Antenna Isolation Analysis (UMTS-GSM)

Course Contents

Scenario Classification
Interference Analysis
Interference Test
Antenna Isolation Test

Co-Existence

Definition: Co-existence is that UMTS sites and GSM sites

are in the same geographical area, but not co-located.

1000m

Cell radius = 0.333 m

Disadvantage of Co-Existence

Antenna may shooting at each other, the victim

cells will reduce a lot on both capacity and coverage,

or even is blocked if the interference is strong
enough.

Worst case: macro -> micro, dead zone happens

Co-Siting

Definition: Co-siting is that both UMTS and GSM

sites are co-located in the same place.

For 2G mobile network operator, Co-siting is the

most popular way to build UMTS network.

1000m

Cell radius = 0.333 m

Advantage of Co-Siting

Operator may reuse the resources of old sites and

reduce the cost for building UMTS network;

Operator can reuse the GSM drive test (DT), consult

the previous optimization results and take as a
reference to UMTS (for example: BCCH signal

distribution);

Co-siting can reduce near-far effect, because path

loss to both UMTS and GSM are always equal and

dead zone are less likely.

Course Contents

Scenario Classification
Interference Analysis
Interference Test
Antenna Isolation Test

Frequency Allocation for UMTS

1800

1900

2000

2100

2200 MHz

3GPP and GSM Specification

WCDMA Base Station (BS ) Spurious Emission (SE):

Band

Max Level/ Measurement Bandwidth (BW)

30~1000MHz

876~915MHz-98dBm/100KHz
921~960MHz-57dBm/100KHz
Others -36dBm/100KHz

1000~2100MHz

1710~1785MHz-98dBm/100KHz
1805~1880MHz-47dBm/100KHz
1893.5~1919.6MHz-41dBm/300KHz
1900~1920MHz-86dBm/MHz
1920~1980MHz-96dBm/100KHz

WCDMA BS Accepted Noise

BS accepted noise calculation:

BG_Noise = KTW + NF,

K: Boltzmann constant;

T: temperatures in degrees, Kelvin;

W: receiver BW; NF: 3 dB;

KT= -174dBm/Hz, BG_Noise= -105dBm/3.84MHz

A typical accepted sensitivity degradation level of radio

system is less than 0.4 dB. Based on the above BG_Noise

value, the extra interference signal should be less than -115

dBm/3.84MHz.

3GPP and GSM Specification

GSM BS SE:
In GSM 05.05 specification, the limitation for GSM900 and
DCS1800 SE of UMTS band is very low, only 30dBm/3MHz

Bands

Maxi Level/ Measurement BW

9KHz1GHz

36dBm/3MHz

112.75GHz

30dBm/3MHz

GSM BS Accepted Noise

BS allowed noise calculation:

BG_Noise= KTW + NF

K: Boltzmann constant, KT= 174dBm/Hz;

T: temperature in degrees Kelvin;

W: receiver BW;

NF: noise figure of BS, 3 dB;

BG_Noise= 118dBm/200kHz.

A typical allowed sensitivity degradation level of radio

system: < 0.4 dB. From above BG_Noise value, extra
interference signal should be: < 128 dBm/200kHz.

Interference Investigation for Co-siting

For co-siting scenario, the interference situation needs to

be investigated based on the Tx/Rx antenna scenario.

GSM Tx interferences UMTS Rx

UMTS Tx interferences GSM Rx

Interference: GSM to UMTS

Case of directional antenna

GSM

GSM

UMTS

Isolation distance

Isolation
distance

UMTS

NodeB accepted noise: < 115 dBm.

From GSM05.05, max GSM SE leaked in UMTS band: 30dBm/3MHz

( 29dBm/3.84MHz).

Isolation between GSM Tx and UMTS Rx:

29dBm ( 115dBm) = 86dB.

Interference: GSM to UMTS

The average space distance between two antennas:

> 100m (H), and > 4m (H), not practical
Note: H - horizontal

Actually, RF performance of GSM equipment is vendors

dependent and normally is much better than that from GSM
specification. For example, normally for GSM900 BTS, in order to
co-located with DCS1800, extra attenuation will be achieved in
DCS1800 band, close to UMTS band.
Huawei DCS1800 BTS, SE in UMTS band: < 53dBm/3.84MHz.
This ensures the isolation to be 62dB between GSM Tx and

UMTS Rx.

Interference: UMTS to GSM

For GSM, BTS accepted noise is less than -128 dBm.

The max GSM SE leaked in 900 and 1800 band is
- 98dBm/100KHz (- 95dBm/200KHz). Thus the isolation

between UMTS Tx and GSM Rx antenna is:

- 95dBm ( - 128dBm) = 33dB.

In this scenario, the average space distance between

two antennas is less than 1m for horizontal, and less
than 0.2m for vertical.

