Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual MW

Version 3.3.2

User Manual for Microwave Networks

AT332_UMM_E0

AT332_UMM_E0AT332_UMM_E0

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Release: AT332_UMM_E0 (October 2016) © Copyright 1997-2016 Forsk. All Rights Reserved. Published by: Forsk 7 rue des Briquetiers 31700 Blagnac, France Tel: +33 562 747 210 Fax: +33 562 747 211 The software described in this document is provided under a licence agreement. The software may only be used or copied under the terms and conditions of the licence agreement. No part of the contents of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. The product or brand names mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective registering parties. Third party services that are not part of Atoll are governed by the terms and conditions of their respective providers, which are subject to change without notice. The publisher has taken care in the preparation of this document, but makes no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information contained herein.

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Table of Contents

AT332_UMM_E0

Table of Contents

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 About Atoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 About Forsk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Printing Help Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 About Atoll Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Contacting Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1

Working Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1.1 1.1.1.2 1.1.2 1.1.2.1 1.1.2.2 1.1.2.3 1.1.2.4 1.1.2.5 1.1.3 1.1.3.1 1.1.3.2 1.1.3.3 1.1.3.4 1.1.3.5 1.1.4 1.1.4.1 1.1.4.2 1.1.4.3 1.1.5

Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Standalone Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Available Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Creating a Standalone Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Documents Connected to a Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Atoll Multi-User Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Creating a Document from a Database. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Checking the Database Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Refreshing a Document from the Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Archiving the Modifications in the Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Configuring Document Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Projection and Display Coordinate Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Setting a Coordinate System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Selecting the Degree Display Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Setting Measurement Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Defining a Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Saving Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Saving a Copy of a Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Creating and Sharing Portable Atoll Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Configuring Automatic Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Opening Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1.2 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.4.1 1.2.4.2 1.2.4.3 1.2.4.4 1.2.4.5 1.2.4.6

Atoll Work Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Document Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Explorers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Tool Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Organising the Atoll Work Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Grouping Tabs in the Document Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Displaying Explorers and Tool Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Moving Explorers and Tool Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Automatically Hiding Explorers and Tool Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Using the Status Bar to Get Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Resetting the Default Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

1.3 1.3.1 1.3.2 1.3.3 1.3.3.1 1.3.3.2 1.3.4 1.3.5 1.3.5.1 1.3.5.2 1.3.5.3

Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Renaming an Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Deleting an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Modifying the Visibility of Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Changing the Order of Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Accessing Object Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Setting the Display Properties of Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Setting the Display Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Setting the Visibility Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

3


1.3.5.4 1.3.5.5 1.3.5.6 1.3.5.7 1.3.5.8 1.3.6 1.3.6.1 1.3.6.2 1.3.6.3 1.3.6.4 1.3.6.5 1.3.6.6 1.3.6.7 1.3.6.8 1.3.7

4

© Forsk 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Associating a Label to an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Associating a Tip Text to an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Adding an Object Type to the Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Changing the Symbol Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Examples of Using the Display Properties of Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Modifying Microwave Link Extremities and Sites on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Marking Overlapping Backhaul Links on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Showing the Direction of Backhaul Links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Selecting One out of Several Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Moving a Site Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Moving a Site to a Higher Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Selecting Another Site for the Link Extremity Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Exporting Network Elements to Vector Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

1.4 1.4.1 1.4.1.1 1.4.1.2 1.4.1.3 1.4.1.4 1.4.2 1.4.3 1.4.3.1 1.4.3.2 1.4.3.3 1.4.3.4 1.4.4 1.4.5 1.4.6 1.4.7 1.4.8 1.4.8.1 1.4.8.2 1.4.8.3 1.4.8.4 1.4.9 1.4.10 1.4.10.1 1.4.10.2 1.4.10.3 1.4.10.4 1.4.10.5 1.4.10.6 1.4.10.7 1.4.11 1.4.11.1 1.4.11.2 1.4.11.3 1.4.11.4 1.4.11.5 1.4.12

Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Configuring the Layout of the Map Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Displaying the Map Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Displaying Rulers Around the Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Displaying the Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Using Full Screen Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Moving the Map in the Document Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Changing the Map Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Zooming In and Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Choosing a Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Changing Between Previous Zoom Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Adjusting the Map Window to a Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Using the Panoramic Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Opening a New Map Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Centring the Map Window on a Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Favourite Map Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Searching for Objects on the Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Searching for a Map Object by Its Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Searching for a Point on the Map by its Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Searching for a Point on the Map by its Full or Partial Postal Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Measuring Distances on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Using Zones in the Map Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Filtering Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Computation Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Focus Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Printing Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Geographic Export Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Creating Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Editing Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Vector Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Adding a Vector Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Editing Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Editing Polygon Contours and Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Creating Complex Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Map Window Pointers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

1.5 1.5.1 1.5.2 1.5.2.1 1.5.2.2 1.5.2.3 1.5.3 1.5.4 1.5.4.1 1.5.4.2 1.5.4.3 1.5.4.4 1.5.4.5

Data Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Opening a Data Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Accessing Table Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Adding a Field to a Data Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Deleting a Field from a Data Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Accessing Record Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Defining the Table Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Setting Column Background Colours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Changing Table Cell Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Changing Column Widths and Row Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Displaying and Hiding Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Freezing or Unfreezing a Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

AT332_UMM_E0


1.5.4.6 1.5.5 1.5.5.1 1.5.5.2 1.5.5.3 1.5.6 1.5.7 1.5.8 1.5.9 1.5.10

Moving Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Editing the Contents of a Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Editing Table Entries Directly in the Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Copying and Pasting in Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Searching for and Replacing Text Entries in Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Importing Tables from Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Exporting Tables to XML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Importing Tables from XML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

1.6 1.6.1 1.6.2 1.6.2.1 1.6.2.2 1.6.3 1.6.4 1.6.5

Printing in Atoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Printing Data Tables and Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Printing a Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Printing Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Defining the Print Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Previewing Your Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Printing a Docking Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Printing Antenna Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

1.7 1.7.1 1.7.1.1 1.7.1.2 1.7.1.3 1.7.1.4 1.7.1.5 1.7.2 1.7.2.1 1.7.2.2 1.7.3 1.7.3.1 1.7.3.2 1.7.3.3 1.7.3.4 1.7.3.5 1.7.4 1.7.4.1 1.7.4.2 1.7.5 1.7.5.1 1.7.5.2 1.7.5.3 1.7.5.4 1.7.5.5 1.7.5.6 1.7.5.7 1.7.6 1.7.6.1 1.7.6.2 1.7.6.3 1.7.6.4 1.7.6.5 1.7.6.6 1.7.7

Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Grouping Data Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Grouping Data Objects by Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Grouping Data Objects by Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Grouping Data Objects by Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Customizing the Group By Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Advanced Grouping of Data Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Sorting Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Sorting Data in Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Advanced Sorting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Filtering Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Filtering Data Objects by Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Filtering Data Objects by Polygon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Advanced Data Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Removing Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 User Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Saving a User Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Loading a User Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Site Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Adding Sites to a List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Adding Sites to a List from a Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Editing a Site List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Importing a Site List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Exporting a Site List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Filtering on a Site List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Site Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Folder Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Creating a Folder Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Applying a Saved Folder Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Saving a Folder Configuration in an External File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Loading a Folder Configuration from an External File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Deleting a Folder Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Creating and Comparing Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

1.8

Add-ins and Macros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

1.9 1.9.1 1.9.2

Toolbars and Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Using Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Using Shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

2

Geographic Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

2.1

Geographic Data Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

2.2

Supported Geographic Data Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

5


6


2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.3.4.1 2.3.4.2 2.3.5 2.3.6 2.3.6.1 2.3.6.2 2.3.6.3 2.3.7 2.3.8

Importing Geo Data Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing Raster Format Geo Data Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing Vector Format Geo Data Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing Traffic Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing MSI Planet® Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing a Single MSI Planet® Data Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing a MSI Planet® Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Organising Geo Data Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Folders for Vectors and Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moving a Vector or Image into a Dedicated Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Embedding Geographic Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repairing a Broken Link to a Geo Data File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

101 101 102 103 103 103 104 104 105 105 106 106 107 107

2.4

Digital Terrain Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

2.5 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.5.3 2.5.4 2.5.5

Clutter Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assigning Names to Clutter Classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Clutter Class Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding a Clutter Class. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.6

Clutter Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

2.7 2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3

Contours, Lines, and Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing the Display of a Vector Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moving a Vector Layer to the Network Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.8 2.8.1 2.8.2

Scanned Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Importing Several Scanned Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

2.9 2.9.1 2.9.2

Geoclimatic Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Managing Geoclimatic Map Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Displaying Geoclimatic Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

2.10 2.10.1 2.10.2 2.10.3 2.10.4

Displaying Online Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Online Maps from a Generic Tile Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Online Maps from the Microsoft Bing Tile Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Online Maps from a GEO or CFG File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Online Maps Display Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

114 114 115 115 115

2.11 2.11.1 2.11.2 2.11.2.1 2.11.2.2 2.11.2.3

Setting the Priority of Geo Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Display Priority of Geo Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Priority of Geo Data in Calculations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

116 116 117 117 118 118

2.12

Displaying Geo Data Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

2.13 2.13.1 2.13.2

Geographic Data Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Exporting a Geo Data Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Loading a Geo Data Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

2.14 2.14.1 2.14.1.1 2.14.1.2 2.14.1.3 2.14.1.4 2.14.2

Editing Geographic Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Clutter Class Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Clutter Polygon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing a Clutter Polygon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting Clutter Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing Geoclimatic Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

121 121 121 121 122 122 122

2.15 2.15.1 2.15.1.1 2.15.1.2 2.15.2

Saving Geographic Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saving Modifications to an External File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map to a Raster File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exporting an Edited Vector Layer to a Vector File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating the Source File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

123 124 124 125 125

108 108 108 109 110 110

111 111 111 112

AT332_UMM_E0

2.15.3 2.15.4 2.15.5

3


Combining Several Raster Files into a Single File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Exporting an Embedded Geo Data File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Creating a File from a Section of a Larger File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Microwave Antennas and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

3.1

Defining the List of Manufacturers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

3.2 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5 3.2.6

Defining Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Microwave Antenna Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Creating an Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Importing Microwave Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Editing Microwave Antenna Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Displaying Antenna Patterns With a Fixed Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Printing Microwave Antenna Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

3.3 3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 3.3.4 3.3.5 3.3.5.1 3.3.5.2 3.3.5.3 3.3.5.4 3.3.6 3.3.7 3.3.8 3.3.8.1 3.3.8.2 3.3.8.3

Microwave Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Description of a Radio Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Creating or Modifying a Radio Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Description of a Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Creating or Modifying a Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Importing Microwave Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Importing Single Radio Equipment Files into Atoll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Preparing Multiple Radio Equipment Files for Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Importing Multiple Radio Equipment Files into Atoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Importing Radios from XML Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Exporting Microwave Radios to XML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Creating Radio Series and Multiple Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Advanced Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Interference Reduction Factor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Theoretical Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Defining Equipment Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

3.4 3.4.1 3.4.2

Microwave Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Definition of Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Creating or Modifying Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

3.5 3.5.1 3.5.1.1 3.5.1.2 3.5.2 3.5.2.1 3.5.2.2

Microwave Antenna/Radio/Feeder Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Defining Compatibility Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Using the Microwave Antenna/Feeder Compatibility Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Using the Microwave Antenna-Radio Compatibility Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Using Assistants to Define Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Feeder Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Radio Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4

Microwave Calculations and Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

4.1 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 4.1.4

Working with Backhaul Propagation Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Working with the Microwave Propagation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Working with the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Working with the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Working with the Point-to-Area Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

4.2 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.2.1 4.2.2.2 4.2.2.3 4.2.2.4

Defining Backhaul Calculation Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Global Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Microwave Link Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Defining Parameters for a Single Microwave Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Defining Parameters for All Microwave Links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Defining Parameters that Affect Calculations for a Group of Microwave Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Calculating Geoclimatic Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

4.3 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3

Managing Microwave Link Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Calculating Microwave Link Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Stopping Microwave Link Profile Calculation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Setting the Storage Location of Microwave Link Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

5

Backhaul Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187 7


8


5.1

Designing a Backhaul Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

5.2 5.2.1 5.2.1.1 5.2.1.2 5.2.2 5.2.2.1 5.2.2.2 5.2.2.3 5.2.2.4 5.2.3

Planning and Optimising Microwave Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Site Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating or Modifying a Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Site Survey Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Line of Sight Area Around One Site. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Candidate Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finding the Best Route Between Two Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tools in Atoll for Finding New Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

188 188 188 189 189 189 191 193 194 195

5.3 5.3.1 5.3.1.1 5.3.1.2 5.3.1.3 5.3.1.4 5.3.1.5 5.3.1.6 5.3.2 5.3.2.1 5.3.2.2 5.3.2.3 5.3.3 5.3.4 5.3.5 5.3.6 5.3.6.1 5.3.6.2 5.3.6.3 5.3.6.4 5.3.6.5 5.3.7 5.3.8

Creating Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Microwave Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Microwave Link Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Microwave Radio Link on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Microwave Radio Links On Existing Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying a Microwave Radio Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Power Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Port Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Other Transmission Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other Transmission Link Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Other Transmission Links on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying Other Transmission Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying Sites and Links Directly on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Microwave and Other Transmission Links as Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Tips for Sites and Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Passive Repeaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Definition of a Passive Repeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opening the Passive Repeaters Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating or Modifying a Passive Repeater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placing a Passive Microwave Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding a Passive Repeater to a Microwave Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checking Data Consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

197 197 197 202 203 203 203 204 206 206 206 207 207 207 208 208 209 210 210 210 211 211 212

5.4 5.4.1 5.4.2 5.4.3 5.4.4

Designing and Optimising Microwave Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Understanding Issues Raised by the Link Design Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Specifying Link Design Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Link Design Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applying Solutions to Link Design Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

213 214 214 215 216

5.5 5.5.1 5.5.1.1 5.5.1.2 5.5.1.3 5.5.1.4 5.5.1.5 5.5.1.6 5.5.1.7 5.5.1.8 5.5.2 5.5.2.1 5.5.2.2 5.5.2.3

Analysing the Path Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Path Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viewing a Microwave Link Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Studying Microwave Link Clearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Studying the Microwave Link Cross Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining the Display of the Microwave Link Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Analysing a Particular Point Along the Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zooming and Scrolling in the Profile Analysis View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing a Microwave Link Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determining Microwave Link Antenna Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting Microwave Antenna Heights Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Microwave Antenna Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

217 217 217 218 218 219 220 221 221 222 226 226 226 226

5.6 5.6.1 5.6.1.1 5.6.1.2 5.6.1.3 5.6.1.4 5.6.1.5 5.6.2 5.6.2.1 5.6.2.2

Analysing Microwave Link Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Analysing a Single Microwave Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculating a Microwave Analysis Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculating a Microwave Link Design Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing a Microwave Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exporting a Microwave Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Analysing Microwave Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defining Link Budget Analysis Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculating Multiple Microwave Link Budgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

227 227 228 230 231 232 232 232 233 233

AT332_UMM_E0


5.6.2.3 5.6.3 5.6.3.1 5.6.3.2

Link Budget Calculation Validity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 Creating Multi-hops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

5.7 5.7.1 5.7.2 5.7.2.1 5.7.2.2 5.7.2.3 5.7.3

Studying Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Displaying Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Analysing Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Configuring the Reflection Analysis Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Solutions for Reflection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242

5.8 5.8.1 5.8.1.1 5.8.1.2 5.8.1.3 5.8.2 5.8.3 5.8.3.1 5.8.3.2 5.8.4 5.8.5

Planning Microwave Link Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Checking Microwave Link Site Parities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Checking Site Parities on the Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Creating a Report on Site Parities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Channel Reuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Displaying Channel Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 Allocating Channels Interactively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Allocating Channels to a Microwave Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Defining the Allocation Calculation Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Working with the Frequency Spectrum Analyser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Displaying Third-order Intermodulation Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

5.9 5.9.1 5.9.1.1 5.9.1.2 5.9.2 5.9.3 5.9.3.1 5.9.3.2 5.9.3.3 5.9.3.4 5.9.4 5.9.4.1 5.9.4.2 5.9.4.3

Analysing Interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Interference Reduction Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Defining IRF Graphs Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Defining IRF Graphs with the Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Using IRF in Interference Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Analysing the Interference on a Single Microwave Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Displaying Interference in the Form of a Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Displaying Site A/Site B Interference Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Defining the Interference Analysis Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Displaying Interference on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Analysing the Interference on Multiple Microwave Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Defining Interference Analysis Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Performing an Interference Analysis on Multiple Microwave Links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Managing Interference Calculation Validity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

5.10 5.10.1 5.10.2

Exporting Custom Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Exporting a Custom Report for One Microwave Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Exporting a Custom Report for Several Microwave Links. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268

5.11 5.11.1 5.11.1.1 5.11.1.2 5.11.1.3 5.11.1.4 5.11.1.5 5.11.2 5.11.2.1 5.11.2.2 5.11.3 5.11.4 5.11.5 5.11.5.1 5.11.5.2 5.11.5.3 5.11.5.4 5.11.6 5.11.7 5.11.7.1 5.11.7.2 5.11.7.3 5.11.7.4 5.11.7.5

Advanced Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 Defining Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Frequency Band Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Frequency Sub-band Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Defining Microwave Link Frequency Bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Defining Microwave Link Frequency Sub-bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Viewing All Channel Arrangements Available for a Frequency Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Defining Performance Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Defining Link Classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Defining Performance Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Defining Design Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Defining Frontages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Defining Microwave Link Templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Creating a Microwave Link Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Modifying a Microwave Link Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Modifying a Field on a Microwave Link Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Deleting a Microwave Link Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Defining Transmission Link Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Modelling Point to Multipoint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Creating a Point to Multipoint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Point to Multipoint System Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 Connecting Sites to Hubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Setting all Microwave Links of a Point to Multipoint System as Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284

9


5.11.7.6 5.11.7.7 5.11.7.8 5.11.7.9 5.11.7.10 5.11.7.11

6


Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point to Multipoint System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting a Point to Multipoint System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Analysing Point to Multipoint System Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

284 284 284 285 286 286

Backhaul Capacity Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

6.1 6.1.1 6.1.1.1 6.1.1.2 6.1.2 6.1.2.1 6.1.2.2 6.1.2.3 6.1.3 6.1.3.1 6.1.3.2 6.1.3.3 6.1.3.4 6.1.3.5 6.1.3.6 6.1.3.7 6.1.4 6.1.5

Creating the Logical Transport Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Transport Layer Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Backhaul Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Backhaul Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Node Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Node on a Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Multiple Nodes by Importing a Text File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Segment Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Segment on an Existing Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Segment over Multiple Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Multiple Segments over a Single Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting a Node . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Subnetwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Resetting Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying and Exporting the Subnetwork Topology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inserting a Site Into a Physical Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

292 292 293 293 294 294 295 295 296 297 297 298 299 300 300 302 302 303

6.2

Checking Logical and Physical Layer Consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

6.3 6.3.1 6.3.2 6.3.3 6.3.4 6.3.4.1 6.3.4.2 6.3.4.3 6.3.5 6.3.6 6.3.7 6.3.8 6.3.9

Dimensioning the Backhaul Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning a Sub-network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning a Route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensioning the Entire Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Dimensioning Results on the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Traffic Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Remaining Bandwidth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Dimensioning Results Using Tip Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Results of the Dimensioning Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying a Specific Segment in a Dimensioning Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Estimating Traffic Decrease and Increase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Maximum Traffic Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overbooking Ethernet Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6.4 6.4.1 6.4.2

Network Failure Simulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Simulating a Site Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Simulating a Link Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311

305 305 306 307 307 307 308 308 309 309 310 310 311

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

10

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Introduction

AT332_UMM_E0

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual This User Manual provides guidance and detailed instructions to help you get started and to learn how to use the product effectively. To best understand the ideas and techniques described, you should already be familiar with the radio network technologies that are implemented in Atoll.

About Atoll Atoll is a 64-bit multi-technology wireless network design and optimisation platform. Atoll is open, scalable, flexible, and supports wireless operators throughout the network life cycle, from initial design to densification and optimisation. Atoll Microwave is a complete backhaul and microwave link planning solution based on the leading Atoll platform, which includes a high performance GIS and advanced data and user management features. Atoll Microwave can share its site database with Atoll radio planning and optimisation modules, thus allowing easy data consistency management across the operator organisation. Atoll’s integration and automation features help operators smoothly automate planning and optimisation processes through flexible scripting and SOA-based mechanisms. Atoll supports a wide range of implementation scenarios, from standalone to enterprise-wide server-based configurations. If you are interested in learning more about Atoll, please contact your Forsk representative to inquire about our training solutions.

About Forsk Forsk is an independent company providing radio planning and optimisation software solutions to the wireless industry since 1987. In 1997, Forsk released the first version of Atoll, its flagship radio planning software. Since then, Atoll has evolved to become a comprehensive radio planning and optimisation platform and, with more than 7000 installed licenses worldwide, has reached the leading position on the global market. Atoll combines engineering and automation functions that enable operators to smoothly and gradually implement SON processes within their organisation. Today, Forsk is a global supplier with over 450 customers in 120 countries and strategic partnerships with major players in the industry. Forsk distributes and supports Atoll directly from offices and technical support centres in France, USA, and China as well as through a worldwide network of distributors and partners. Since the first release of Atoll, Forsk has been known for its capability to deliver tailored and turn-key radio planning and optimisation environments based on Atoll. To help operators streamline their radio planning and optimisation processes, Forsk provides a complete range of implementation services, including integration with existing IT infrastructure, automation, as well as data migration, installation, and training services.

Getting Help The online help system that is installed with Atoll is designed to give you quick access to the information you need to use the product effectively. It contains the same material as the Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual. You can browse the online help from the Contents view, the Index view, or you can use the built-in Search feature. You can also download manuals from the Forsk web site at: http://www.forsk.com/MyForskAccount/

Printing Help Topics You can print individual topics or chapters from the online help. To print help topics or chapters: 1. In Atoll, click Help > Help Topics. 2. In the Contents tab, expand the table of contents. 3. Right-click the section or topic that you want to print and click Print. The Print Topics dialog box appears. 4. In the Print Topics dialog box, select what you want to print: • •

If you want to print a single topic, select Print the selected topic. If you want to print an entire section, including all topics and sections in that section, select Print the selected heading and all subtopics.

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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Introduction

© 2016 Forsk. All Rights Reserved.

5. Click OK.

About Atoll Documentation The following PDF manuals are available for Atoll and Atoll Microwave and can be downloaded from the Forsk web site at: http://www.forsk.com/MyForskAccount/ • • • • • •

Atoll User Manual Atoll Administrator Manual Atoll Data Structure Reference Guide Atoll Technical Reference Guide Atoll Task Automation Guide Atoll Model Calibration Guide

To read PDF manuals, download Adobe Reader from the Adobe web site at: http://get.adobe.com/reader/ Hardcopy manuals are also available. For more information, contact to your Forsk representative.

Contacting Technical Support Forsk provides global technical support for its products and services. To contact the Forsk support team, visit the My Forsk web site at: http://www.forsk.com/MyForskAccount/ Alternatively, depending on your geographic location, contact one of the following support teams: •

Forsk Head Office For regions other than North and Central America and China, contact the Forsk Head Office support team: • • •

Tel.: +33 562 747 225 Fax: +33 562 747 211 Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 6.00 pm (GMT +1:00) •

Forsk US For North and Central America, contact the Forsk US support team: • • •

Tel.: 1-888-GO-ATOLL (1-888-462-8655) Fax: 1-312-674-4822 Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) •

Forsk China For China, contact the Forsk China support team: • • •

Tel: +86 20 8557 0016 Fax: +86 20 8553 8285 Email: [email protected]

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi.

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Chapter 1 Working Environment This chapter presents the Atoll working environment and explains the tools and shortcuts available.

This chapter covers the following topics: •

"Documents" on page 15

•

"Atoll Work Area" on page 26

•

"Objects" on page 30

•

"Maps" on page 41

•

"Data Tables" on page 58

•

"Printing in Atoll" on page 72

•

"Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on page 76

•

"Add-ins and Macros" on page 91

•

"Toolbars and Shortcuts" on page 91

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks ©2016 Forsk. All Rights Reserved

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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Chapter 1: Working Environment

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1 Working Environment The Atoll working environment provides a wide set of tools to create and design microwave-planning projects in a single application and to create and export results based on your projects. In Atoll, microwave-planning projects are modelled and managed through Atoll documents (files with the .ATL extension). The Atoll working environment is flexible and supports standard Windows capabilities (such as simultaneous opening of several windows, moving windows or objects by dragging and dropping them, commands accessible through context menus, standard shortcuts). Data and objects contained in an Atoll document are accessible from different ways: •

•

•

Explorers: The explorers contain most of the objects in a document arranged in folders. Using the explorers, you can manage all objects in the Atoll document: sites, calculations, as well as geographic data such as the Digital Terrain Model (DTM), and clutter classes. You can, for example, define various coverage predictions or configure the parameters or display of data objects. Maps: Atoll provides many tools for working with the map. You can change the view by moving or zooming in or out and you can choose which objects are displayed and how they are displayed. You can also export the current display definition, or configuration, to use it in other documents. Data tables: The content of the folders in the explorers can be displayed in tables, allowing you to manage large amounts of data. You can sort and filter the data in a table, or change how the data is displayed. You can also enter large amounts of information into a table by importing data or by cutting and pasting the information from any Windows spreadsheet into the table.

This chapter provides an overview of the Atoll working environment and covers the following topics: • • • • • • • •

"Documents" on page 15 "Atoll Work Area" on page 26 "Objects" on page 30 "Maps" on page 41 "Data Tables" on page 58 "Printing in Atoll" on page 72 "Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on page 76 "Toolbars and Shortcuts" on page 91.

1.1 Documents In Atoll, microwave-planning projects are modelled and managed through Atoll documents (files with the .ATL extension). Each Atoll document can contain multiple technologies and assembles the following necessary information: • • •

Microwave equipment such as sites, antennas, and other equipment. For more information on radio equipment, see the technology-specific chapters. Microwave data such as frequency bands, technology-specific parameters, coordinate systems. For more information on microwave data, see the technology-specific chapters. Geographic data such as clutter classes, clutter heights, Digital Terrain Model (DTM), . For more information on geographic data, see Chapter 2: Geographic Data.

Atoll documents can be used in a single-user or multi-user environment: •

•

In a single-user environment, Atoll documents are standalone documents. Atoll is delivered with document templates that contain the data and folder structure necessary for the technologies you are using. You can also create your own templates by opening an existing template, changing it to fit your own requirements, and then saving it as a new template. In a multi-user environment, documents are connected to a database and can be created from an existing database. When you create an Atoll document from a database, the database you connect to has been created with the technologies and data you need. Working with a database allows several users to share the same data while at the same time managing data consistency.

This section covers the following topics: • •

"Standalone Documents" on page 15. "Documents Connected to a Database" on page 16.

1.1.1 Standalone Documents Standalone documents are documents that are not connected to a database and that are created based on a template delivered along with Atoll. A template is available for each technology you are planning for. Each template provides data and a data structure suitable for the selected technology. For example, the tables and fields for transmitters as well as the radio

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parameters available differ according to the project. As well, the objects that are available are appropriate for the technology. For example, UMTS cells are only available in UMTS documents and TRX are only available in GSM-TDMA documents. If you create a multi-RAT document, Atoll enables you to select the multiple radio technologies you will be planning for. In a multi-RAT document, the data and data structures for each radio technology planned for are made available in the new Atoll document. Once you have selected the appropriate template for your microwave-planning project, you must configure the basic parameters of the Atoll document. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Available Templates" on page 16 "Creating a Standalone Document" on page 16

1.1.1.1 Available Templates Depending on your configuration of Atoll, the following templates are available: •

•

Microwave Radio Links: This template enables you to create a physical backhaul network, including microwave and other transmission links (fibre-optic links or leased lines).

•

Backhaul: This template enables you to create both a physical and a logical backhaul network. The logical layer allows you to perform backhaul capacity planning activities.

1.1.1.2 Creating a Standalone Document You can create a standalone document based on a template. To create a document from a template: 1. In the File menu, select New > From a Document Template. The Project Templates dialog box i displayed. 2. Select the template on which you want to base your document. For information about templates, see "Available Templates" on page 16. 3. Click OK. If you selected a Multi-RAT template, a dialog box is displayed enabling you to select the radio technologies you want to model in the new document. Atoll creates a document based on the selected template with the appropriate folder structure in the Network and Parameters explorer.

1.1.2 Documents Connected to a Database Working with a database allows several users to share the same data in the context of a multi-user environment. Atoll can work with the following databases: • • • •

Microsoft Access Microsoft SQL Server Oracle Microsoft Data Link files

The exact procedure of connecting with the database differs from one database to another. When you create an Atoll document from a database, Atoll loads the data to which you have rights from database into your new document and then disconnects it from the database. The connection to the reference database is reactivated only when necessary, thus ensuring access to the database by other users. When you work in a multi-user environment, there are issues related to sharing data that do not arise when you are working on a standalone document. For example, when you archive your changes to the database, the changes you have made may occasionally interfere with changes other users have made and you will need to resolve this conflict. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

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"Atoll Multi-User Environment" on page 17 "Creating a Document from a Database" on page 18 "Checking the Database Connection" on page 18 "Refreshing a Document from the Database" on page 18 "Archiving the Modifications in the Database" on page 19.


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1.1.2.1 Atoll Multi-User Environment A multi-user environment is one where a number of users or groups of users work simultaneously on given parts of a single, large (perhaps nation-wide) network. Different user groups might be working on regional or smaller sections of the network. An Atoll multi-user environment consists of the following items, connected over a network: •

A central Atoll project: The central Atoll project can only be accessed, modified, and updated by the Atoll administrator. Through this central Atoll project, the Atoll administrator can manage all the data shared by all the individual Atoll users or groups of users.

•

Shared data: Shared data is initially set up by the administrator using the central Atoll project and are then accessed, modified, worked on, and updated by the Atoll users and the administrator. The shared data is mainly of the following three types: •

•

•

The central database: The central database stores all the radio data of all the Atoll user documents. It is initiated through the central Atoll project by the administrator, and is then subdivided into sections on which users or groups of users can work simultaneously. Once the database is in place, users can modify their projects, refresh their projects from the data stored in the database, and archive their modifications in the database. The use of a database means that potential data conflicts due to modifications from other users, modified or deleted records, for example, can be detected and resolved. Shared geographic data: Shared geographic data files are usually stored on a common file server with a fast access connection. Since geographic data files are usually large, they are usually linked to an Atoll file, i.e., they are stored externally, so as to minimise the size of the Atoll file. Users who modify geographic data locally, for example, editing edit clutter or traffic in their respective projects, usually store these modifications locally, since these modifications rarely have an impact on other users.

Microwave link profiles: Shared microwave link profiles are calculated in the central Atoll project by the administrator. Users can read these shared profiles but cannot modify them. When a profile is changed in an user’s Atoll document, then the new profile is stored locally in the user’s private profile folder. The shared profile is not modified. Shared profiles are updated when the calculation administrator performs an update, taking into account the modifications made by other users that have been updated in the central database.

•

User Documents: Individual user documents are initialised by the administrator but are later worked upon and managed by each user. User documents are Atoll files which are connected to the central database, load only the required part of the geographic data (as defined by the CFG file, for example), and have access to the shared microwave link profiles folder.

Figure 1.1: Components of Multi-user Environments

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For information on creating and maintaining the database, see the Administrator Manual.

1.1.2.2 Creating a Document from a Database When you create a new document from a database, you must connect to the database. Once connected, Atoll loads the database into a new Atoll document. Then the connected is interrupted. A new connection with the database will be created only when necessary, in order to allow other users access to the database. To create a document from a database: 1. In the File menu, select New > From an Existing Database. The Open from a Database dialog box appears. 2. In the Files of type list, select the option corresponding to the type of your database. Depending on the type of the database, a dialog box is displayed to enter your User Name, Password, and Server. •

•

You can configure Atoll to always use a defined database type (MS Access, SQL Server, or Oracle) by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. In this case, the Open from a Database dialog box is replaced by the database-specific authentication dialog box. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. Additional dialog boxes might open asking you to choose which project in the database to load or which site list to load.

3. Click OK. The Data to Load dialog box is displayed allowing you to select the data to load into the new Atoll document. 4. Select the Project, Site List, Custom Fields Groups, and Neighbours to be loaded from the database to create the document and click OK. If you load the intra-technology or the inter-technology neighbour list, the associated exceptional pairs table is also loaded. The new document opens with data loaded from the database. If the north-west point of the project is by default the axis origin, the new document opens with no site displayed in the map window. You can centre the document on the data displayed in the Network explorer by expanding the Sites folder, right-clicking any site, and selecting Centre in Map Window from the context menu (see "Centring the Map Window on a Selection" on page 44).

1.1.2.3 Checking the Database Connection You can check whether your document is connected to a database, modify the properties of the database connection, or disconnect a document from a database. To view the characteristics of the database connection: 1. In the Document menu, select Database > Connection Properties. • •

If the document is connected to a database, the Database Connection dialog box appears. If the document is a standalone document, a message is displayed to inform you that the document is not connected to a database. A document created from a template is not connected to any database.

2. To modify the connection to the database, click Modify. 3. To disconnect the document from the database, click Disconnect. If you disconnect your document from the database, it becomes a standalone document and it is not possible to reconnect it to the database.

1.1.2.4 Refreshing a Document from the Database As you are working on your document, other users who have access to the database may have modified some of the data. You can ensure that you have the most recent data in your document by refreshing the information from the database. How frequently you refresh the document depends on how frequently the database is updated. If the database is updated frequently, you should refresh your document frequently as well, in order to continue working with the most up-to-date data.

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To refresh an Atoll document from the database: 1. In the Document menu, select Database > Refresh From the Database. The Refresh dialog box is displayed. 2. If you have modified your document but have not yet saved those changes in the database, you can do one of the following: • • •

Archive your changes in the database: This option allows you to archive your changes to the server instead of refreshing your document from the server. Refresh unmodified data only: This option allows you to refresh from the database only those items that you have not modified in your document. Cancel your changes and reload database: This option allows you to cancel any changes you have made and start over from the point of the last archive to the database. • •

If you chose Refresh unmodified data only or Cancel your changes and reload database, Atoll proceeds without asking for confirmation. If you chose Archive your changes in the database, the Archive dialog box appears. For information, see "Archiving the Modifications in the Database" on page 19.

3. Under Take into account, you can select the neighbour lists, Intra-technology Neighbours and Inter-technology Neighbours, to refresh. 4. To create a report for the refresh process, select Generate Report under Modifications Since the Last Refresh. 5. Click OK. The document is refreshed according to the selected options. If you selected to generate a report, Atoll creates a text file in CSV (Comma Separated Values) format in the temporary files system folder and opens it. You can then rename the file and save it where you want. The report lists all the modifications (deletions, additions, and updates) that were stored in the database since the last time you refreshed or opened your document.

1.1.2.5 Archiving the Modifications in the Database When you are working on an Atoll document that is attached to a database, it is recommended from time to time archive the modifications you have made to the data on the database. How frequently you should archive your document depends on several factors: the amount and size of changes you make, the number of other users using the database who might benefit from your modifications, and so on. What you can archive depends on the user rights the database administrator has given to you. For example, you can have read access to the antennas table, allowing you to create a new Atoll document with the given antennas. However, because only the administrator can modify the properties of the antennas, you will not be able to archive any changes you make to the antennas without write access to the table. The Atoll archiving process is flexible. You can archive all your modifications or only the site-related modifications. As well, when you are archiving, Atoll shows you all modifications that will be archived and, if you want, you can archive only some of them or even undo modifications you have made locally. Occasionally, other users might have modified some of the same data and, when you archive your changes, Atoll will inform you of the possible conflicts and help you resolve them. In this section, the following are explained: • •

1.1.2.5.1

"Archiving Modifications in the Database" on page 19 "Resolving Data Conflicts" on page 20.

Archiving Modifications in the Database Atoll allows you to archive all your modifications or only site-related data modifications. To archive all your modifications in the database: 1. In the Document menu, select Database > Archive. The Archive dialog box appears. You can archive only site-related data in the database by right-clicking the Sites folder in the Network explorer and selecting Archive from the context menu. The Archive dialog box appears with only site-related data displayed. Which data is archived depends on the radio technology you are working with. For example, in a UMTS HSPA radio planning project, the site-related data is: sites, transmitters, cells, and neighbours. 2. In the Archive dialog box, you can do the following: • • •

To archive all your changes to the database, click Run All. To archive a specific modification to the database, select it under Pending changes and click Run. To view the differences between a local item and the corresponding item on the database, select the item under Pending changes and click Differences.

