■Microwave Link RAy102
User manual RAy10
Datasheets
■RAy2 - Datasheet3
■RAy - Datasheet4
■RAy - SCADA Backbone5
Application notes
■RAy - Application notes6
Contents of the box
• 2 pc RAy2
• 2 pc Cable bushing set, connectors
• 1 pc Grease marked "SILIKONOVE MAZIVO"
1http://www.racom.eu/eng/products/m/ray17/index.html
2http://www.racom.eu/eng/products/m/ray/index.html
3http://www.racom.eu/download/hw/ray/free/eng/00_letaky/datasheet_RAY2_en.pdf
4http://www.racom.eu/download/hw/ray/free/eng/00_letaky/datasheet_RAY_en.pdf
5http://www.racom.eu/download/hw/ray/free/eng/00_letaky/leaflet_RAY_scada_en.pdf
6http://www.racom.eu/download/hw/ray/free/cz/01_ray/RAy-AppNote-en.pdf
9© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
List of documentation

1. RAy2 – Microwave Link
The microwave link RAy2 is designed as a high-speed point-to-point wireless bridge for data transmission
under the latest requirements of modern wireless transmission equipment.
RAy2 works with an ethernet interface and can be used in backhaul networks as well as a last-mile
terminal.The design of microwave link RAy2 reflects effort on meeting the strictest criteria of ETSI
standards, particularly for durability against interference, high receiver sensitivity and high output power
to achieve maximum link distance. The native gigabit Ethernet interface is able to cope with full speed
user data throughput at low latency. High availability of the link (up to 99.999%) is able to be achieved
using hitless Adaptive coding and modulation. RAy2 microwave links can also be operated as a Short
Range Device (SRD).
The link properties can be summarised as:
• High data throughput
• Spectrum effeciency
• Robustness
• Security - cofiguration via http, https, ssh
• User friendly interface, advanced diagnostics
Key technical features
Upper bandLower band
10.47 – 10.59 GHz10.30 – 10.42 GHzRAy2-10-AFrequency
range 10.475 – 10.675 GHz10.125 – 10.325 GHzRAy2-10-B
11.185 – 11.460 GHz10.695 – 10.970 GHzRAy2-11-A
11.425 – 11.695 GHz10.935 – 11.195 GHzRAy2-11-B
10.5915 – 10.6335 GHz10.5005 – 10.5425 GHzRAy2-11-C 1)
10.6335 – 10.6755 GHz10.5425 – 10.5845 GHzRAy2-11-D
17.10 – 17.30 GHzRAy2-17
24.00 – 24.25 GHzRAy2-24
QPSK, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 QAM fixed or ACMModulation
1.75, 3.5, 7, 14, 20, 28, 30, 40, 56 MHz 2) Channel spacing
user data rate up to 360 Mbps 2) User data rate
LDPCForward Error Correction
1 Gb Eth. (10/100/1000) (IEEE 802.3ac 1000BASE-T) , MTU 10240 B,
recommended cable S/FTP CAT7
RJ45User
interface
1000Base‐SX / 1000Base‐LX, MTU 10240 B, user exchangable SFP,
power consumption max. 1.25 W
SFP
40 – 60 VDC, IEEE 802.3at up to 100 m, up to 25 WPoEPower
20 – 60 VDC, floatingDC
FOD (full outdoor)Mechanical design
configuration via https, sshSecurity
1) RAy2-11-C,D not available yet
2) Detailed Channel spacing and User data rate see Technical parameters.
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.10
RAy2 – Microwave Link

Standards
ETSI EN 302 217-2-2 V2.1.1Radio parameters RAy2-10
ETSI EN 300 440-2 V1.4.1
RAy2-17
ETSI EN 300 440-2 V1.4.1
RAy2-24
ETSI EN 301 489-1 V1.9.2,
ETSI EN 301 489-17 V2.2.1
EMC
EN 60950-2006/A1:2010Electrical safety
Note
Operation of the RAy2-xx is described in this user manual.
Operation of the RAy11, RAy17 and RAy24 is described in User Manual RAy11,17,241.
Operation of the RAy10 is described in the RAy10 User Manual2.
1http://www.racom.eu/eng/products/m/ray17/index.html
2http://www.racom.eu/eng/products/m/ray/index.html
11© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
RAy2 – Microwave Link

