PARADISE DATACOM APPLICATION NOTE

Q-FLEX/Q-LITE MODEM

ANTENNA POINTING GUIDE

AN_039
Issue 2

Teledyne Paradise Datacom Ltd. Teledyne Paradise Datacom LLC

2&3 The Matchyns, Rivenhall End, 328 Innovation Blvd.
Witham, Essex, CM8 3HA, England. State College, PA 16803, U.S.A.
Tel: +44 1376 515636 Tel: +1 814 238 3450
http://www.paradisedata.com

Copyright © 2017 Teledyne Paradise Datacom Ltd. All rights reserved.

AN-039 Antenna Pointing Guide Issue 2

1. INTRODUCTION

The Q-Flex and Q-Lite modems can provide signals to an Antenna Control Unit (ACU) for
use in antenna pointing.

The OpenAMIP protocol is supported via the Ethernet M&C port. The use of this protocol is
documented in the relevant modem handbook.

Alternatively, a scalable 0 to 10V DC output signal is available that can be set to represent
any of the following:

• Receive power level

• Receive composite signal level
• Demodulator AGC level
• Eb/No

This application note demonstrates the use of these options.

2. ANTENNA POINTING SIGNAL SELECTION

The antenna pointing signal selection is made via the Test->Antenna menu of the modem
web user interface:

The different options for driving the antenna control output signal are:

• Receive power level. This can be used once the antenna has been pointed
sufficiently accurately as to cause the demodulator to lock. The DC output will
change relative to receive signal strength only when the demodulator is locked and
will drop to a low DC level when the demodulator is unlocked. The reported level will
depend on the minimum and maximum values used to set the scale of the output.

The receive signal bandwidth at the demodulator baseband input is fixed at ±40 MHz
for the Q-Flex modem but is symbol rate dependent on the Q-Lite. On the Q-Lite it
varies from ±1 MHz to ±20 MHz for signals with a symbol rates from 18 ksps to 20
Msps. At signal rate above 20 Msps the Q-Lite receive signal bandwidth is ±40 MHz.

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When operating the Q-Lite at low to medium symbol rates the filter bandwidth may be
too narrow to see enough of the neighbouring signals to achieve the best dynamic
range for the DC output. In this case it is possible to bypass the narrow filter selection
by selecting Wideband mode on the Spectrum Analyser of the web user interface.
This automatically selects a ±20 MHz bandwidth and will allow higher signal strength
at the baseband input and provides a wider dynamic range on the DC output level.

• Receive composite level. This is used during initial acquisition of the wanted signal,
while pointing the antenna and searching for the satellite. It provides a DC output
level relative to the signal strength at the input to receive path. This will comprise
both wanted and unwanted signals in the range 950 to 2050 MHz or 950 to 2450
MHz (dependent on modem type). The DC output level is independent of the
demodulator lock status.

• Demod AGC. This reports the performance of composite power input attenuator at
the input to the receive strip. The composite power attenuator starts operating at an
input level of -23 dBm for the Q-Flex modem and at -33 dBm for the Q-Lite. For
composite power levels below these values the DC output will vary dependent on
signal strength. For signal levels above these values the DC level will remain
constant as the input attenuator increases relative to the input signal strength,
keeping the signal level at the demodulator input constant.

• Eb/No. This can be used once the terminal has acquired the wanted signal and the
demodulator has locked. The DC output will change relative to the Eb/No value and
is dependent on the values used for the scaling.

3. CONNECTOR SIGNALS AND SCALING VALUES

Connector Signals

Q-Flex

Antenna control on the Q-Flex modem is via the Alarms and AGC connector (15 way male
‘D’ type). The AGC output is on pin 8. Pin 6 provides the user-select DC output (i.e. Rx
power level, Demod AGC, Rx composite power or Eb/No). Pin 15 is Ground.

A Tx Mute control and the Rx Lock status can also be obtained on the Alarms & AGC
connector as follows. Pin 3 provides an indication for Rx traffic faults, the highest priority
fault of which is a demodulator unlock (so the alarm output approximately amounts to a
demodulator lock/unlock status). Since this is a relay output, the relay common on pin 2
needs to connected to Ground (pin 15). A pull-up resistor (if there isn’t one already in the
ACU) needs to be attached to pin 3 as it is normally open (representing the non-fail state).
Pin 7 is a Tx Mute input from the ACU. It will inhibit transmission when active.

Q-Lite

The Q-Lite modem requires either the P3719 Utilities Card or the P3730 Antenna Pointing
Card to be fitted. (The antenna pointing card is significantly smaller, lighter and consumes
less power.)

The DC output is available on the Utilities card on pin 6 and the ground is on pin 15; Tx Mute
and Rx Lock status are as for the Q-Flex above.