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•


To refresh the modification of an item with the original data from the database, select the item under Pending changes and click Undo.

3. If some of the data has been modified on the database since you last refreshed, Atoll stops the archiving process and asks you to resolve the conflict. For information on managing conflicts, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on page 20. 4. Click Close when you are finished archiving.

1.1.2.5.2

Resolving Data Conflicts Atoll enables several users to use the same database by allowing user to load the data and then freeing the database for other users. However, this also creates the possibility of two users modifying the same data. When a second user attempts to archive his changes, Atoll warns them that the data has been changed since they last refreshed the data and that there is a conflict. Atoll can resolve data conflicts. When Atoll finds a conflict, it displays the warning window shown in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2: Conflict warning You have three options: •

• •

Ignore: If you click Ignore, Atoll ignores items causing conflicts in the table being archived, archives all other modifications in the table, and continues with the next table. You can resolve the conflicts after the archiving process has ended. However, if conflicts are found in other tables, Atoll will warn you with the Database Transfer Error dialog box again. Ignore All: If you click Ignore All, Atoll ignores all items causing conflicts in all tables being archived, and archives all other modifications. You can resolve the conflicts after the archiving process has ended. Abort: If you click Abort, the archiving process stops. You can attempt to resolve conflicts before restarting the archiving process.

Whether you abort the archive process to resolve the conflict immediately, or wait until the end of the archive process, the procedure to resolve the conflict is the same. To resolve data conflicts one by one: 1. In the Pending Changes pane of the Archive dialog box, select the conflict you want to resolve and click Resolve. There are two different types of data conflicts: •

On a modified record: You are in the process of archiving your modifications on the database and another user has modified the same data since you last archived or refreshed your data. A conflict is caused only by differences in the same field of the same record between the database and the current Atoll document. The Conflict in Changes dialog box appears, with the fields in conflict highlighted (see Figure 1.3). In the Conflict in Changes dialog box, you can see the value of the field in the database in the Database values column, as well as the value of the same field in your document in the Current values column.

Figure 1.3: The Conflict in Changes dialog box

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•

•

If you want to overwrite the database value with the value of the same field in your document, select the check box next to the highlighted change and click Okay. Your modification will be written to the database, overwriting the value there.

•

If you want to accept the value of the field in the database, clear the check box next to the highlighted change and click Okay. Your modification will be lost and the value in the database will remain unchanged.

On a deleted record: You are in the process of archiving your modifications on the database and another user has deleted a record since you last archived or refreshed your data. For information, see "Resolving Data Conflicts" on page 20. Atoll displays a message explaining that the record you are trying to update has been deleted from the database (see Figure 1.4). Select one of the following:

Figure 1.4: Conflict on a deleted record • • •

Yes: Select Yes to store your modifications in the database, thereby recreating the deleted record. No: Select No to abandon your modifications to this record and delete this record from your document. Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.

2. Click Close to close the Archive dialog box. To resolve all the data conflicts: 1. In the Pending Changes pane of the Archive dialog box, select any conflict and click Resolve All. Atoll displays a message explaining how Resolve All works (see Figure 1.5). Select one of the following:

Figure 1.5: Resolving all the data conflicts simultaneously • • •

Yes: Select Yes to accept all the modifications made by other users in the database and update your document with values from the database. No: Select No to overwrite the modifications made by other users in the database with the values from your document. Cancel: Select Cancel to cancel.

2. Click Close to close the Archive dialog box. You should only resolve all the data conflicts when you are certain about the modifications.

1.1.3 Configuring Document Properties Once you have created a document, you need to configure the basic parameters of the Atoll document. You can accept the default values for some parameters, such as basic measurement units, but you must set projection and display coordinate systems. This section covers the following topics: •

"Projection and Display Coordinate Systems" on page 22

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• • • •


"Setting a Coordinate System" on page 22 "Selecting the Degree Display Format" on page 23 "Setting Measurement Units" on page 23 "Defining a Project Description" on page 23

1.1.3.1 Projection and Display Coordinate Systems In Atoll, you define the two coordinate systems for each Atoll document: the projection coordinate system and the display coordinate system. By default, the same coordinate system is used for both. A projection is a method for producing all or part of a round body on a flat sheet. This projection cannot be done without distortion, thus the cartographer must choose the characteristic (distance, direction, scale, area or shape) which is to be shown appropriately at the expense of the other characteristics, or he must compromise on several characteristics1. The projected zones are referenced using cartographic coordinates (metre, yard, etc.). Two projection systems are widely used: •

•

The Lambert Conformal-Conic projection: a portion of the earth is mathematically projected on a cone conceptually secant at one or two standard parallels. This projection type is useful for representing countries or regions that lay primarily east to west. The Universal Transverse Mercator projection (UTM): a portion of the earth is mathematically projected on a cylinder tangent to a meridian (which is transverse or crosswise to the equator). This projection type is useful for mapping large areas that are oriented north-south.

A geographic system is not a projection, but a representation of a location on the earth's surface from geographic coordinates (degree-minute-second or grade) giving the latitude and longitude in relation to the origin meridian (Paris for the NTF system and Greenwich for the ED50 system). The locations in the geographic system can be converted into other projections. Atoll has databases including more than 980 international coordinate system references, a database based on the European Petroleum Survey Group and another one regrouping only France's coordinate systems. Atoll uses the cartographic coordinate systems for projection and either cartographic or geographic coordinate systems for display. The maps displayed in the workspace are referenced with the same projection system as the imported geographic data files; thus, the projection system depends on the imported geographic file. By choosing a specific display system, you can see (using the rulers or status bars) the location of sites on the map in a coordinate system different from the projection coordinate system. You can also position on the map sites referenced in the display system: the coordinates are automatically converted from the projection system to the display system and the site is displayed on the map. All imported raster geographic files must be use the same cartographic system. If not, you must convert them to a single cartographic system.

1.1.3.2 Setting a Coordinate System To work with maps, you must set a coordinate system for your Atoll document. By default, projection and display coordinate systems are the same, but you can choose a display coordinate system different from the projection coordinate system. To define the coordinate system: 1. Select Document > Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the Coordinates tab, click the Browse button to the right of the Projection field. The Coordinate Systems dialog box appears. 3. In the Coordinate Systems dialog box, select a catalogue from the Find in list. For the projection system, only cartographic systems ( ) are available. 4. Select a coordinate system from the list. If you frequently use a particular coordinate system you can add it to a catalogue of favourites by clicking Add to Favourites.

5. Click OK. The selected coordinate system appears in the Projection field and, by default, in the Display field as well.

1. Snyder, John. P., Map Projections Used by the US Geological Survey, 2nd Edition, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 313 pages, 1982.

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6. To set a different coordinate system for the display, click the Browse button to the right of the Display field and repeat step 3. to step 5. For the display system, both cartographic systems (identified by the tems (

symbol) and geographic sys-

) are available.

1.1.3.3 Selecting the Degree Display Format Atoll can display longitude and latitude in four different formats. For example: • • • •

26°56’29.9’’N 26d56m29.9sN 26.93914N +26.93914

To change the degree display format: 1. Select Document > Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the Coordinates tab, select the format from the Degree Format list. 3. Click OK. The degree format options apply only to the geographic coordinate systems.

1.1.3.4 Setting Measurement Units When you create an Atoll document, measurement units for reception, transmission, antenna gain, distance, temperature, height, and offset are set to default. You can change the measurement units using the Properties dialog box. To set the default measurement units: 1. Select Document > Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the Units tab, select the desired unit for the following measurements: •

Radio: • • • •

•

Radiated power: Select either "EIRP" (Effective Isotropically Radiated Power) or "ERP" () Antenna gain: Select either "dBi" (decibel (isotropic)) or "dBd" (decibel (dipole)) Transmission: Select either "dBm" (decibel (milliWatt)), "W" (Watt), or "kW" (kiloWatt) Reception: Select either "dBm" (decibel (milliWatt)), "dBµV" (decibel (microvolt)), "dBµV/M" (decibel (microvolt per metre)), or "V/M" (volts per metre)

Geo: •

Distance: Select either "m" (metres), "Km" (kilometres), or "mi" (miles) You can change the default metre-to-feet conversion factor from 3.28 to a more precise value by setting the MeterToFeetFactor option in the [Units] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

•

Height and offset: Select either "m" (metres) or "ft" (feet) You can change the default mile-to-metre conversion factor from 1609 to a more precise value by setting the MileToMeterFactor option in the [Units] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

•

Climate: •

Temperature: Select either "°C" (Celsius) or "°F" (Fahrenheit)

3. Click OK.

1.1.3.5 Defining a Project Description Atoll allows you to define a few parameters, such as author or project status, that will can be used to describe the Atoll project you are working on. The description you enter can be consulted by anyone working on this project.

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To define a project description: 1. Select Document > Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. Click the Project tab. On the Project tab, you can define the following parameters: • •

• • • •

Title: You can set a descriptive name for the project that is different from the file name of the Atoll project file. Date: You can enter a timestamp for the project and then click the Lock button to prevent it from being changed. By default Atoll enters the current time as the timestamp. Each time you access the Project tab, Atoll will update the timestamp. Owner: You can enter the name of the person responsible for the project, and then click the Lock button to prevent it from being changed. By default Atoll enters the name you used to log on to the computer. Status: You can enter a description of the project status. Logo: You define a logo for the project by clicking the Browse button and browsing to a graphic file that can be used as a logo for the project. The logo will be used in reports exported in RTF format Comments: You can enter any comments in the Comments field.

3. Click OK.

1.1.4 Saving Documents With Atoll, you can save a copy of your Atoll document and you can create portable documents. You can also configure automatic backup of your documents. You can also save geographic data files separately from saving an Atoll document. For more information, see "Saving Geographic Data" on page 123. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Saving a Copy of a Document" on page 24 "Creating and Sharing Portable Atoll Documents" on page 24 "Configuring Automatic Backup" on page 25

1.1.4.1 Saving a Copy of a Document When you save a copy of an Atoll document you can link the new Atoll document with the externalised results files of the original document, create copies of the externalised calculation results with the new document, or ignore the externalised results files of the original document. To save a copy of your Atoll document: 1. In the File menu, select Save As. The Externalised results dialog box is displayed. 2. Select one of the following options: • • •

To link the copy of your Atoll document with the externalised calculation results files of the original document, select Link with the externalised results of the original document. To create copies of the externalised calculation results with the new document, select Make a copy of the externalised results. To create a copy of your document without linking the externalised calculation results files of the original document, select Ignore the externalised results. You can set an option in the [Settings] section of the Atoll.ini file to link, copy, or ignore the externalised calculation results files and to hide the Externalised results dialog box when saving a copy of a document.

3. Click OK in the Externalised results dialog box. The Save As dialog box is displayed. 4. Select the folder where the copy is to be stored, enter a File name, and click Save.

1.1.4.2 Creating and Sharing Portable Atoll Documents You can create portable Atoll documents in two ways: • •

By embedding all the geographic data in the ATL file. By creating a compressed archive (ZIP file) containing the ATL file and all geographic data linked to the Atoll document.

In most working environments, geographic data files are stored on a common file server and are linked to the ATL documents of different users over a network. Often these geographic data files are quite large, and it is not feasible to embed these files in an ATL file for reasons related to file size, memory consumption, and performance. It is, therefore, more useful to make a project portable by creating an archive that contains the ATL and all linked geographic data files.

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To create an archive containing the ATL file and all linked geographic data files: 1. In the File menu, select Save to Zip. The Save As dialog box appears. 2. Select the folder where the created archive is to be stored, enter a File name for the archive to be created, select "Zip Files (*.zip)" from the Save as type list, and click Save. Atoll creates a ZIP file containing: •

A copy of the ATL file with the same name as the name of the archive (ZIP file). The ATL file added to the archive contains all the data that might be embedded in it (path loss matrices, geographic data, coverage predictions, simulation results, measurement data, and so on).

•

A ".losses" folder containing a pathloss.dbf file and a LowRes subfolder which contains the pathloss.dbf file corresponding to the extended path loss matrices. Externally stored path loss matrices are not added to the archive because they are not necessary for making a portable document; they can be recalculated based on the network and geographic data in the ATL file. The pathloss.dbf files are stored in the archive because they are needed when reopening the archive in Atoll.

•

A "Geo" folder with all the linked geographic data available in the Geo explorer for the Atoll document. This folder contains subfolders with the same names as the folders in the Geo explorer. Geographic data that are found outside folders in the Geo explorer are stored in files under the Geo folder, and data present within folders in the Geo explorer are stored inside their respective folders. If the geographic data files linked to the document are located on a remote computer, such as a file server over a network, they are first copied to the local computer in the Windows’ temporary files folder and then added to the archive.

Once the portable archive is created, you can open it directly from Atoll without first having to extract it using another tool. To open an archive containing an ATL file and all linked geographic data files: 1. In the File menu, select Open from Zip. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select the ZIP file that contains the ATL file and linked geographic data files and click Open. The Browse For Folder dialog box appears. 3. Select the folder where you want to extract the contents of the ZIP file. 4. Click OK. Atoll extracts all the files from the archive to the selected folder. If necessary, it creates the subfolders required for extracting the contents of the Geo folder. Once Atoll has finished extracting files from the archive, it opens the extracted ATL file. Geographic data extracted from the archive are linked to the ATL file. • •

You do not need to have a compression utility, such as WinZip or WinRAR, installed on the computer when working with archived ATL files. The highest compression level is used when creating the archive.

1.1.4.3 Configuring Automatic Backup Atoll can create and automatically update backups of documents you are working on. Once you have saved the document, Atoll creates a backup of the original document and updates it at a defined interval. For example, for a document named "filename.atl," Atoll will create a backup file called "filename.atl.bak" in the same folder as the original document. You can define the update interval each time you start Atoll. You can also configure Atoll to create automatic backups of external path loss matrices (LOS files) by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. When you have activated automatic backup, Atoll automatically creates a backup for every document open. Consequently, if you have a lot of documents open, this operation can take a long time. However, you can optimise the process by opening large documents in separate Atoll sessions, instead of in the same Atoll session. This also improves memory management because each instance of Atoll has its own 2 GB (under 32-bit operating systems; 4 GB under 64-bit operating systems) memory allocation. If you open two large documents in the same Atoll session, these documents will use the same 2 GB memory pool. If you open them in two different Atoll sessions, each document will have its own 2 GB allocated memory. To configure an automatic backup: 1. In the Tools menu, select Configure Auto Backup. The Auto Backup Configuration dialog box appears. 2. Select Activate Auto Backup. 3. If you want to be warned before backing up your file every time, select Prompt before starting Auto Backup. 4. Enter a time interval, in minutes, between consecutive backups in the Automatically save backups every text box.

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It can take a long time to back up large documents. Therefore, you should set a correspondingly longer interval between backups when working with large documents in order to optimise the process. 5. Click OK. If you selected the Prompt before starting automatic backup check box, Atoll prompts you each time before backing up the document. If you click OK, Atoll proceeds to back up all open documents. If you click Cancel, Atoll skips the backup once. The automatic backup timer is stopped while the prompt is displayed. Atoll displays a message in the Events viewer every time a backup file is updated. If you are performing calculations, which means coverage predictions or simulations, the automatic backup is delayed until the calculations have ended. The timer starts again once the calculations are over. If you save the original document manually, the timer is reset to 0. You can easily recover your backup document and open it in Atoll just like any other Atoll document. If the original document is named "filename.atl," the backup document is stored in the same folder and is named "filename.atl.bak". If you just remove the BAK extension, your backup file will have the same file name as the original file and Windows will not allow you to rename the file. Therefore, it is safer to give a new name to the backup file and keep the original file until you are sure which version is most recent.

1.1.5 Opening Documents Atoll allows you to open existing documents, one of the last Atoll documents you have worked on, or portable Atoll documents (see "Creating and Sharing Portable Atoll Documents" on page 24). To open a document in Atoll: 1. To open an existing Atoll document, select File > Open, select the ATL file that you want to open, and click Open. The Atoll document and all linked data opens in Atoll. 2. To open one of the last Atoll documents you have worked on, select File > Recent, and select the ATL file from the list of recently open documents. 3. To open an archive containing an ATL file and all linked geographic data files, select File > Open from Zip. The Open dialog box appears. a. Select the ZIP file that contains the ATL file and linked geographic data files and click Open. The Browse For Folder dialog box appears. b. Select the folder where you want to extract the contents of the ZIP file. c. Click OK. Atoll extracts all the files from the archive to the selected folder. If necessary, it creates the subfolders required for extracting the contents of the Geo folder. Once Atoll has finished extracting files from the archive, it opens the extracted ATL file. Geographic data extracted from the archive are linked to the ATL file.

1.2 Atoll Work Area The Atoll work area, shown in Figure 1.6 on page 27, consists of: • • • •

26

A menu bar and several toolbars that give access to Atoll functions. For more information, see "Using Toolbars" on page 91. A document window that arranges by tab all the open Atoll documents, maps, data tables, and reports. Explorers that arranges by folder data and objects contained in an Atoll document, such as network data, geographic data, propagation models, and network settings. Tool windows that are windows providing information or data and that can be docked or floating such as events viewer, legend window, and panoramic window.


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Figure 1.6Example of the Atoll work area This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Document Window" on page 27 "Explorers" on page 27 "Tool Windows" on page 28 "Organising the Atoll Work Area" on page 28

1.2.1 Document Window When working on a project in Atoll, you can work with several documents or different views of documents (such as map windows, data tables, and reports). Open documents and different views of documents (maps, data table, and reports) are displayed in the document window. Each open document, map, data table, and report is identified by a tab in the Atoll document window and by a thumbnail the Windows taskbar. You can navigate between documents or document views by selecting the corresponding tab in the document window. You can also rearrange the tabs by clicking and dragging a tab horizontally to a new position. You can also use the Windows dialog box to select, save, or close documents or document views.The Windows dialog box can be displayed by selecting the Window > Windows menu. You can modify the thumbnail preview of Atoll open documents or view of documents in the Windows taskbar by selecting the Windows > Show Thumbnails in the Taskbar menu.

1.2.2 Explorers Explorers play a central role in Atoll by grouping the data and objects contained in an Atoll document: • • • •

The Network explorer contains data related to sites and links. The Site explorer allows you to view the elements located on the site that is currently selected in the Network explorer or in the map. The links of the selected site are displayed in specific folders. The Geo explorer allows you to manage the geographic data such as population, clutter heights, clutter classes, Digital Terrain Model (DTM), and online maps. The Parameters explorer allows you to manage propagation models and microwave settings and equipment.

Each explorer contains objects and folders containing objects. The name of each folder containing at least one object is preceded by an Expand button ( ) or a Collapse button ( ). You can expand or collapse all the folders in the explorer by pressing SHIFT while you click on an expand or collapse button. You can expand or collapse all folders that are selected as visible by pressing CTRL while you click on an expand or collapse button. In the Site explorer, you can expand or collapse all folders at a specific level by clicking the arrow icons ( ) in the title bar.

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You can refresh the display of the Network explorer by clicking Refresh (


) on the toolbar or pressing F5.

Each object and folder in the explorers has a context-specific menu that you can access by right-clicking. You can modify items at the folder level, with changes affecting all items in the folder, or you can access and edit items individually. The content of the folders in the explorers can be displayed in tables, allowing you to manage large amount of data. For information on working with tables, see "Data Tables" on page 58. By default, explorers are displayed when launching Atoll. If the explorers are hidden you can display them by using the View menu.

1.2.3 Tool Windows Tool windows are windows providing information or data. The following tool windows are available: •

• •

Events viewer: Atoll displays information about the current document in the Events viewer. The Events viewer displays information ( ), warning ( ), and error ( ) messages, as well as the progress of calculations. You can save the information displayed in the Events viewer to a log file by selecting one or more events, right-clicking the selection, and selecting Save As from the context menu. You can also automatically generate log files for each Atoll session and select the level of information displayed in the Events viewer. For more information about these settings, see the Administrator Manual. Legend window: The Legend window contains information on the objects displayed on the map. Panoramic window: The Panoramic window displays the entire map with all imported geographic data. A dark rectangle indicates what part of the geographic data is presently displayed in a document window, helping you situate the displayed area in relation to the entire map. You can use the Panoramic window to: • • •

Zoom in on a specific area of the map. Resize the displayed map area. Move around the map.

For more information, see "Using the Panoramic Window" on page 44. • •

Find on Map window: The Find on Map window allows you to find object on the map. For more information, see "Searching for Objects on the Map" on page 45. Favourite View window: The Favourite Views window allows you to navigate between different predefined views saved as favourite views. For more information, see "Favourite Map Views" on page 44.

1.2.4 Organising the Atoll Work Area Atoll enables you to organise the work area to best suit your needs by moving and hiding explorers and tool windows. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Grouping Tabs in the Document Window" on page 28 "Displaying Explorers and Tool Windows" on page 29 "Moving Explorers and Tool Windows" on page 29 "Automatically Hiding Explorers and Tool Windows" on page 29 "Resetting the Default Layout" on page 30.

1.2.4.1 Grouping Tabs in the Document Window When working with large numbers of documents or document views, you can group the tabs contained in the document window in tab groups to facilitate your work. The document window is then split horizontally or vertically. Tab groups do not apply to explorers and other tool windows. To move a document window to a tab group: 1. Select the tab title in the document window, drag it, and drop it towards the centre of the map window. A context menu appears. 2. Select one of the following items from the context menu: • •

New Horizontal Tab Group: A new horizontal tab group is created and the selected document window is added. New Vertical Tab Group: A new vertical tab group and the selected document window is added.

You can also add a document window to a new tab group by clicking its title and then selecting New Horizontal Tab Group or New Vertical Tab Group from the Window menu.

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If you drag the window icon to the lower edge or right edge of an existing tab group, even if there is only one tab group, an outline appears to indicate the tab group the window will automatically be added to when you release the mouse.

1.2.4.2 Displaying Explorers and Tool Windows The explorers and the Legend window are displayed by default when launching Atoll. The other tool windows are not displayed by default. To display explorers and tool windows: 1. In the View menu, select the item corresponding to the explorer or tool window you want to display. The Find on Map window can be displayed by selecting Find on Map in the Tools menu. For more information, see "Searching for Objects on the Map" on page 45.

1.2.4.3 Moving Explorers and Tool Windows While working in Atoll, you can have several tool or explorer windows open at the same time. You can use the mouse to position explorers and tool windows to optimise your work area. To position a tool window or an explorer using the mouse: 1. Click the title of the tool window or the explorer and drag it towards the new position. A positioning icon appears over the Atoll work area.

Figure 1.7: Positioning icon 2. Place the tool window or the explorer over the part of the positioning icon corresponding to the new position. An outline appears over the Atoll work area to indicate the new position of the window. If you release the window icon without placing it over the positioning icon, you can float the explorer or tool window over the work area.

3. Release the mouse. The explorer or toll window docks in its new position.

1.2.4.4 Automatically Hiding Explorers and Tool Windows By having tool windows and especially the explorers visible, you have immediate access to data and objects. However, you sometimes need to display more of the map window. Atoll enables you to auto-hide the explorers and tool windows (such as the Find on Map window, the Legend window, the Drive Test Data window), thereby enabling you to see more of the map window. The hidden explorers and tool windows reappears when you move the pointer over it. To activate or deactivate the auto-hide a tool window or the explorers: 1. In the title bar of the explorer or tool window, click Auto Hide ( vertical tabs at the edge of the work area.

). The explorers or the tool window are reduced to

When auto-hide is activated on an explorer window, all the other explorers are reduced to vertical tabs at the edge of the work area.

You can display the hidden explorer or tool window by resting the pointer over the name of the explorer or the tool window.

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2. In the title bar of the explorer or tool window, click Auto Hide ( their former positions.

). The explorers or the tool window are restored to

1.2.4.5 Using the Status Bar to Get Information Atoll displays the following information, if available, about the current position of the mouse pointer in the status bar (see Figure 1.8): • • • •

The current X-Y coordinates (according to the defined display coordinate system). The altitude (as defined in the DTM). The clutter class (as defined in the clutter classes properties). The clutter height (as defined in the clutter height file, or in the clutter classes).

X-Y coordinates

Altitude

Clutter class

Figure 1.8: Information displayed in the status bar By default the status bar is displayed when launching Atoll. To show or hide the status bar: 1. In the View menu, select Status Bar.

1.2.4.6 Resetting the Default Layout Atoll offers a high flexibility in customising the position of explorers, toolbars, and tool windows such as events viewer and legend window. You can restore the default Atoll layout. To restore the default position of explorers, tool windows, and toolbars: 1. In the Window menu, select Reset Window Layout. All explorers, tool windows, and toolbars retrieve their default position and sizes.

1.3 Objects In Atoll, the items found in the Network explorer or the Geo explorer and displayed on the map are referred to as objects. Most objects in Atoll belong to an object type. For example, a transmitter is an object of the type transmitter. Atoll enables you to carry out many operations on objects by clicking the object directly or by right-clicking the object and selecting the operation from the context menu. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

"Renaming an Object" on page 30 "Deleting an Object" on page 31 "Modifying the Visibility of Objects" on page 31 "Accessing Object Properties" on page 32 "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32 "Modifying Microwave Link Extremities and Sites on the Map" on page 38 "Exporting Network Elements to Vector Files" on page 41

1.3.1 Renaming an Object You can change the name of an object in Atoll. To rename an object: 1. Right-click the object on the map or in the Network or Geo explorer and select Rename from the context menu. 2. Enter the new name and press ENTER to change the name.

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In Atoll, objects such as sites are named with default prefixes. Individual objects are distinguished from each other by the number added automatically to the default prefix. You can change the default prefix for sites by editing the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. Most objects in Atoll are case-insensitive. When renaming an object, you must make sure that the same name isn’t already used with different upper or lower-case characters.

1.3.2 Deleting an Object You can delete objects from either the map or from the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer). To delete an object: 1. Right-click the object on the map or in the Network or Geo explorer and select Delete from the context menu. The selected object is deleted. The Delete All command available in the context menus of certain folders (Geoclimatic Parameters, Population, Clutter Heights, Clutter Classes, Digital Terrain Model) allow you to delete all the objects in those folders.

1.3.3 Modifying the Visibility of Objects Objects contained in the Network and Geo explorer can be displayed on the map and are arranged in layers. The order of the layers in the Network and Geo explorer can change the visibility of an object. All objects in the Network explorer (such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions) are displayed over all objects in the Geo explorer. Atoll allows you to modify the visibility of objects on the map by displaying or hiding particular objects directly from the explorers and changing the order of layers. Other factors can influence the visibility of objects. For more information, see "Setting the Display Priority of Geo Data" on page 116.

1.3.3.1 Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map You can use the explorers to display or hide objects on the map. By hiding one type of object, another type of object is more plainly visible. For example, you can hide all predictions except one, so that the results of that prediction are more clearly displayed. Hiding an object affects only its visibility in the map window; the hidden object is still taken into consideration during calculations.

To display or hide an object on the map: 1. Select the Network or Geo explorer that contains that object. 2. To hide an object, clear the check box corresponding to the object name in the Network or Geo explorer. The object is no longer visible on the map. When the check box of a folder appears greyed ( both visible and hidden objects.

), it indicates that the folder contains

3. To hide all the objects of an entire folder, clear the check box corresponding to the folder name in the Network or Geo explorer. 4. To display an hidden object, select the check box corresponding to the object name in the Network or Geo explorer.

1.3.3.2 Changing the Order of Layers IIn Atoll, the layers on the top (as arranged on the Network and Geo explorers) are the most visible on the screen and in print. The visibility of the lower layers depends on which layers are above and visible (see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31) and on the transparency of these layers (see "Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 34).

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To change the order of layers: 1. In the Network or Geo explorer, click the layer you want to move and drag it to its new position. As you drag the object, a horizontal black line indicates where the object will remain when you release the mouse button (see Figure 1.9).

Figure 1.9: Moving a layer Before you print a map, you should pay attention to the arrangement of the layers. For more information, see "Printing Recommendations" on page 73.

1.3.4 Accessing Object Properties Parameters and characteristics of an object or a group of objects are referred as properties. Object properties can be visualised and modified using a Properties dialog box. The content of the Properties dialog box varies depending on the type of object. You can access and modify the properties of an object or a group of objects. For example, you can access and modify the properties of a specific site or all the sites contained the Sites folder. To access the properties of an object: 1. Right-click the object on the map or in the Network or Geo explorer and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. The content of the dialog box varies depending on the selected object or group of objects. When several objects (antennas, sites, and so on) are defined in the same folder, you can switch between the Properties dialog box of each object using the browse buttons (

).

If you have made any changes to the properties of an item, Atoll prompts you to confirm these changes before switching to the next Properties dialog box.

1.3.5 Setting the Display Properties of Objects In Atoll, most objects, such as links or sites, belong to an object type. The display properties of an object or a group of object define how the object or the group of objects appear on the map. Display properties can be defined in the Display tab of the Properties dialog box. The Display tab is similar for all object types whose appearance can be configured. Options that are inapplicable for a particular object type are unavailable on the Display tab of its Properties dialog box. To set the display properties of an object type: 1. Right-click the object type folder either on the map or in the Network explorer or the Geo explorer) and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. Select the Display tab. 3. Set the display parameters. You can do the following: • • • • •

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"Setting the Display Type" on page 33 "Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 34 "Setting the Visibility Scale" on page 34 "Associating a Label to an Object" on page 34 "Associating a Tip Text to an Object" on page 35


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•

"Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 35

4. Click OK.

1.3.5.1 Setting the Display Type Depending on the object selected, you can choose from the following display types: • •

Unique: defines the same symbol for all objects of this type. By defining a unique symbol for an object type, objects of different types, such as sites, are immediately identifiable. Discrete values: defines the display of each object according to the value of a selected field. This display type can be used to distinguish objects of the same type by one characteristic. For example, you could use this display type to distinguish transmitters by antenna types, or to distinguish inactive sites from active ones. Atoll applies colours automatically on 36-colour cycles. As opposed to shading, this is particularly useful to distinguish neighbouring zones which have very close colour values. You can configure Atoll to loop on as many user-defined colours as you want and you can override user-defined colours, if any, and force shading (from red to blue) by setting options in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

• •

Value intervals: defines the display of each object according to set ranges of the value of a selected field. This display type can be used, for example, to distinguish signal strength and the altitude of sites. Advanced: only available for microwave links; this is a combined mode where you can select separate unique or discrete settings for the line colour, width, and style of the link. This allows you, for example, to assign one field value to the width of the line and another field value to the colour.

To change the display type: 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Select a display type from the Display Type list. 3. If you selected the Discrete values or Value Intervals display type, select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects. 4. If you selected the Advanced display type: a. For Colour, Width, and Style, select either Unique to specify a unique line colour, width or style; or select Discrete values to associate a line colour, width or style to a field value. b. If you selected Discrete values, select the name of the Field by which you want to display the objects and define the ranges directly in the table below. 5. To modify the appearance of a symbol, click the symbol in the table, modify the symbol properties, and click OK in the dialog box that is displayed. 6. You can use the Actions button to access to the following commands: • • • • • • •

•

Properties: The Display Parameters dialog box opens, which enables you to define the appearance of the selected symbol in the table. Refresh: Select this option to refresh the table. Select all: All the values in the table are selected. Insert before: When "Value Intervals" is the selected display type, a new threshold is inserted in the table before the threshold selected in the table. Insert after: When "Value Intervals" is the selected display type, a new threshold is inserted in the table after the threshold selected in the table. Delete: The selected value is removed from the table. Shading: The Shading dialog box appears. • When "Value Intervals" is the selected display type, you select Shading to define the number of value intervals and configure their colour. Enter the upper and lower limits of the value in the First Break and Last Break boxes respectively, and enter a value in the Interval box. Define the colour shading by choosing a Start Colour and an End Colour. The value intervals will be determined by the set values and coloured by a shade going from the set start colour to the set end colour. • When "Discrete Values" is the selected display type, you select Shading to choose a Start Colour and an End Colour. Display Configuration: Select Load if you want to import an existing display configuration. Select Save if you want to save the display configuration in a file.

7. Click OK.

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•

•

When you create a map object, for example, a site, you must click the Refresh button ( ) to assign a colour to the newly created object according to the display type. You can define the default symbol used for sites and how it is displayed by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

1.3.5.2 Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some object types, such as clutter classes, to allow objects on lower layers to be visible on the map. To change the transparency: 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Move the Transparency slider to the right to make the object or object type more transparent or to the left to make it less transparent. 3. Click OK.

1.3.5.3 Setting the Visibility Scale You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only if the scale, as displayed on the Map toolbar, is within this range. This can be used to, for example, prevent the map from being cluttered with symbols when you are at a certain scale. Visibility ranges are taken into account for screen display, and for printing and previewing printing. They do not affect which objects are considered during calculations. To define an object visibility range: 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Enter a Visibility Scale minimum in the between 1: text box. 3. Enter a Visibility Scale maximum in the and 1: text box. 4. Click OK.

1.3.5.4 Associating a Label to an Object For most object types, such as sites, you can display information about each object in the form of a label that is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. To define a label for an object type: 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Click the Browse button beside the Label box. The Field Selection dialog box appears (see Figure 1.10).

Figure 1.10: Defining a label 3. Select the fields that you want to display in the label:

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•

To select a field to be displayed in the label for the object type, select the field in the Available Fields list and click to move it to the Selected Fields list.

•

To remove a field from the Selected Fields list, select the field and click

•

To change the order of a field in the list, select the field and click

or

. to move it up or down.

4. Click OK to close the Field Selection dialog box then OK to close the Properties dialog box. The objects will be grouped in the order of the fields in the Selected Fields list, from top to bottom. For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of tip text that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. This option has the advantage of not filling the map window with text. For more information on tip text, see "Associating a Tip Text to an Object" on page 35. When you have defined a link for a microwave link, you can change its position on the map using the mouse. To change the position of a microwave link label using the mouse: 1. Select the link in the map window. 2. Click the link label and drag it to the new position. When you move one of the sites defining a microwave link or when you load a configuration, Atoll resets the position of the label to its default position.

1.3.5.5 Associating a Tip Text to an Object For most object types, such as sites and microwave links, you can display information about each object in the form of tip text that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. In the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer), the tip text displays the total numbers of items present in the Sites, Links, Multi-Hops, and Point to Multipoint folders, and the view. To define tip text for an object type: 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Click the Browse button beside the Tip Text box. The Field Selection dialog box appears (see Figure 1.10). 3. Select the fields which you want to display in the tip text: a. To select a field to be displayed in the tip text for the object type, select the field in the Available Fields list and click

to move it to the Selected Fields list.

b. To remove a field from the Selected Fields list, select the field in the Selected Fields list and click it.

to remove

For most object types, you can also display object information in the form of a label that is displayed with the object. This option has the advantage of keeping object-related information permanently visible. For more information on tip text, see "Associating a Label to an Object" on page 34. 4. Click OK. Once you have defined the tip text, you must activate the tip text function before it appears by clicking Display Tips ( text are displayed when the pointer is over the object.

). Tip

1.3.5.6 Adding an Object Type to the Legend You can display the information defined by the display type (see "Setting the Display Type" on page 33) in the Legend widow of your Atoll document. Only visible objects appear in the Legend window. For information on displaying or hiding objects, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31. For example, if on the Display tab of a signal level prediction, the intervals defined are: • •

Signal level >= -65 red -65 > Signal level >= -105 shading from red to blue (9 intervals)

35


•

Signal level < -105


not shown in the coverage.

The entries in the Legend column will appear in the Legend window.

Figure 1.11: Defined thresholds as they will appear in the Legend With value intervals, you can enter information in the Legend column to be displayed on the legend. If there is no information entered in this column, the maximum and minimum values are displayed instead. 1. Access the Display tab of the Properties dialog box as explained in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. 2. Select the Add to legend check box. The defined display will appear on the legend. You can also display the comments defined in the properties of a coverage prediction in the Legend window by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information about setting options in the Atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.