2. Implementation Notes
2.1. Link calculation
Before a microwave link can be installed, an analysis and calculation of the microwave link must be
made first. The analysis should take place before the site survey itself to get a clear idea about the di-
mensions of the antennas. The analysis consists of the following steps:
• Free space loss calculation
• Link budget calculation
• Rain attenuation
• Multipath fading
• Fade margin
• Fresnel zones calculation
This chapter explains the individual steps and an example of link design is given at the end.
NOTE - For quick reference you can use the calculator on www.racom.eu1
2.1.1. Free space loss calculation
As the electromagnetic waves travel through open space they are attenuated. This attenuation is de-
scribed as Free-space Loss. The loss depends on the distance travelled by signal and its frequency.
Longer distance and higher frequency both mean greater attenuation. Free-space loss can be calculated
thus:
FSL = 32.44 + 20log f+ 20log D
Where:
FSL free-space loss (dB)
ffrequency of the emitted signal (MHz)
Dlength of the link (km)
2.1.2. Link budget calculation
The goal is to design a link producing a received signal stronger than the receiver's sensitivity at the
required BER (typically 10-6). Since every radio signal in earth atmosphere is subject to fading, some
difference between received signal level under normal circumstances and receiver sensitivity is needed
to serve as a fade margin. The minimum value of fade margin can be calculated from the requirement
for link availability (e.g. 99.999% of the time). The required margin depends on the length of the link
as well as other factors such as rain attenuation, diffraction and multipath propagation.
If we ignore the additional loss along the path, the received signal strength can be calculated using the
formula for signal propagation in free space as follows:
PR=PT+GT+GR-FSL
Where
1http://www.racom.eu/eng/products/microwave-link.html#calculation_obsah
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.12
Implementation Notes

PRreceived power level (dBm)
PTtransmitted power (dBm)
GTtransmitting antenna gain (dBi)
GRreceiving antenna gain (dBi)
FSL free space loss (dB)
PRmust be:
PR>PS
Where:
PSreceiver sensitivity (dBm)
The receiver’s sensitivity defines the minimum level of the received signal at which the receiver is able
to process the signal without losses or affecting the transmitted data (for BER better then 10-6).
2.1.3. Fade margin
Determining sufficient fade margin is the most important step in microwave link design. If the margin
is too small, the link will be unstable – as a result, sufficient availability of the link or quality of the
provided services cannot be guaranteed. On the other hand, unnecessarily large margin makes the
link more expensive (higher performance, larger and more expensive antennas) and increases the
cost of creating the microwave link.
The following paragraphs describe the two most significant types of signal strength loss – rain and
multipath attenuation, which are the most frequent along with free space loss. Mutual relation between
rain and multipath attenuation rules out the possibility that the link could be affected by both types of
attenuation at the same time – these types of attenuation do not add up. To determine the fade
margin it is necessary to calculate both rain and multipath attenuation. The larger of the two types of
attenuation determines the value of fade margin. In areas with high precipitation, rain attenuation can
be expected to be more prominent. By contrast, links located in drier climates and little inclination, will
suffer more from multipath attenuation.
2.1.4. Rain attenuation
For frequencies of about 10 GHz rain attenuation starts to become increasingly effective. Precipitation
is not identical in all areas which is why ITU released a recommendation Rec. ITU-R PN.837-1 for
splitting the world into 15 regions according to precipitation intensity see Fig. 2.1, for more detail Ap-
pendix B, Rain zone map. In the areas with higher precipitation greater rain attenuation must be expected
and a greater signal fade margin must be established; see the calculation of link availability.
The following properties are inherent to rain attenuation:
• It increases exponentially with rain intensity
• It becomes significantly larger as the distance travelled increases (>10 Km)
• Horizontal polarization causes greater rain attenuation than vertical polarization
• Rain outage increases dramatically with frequency and path length
13© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
Implementation Notes

Fig. 2.1: Rain zone map, based on Rec.ITU-R PN.837-1
Rain attenuation can be calculated using ITU-R outage model, which consists of the following:
Obtain the rain rate R0.01 exceeded for 0.01 per cent of the time (with an integration time of 1 min).
R0.01 values are defined for 15 rain zones and different time percentages and they are given in ITU-R
Recommendation P.837.
Tab. 2.1: Rain rate R (mm/h) ITU-R P.837
QPNMLKJHGFEDCBA
Percentage
of time (%)
1412542158231.70.62.10.70.5<0.11.0
4934151174213474.52.44.52.820.80.3
7265352215122010128685320.1
96105654033232818201512139650.03
11514595636042353230282219151280.01
14220014095105704555455441292621140.003
1702501801201501005583657870424232220.001
Compute specific attenuation γR(dB/km) for the frequency, polarization, specific rain rate using ITU-R
recommendation P.838. Rain attenuation for rain rate γR0.01 can be calculated as follows:
γR0.01 = kh,v .R0.01αh,v
where:
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.14
Implementation Notes