On the antenna pointing card, the DC output is available on the 4 way Molex connector,
where pin 3 is the DC output and pin 4 is Ground. The control of both cards is identical.

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Scaling values

Maximum and minimum values should be set to provide the best dynamic range for the
wanted signal type. Examples are:

For all four signal types, the input range is ± 99 dB. Appropriate limits can be determined as
follows:

• Receive power level. The maximum and minimum values for the wanted signal
level are determined by the demodulator symbol rate.

For the Q-Flex modem, the minimum and maximum L-band Rx signal levels are:

Minimum signal level = -130 + 10 log (symbol rate) dBm

Maximum signal level = -80 + 10 log (symbol rate) dBm

For a 2.048 Msps signal this gives a minimum level of -67 dBm and a maximum
level of -17 dBm.

For the latest revision of Q-Lite modem, the maximum and minimum signal levels
are:

Minimum signal level = -140 + 10 log (symbol rate) dBm.

Maximum signal level = -68 + 10 log (symbol rate) dBm.

For a 2.048 Msps signal this give a minimum level of -77 dBm and a maximum
level of -5 dBm.

The Q-Flex and Q-Lite will continue to operate below these minimum levels for at
least another 10 dB (with degraded Eb/No performance) so in the example above
you may wish to set the minimum value for the 2.048 Msps carrier to -87 dBm.

The maximum Rx power level is dependent on the terminal performance and the
operating conditions over the satellite and may not get to the levels indicated. A

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AN-039 Antenna Pointing Guide Issue 2

figure of -30 to -20 dBm may therefore be more appropriate dependent on the
antenna size.

• Receive composite power. The Q-Flex and Q-Lite measure the Rx composite
power at the input to the receive strip.

The composite power limits are specified by the maximum input level (+10 dBm)
and the wanted-to-composite signal level, which is specified as:

-102 + 10 log (symbol rate) dBc

For the 2.048 Msps example, this gives a wanted-to-composite level of 39 dBc.
For a maximum composite level of -20 dBm, the minimum signal level to maintain
specification is -59 dBm. Based on these results, to achieve the best dynamic
range, the minimum level should be set to -70 dBm and the maximum to -10
dBm.
• Demod AGC. The DC output in this case has a limited range of operation once
the Rx input composite power attenuator starts to operate. The maximum value
should therefore be set to the level appropriate to the modem (-23 or -33 dBm).
The minimum value should be set as per the minimum Rx power level
calculation.

• Eb/No. When using this option the maximum and minimum levels are determined
from normal operation of the link. If the link has a typical operating Eb/No of 7.0
dB, for example, minimum and maximum values of ±3 dB would be appropriate.

4. TEST RESULTS

The Q-Flex and Q-Lite were tested with a 2.048 Msps carrier at a maximum level of -50
dBm. The results for Rx power, Rx composite power and Demod AGC are shown below.

The strength of the modem Rx input level varies as the antenna is pointed more or less
accurately at the satellite. Results for three different modes are provided.

The wanted 2.048 Msps carrier is surrounded by two adjacent 2.048Msps carriers at +10
dBc, spaced at 1.4 times symbol rate away from the wanted carrier, and two high power
15Msps carriers are at ±18 MHz away from the wanted carrier. Composite noise is provided
by a broadband noise source, which has its output power filtered out by a ± 40 MHz notch
filter at 1350 MHz.

The signal frequencies and power levels at 0 dB attenuation are:

• Wanted = 2.048 Msps, 1350 MHz at -50 dBm. TPC rate ¾, QPSK.
• Adjacent 1 = 2.048 Msps, 1347.1328 MHz at -39.88 dBm.
• Adjacent 2 = 2.048 Msps, 1352.8672 MHz at -39.95 dBm.
• Interferer 1 = 15 Msps, 1332 MHz at -27.27 dBm.
• Interferer 2 = 15 Msps, 1368 MHz at -28.36 MHz.
• Notched noise power = -14.44 dBm.

The following figures show the spectrum plots from the Q-Flex, Q-Lite and an Anritsu
MS2712e:

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Q-Lite Input spectrum

Q-Flex input spectrum

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AN-039 Antenna Pointing Guide Issue 2

Anritsu MS2712e input spectrum measurement 50 MHz span

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AN-039 Antenna Pointing Guide Issue 2