1.3.5.7 Changing the Symbol Style You can change the symbol that is used for objects in the Symbol style dialog box. To change the colour, size, or symbol of a displayed object: 1. Right-click the object and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box of the object opens. 2. Click the Display tab. The Symbol style icon displays the symbol for the selected object. 3. Click the Symbol style icon. The Display Parameters dialog box opens. 4. Specify the Symbol, Size, and Colour of the symbol. The result is displayed in the Example area. 5. Click OK.

1.3.5.8 Examples of Using the Display Properties of Objects In this section are the following examples of how display properties of objects can be used: • •

"Automatic Display Type - Server Coverage Predictions" on page 36 "Shading - Signal Level Coverage Prediction" on page 37.

Automatic Display Type - Server Coverage Predictions When making a best server prediction, Atoll calculates, for each pixel on the map, which server provides the best reception. If the selected display type for transmitters is "Automatic," Atoll colours each pixel on the map according to the colour of the transmitter that is best received on that pixel. This way, you can immediately identify the best received transmitter on each pixel. The following two figures show the results of the same best server area and handover margin coverage prediction. In Figure 1.12, the transmitter display type is "Discrete Values," with the site name as the chosen value. The difference in colour is insufficient to make clear which transmitter is best received on each pixel. In Figure 1.13, the transmitter display type is "Automatic." Because Atoll ensures that each transmitter has a different colour than the transmitters surrounding it, the prediction results are also immediately visible.

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Figure 1.12: Value interval display type

Figure 1.13: Automatic display type

To display the results of a server coverage prediction with the transmitters set to the automatic display type: 1. Right-click the Transmitters folder in the Network explorer. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Select the Display tab. 4. Select "Automatic" as the Display Type. 5. Click OK. 6. Click the Refresh button (

) to update the display of the prediction results.

Shading - Signal Level Coverage Prediction Atoll displays the results of a signal level prediction as value intervals. On the map, these value intervals appear as differences of shading. You can use the Shading command to define the appearance of these value intervals to make the results easier to read or more relevant to your needs. For example, you can change the range of data displayed, the interval between each break, or you can change the colours to make the intervals more visible. In this example, Figure 1.14 shows the results of the best signal level plot from -60 dBm to -105 dBm. However, if you are more interested in reception from -80 dBm to -105 dBm, you can change the shading to display only those values. The result is visible in Figure 1.15.

Figure 1.14: Shading from -60 dBm to -105 dBm

Figure 1.15: Shading from -80 dBm to -105 dBm

To change how the results of a signal level coverage prediction are displayed: 1. Expand the Predictions folder in the Network explorer and right-click the signal level prediction. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Select the Display tab. 4. Click Actions to display the menu and select Shading. The Shading dialog box appears. 5. Change the value of the First Break to "-80". Leave the value of the Last Break at "-105." 6. Click OK to close the Shading dialog box.

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7. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box and apply your changes.

1.3.6 Modifying Microwave Link Extremities and Sites on the Map In a complex microwave-planning project, it can be difficult to find the data object in the Network explorer, although it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialog box of sites and microwave links directly from the map. You can also change the position of a site by dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • • •

"Marking Overlapping Backhaul Links on the Map" on page 38 "Showing the Direction of Backhaul Links" on page 38 "Selecting One out of Several Links" on page 39 "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 39 "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 39 "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 39 "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse" on page 40 "Selecting Another Site for the Link Extremity Using the Mouse" on page 40.

1.3.6.1 Marking Overlapping Backhaul Links on the Map Atoll enables you to mark on the map the microwave links and other transmission links that overlap. To mark overlapping microwave links or other transmission links on the map: 1. In the Network folder, right-click the Links > Microwave Links folder or the Links > Other Transmission Links folder. The context menu appears. 2. In the context menu, select the Properties command. The corresponding Properties dialog box appears. 3. On the Display tab, select Mark overlapping links. 4. Click the Browse button beside the Mark overlapping links check box. The Symbol style dialog box appears. 5. Modify the symbol as desired and click OK to close the Symbol Style dialogue.

1.3.6.2 Showing the Direction of Backhaul Links Microwave links and other transmission links are configured with a direction from a site A to a site B. You can configure the link display properties of backhaul links to display the direction of the links with an arrow.

Figure 1.16: Showing the direction of backhaul links To display the direction of microwave links or other transmission links the map: 1. In the Network folder, right-click the Links > Microwave Links folder or the Links > Other Transmission Links folder. The context menu appears. 2. In the context menu, select the Properties command. The corresponding Properties dialog box appears.

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3. On the Display tab, select Show direction. 4. Click OK. Link direction is indicated by an arrow on each link.

1.3.6.3 Selecting One out of Several Links If there is more than one link with the same azimuth, Atoll enables you to select a specific link. To select one of several links with the same azimuth: 1. In the map window, click the links. A context menu appears with a list of the links with the same azimuth (see Figure 1.17).

Figure 1.17: Selecting one link 2. Select the link from the context menu. • •

When you select a link, both ends appear white and the link itself appears outlined ( ). When one of the links is already selected on the map, right-clicking on its location will display the context menu of the selected link.

1.3.6.4 Moving a Site Using the Mouse You can move a site by editing the coordinates on the General tab of the Site Properties dialog box, or by using the mouse. To move a site using the mouse: 1. Click and drag the site to the desired position. As you drag the site, the exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are visible in the Status bar. 2. Release the site where you would like to place it. By default, Atoll locks the position of a site. When the position of a site is locked, Atoll asks you to confirm that you want to move the site. 3. Click Yes to confirm. While this method allows you to place a site quickly, you can adjust the location more precisely by editing the coordinates on the General tab of the Site Properties dialog box.

1.3.6.5 Moving a Site to a Higher Location If you want to improve the location of a site, in terms of reception and transmission, Atoll can find a higher location within a specified radius from the current location of the site. To move a site to a higher location: 1. Right-click the site in the map window. The context menu appears. 2. Select Move to a Higher Location. 3. In the Move to a Higher Location dialog box, enter the radius of the area in which Atoll should search and click OK. Atoll moves the site to the highest point within the specified radius.

1.3.6.6 Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse You can set the azimuth of a link’s antenna by modifying it on the Radio tab of the Microwave Link Properties dialog box, or you can modify it on the map, using the mouse.

39



To modify the azimuth of a microwave link antenna using the mouse: 1. In the Network explorer, move the Microwave Radio Links folder on top of the Sites folder as explained in "Changing the Order of Layers" on page 31. 2. On the map, click the link extremity whose azimuth you want to modify. 3. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green circle ( ). An arc with an arrow appears under the pointer. 4. Click the green circle and drag it to change the antenna’s azimuth. The current azimuth of the antenna is displayed in the far left of the status bar. It is defined in degrees, with 0° indicating north. 5. Release the mouse when you have set the azimuth to the desired angle. The antenna’s azimuth relative to the link direction is modified on the Radio tab of the Microwave Link Properties dialog box.

If you make a mistake when changing the azimuth, you can undo your changes by using Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing Ctrl+Z, or by clicking undo the changes made.

in the toolbar) to

1.3.6.7 Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse By default, antennas are placed on the site. However, antennas are occasionally not located directly on the site, but a short distance away. In Atoll, you can change the position of the antenna relative to the site either by adjusting the Dx and Dy parameters or by entering the coordinates of the antenna position on the General tab of the Microwave link Property dialog box. Dx and Dy are the distance in metres of the antenna from the site position. You can also modify the position of the antenna on the map, using the mouse. To move a microwave link extremity using the mouse: 1. In the Network explorer, move the Microwave Radio Links folder on the top of the Sites folder as explained in "Changing the Order of Layers" on page 31. 2. On the map, click the link extremity you want to move. 3. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green rectangle ( ). A cross appears under the pointer. 4. Click the green rectangle and drag it to change the antenna’s position relative to the site. The current coordinates (x and y) of the antenna are displayed in the far right of the status bar. 5. Release the mouse when you have moved the selected link extremity to the desired position. The position of the selected link extremity is modified on the General tab of the Microwave Link Properties dialog box. If you make a mistake when changing the position of the link extremity, you can undo your changes by using Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking in the toolbar) to undo the changes made.

1.3.6.8 Selecting Another Site for the Link Extremity Using the Mouse In Atoll, you can change the link extremity and place it on another site using the mouse. To select another site for the link extremity on the map: 1. In the Network explorer, move the Microwave Radio Links folder on the top of the Sites folder as explained in "Changing the Order of Layers" on page 31. 2. On the map, click the link extremity you want to move. 3. Move the pointer to the end of the antenna with a green rectangle ( ). A cross appears under the pointer.

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4. Click the green rectangle and drag it to the other site on the map.

5. Release the mouse when the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected. The site for the selected link extremity is modified on the General tab of the Microwave Link Properties dialog box and the link is renamed. If you make a mistake when changing the position of the link extremity, you can undo your changes by using Undo (by selecting Edit > Undo, by pressing CTRL+Z, or by clicking in the toolbar) to undo the changes made.

1.3.7 Exporting Network Elements to Vector Files You can export the content of the following Network explorer folders to vector files: • • • •

Sites Microwave Links Multi-Hops Point to Multipoint

To export these network elements to vector files: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click any of the folders listed above. The context menu appears. 2. Select Export from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 3. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the folder where you want to save the file, enter a name for the file, and select a format in the Save as type list. 4. Click Save. The Vector Export dialog box appears. 5. In the Vector Export dialog box, you can: • •

Change The coordinate system to use in export by clicking the Change button. Select the fields you want to export. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing Shift and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing Ctrl and clicking each field separately. •

To select a field to be exported, select the field in the Available fields list and click Exported fields list. All fields in the Exported fields list will be exported.

to move it to the

•

To remove a field from the list of Exported fields, select the field and click

•

To change the order in which the fields will be exported, select a field and click or to move it up or down. The top-most field under Exported fields corresponds to the left-most field under Preview.

.

The actual X and Y coordinates are stored in a hidden GEOMETRY field. The X and Y fields are informative.

6. Click Export. The selected network elements are exported to the vector file. You can import vector files in Atoll using File > Import. For more information, see "Importing Vector Format Geo Data Files" on page 102.

1.4 Maps Atoll has the following functions to help you work with maps: • • • • • • • • • • •

"Configuring the Layout of the Map Window" on page 42 "Changing the Map Scale" on page 43 "Moving the Map in the Document Window" on page 42 "Using the Panoramic Window" on page 44 "Opening a New Map Window" on page 44 "Centring the Map Window on a Selection" on page 44 "Searching for Objects on the Map" on page 45 "Measuring Distances on the Map" on page 47 "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48 "Vector Objects" on page 53 "Map Window Pointers" on page 57

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1.4.1 Configuring the Layout of the Map Window You can configure the layout of the map window by displaying the map scale, displaying rulers around the map, displaying the map legend, and displaying the map in full screen mode.

1.4.1.1 Displaying the Map Scale You can display the map scale in the map window. To display the map scale: 1. In the View menu, click Scale.

1.4.1.2 Displaying Rulers Around the Map You can display rulers around the map in the document window. To display or hide rulers: 1. In the View menu, select Rulers > All Rulers to enable or disable all four rulers at once or Rulers > Top, Bottom, Left, or Right to enable or disable each ruler separately.

1.4.1.3 Displaying the Map Legend You can display a map legend, which contains the information on the object types that you have added to it. For information on adding object types to the legend, see "Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 35. To display the Legend window: 1. In the View menu, select Legend Window. The Legend window appears.

1.4.1.4 Using Full Screen Mode Atoll enables you to expand the map window to fill the entire computer screen, temporarily hiding the explorer windows and the toolbars. To enable full screen mode: 1. In the View menu, select Full Screen. The map window expands to fill the computer screen. You can move the Close Full Screen button by clicking and dragging the Full Screen title bar above it. If you inadvertantly move the Close Full Screen button off screen, you can still return to the normal view by selecting View > Full Screen again or by pressing ESC.

With the toolbars and scrollbars hidden, you can still navigate around the map window using the keyboard shortcuts: •

Ctrl++: Zoom in on the map

•

Ctrl+–: Zoom out on the map

•

Ctrl+D: Move the map in the map window

•

ALT+←: Previous zoom and location on the map

•

ALT+→: Next zoom and location on the map.

1.4.2 Moving the Map in the Document Window You can move the map in the document window using the mouse. To move the map in the document window: 1. Click the Move Map Window button (

) on the Map toolbar (or press Ctrl + D).

2. Move the pointer over the map and drag the map in the desired direction. You can also move the map in the document window by placing the pointer over the map, pressing the mouse wheel, and dragging the map in the desired direction.

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1.4.3 Changing the Map Scale You can change the scale of the map by zooming in or out, by zooming in on a specific area of the map, or by choosing a scale. Atoll also allows you to define a zoom range outside of which certain objects are not displayed (see "Setting the Visibility Scale" on page 34).

1.4.3.1 Zooming In and Out Atoll offers several tools for zooming in and out on the map and zooming in on a specific area of the map. To zoom in or out on the map: 1. Click the Zoom icon ( ) on the Map toolbar (or press Ctrl+W). The zoom mode is activated and is based on the position of the cursor on the map. 2. To zoom in on the map, click the map where you want to zoom in. 3. To zoom in on a specific area of the map, click in the map on one of the four corners of the area you want to select and drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area. 4. To zoom out on the map, right-click the map where you want to zoom out. 5. To exit the zoom mode, click the Zoom icon (

) on the Map toolbar (or press Esc or Ctrl+W).

The following tools can also be used to zoom in and out in the map: •

• •

Mouse wheel: Place the mouse cursor where you want to zoom in (respectively zoom out) and rotate the mouse wheel forward (respectively backward) to zoom in (respectively zoom out) on the map. Keyboard shortcuts: Press Ctrl++ to zoom in on the map or Ctrl+– to zoom out on the map. View menu: Select Zoom > Zoom In from the View menu to zoom in on the map or Zoom > Zoom Out from the View menu to zoom in on the map.

1.4.3.2 Choosing a Scale To choose a scale: 1. Click the arrow next to the scale box (

) on the Map toolbar.

2. Select the scale from the list. 3. If the scale value you want is not in the list: a. Click in the scale box (

) on the Map toolbar.

b. Enter the desired scale. c. Press ENTER. Atoll zooms the map to the entered scale.

1.4.3.3 Changing Between Previous Zoom Levels Atoll saves the last five zoom levels, allowing you to quickly move between previous zoom levels and zoomed areas. To move between zoom levels: ) to return to a zoom level you have already used (or press ALT+←).

•

Click the Previous Zoom button (

•

Once you have returned to a previous zoom level, click the Next Zoom button (

) to return to the latest zoom level

(or press ALT+→).

1.4.3.4 Adjusting the Map Window to a Selection You can adjust the map window to display the contents of the Sites folder (or of a view), or a set of measurement data points, or one or all predictions, or any object or zone in the Geo explorer. When you adjust the map window to display a selection, Atoll optimises the display by changing the scale and position so that the selection (for example, the sites) is completely displayed in the map window.

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To adjust the map window to a folder or to an object in the explorer: 1. Right-click the folder or object in the explorer, and select Adjust Map Window from the context menu. You can also adjust the map window to a record (polygon or line) in a vector table. The map window is then adjusted so that the polygon (or line) entirely occupies the displayed map.

1.4.4 Using the Panoramic Window The Panoramic window displays the entire map with all of the imported geographic data. A dark rectangle indicates what part of the geographic data is presently displayed in a document window, helping you situate the displayed area in relation to the entire map. You can use the Panoramic window to: • • •

Zoom in on a specific area of the map Resize the displayed map area Move around the map.

To zoom in on a specific area of the map: 1. In the Panoramic window, click one of the four corners of the zoom area. 2. Drag the mouse to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area. To resize the displayed map area: 1. In the Panoramic window, click on a corner or border of the zoom area (i.e., the dark rectangle). 2. Drag the border to its new position. To move around the map: 1. Click in the zoom area (i.e., the dark rectangle) in the Panoramic window. 2. Drag the rectangle to its new position.

1.4.5 Opening a New Map Window When working on an Atoll project, especially when you are working on a larger, complex radio-planning project, you might want to be able to view a different part of the project without losing the focus on the original area. Atoll enables you to open several map windows of the same project. This permits you to verify data or to visually compare two separate areas of the project. To open a new map window: 1. In the Window menu, select New Map Window. A new map window of the current Atoll project appears. You can work with the new map window as you would with any Atoll map window.

1.4.6 Centring the Map Window on a Selection You can centre the map on any selected object (for example, a transmitter, a site, one or all predictions, or on any zone in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer). When centring the map window on an object the current scale is kept. You can select the object in the map window or in the explorer. To centre the map window on a selected object: 1. Right-click an object in the map window or in the explorer, and select Centre in Map Window from the context menu. You can also centre the map window on any record of a site table, transmitter table, and vector table. To centre the map window on a table record, select the record in the table and click Centre on Map ( ) in the Table toolbar.

1.4.7 Favourite Map Views You can save particular views of the map as favourite and easily navigate between those different views. You can also share favourite views among other users by embedding favourite views in a document.

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A favourite view contains a set of information regarding the visible elements of the map window. The following information are saved in a favourite view: • • •

Zoom level and map centre (coordinates of the centre of the map window). Geographic data set, such as map display settings, visibility status of the objects contained in the Geo explorer, and order of the layers in the Geo explorer. Optionally, the definition of a computation and a focus zone. To save the definition of a computation zone and a focus zone in favourite views and to restore those zones when applying a favourite view, an option must be set in the [FavouriteViews] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

To work with favourite views: 1. In the View menu, select Favourite Views. The Favourite Views window appears. 2. To create a favourite view, click Add (

). The favourite view is added to the User Favourites list.

By default, favourite views are stored in your user profile. You can store favourite views in the document by setting an option in the [FavouriteViews] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

3. To save a favourite view in the document, right-click the favourite view under User Favourites and select Copy to Document Favourites from the context menu. The selected view is added to the Document Favourites list and will be saved in the current document when the document is saved. 4. To save a favourite view of the document in your user profile, right-click the favourite view under Document Favourites and select Copy to User Favourites from the context menu. The selected view is added to the User Favourites list and will be saved in your user profile. 5. To rename a favourite view, right-click the favourite view in the Favourite Views window and select Rename from the context menu. 6. To delete a favourite view, right-click the favourite view in the Favourite Views window and select Delete from the context menu. 7. To apply a favourite view, double-click the view in the Favourite Views window. The current applied view is identified by the ( ) symbol in the Favourite Views window.

1.4.8 Searching for Objects on the Map Atoll provides the Find on Map tool for finding data objects on the map. You can search for some objects (sites, vectors, microwave links, other link types) by their name or by any text field, using Find on Map. You can also use Find on Map to search for a point on the map by its X and Y coordinates, or by its postal address. Additionally, Find on Map enables you to find technology-specific attributes such as a channel in a microwave project. Using Find on Map to find technology-specific attributes is covered in the chapter for that technology. This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Searching for a Map Object by Its Name" on page 45 "Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property" on page 46 "Searching for a Point on the Map by its Coordinates" on page 46 "Searching for a Point on the Map by its Full or Partial Postal Address" on page 47

1.4.8.1 Searching for a Map Object by Its Name You can use Find on Map to search for the following map objects by name: • • • •

Vectors Sites Microwave links Other link types

To search for a map object by name using the Find on Map tool: 1. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears. 2. From the Find list, choose the map object you are searching for: •

Vector

45


• • •


Site MW Link Other Link

The map object you select appears in the Field box. 3. Enter the name of the object in the text box marked with an equal sign ("="). In the Find on Map window, Atoll searches and displays the results as you type. You can use the following wildcards as the first character of your search: •

An asterisk ("*") to represent multiple characters at the beginning of the name. For example, "*X" will find all names that contain "X".

•

A question mark ("?") to represent the first alphanumerical character of the name. For example, "?X" will find all "AX" to "ZX" and "0X" to "9X". It is not possible to combine the "?" wildcard with other wildcards or to use "?" in any other position than as the first character.

4. Select the object from the list. Atoll centres it in the map window. If the corresponding data table is open, then the line containing the object is selected. You can also right-click the object in the list to display the context menu for the object. You can also click Copy ( ) to copy to the clipboard the list of the object names that correspond to your search criteria.

1.4.8.2 Searching for a Map Object using Any Text Property You can use Find on Map to search for the following map objects using any text (i.e., non-numeric) property: • • • •

Vectors Sites Microwave links Other link types

To search for a map object by a text property using the Find on Map tool: 1. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears. 2. From the Find list, choose the map object you are searching for: • • • •

Vector Site MW Link Other Link

3. From the Field list, select the text property on which you want to search, for example "Support Type" when you are looking for a "Site". 4. Enter the name of the object in the text box marked with an equal sign ("="). In the Find on Map window, Atoll searches and displays the results as you type. You can use an asterisk ("*") as a wildcard by entering it as the first character. For example, entering "*X" will find all names which contain "X". 5. Select the object from the list. Atoll centres it in the map window. You can right-click the object in the list to display the context menu for the object. You can also click Copy ( to the clipboard the list of the object names that correspond to your search criteria.

) to copy

1.4.8.3 Searching for a Point on the Map by its Coordinates You can use Find on Map to search for a point by its X and Y coordinates. To search for a point on the map by its X and Y coordinates: 1. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears. 2. From the Find list, choose Position. 3. Enter the X and Y coordinates of the point, using the same units as defined under Display on the Coordinates tab of the Document Properties dialog box (see "Projection and Display Coordinate Systems" on page 22). Make sure that the coordinate system used in your document uses the same projection system as the tile server. Failing to do so will lead to inappropriate behaviour when an online map is specified (disproportionate and badly rendered map tiles) as you drag the map away from the area targeted by the specified projection coordinate system. For more information on displaying online maps, see "Displaying Online Maps" on page 114.

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4. Click Search. Atoll centres the point in the map window.

1.4.8.4 Searching for a Point on the Map by its Full or Partial Postal Address You can use Find on Map to search for a point by its postal address. Atoll can use a geocoding service to locate a point on the map from a full or partial postal address. Atoll currently supports the following geocoding providers: Microsoft Bing and MapQuest. To enable this service, see the Atoll Administrator Manual. This geocoding service is not part of Atoll and is governed by the terms and conditions of its provider, which are subject to change without notice.

To search for a point on the map by its full or partial postal address: 1. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears. 2. From the Find list, choose Online. 3. Enter a postal Address. You can specify a full or partial address, for example: street name, precinct, city, county, country, and so on. 4. Click Search. Atoll automatically begins searching and displays the results in the Find on Map window. 5. Select a result from the list. Atoll centres it in the map window.

1.4.9 Measuring Distances on the Map You can measure distances on the map by using the Distance Measurement tool. The Distance Measurement tool also displays the azimuth of a line segment. You can also use the Distance Measurement tool to measure distance between several points along a polyline. As you measure, Atoll displays the following information: • • • •

Path: The total distance between the first point and the last point of a line segment or a polyline. Line: The distance between the first point and the pointer’s position (for a line segment), or distance between the last point and the pointer’s position (for a polyline). Total: The total distance between the first point and the pointer’s location. Azimuth: The azimuth of the pointer’s position with respect to the first point of a line segment, or with respect to the last point of a polyline.

To measure a distance on the map between two points: 1. Click Distance Measurement (

). The mouse cursor turns into a scale cursor (

).

2. Click the starting point on the map. The information displayed in the status bar changes from "Ready" to the following message:

Figure 1.18: Distance Measurement information in the status bar The following popup appears next to the scale cursor if the Display Tips button (

) on the toolbar is active:

Figure 1.19: Distance Measurement information in a popup 3. As you move the pointer away from the first point, Atoll marks the initial position and connects it to the pointer with a line. The status bar displays the distance covered by the pointer thus far ("Path = 0 m" and "Line = Total"), and the azimuth of the pointer’s location with respect to the first point. As you move the pointer away from the first point, the measurement "Line" increases from 0 m to the distance covered by the pointer thus far. 4. Click the next point on the map. The status bar displays the same information as in step 2. (except that "Path = Total" and "Line = 0 m").

47



5. Continue clicking points until you have clicked the last point. In the example shown in Figure 1.20, "BRU062" is the first point, "BRU069" is the last point, the pointer’s location is 567 m away from the last point and its azimuth is 248° with respect to the last point. 6. Double-click anywhere on the map to exit distance measurement.

Figure 1.20: Measurement data in the status bar

1.4.10 Using Zones in the Map Window In the Geo explorer, Atoll provides you with a set of tools called zones. Zones are a type of polygon, which can be created and modified in the same way as contours, lines, or points. Zones can be used to define areas of the map for the following purposes: •

• • • •

Filtering Zone: The filtering zone is a graphical filter that restricts the objects displayed on the map and in the Network explorer to the objects inside the filtering zone. It also restricts which objects are used in calculations such as coverage predictions, etc. Computation Zone: The computation zone is used to define which microwave links are to be taken into consideration in calculations and the area where Atoll calculates link budgets, link profiles, interference reports, etc. Focus Zone: The focus zone defines the area on which you want to generate reports and results. Printing Zone: The printing zone allows you to define the area to be printed. Geographic Export Zone: The geographic export zone is used to define part of the map to be exported as a bitmap. Zones are taken into account whether or not they are visible. In other words, if you have drawn a zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer is selected. For example, if you have filtered the sites using a filtering zone, the sites outside the filtering zone will not be taken into consideration in coverage predictions, even if you have cleared the filtering zone’s visibility check box. You will have to delete the zone if you no longer want to select sites using a filtering zone.

This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

"Filtering Zone" on page 48 "Computation Zone" on page 49 "Focus Zone" on page 50 "Printing Zone" on page 50 "Geographic Export Zone" on page 50 "Creating Zones" on page 50 "Editing Zones" on page 51

1.4.10.1 Filtering Zone The filtering zone is a graphical filter that restricts the objects displayed on the map and in the Network explorer to the objects inside the filtering zone. It also restricts which objects are used in calculations such as coverage predictions, etc. By limiting the number of sites, you can reduce the time and cost of calculations and make visualisation of data objects on the map clearer. The data objects filtered by the filtering zone are identified on the map and in the data tables. In the Network explorer, any folder whose content is affected by the filtering zone appears with a special icon ( ), indicating- that the folder contents have been filtered.

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When you have applied a filtering zone, you can perform the following actions on the filtered data: • • •

Grouping (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 76) Sorting (see "Sorting Data" on page 79) Filtering (see "Filtering Data" on page 81).

The filtering zone is displayed with a blue contour on the map. The filtering zone is applied whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer is selected. You must delete the zone if you no longer want to restrict the selection to sites within the filtering zone.

1.4.10.2 Computation Zone The computation zone defines the area where Atoll performs calculations. When you analyse candidate sites (line of sight, best route between two sites), Atoll takes into consideration all sites within the computation zone. When you study interference, Atoll considers as potential interferers all the microwave links that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and intersect the computation zone. When working with a large network, the computation zone can restrict your coverage predictions to the part of the network you are currently working on. By allowing you to reduce the number of microwave links studied, Atoll reduces both the time and computer resources necessary for calculations. If no computation zone is defined, Atoll performs calculations on all microwave links that are active and filtered and for the entire extent of the geographical data available. The computation zone is displayed with a red contour on the map. If you clear the computation zone visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer, it is no longer displayed but is still taken into account for calculations. Figure 1.21 gives an example of a computation zone where the computation zone is displayed in red, as it is in the Atoll map window. The propagation zone of each active site is indicated by a blue square. Each propagation zone that intersects the rectangle containing the computation zone (indicated by the green dashed line) is taken into consideration in calculations.

Figure 1.21: An example of a computation zone In this example: • • •

Sites 78 and 95 are not in the computation zone, but their propagation zones intersect with the rectangle containing the computation zone. Therefore, they are taken into consideration in the calculations. The propagation zones of sites 71 and 93 do not intersect with the computation zone. Therefore, they are not taken into account in the calculations. Site 130 is within the coverage zone but has no active transmitters. Therefore, it is not taken into consideration.

The computation zone is considered whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a computation zone, it is taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo explorer is selected. You must delete the zone if you no longer want to define an area for the calculations.

49



1.4.10.3 Focus Zone The focus zone can define an area on which statistics can be drawn and on which reports are made. It is important not to confuse the computation zone and the focus zone. The computation zone defines the sites and links which are considered in calculations (the candidate sites in the line of sight analysis, the potential interferers in interference predictions, etc.) while the focus zone filters the sites and links for which Atoll displays results. Atoll bases statistics on the area covered by the focus zone. If no focus zone is defined, Atoll uses the computation zone. However, by using a focus zone for the report, you can display the statistics for a specific number of sites, instead of displaying statistics for every site that has been calculated. The focus zone is displayed with a green contour on the map. Atoll considers the focus zone whether or not they are visible. In other words, if you have drawn a focus zone, it is taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer is selected. You must to delete the zone if you no longer want to define an area for the reports. A focus zone can consist of more than one polygon. The polygons of a focus zone must not intersect or overlap each other.

1.4.10.4 Printing Zone The printing zone allows you to define an area to be printed. The printing zone is displayed with a light green line on the map. If you clear the printing zone’s visibility check box in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer, it will no longer be displayed but will still be taken into account. For more information on printing, see "Printing in Atoll" on page 72.

1.4.10.5 Geographic Export Zone If you want to export part of the map as a bitmap, you can define a geographic export zone. After you have defined a geographic export zone, Atoll allows you to export only the area covered by the zone if you export the map as a raster image. Once you have created a geographic export zone, you can use Atoll’s polygon editing tools to edit it. For more information on the polygon editing tools, see "Editing Zones" on page 51. The geographic export zone can only export in raster format. You can not export in raster format if the coverage prediction was made per transmitter (for example, coverage predictions with the display type set by transmitter, by a transmitter attribute, by signal level, by path loss, or by total losses). Only the coverage area of a single transmitter can be exported in raster format.

1.4.10.6 Creating Zones Zones are drawn polygons that allow you to delimit geographic work areas for various tasks. You can create the following types of zones: • • • • • •

Filtering zones Focus zones Computation zones Hot spots Printing zones Geographic export zones

To create a zone: 1. In the Geo explorer, expand the Zones folder, right-click the type of zone that you want to create. The context menu opens. •

To draw a polygon: i.

Click Draw Polygon from the context menu.

ii. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone. iii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction. iv. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone. •

To draw a rectangle: i.

Click Draw Rectangle from the context menu.

ii. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the zone.

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iii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the zone. When you release the mouse, the zone will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners. •

To fit the zone to the displayed map area, click Fit Zone to Map Window.

The following alternative methods also allow you to create a computation zone: • •

•

In the Vector Editor toolbar, select a type of zone (highlighted in blue) and use the New Polygon (

) and New Rec-

tangle ( ) buttons to draw the computation zone. You can use any existing polygon on the map (for example: an administrative area) as a zone by right-clicking it and selecting Use As and the type of zone from the context menu. You can also combine an existing computation zone with any existing polygon by right-clicking it on the map or in the explorer window and selecting Add To and the type of zone from the context menu. If you have a vector file that contains a polygonal shape, you can import the polygon to use it as a zone by right-clicking the Zone in the Geo explorer and selecting Import from the context menu. You can save the computation zone, so that you can use it in a different Atoll document, in the following ways: •

•

Saving the computation zone in the user configuration: For information on saving the computation zone in the user configuration, see "Saving a User Configuration" on page 86. Exporting the computation zone: You can export the computation zone by rightclicking the Computation Zone folder in the Geo explorer and selecting Export from the context menu.

1.4.10.7 Editing Zones Atoll provides several ways of editing a computation zone, focus zone, and filtering zones. You can edit these zones by editing the points that define them, by combining several polygons, or by deleting parts of the polygons that make up these zones. When you no longer need the zone, you can delete it from the map. The computation and focus polygons can contain holes. Holes within polygonal areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal areas are in clockwise order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order. Atoll enables you to edit a polygons and zone in several different ways. The first step is to select it, either by: • • •

Selecting the polygon zone in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer, Selecting the polygon zone by clicking it on the map, or Selecting the polygon zone from the list in the Vector Editor toolbar.

Once you have the polygon zone in editing mode, you can edit it as explained in the following sections: • • • •

1.4.10.7.1

"Editing the Contour of a Zone" on page 51 "Creating Complex Zones" on page 52 "Deleting Zones" on page 52 "Copying Zones into Other Applications" on page 52

Editing the Contour of a Zone You can change the shape of a zone by editing the contour of its polygon. To edit a contour, you can add new points, move existing points, or delete points. To edit the contour of a zone: 1. Right-click the zone that you want to edit in the map window and select Edit Zone from the context menu. The polygon enters editing mode. Alternatively, you can right-click the zone in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer and select Edit Zone from the context menu. When the zone is selected in the Vector Editor toolbar list, it is automatically put in editing mode.

2. Edit the points on the contour as explained in "Editing Polygon Contours and Lines" on page 55

51


1.4.10.7.2


Creating Complex Zones In Atoll, you can create complex polygon zones by using the tools on the Vector Editor toolbar. The filtering, computation, and focus zone polygons can contain holes. Holes within polygonal areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal areas are in clockwise order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order. To edit a polygon zone using the icons on the Vector Editor toolbar: 1. Right-click the zone that you want to edit in the map window and select Edit Zone from the context menu. The polygon enters editing mode. Alternatively, you can right-click the zone in the Zones folder in the Geo explorer and select Edit Zone from the context menu. When the zone is selected in the Vector Editor toolbar list, it is automatically put in editing mode.

2. Edit the zone using the Vector Editor toolbar as explained in "Creating Complex Polygons" on page 56.

1.4.10.7.3

Deleting Zones When you no longer need a polygon zone, you can remove the zone. To remove a polygon zone: 1. In the Geo explorer, expand the Zones folder, right-click the folder containing the zone you want to remove, and select Delete Zone from the context menu. The polygon zone is removed and all document data is now displayed. You can also delete a zone by right-clicking the contour of the zone on the map and selecting Delete. You can delete all zones by right-clicking the Zones folder and selecting Delete All Zones.

1.4.10.7.4

Copying Zones into Other Applications You can copy the contents of a zone to the clipboard to paste it into a another application, such as a graphics program or a word processor. The copied content can be a bitmap image, a Windows metafile, or a list of coordinates that define the polygon. To copy a zone into another application: 1. In the Geo explorer, expand the Zones folder, right-click a zone, and select Edit from the context menu. Alternatively, right-click the contour of the zone on the map and select Edit from the context menu. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • •

To copy the selected zone to the clipboard as a bitmap image, click Edit > Copy or press Ctrl-C. To copy the selected zone as a bitmap image with a specific resolution, click Edit > Advanced Copy and follow the following steps: i.

In the Advanced Copy dialog box, select Bitmap image and specify a Custom resolution.

ii. Click OK • •

To copy the selected zone as a Windows metafile image, click Edit > Advanced Copy, select Metafile image, and click OK. To copy the selected zone as a list of coordinates, click Edit > Advanced Copy, select Georeference coordinates, and click OK.

3. Open the application in which you want to paste the selected zone and select the Edit > Paste command (or press Ctrl+V). The zone that you copied to the clipboard is pasted into the application document as an image or a list of coordinates.

1.4.10.7.5

Saving Zones You can save zones as .geo files for later use or for sharing with other users. The type of zone and its shape and coordinates are saved in the .geo file. To save a zone: 1. In the Tools menu, select User Configuration and Save. The User Configurations window opens. 2. In the User Configuration window, select Zones and click OK. The Save As window opens.

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3. Select a directory, type a name for the .geo file, and click Save. For more information on saving and loading user configurations, see "User Configurations" on page 85.

1.4.10.7.6

Loading Zones You can load .geo zone files into the current Atoll document. To load a zone: 1. In the Tools menu, select User Configuration and Load. The Open window is displayed. 2. Select a file to import, and click Load. The User Configurations window opens. 3. In the User Configuration window, select Zones and click OK. The zone is loaded. By default, the loaded zone replaces an existing zone of the same type. An optional merge feature allows you to merge the imported zone with the existing zone by adding an option in the Atoll.ini configuration file. For more information, see the Atoll Administrator Manual. You can also use the File > Import menu to load zones. In this case, the imported zone always replaces the existing zone regardless of the Atoll.ini setting. For more information on saving and loading user configurations, see "User Configurations" on page 85.

