Version 1.

Power Split Add-in for Atoll

User Manual

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Power Split Add-in for Atoll 1.1 User Manual

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Power Split Add-in for Atoll 1.1 User Manual

Forsk 2015

1 Power Split Add-in for Atoll Overview

The Power Split add-in for Atoll allows you to manage power split configurations between transmitters and their remote
antennas by assigning splitter losses. The add-in adds the following features to Atoll:

Manually split power between a transmitter and its remote antennas.

Automatically split power between a transmitter and its remote antennas.
Manually check that the power split information in the current document is correct.
Automatically check that the power split information is correct when the document is archived.

The add-in is accessible through additional commands and toolbar buttons in the Atoll user interface.

2 Power Split Add-in Installation

You can install the add-in separately from Atoll using the add-in setup program.
The setup program of the Power Split add-in is supplied in two versions:

a 32-bit version for Atoll 32-bit: "Power_Split.dll_<version>.exe"

a 64-bit version for Atoll 64-bit: "Power_Split.dll_x64_<version>.exe"

Make sure that Atoll 64-bit is installed correctly before installing the 64-bit version of the add-in.
For more information, see the Atoll Administrator Manual.

2.1 Installing the Add-in

To install the add-in:
1. Run the add-in setup program.
2. Select an installation folder for the add-in. By default, the installer uses the Add-ins directory in the installation
directory of Atoll.
3. Specify whether the installation should only be performed for the current user profile or for all users.
4. Click Next. The add-in is installed.
5. Once the installation is complete, click Close to exit the setup.
6. Restart Atoll.

2.2 Uninstalling the Add-in

To uninstall the add-in:
1. Exit Atoll.
2. Run the add-ins uninstall program located in the add-ins installation folder, or uninstall the add-in through the
Windows Control Panel. In both cases, a confirmation box appears.
3. Click Yes to confirm. An information dialog appears informing you that the add-in was successfully removed.
All components are removed except the add-in initialisation file which can be retrieved
during a future installation in the same directory.

3 Power Split Add-in Configuration

Once installed, the add-in is available in the list of add-ins installed with Atoll. and can be configured.
This section covers the following topics:

"Enabling the Add-in in Atoll" on page 4

"Setting Configuration File Options" on page 4
"Configuring the Database" on page 4

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3.1 Enabling the Add-in in Atoll

To enable the add-in in Atoll:
1. Select Tools > Add-ins and Macros from the menu bar. The Add-ins and Macros dialog box appears.

Figure 1: The Add-ins and Macros dialog box

2. Select the Power Split check box.
3. Click Close. The Power Split buttons (

and

) are available in the Add-ins toolbar.

You can verify the installation of the add-in by clicking the Details button in the Add-ins and Macros dialog box.
You can deactivate the add-in in the Add-ins and Macros dialog box. For example, if you clear the Power Split check box, the
Power Split buttons ( and ) will no longer be available in the Add-ins toolbar.

3.2 Setting Configuration File Options

The configuration file must be named Powersplit.ini and must be located in the installation directory of the add-in.
You can configure the add-in to display a Shared Antenna column in the transmitters list of the Power Splitter window by
adding the following lines to the Powersplit.ini file:
[Columns]
SharedMast = 1

3.3 Configuring the Database

The add-in uses a custom database field to store the splitter losses. The following field must be manually created in Atoll on
all transmitter and repeater tables before using the add-in:
Field

Type

Description

Attributes

O_SPLIT_LOSS

Double
(Number)

Transmitter and repeater splitter losses

Null column allowed: Yes

Default value: 0

If your document is connected to a database, then the database administrator must add the custom fields to the following
tables depending on the radio technology implemented in the document:

TRANSMITTERS and REPEATERS for single-RAT documents.

GTRANSMITTERS, GREPEATERS, UTRANSMITTERS, UREPEATERS, LTRANSMITTERS, and LREPEATERS for multi-RAT
documents.

If your document is not connected to a database, then you can add the custom fields to the corresponding transmitter tables
in Atoll.
To add custom fields to a stand-alone document in Atoll:
1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Transmitter folder and select Open Table from the context menu.
2. Right-click a cell in the table and select Table Fields. The Table Fields dialog box opens.

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3. Click Add and enter the following information in the Field Definition dialog box:

Name: Enter the name of the custom field (for example: "O_SPLIT_LOSS").
Type: Select the data type for the custom field.
Default: Enter the default value for the custom field.

4. Click OK to return to the object type table.

5. In the Network explorer, right-click the Transmitter folder, select Remote Antennas and Open Table from the context
menu.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 4.
7. In a Multi-RAT environment, repeat the operation for the Transmitters folders of all technologies.

4 Using the Power Split Add-in

The Power Split add-in enables you to perform the following tasks:

Split power between a transmitter and its remote antennas.

Validate the consistency of power split values contained in the current document.