kh,v, αh,v constants for horizontal and vertical polarization. Constants are slightly different for each
polarization, see next table according to ITU-R P.838
Tab. 2.2: Constants k, α for horizontal and vertical polarization at 10, 11, 17 and 24 GHz
αv kv αh kh
1.220.011.260.0110 GHz
1.160.021.210.0211 GHz
1.010.071.090.0617 GHz
0.960.141.010.1424 GHz
Fig. 2.2: Attenuation for 10 GHz,
polarization H, V
Fig. 2.3: Attenuation for 11 GHz,
polarization H, V
Fig. 2.4: Attenuation for 17 GHz,
polarization H, V
Fig. 2.5: Attenuation for 24 GHz,
polarization H, V
Fig. 2.2 shows that rain attenuation is greater for horizontal polarization. In regions with higher precip-
itation the difference in attenuation is more marked. The microwave links RAy17 and RAy24 use both
polarizations, hence the need to consider the worse of the two, i.e. horizontal polarization. When ACM
15© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
Implementation Notes

is active we recommend using horizontal polarization in the direction with lower data traffic (typically
up-link).
2.1.5. Multipath fading
Multipath fading is another dominant fading mechanism. A reflected wave causes a phenomenon known
as multipath, meaning that the radio signal can travel multiple paths to reach the receiver. Typically,
multipath occurs when a reflected wave reaches the receiver at the same time in opposite phase as
the direct wave that travels in a straight line from the transmitter.
Multipath propagation gives rise to two kinds of signal degrading effects, i.e., flat fading and frequency
selective fading. Flat fading is a reduction in input signal level where all frequencies in the channel of
interest are equally affected and is dependent on path length, frequency, and path inclination. In addition,
it is strongly dependent on the geoclimatic factor K.
To calculate the probability of outage due to multipath propagation of microwave links the ITU-R
probability model can be used which describes a single frequency (or narrowband) fading distribution
suitable for large fade depths A in the average worst month in any part of the world (based on ITU-R
P.530-14). The calculation for detailed link design is given as follows [1]:
P0=Kd3.4(1+|εP|)-1.03f0.8×100.00067hL-A/10
where:
dlink distance (km)
ffrequency (GHz)
hLaltitude of lower antenna (m)
Afade depth (dB)
K is geoclimatic factor and can be obtained from:
K= 10-4.6-0.0027dN1
The term dN1 is provided on a 1.5° grid in latitude and longitude in ITU-R Recommendation P.453.
The data are available in a tabular format and are available from the Radiocommunication Bureau
(BR). E.g. in Central Europe the values dN1 range from -242 to -362.
From the antenna heights heand hr(meters above sea level), calculate the magnitude of the path in-
clination │εP│ (mrad) using the following expression:
where:
dlink distance (km)
hr, heantenna heights above sea level (m)
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.16
Implementation Notes

2.1.6. Fresnel zones calculation
The position of obstacles between points of the bridge can significantly influence the quality of the mi-
crowave link. The radio signal doesn't only radiate along the line of sight, but also in the area around
it, i.e. in the so-called 1st Fresnel zone. Within this zone 90 % of the energy is transmitted between the
transmitter and receiver antenna. This space has the shape of an ellipsoid. If it is disturbed the link has
poorer transmission properties and a higher quality antenna is required. For this reason the position
of the antenna can be just as important as its height above ground. 60 % of the 1st Fresnel zone is
considered as the most important.
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
aaaaaaa
r
D
F1
d1
× ×
Fig. 2.6: Fresnel zone
The general equation for calculating the first Fresnel zone radius at any point P in between the endpoints
of the link is the following:
Where:
F1first Fresnel Zone radius in metres
d1distance of P from one end in metres
d2The distance of P from the other end in metres
λ wavelength of the transmitted signal in metres
The cross sectional radius of each Fresnel zone is the highest in the center of link, shrinking to a point
at the antenna on each end. For practical applications, it is often useful to know the maximum radius
of the first Fresnel zone. From the above formula, calculation of the first Fresnel zone can be simplified
to:
where:
rmax radius of first Fresnel zone (m)
reducing the radius to 60% get values listed in the following table that define the space particularly
sensitive to the presence of obstacles
17© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
Implementation Notes