1.4.10.7.7

Exporting Zones as Raster Files You can export a zone on the map as an image file or a digital terrain model (DTM) file. The following file formats are supported: • •

Image files: BMP, PNG, ArcView Grid (TXT), TIFF, BIL, JPEG 2000, and JPG. DTM files: TIF, BIL, or TXT format.

When saving in BIL format, Atoll allows you to save files larger than 2 Gb. To export a map area as a raster file: 1. Select an existing zone or create geographic export zone or a printing zone as explained in "Creating Zones" on page 50. 2. Select File > Save Image As. The Save As dialog box appears. 3. In the Save as dialog box, select a destination folder, enter a File name, and select a file type from the Save as type list. 4. Click Save. The Image Export Options dialog box appears. 5. In the Image Export Options dialog box, select the zone that you want to export and define the size of the exported image in one of two ways: • •

Scale: If you want to define the size by scale, select Scale, enter a scale in the text box and a resolution. If you want to export the image with rulers, select Include Rulers. Pixel size: If you want to define the size by pixel size, select Pixel size, and enter a pixel size in the text box. If you want to use the exported file as a digital terrain model, you must define the size of the exported image by pixel size. A geo-referenced file is then created for the exported image.

6. Click OK.

1.4.11 Vector Objects Atoll can use different types of polygons, lines, and points in the map window. For example, the zones such as the filtering, computation and focus zones, described in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48, are specific types of polygons. Other types of polygons, called contours, along with lines and points, can be used to add additional information to geographic data. Atoll provides several ways of editing polygons, lines, and points. You can move or delete the points that define polygons, lines, and points. You can edit polygons by editing the points that define them, by combining several polygons, or by deleting parts of the polygons. Polygons, including the computation and focus zone polygons can contain holes. Holes within polygonal areas are differentiated from overlaying polygons by the order of the coordinates of their vertices. The coordinates of the vertices of polygonal

53



areas are in clockwise order, whereas the coordinates of the vertices of holes within polygonal areas are in counter-clockwise order. When you no longer need the polygon, line, or point, you can delete it from the map. This section explains the different ways of editing polygons, lines, and points: • • • • •

"Adding a Vector Layer" on page 54 "Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points" on page 54 "Copying Zones into Other Applications" on page 52 "Editing Polygon Contours and Lines" on page 55 "Creating Complex Polygons" on page 56

1.4.11.1 Adding a Vector Layer You can add vector objects such as polygons, lines or points to geographical map information in a project by first creating a vector layer. You can also modify certain geographic data maps, for example, geoclimatic maps, by adding a vector layer to them and adding polygons, lines and points afterwards. For information on modifying certain geographic data maps by adding a vector layer, see "Editing Geoclimatic Maps" on page 122. To add a vector layer to the Geo explorer: 1. Click the New Vector Layer button ( explorer.

) on the Vector Editor toolbar. A folder named "Vectors" is created in the Geo

2. Right-click the Vector folder, click Rename, and type a name for the vector layer.

1.4.11.2 Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points Once you have created a vector layer, as explained in "Adding a Vector Layer" on page 54, you can add vector objects such as polygons, lines, and points to it. To create a vector object: 1. In the Geo explorer, right-click the vector layer, and select Edit from the context menu. The tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are available. You can also make the vector tools available by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector Editor toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by default, it might be difficult to know which vector folder you are selecting. By renaming each vector folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 30. If the Vector Editor toolbar is not visible, select View > Toolbars > Vector Editor. 2. Perform any of the following actions: •

To draw a polygon: i.

Click New Polygon (

) in the toolbar.

ii. Click once on the map to start drawing the zone. iii. Click once on the map to define each point on the map where the border of the zone changes direction. iv. Click twice to finish drawing and close the zone. •

To draw a rectangle: i.

Click New Rectangle (

) in the toolbar.

ii. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle that will define the zone. iii. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle that will define the zone. When you release the mouse, the zone will be created from the rectangle defined by the two corners. If the polygon or rectangle is on the vector layer of a geoclimatic map,, you must define the value the polygon or rectangle represents and map the vector layer. For more information, see "Editing Geoclimatic Maps" on page 122. •

To draw a line: i.

Click New Line (

) in the toolbar.

ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin the line.

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iii. Click each time you change angles on the line. iv. Double-click to end the line. •

To draw a point, click New Point (

) in the toolbar and click once on the map where you want to place the point.

3. Press ESC to deselect the currently selected button on the Vector Editor toolbar.

1.4.11.3 Editing Points To edit a point: 1. In the Network explorer or the Geo explorer that contains the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder and select Draw from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are activated. You can activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector Editor toolbar list.

2. Select the point and perform either of the following actions: •

To move a point: i.

Position the pointer over the point that you want to move. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Drag the point to its new position. •

To delete a point from the polygon: i.

Position the pointer over the point you want to delete. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Right-click and select Delete Point from the context menu. The point is deleted.

1.4.11.4 Editing Polygon Contours and Lines You can edit the shape of polygons and lines on the vector layer by creating, moving, and deleting points. To edit the polygon contours and lines: 1. In the explorer (the Network explorer or the Geo explorer) containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Draw from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are activated. You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector Editor toolbar list.

3. Select the polygon contour and edit the points of the polygon by performing any of the following actions: •

To move a point: i.

Position the pointer over the point that you want to move. The pointer changes (

).


To add a point to the polygon: i.

Position the pointer over the polygon zone border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the polygon zone border at the position of the pointer. •

To delete a point from the polygon: i.


).


1.4.11.5 Creating Complex Polygons You can create complex shapes by combining, splitting, intersecting, and substracting polygons with the tools on the Vector Editor toolbar.

55



To edit a vector object using the icons on the Vector Editor toolbar: 1. In the Network explorer or the Geo explorer that contains the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder and select Draw from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are activated. You can activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector Editor toolbar list.

2. Select the polygon contour and edit the polygon by performing any of the following actions: •

To combine several polygon zones: i.

In the Vector Editor toolbar, click the Combine button (

).

ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the new polygon zone. iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon zone. iv. Double-click to close the polygon zone. v. Draw more polygon zones if desired. Atoll creates a group of polygons of the selected and new contours. If polygon zones overlap, Atoll merges them. •

To combine two existing contours: i.

In the Vector Editor toolbar, click the Combine button (

).

ii. Click the contour that you want to combine with the selected one. Atoll combines the two selected contours into a single object, merging them if they overlap. •

To delete part of the selected polygon zone: i.

In the Vector Editor toolbar, click the Delete button (

).

ii. Draw the area you want to delete from the selected polygon zone by clicking once on the map where you want to begin drawing the area to delete. iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the area. iv. Double-click to close the area. Atoll deletes the area from the selected contour. •

To create a contour out of the overlapping area of two polygons: i.

In the Vector Editor toolbar, click the Intersection button (

).

ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon that will overlap the selected one. iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon. iv. Double-click to close the polygon. Atoll creates a new polygon of the overlapping area of the two polygons and deletes the parts of the polygons that do not overlap. •

To split the selected polygon into multiple polygons: i.

In the Vector Editor toolbar, click the Split button (

).

ii. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon that will split the selected one. iii. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon. iv. Double-click to close the polygon. Atoll separates the area covered by the polygon from the selected polygon and creates a new polygon.

1.4.12 Map Window Pointers In Atoll, the mouse pointer appears in different forms according to its function. Each pointer is described below: Appearance

Description

Meaning The zone selection pointer indicates:

Selection arrow

56

• •

On the map, that you can define a zone to print or copy In the Panoramic window, that you can define the zone to be displayed on the map. To define a zone, click and drag diagonally.


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Appearance

Description

Meaning

Polygon drawing pointer

The polygon drawing pointer indicates that you can draw a zone to filter either sites or links, draw computation/focus/filtering/printing/ geographic export zones, or draw vector or raster polygons on the map. To draw a polygon, click once to start, and each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon. Close the polygon by clicking twice.

The rectangle drawing pointer indicates that you that can draw computation/focus/ Rectangle drawing filtering/printing/geographic export zones, or draw vector or raster rectangles on pointer the map. To define a zone, click and drag diagonally. Hand

The hand pointer indicates that you can move the visible part of the displayed map.

Zoom tool

The zoom pointer indicates that you can click to zoom in at the location of the mouse pointer, right-click to zoom out at the location of the mouse pointer, and click and drag to zoom in on an area.

Deletion

The deletion pointer indicates that you can delete a newly created polygonal clutter zone by clicking its border.

Position indicator

The position indicator pointer indicates that you can select the border of a polygon. Right-clicking the polygon border opens a context menu allowing you to add a point, delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.

Select/create points

The select/create points pointer indicates that you can modify the polygon in the map window. You can add a new point and modify the polygon contour by clicking on one of the edges and dragging. You can move an existing point by clicking and dragging an existing point. You can right-click to open a context menu to delete a point, delete the polygon, or centre the map on the polygon.

Microwave link start End

The microwave link pointer indicates that you can click a point on the map to create the first point of a microwave link. Once you have created the first point, the microwave link pointer changes and the next click ends the link.

The multihop and multipoint pointer indicates that you can click once to create the Multi-hop or point- first point of a multi-hop link or the hub of a point-to-multipoint link. In the case of a to-multipoint multihop link, each subsequent click creates another point in the link. In the case of a point-to-multipoint, each subsequent link creates anew point, connected to the microwave link hub by a link. Rotate hub antenna of pointto-multipoint link

The rotate hub antenna pointer indicates that you can click the hub antenna and drag it to a new position to change the azimuth of the hub antenna.

The measurement pointer indicates that you can click on the map to set the start Measurements on point of your measurement. As you move the pointer, the distance between the first the map point and the pointer is displayed in the status bar.

Terrain section

The terrain section pointer indicates that you can create a terrain section by clicking once on the map to create the first point and once more to create the second point. The terrain profile between the two points is displayed in the Point Analysis window and stored under Terrain Sections in the Geo explorer.

1.5 Data Tables Atoll stores object data (sites, antennas, microwave links, etc.) in the form of tables, containing all parameters and characteristics of the objects. The data contained in prediction reports is also stored in the form of tables. You can add columns to the data table and you can delete certain columns. When you create a new column, you can create a default value for a field that you create. You can also create a list of choices (for text fields) from which the user can choose when filling in the field. You can filter, sort, and group the data contained in these tables, and view a statistical analysis of the data. You can also export the data or import data into the Atoll data tables. The options for working with data tables are available from the context menu or from the Table toolbar displayed above the table.

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You can browse the data in tables by either using the vertical or horizontal scroll bars, the mouse wheel, or by moving through the table cell by cell using the cursor keys or the tab key. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • • • • • •

"Opening a Data Table" on page 58 "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 58 "Editing the Contents of a Table" on page 64 "Accessing Record Properties " on page 61 "Defining the Table Format" on page 61 "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 65 "Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents" on page 68 "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 68 "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 70 "Exporting Tables to XML Files" on page 71 "Importing Tables from XML Files" on page 71.

1.5.1 Opening a Data Table To open a data table: 1. In the Network or Parameters explorer, right-click the data folder for which you want to display the data table and select Open Table from the context menu.

1.5.2 Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields The data for each object type is stored in the form of a data table. Every data table in Atoll is created with a default set of columns, each corresponding to a field. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Accessing Table Fields" on page 58 "Adding a Field to a Data Table" on page 59 "Deleting a Field from a Data Table" on page 60

1.5.2.1 Accessing Table Fields The fields contained in an object type’s table are defined in a dialog box. To access an object type’s table fields: 1. Open the object type’s data table as described in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Right-click inside the table. The context menu appears. 3. Select Table Fields from the context menu. The object type’s Properties dialog box appears.

Figure 1.22: The Table tab •

58

Legend: The name of the field as it appears in the user interface.


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Legends of some fields may include: • •

• • • • •

"(NOT USED)" indicating that the field is not used in the current Atoll release. The corresponding check box is cleared in the Columns to be Displayed dialog box. "(OBSOLETE)" indicating that the field is obsolete and will be removed in a future Atoll release. The corresponding check box is not available in the Columns to be Displayed dialog box.

Name: The name of the field in the database. Type: The type of the field. Size: The maximum size of the field. Default: The default value of the field. Group: A list of groups (separated by a semicolons ";") to which the field belongs. When opening an Atoll document from a database, you can select groups of custom fields to be loaded from the database, instead of loading all custom fields. You can set default values and choice lists for standard Atoll database fields. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

1.5.2.2 Adding a Field to a Data Table You can add a custom field to any object type’s data table. To add a custom field to an object type’s data table: 1. Access the object type’s table fields as explained in "Accessing Table Fields" on page 58. 2. Click Add. The Field Definition dialog box appears. •

Name: Enter the Name for the field that will appear in the database. Field names must not contain special characters or spaces.

• • •

• • • •

Type: Select a type for the field (text, short integer, long integer, single, double, true/false, date/time, currency, or binary). Size (only available for "Text" type): Enter the number of characters. a size in characters. Group: If necessary, you can define the groups to which this custom field will belong separating each group name with a semicolon. When you open an Atoll document from a database, you can then select groups of custom fields to be loaded from the database, instead of loading all custom fields. Legend: Enter the name for the field that will appear in the Atoll user interface. Read-only: Select the Read-only check box if you do not want the custom field to be modifiable in the user interface. Default value: If necessary, enter a default value that will appear when you create a new record of this object type. Choice list (only available if you have selected the "Text", "Short integer", or "Long integer" type): You can create a choice list by entering the list items in the Choice list text box and press ENTER after each list item, keeping each choice on a separate line. You can prevent entering values other than those listed in the Choice list by selecting the Restricted option. In the Choice list text box, you can enter: • • •

A list of text items. A list of integer values. A list of associations between an integer value and a label. To associate an integer value with a label, you must use the equal sign ("=") as follows: integer_value = label When a list of associations is defined for a custom field, only the labels will be displayed in data tables.

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Figure 1.23: Creation of a list of associations and display of this list in a data table For integer choice lists (short integer and long integer): •

•

You cannot mix integer values and associations in the same list. If a line contains an equal sign, the choice list is considered as a list of associations and the lines that do not contain an equal sign are ignored. If you do not associate integer values with the labels defined in the integer choice list, the association will automatically be done by incrementing an integer value for each line, starting with zero. Associating integer values with the labels of your integer choice list is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

3. Click OK to return to the object type table. User or custom fields are for information only and are not considered in calculations. You can find these fields on the Other Properties tab of an object type’s Properties dialog box.

1.5.2.3 Deleting a Field from a Data Table You can delete custom fields from an object type’s data table. Custom fields are the fields that the user adds to an object type’s data table, as explained in "Adding a Field to a Data Table" on page 59. To delete a custom field from an object type’s data table: All data stored in the field is lost when you delete the field itself. Make sure that you are not deleting important information.

1. Access the object type’s table fields as explained in "Accessing Table Fields" on page 58. 2. Select the custom field that you want to delete. Some fields can not be deleted. If you select a field and the Delete button remains unavailable, the selected field is not a custom field and can not be deleted.

3. Click Delete. The field is deleted from the object type’s data table.

1.5.3 Accessing Record Properties You can open the Record Properties dialog box of an object, for example, a site, antenna, transmitter, or cell, from its data table.

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To open the Record Properties dialog box of an object: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Right-click the record for which you want to see the properties and select Record Properties from the context menu. You can also open the Record Properties dialog box by double-clicking the record. To avoid editing the record when you double-click, double-click the left margin of the record instead of the record itself. You can also select the record and click the Record Properties button (

) in the Table toolbar.

1.5.4 Defining the Table Format Atoll lets you format the data tables to customise the presentation of data. You can change data table formats by: • • • • • •

"Setting Column Background Colours" on page 61 "Changing Table Cell Format" on page 61 "Changing Column Widths and Row Heights" on page 62 "Displaying and Hiding Columns" on page 63 "Freezing or Unfreezing a Column" on page 63 "Moving Columns" on page 64 Table formats can be saved to and loaded from user configuration files. For more information, see "User Configurations" on page 85.

1.5.4.1 Setting Column Background Colours You can change the background colours of columns in a data table. To change the background colour of one or more columns in a data table: 1. Open a data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the headers of the columns whose background colours you want to change. 3. In the Table toolbar, click the arrow next to the Background Colour button (

). A colour palette appears.

4. In the colour palette, select a background colour. The colour is applied to the background of the selected columns. In the colour palette, you can click Other to open the Colours dialog box and select a colour that is not listed in the main palette. You can also click Default to revert to the default column background colour corresponding to your Windows theme.

1.5.4.2 Changing Table Cell Format You can change the format of the content of table cells. To change the format of the content of table cells: 1. Open a data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the headers of the columns whose content you want to change the format and do one of the following change: •

To align the content of the selected cells to the left, click Align Left (

).

•

To align the content of the selected cells to the centre, click Centre (

).

•

To align the content of the selected cells to the right, click Align Right (

•

To display the content of the selected cells in bold, click Bold (

).

•

To display the content of the selected cells in italic, click Italic (

).

).

1.5.4.3 Changing Column Widths and Row Heights You can change column widths and row heights in a data table.

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To change a column width: 1. Open a data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click the border separating two column headers and drag to change the column width. The column width changes as soon as the mouse button is released.

Figure 1.24: Changing a column width •

•

You can change the width of several columns at the same time by selecting their headers before clicking and dragging the border separating any two column headers. Double-clicking the border separating two column headers resets the width of the column to the left of the border.

To change a row height: 1. Open a data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click the border separating two row headers and drag to change the row height. The row height changes as soon as the mouse button is released.

Figure 1.25: Changing a row height • •

You can change the height of several rows at the same time by selecting their headers before clicking and dragging the border separating any two row headers. Double-clicking the border separating two row headers resets the height of the row above the border.

1.5.4.4 Displaying and Hiding Columns You can choose to hide or display individual columns in the data table. To display or hide a column: 1. Open a data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. In the Table toolbar, click the Display Columns button (

62

). The Columns to Be Displayed dialog box appears.


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Figure 1.26: Columns to Be Displayed dialog box 3. To display a column, select the corresponding check box. 4. To hide a column, clear the corresponding check box. • • • • •

You can search for a column in the table by entering its name in the search field. You can display or hide all the columns by selecting or clearing the (Select all) check box. You can change the order of columns in the table by selecting them in the list and clicking the Up and Down buttons. You can restore the default list of displayed and hidden columns by clicking the Reset button. Column display settings can be saved to and loaded from configuration files using the Save and Load buttons under Configuration.

5. Click Close. You can also hide one or more columns in the table by selecting their headers and clicking the Hide Columns button ( the Table toolbar.

) in

1.5.4.5 Freezing or Unfreezing a Column In Atoll, you can freeze one or more columns of a data table so that they always remain visible as you scroll horizontally through the table. For example, while scrolling through the Sites table, you might want to have the Name column always visible. You can keep this column, or any other column visible, by freezing it. To freeze a column: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the header of the column you want to freeze. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one column to freeze. You can only freeze adjacent columns.

3. Right-click the selected header or headers and select Freeze Columns from the context menu or click the Freeze Columns button ( ) in the Table toolbar. Frozen columns are grouped to the left of the table and separated from other columns with a vertical red line. To unfreeze columns: •

Right-click the table and select Unfreeze All Columns from the context menu or click the Unfreeze All Columns button (


1.5.4.6 Moving Columns In Atoll, you can change the column order so that you can group similar columns or present data in a determined order.

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To move a column: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the header of the column you want to move. Click and drag over several headers to select more than one column to move. You can only move several columns at the same time when they are adjacent.

3. Click again on the selected column and drag to the desired position. As you drag the column, the position the column will occupy is indicated by a red line.

Figure 1.27: Moving a column 4. Release the mouse button to place the column.

1.5.5 Editing the Contents of a Table You can edit the content of a table in Atoll in several different ways: • • •

"Editing Table Entries Directly in the Table" on page 64 "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 65 "Searching for and Replacing Text Entries in Tables" on page 67.

1.5.5.1 Editing Table Entries Directly in the Table To edit table entries directly in the table: 1. Click the Network or Parameters explorer. 2. Right-click the data folder of which you want to display the data table. 3. Select Open Table from the context menu. 4. Edit the content of the table by entering the value directly in the field (see Figure 1.28). 5. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished updating the table. Your changes are automatically saved. If a list of options has been defined for a field, you can select a value from the list (see Figure 1.29) or enter a new value.

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Figure 1.28: Editing data in the transmitters data tables

Figure 1.29: Choosing data in the transmitters data tables

1.5.5.2 Copying and Pasting in Tables In Atoll, you can copy and paste data in tables using the Copy (Ctrl+C), Cut (Ctrl+X), and Paste (Ctrl+V) commands on the Edit menu. You can copy and paste data to create new records or you can copy and paste the same data into several cells. This section covers the following topics: • • •

1.5.5.2.1

"Copying and Pasting a Table Record" on page 65 "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 66. "Pasting Vector Point Coordinates from an External XLS File" on page 67

Copying and Pasting a Table Record You can create a new record in tables by copying an existing record, pasting it into a new row and editing the details that are different. Each record in a table must have a unique Name.

To create a new record by copying and pasting: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click in the left margin of the table row containing the record to select the entire row. 3. Select Edit > Copy to copy the table row. 4. Click in the left margin of the table row marked with the New Row icon (

) to select the entire row.

5. Select Edit > Paste to paste the copied data into the new row. Atoll, creates a new record from the copied data. The name of the new record is the same as that of the copied record, preceded by "Copy of." You can edit this name.

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1.5.5.2.2


Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells You can paste the same data into several cells, using Fill Up or Fill Down. To paste the same data into several cells: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click on the cell with the data you want to copy and drag to select the cells into which you want to copy the data (see Figure 1.30).

Figure 1.30: Selecting the cells 3. Copy into the selected cells: •

To copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells, right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Down from the context menu or click the Fill Down button (

) in the Table toolbar (see Figure 1.31).

Figure 1.31: Copying the contents of the top cell •

To copy the contents of the bottom cell of the selection into the other cells, right-click the selection and select Edit > Fill Up from the context menu or click the Fill Up button (

66

) in the Table toolbar (see Figure 1.32).


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Figure 1.32: Copying the contents of the bottom cell

1.5.5.2.3

Pasting Vector Point Coordinates from an External XLS File You can copy-paste vector point coordinates from an external XLS file directly into the vector points table of an Atoll project. When you copy, make sure that the X and Y columns are in 2nd and 3rd positions in the XLS file (insert an empty 1st column if necessary) and select entire rows (except the headers). When you paste in Atoll, click inside an editable cell before pasting.

1.5.5.3 Searching for and Replacing Text Entries in Tables In Atoll, you can search for and replace text strings in the table entries.

1.5.5.3.1

Searching for Text Entries in Tables In Atoll, you can search for text strings in the table entries. To search for text strings in a table: 1. Press Ctrl+Shift+F. The Find dialog box appears. You can also click the Find button (

) in the table toolbar.

2. In the Find button, define what you want to find: a. Enter the text you want to find in the Find what box. b. Select whether you want to search Up or Down from your current position in the table. c. If desired, select the Match case check box. 3. Click Find Next.

1.5.5.3.2

Replacing Text Entries in Tables In Atoll, you can search for and replace text strings in the table entries. To search for and replace text strings in a table: 1. Press Ctrl+Shift+R. The Replace dialog box appears. You can also click the Replace button (

) in the table toolbar.

2. In the Replace button, define the text you want to find and replace: a. Enter the text you want to find in the Find what box. b. Enter the text you want to replace the text in the Find what box in the Replace with box. c. If desired, select the Match case check box. 3. Click Find Next. Atoll proceeds to the next entry of the text entered in the Find what box. You can replace the text found: •

Replace: Atoll replaces the selected text with the entry in the Replace with box.

•

Replace All: Atoll replaces all occurrences of the text in the Find what box with the entry in the Replace with box.

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1.5.6 Viewing a Statistical Analysis of Table Contents You can view a statistical analysis of the contents of an entire column in a table or of the contents of a selection of cells. To view a statistical analysis of table contents: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the column data you want to analyse: To view a statistical analysis of an entire column: •

Click the column title. The entire column is selected.

To view a statistical analysis of a selection of cells in one column: •

Select the cells you want to analyse. You can select contiguous cells by clicking the first cell and dragging to the last cell of the selection you want to analyse, or by clicking the first cell, pressing Shift and clicking the last cell. You can select non-contiguous cells by pressing Ctrl and clicking each cell in the column separately. In Atoll you can organise data in several different ways, allowing you to select only certain data. For more information, see "Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data" on page 76.

3. Right-click the selection of cells. The context menu appears. 4. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics dialog box appears (see Figure 1.33).

Figure 1.33: The Statistics dialog box The statistics displayed depend on the type of numerical data selected. If you leave the Statistics dialog box open, you can view the statistical analysis of other cells by selecting them in the table. The contents of the Statistics dialog box are updated automatically.

1.5.7 Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets You can export entire Atoll data tables, or selected table columns, to ASCII text files (TXT and CSV formats) and MS Excel XML Spreadsheet files (XML format). You can open XML Spreadsheet files in MS Excel 2003 and later. Unlike XLS files, XML Spreadsheet files are not limited to 65,536 rows and 256 columns.

To export a table: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Right-click the table. The context menu appears. 3. Select Export from the context menu. The Export dialog box appears with, at the bottom, a Preview of the table you want to export according to the current Field separator setting (see Figure 1.34).

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Figure 1.34: Exporting a data table 4. Select the Header check box if you want to export the names of the columns with the data. 5. Select a Decimal Symbol from the list. 6. Select a Field Separator from the list. Export to CSV format always uses the "List separator" defined in the Windows regional settings as the Field Separator.

7. Select the fields (displayed as columns in the table) you want to export. You can display all the fields belonging to a table by clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing Shift and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing Ctrl and clicking each field separately. •

To select a field to be exported, select the field in the Available Fields box and click Exported Fields list. All fields in the Exported Fields list will be exported.

to move it to the

•

To remove a field from the list of Exported Fields, select the field and click

•

To change the order of a field in the list, select the field and click or to move it up or down. The top-most field under Exported Fields corresponds to the left-most field under Preview.

.

You can save the choices you made in the Export dialog box via the Save button next to Configuration file. The next time you export a data table, you can click Load in the Export dialog box to open the configuration file you saved and reuse the same settings. 8. Click Export. The Save As dialog box appears. 9. In the Save As dialog box, enter the File name and select the format from the Save as type list. 10. Click Save to export the table. You can export the Sites, Links, Multi-Hops, Point to Multipoint tables to text files by selecting the folder or view in the Network explorer and pressing Ctrl+E. For information on importing data into a data table, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 70.

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1.5.8 Importing Tables from Text Files You can import data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into Atoll data tables. To import a table from a text file: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Right-click the table. The context menu appears. 3. Select Import from the context menu. The Open dialog box appears. 4. Select the ASCII text file you want to open and click Open. The Import dialog box appears (see Figure 1.35).

Figure 1.35: Importing information into a data table 5. If the file was created using a different Coordinate System, click the Browse button to select the coordinate system the file was created with. Atoll converts the coordinates in the imported file to match the coordinate system used in the Atoll document. 6. Enter the number of the first line of data in the 1st Data Row box. 7. Select a Decimal symbol from the list. 8. Select a Field Separator from the list. To import a table from a CSV format file, the Field separator you select must be the same as the "List separator" defined in the Windows regional settings.

9. Under Field mapping, there are two header rows: • •

Source: The column headers from the text file you are importing. Destination: The column headers from the Atoll data table.

Align the content of the source file with the content of the destination file by clicking the column header in the Destination row and selecting the corresponding column from the Atoll data file (see Figure 1.35). Select for the columns that you do not want to import. In vector tables, you can also select to append custom fields, if any. You can change the width of the columns to make the contents easier to work with. See "Changing Column Widths and Row Heights" on page 62.

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You can save the choices you made in the Import dialog box via the Save button next to Configuration file. The next time you import a data table, you can click Load in the Import dialog box to open the configuration file you saved and reuse the same settings. 10. Select the Mode that will be used for import: • •

Add: use this mode to add records from the imported file which are missing in the current table. This is the safest mode as records which are both in the imported file and the current table will not be modified in the current table. Update and add: this mode (default) is identical to the Add mode with the addition that the values of records in the current table will be updated with the corresponding values from the imported file.

11. Click Import. The contents are imported in the current table according to the selected import Mode. You can import data from text files into the Sites, Links, Multi-Hops, and Point to Multipoint tables by selecting the corresponding folder or view in the Network explorer and pressing Ctrl+I. For information on exporting the information in a data table into a text file, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 68.

1.5.9 Exporting Tables to XML Files All the data tables in an Atoll document can be exported to XML files. You can use XML to exchange information between Atoll and the Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC). Atoll creates the following files when data tables are exported to XML: • •

An index.xml file which contains the mapping between the data tables in Atoll and the XML file created for each table. One XML file per data table which contains the data table format (schema) and the data.

The index.xml file stores the system, the technology of the document, and the version of Atoll used for exporting the data tables to XML files. It also contains the mapping between the data tables in the Atoll document and the XML file corresponding to each data table. For more information on XML files, see the Data Structure Reference Guide. To export all the data tables in your document to XML files: 1. Open your document and select Document > Data Exchange > XML Export from the Atoll menu. The Select Folder dialog box appears. 2. Select or create the folder where you want the exported XML files to be stored. 3. Click Select Folder. All the data tables in the document are exported to XML files. If you want to export only selected tables to XML files, you must set the AdvancedXML option in the [Export] section of the Atoll.ini file. When this option is set, you can select the tables you want to export. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

1.5.10 Importing Tables from XML Files You can import data tables into your Atoll document from XML files. You can use XML to exchange information between Atoll and the Operation and Maintenance Center (OMC). In order for Atoll to be able to correctly import data tables from XML files: • •

the XML files and the current Atoll document must use the same system and technology, and the Atoll version used to create the XML files must be identical to the Atoll version used to import the data.

When XML files are imported in a document, table and field definitions are not modified, i.e. "Networks" and "CustomFields" tables are not imported. For more information on XML files, see the Data Structure Reference Guide. To import data tables into your document from XML files: 1. Select Document > Data Exchange > XML Import. The Select Folder dialog box appears. 2. Select the folder containing the index.xml file. 3. Click OK. The data tables corresponding to the XML files listed in index.xml are imported in the document. Tables are imported in the same order they appear in the index.xml file. You must not modify the order of tables in index.xml. The order in which tables are imported is very important; some data must be imported before other. For example, antennas used by transmitters must be imported before the transmitters themselves.

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When the data tables are imported: • • •

Data that exist both in the tables and in the XML files are overwritten by the data from the XML files. Data that exist only in the tables and not in the XML files are not deleted from the tables. Data that only exist in the XML files and not in the tables are imported from the XML files as new records in the tables.

Once the import is complete, Atoll performs a database integrity check and a duplicate records check to ensure that the import did not create database problems.

1.6 Printing in Atoll In Atoll, you can print any part of your document, including maps, data tables, document reports, and antenna patterns. When printing a map, Atoll enables you to define the area to be printed. Additionally, you can define the layout, for example, you can add a logo or graphic item, or a legend. This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Printing Data Tables and Reports" on page 72 "Printing a Map" on page 72 "Printing a Docking Window" on page 76 "Printing Antenna Patterns" on page 76.

1.6.1 Printing Data Tables and Reports Data tables and reports are both presented in tabular format in Atoll and can, therefore, be printed in the same way. If you want to see how the table will appear once printed, see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 75. To print a table: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. If you want to print an area of the table, select it by clicking in one corner of the area and dragging diagonally to the opposite corner. 3. Select File > Print. 4. If you want to print only a selected area, choose Selected in the Print dialog box. 5. Click OK to print.

1.6.2 Printing a Map Atoll can print maps and generate hard copies of coverage predictions. Atoll allows you to customise and optimise printed maps and supports printing to a variety of paper sizes, including A4 and A0. Before printing a map, you can use the following options: •

You can define an area of the map to be printed in one of the following ways: • •

• •

Create a printing zone (see "Printing Zone" on page 50). Create a focus zone (see "Focus Zone" on page 50) and then opting to print only the contents of the focus zone (see "Defining the Print Layout" on page 73).

You can accept the default layout or you can modify the print layout (see "Defining the Print Layout" on page 73). You can preview how the map will appear once printed (see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 75). Printing graphics is a memory-intensive operation and can put a heavy load on your printer. Before printing for the first time, review the "Printing Recommendations" on page 73 to avoid memory-related problems.

To print a map: 1. Select the document window containing the map. 2. You now have the following options before printing the map: • • •

Create a printing zone or a focus zone as explained in "Creating Zones" on page 50. Modify the print layout as explained in "Defining the Print Layout" on page 73. Preview how the map will appear once printed as explained in "Previewing Your Printing" on page 75.

3. Select File > Print. 4. Click OK.

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1.6.2.1 Printing Recommendations The appearance of the map is determined by the arrangement and properties of the objects the map contains. Objects in Atoll are arranged in layers. The layers on the top (as arranged on the Network and Geo tabs) are the most visible on the screen and in print. The visibility of the lower layers depends on which layers are above it and on the transparency of these layers (for information on transparency, see "Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 34). Before printing a map, when a document contains surface layers (raster maps or polygonal vector maps), lines (vectors such as roads, or airport), and points (measurements, etc.), organise the layers from top to bottom in the following order: • • • • • •

Points (vectors) Roads and Lines (vectors) Surface polygons (vectors) Multi-format maps - geoclimatic, traffic maps (vector or raster), and others Clutter class maps (transparent raster maps) Images, DTM, or clutter height maps (non-transparent maps).

Sites and transmitters must be above all the other layers. Visible objects in the Network explorer, for example, sites, transmitters, and predictions, are displayed above objects in the Geo explorer. To improve performance, you can place vector layers, such as roads, over predictions. This ensures that those vector layers are visible when you print the map. To place vector layers over predictions in the Geo explorer: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the vector layer you want to move to the Network explorer. The context menu appears. 3. Select Move to Network Explorer from the context menu. 4. Select the Network explorer. 5. Drag the vector layer to a position above Predictions but below Sites, Antennas, and Transmitters.

1.6.2.2 Defining the Print Layout You can use the Print Setup dialog box to define how your map will appear when you print it. In the Print Setup dialog box, you can perform the following actions: • • • • • •

Set the scale of the map. Choose to print the rulers with the map. Choose to print the area outside the focus zone. Choose to print the legend. Add a title, comment, logo, header, or footer. Select paper size and source, as well as the page orientation and the margins.

These settings can be saved as a configuration, allowing you to define a standard appearance which you can then load and use the next time you print a similar document.

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To define the appearance of the map when it is printed: 1. Select File > Print Setup. The Print Setup dialog box appears.

Figure 1.36: Print Setup dialog box You define the print setup on the Page tab, the Components tab, and the Header/Footer tab. You can see any changes you make in the schematic preview on the right side of the Print Setup dialog box. If you have previously defined a configuration file containing all the necessary settings, you can click the Load button under Configuration file to import those settings.

2. Click the Page tab to define the page size, margins, and orientation and the scale of the printed map: a. Under Orientation, select whether the page should be printed in Portrait or Landscape. b. Under Paper, select the Size of the paper and, optionally, the Source of the paper. c. Under Scaling, define the scale of the printed image either by selecting Fit to page, or by selecting Scale and defining the scale. d. Under Margins, set the margins of the page in millimetres. 3. Click the Components tab. a. Under Map, you can define the appearance of the printed map: • •

Select the Rulers check box if you want to print the map with a scale around it. Select the Area inside focus zone only check box if you only want to print the part of the map inside the focus zone.

b. Under Legend, you can define the placement of the legend.

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•

Select the Legend check box if you want to print a legend with the map.

•

Click a button to set the Position of the legend. The buttons inside the square will place the legend on top of the map. The buttons outside of the square will place the legend outside of the map.

•

Click the Font button to open the Font dialog box to define the font of the legend.