Anritsu MS2712e input spectrum measurement 3 GHz span

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Receive power level data

Limits set -90 dBm to 0 dBm

Q-
LITE Q-FLEX
Attenuation Wanted AGC level Eb/No Rx Composite AGC Eb/No Rx Composite
dB signal volts dB dBm dBm level dB dBm dBm
level volts
dBm
0 -50.4 5.17/ 5.15 6.7 -50 -13 4.9 6.6 -50 -13
5 -55.4 4.47/4.49 6.7 -56 -19 4.34/4.37 6.6 -54 -18
10 -60.4 3.81/3.84 6.7 -61 -24 3.68/3.70 6.6 -60 -24
15 -65.4 3.11/3.08 6.7 -66 -29 3/3.05 6.6 -65 -30
20 -70.4 2.45/2.48 6.7 <-70 -36 2.40/2.39 6.6 <-70 -35
25 -75.4 2.27/2.23 6.6 <-70 -40 1.77/1.76 6.6 <-70 -40
30 -80.4 2.22/2.23 6.3 <-70 -45 1.15/1.17 6.6 <-70 -45
35 -85.4 2.23 5.5 <-70 -50 0.71/0.75 6.6 <-70 -50
40 -90.4 2.21 3.8 <-70 -55 0.11/0.12 6.6 <-70 -53
45 -95.4 1.60/1.58 0.5 <-70 -60 3 mV 6.6 <-70 -58
50

indicates below minimum input signal level

Modem Receive level vs Wanted DC level output

6.00

5.00

4.00
DC Volts

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
-100 -90 -80 -70 -60 -50
Receive input level dBm

Q-Lite Q-Flex

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Receive Composite level data

Limits set to -60 to +10 dBm

Q- Q-
LITE FLEX
Attenuation Wanted AGC Eb/No Rx Composite AGC Eb/No Rx Composite
dB signal level dB dBm dBm level dB dBm dBm
level volts volts
dBm
0 -50.2 5.266 6.8 -50 -13 6.69 6.7 -50 -14
5 -55.2 5.27 6.8 -56 -19 6.55 6.7 -55 -19
10 -60.2 5.28 6.8 -60 -24 6.23 6.7 -60 -25
15 -65.2 5.28 6.8 -67 -30 5.92 6.7 -65 -30
20 -70.2 4.96 6.8 <-70 -36 5.61 6.6 <-70 -35
25 -75.2 3.96 6.7 <-70 -40 5.32 6.5 <-70 -40
30 -80.2 2.95 6.4 <-70 -46 5.01 6.1 <-70 -45
35 -85.2 1.986 5.5 <-70 -50 4.69 5.2 <-70 -50
40 -90.2 11mV 3.7 <-70 -56 4.33 3.3 <-70 -54
45 -95.2 11mV 0.2 <-70 -60 3.91 -0.1 <-70 -58
50 -100.2

indicates below minimum input signal level

Modem Receive level vs Composite DC output

8.00

7.00

6.00

5.00
DC Volts

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
-100.00 -95.00 -90.00 -85.00 -80.00 -75.00 -70.00 -65.00 -60.00 -55.00 -50.00
Receive input level dBm

Q-Lite Q-Flex

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Demod AGC data

Limits set to -90 to 0 dBm

Q- Q-
LITE FLEX
Attenuation Wanted AGC Eb/No Rx Composite AGC Eb/No Rx Composite
dB signal level dB dBm dBm level dB dBm dBm
level volts volts
dBm
0 -50.2 7.77/7.82 6.8 -50 -13 7.2 6.7 -50 -14
5 -55.2 6.99/6.88 6.8 -55 -19 6.49 6.7 -54 -19
10 -60.2 6.09/6.04 6.8 -60 -24 5.50 6.7 -60 -25
15 -65.2 5.12/5.08 6.8 -67 -30 4.69 6.7 -65 -30
20 -70.2 4.05 6.8 <-70 -36 3.86 6.6 <-70 -35
25 -75.2 3.36/3.38 6.7 <-70 -40 3.08/3.09 6.5 <-70 -40
30 -80.2 2.42/2.45 6.3 <-70 -46 2.29 6.1 <-70 -45
35 -85.2 1.66 5.5 <-70 -50 1.53 5.2 <-70 -50
40 -90.2 0.723 3.6 <-70 -56 0.983 3.3 <-70 -54
45 -95.2 11mV 0.2 <-70 -60 0.281 -0.1 <-70 -58
50 -100.2 11mV 3.1mV

indicates below minimum input signal level

Modem Receive level vs Demod AGC DC output

8.00

7.00

6.00

5.00
DC volts

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
-100.00 -90.00 -80.00 -70.00 -60.00 -50.00
Receive input level dBm

Q-Lite Q-Flex

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5. CONCLUSION

From these results it can be seen that the Q-Flex and Q-Lite can be used as an aid
during antenna alignment. Initial alignment may benefit from using the Rx composite
signal with the modem spectrum analyser set to Wideband span. This will allow the
antenna to be pointed accurately enough to achieve demodulator lock. Once the
demodulator is locked, a further improvement in antenna pointing accuracy can be
achieved by using the Rx power level or Eb/No signal, with the modem spectrum
analyser set to Normal span.

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