4.1 Splitting Power between a Transmitter and Repeaters

You can use the Power Splitter window to split power between a transmitter and its repeaters.

Figure 2: The Power Splitter Window

The Power Splitter window contains two lists:

The Transmitters area displays all top-level transmitters that can be found on the selected site.
If the power split information of a transmitter is empty or equal to 0, then power split on
this transmitter is disabled. Atoll considers that its full power is available.

The Antennas connected area displays the currently selected top-level transmitter (labelled Main antenna) along
with all of its remote antennas. If no remote antenna is connected to the selected transmitter, this list is empty.

4.1.1 Manual Power Split

To split power manually between a transmitter and its repeaters:
1. Select a site or a transmitter and click the Power Split button ( )in the add-in toolbar. The Power Splitter window
opens (see Figure 2).
2. In the Antennas connected list, specify the power split values with one of the following methods:

Enter a splitter loss (in dB) in the Power splitter loss column.
Enter a power percentage in the % Power column.

Modifying a value in either of these columns automatically recalculates the other columns:

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The corresponding loss or percentage in the other unit(s) is recalculated. For example, if the Power splitter loss
column in set to 3 dB for an antenna, then its % Power is automatically set to 50%.
The remaining power for the Main antenna is recalculated. The main antenna power is automatically set to the
difference between 100% and the sum of all remote antennas powers and cannot be modified.

3. Click Apply button to apply your changes.

4.1.2 Automatic Power Split

The algorithm used to automatically split power between a transmitter and its remote antennas assigns an equal amount of
power to each transmitter by taking its hierarchy into consideration. The power split information can be manually adjusted
afterwards, as described in section "Manual Power Split".
When all the remote antennas are connected to the main transmitter (single-level layout), then the power is split equally
between the transmitter and its repeaters. For example:

Main_TX is the main transmitter

Main_TX_Rem0 is a remote antenna connected to Main_TX
Main_TX_Rem1 is another remote antenna connected to Main_TX.

In this case, the result of the automatic power split is:

Main_TX : 33%
Main_TX_Rem0: 33%
Main_TX_Rem1: 33%

When only some of the remote antennas are connected to other remote antennas (multi-level layout), then the remaining
percentage of power is cascaded down the hierarchy. For example:

Main_TX is a main transmitter

Main_TX_Rem0 is a remote antenna connected to Main_TX
Main_TX_Rem0_Rem0 is a remote antenna connected to Main_TX_Rem0

In this case, the result of the automatic power split is:

Main_TX: 50%
Main_TX_Rem0: 25%
Main_TX_Rem0_Rem0: 25%

To automatically split power between a transmitter and its remote antennas:

1. Select a site or a transmitter and click the Power Split button ( )in the add-in toolbar. The Power Splitter window
opens (see Figure 2).
2. Click the Split power equally button. The add-in assigns an equal amount of power to each transmitter taking its
hierarchy into consideration.
3. If necessary, modify the calculated values manually and click Apply button to apply your changes.

4.2 Validating Power Split Consistency

Power split validation consists of checking that the sum of powers of a transmitter and its repeaters is equal to 100 percent.
The consistency of power split information is automatically checked when the current document is archived. If the validation
fails, you will not be able to archive the document.
In addition, you can manually check power split consistency with Power Split Validation tool.

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To check the consistency of power split values in the current document:

1. Click on the Power Split Validation button (

) in the add-in toolbar. The Power Split - Validation window opens.

Figure 3: The Power Split - Validation window

2. In the Audit scope area, choose which transmitters will be included in the validation:

Select Audit all transmitters to include all the transmitters in the document.
The Audit modified transmitters only to restrict the validation to modified transmitters only.
This feature is disabled for non-connected Atoll documents.

3. In the Consistency of power split information area, select Split power equally to automatically set the power level on
all invalid transmitters.
4. Click Start. Any top-level transmitter that bears power split inconsistencies is reported in the Event Viewer in Atoll.

4.3 Manual Mode

An optional manual mode, which removes checks and consistency verifications, is available.
Enabling the manual mode feature can lead to inconsistencies of split power levels in the
document.

When the manual mode feature is enabled, a Manual mode option appears in the Power Splitter window.

Figure 4: Power Splitter window with Manual mode feature enabled.

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When the Manual mode option is selected for a transmitter:

No constraints are enforced when split power levels are entered manually and applied.

The validation feature (automatic and manual) ignores any power level inconsistencies in the document.

4.3.1 Enabling Manual Mode

The manual mode feature is optional. To enable the manual mode feature, the following field must be manually created in
Atoll on all transmitter tables before using the add-in.
Field

Type

Description

Attributes

O_PS_IS_MANUAL

Boolean

Power split manual mode enabled

Null column allowed: Yes

Default value: False

For more information about adding custom fields, see "Configuring the Database" on page 4.

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July 2015