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c. Select the Comments check box if you want to print a comment with the map and set its Position. Clicking the Properties button opens a dialog box where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date. If you want the comment to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box. 4. Click the Header/Footer tab to set the position of graphic items. a. Select the Map title check box to define a title for the map and set its Position. Clicking the Properties button opens a dialog box where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date. If you want the title to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box. b. Under Logo 1 and Logo 2, you can define graphics that appear for the map. The graphics can be a company logo or other information, such as copyright information, in the form of a BMP graphic. i.

For the selected logo check box, click the Properties button. The Logo dialog box appears. By default, Atoll searches for a file named logo.bmp in the Atoll installation folder to use as the default header logo. However, you can select a different file.

ii. In the Logo dialog box, click File. The Open dialog box appears. iii. Select the your graphic in BMP format and click Open. Only BMP graphics can be used as logos. If your logo is in a different format, you must first convert it using a graphics programme to the BMP format.

iv. Select the correct Width and Height (in pixels). v. Click OK. c. Select the Header/Footer Note check box if you want to define a header or footer for the map and set its Position. Clicking the Properties button opens a dialog box where you can enter text and set variables such as the current time and date. If you want the header or footer to appear on the map (and not outside of it), select the On the map check box. 5. You can preview how your map will appear when it is printed by clicking the Preview button. For more information, see "Previewing Your Printing" on page 75. 6. Once you have configured your settings, click OK to close the Print Setup dialog box, or click Print to print the document. You can save the current settings as a configuration file by clicking the Save button under Configuration file. This enables you to reuse the same settings the next time by loading them.

1.6.3 Previewing Your Printing When you want to print maps, data tables, or reports, you can preview your printing. To preview your printing: 1. Select the map or table you want to print. 2. Select File > Print Preview. The Print Preview window appears. You can also access the Print Preview window directly from the Print Setup dialog box by clicking the Preview button. In the Print Preview toolbar, you can: •

Click the Print button (

) to open the Print dialog box.

•

Click the Next Page and Previous Page buttons ( and ) to preview different pages to print. If your printing zone contains more than one polygon, each printing zone appears on a separate page.

•

Click the Toggle One/Two Pages Display button (

•

Click the Zoom In button (

• •

Click the Zoom Out button ( ) to zoom out on the print preview. Click Close to close the print preview.

) to switch display from one to two pages side by side.

) to zoom in on the print preview.

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1.6.4 Printing a Docking Window You can print the content of many docking windows using the context menu; selecting File > Print only prints the contents of a document window, as explained in "Printing a Map" on page 72. The docking windows whose contents you can print are: • • • • •

Legend Window (for more information on this tool, see "Adding an Object Type to the Legend" on page 35) Point Analysis Tool CW Measurement Analysis Tool (for more information on this tool, see the Measurements and Model Calibration Guide. Drive Test Data Analysis Tool Microwave Link Analysis (for more information on this tool, see "Studying Reflection" on page 236)

To print the content of a docking window: 1. Open the docking window you want to print. •

If you want to print a Point Analysis window, click the tab you want to print.

2. Right-click the window you want to print. 3. Select Print from the context menu. The Print dialog box appears. 4. Click OK to print.

1.6.5 Printing Antenna Patterns You can print the horizontal or vertical pattern of an antenna. To print an antenna pattern: 1. Click the Parameters explorer. 2. Open the Antennas table: To open the microwave Antennas table: a. Click the Expand button (

) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder.

b. Right-click the Antennas folder. c. Select Open Table from the context menu. 3. Right-click the antenna whose pattern you want to print. 4. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 5. Select the Horizontal Pattern tab or the Vertical Pattern tab. 6. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear or Logarithmic from the context menu. 7. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Print from the context menu.

1.7 Grouping, Sorting, and Filtering Data In Atoll you can organise data in several different ways, allowing you to select only certain data and then, for example, modify only selected data or run calculations on the selected data. Atoll allows you to quickly group, sort, or filter data by one or multiple criterion, or by several. After you have defined how you will group, sort, or filter data, you can save this information as a folder configuration. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Grouping Data Objects" on page 76 "Sorting Data" on page 79 "Filtering Data" on page 81 "Folder Configurations" on page 88 "Creating and Comparing Views" on page 90

1.7.1 Grouping Data Objects You can group objects by property values or by manually selecting them. Grouped objects are displayed as a subfolder in a data folder or in a view (see "Creating and Comparing Views" on page 90). Grouping objects in the Network explorer is similar to sorting data in the data table because it puts all records with the selected property together. You can also define the properties by which you can group objects.

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Once you have grouped data objects, you can access their Properties dialog box from the context menu to edit properties on all grouped objects. You can save the grouping parameters as a folder configuration. For more information, see "Folder Configurations" on page 88. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Grouping Data Objects by Selection" on page 77 "Grouping Data Objects by Zone" on page 77 "Grouping Data Objects by Property" on page 77 "Customizing the Group By Submenu" on page 78 "Advanced Grouping of Data Objects" on page 78

1.7.1.1 Grouping Data Objects by Selection You can create groups of sites by selecting multiple items from the Network explorer or the map window. To add sites or transmitters to a list: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Sites folder. 2. Press CTRL and select several data objects that you want to group together. You can also select several sites directly in the map window.

3. Right-click the selected sites or transmitters and select Group By Selection. The folder now contains two folders: Selected and Not Selected. 4. To undo the grouping of data objects, right-click the folder or view whose grouping you want to reset, and select Group By > None.

1.7.1.2 Grouping Data Objects by Zone You can group data objects by computation or focus zone. You create a computation or focus zone when you want to concentrate on a given subset of transmitters, for example, when you are working on a certain area of the network. By grouping objects by computation or focus zone, the transmitters that you are working on are immediately visible under the Transmitter folder. To group data objects by geographical zone: 1. Create a computation zone or a focus zone as described in "Creating Zones" on page 50. 2. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder or view containing the type of data object that you want to group by a single property, and select Group By > Focus Zone. The Sites folder now contains two folders: Inside Focus Zone and Outside Focus Zone.

1.7.1.3 Grouping Data Objects by Property With basic property grouping, you group data objects by a single property. To group data objects by multiple properties, see "Advanced Grouping of Data Objects" on page 78.

To group data objects by property: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder or view containing the type of data object that you want to group by a single property. 2. Select Group By and choose a property by which you want to group the data objects. The data objects are now grouped by that property in the corresponding folder or view. For example: •

To group microwave links per frequency band, right-click the Microwave Radio Links folder and select Group By > Frequency Band. The Microwave Radio Links folder now contains a folder for each frequency band.

3. To change the single property by which the data objects are currently grouped, right-click the folder or view whose grouping you want to change, select Group By and choose another property by which you want to group the data objects.

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4. To undo the grouping of data objects, right-click the folder or view whose grouping you want to reset, and select Group By > None.

1.7.1.4 Customizing the Group By Submenu Some data objects, such as transmitters, have a large number of properties that appear by default in the Group By submenu. You can make it easier to group data objects by configuring the Group By submenu. To configure a Group By submenu: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder or view whose Group By submenu you want to configure and select Properties from the context menu. The corresponding Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the General tab, click the Configure Menu button next to the Group By field (which indicates how the data objects are presently grouped). The Configure Menu dialog box appears. 3. Select the fields you want to appear in the Group By submenu. You can display all the fields belonging to a table by clicking the Expand button ( ) to the left of the table name (e.g. "Site", "Antenna", etc.). You can select contiguous fields by clicking a field, pressing Shift and clicking the last field. You can also select non-contiguous fields by pressing Ctrl and clicking each field separately.

•

To make a field appear in the Group By submenu, select the field in the Available fields list and click it to the Fields of the group list.

•

To remove a field from the Fields of the group list, select the field in this list and click

•


or

to move

.

to move it up or down.

4. Click OK to close the Configure Menu dialog box then OK to close the Properties dialog box. The Group By submenu now contains only the fields you selected, in the same order as in the Fields of the group list, and from top to bottom.

1.7.1.5 Advanced Grouping of Data Objects Advanced grouping enables you to group data objects by multiple properties. The data objects are displayed in multiple levels of subfolders in the Network explorer.

Figure 1.37: Advanced Grouping of Transmitters To group data objects by multiple properties: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder or view whose data objects you want to group by multiple properties and select Properties from the context menu. The corresponding Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the General tab, click the Group By button. The Group dialog box appears. 3. Select the multiple fields by which you want to group data objects. You can select contiguous fields by clicking a field, pressing Shift and clicking the last field. You can also select non-contiguous fields by pressing Ctrl and clicking each field separately.

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Figure 1.38: Group dialog box •

To select a field to be used to group the data objects, select the field in the Available Fields list and click move it to the Fields of the group list.

•

To remove a field from the Fields of the group list, select the field in this list and click

•


or

to

.

to move it up or down.

To undo advanced grouping of data objects, remove all the fields listed under Fields of the group.

4. Click OK to close the Group dialog box then OK to close the Properties dialog box. The data objects are now grouped by these properties in the corresponding folder or view, in the order of the fields in the Fields of the group list, from top to bottom (for example: "Antenna", "Height (m)", and "Site" in Figure 1.38 on page 79).

1.7.2 Sorting Data You can sort the document data either in the data tables or using the Sort function of Properties dialog box. You can sort the data in ascending (A to Z, 1 to 10) or descending (Z to A, 10 to 1) order. You can sort the data by either one or by several columns. When you sort data by several columns, Atoll sorts the records by the first column and then, within each group of identical values in the first column, Atoll then sorts the records by the second column, and so on. Once you have sorted data objects, you can save the settings as a folder configuration. For information, see "Folder Configurations" on page 88. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Sorting Data in Tables" on page 79 "Advanced Sorting" on page 80

1.7.2.1 Sorting Data in Tables When sorting data in tables, you can sort by one or several columns: • •

"Sorting by One Column" on page 79 "Sorting by Several Columns" on page 80.

Sorting by One Column To sort data in a table by one column: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the header of the column that you want to sort on. The entire column is selected. 3. Right-click the column header. The context menu appears. 4. From the context menu, select how you want to sort: •

Sort Ascending: sort the data table records from the lowest value in the reference column to the highest value.

•

Sort Descending: sort the data table records from the highest value in the reference column to the lowest value.

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You can also sort data in a table by selecting the column as described and then clicking either the Sort Ascending (

) or Sort Descending (

) buttons in the Table toolbar.

Sorting by Several Columns You can only sort in a table by adjacent columns. If you want to sort by columns that are not adjacent, you can move the columns first as explained in "Moving Columns" on page 64. If you want to sort data by several columns without moving the columns, you can use the Sort function on the Properties dialog box. For information, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 80. To sort data in a table by several columns: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click the header of the first column and drag over the adjacent columns that will be your sort references. The entire column is selected. 3. Right-click the column headers. The context menu appears. 4. From the context menu, select how you want to sort: •

Sort Ascending: sort the data table records from the lowest value in the first reference column to the highest value.

•

Sort Descending: sort the data table records from the highest value in the first reference column to the lowest value. You can also sort data in a table by selecting the column as described and then clicking either the Sort Ascending (

) or Sort Descending (

) buttons in the Table toolbar.

1.7.2.2 Advanced Sorting You can sort data by several criteria using the Sort function of the Properties dialog box.

Figure 1.39: The Sort dialog box To sort data using the Sort function of the Properties dialog box: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder whose data you want to sort, and select Properties from the context menu. 2. In the Properties dialog box, select the General tab and click the Sort button. The Sort dialog box appears (see Figure 1.39). 3. For the first column you want to sort on: a. Select the column name from the Sort by list. b. Choose whether you want to sort in ascending or descending order.

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4. For each other column you want to sort on: a. Select the column name from the And by list. b. Choose whether you want to sort in ascending or descending order. 5. Click OK.

1.7.3 Filtering Data In Atoll, you can filter data objects according to one or several criteria. You can filter data to work with a subset of data, or to reduce the amount of records displayed in large documents. When a filter is applied, only the filtered data objects are available in Atoll: • • • •

The map window displays only the filtered data objects. Data tables display only filtered data. A filter icon ( ) is displayed in the top-left corner of the table and in columns that are used as filtering criteria. The Network explorer displays only filtered data. A filter overlay ( ) is displayed over any data objects that are affected by the filter. Any action performed on the entire document is only applied to the filtered data objects.

You can save the filtering parameters as a folder configuration. For information, see "Folder Configurations" on page 88. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Filtering Data Objects by Selection" on page 81 "Filtering Data Objects by Polygon" on page 81 "Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table" on page 82 "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 83 "Removing Filters" on page 85.

1.7.3.1 Filtering Data Objects by Selection You can filter sites by selecting multiple items from the Network explorer or the map window. To filter a selection of sites : 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Sites folder. 2. Select one or several data objects that you want to group together. Press CTRL to select multiple data objects. You can also select one or several sites directly in the map window.

3. Right-click the selected sites or transmitters and select Filter By Selection. The folder now displays only the filtered objects.

1.7.3.2 Filtering Data Objects by Polygon You can filter data objects by an existing computation or focus zone or by drawing a filtering zone. For information on filtering zones, see "Filtering Zone" on page 48. To filter data objects by geographical zone: 1. Create a computation zone or a focus zone as described in "Creating Zones" on page 50. 2. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder or view containing the type of data object that you want to group by a single property, and select either of the following options: •

To filter data objects that are inside an existing computation or focus zone, select Filter Inside a Polygon > Computation Zone or Filter By Polygon > Focus Zone.

•

To filter data objects by drawing a polygon on the map, select Filter Inside a Polygon > Draw. The mouse pointer changes to polygon mode (

). Draw the filtering zone as explained in "Creating Polygons, Lines, and Points" on

page 54. When the filter is applied, only the data objects located inside the selected zone are available.

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1.7.3.3 Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table You can filter a data table by selecting one or more values. Once you have selected one or more values, you can choose to view only records that have the same value or only records that do not have that value. To filter a data table on one or more fields: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Select the value to filter on. You can select multiple values by pressing Ctrl as you click the other values. 3. Right-click the selected value or values and select one of the following from the table’s context menu: •

Filter by Selection: All records with the selected value or values are displayed. You can modify the filtered records or make calculations on them as you would normally do with the entire data table (see Figure 1.40 on page 82).

•

Filter Excluding Selection: All records without the selected value or values are displayed. You can modify the filtered records or make calculations on them as you would normally do with the entire data table (see Figure 1.41 on page 83).

When the data in a table are filtered, a filter icon ( ) appears at the top of the leftmost column and in the corresponding column header(s), as shown in Figure 1.40 and Figure 1.41. The icon in the leftmost column can prove useful when the column containing the filtered data is not displayed due to a large table width.

Figure 1.40: Filtering by selection

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Figure 1.41: Filtering excluding selection You can also filter data in a table by selecting the values as described and then clicking either the Filter by Selection ( toolbar.

) or Filter Excluding Selection (

) buttons in the Table

1.7.3.4 Advanced Data Filtering You can specify complex filters by combining filtering conditions on multiple fields using AND and OR operators. Advanced data filtering uses a table to express the filtering conditions where columns are used to specify the criteria for each field and the choice of the row is used to express the logical operators. The following principles allow you to express complex conditions: •

To express a filter on one or several fields combined with an AND operator (for example: a=1 AND b>5 AND b<10) specify all the criteria on a single Criteria row, as in Figure 1.42. In the following example, the filtered table displays antennas for which the manufacturer name starts with K and for which the gain is between 15 and 20 dBi:

Figure 1.42: The Advanced Filter tab - Conditions on multiple fields combined with an AND operator •

To express a filter on a single field combined with an OR operator (for example: a<1 OR a>2) specify the first criteria on the Criteria row and other criteria on the Or row, as in Figure 1.43. In the following example, the filtered table displays antennas for which the gain is either 17, or 18, or above 20 dBi:

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Figure 1.43: The Advanced Filter tab - Conditions on a single field combined with an OR operator •

To express a filter on multiple fields combined with an OR operator (for example: a=1 OR b=2) specify the first criteria in the first column of the Criteria row and the other criteria on the OR row of the next column, as in Figure 1.44. You can combine the OR expressions with AND expressions. In the following example, the filtered table displays antennas for which either the manufacturer name starts with K, or the gain is between 15 and 20 dBi:

Figure 1.44: The Advanced Filter tab - Conditions on multiple fields combined with AND and OR operators In the filtering table, the priority of AND and OR conditions is defined by combining them first horizontally, then vertically. To create an advanced filter: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click the Advanced Filter button (

) in the Table toolbar. The Filter dialog box appears.

You can also access the Filter dialog box by clicking the Filter button on the General tab of the Transmitter Properties dialog box.

3. Click the Filter tab: a. Select a Field from the list. b. Under Values to Include, you will find all the values represented in the selected field. Select the check boxes next to the values you want to include in the filter. Click Clear All to clear all check boxes. Making selections on the Filter tab of the Filter dialog box is equivalent to filtering by selection as explained in "Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table" on page 82.

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4. Click the Advanced tab: a. In the Column row, select the name of the field to be filtered from the list. Select as many fields as you want (see Figure 1.42).Underneath each field name, specify the condition on which the field will be filtered as explained in the following table: Formula

Data is kept in the table only if

=X

Value equal to X (X can be a number or characters)

<> X

Value not equal to X (X can be a number or characters)

Numerical value is less than X

>X

Numerical value is greater than X

<=X

Numerical value is less than or equal to X

>=X

Numerical value is greater than or equal to X

=*X*

Text objects that contain X

=X*

Text objects that start with X

=*X

Text objects that end with X

=?X

Text objects that start with any single alphanumerical character and end with X

The ? wildcard cannot be combined with other wildcards or AND or OR operators and can only be used as the first character.

To combine conditions with an AND operator, enter the conditions in separate columns on the same row. To combine conditions with an OR operator, enter the conditions on separate rows. 5. Click OK to filter the data according to the criteria you have defined.

1.7.3.5 Removing Filters After you have applied filter criteria to records, you may want to cancel the filter criteria and display all the records again. To restore all records: 1. Open the data table as explained in "Opening a Data Table" on page 58. 2. Click the Remove Filter button (


1.7.4 User Configurations In Atoll, you can save many parameters and settings in user configurations and then load them in other documents. User configurations are used to store parameters and settings that are not stored in databases. User configuration files enable you to ensure that all users in a multi-user environment use the same settings. The file extension of user configuration files is CFG. The file extension GEO is, however, used if only the geographic data set or zones are being saved in a user configuration file. User configuration files are XML files and can be opened in text and XML editors. You can save the following information in user configuration files: •

Geographic Data Set: Full paths of imported geographic maps, map display settings (such as, the visibility scale, transparency, tip text, etc.), clutter description (code, name, height, standard deviations, etc.), and raster or user profile traffic map description. When you save the geographic data set in a user configuration file, the coordinate system of all vector geographic data must be the same as that of the raster geographic data.

•

Map Centre and Zoom Level: X and Y coordinates of the centre of the map window and the zoom level.

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• • •

• •


Zones: Filtering, focus, computation, printing, and geographic export zones. Network Data Table Configuration: Formats and settings of network data tables. For more information, see "Defining the Table Format" on page 61. Folder Configuration: Sort, group, and filter settings (the current folder configuration, even if not saved, and other defined configurations for the folders), the filtering zone, the display settings of network data folders (including measurement display settings), and LTE and WiMAX AFP parameters (including constraint weights for frequency planning, physical cell ID planning, and preamble index planning). Microwave Link Parameters: The settings of microwave links. Macros: Full paths of any macros. Macros are loaded for entire Atoll sessions and not for a specific Atoll document. You can export the macros to a user configuration even if you do not have an Atoll document open.

Additional check boxes will appear according to the technology: For a detailed description of the user configuration file, see the Administrator Manual. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Saving a User Configuration" on page 86 "Loading a User Configuration" on page 86.

1.7.4.1 Saving a User Configuration You can create a user configuration by saving the selected settings to an external file. To save a user configuration: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Save. The User Configuration dialog box appears. 2. Select the check boxes of the settings that you want to export as part of the user configuration. 3. Click OK. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a File name for the user configuration file and click Save. The folder configuration has been saved.

1.7.4.2 Loading a User Configuration You can load a user configuration that was created by you or another user into your current Atoll document. If the user configuration contains macro information, it will only be loaded if no document is currently open. When there is no Atoll document open, only macro information is loaded from the user configuration. To load a user configuration: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Load. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select the user configuration file with the data you want to use in your current document. 3. Click Open. The User Configuration dialog box appears. 4. Select the check boxes corresponding to the settings you want to load. 5. Click OK. The user configuration is loaded in the current document.

1.7.5 Site Lists You can use site list to work with subsets of data, or to facilitate working with large documents by reducing the number of records displayed. You can add and remove items in lists, use them as filters, and also export and import lists. In a multi-user environment, site lists can be stored in the database. When you open a document from a database, you can select the sites to load according to any defined site lists. In a large radio-planning project, this allows you to manage your resources by reducing the amount of data you retrieve from the database. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

"Adding Sites to a List" on page 86 "Adding Sites to a List from a Zone" on page 87 "Editing a Site List" on page 87 "Importing a Site List" on page 87 "Exporting a Site List" on page 88 "Filtering on a Site List" on page 88 "Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Site Lists" on page 88

1.7.5.1 Adding Sites to a List You can add sites to a new or existing list by selecting them from the Network explorer or the map window.

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To add sites to a list: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Sites folder. 2. Select one or several sites that you want to add to a list. Press CTRL to select multiple sites. You can also select one or several sites directly in the map window.

3. Right-click the selected sites and select Add Site to a List. A dialog box appears. 4. Select the name of an existing list from the dialog box or type a name new list name to create a list. 5. Click OK. The site is added to the selected list. You can also create a list by filtering the contents of the Sites folder, right-clicking the filtered Sites folder and selecting Site Lists > Add Sites to a List. For more information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 81.

1.7.5.2 Adding Sites to a List from a Zone You can add the sites contained in a zone to a site or transmitter list. To add the sites contained in a zone to a list: 1. Create a zone (as explained in "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48) that contains the sites that you want to add to a list. You can use a filtering, computation, focus, printing, or geographic export zone. 2. In the Geo explorer, right-click the zone and select Add Sites to a List. A dialog box appears. 3. Select the name of an existing list from the dialog box or type a name new list name to create a list. 4. Click OK. The sites contained in the zone are added to the selected list.

1.7.5.3 Editing a Site List You can edit a site list using the Site List table. To edit a site list: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Sites folder, and select Site Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The table appears. 2. Select the name of the list that you want to edit and click Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. You can now edit the list: To add a site to the list: •

Select the name of the site in the row marked with the New Row icon (

).

To delete a site from the list: a. Click in the left margin of the row containing the site to select it. b. Press DEL to delete the site from the list. 4. Click OK when you have finished editing the site list.

1.7.5.4 Importing a Site List You can import a site list from a text file by using the Site List table. To import a site list: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Sites folder, and select Site Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The table appears. 2. Select the name of the list into which you want to import entries and click Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Import button. The Open dialog box appears. 4. Select the text file with the site names you want to import and click Open. The contents of the text file are added to the list.

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5. Click OK in the Properties dialog box when you have finished importing the file.

1.7.5.5 Exporting a Site List You can export a site list to a text file using the Site List table. To export a site list: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Sites folder, and select Site Lists > Open Table from the context menu. The table appears. 2. Select the name of the list that you want to export and click Properties. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Export button. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a file name and click Save. The site list is saved as a text file.

1.7.5.6 Filtering on a Site List You can use site lists to filter the contents of the Sites folder. To filter folder contents using a site list: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder whose contents you want to filter and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the General tab of the Properties dialog box, click Filter. The Filter dialog box appears. 3. If you have created a site or transmitter list, click the additional Sites tab. The Sites tab is only available if a site list exists.

4. Select the check box of the list or lists that you want to display and click OK. 5. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box. Only sites that belong to the selected list are now displayed in the Network explorer and in the map window.

1.7.5.7 Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Site Lists You can search for site lists using the Find on Map tool. To find a site list using Find on Map: 1. Select Tools > Find on Map. The Find on Map window appears. 2. From the Find list, select "Site List." 3. In List, either select a site list or enter a site list name. 4. Click Search. Sites belonging to the site list you selected are displayed in red in the map window and are listed under Results in the Find on Map window. Other sites are displayed in grey in the map window. To restore the initial site colours, click the Reset Display button in the Find on Map window.

1.7.6 Folder Configurations In Atoll, the parameters that define how data contained in a folder is grouped, sorted, or filtered are referred to as a folder configuration. You can define folder configurations and save them, which allows you to consistently apply the same grouping, filtering, or sorting criteria. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • •

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"Creating a Folder Configuration" on page 89 "Applying a Saved Folder Configuration" on page 89 "Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration" on page 89 "Saving a Folder Configuration in an External File" on page 89 "Loading a Folder Configuration from an External File" on page 89 "Deleting a Folder Configuration" on page 90.


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1.7.6.1 Creating a Folder Configuration In Atoll, you can save the parameters that define how data contained in a folder is grouped, filtered, or sorted as a folder configuration. To create a configuration: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder whose settings you want to save and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box. 2. Select the General tab in the Properties dialog box. 3. If you have not yet done so, set the following parameters as desired: • • •

Group By (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 76) Sort (see "Sorting Data" on page 79) Filter (see "Filtering Data" on page 81).

4. Under Folder configuration, click Save. 5. Enter the name of the configuration in the Save Configuration dialog box. 6. Click OK to save the configuration then OK to close the Properties dialog box. The saved folder configuration is only available for the current folder and can be reapplied to the folder by selecting it from the Folder Configuration submenu on the folder’s context menu.

1.7.6.2 Applying a Saved Folder Configuration You can apply a folder configuration that has been created and saved for the current folder. To apply a saved folder configuration: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder to which you want to apply a folder configuration. The context menu appears. 2. On the Folder Configuration submenu, select the name of the folder configuration you want to apply. The folder configuration is applied to the current folder.

1.7.6.3 Reapplying the Current Folder Configuration If you have grouped, filtered, or sorted a data folder, you have created and applied a folder configuration. If you then add or modify data, the properties of these may not match the folder configuration that you previously made on the data folder. In this case, you can reapply the same filter or sort settings to the new or modified data. To reapply the folder configuration: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder whose folder configuration you want to reapply, and select Update Folder Configuration from the context menu. The previously configured folder configuration is reapplied to the data.

1.7.6.4 Saving a Folder Configuration in an External File When you create a folder configuration, you save it in the current ATL document. However, you can save it as part of a user configuration in an external file, so that it can be used in other documents. To save a folder configuration in an external file: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Save. The User Configuration dialog box appears. 2. Select the Folder Configuration check box. If you want to export other configurations at the same time, select those check boxes as well. 3. Click OK. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a File name for the CFG file and click Save. The folder configuration has been saved.

1.7.6.5 Loading a Folder Configuration from an External File Once you have saved a folder configuration as explained in "Saving a Folder Configuration in an External File" on page 89, you can load it into your current document. To load a folder configuration: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Load. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select the CFG file with the folder configuration you want to import. 3. Click Open. The User Configuration dialog box appears. 4. Select the Folder Configuration check box.

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If you want to import other configurations at the same time, select those check boxes as well. 5. Click OK. The folder configuration is imported.

1.7.6.6 Deleting a Folder Configuration You can delete a folder configuration from the Atoll document when you no longer need it. To delete a folder configuration: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder with the folder configuration you want to delete and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box is displayed. 2. Select the General tab in the Properties dialog box. 3. Under Folder configuration, select the name of the configuration from the list. 4. Click Delete. The folder configuration is deleted. When you delete a folder configuration, Atoll does not ask for confirmation; it is deleted immediately.

1.7.7 Creating and Comparing Views You can compare the effects of different grouping, sorting, or filtering settings by creating views of object folders in the Network explorer and applying different settings to each view. Each view contains a copy of the data in the object folder in which it was created. To create a view of a folder: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the folder you want to create a view of. 2. Select Create View from the context menu. A view is created containing a copy of the original folder content. You can now perform the following actions on the view: • • •

Grouping (see "Grouping Data Objects" on page 76) Sorting (see "Sorting Data" on page 79) Filtering (see "Filtering Data" on page 81). If you have created several views, you can rename each one to provide a more descriptive name. For information on renaming an object, see "Renaming an Object" on page 30.

Once you have performed the actions on each view, you can compare the differences by displaying each view, with its grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, on the map. For more information on display properties, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. To compare views: 1. In the Network explorer, clear the check boxes to the left of each view. The data objects are not displayed on the map. 2. Select the check box of one of the views, leaving the check boxes of the other views cleared. The data objects of the selected view, with its associated grouping, sorting, or filtering settings, are displayed on the map. 3. Clear this check box and select the check box of a different view. How the objects are displayed on the map will change, depending on the different grouping, sorting, or filtering settings of the selected view. You can remove views by deleting them. When you delete a view, the data contained are not deleted. When you delete the last view, the data reappear under the initial folder. To delete a view: •

Select the view to be deleted and press DEL. If, after deleting the last view, the data do not reappear under the initial folder, you can refresh the display by right-clicking the folder and selecting Group By > None from the context menu.

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1.8 Add-ins and Macros A series of add-ins and macros are available to extend the capabilities of Atoll. The following add-ins are included with Atoll: • •

•

Export to Google Earth Add-in: This add-in can export items such as sites, transmitters, microwave links, their properties, and coverage prediction plots from Atoll single-RAT and multi-RAT documents to Google Earth. Signal Level Export Add-in: This add-in is designed to export, from Atoll single-RAT and multi-RAT documents, the signal levels received from transmitters at each pixel of a user-defined area. Transmitters are listed in decreasing signal level order starting with the one with the strongest signal level. MW Equipment File Import: This add-in is used to import microwave radios and radio families. This add-in cannot be removed or disabled.

Many other add-ins are available from the Forsk support web-site, at: http://www.forsk.com/support/ For more information about installing add-ins and macros, see the Atoll Administrator Manual. For information about using an add-in, see the user manual for each add-in. The user manual is located in the installation directory of the add-in. The add-in versions that are installed with the product are the latest available at the release of the Atoll version. Check the Forsk web-site for updates.

To enable an add-in or macro: 1. Select Tools > Add-ins and Macros from the menu bar. The Add-ins and Macros dialog box appears. 2. Select the check box of the add-in or macro. 3. Click Close. The add-in or macro is now available in Atoll.

1.9 Toolbars and Shortcuts This section describes toolbars and shortcuts available in Atoll: • •

"Using Toolbars" on page 91 "Using Shortcuts" on page 94.

1.9.1 Using Toolbars You can access many commands in Atoll by clicking its icon on the toolbar. Some of them are also linked to shortcut keys (see "Using Shortcuts" on page 94). The different icons located in the toolbar are listed below: •

In the Standard toolbar Open the Project Templates dialog box (Ctrl+N) Open the Open dialog box (Ctrl+O) Save the current document (Ctrl+S) New from an existing database Refresh from database Save pending changes in database Import a file Load a user configuration Save a user configuration Cut the selected data (Ctrl+X)

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Copy the selected data (Ctrl+C) Paste the content of the clipboard (Ctrl+V) Undo the last modification (Ctrl+Z) Redo the previous undone modification (Ctrl+Y) Print the current window (table or map) (Ctrl+P) Preview the current window before printing (table or map) Open the Atoll Help •

In the Map toolbar Refresh display of map and folders (F5) Select an object and disable zooming and panning tools. Move the map (Ctrl+D) Map scale currently used Previous view (zoom and location) (ALT+←) Next view (zoom and location) (ALT+→) Zoom in, zoom out, and define a zoom area on the map (Ctrl+W) Display a terrain section Measure distances on the map Turn on tip text Find on the map

•

In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar Currently selected microwave link model Create a new microwave link or another link type Create a new repeater for the selected microwave link Create a new multi-hop microwave link Create a new multipoint microwave link Open the microwave link profile analysis window Show or hide the channel arrangement Export a custom report for a Microwave Links folder Stop the calculations in progress

•

In the Transport Layer toolbar Create a new node Create a new segment Open the Transport Analysis Tool

•

In the Vector Editor toolbar Create a new vector layer (in either the Geo or the Network explorer)

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Select the vector layer to edit Draw a new polygon Draw a new rectangle Draw a new line Draw points Combine several vector polygons Cut out areas in polygons Create new polygon from overlapping areas Split one polygon along the drawn lines. •

In the Windows toolbar Display the Network explorer Display the Geo explorer Display the Parameters explorer Display the Events viewer Display the Legend window Display the Panoramic window Display the Favourite Views window

•

In the Table toolbar Import data from a file into the table Export data from the table to a file Display the properties of the current record Centre the current record on the map Define which columns should be displayed Hide the selected columns Freeze the selected columns Unfreeze all frozen columns Filter by the selected fields Filter excluding all records with the selected values Define an advanced filter Remove the filter Sort the selected columns in ascending order Sort the selected columns in descending order Display statistics Copy the contents of the top selected row into the rows below

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Copy the contents of the bottom selected row into the rows above Select the entire table Align the contents of the selected columns to the left Centre the contents of the selected columns Align the contents of the selected columns to the right Display the selected columns in bold Display the selected columns in italics Find specified text in the table Replace specified text in the table When you place the cursor over an icon, tip text appears, giving a short description.

1.9.2 Using Shortcuts Atoll provides many shortcuts that enable you to access commonly used tools and commands more quickly. The shortcuts available are listed below (some of the same commands can be accessed using a toolbar icon; see "Using Toolbars" on page 91): •

Using the Ctrl key: •

Ctrl++: Zoom in on the map

•

Ctrl+–: Zoom out on the map

•

Ctrl+A: Select all records in a table

•

Ctrl+C: Copy the selected data (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+D:

)

•

In tables: Copy the first cell of a selection down into all selected cells

•

In the map window: Move the map in the map window (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+E: Export the table of the selected Sites, Links, Multi-Hops, or Point to Multipoint folder or view to a text file. For more information, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 68.

•

Ctrl+F: •

Open the Find on Map window when the map is active (in the toolbar, click

•

Open the Find dialog box when a table is active (in the toolbar, click

)

)

•

Ctrl+H: Open the Replace dialog box when a table is active (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+I: Import the table of the selected Sites, Links, Multi-Hops, or Point to Multipoint folder or view from a text file. For more information, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 70.

•

Ctrl+N: Open the Project Templates dialog box (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+Shift+N: Create a new document from an existing database

•

Ctrl+O: Open the Open dialog box (in the toolbar, click

)

•

Ctrl+P: Print the current window (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+S: Save the current active document (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+U: Copy the last cell of a selection up into all selected cells

)

) )

• Ctrl+V: Paste the content of the clipboard (in the toolbar, click

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)

)

)

•

Ctrl+W: Zoom in, zoom out, and define a zoom area on the map (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+X: Cut the selected data (in the toolbar, click

)

)


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•

•

•

Ctrl+Y: Redo the previous undone modification (in the toolbar, click

•

Ctrl+Z: Undo the last modification (in the toolbar, click

)

)

Using the ALT key: •

ALT+←: Previous zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click

•

ALT+→: Next zoom and location on the map (in the toolbar, click

•

ALT+F8: Open the Add-ins and Macros dialog box

) )

Using the Function Keys •

F5: Refresh display of map and folders (toolbar: select

)

You can also access menus and commands by pressing the ALT key and typing the underlined letter in the menu or command name.

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Chapter 2 Geographic Data In this chapter, the following are explained:

This chapter provides information on working with geographic data in an Atoll project.