Dtotal link distance (km)
ffrequency (GHz)
Tab. 2.3: 60 % of the 1st Fresnel zone
Radius of zone r for frequencyLength of link D
24 GHz17 GHz11 GHz
0.75 m0.89 m1.10 m0,5 km
1.06 m1.25 m1.56 m1 km
1.50 m1.77 m2.21 m2 km
2.12 m2.50 m3.13 m4 km
2.60 m3.07 m3.84 m6 km
3.00 m3.54 m4.43 m8 km
3.35 m3.96 m4.95 m10 km
4.10 m4.85 m6.06 m15 km
4.74 m5.60 m7.00 m20 km
11.07 m50 km
2.2. Example of microwave link design
Requirements
determination
Free space loss
calculation
Fading prediction
rain and multipath
attenuation
Choice Tx power
and antennas
Link budget
calculation
Result
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fig. 2.7: Design flowchart
Step 1 - Requirements Determination
Link parameters:
Link distance: 4 km
First antenna height above sea level: 295 m
Second antenna height above sea level: 320 m
Location: Central Europe (rain zone H, refraction gradient dN1= −300)
Transmission requirements:
Required data rate: >160 Mbps
Required availability: 99.99 %
RAy parameters:
17 GHz
161 Mbps -> Modulation 16QAM; BW=56 MHz; PS(BER 10-6)= −79 dBm
Tx power +5 dBm (max. Tx power)
Antenna gain:
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.18
Implementation Notes

30 cm ... 32.2 dBi
60 cm ... 37.8 dBi
99 cm ... 42 dBi
Step 2 - Free space loss calculation
FSL = 32.44 + 20log f+ 20log D= 32.44 + 20log17.2·103+ 20log4 = 129.1 dB
Step 3a - Rain attenuation
For 99.99% availability in rain zone B the rain rate is R0.01=32 (see Fig. 2.1)
For f=17 GHz kh=0.06146; αh=1.0949; kv=0.06797; αv=1.0137
Vertical polarization:
γR0.01 = kv.Rαv0.01 = 0.07 · 321.01 = 2.32 dB/km => for 4km distance 9.3 dB
Horizontal polarization:
γR0.01 = kh.Rαh0.01 = 0.06 · 321.09 = 2.62 dB/km => for 4km distance 10.5 dB
Step 3b - Attenuation due to multipath propagation
We have to find required fade margin for reliability of the link 99.99 percent.
Path inclination:
The percentage of time that fade depth A (dB) is exceeded in the average worst month is calculated
as:
P0=Kd3.4(1+|εP|)-1.03f0.8×100.00067hL-A/10
P0=10-4.6-0.0027×(-300)×43.4(1+|6.25|)-1.0317.20.8×100.032×10-0.00067×295-A/10
P0=0.022871×10-0.19765-A/10
For reliability 99.99% is P0=0.01 we get exponential function for A:
A= -0.19765 - 10log(0.01/0.022871) = 3.4 dB
The minimum fade margin required to suppress multipath fading on this link would be 4 dB.
Step 4 - Choice of Tx power and antennas
Step 5 - and Link budget calculation
Calculation in steps 3a and 3b determines the minimum fade margin required for stable link opera-
tion as 11 dB (rain attenuation is dominant). If you use the maximum performance of antenna with
diameter of 30 cm, complete the radio formula as follows:
PR=PT+GT+GR−FSL = 5 + 32.2 + 32.2 − 129.1 = −59.7 dB
Fade margin:
A= |PS| − |PR| = 79 − 59.7 = 19.3 dB
The resulting fade margin is larger than the required 11 dB. Current legislation in the Czech Republic
allows maximum EIRP of +20, i.e. the sum of transmit power and antenna gain at the transmitter
can be 20 dB at the most. For 99cm antennas, TX power can be up to 20 - 42 = -22 dB, the resultant
equation is as follows:
PR=PT+GT+GR−FSL = -22 + 42 + 42 − 129.1 = −67.1 dB
19© RACOM s.r.o. – RAy2 Microwave Link
Implementation Notes

Fade margin:
A= |PS| − |PR| = 79 − 67.1 = 11.9 dB
Fade margin is now only 12 dB which corresponds to link availability > 99.99% of the time in a year.
Technical literature often gives the minimum fade margin of 20 dB. For very long links (more than
10 km) fade margin will, indeed, be approximately 20 dB. For shorter links, however, such large
margin is not necessary. It is helpful to first conduct the calculation above to receive an idea of the
attenuation affecting the link.
The result
To achieve the required transmission capacity and link availability for link distance of 4 km, transmit
power -22 dBm and 99 cm antennas were selected for both sides of the link.
Sources for Chapter Chapter 2, Implementation Notes:
[1] Lehpamer, H.: Microwave transmission network, Second edition, ISBN: 0071701222, McGraw-Hill
Professional, 2010.
ITU-R recommendation used:
• ITU-R P.453-10 – The radio refractive index: its formula and refractivity data
• ITU-R P.530-14 – Propagation data and prediction methods required for the design of terrestrial
line-of-sight systems
• ITU-R P.837-1 and 6 – Characteristics of precipitation for propagation modelling
• ITU-R P.838-3 – Specific attenuation model for rain for use in prediction methods
• ITU-R P.310, ITU-R P.526, ITU-R P.676, ITU-R P.834, ITU-R P.835
RAy2 Microwave Link – © RACOM s.r.o.20
Implementation Notes