Course Contents

Scenario Classification
Interference Analysis
Interference Test
Antenna Isolation Test

Interference Test

The isolation is relatively hard to achieve when two

system co-located from theoretical calculation.

This

result is too pessimistic.

In practice, RF performance of BS equipment is

vendors dependent and normally is much better than
that from UMTS and GSM specification.

Interference test helps in evaluating the antenna

isolation among different wireless systems.

GSM Spurious Emission Test

Antenna or
Dummy
Load

GSM
GSM and
WCDMA
Diplexer

WCDMA

WCDMA
BPF
Spectrum
Analyzer

GSM BTS

Agilent
E4445

Test Equipments and Accessories

Items

Note

Amount

Spectrum Analyzer

Agilent E4445Awith LNA

option

WCDMA BPF

LGP145

WCDMA/GSM900
Diplexer

LGP135 or Kathrein 782

10250

WCDMA/DCS1800
Diplexer

LGP145 or Kathrein 782

10243

Dummy Load

RF power >100W

RF Cable
Adaptor

4
DIN (male)/N (female)

Test Process
Agilent E4445A Settings:
Frequency band1920 ~1980 MHz
RBW 100KHz
VBW 300KHz
AverageOn
Average times: 20
LNA Status: On
Steps
1) Set up the test system
2) Adjust GSM BTS output power to max value
3) Record the spurious power value using Peak-Search
function

Course Contents

Scenario Classification
Interference Analysis
Interference Test
Antenna Isolation Test

Test Condition

Testing under two cases with cross polarization (CXP)

antennas:

Case 1: UMTS and GSM900 ,

Case 2: UMTS and DCS1800

Two 9m 1/2 cables are used in this test and each cables loss is
regarded as 1dB in GSM900 band and 2dB in DCS1800 and UMTS bands.
The isolation data in this test is processed so that the cable loss is
excluded.

The antenna ports are selected so that Tx and Rx antenna have the same
polarization.

The antennas are installed 8m above ground and are directed toward the
same direction.

Bands

Vendor

Type

Gain

HBW

VBW

GSM900

JB

7600

17dBi

60

DCS1800

JB

5022004

18dBi

60

5.5

UMTS

MAT

5162100

Test Configurations

GSM
Antenna

UMTS
Antenna

Spectrum
Analyzer

HP8594E

Test Equipments and Accessories

Items

Note

Amount

Spectrum Analyzer

Agilent E4445A

Signal Generator

Max output power

>10dBm
Frequency band:
900 KHz ~ 2 GHz
CW output

Test Cable

3m

Antennas

GSM, UMTS

Adaptor

DIN (male)/N( female)

Matching Load

N (male)

Test Process
Agilent E4445A settings:
Frequency band1920 1980 MHz
RBW 100 KHz
VBW 300 KHz
AverageOn
Average times: 20 (mS)
Signal generator settings:
Frequency: 1950 MHz
RF power: 10 dBm
Mode: CW
Steps
1) Set up the test system according to figure 1
2) Turn on RF power of signal generator
3) Record the power value of E4445A at 1950MHz

Test Result

Case 1 Antenna Isolation of UMTS and GSM900

890
MHz

902.5
MHz

915
MHz

935
MHz

947.5
MHz

960
MHz

1920
MHz

1950
MHz

1980
MHz

2110
MHz

2140
MHz

2170
MHz

0.
5
m

65d
B

68dB

68d
B

71d
B

65dB

70d
B

55dB

58dB

62dB

49dB

52dB

62dB

1.
0
m

70d
B

72dB

73d
B

71d
B

71dB

71d
B

57dB

61dB

67dB

62dB

66dB

63dB

1.
5
m

72d
B

71dB

70d
B

69d
B

72dB

72d
B

65dB

66dB

68dB

57dB

58dB

60dB

2.
0
m

71d
B

73dB

73d
B

69d
B

71dB

73d
B

71dB

67dB

70dB

58dB

63dB

63dB

Test Result

Case 2 Antenna Isolation of UMTS and DCS1800

1710
MHz

1747.
5MHz

1785
MHz

1805
MHz

1842.
5MHz

1880
MHz

1920
MHz

1950
MHz

1980
MHz

2110
MHz

2140
MHz

2170M
Hz

0.
5
m

63dB

61dB

56dB

62dB

68dB

62dB

51dB

58dB

60dB

66dB

57dB

57dB

1.
0
m

62dB

67dB

66dB

67dB

66dB

62dB

54dB

54dB

68dB

60dB

55dB

58dB

1.
5
m

63dB

66dB

62dB

61dB

60dB

60dB

59dB

59dB

58dB

62dB

66dB

68dB

2.
0
m

70dB

62dB

62dB

67dB

62dB

63dB

60dB

62dB

61dB

66dB

69dB

66dB