•

"Geographic Data Types" on page 99

•

"Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100

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"Importing Geo Data Files" on page 101

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"Digital Terrain Models" on page 107

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"Clutter Classes" on page 108

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"Clutter Heights" on page 110

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"Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 111

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"Scanned Images" on page 112

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"Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113

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"Displaying Online Maps" on page 114

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"Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 116

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"Displaying Geo Data Information" on page 119

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"Geographic Data Sets" on page 119

•

"Editing Geographic Data" on page 121

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"Saving Geographic Data" on page 123


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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Chapter 2: Geographic Data

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2 Geographic Data Several different geographic data types are used in an Atoll document. For example: the digital terrain model (DTM), clutter classes, clutter heights, online maps, geoclimatic maps, and scanned images are types of the geographic data that you can import or create. Some data types, such as clutter classes, can be used to give more realistic calculations. Other types such as scanned images, are used to create a more realistic display of the region under study. You can import a wide variety of both vector and raster-format geo data files. When you import a geo data file into Atoll, you can decide in which folder it goes. The Geo explorer window has folders for the commonly used data types. Therefore, choosing a folder is choosing what the file will be used for. You can also create your own data type by importing a file and defining what data is to be used. Once you have imported a file into the Atoll document, you can edit the data, define how the geo data will be displayed. Atoll also allows you to manage multiple files for a single data type, deciding the priority of data files with different information or different resolutions. You can also display geo data over items in the Network explorer, either by transferring them to the Network explorer, or by importing them directly to the Network explorer. You can also create and edit geographic data. You can add a vector layer to certain data types to which you can add contours, lines, or points, create new geographic data, or modify existing data. You can also create raster-based geographic data such as traffic maps or clutter classes. You can export most geo data objects (for example, DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, raster polygons, or vector layers) for use in other Atoll documents or in other applications. Atoll also allows you to save changes you make to geo data objects back to the original files. This enables you to update the original files and, through the process of saving them, recompact the file. This chapter explains the following topics: • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Geographic Data Types" on page 99 "Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100 "Importing Geo Data Files" on page 101 "Clutter Classes" on page 108 "Clutter Heights" on page 110 "Digital Terrain Models" on page 107 "Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 111 "Scanned Images" on page 112 "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113 "Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 116 "Editing Geographic Data" on page 121 "Saving Geographic Data" on page 123.

2.1 Geographic Data Types An Atoll document can contain several different geographic data types. Atoll supports a wide range of file formats for geographic data files. The different geographic data types play different roles in the Atoll document: •

Geographic data used in propagation calculation: • • •

•

Digital terrain model Clutter classes Clutter heights

Geographic data used for display purposes: • • • •

Scanned maps Online maps Images from web map services (WMS) Contours, lines, and points representing, for example, roads, railways, or regions.

In this section, the following data types are described: • • • • • • •

"Digital Terrain Model" on page 100 "Clutter Classes" on page 100 "Clutter Heights" on page 100 "Contours, Lines, and Points" on page 100 "Scanned Images" on page 100 "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 100 "Online Maps" on page 100

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Digital Terrain Model The DTM describes the elevation of the ground over sea level. You can display the DTM in different ways: by single value, discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32). The DTM is automatically taken into account by the propagation model during computations. Clutter Classes The clutter class geo data file describes land cover or land use. Clutter classes are taken into account by the propagation model during computations. Each pixel in a clutter class file contains a code (from a maximum of 256 possible classes) which corresponds to a clutter class, or in other words to a certain type of ground use or cover. The height per class can be defined as part of the clutter class, however, the height will be defined as an average height for each clutter class. For information on defining the height per clutter class, see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 108. Clutter heights can also be defined by a separate clutter heights file (see "Clutter Heights" on page 100). A clutter height map can represent height much more accurately because it allows a different height to be assigned for each pixel of the map. Clutter Heights Clutter height maps describe the altitude of clutter over the DTM with one altitude defined per pixel. Clutter height maps can offer more precise information than defining an altitude per clutter class because, in a clutter height file, it is possible to have different heights within a single clutter class. When clutter altitude is defined both in clutter classes and in a clutter height map, clutter altitude is taken from the clutter height map. You can display the clutter height map in different ways: by single value, discrete values, or by value intervals (see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32). The only propagation models that can take clutter heights into account in calculations are the Standard Propagation Model and the WLL model.

Contours, Lines, and Points Atoll supports contours, lines, and points to represent polygons such as regions, or lines such as roads or coastlines, or points. They are used for display only and have no effect on computations. Contours can also be used to create filtering polygons or computation or focus zones. Scanned Images Scanned images are geographic data files which represent the actual physical surroundings, for example, road maps or satellite images. They are used to provide a precise background for other objects or for less precise maps and are used only for display; they have no effect on calculations. Geoclimatic Maps Geoclimatic maps are vector files containing information on climatic conditions such as rain density, vapour density, temperature, and refractivity. Geoclimatic maps are used in microwave link documents to calculate radio wave attenuation. Traffic Data Maps Traffic data maps contain information on capacity and service use per geographic area. Traffic data maps are used for network capacity analyses. Online Maps You can display various types of online maps in the map window. From the Geo explorer, you can access these maps directly or by specifying their server URLs. For more information, see "Displaying Online Maps" on page 114.

2.2 Supported Geographic Data Formats Atoll supports the following geographic data formats: •

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DTM files in the following formats: TIF (8 or 16-bit integer), BIL (8, 16 or 32-bit integer, 32-bit float), Planet (16-bit integer), BMP (8-bit integer), GRD Vertical Mapper (16-bit integer), and Erdas Imagine (8, 16 or 32-bit integer, 32-bit float)


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•

• • • •

• •

Clutter height files in the following formats: TIF (8 or 16-bit integer), BIL (8, 16 or 32-bit integer, 32-bit float), Planet (16-bit integer), BMP (8-bit integer), GRD Vertical Mapper (16-bit integer), and Erdas Imagine (8, 16 or 32-bit integer, 32-bit float) Clutter class and traffic files in the following formats: TIF (8-bit), BIL (8-bit), IST (8-bit), BMP (8-bit), Planet, GRC Vertical Mapper (8-bit), and Erdas Imagine (8-bit) Vector data files in the following formats: AGD, DXF, Planet, SHP, MIF, and TAB. Vector traffic files in the following formats: AGD, DXF, Planet, SHP, MIF, and TAB. Scanned image files in the following formats: TIF (1 to 24-bit), JPEG (1 to 24-bit), JPEG 2000 (1 to 24-bit), BIL (1 to 24-bit), IST (1 to 24-bit), BMP (1 to 24-bit), Planet, Erdas Imagine (1 to 24-bit), GRC Vertical Mapper (1 to 24-bit), and ECW (8 or 24-bit) Geoclimatic files in the following formats: AGD, DXF, SHP, MIF, and TAB. Other data in the following formats: TIF (16-bit), BIL (16-bit), IST (16-bit), Planet, BMP (16-bit), Erdas Imagine (16-bit), GRD/GRC Vertical Mapper (16-bit), AGD, DXF, SHP, MIF, and TAB. All imported raster maps must have the same projection coordinate system.

2.3 Importing Geo Data Files You can import the geographic data you need into the current Atoll document. As explained in "Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100, Atoll supports a variety of both raster and vector file formats. When you import a new geo data file, Atoll recognises the file format and suggests the appropriate folder in the Geo explorer. You can embed geo data files in the Atoll document while you are importing them or afterwards (see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107). You can share the paths of imported maps and display settings with other users by using Atoll’s user configuration files. For information on exporting the paths of your document’s files or to import the path from another document using user configuration files, see "Geographic Data Sets" on page 119. This section explains the following: • • • • • •

"Importing Raster Format Geo Data Files" on page 101 "Importing Vector Format Geo Data Files" on page 102 "Importing MSI Planet® Data" on page 103 "Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File" on page 104 "Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders" on page 105 "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107. You can use drag-and-drop to import geo data files into a document. The format is automatically recognised and Atoll presents you with the appropriate dialog box.

2.3.1 Importing Raster Format Geo Data Files All raster geo data files must be represented in the same projection coordinate system as the Atoll document itself. To import a raster format geographic data file: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box is displayed. 2. Select the geo data file that you want to import. You can import more than one geo data file at the same time, providing that the geo data files are of the same type. You can select contiguous files by clicking the first file, pressing Shift and clicking the last file you want to import. You can select non-contiguous files by pressing Ctrl and clicking each file. 3. Click Open. The Raster Import dialog box appears. 4. In the Raster Import dialog box, under Import to, select a destination for the imported data. The destination depends on the purpose of vector data file that you are importing: • • • •

To import a digital terrain model (DTM), select Geo > Digital Terrain Model in the Import to list. To import a clutter class map, select Geo > Clutter Classes in the Import to list. To import a clutter heights map, select Geo > Clutter Heights in the Import to list. To import a population map, select Geo > Population in the Import to list and select from the Use as list whether the imported data is to be interpreted as a Density (number of inhabitants per square kilometre) or as a Value (number of inhabitants).

•

To import a custom map image into an existing folder, select Geo in the Import to list.

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•


•

To import custom map image into a new folder, click New Folder > in Geo, and type a name for the custom data folder. To import traffic data maps, see "Importing Traffic Maps" on page 103

•

To import a raster image file into the Network explorer, select Network in the Import to list. Typically, vector data should be stored in the Geo explorer. Importing into the Network explorer can however be useful when comparing an image map file with a prediction for example.

5. By default, the imported file is linked to the Atoll document. To embed the data file into the Atoll document, select the Embed in Document check box. For information on embedding files, see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107. 6. Click Import. The geo data file is imported and listed in the Geo explorer.

2.3.2 Importing Vector Format Geo Data Files When you import geo data files in vector format, their geographic system can be converted to the system used by the Atoll document. When you import extremely large vector geo data files, for example, vector files that cover an entire country, you must ensure that at least the centre of the bounding box defining the vector file is within the projection coordinate system defined for the Atoll document. To import a vector format geographic data file: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box is displayed. 2. Select the geo data file that you want to import. You can import more than one geo data file at the same time, providing that the geo data files are of the same type. You can select contiguous files by clicking the first file, pressing Shift and clicking the last file you want to import. You can select non-contiguous files by pressing Ctrl and clicking each file. When you import vector data, you can simultaneously import the corresponding display configuration file (CFG) by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. The display configuration file is imported if it has the same file name and is located in the same directory as the imported vector file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. 3. Click Open. The Vector Import dialog box is displayed. 4. In the Vector Import dialog box, under Import to, select a destination for the imported data. The destination depends on the purpose of vector data file that you are importing: •

To import a vector file into the Network explorer, select Network in the Import to list. Typically, vector data should be stored in the Geo explorer. Importing into the Network explorer can however be useful when comparing an exported vector file with a prediction for example.

•

•

To import a vector file as a computation, filtering, printing, focus zone or a hot spot, select Geo > Zones and the type of zone in the Import to list that you want to create. For more information on using zones, see "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48. To import geoclimatic data, select Geo > Geoclimatic Parameters in the Import to list. The temperatures in the geoclimatic file must be expressed in Celsius whether the measurement unit defined for temperatures in the Atoll document is Farhenheit or Celsius.

•

To import population data, select Geo > Population in the Import to list and specify the data fields: Under Fields to be imported, the first list contains the attributes of the population vector data file that you are importing, and the second list lets you select whether the attribute corresponds to population density or to a number of inhabitants. Select from the first list which field is to be imported and from the second list whether the imported field is a Density (number of inhabitants per square kilometre for polygons, number of inhabitants per kilometre for lines, or number of inhabitants for points) or a Value (number of inhabitants) (see Figure 2.1 and Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.1: Population density (number of inhabitants/km²)

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Figure 2.2: Population values (number of inhabitants per item – polygon/road/point) •

To import traffic data maps, see "Importing Traffic Maps" on page 103

•

To import custom vector data for reference purposes into an existing folder, select Geo in the Import to list.

•

To import custom vector data for reference purposes into a new folder, click New Folder > in Geo, and type a name for the custom data folder.

5. By default, the imported file is linked to the Atoll document. To embed the data file into the Atoll document, select the Embed in Document check box. For information on embedding files, see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107. 6. The Vector Import window displays the Coordinate system that is used in the current Atoll document. If necessary, you can convert the file from a different coordinate system into the current coordinate system. Click the Change button to specify the coordinate system of the file that you are importing. 7. Click Import. The geo data file is imported. You can import ellipses and arcs from MapInfo files (MIF and TAB). Rectangles are interpreted as polygons. You can define mappings between the coordinate system used for the MapInfo/ESRI vector files, defined in the corresponding MIF/PRJ files, and Atoll. This way, when you import a vector file, Atoll can detect the correct coordinate system automatically. For more information about defining the mapping between coordinate systems, please refer to the Administrator Manual.

2.3.3 Importing Traffic Maps You can import traffic maps into the Traffic Maps folder. To import traffic maps: 1. In the Geo explorer, right-click the Traffic Maps folder and select New Map from the context menu. The New Traffic Map dialog box appears. 2. Select the type of map you want to import and click Import. The Open dialog box appears. 3. Select the file that you want to import and click Open.

2.3.4 Importing MSI Planet® Data MSI Planet® data is contained in a series of files described in index files. The index file is in ASCII text format and contains the information necessary to identify and properly interpret each data file. When you import MSI Planet® data, you can import each type of data separately, by importing the corresponding index file, or you can import several MSI Planet® data files at the same time, by importing several index files. This section explains the following: • •

"Importing a Single MSI Planet® Data Type" on page 103 "Importing a MSI Planet® Database" on page 104.

2.3.4.1 Importing a Single MSI Planet® Data Type When you want to import a certain type of MSI Planet® data, such as a DTM or clutter heights, you import the index file containing the information necessary to import the set of files containing the data. To import one type of MSI Planet® data: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select the index file you want to import and click Open. The Data Type dialog box appears. 3. Select the type of data you are importing and select the Embed check box if you want to embed the data in the current Atoll document. 4. Click OK to import the data into the current Atoll document.

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2.3.4.2 Importing a MSI Planet® Database You can import all available MSI Planet® data at the same time by importing all index files. To import the MSI Planet® database: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select "Planet® database" from the Files of Type list. The Planet Data Import dialog box appears. 3. For each type of data that you want to import: a. Select the corresponding check box. b. If you want to embed the data, select the Embed check box. c. To locate the MSI Planet® index file, click

. The Open dialog box appears.

d. Select the MSI Planet® index file and click Open. The path and name of the file appears in the corresponding field of the Planet Data to Be Imported dialog box. 4. If you are also importing network data, select the network Technology. 5. When you have selected all the types of data you want to import, click OK. The data is imported into the current Atoll document.

2.3.5 Importing a WMS Raster-format Geo Data File You can import raster images from a Web Map Service (WMS) server into your Atoll document. The images can be in TIF, BMP, PNG, or JPEG formats. All images imported at the same time are imported as a single image. Before you import them, you can arrange them by placing the more important images, such as roads, on top; or you can place the least transparent image towards the bottom so that the other images imported at the same time remain visible. The image will be referenced in the document; it can not be embedded. Only WMS data mapped with a projection system (for example, the Lambert Conformal-Conic or the Universal Transverse Mercator projection) can be imported. Before importing an image from a WMS server, you must ensure that the coordinate system used in your document is the same projection system supported by the server. All raster geo data files must be represented in the same projection coordinate system as that used by the Atoll document itself. To import a geographic data file from a web map service: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box appears. 2. From the Files of Type list, select Connection to a Web Map Services server... (*.url). The Web Map Services Data Import dialog box appears. 3. Select the URL of the WMS server from the Server URL list or enter it directly.

Figure 2.3: Server URL list in the Web Map Services Data Import dialog box

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The list of WMS servers that appears in the Server URL list is defined by entries in the Atoll.ini file. For information on defining these entries, see the Administrator Manual.

4. Click the Connect button. Atoll connects to the URL of the WMS server and displays the information available along with a description of the service. 5. In the left pane of the Web Map Services Data Import dialog box, click the Expand button ( you want to add in the right pane.

) to navigate to the item

6. Select the check box that precedes the image or the image group, i.e. a group preceded by an Expand button ( The images you select are automatically listed in the right pane. • •

).

Unless you select one or several images, the image or the group of images listed in the right pane will be imported. To select the images you want to import: i.

Click the first image, press Shift, and then click the last image to select contiguous images.

ii. Press Ctrl and click each image separately to select non-contiguous images. 7. Arrange the order in which you want multiple images to appear by selecting each image in the right pane and clicking to move it towards the top or to move it toward the bottom. The images will be imported as a single object and their appearance will depend on the order you define here. 8. If you want, you can also click

to reverse the order of the list.

9. Click Import in the Web Map Services Data Import dialog box. The WMS Map Import dialog box appears. The following information is given about the imported WMS data: • •

•

Data Types: "Image or Scan" is selected. Name: The suggested Name is the name of the image currently selected in the left pane of the Web Map Services Data Import dialog box (e.g "Raster France 1/4 000 000"), or the name of the top folder when more than one image is selected (e.g. Serveur Geosignal_0"). If you want, you can enter a new name (e.g."my_server"). Geographic Coordinates: The geographic coordinates that the WMS data is given.

10. In the WMS Map Import dialog box, click Import. The image is imported by reference into the Atoll document. You can not embed a WMS image in your document. If you had selected more than one image or an image group, Atoll imports the group as a single object. You can not modify this object. If you want to remove one of the images or add another one you will have to go through the import process again. 11. In the Web Map Services Data Import dialog box, click Close. 12. In the Open dialog box, click Cancel to exit.

2.3.6 Organising Geo Data Files Atoll provides the following features to help you organise geo data files: • • •

"Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders" on page 105 "Creating Folders for Vectors and Images" on page 106 "Moving a Vector or Image into a Dedicated Folder" on page 106

2.3.6.1 Grouping Geo Data Files in Folders By default, when you import scanned images and contours, lines, and points, they appear directly in the Geo explorer. Other data files, such as clutter classes, are listed together in a single Clutter Classes folder. You can, however, group scanned images and contours, lines, and points into folders as well. Once grouped, these geo data files can be displayed or hidden and moved more easily. They retain, however, their own individual display settings; the display settings cannot be managed at the folder level. You create the folder when you import the first geo data file that will be imported into it. When you import the next geo data file, either raster or vector, you can import it directly into the new folder. To create a new geo data folder when importing: 1. Select File > Import. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select the geo data file and click Open. If the file to be imported is a raster file, the File Import dialog box appears. If the file to be imported is a vector file, the Vector Import dialog box appears.

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3. From the Data Type list (on the File Import dialog box) or the Import To list (on the Vector Import dialog box), select New folder in Geo. The New Folder dialog box appears. If you want to import your file to the Network explorer, you can select New folder in Network.

4. Enter a name for the folder in Folder Name box and click OK. 5. Click Import. Your file is imported into the newly created folder. You can now import other geo data files into this folder by selecting it from the Data Type list (on the File Import dialog box) or the Import To list (on the Vector Import dialog box) when you import. You can transfer geo data that has been imported from the Geo explorer to the Network explorer, or vice versa. Right-click the data in the Explorer window and select Move to Network or Move to Geo.

2.3.6.2 Creating Folders for Vectors and Images Atoll enables you to create folders for vectors and images in the Network and Geo explorers. You can create as many levels of folders as you want. Once you have created a vector or image folder, you can move vectors and images into it. For more information, see "Moving a Vector or Image into a Dedicated Folder" on page 106. To create a vector or image folder in the Network or Geo explorer: 1. Right-click anywhere in the Network or Geo explorer, except on a folder or a command. A New Folder for Vectors or Images popup appears. 2. Click the New Folder for Vectors or Images popup. Atoll creates a new folder, New folder, at the top of the Network or Geo explorer where is a number assigned by Atoll sequentially, according to the number of folders with default names in the corresponding folder, see Figure 2.4 on page 106.

Figure 2.4: New folder for vectors or images in Network and Geo explorers You can change the name of the folder to give it a more descriptive name.

2.3.6.3 Moving a Vector or Image into a Dedicated Folder Once you have created folders for vectors or images in the Network or Geo explorers as explained in "Creating Folders for Vectors and Images" on page 106, you can organise the vectors and images by moving them into these folders. Atoll allows you to move vectors and images from the root level of the corresponding explorer to a folder, or from one folder to another. To move a vector or image to a dedicated folder: 1. Select the explorer where the vector or image you want to move can be seen (Network or Geo). 2. Click on the vector or image you want to move and, without releasing the mouse button, drag the vector or image and drop it over the name of the destination folder. You can only drop a vector or image in a destination folder when this folder is highlighted, as shown in Figure 2.5.

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Figure 2.5: Using drag-and-drop to move a vector or image to a dedicated folder You can also move a folder of any level into another folder, as long as the destination folder does not belong to the folder you want to move.

2.3.7 Embedding Geographic Data By default, when you import a geo data file, Atoll creates a link to the file. You can, however, choose to embed the geo data file in your Atoll document, either when you import it or later. When Atoll is linked to a geo data file, the geo data file remains separate and modifying or saving the Atoll document has no effect on the geo data file. When the geo data file is embedded in the Atoll document, it is saved as part of the document. Both linking and embedding present advantages and disadvantages. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. If you are using distributed calculations, you must link your geo data files. Distributed calculations will not work with embedded geo data files. For information, see the Administrator Manual. To embed a geo data file in the current Atoll document while you are importing: •

Select the Embed in Document check box on the File Import or Vector Import dialog box.

To embed a geo data file that is already linked to the current Atoll document: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the file you want to embed in the current document. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. Click the General tab of the Properties dialog box. 5. Click Embed. 6. Click OK. The geo data file is now embedded in the current Atoll document.

2.3.8 Repairing a Broken Link to a Geo Data File By default, when you import a geo data file, Atoll creates a link to the file; the geo data file remains separate and modifying or saving the Atoll document has no effect on the geo data file. If, however, the geo data file is moved, the link will be broken. To repair a broken link from within the Atoll document: 1. Select the Geo explorer. •

If the geo data file is in a folder, such as the Clutter Classes, Traffic Maps, or DTM folder, click folder.

to expand the

2. Right-click on the geo data file whose link you want to repair. The context menu appears. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. On the General tab of the Properties dialog box, click the Find button. 5. Browse to the geo data file, select it and click OK.

2.4 Digital Terrain Models The Digital Terrain Model (DTM) is a geographic data file representing the elevation of the ground over sea level.

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To manage the properties of the DTM: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Digital Terrain Model folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for the DTM. •

For information on Display tab settings, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

5. Move the Relief slider towards Flat, if you want to display very few little relief or towards x6 if you want to emphasise the differences in altitude. 6. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.

2.5 Clutter Classes The clutter class geo data file describes land cover or land use. Each pixel of a clutter class file contains a code (from a maximum of 256 possible classes) which corresponds to a clutter class, or in other words to a certain type of ground use or cover. The height per class can be defined as part of the clutter class, however this height is only an average per class. A clutter height map can represent height much more accurately because it allows a different height to be assigned for each bin of the map. For information on clutter height maps, see "Clutter Heights" on page 110. This section explains the following: • • • • •

"Assigning Names to Clutter Classes" on page 108 "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 108 "Adding a Clutter Class" on page 109 "Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes" on page 110 "Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class" on page 110.

2.5.1 Assigning Names to Clutter Classes The clutter class file identifies each clutter class with a code. To make it easier to work with clutter classes, you can assign a descriptive name to each clutter class name. When a clutter class has a descriptive name, it is the name that appears in tip text and reports. When you import a clutter class file in BIL, TIF, JPEG 2000, or IMP format, Atoll can automatically assign names to clutter classes if the clutter class file has a corresponding MNU file. The MNU file contains a list with the clutter class codes and their corresponding names. For more information on the MNU file format and on creating an MNU file, see the Atoll Administrator Manual. To assign names to clutter classes: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. Click the Description tab of the Properties dialog box. 5. In the Name column, enter descriptive text for each class identified in the Code column.

2.5.2 Defining Clutter Class Properties The parameters are applied in relation to the location of the receiver being studied and the clutter class of the receiver location. These parameters can be set on the Properties dialog box: To define clutter class properties: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. Click the Description tab of the Properties dialog box. 5. Enter a Name and average Height (m) for each code.

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• •

If Height is left blank, propagation models that use this value use 0 by default. If clutter class heights are modified, you must recalculate path loss matrices by clicking Force Calculation ( lations.

) to apply the changes to any predictions and simu-

6. Enter default values in the first row of the table on the Description tab. or information about each field, see the descriptions in the following step. The default values are used if no clutter map is available. Even if there is a clutter classes map, you can select the Use default values only check box on the at the bottom of the Description tab to make Atoll use the values specified in this row instead of the values defined per clutter class. 7. If necessary, you can enter a value for each of the following fields applicable to the current document: •

For all Atoll documents: • •

Model Standard Deviation (dB): to calculate shadowing losses on the path loss, as related to a user-defined cell edge coverage probability. Indoor Loss (dB): to be applied to the path loss and used in coverage predictions, point analysis, and Monte Carlo simulations. Use this setting to define a value of indoor loss per frequency. If a network item operates on a frequency for which the indoor loss is not defined in the indoor loss graph, an indoor loss value is interpolated from the values available in the graph.

• 8. If you want to use default values for all clutter classes, select the Use only default values check box at the bottom of the Description tab. 9. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for clutter classes. In addition to the Display tab options described in "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32, each clutter class display type has a visibility check box. By selecting or clearing the visibility check box, you can display or hide clutter class display types individually. Selecting white as the colour for a clutter class value or value interval will cause that clutter class value or value interval to be displayed as transparent.

10. Click OK. You can copy the description table into a new Atoll document after importing the clutter classes file. To copy the description table, select the entire table by clicking the cell in the upper-left corner of the table and press Ctrl+C. On the Description tab of the clutter classes Properties dialog box in the new Atoll document, press Ctrl+V to paste the values in the table.

2.5.3 Adding a Clutter Class You can add a new clutter class to your document. To add a new clutter class to the your document: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. Select the Description tab from the Properties dialog box. 5. In the blank row marked with column.

at the bottom of the table, enter an unused number from 1 to 255 in the Code

6. Fill in the remainder of the fields as described in step 5. and step 7. of "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 108. 7. Click OK. You can now use the new clutter class when modifying the clutter class map. For information on modifying the clutter class map, see "Creating a Clutter Polygon" on page 121.

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2.5.4 Refreshing the List of Clutter Classes Under certain circumstances, it can happen that the list of clutter classes on the Description tab of the clutter classes Properties dialog box contains unused clutter classes. For example, if you have imported two clutter class files and then deleted one of them, the list of clutter classes will still contain the clutter classes of the deleted file, even if they are not used in the remaining file. Whenever you want to ensure that the list of clutter classes is accurate and current, you can refresh the list. To refresh the list of the clutter classes: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. 4. Select the Description tab from the Properties dialog box. 5. Click Refresh. Atoll removes the unused clutter classes from the list. 6. Click OK.

2.5.5 Displaying Total Surface Area per Clutter Class You can display the total surface area covered by each clutter class in the document. Atoll displays the surface area covered by each clutter class in the focus zone if there is one, in the computation zone if there is no focus zone and, if there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the total surface area covered by each clutter class in the entire document. This information is also available in prediction reports. To display the surface area covered by each clutter class: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics dialog box appears, displaying the surface area (Si in km²) of each clutter class (i) and its percentage (% of i) in the computation zone or focus zone, if one exists. Si % of I = --------------  100 Sk

 k

2.6 Clutter Heights Clutter height maps describe the altitude of clutter over the DTM. Clutter height files allow for a higher degree of accuracy because they allow more than one height per clutter class. In a clutter height file, a height is given for each point on the map. If you define clutter height as a property of clutter classes, the height is given as an average per clutter class. When a clutter height file is available, Atoll uses its clutter height information for calculations using certain propagation models (the Standard Propagation Model and WLL model), for display (in tip text and in the status line), and for CW measurements and test mobile data paths. If no clutter height file exists, Atoll uses the average clutter height per clutter class as defined in the clutter classes properties (see "Defining Clutter Class Properties" on page 108). To manage the properties of clutter heights: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Heights folder. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Click the Display tab to define the display properties for clutter heights. •

For information on Display tab settings, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

5. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box. The clutter height of the current pointer position as given in the clutter height file or in the clutter classes is displayed in the status bar.

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2.7 Contours, Lines, and Points In Atoll, you can import or create vector objects such as contours, lines, and points. The imported or created vectors are used primarily for display purposes, but polygons can be used as filters, or computation or focus zones. In an Atoll document, vector objects such as contours, lines, and points are arranged in vector layers. When you import a vector file, with, for example, roads, Atoll adds the file as a new vector layer containing all the vector objects in the file. The vector object data can be managed in the vector layer table. For information on working with data tables, see "Data Tables" on page 58. In this section, the following are explained: • • •

"Managing the Display of a Vector Layer" on page 111 "Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer" on page 111 "Moving a Vector Layer to the Network Explorer" on page 112.

2.7.1 Managing the Display of a Vector Layer Imported geographic vector files can have different attributes depending on their file formats. Atoll can use additional information related to vectors as display parameters. In addition, Atoll can read three-dimensional vector data. To manage the display of a vector layer: 1. Click the Network or Geo explorer on which the vector layer is located. 2. Right-click the vector layer. The context menu appears. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Select the Display tab of the Properties dialog box. For information on using the display tab, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32. You can manage the display of an individual vector object by right-clicking the vector object in the vector layer folder and selecting Properties from the context menu.

2.7.2 Managing the Properties of the Vector Layer The properties of the objects on the vector layer can be managed in two ways: either from a table containing all vectors and their attributes or from the Properties dialog box. Vector Layer Table All the vector objects of a vector layer and their attributes are listed in the vector table. To open the vector layer table: 1. On the Explorer window tab containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Open Table from the context menu. The vector table appears. You can edit the contents of this table using the commands from the context menu or from the Edit, Format, and Records menus. For more information on editing tables in Atoll, see "Data Tables" on page 58. Vector Layer Properties dialog box The vector layer Properties dialog box has three tabs: a General tab, a Table tab, and a Display tab. To open the Properties dialog box of a vector layer: 1. On the Explorer window tab containing the vector layer, right-click the vector layer folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. 3. Click the General tab. The following options are available: • •

Name: The name of the vector layer. You can rename the vector layer using this field. Source File: The complete path of the vector layer file if the file is linked to the Atoll document; otherwise the file is described as embedded. • •

Find: Click the Find button to redefine the path when the file’s location has changed. Embed: Click the Embed button to embed a linked vector layer file in the Atoll document.

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•


Coordinate System: When a vector layer is linked, the coordinate system used is the file’s, as specified when the file was imported. When the a vector layer is embedded, the coordinate system used is document’s, as specified when the file was embedded. •

Change: Click the Change button to change the coordinate system of the vector layer.

•

Sort: Click the Sort button to sort the data contained in the vector layer. For information on sorting, see "Advanced Sorting" on page 80.

•

Filter: Click the Filter button to filter the data contained in the vector layer. For information on filtering, see "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 83.

4. Click the Table tab. You can use the Table tab to manage the vector layer table content. For information on the Table tab, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 58. 5. Click the Display tab. You can use the Display tab to manage the vector layer display. For information on the Table tab, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

2.7.3 Moving a Vector Layer to the Network Explorer In Atoll, all objects in the Network explorer, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed over all objects in the Geo explorer. You may wish, however, to ensure that certain geo data, for example, major geographical features, roads, etc., remain visible in the map window. You can do this by transferring the geo data from the Geo explorer to the Network explorer and placing it above data such as predictions. To transfer a vector layer to the Network explorer: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the vector layer you want to transfer. The context menu appears. 3. Select Move to Network from the context menu. The vector layer is transferred to the Network explorer. You can transfer the vector layer back to the Geo explorer by right-clicking it in the Network explorer and selecting Move to Geo from the context menu. For more information about display priority in Atoll, see "Setting the Priority of Geo Data" on page 116.

2.8 Scanned Images Scanned images are geographic data files which represent the actual physical surroundings, for example, road maps or satellite images. They are used to provide a precise background for other objects or for less precise maps.They have no effect on calculations. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Importing Several Scanned Images" on page 112 "Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images" on page 113.

2.8.1 Importing Several Scanned Images You can import scanned images into the current Atoll document one at a time, as explained in "Importing Geo Data Files" on page 101, or you can import a group of images by importing an index file listing the individual image files. The index file is a text file with the information for each image file on a separate line. Each line contains the following information, with the information separated by a space: • • • • • •

File name: The name of the file, with its path relative to the current location of the index file. XMIN: The beginning X coordinate of the file. XMAX: The end X coordinate, calculated as XMIN + (number of horizontal bins x bin width). YMIN: The beginning Y coordinate of the file. YMAX: The end Y coordinate, calculated as YMIN + (number of horizontal bins x bin width). 0: The zero character ends the sequence. nice1.tif 984660 995380 1860900 1872280 0 nice2.tif 996240 1004900 1860980 1870700 0 File name

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XMAX

YMIN

YMAX

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To import an index 1. Select File > Import. 2. Select the index file and click Open. The File Import dialog box appears. 3. Select Image or Scan from the Data Type list. 4. Click Import. The image files imported and listed in the Geo explorer.

2.8.2 Defining the Display Properties of Scanned Images Because imported images cannot be modified, they have fewer display parameters than other object types. To define the display properties of a scanned image: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the scanned image. The context menu appears. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Select the Display tab and set the following options: • • • • •

Colour: Select either Automatic, Shades of gray, or Watermark from the list. Transparent Colour: Select White from the list if you wish parts of the scanned image that are coloured white to be transparent, allowing objects in lower layers to be visible. Lightness: Move the slider to lighten or darken the scanned image. Contrast: Move the slider to adjust the contrast. Visibility Scale: Enter a visibility scale minimum in the between 1: text box and maximum in the and 1: text box. When the displayed or printed scale is outside this range, the scanned image is not displayed.

5. Click OK.

2.9 Geoclimatic Maps Geoclimatic maps are vector files containing information on climatic conditions such as rain density, vapour density, temperature, and refractivity. Geoclimatic maps are used in microwave link documents to calculate radio wave attenuation. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Managing Geoclimatic Map Properties" on page 113 "Displaying Geoclimatic Statistics" on page 113.

2.9.1 Managing Geoclimatic Map Properties To manage the properties of a geoclimatic map: 1. Right-click the Geoclimatic Parameters folder in the Geo explorer. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. 3. The following tabs are available: •

•

Data Mapping: The Data Mapping tab enables you to select which value from each imported vector file is part of the geoclimatic map. The imported vector files are listed in the Name column, with the relevant data selected in the Field column. You can select the parameter it corresponds to from the Parameters column. Display: The Display tab enables you to define how the geoclimatic map appears in the map window. Value interval is the only available display type. For information on using the display tab, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

4. Click

to expand the Geoclimatic Parameters folder.

5. Right-click any geoclimatic file in the Geoclimatic Parameters folder. 6. Select Properties from the context menu. 7. Click the Table tab. The Table tab enables you to manage the contents of the class table. For information on working with the Table tab, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 58.

2.9.2 Displaying Geoclimatic Statistics You can display the relative and absolute distribution of each value interval according to the defined value intervals in the display properties (for information on defining value intervals, see "Setting the Display Type" on page 33) of a geoclimatic

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map. Atoll displays the statistics for the focus zone if there is one, for the computation zone if there is no focus zone and, if there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll displays the statistics for the entire document. To display the statistics of the geoclimatic data: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Geoclimatic Parameters folder. 3. Select Statistics from the context menu. The Statistics window appears with the distributions of each value interval. Statistics are displayed only for visible data. See "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31.

2.10 Displaying Online Maps Several types of online maps can be displayed in the map window. This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Displaying Online Maps from a Generic Tile Server" on page 114 "Displaying Online Maps from the Microsoft Bing Tile Server" on page 115 "Displaying Online Maps from a GEO or CFG File" on page 115 "Online Maps Display Properties" on page 115

2.10.1 Displaying Online Maps from a Generic Tile Server To display online maps from a generic tile server: 1. Make sure that a projection coordinate system is specified (see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 22) and that it is the same system supported by the tile server. If the projection coordinate systems are different, the map tiles can look disproportionate when you drag the map away from the area targeted by the projection coordinate system.

2. In the Geo explorer, right-click the Online Maps folder (

). The context menu appears.

3. Select New from the context menu. The Add a Tile Server dialog box appears. 4. Click the small triangle to the right of Name and select a tile server from the drop-down list. Selecting a tile server from the drop-down list next to Name automatically fills the Name and Server URL fields. Provider, Type, and Language fields remain greyed. • •

Name: Indicates the name of the tile server you selected. If you want, you can modify the name. Server URL: (Read-only) Indicates the URL of the tile server you selected. A server URL includes a tile set where: • •

"%z" represents the detail level, and "%x" and "%y" the tile coordinates, or "%q" represents a quadkey identifying a single tile at a particular detail level.

5. Click OK to validate and close the Add a Tile Server dialog box. A new item appears in the Online Maps folder with the online map icon ( ) followed by the Name currently defined in the Add a Tile Server dialog box. 6. In the Geo explorer, select the check box preceding the online map that you specified. The selected online map appears in the background of the map window according to the scale currently defined in the toolbar. The map tiles that you load in Atoll are stored in a specific cache directory named after the corresponding tile server. By default, the location of this cache is "%TEMP%\OnlineMaps". You can change this location by setting the TilesCachePath option in the [OnlineMaps] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

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2.10.2 Displaying Online Maps from the Microsoft Bing Tile Server To display online maps from the Microsoft Bing tile server: 1. Set the relevant option with a valid key in the [OnlineMaps] section of the Atoll.ini file, e.g. BingKey=. 2. Make sure that a projection coordinate system is specified (see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 22) and that it is the same system supported by the tile server. If the projection coordinate systems are different, the map tiles can look disproportionate when you drag the map away from the area targeted by the projection coordinate system.

3. In the Geo explorer, right-click the Online Maps folder (


4. Select New from the context menu. The Add a Tile Server dialog box appears. 5. In the Add a Tile Server dialog box, set the following options: • • • •

Name: Type the name you want to display in the Geo explorer under the Online Maps folder, for this tile server. Provider: Select a provider from the drop-down list, e.g. "Bing" Type: Select a map type from the drop-down list, e.g. "Aerial", "Road", "Hybrid" Language: Select a language from the drop-down list (default languages are "English", "French", and "Japanese"). You can display other languages if they are specified in the Atoll.ini file (for example if Provider="Bing", you must set the BingLanguage"X" and BingCulture"X" options in the [OnlineMaps] section for each additional language ).

6. Click OK to validate and close the Add a Tile Server dialog box. A new item appears in the Online Maps folder with the online map icon ( ) followed by the Name currently defined in the Add a Tile Server dialog box. 7. In the Geo explorer, select the check box preceding the online map that you specified. The selected online map appears in the background of the map window, according to the scale currently defined in the toolbar. The map tiles which are loaded in Atoll are stored in a specific cache directory named after the corresponding tile server. By default, the location of this cache is "%TEMP%\OnlineMaps". You can change this location by setting the TilesCachePath option in the [OnlineMaps] section of the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

2.10.3 Displaying Online Maps from a GEO or CFG File To display an online map from a geo data file or from a user configuration file: 1. Make sure that a projection coordinate system is specified (see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 22) and that it is the same system supported by the tiles you want to display. If the projection coordinate systems are different, the map tiles can look disproportionate when you drag the map away from the area targeted by the projection coordinate system.

2. Follow the procedure described in "Loading a Geo Data Set" on page 120.

2.10.4 Online Maps Display Properties Once an online map loaded into Atoll from a tile server, you can modify the way it is displayed in the map window. To change the display properties of an online map: 1. In the Geo explorer, expand the Online Maps folder. 2. Right-click the online map you want. The context menu appears. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The online map’s Properties dialog box appears. 4. Click the Display tab. The default display settings are the following: • • •

Colour: "Automatic" Brightness: slider at 50% Contrast: slider at 50%

5. If you set Colour to "Watermark", the Brightness and Contrast settings are automatically set to 80% and 20%, resp.

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6. You can also change the Brightness and/or Contrast settings manually by moving the corresponding sliders. Click Apply each time you change a setting to see on the map how it affects the displayed online map. 7. Click OK.

2.11 Setting the Priority of Geo Data Atoll lists the imported DTM, clutter class or traffic objects in their respective folders and creates a separate folder for each imported vector data file and scanned image. Each object is placed on a separate layer. Thus, there are as many layers as imported objects. The layers are arranged from top to bottom in the map window as they appear in the Geo explorer. It is important to remember that all objects in the Network explorer, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed over all objects in the Geo explorer.

2.11.1 Setting the Display Priority of Geo Data There are several factors that influence the visibility of geo data: •

•

The display check box: The check box immediately to the left of the object name in the Geo explorer controls whether or not the object is displayed on the map. If the check box is selected ( ), the object is displayed; if the check box is cleared ( ), the object is not displayed. If the check box, is selected but shaded ( ), not all objects in the folder are displayed. For more information, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31. The order of the layers: The layer at the top of the Geo explorer is on top of all other layers in the map window. Data on layers below is only visible where there is no data on the top layer or if you adjust the transparency of the objects on the top layer. You can use drag and drop to change the order of layers by dragging a layer in the Geo explorer towards the top or the bottom of the tab. All objects in the Network explorer, such as transmitters, antennas, and predictions, are displayed over all objects in the Geo explorer. Vector geo data, however, can be transferred to the Network explorer, where they can be placed over data such as predictions. In this way, you can ensure that certain vector geo data, for example, major geographical features, roads, etc., remain visible in the map window For more information, see "Moving a Vector Layer to the Network Explorer" on page 112.

•

•

The transparency of objects: You can change the transparency of some objects, such as predictions, and some object types, such as clutter classes, to allow objects on lower layers to be visible on the map. For more information, see "Setting the Transparency of Objects and Object Types" on page 34. The visibility range of objects: You can define a visibility range for object types. An object is visible only in the map window if the scale, as displayed on the zoom toolbar, is within this range. For more information, see "Setting the Visibility Scale" on page 34.

In Figure 2.6, vector data (including the linear vectors HIGHWAYS, COASTLINE, RIVERLAKE, MAJORROADS, MAJORSTREETS, RAILWAYS and AIRPORT), clutter classes, DTM and scanned image have been imported and a UMTS environment traffic map has been edited inside the computation zone. In the map window, the linear objects (ROADS, RIVERLAKE, etc.) are visible both inside and outside the computation zone. The clutter class layer is visible in the area where there is no traffic data (outside the computation zone). On the other hand, the DTM layer which is beneath the clutter class layer and the scanned map which is beneath the DTM layer, are not visible.

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Figure 2.6: Displaying Geo data layers

2.11.2 Setting the Priority of Geo Data in Calculations The priority of geo data in calculations is determined in much the same way as it is for display. When you make calculations in Atoll, the data taken into account in each folder (Clutter Classes, DTM, etc.) is the data from the top down. In other words, Atoll takes the object on top and objects below only where there is no data in higher levels; what is used is what is seen. The visibility in the context of calculations must not be confused with the display check box ( ). Even if the display check box of an object is cleared ( ), so that the object is not displayed on the map, it will still be taken into consideration for calculations. Object folders, for example, the DTM, clutter classes, clutter heights, and traffic density folders, can contain more than one data object. These objects can represent different areas of the map or the same parts of the map with the same or different resolutions. Therefore for each folder, you should place the objects with the best data at the top. These are normally the objects which cover the least area but have the highest resolution. For example, when calculating coverage in an urban area, you might have two clutter class files: one with a higher resolution for the downtown core, where the density of users is higher, and one with a lower resolution but covering the entire area. In this case, by placing the clutter class file for the downtown core over the file with the lower resolution, Atoll can base its calculations for the downtown core on the clutter class file with the higher resolution, using the second file for all other calculations. The following sections provide examples that illustrate how data is used in Atoll: • • •

"Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas" on page 117 "Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area" on page 118 "Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area" on page 118.

2.11.2.1 Example 1: Two DTM Maps Representing Different Areas In this example, there are two imported DTM files: • •

"DTM 1” represents a given area and has a resolution of 50 m. “DTM 2” represents a different area and has a resolution of 20 m.

In this example, the file order of the DTM files in the Explorer window does not matter because they do not overlap; in both Case 1 and Case 2, Atoll will take all the data from both "DTM 1” and "DTM 2” into account.

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Explorer window


Work space

Case 1 DTM • •

DTM 2 (20m) DTM 1 (50m)

Case 2 DTM • •

DTM 1 (50m) DTM 2 (20m)

Figure 2.7: Multi-layer management in calculations – two DTM maps representing different areas

2.11.2.2 Example 2: Clutter Classes and DTM Maps Representing the Same Area In this example, there are two imported maps: • •

A clutter class map called “Clutter.” A DTM map called “DTM”.

Independently of the order of the two maps in the Explorer window, Atoll uses both the clutter and DTM data in calculations. In Case 1, the clutter class map is on top of the DTM map. In Case 2, the DTM map is on top of the clutter class map. In both Case 1 and Case 2, Atoll will use both the clutter and DTM data in calculations. Explorer window

Work space

Case 1 Clutter classes • Clutter DTM • DTM Case 2 DTM • DTM Clutter classes • Clutter Figure 2.8: Multi-layer management in calculations – Clutter and DTM maps representing the same area

2.11.2.3 Example 3: Two Clutter Class Maps Representing a Common Area In this example, there are two imported clutter classes maps: • •

"Clutter 1" represents a large area with a resolution of 50 m. "Clutter 2" represents a smaller area with a resolution of 20 m. This area is also covered by "Clutter 1"

In the case of two clutter class maps, Atoll uses the order of the maps in the Clutter Classes folder in the Geo explorer to decide which data to use. In Case 1, "Clutter 2" is on top of "Clutter 1". Atoll will therefore use the data in "Clutter 2" where it is available, and the data from "Clutter 1" everywhere that is covered by "Clutter 1" but not by "Clutter 2." In Case 2, "Clutter 1" is on top and completely covers "Clutter 2." Therefore, Atoll will only use the data from "Clutter 1."

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Explorer window

Work space

Case 1 Clutter classes • Clutter 2 (20m) • Clutter 1 (50m)

Case 2 Clutter classes • Clutter 1 (50m) • Clutter 2 (20m)

Figure 2.9: Multi-layer management in calculations – two clutter maps representing the same area

2.12 Displaying Geo Data Information You can display information about a geo data map by using tip text. For information on how to display information in tip text, see "Associating a Tip Text to an Object" on page 35. To display information about the geo data in tip text: •

Hold the pointer over the geo data until the tip text appears. The surface area is only given for closed polygons.

Tip text only appears when the Tip Text button (

) on the toolbar has been selected.

2.13 Geographic Data Sets In Atoll, once you have imported geographic data and defined their parameters, you can save much of this information in a user configuration file. Then, another user, working on a similar Atoll document, can import the user configuration file containing the paths to the imported geographic data and many of the defined parameters. When you save the geographic data set in a user configuration, you save: • • • •

the paths of imported geographic maps map display settings (visibility scale, transparency, tips text, etc.) clutter description (code, name, height, standard deviations, etc.) raster or user profile traffic map description.

In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Exporting a Geo Data Set" on page 120 "Loading a Geo Data Set" on page 120. You can save and load other types of information with user configuration files as well. For information, see the Administrator Manual.

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2.13.1 Exporting a Geo Data Set When you save a geo data set in a user configuration file, the information listed in "Geographic Data Sets" on page 119 is saved into a file. Vectors must be in the same coordinate system as the raster maps.

To save a geo data set in a user configuration file: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Save. The User Configuration dialog box appears (see Figure 2.10). 2. In the User Configuration dialog box, select the Geographic Data Set check box.

Figure 2.10: The User Configuration dialog box 3. Click OK. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the folder where you want to save the file and enter a File name. 5. Click OK.

2.13.2 Loading a Geo Data Set When you load a user configuration file containing a geo data set, the information listed in "Geographic Data Sets" on page 119 is loaded into your current Atoll document. To load a user configuration file containing a geo data set into your current Atoll document: 1. Select Tools > User Configuration > Load. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Browse to the user configuration file, select it and click Open. 3. The User Configuration dialog box appears. When you load a user configuration file including a geographic data set, Atoll checks if there are already geographic data in the current Atoll document. If so, the option Delete existing geo data appears with other options in the User Configuration dialog box. 4. In the User Configuration dialog box, select the check boxes of the items you want to load into your current Atoll document. 5. If you already have geographic data in your current Atoll document and would like to replace it with any data in the user configuration file you are loading, select the Delete existing geo data check box. If you do not want to replace existing geo data with imported data, clear the Delete existing geo data check box. 6. Click OK. You can automatically start Atoll with a user configuration file by naming the file "Atoll.cfg" and placing it in the same folder as the Atoll executable. You can also edit the Windows shortcut to Atoll and add "-cfg " where "" is the full path to the user configuration file.

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2.14 Editing Geographic Data In Atoll, you can edit geo data that you have imported or you can create geo data. The following types of geographic data can be edited: • • • •

Clutter classes (for more information, "Editing Clutter Class Maps" on page 121) Contours, lines, and points (for more information, "Vector Objects" on page 53) Geoclimatic maps (for more information, "Editing Geoclimatic Maps" on page 122) Traffic data maps

2.14.1 Editing Clutter Class Maps Clutter class maps and certain traffic maps are raster maps. You can edit these maps by creating or modifying polygons. In this section, the following are explained: • • • •

"Creating a Clutter Polygon" on page 121 "Editing a Clutter Polygon" on page 121 "Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons" on page 122. "Deleting Clutter Polygons" on page 122

2.14.1.1 Creating a Clutter Polygon In Atoll, you can modify imported clutter class maps or create your own maps by adding data in the form of polygons. You can later edit and export the polygons you have created. All modifications you make to clutter class maps are taken into account by propagation model calculations. To create a polygon: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. The context menu appears. 3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears with a clutter or traffic list, a polygon drawing tool a polygon deletion tool

,

, and a Close button (see Figure 2.11).

Figure 2.11: Editor toolbar 4. From the list, select the clutter class for the polygon you want to create. Clutter classes are defined on the Descriptions tab of the clutter classes Properties dialog box.

5. Click the polygon drawing button (

). The pointer changes to a pencil (

).

6. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the polygon. 7. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the polygon. 8. Double-click to close the polygon. You can copy the exact coordinates of a closed polygon by right-clicking it on the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.

2.14.1.2 Editing a Clutter Polygon You can edit clutter polygons by moving existing points of the polygon or by adding or deleting points. To edit clutter polygons: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. The context menu appears.

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3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 2.11). 4. Select the polygon. You can now edit the clutter polygon by: •

Moving a point: i.

Position the pointer over the point you want to move. The pointer changes (

).


Adding a point: i.

Position the pointer over the polygon border where you want to add a point. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Right-click and select Insert Point from the context menu. A point is added to the border at the position of the pointer. •

Deleting a point: i.


).


2.14.1.3 Displaying the Coordinates of Clutter Polygons To display the coordinates of the points defining the polygon area: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. The context menu appears. 3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 2.11). 4. Right-click the polygon and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears with the coordinates of the points defining the polygon and the total area. You can select and copy the coordinates displayed in the Properties dialog box of the polygon.

2.14.1.4 Deleting Clutter Polygons You can delete clutter polygons. To delete a clutter polygon: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. The context menu appears. 3. Select Edit from the context menu. The Editor toolbar appears (see Figure 2.11). 4. Click the polygon deletion tool (

). The pointer changes (

).

5. Click the polygon you want to delete. The polygon is deleted.

2.14.2 Editing Geoclimatic Maps Some geographic data maps, for example geoclimatic maps, are made up of individual vector objects. You can modify and create these geo data maps by adding a vector layer and then adding vector objects (contours, lines, and points) to this layer. To create a vector layer and vector objects on a geo data map: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Geoclimatic Parameters folder to which you want to add a vector layer. The context menu appears. 3. Select Add Vector Layer from the context menu. A new data object called "Vectors" is created in the selected geo data object folder. 4. Right-click the new vector layer. The context menu appears. 5. Select Edit from the context menu. The vector tools on the Vector Editor toolbar are activated.

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You can also activate the vector tools by selecting the vector layer to edit from the Vector Editor toolbar list. Because Atoll names all new vector layers "Vectors" by default, it might be difficult to know which Vectors folder you are selecting. By renaming each vectors folder, you can ensure that you select the correct folder. For information on renaming objects, see "Renaming an Object" on page 30.

6. To draw a polygon, click the New Polygon button (

) on the Vector Editor toolbar:

a. Click once on the map where you want to begin drawing the contour. b. Click each time you change angles on the border defining the outside of the contour. c. Double-click to close the contour. 7. To draw a rectangle, click the New Rectangle button (

) on the Vector Editor toolbar:

a. Click the point on the map that will be one corner of the rectangle. b. Drag to the opposite corner of the rectangle. c. Release the mouse to create the rectangle defined by the two corners. 8. Right-click the new polygon or rectangle and select Properties from the context menu. 9. Enter a value: •

Geoclimatic Parameters: Enter a value in the Rain Intensity field to indicate the intensity of rainfall for the polygon.

10. Press ESC to deselect the New Polygon (

) or the New Rectangle (

) button on the Vector Editor toolbar.

11. For Atoll to consider the new vector layer as part of the data map, you must map the vector layer. Right-click the Geoclimatic Parameters folder. The context menu appears. 12. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 13. Click the Data Mapping tab. For the following geo data: •

Geoclimatic Parameters: •

In the Field column, "Rain" is selected by default.

You can edit the vector objects as explained in "Vector Objects" on page 53.

2.15 Saving Geographic Data Atoll allows you to save your geographic data files separately from saving the Atoll document. Atoll supports a variety of both raster and vector file formats (for more information, see "Supported Geographic Data Formats" on page 100). Saving a geographic file separately from saving the Atoll document enables you to: • • • • •

Save modifications you have made to an external file: If you have made modifications to geo data, you can export them to a new external file. Update the source file with modifications you have made: If you have made modifications to a geo data type in Atoll, you can save these changes to the source file. Combine several raster files into one file: If you have several small raster files in one folder of the Geo explorer, you can save them as one file. Export an embedded file to be used in another Atoll document or in another application: You can save a file to an external file, in the same format or in another one. Create a new file from part of a larger one: You can select part of certain geo data types and then save the selected part as a new file.

This section explains the following: • • • • •

"Saving Modifications to an External File" on page 124 "Updating the Source File" on page 125 "Combining Several Raster Files into a Single File" on page 125 "Exporting an Embedded Geo Data File" on page 126 "Creating a File from a Section of a Larger File" on page 126

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2.15.1 Saving Modifications to an External File In Atoll, you can save your modifications to an external file. This section explains the following: • •

"Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map to a Raster File" on page 124 "Exporting an Edited Vector Layer to a Vector File" on page 125.

2.15.1.1 Exporting an Edited Clutter Class Map to a Raster File You can export clutter class modifications in a raster-format file, either in the same format as used in the current Atoll document, or in a different raster format. You can also choose to export the entire clutter class geo data, the part containing the computation zone, or just your modifications to the geo data. When you have made modifications to a raster-format geo data file, exporting either the entire geo data or just your modifications allows you to save those modifications to an external file. To export clutter class modifications in a raster-format file: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the Clutter Classes folder. 3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the folder where you want to save the file, enter a name for the file, and select the file format from the Save as type list. You can select from one of the following file formats: • • • • • •

BMP Files (*.bmp): When you select BMP format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding BPW file containing the georeference information. PNG Files (*.png): When you select PNG format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding PGW file containing the georeference information. ArcView Grid Files (*.txt, *.asc): The ArcView text format is intended only for export; no corresponding geo-reference file is created. TIFF Files (*.tif): When you select tagged image file format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding TFW file containing the georeference information. BIL Files (*.bil): When you select the BIL format, Atoll automatically creates the corresponding HDR file containing the georeference information. When exporting in BIL format, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 Gb. Vertical Mapper Files (*.grc,*.grd): Files with the extension GRC or GRD are Vertical Mapper files. When exporting in GRD or GRC formats, Atoll allows you to export files larger than 2 Gb.

5. Click Save. The Export dialog box appears (see Figure 2.12).

Figure 2.12: Export dialog box 6. Under Region, select one of the following: •

•

•

The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the entire clutter class geo data file, including any modifications you have made to the geo data. The exported geo data file will replace the geo data file in the current Atoll document. Only Pending Changes: This option allows you to export a rectangle containing any modifications you have made to the clutter classes. The exported geo data file will be added as a new object to the Clutter Classes geo data folder. The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the clutter class geo data contained by a rectangle encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo data file will be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder.

7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. The suggested resolution value is defined by the following criteria: •

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If one object has been modified, the suggested resolution is the resolution of the modified object.


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• • •

If several objects have been modified, the suggested resolution is the highest resolution of the modified objects. If there is no initial clutter class object, the resolution will equal the highest resolution of the DTM maps. If the Atoll document in which you created the clutter class file has no DTM, no other clutter class geo data file, or traffic objects, the suggested resolution is 100 m.

8. Click OK. The selected data is saved in an external file.

2.15.1.2 Exporting an Edited Vector Layer to a Vector File You can export an edited vector layer as a vector-format file. A vector layer can contain contours, lines, and points. Along with vector layers you have added to the Geo explorer, the following maps can be exported as vector-format files: •

Vector-format geoclimatic maps

Once you save a vector layer, the exported file replaces the vector layer as a linked file. You can embed the file afterwards (see "Embedding Geographic Data" on page 107). You can simultaneously export the display configuration file (CFG) of the edited vector layer by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. The exported display configuration file will have the same file name and will be saved in the same directory as the exported vectorformat file. For more information about setting options in the Atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual. To export a vector layer: 1. In the Explorer window, select the tab containing the vector layer you want to export. 2. Right-click the vector layer folder you want to export. The context menu appears. 3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the folder where you want to save the file, enter a name for the file, and select the file format from the Save as type list. You can select from one of the following file formats: • • •

AGD: "Atoll Geographic Data" vector format created for Atoll. The latter can read AGD files faster than the other supported vector formats. SHP: ArcView vector format can be used for vector layers containing only polygons, only lines, or only points. If a vector file has a combination of polygons, lines, and points, you should use the AGD, MIF, or TAB formats instead. MIF and TAB: MapInfo vector formats.

5. Click Save in the Save As dialog box. The Vector Export dialog box appears. It displays the current coordinate system which you can change by clicking Change. 6. Click Export. The vector layer is saved in the format and with the name you specified and the exported file replaces the vector layer in the current document as a linked file.

2.15.2 Updating the Source File While working on an Atoll document, you may make changes to geo data. If the geo data file is embedded in the Atoll document, Atoll saves the changes automatically when you save the document. If the geo data file is linked, Atoll prompts you to save the changes when you close the document. To update the source file of a linked geo data file: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the folder containing geo data file whose source file you want to update. The context menu appears. 3. Select Save from the context menu. The linked file is updated. You will not be warned that you are replacing the current file. Therefore, ensure that you want to replace the current file before proceeding to the following step. If you do not want to replace the current file, you can save your changes to an external file ("Exporting an Edited Vector Layer to a Vector File" on page 125).

2.15.3 Combining Several Raster Files into a Single File In certain circumstances, for example, after importing an MSI Planet® index file, you may have several geo data files of the same type. You can combine these separate files to create one single file. The files will be combined according to their order

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from the top down in the folder in the Geo explorer. If the files overlap on the map, the combined file will show the file on the top. You can create a one file from a section of the following geo data types: • • • •

Digital terrain model Clutter classes Clutter heights Scanned maps

To combine individual files into a new file: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the folder of the geo data files you want to combine into one file. The context menu appears. 3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a File name and select a file type from the Save as type list. 5. Click OK. The Export dialog box appears. 6. Under Region, select The Entire Project Area. This option allows you to save the entire area covered by the geo data files, including any modifications you have made to the geo data. 7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. The suggested resolution value is the highest resolution of all objects. 8. Click OK. The selected data is saved as a new file.

2.15.4 Exporting an Embedded Geo Data File You can export an embedded geo data file to be used in a different Atoll document, or in a different application. When you export an embedded file, Atoll replaces the embedded file in the current Atoll document with the newly exported file. To export an embedded geo data file: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the folder of the embedded geo data file you want to export. The context menu appears. 3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a File name and select a file type from the Save as type list. 5. Click OK. If the geo data file is a vector file, the Vector Export dialog box appears. a. The Vector Export dialog box displays the coordinate system of the file. To change the coordinate system used for the exported file, click Change. The Coordinate Systems dialog box appears. For information on the Coordinate Systems dialog box, see "Setting a Coordinate System" on page 22. b. Click Export. The geo data file is exported with the selected coordinate system. If the geo data file is a raster file, the Export dialog box appears. a. Under Region, select one of the following: •

• •

The Entire Project Area: This option allows you to export the entire raster-format geo data file, including any modifications you have made to the geo data. The exported file will replace the embedded file in the Geo explorer. Only Pending Changes: This option allows you to export a rectangle containing any modifications you have made to the geo data. The exported file will be added as an object in the geo data folder. The Computation Zone: This option allows you to export the geo data contained by a rectangle encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported file will be added as an object in the geo data folder.

b. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. c. Click OK. The selected data is saved in an external file.

2.15.5 Creating a File from a Section of a Larger File You can create a new file from a section of a larger file. You can use this new file in the same Atoll document, or in a new Atoll document. To create a new file, you must first define the area by creating a computation zone. You can create a new file from a section of the following geo data types: •

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Digital terrain model


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• • • •

Clutter classes Clutter heights Scanned maps Geoclimatic maps

To create a new file from a section of a larger file: 1. Select the Geo explorer. 2. Right-click the folder of the embedded geo data file you want to export. The context menu appears. 3. Select Save As from the context menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a File name and select a file type from the Save as type list. 5. Click OK. The Export dialog box appears. 6. Under Region, select The Computation Zone. This option allows you to export the geo data contained by a rectangle encompassing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. The exported geo data file will be added as a new object to the selected geo data folder. 7. Define a Resolution in Metres. The resolution must be an integer and the minimum resolution allowed is 1. 8. Click OK. The selected data is saved as a new file.

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Chapter 3 Microwave Antennas and Equipment This chapter provides the information to work with antennas and equipment in Atoll.

•

This chapter covers the following topics:"Defining the List of Manufacturers" on page 132

•

"Defining Antennas" on page 132

•

"Microwave Radios" on page 137

•

"Microwave Feeders" on page 158

•

"Microwave Antenna/Radio/Feeder Compatibility" on page 159


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3 Microwave Antennas and Equipment Atoll models the equipment that is used to create a network, along with the characteristics that have a bearing on network performance. Microwave radio equipment is used to convert initial data to microwave frequency signals, which can then be transmitted over a given microwave link and the equipment used to convert the received microwave frequency signals to data. The microwave radio system is composed of three main sub-systems: • • •

Indoor unit (IDU) Outdoor unit (ODU) Antenna

.

Figure 3.1: Radio system components Indoor Unit (IDU) The IDU is the termination point of the end-user equipment that generates the data to be carried by the microwave link. It consists of the following components: • •

The radio modem that converts the digital signal into a form suitable for modulation on the radio carrier signal The power supply for the Outdoor Unit (ODU)

Outdoor Unit (ODU) The ODU converts the modulated signal from its low frequency form to a high frequency radio signal in the appropriate radio band and channel for radio transmission. Antenna The antenna is the part of the microwave link that transmits electromagnetic energy from transmission lines into the air and receives transmitted electromagnetic energy from the air to be then sent on transmission lines. The antenna can be in one of many different shapes (for example, horn, parabolic, flat or planar, lens, yagi, or array) to achieve its specific objectives. The main characteristics of the microwave antenna are the following: •

Directivity: In practical terms, directivity is defined as: • •

• •

• •

The ability to send the transmitted power in only the desired direction The ability to reject undesired signals coming from other directions.

Gain: The gain is the amount of power radiated in a given direction using only the RF power at the input terminals of the antenna. Front-to-Back Ratio (FBR): The FBR is the ratio of the power radiated in the desired direction to the power radiated in the opposite direction, typically between 35 and 50 dB. In general, the higher the gain of the antenna, the higher the FBR. Radiation pattern: The radiation pattern is a diagram showing the direction of the radiated power. The portion of the pattern where the maximum gain occurs is often referred to as the main lobe of the pattern Polarisation: Polarisation is the ability to transmit only one of the two electromagnetic vector components of the wave (either the horizontal component or the vertical component). Using polarisation enables the same radio frequency to be used by different radio systems in physical proximity to one another.

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Vertical polarisation

Horizontal polarisation Figure 3.2: Polarisation

Cross Polarisation Discrimination (XPD): The XPD is the ratio of power received in the desired polarisation to the power received in undesired polarisation. XPD is a design parameter that is maximised in the main lobe of the antenna pattern. This chapter explains how to work with antennas and other equipment such as radios and feeders: • • • • •

"Defining the List of Manufacturers" on page 132 "Defining Antennas" on page 132 "Microwave Radios" on page 137 "Microwave Feeders" on page 158 "Microwave Antenna/Radio/Feeder Compatibility" on page 159.

3.1 Defining the List of Manufacturers The manufacturers of microwave radios, feeders, and antennas are listed in the Manufacturers folder. You can create a new manufacturer or you can modify an existing one, through the manufacturer’s Properties dialog box. To create or modify a manufacturer: 1. If you are creating a new manufacturer: a. Select the Parameters explorer. b. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. c. Right-click the Manufacturers folder. The context menu appears. d. Select New from the context menu. The Manufacturers: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 2. If you are modifying the properties of an existing manufacturer: a. Select the Parameters explorer. b. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. c. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Manufacturers folder to expand the folder. d. Right-click the manufacturer you want to modify. The context menu appears. e. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Define the following parameters: • •

Name: The name of the manufacturer. Comments: Any comments.

4. Click OK.

3.2 Defining Antennas Each microwave antenna is identified by a name and defined by the operating frequency band, manufacturer name, horizontal and vertical antenna patterns, gain, and antenna diameter. The operating frequency band and manufacturer-related information are used as filtering criteria when defining compatible antenna/equipment sets. Four different antenna pattern diagrams are used in microwave antennas, i.e., horizontal and vertical plane diagrams for horizontal and vertical polarization. Each of these patterns can have both co-polar and cross-polar patterns defined. Because an antenna can be horizontally and vertically polarised, Atoll uses the relevant antenna pattern diagrams when determining propagation. In this section the following are described: • • • •

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"Microwave Antenna Properties" on page 133 "Creating an Antenna" on page 133 "Importing Microwave Antennas" on page 135 "Editing Microwave Antenna Patterns" on page 135


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• •

"Displaying Antenna Patterns With a Fixed Scale" on page 136 "Printing Microwave Antenna Patterns" on page 137.

3.2.1 Microwave Antenna Properties Microwave antenna are used to radiate or receive electromagnetic energy in the form of high-frequency radio waves. Atoll models microwave antennas and provides default many microwave antenna patterns. You can use the Microwave Antenna Properties window to create, edit, and view antenna parameters, including name, manufacturer, gain, pattern diagrams, and diameter). •

General tab • • • • • • •

Name: If necessary, modify the default name. Manufacturer: The name of the antenna manufacturer. Frequency Band: The frequency band that this antenna will be used with. Gain: The antenna’s isotropic gain. Diameter: The diameter of the antenna. Radome Losses: For an antenna equipped with a radome, the losses caused by the radome. Under Cross Polar Discrimination (XPD), Atoll displays the cross polar discriminations for horizontal and vertical polarisations. •

• •

Horizontal: The ratio of power received in the cross-polar section to the power received in the co-polar section, for the horizontal polarisation. • Vertical: The ratio of power received in the cross-polar section to the power received in the co-polar section, for the vertical polarisation. Comments: Any additional information on the antenna.

H or V Signal - H or V Plane tabs: A microwave antenna is defined by 8 radiation patterns. On each of the four tabs of the antenna properties dialog box, you can define the co-polar and cross-polar sections for each plane of the antenna: •

Horizontal polarisation - Horizontal plane: • •

•

Horizontal polarisation - Vertical plane: • •

•

Co-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the vertical plane. Cross-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the vertical plane.

Vertical polarisation - Horizontal plane: • •

•

Co-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the horizontal plane. Cross-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the horizontal plane.

Co-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the horizontal plane. Cross-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the horizontal plane.

Vertical polarisation - Vertical plane: • •

Co-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the vertical plane. Cross-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the vertical plane.

For each of these combinations, these tabs display an antenna pattern diagram and a table that specifies the attenuation in dB (Att.) per Angle. You can specify antenna attenuation for as many as 720 angles. Therefore, attenuation values can also be defined for angles other than integer values from 0° to 359°. • • •

The Copy and Print buttons enable you to copy the horizontal or vertical antenna diagram to the clipboard or to print the antenna diagram. The Log button switches between linear and a logarithmic scale for displaying the diagram.

Other Properties tab: This tab provides access to additional information and custom fields.

3.2.2 Creating an Antenna You can manually create new antenna patterns by entering values in the Antenna Properties window. When you create a new antenna, you can copy the horizontal and vertical antenna patterns from a spreadsheet or word processor.

To create an antenna: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Antennas folder, and select New from the context menu. The Antennas: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 2. Click the General tab. You can enter information in the following fields:

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• • • • • • •


Name: If necessary, modify the default name. Manufacturer: The name of the antenna manufacturer. Frequency Band: The frequency band that this antenna will be used with. Gain: The antenna’s isotropic gain. Diameter: The diameter of the antenna. Radome Losses: For an antenna equipped with a radome, the losses caused by the radome. Under Cross Polar Discrimination (XPD), Atoll displays the cross polar discriminations for horizontal and vertical polarisations. •

•

Horizontal: The ratio of power received in the cross-polar section to the power received in the co-polar section, for the horizontal polarisation. • Vertical: The ratio of power received in the cross-polar section to the power received in the co-polar section, for the vertical polarisation. Comments: Any additional information on the antenna.

3. Define the co-polar and cross-polar sections for each plane of the antenna. A microwave antenna is defined by 8 radiation patterns. On each of the four tabs of the antenna properties dialog box, you can define the co-polar and cross-polar sections for each plane of the antenna: •

Horizontal polarisation - Horizontal plane: • •

•

Horizontal polarisation - Vertical plane: • •

•

Co-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the vertical plane. Cross-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the vertical plane.

Vertical polarisation - Horizontal plane: • •

•

Co-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the horizontal plane. Cross-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a horizontally polarised signal in the horizontal plane.

Co-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the horizontal plane. Cross-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the horizontal plane.

Vertical polarisation - Vertical plane: • •

Co-polar section: Vertical polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the vertical plane. Cross-polar section: Horizontal polarised port response to a vertically polarised signal in the vertical plane.

To copy the co-polar and cross-polar sections for each plane from a word-processor or spreadsheet document: a. Switch to the document containing the horizontal pattern. b. Select the columns containing the angles and attenuation values of the horizontal pattern. c. Copy the selected data.

Figure 3.3: Copying horizontal pattern values d. Switch to Atoll. e. Click the upper-left cell of the horizontal pattern. f. Paste the data in the table. If some values are missing in the data sheet, Atoll interpolates the values in order to obtain a complete and realistic pattern around the antenna. When you paste the data into the Antennas: New Record Properties dialog box, Atoll removes blank rows in the pattern table when you press the Apply button. When you calculate along an angle for which no data is available, Atoll calculates a linear interpolation from existing pattern values. g. Click Apply to display the pattern.

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4. Click OK.

3.2.3 Importing Microwave Antennas You can import antenna files in the Planet microwave antenna format or in standard NSMA (National Spectrum Managers Association) formats defined by recommendations WG16.89.003 and WG16.99.0501. To import antenna files: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder and right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Import from the context menu. The Data Import dialog box appears. 3. In the Data Import dialog box, choose one of the following options: • •

One file only: Choose this option if you only want to import one file. Entire folder: Choose this option if you want to import all the files in a folder.

4. Click the Browse button to navigate to the file or the folder to be imported. 5. Select the file or folder to be imported and click Open. 6. Click Import. The file or folders are imported. Atoll does not stop the import process if an error occurs. Atoll continues until all files are imported and then displays in the Events viewer how many files have been successfully and unsuccessfully imported. NSMA files contain antenna characteristics such as the frequency range of the antenna. During the import, Atoll uses this information to select the suitable frequency band among all existing ones. If the frequency range includes two frequency bands, Atoll creates two antennas, each one using one of these frequency bands. When the frequency range partially overlaps one frequency band, Atoll creates a new frequency band based on the antenna frequency range and assign it to the antenna. Atoll automatically calculates the antenna diameter from the antenna gain and average operating frequency. The average operating frequency is calculated as (Maximum Frequency - Minimum Frequency)/2. The antenna diameter is calculated using the following equation for a radiation efficiency of 55 %: Gain  dBi  = 20  Log  Diametre  m   + 20   Frequency  MHz   – 42,2 , which gives:

Diametre  m  = 10

Max Frequency – Min Frequency-   dBi  + 2,11 – Log  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gain  ---------------------------  2 20

For more information on antenna file formats, see the Technical Reference Guide. Some file formats do not support certain features. For example, the PL4 format does not carry over adaptive modulation information. To import files with different values, you can place the antenna files manually into separate folders and import them separately with different default values for each folder.

3.2.4 Editing Microwave Antenna Patterns You can modify antenna patterns by editing them individually or you can copy the antenna patterns of one antenna and replace the antenna patterns of another antenna: • •

"Editing a Single Radiation Pattern" on page 135 "Copying an Antenna Pattern to One or More Antennas" on page 136.

Editing a Single Radiation Pattern You can edit the horizontal or vertical patterns of an antenna. To edit the horizontal or vertical patterns of an antenna: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Antennas folder to expand the folder. 4. Right-click the antenna you want to modify. The context menu appears. 5. Select Properties from the context menu. The antenna’s Properties dialog box appears. 1. For further information about the standard NSMA format (recommendation WG16.99.050), see the following web site: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/software/nsma/nsma-intrp.html.

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6. Select the tab of the pattern you want to edit (for information on the tabs of the antenna’s Properties dialog box, see "Microwave Antenna Properties" on page 133). 7. Edit the antenna pattern by entering new values in the table. You can display antenna patterns with either linear or logarithmic axes. You can define the display by right-clicking the pattern window and choosing the either Linear display or Logarithmic display from the context menu. Copying an Antenna Pattern to One or More Antennas You can copy antenna patterns in the Antennas table. By copying and pasting patterns in the Antennas table you can assign the antenna patterns of one antenna to another. To copy an antenna pattern: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. 3. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Antennas table appears. By resizing row height and column width, you can view all antenna patterns in order to be able to compare them (see Figure 3.4).

Figure 3.4: MW Antennas table 5. In the row of the antenna with the pattern you want to copy, select the cell with the pattern. 6. Select Edit > Copy to copy the cell. 7. In the row of the antenna you want to copy the pattern to, select the cell with the pattern. 8. Select Edit > Paste to paste the antenna pattern. Atoll replaces the old pattern with the new one in the Antennas table. • •

You can also copy an antenna pattern by right-clicking the pattern on the tab of the antenna’s Properties dialog box and selecting Copy from the context menu. Patterns are displayed in the Antennas table with either linear or logarithmic axes as defined in the Properties dialog box of an individual antenna. You can define the display by right-clicking the pattern of an antenna and choosing either Linear display or Logarithmic display from the context menu.

3.2.5 Displaying Antenna Patterns With a Fixed Scale Atoll displays the vertical and horizontal antenna patterns using a scale that is automatically adjusted to the highest and the lowest attenuation values of the antenna being displayed. You can, however, display all antennas using a fixed scale in order to visually compare or print antenna patterns.

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To fix the antenna pattern display scale: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Right-click the Antennas folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select Display Patterns Using a Fixed Scale from the context menu. Atoll determines the lowest and the highest antenna attenuation values of all the antennas in the Antennas folder, and uses these values to set the pattern scale. Antenna patterns of all the antennas are now displayed using this scale.

3.2.6 Printing Microwave Antenna Patterns To print the pattern of a microwave antenna: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Antennas folder to expand the folder. 4. Right-click the antenna whose pattern you want to print. The context menu appears. 5. Select Properties from the context menu. The antenna’s Properties dialog box appears. 6. Select the tab with the antenna pattern you want to print: • • • •

H Polar. - H Plane: Horizontal polarization - horizontal plane H Polar. - V Plane: Horizontal polarization - vertical plane V Polar. - H Plane: Vertical polarization - horizontal plane V Polar. - V Plane: Vertical polarization - vertical plane

7. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Linear display or Logarithmic display from the context menu. 8. Right-click the antenna pattern and select Print from the context menu.

3.3 Microwave Radios The concept of microwave radios is used to manage output powers, power control, modulation and demodulation of the signal to be transmitted and the signal received at the antenna, and to define supported capacity. Microwave radios are regrouped within radio series which list the branching types the radios support and the associated losses. In this section, the following are explained: • • • • • • • •

"Description of a Radio Series" on page 137 "Creating or Modifying a Radio Series" on page 139 "Description of a Radio" on page 139 "Creating or Modifying a Radio" on page 145 "Importing Microwave Radios" on page 145 "Exporting Microwave Radios to XML Files" on page 147 "Creating Radio Series and Multiple Radios" on page 148 "Advanced Configuration" on page 149

3.3.1 Description of a Radio Series A radio series corresponds to a range of equipment using different frequency bands, modulations, channel bandwidths, and branching capabilities. The Properties dialog box has three tabs: •

The General tab (see Figure 3.5): • • •

•

Name: The Name of the series. Manufacturer: The name of the manufacturer. Standard: The method used to control the output power when adaptive modulation is active. When ETSI mode is used, the output power is constant for all modulation states while it can be different from one modulation state to another one with ANSI mode. Comments: Any additional information on the radio series.

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Figure 3.5: Radio Series Properties dialog box - General tab •

The Branching tab (see Figure 3.6): • •

Branching types: The branching types (i.e., protection configurations) supported by the radios of the series in the selected frequency band. ACU (Antenna Coupling Unit) losses: The losses related to the branching type for a given frequency band. You can define the following parameters: • • •

Transmission: The transmission losses due to the connection with the main equipment. Reception: The reception losses due to the connection with the main equipment. Protected reception: The transmission and reception losses due to the connection with the standby equipment.

Figure 3.6: Radio Series Properties dialog box - Branching tab •

The Radio Equipment tab (see Figure 3.7): Atoll lists the channel bandwidth-modulation combinations of the existing radios for the selected frequency band, operation mode, and modulation type (adaptive or fixed). You can access the radio’s Properties dialog box by doubleclicking the corresponding cell.

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Figure 3.7: Radio Series Properties dialog box - Radio Equipment tab

3.3.2 Creating or Modifying a Radio Series You can modify an existing radio series or you can create a new radio series. You can access the properties of a radio series, described in "Description of a Radio Series" on page 137, through the radio series’s Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new radio series or modifying an existing radio series. To create a radio series: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 2. In the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios Series folder and select Open Table from the context menu. The Radio Series table appears. 3. Enter the Name of the radio series in the row marked with the New Row icon (

).

4. Open the radio series Properties dialog box as defined in "Accessing Record Properties " on page 61. The radio series Properties dialog box appears. 5. Modify the parameters described in "Description of a Radio Series" on page 137. 6. Click OK. To modify an existing radio series: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder and the Radios Series folder, right-click the radio series that you want to edit, and select Properties from the context menu. The microwave radio series’s Properties dialog box appears. 2. Modify the parameters described in "Description of a Radio Series" on page 137. 3. Click OK.

3.3.3 Description of a Radio Atoll enables you to define radios. A radio belongs to a radio series. It corresponds to the combination of frequency band, operation mode, modulation and channel bandwidth parameters. Each combination has specific characteristics that are defined in the radio Properties dialog box. By default, radios are grouped into radio series. The Properties dialog box has eight tabs: •

The General tab (see Figure 3.8): • • • • • •

Name: The name of the radio. Radio series: The name of the radio series which the radio belongs to. Frequency band: The frequency band in which the radio operates. Operation mode: The operation mode that the radio supports. Modulation: The modulation scheme that the radio supports. Under Power, the following parameters are available: • •

Minimum: The lowest output power supported by the radio after applying tuning. Standard: The maximum output power for the standard power (SP) ODU configuration.

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• • • •

• • •

High: The maximum output power for the high power (HP) ODU configuration. Low: The maximum output power for the low power (LP) ODU configuration. Authorised values: The output powers allowed by the radio after applying tuning. Max ATPC: The maximum output power supported by the radio after applying a power range reserved for Adaptive Transmission Power Control (ATPC). • Step: The value interval between the allowed output powers when ATPC is used. Channel bandwidth: The channel bandwidth. Capacity: The capacity supported by the radio. Transmission designator: ID dedicated to regulatory bodies. This field is for information only.

Figure 3.8: Radio Properties dialog box - General tab •

The Sensitivity tab (see Figure 3.9): •

The following parameters can be defined for two values of BER, 10-3 and 10-6. • Sensitivity (dBm): The minimum receiver signal level (threshold) at a specified rate (BER) that the radio can successfully demodulate. This will be used to calculate the thermal fade margin. • System gain (dB): The difference between the maximum power of the radio and the reception threshold, for two values of BER, 10-3 and 10-6. This field is automatically calculated by Atoll. This is a performance indicator for the radio. • Saturation (dBm): The maximum receiver sensitivity before saturation. It is used to calculate the signal enhancement margin. • ATPC reference level (dBm): The desired received signal level when ATPC is enabled on a remote transmitter. This parameter is for information only and is not used in calculations. • ACM step down (dBm): The transition level from a higher modulation state to a lower one. This parameter is considered with the ACM step up parameter to calculate the link quality and availability when the radio supports adaptive modulation. • ACM step up (dBm): The transition level from a lower modulation state to an upper one. This parameter is considered with the ACM step down parameter to calculate the link quality and availability when the radio supports adaptive modulation. • Minimum C/I (dB): The carrier-to-interference ratio in normal conditions, i.e., when no interference is experienced. This is used to evaluate the required margin against depolarisation when using a dual polarisation transmission link. Atoll automatically calculates this parameter for two values of BER: 10-3 and 10-6. You can set Atoll to use Min C/I values defined or calculated in old versions of Atoll by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information on changing options in the Atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.

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All these parameters can be defined for other values of BER except the System gain and Minimum C/I which are calculated. In order to change a BER value or to add a new threshold for another BER value, double-click the corresponding parameter in the grid. •

Under Thermal noise, the following parameters are available: • •

•

Noise figure: The noise figure for the radio. Min FKTB (at 17 °C): The receiver thermal noise calculated at 17 °C and for the channel bandwidth.

XPIF: The maximum improvement factor reserved for cross-polarisation reduction (XPIF). This is used only when an XPIC (cross-polarised interference canceller) is present. It is used to reduce the scattering of interference from the undesired polarisation into the desired polarisation due to rain fading by increasing the cross-polarisation discrimination factor (XPD). XPIF is generally within the range of 15-20 dB.

Figure 3.9: Radio Properties dialog box - Sensitivity tab •

The Losses tab (see Figure 3.10): • • •

Transmission filter: The losses due to the use of filters in transmission. Reception filter: The losses due to the use of filters in reception. Circulators: For each circulator present on this radio, you can set the Port it is attached to, and define the losses in Transmission and Reception.

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Figure 3.10: Radio Properties dialog box - Losses tab •

The Multipath Dispersion tab (see Figure 3.11): •

DFM: The dispersive fade margin, for two different values of BER: 10-3 and 10-6. This parameter is used to predict the composite fade margin when using the Vigants calculation method.

•

Under Radio Signature, you can choose the method and the parameters taken into account to predict frequency selective fading when using ITU-R P.530 recommendations. The radio signature parameters are not used by all types of receiver radios.

The radio signature chosen will characterise the ability of a receiving radio to perform successfully (i.e., produce acceptable errors rates) in the presence of frequency-selective fading. This information is available from the manufacturer. •

Standardised: For a standardised signature, select Standardised and enter a value for the Kn Parameter. The Kn parameter is mostly dependant on the modulation used. Modulation

Kn

64-QAM

15.4

16-QAM

5.5

8-PSK

7

4-PSK

1

Kn values (without adaptive equalization) •

Rummler Model: If you want to use the Rummler model to predict outage times, select Rummler model, and define the frequency shift (Signature width and Signature depth) for both minimum and non-minimum phases and two values of BER, 10-3 and 10-6. For more information, see studies by C.W. Lundgren and W.D. Rummler1 and the ITU P.530 recommendation.

1. C.W. Lundgren and W.D. Rummler, "Digital radio outage due to selective fading- observation vs. prediction from laboratory simulations," Bell System Technical Journal, pp. 1073-1100, May-June 1979. W.D. Rummler, "Characterizing the effects of multipath dispersion on digital radios," IEEE Globecom Proceedings, pp. 17271732, 1988.

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Figure 3.11: Radio Properties dialog box - Multipath Dispersion tab •

The Reliability tab (see Figure 3.12): •

•

Mean time before failure (MTBF): This parameter is used to define the reliability of the radio and corresponds to the average length of time that the radio functions without failing. The MTBF is available from the radio manufacturer. Hot standby commutation delay: The Hot Standby Commutation Delay is the maximum amount of time it would take to switch to backup equipment if the main equipment fails. The Hot Standby Commutation Delay is used only if the system configuration supports hot standby. Furthermore, when you define the properties for a microwave link, you must indicate which channel will be used as a backup in case of main equipment failure. For more information on defining microwave link properties, see "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197.

Figure 3.12: Radio Properties dialog box - Reliability tabs •

The Transmitter Mask tab (see Figure 3.13): You can define the transmitter spectral mask either by clicking the Use default graphs button, to let Atoll create the mask from standard values, or by defining an attenuation in dB (Att.) for each frequency shift in MHz (Delta F). This information is provided by the radio manufacturer. The resulting transmitter mask is displayed in the graph window on the right.

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Figure 3.13: Radio Properties dialog box - Transmitter Mask tab •

The Receiver Mask tab (see Figure 3.14): You can define a receiver mask either by clicking the Use default graphs button, to let Atoll create the mask from standard values, or by defining an attenuation in dB (Att.) for each frequency shift in MHz (Delta F). This information is provided by the radio manufacturer. The resulting receiver mask is displayed in the graph window on the right.

Figure 3.14: Radio Properties dialog box - Receiver Mask tab •

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The T⁄I Graph tab:


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You can define a threshold-to-interference (T⁄I) graph either by clicking the Use default graphs button, to let Atoll create the graph from standard values, or by defining an attenuation in dB (Att.) for each frequency shift in MHz (Delta F). This information is provided by the radio manufacturer. The threshold-to-interference (T/I) ratio is used to calculate the interference fade margin (IFM) which defines the vulnerability to co-channel and adjacent channel interference. The T/I graph defines the correspondence between maximum interfering power levels and different frequency separations between the transmitter and victim receivers. For each interfering transmitter, the received power level in dB is compared to the maximum power level to determine whether the interference is acceptable. This is done instead of calculating C/I values and comparing them to the objectives for that microwave link. The resulting T⁄I graph is displayed in the graph window on the right.

3.3.4 Creating or Modifying a Radio You can modify an existing radio or you can create a new radio. You can access the properties of a radio, described in "Description of a Radio" on page 139, through the radio’s Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new radio or modifying an existing radio. To create a radio: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select New from the context menu. The Creation of a New Radio Equipment dialog box appears. 2. Modify the parameters described in "Description of a Radio" on page 139. 3. Click OK. To modify an existing radio: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder and the Radios folder, right-click the radio that you want to edit, and select Properties from the context menu. The microwave radio’s Properties dialog box appears. 2. Modify the parameters described in "Description of a Radio" on page 139. 3. Click OK.

3.3.5 Importing Microwave Radios Atoll enables you to import radio files that are in standard NSMA (National Spectrum Managers Association) format defined by the recommendation WG 21.99.051 or in Pathloss format (versions 4.0 or 5.0). NSMA-format equipment files are ASCII files with the extension NSM. Pathloss-format radio files are ASCII files with the extension RAF. Each radio file can contain several T/I graphs for different pairs of modulations and capacities. In this case, the T/I graph defined for identical modulations and capacities is imported into the T/I Graph tab while the others are imported into the theoretical graphs table. For more information on the theoretical graphs, see "Theoretical Graphs" on page 151. For further information about the NSMA and Pathloss file formats, see the Administrator Manual. There are two methods: Importing single equipment files is covered in the following section: •

"Importing Single Radio Equipment Files into Atoll" on page 145

Importing multiple equipment files is a two-step process: • •

"Preparing Multiple Radio Equipment Files for Importing" on page 146 "Importing Multiple Radio Equipment Files into Atoll" on page 146

You can also import radio files that are in Atoll XML format. •

"Importing Radios from XML Files" on page 147

3.3.5.1 Importing Single Radio Equipment Files into Atoll You can import single radio equipment files to complete an existing radio series. Before importing a radio equipment file, the radio series of the equipment must already exist. For information about creating a radio series, see "Creating or Modifying a Radio Series" on page 139. To import a single radio equipment file: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select Import > One File from the context menu. The Radio Import dialog box appears. 2. Select an existing radio series from the Radio series list. 3. Click the Browse button to locate and select the NSMA or Pathloss file that you want to import and click Open.

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4. Click Import. The file is imported.

3.3.5.2 Preparing Multiple Radio Equipment Files for Importing Radio equipment are associated with a radio series and an operation mode category. • •

Radio series: This corresponds to a range of equipment using different frequency bands, modulations, channel bandwidths, and branching capabilities. Operation mode: This provides categories that allow you to distinguish radio equipment within a radio series, depending on how they are operated, for example for fixed or adaptive modulation and various duplex types.

Before importing the files, you must arrange the NSMA or Pathloss files in a folder structure where a first folder level represents each radio series, which contains a second folder level for the operation mode categories, as shown in Figure 3.15.

Figure 3.15: Folder structure for radio series and operation modes. The folder names match the name of the radio series and operation mode in the tables: •

•

To add the equipment files to an existing radio series or operation mode category, name the folders with the name of the corresponding radio series or operation mode. When the files are imported, each equipment is associated with the radio series and operation mode corresponding to the folder names. To create a new radio series or operation mode category, name the folders with name of the new radio series or operation mode. When the files are imported, the operation modes and radio series corresponding to the folder names are automatically created.

If an operation mode folder is not specified, the radio equipment is associated with the default fixed modulation operation mode. Pathloss v5.0 files can contain multiple radios in a single file. Therefore, all equipment in a single Pathloss v5.0 file will share the same operation mode.

3.3.5.3 Importing Multiple Radio Equipment Files into Atoll After you have set up the radio series and operation mode folders that contain the equipment files, as described in "Preparing Multiple Radio Equipment Files for Importing" on page 146, you can import the equipment files into Atoll. To import radio files: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select Import > Radio Series from the context menu. The Tree Definition dialog box appears. 2. Click the Root Directory button, select the root folder that contains the radio series folders and click OK. The Tree Definition dialog box displays the tree structure of the directory. 3. Right-click the folders that you want to tag as the radio series for the imported radio files, and select Radio Series. The tag appears next to the folder name. Alternatively, you can right-click the top level folder and select Lower Level > Radio Series to tag all folders below the selected folder with the tag. 4. Right-click the folders that you want to tag as the operation mode for the imported radio files, and select Operation Mode. The tag appears next to the folder name. Alternatively, you can right-click a folder and select Lower Level > Operation Mode to tag all folders below the selected folder with the tag. 5. Select the files and folders that you want to import and click Import. All the files and folders are imported. Errors and warnings are displayed in the Events viewer.

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After importing the equipment files, each new radio is associated to the radio series and operation mode category corresponding to the folders tagged and . If the radio series or operation mode does not exist, a new one is created. If the import process encounters any modulations or capacities that do not exist in the Atoll database, those new items are added to the corresponding tables and an asterisk (*) is appended to the name. To check for new items, in the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings > Configurations, right-click Modulations or Capacities, and click Open Table. Atoll does not stop the import process when an error occurs. It continues until all the files have been imported and then displays in the Events viewer how many files have been successfully and unsuccessfully imported.

3.3.5.4 Importing Radios from XML Files You can import radio equipment from XML files. One XML file per data table used in the radio definition is required in addition to an index file. For more information about the required XML files and the index file, see "Exporting Microwave Radios to XML Files" on page 147. In order for Atoll to be able to correctly import the data tables from XML files, the XML files and the current Atoll document must use the same unit system, and the Atoll version used to create the XML files must be the same as the version used to import the data. For more information about the formats of the XML files, see the Administrator Manual. To import radios into your document from XML files: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select Data Exchange > XML Import from the context menu. The Browse for Folder dialog box appears. 2. Select the folder where the index.xml file is located. 3. Click OK. The radios and information used in the radio definition from the XML files listed in the index.xml file are imported in the document. Tables are imported in the same order they appear in the index.xml file. Do not modify the order of tables in the index.xml file because the order in which the data is imported is very important; some data must be imported before other data. For example, frequency bands used by radios must be imported before the radios themselves. When the data tables are imported: • • •

Data that exist both in the tables and in the XML files are overwritten by the data from the XML files. Data that exist only in the tables and not in the XML files are not deleted from the tables. Data that only exist in the XML files and not in the tables are imported from the XML files as new records in the tables.

Once the import is complete, Atoll performs a database integrity check and a duplicate records check to ensure that the import did not create database problems. For information on exporting the radios in your document to XML files, see "Exporting Microwave Radios to XML Files" on page 147.

3.3.6 Exporting Microwave Radios to XML Files You can export radio equipment to XML files. Atoll creates one XML file for the radios table and each data table used in the radio definition: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

MWBands.xml: The frequency bands table, MWBranchingConfigs.xml: The branching types table, MWCapacities.xml: The capacities table, MWDefaultsCurves.xml: The theoretical graphs table, MWEquipments.xml: The radios table, MWFamilies.xml: The radio series table, MWFamilyBrConfigs.xml: The table listing the branching types supported by radio series, MWIrfs.xml: The IRF graphs table, MWLinkTypes.xml: The digital trunks table, MWManufacturers.xml: The manufacturers table, MWModulations.xml: The modulations table, MWOperationModes.xml: The operation modes, MWUnits.xml: The units table

In addition, there is an index.xml file that contains the mapping between the exported XML files and each Atoll data table. For more information about the formats of the XML files, see the Administrator Manual.

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To export radios to XML files: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder or the Radios subfolder, and select Data Exchange > XML Export from the context menu. The Browse for Folder dialog box appears. 2. Select the folder where the XML files are to be stored. 3. Click OK. All the data tables in the document are exported to XML files. For information on importing the data tables from XML files into your document, see "Importing Radios from XML Files" on page 147.

3.3.7 Creating Radio Series and Multiple Radios Atoll provides a wizard to quickly create radio series and multiple radios. To create a radio series and multiple radios: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Right-click the Radio Series folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select New from the context menu. The radio series creation wizard appears with the General screen. • •

• • •

Edit the Name of the series. Under Standard, select which of the ANSI and ETSI methods is used to control the output power when adaptive modulation is active. With ETSI mode, the output power of the reference radio is the maximum power for all modulation states. In ANSI mode, Atoll considers the output power associated with each modulation state. Define the Manufacturer of the manufacturer. Insert Comments if you want. Define the Frequency bands on which radios of the series can operate.

5. Click Next. The Operation Mode screen appears: • •

Select a Frequency band or . For the selected frequency band(s), select the check boxes that define the Operation modes supported by the radios of the series.

6. Click Next. The Modulations screen appears: • • • •

Select a Frequency band or . Select an Operation mode or . For the selected frequency band(s) and operation mode(s), select the check boxes of supported Modulations. For each supported modulation, click its name under Modulations and define the corresponding Transmission power and Power Control parameters: • • • • • • •

Minimum power: The lowest output power supported by the radios after applying tuning. Standard power: The maximum output power for the standard power (SP) ODU configuration. High power: The maximum output power for the high power (HP) ODU configuration. Low power: The maximum output power for the low power (LP) ODU configuration. Authorised values: The output powers supported by the radios after applying tuning. The values must be separated by a space (" "). Maximum ATPC: You can enter the maximum output power supported by the radio after applying a power range reserved for Adaptive Transmission Power Control (ATPC). Step: You can enter the value interval between the allowed output powers when ATPC is used.

Adaptive Transmission Power Control (ATPC) is used by the transmitter to adjust power by increasing or reducing it in order to maintain signal quality in case of multipath or rain fading that temporarily attenuates the received signal. The ATPC also enables the transmitter to respond to increased interference levels resulting from ATPC on other links. The ATPC can be taken into consideration during calculations. 7. Click Next. The Channel Bandwidths screen appears: • •

Select a Frequency band or . For the selected frequency band(s), select the check boxes that define the supported Channel bandwidths.

8. Click Next. The Branching screen appears: • • •

Select a Frequency band or . For the selected frequency band(s), select the check boxes that define the supported Branching types (i.e., protection configurations). For each branching type for which you have selected the check box, click the name in the Branching types list and define the ACU (antenna coupling unit) losses: • •

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Transmission: The transmission losses due to the connection with the main equipment. Reception: The reception losses due to the connection with the main equipment.


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•

Protected reception: The transmission and reception losses due to the connection with the standby equipment.

You can change the properties of the selected branching type by clicking the Properties button. You can create a new branching type by clicking the New button. For information on branching type properties, see "Creating or Modifying Branching Types" on page 156. 9. Click Next. The Radio Equipment to Create screen appears where Atoll lists all combinations of the parameters you have defined (frequency band, operation mode, modulation, and channel bandwidth) and displays the corresponding capacity. The displayed capacity is either an existing capacity or one calculated by Atoll (indicated by an asterisk appended to the name displayed in the box).You can modify the capacity of each combination: a. In the Capacity column, click the box corresponding to the bandwidth-modulation combination whose capacity you want to modify. An arrow appears in the right of the box. b. Click the arrow and select the capacity from the list that appears. 10. Click Finish. Atoll creates the radio series and the radios corresponding to the combinations.

3.3.8 Advanced Configuration Atoll offers several advanced configuration options: • • •

"Interference Reduction Factor" on page 149 "Theoretical Graphs" on page 151. "Defining Equipment Configurations" on page 152.

3.3.8.1 Interference Reduction Factor The interference reduction factor (IRF) is a method of reducing interference on the received signal. The IRF is a function of the difference between the central frequencies of the interfered signal and the interfering signal. You can define a protection level for each victim–interferer microwave transceiver radio pair by defining the protection levels (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The IRF graphs defined in the IRF table are used during the calculation of interference. When studying the interference between transmission and reception radios, Atoll first verifies whether an IRF graph is defined for the transmission radioreception radio pair in the IRF table. If so, Atoll uses it. Otherwise, Atoll determines the IRF graph during the process of calculating interference.The entire process is as follows: 1. Atoll verifies that the transmission and the reception radios have the same manufacturer, capacity, and modulation. If so, Atoll uses T⁄I graphs to determine the IRF graph. Atoll uses either the graphs defined for the radios if available, or the theoretical T⁄I graphs if not (for more information on the theoretical graphs, see "Theoretical Graphs" on page 151). 2. If the radio manufacturer, capacity, or modulation are not the same, Atoll merges the transmitter mask and the receiver mask of the radios in order to determine the IRF graph. Atoll uses either the graphs defined for the radios if available, or the theoretical graphs if not. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Defining IRF Graphs Manually" on page 149 "Defining IRF Graphs with the Assistant" on page 150.

Defining IRF Graphs Manually You can define IRF graphs using the IRF table. These IRF graphs will be used to reduce the interference between victim and interferer microwave radios when calculating interference. To create or modify an IRF graph: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select IRF > Open Table from the context menu. The IRF table appears (see Figure 3.16).

Figure 3.16: IRF table 2. Select the name of the Victim radio from the list.

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3. Select the name of the Interferer radio from the list. If you are creating a new IRF graph, use the row marked with the New Row icon (

).

4. Double-click in the left margin of the record to open its Properties dialog box (see Figure 3.17).

Figure 3.17: IRF record Properties dialog box 5. Under IRF in the Properties dialog box, enter a protection level (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The resulting graph is displayed on the right of the Properties dialog box. 6. Click OK. Defining IRF Graphs with the Assistant Atoll provides an assistant to enable you to define IRFs between transmission and reception transceiver radios. When you select a frequency band and the radio manufacturers with radios that operate in the same frequency band, Atoll displays the entries where the transmission and reception radios present the possibility of interference. To use the assistant to define IRFs: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click the Radios folder, and select IRF > Edit Grid from the context menu. The IRF Edition dialog box appears (see Figure 3.18).

Figure 3.18: IRF Edition dialog box 2. Select the Frequency band from the list. Only radios operating in the selected frequency band are displayed in the grid. 3. Select the TX manufacturer from the list. Only radios manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the grid. 4. Select the RX manufacturer from the list. Only radios manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the grid.

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5. You can now define an IRF graph, delete an IRF graph, or create an IRF graph using radio graphs or theoretical graphs (see Figure 3.18):

Figure 3.19: IRF Edition dialog box To define an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios: a. Right-click the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries and select Add Record from the context menu. A dialog box appears. b. Under Enter the graph values, enter a protection level (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The resulting graph is displayed on the right of the dialog box. c. Click OK. To delete an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Delete from the context menu. To create an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios from transmitter and receiver masks: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Calculate Using > Transmitter and Receiver Masks from the context menu. The IRF Calculation dialog box appears. c. From the Transmitter mask list, select a theoretical transmission spectrum graph compatible with the operating frequency band of the transmission radio. If there is a transmission spectrum graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. d. From the Receiver mask list, select a theoretical receiver selectivity graph compatible with the operating frequency band of the reception radio. If there is a receiver selectivity graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. e. Define the Calculation step in MHz. f.

Click Calculate to calculate the IRF graph.

g. Click OK. To create an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios from T/I graphs: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries and select Calculate Using > T/I Graphs from the context menu. The IRF Calculation dialog box appears. b. From the T/I graph (Tx) list, select a theoretical T/I graph compatible with the operating frequency band of the transmission radio. If there is a T/I graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. c. From the T/I (Rx) list, select a theoretical T/I graph compatible with the operating frequency band of the reception radio. If there is a T/I graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. d. Click Calculate to calculate the IRF graph. e. Click OK. 6. Click OK to close the IRF Settings dialog box.

3.3.8.2 Theoretical Graphs Atoll allows you to define theoretical graphs that you can use when the radio description is not complete (i.e., when information about the transmitter mask, the receiver mask, or T/I graph is missing). These theoretical graphs can describe either the transmitter mask, or the receiver mask, or T/I graph for a certain manufacturer, frequency band, bandwidth, rate, and modulation. They can be used to initialise radio properties (the transmitter mask, the receiver mask, the T/I graph), and to calculate

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IRF graphs when no IRF is defined in the IRF table. Default theoretical graphs are available for different frequency bands and bandwidths. Creating Theoretical Graphs A theoretical graph contains information on the behaviour of microwave transceiver radio under different conditions of C/I. It represents the changes in the bit error rate as a function of the level of interference. To create a theoretical graph: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Equipment folder, right-click on the Radios folder, and select Theoretical Graphs from the context menu. The Theoretical Graphs table appears. 2. Right-click the theoretical graph you want to modify. The context menu appears. 3. Select Record Properties from the context menu. The theoretical graph’s Properties dialog box appears. You can create a new theoretical graph by entering a name in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ) and pressing ENTER.

4. Click the General tab and define the following parameters: • • • • • • •

Name: The name of the theoretical graph. Type of graph: The type of theoretical graph you define. It can be either a transmitter mask, or a receiver mask, or a T/I graph. Manufacturer: The manufacturer for which the graph is valid. Frequency band: The frequency band for which the graph is valid. Channel bandwidth: The bandwidth for which the graph is valid. Raw data rate: The raw data rate for which the graph is valid. Modulation: The modulation for which the graph is valid.

5. Click the Values tab and define the corresponding graph. • • •

If the graph describes the transmitter mask, define the attenuation of the main transmitted signal (in dB) as a function of the frequency spacing (in MHz). If the graph describes the receiver mask, define the attenuation of the main received signal (in dB) as a function of the frequency spacing (in MHz). If the graph is a T/I graph, define the variation of the T/I (in dB) as a function of the frequency spacing (in MHz).

6. Click OK.

3.3.8.3 Defining Equipment Configurations Atoll enables you to manage the various configurations supported by radios. In this section, the following are explained: • • • • •

3.3.8.3.1

"Creating or Modifying Modulations" on page 152. "Creating or Modifying Digital Trunks" on page 153. "Creating or Modifying Capacities" on page 154. "Creating or Modifying Branching Types" on page 156. "Creating or Modifying Operation Modes" on page 157.

Creating or Modifying Modulations Atoll enables you to define the different modulation schemes used by radios for the modulation and demodulation of the signals to be transmitted. Atoll has a set of default modulation definitions available, but you can create new modulations and set their parameters. To create or modify a modulation: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Modulations folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Modulations table appears. 6. Double-click in the left margin the modulation you want to modify. The modulation’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3.20).

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Figure 3.20: Modulations Properties dialog box 7. In the Properties dialog box, define the following parameters: • • •

Name: The name of the modulation. Number of states: Enter the number of states for this modulation (e.g., 128 for 128QAM modulation). Under Eb/No, you can define the Eb/No as a function of BER. For a given BER, Eb/No represents the quality target to be reached in order for the modulation to be used. You can either select User-defined and define the Eb/No values for BER of 10-3 and 10-6, or select Calculated and let Atoll enter calculated values. You can click the Edit button (

•

) to add new Eb/No values for other BER values or change the BER values.

Comments: Any additional information on the modulation.

8. Click OK.

3.3.8.3.2

Creating or Modifying Digital Trunks Atoll enables you to model the different technologies used to transport large quantities of data over digital transport equipment such as fibre optic and microwave radio. PDH, SDH/SONET as well as IP can be modelled. The plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH) is a technology used to transport large quantities of data over digital transport equipment such as fibre optic and microwave radio. PDH networks have data streams with the same nominal frequency but are not synchronised with each other; in other words, the rising and falling edges of the pulses in each data streams do not coincide. The European and American versions of PDH systems differ slightly in their data rates, but the basic principles of multiplexing are the same. The synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) refers to the group or layers of transmission rates or standards that can transport digital data of different capacities through high bandwidth mediums such as optical fibres or radio waves. Due to the synchronous nature of the SDH, the average frequency of all slave clocks in the system is the same. The European (SDH) and American (SONET) versions of SDH systems differ slightly. The frame formats and thus the data rates of both systems are not the same but are compatible due to their synchronous nature. SR: Add some words about IP Atoll has a set of default digital trunk definitions available, but you can create new trunk types and set their parameters. To create or modify a microwave digital trunk: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Digital Trunks folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Digital Trunks table appears (see Figure 3.21).

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Figure 3.21: Digital Trunks table 6. For each digital trunk you define, add the following data: • • • • • •

Name: The name of the trunk type. Digital hierarchy: Select PDH, SDH/SONET, or IP. Raw data rate (Mbit/s): The number of bits per second, including useful data as well as coding and overhead bits. This parameter is considered when using the calculator to evaluate the TDM capacity of a specific configuration. Payload data rate (Mbit/s): The rate of the useful bits (i.e. the data rate without considering the coding and overhead bits). This field is for information only. Bits/block: The number of bits per block corresponds to the number of bits per frame (i.e., the useful bits plus the overhead and the coding bits). BERses: BERses corresponds to Bit Error Rate (BER) as documented in Annex 2, Table 2 of the ITU-R P.530-8 recommendation.

You can also define the properties of a digital trunk in its Properties dialog box. To open a digital trunk’s Properties dialog box: •

Double-click the digital trunk in the left margin of the Digital Trunks table. The digital trunk’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3.22).

Figure 3.22: Digital Trunk Properties dialog box

3.3.8.3.3

Creating or Modifying Capacities Atoll enables you to define the capacities supported by the different microwave radios. Each defined digital trunk supports a certain raw data rate. Therefore, the capacity of a microwave radio depends on the type and the number of trunk types used. Atoll has a set of default capacities available, but you can create new capacities and set their parameters.

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To create or modify a capacity: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Capacities folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Capacities table appears (see Figure 3.23).

Figure 3.23: Capacities table 6. For each capacity you define, enter the following: • • • • • • • •

Name: The name of the capacity. Radio series: The radio series to which this capacity applies. Frequency band: The frequency band to which this capacity applies. Operation mode: The operation mode to which this capacity applies. Modulation: The modulation to which this capacity applies. Ethernet + TDM capacity: The total capacity that the radio can support. TDM capacity: The capacity that can be used for TDM traffic. Technology: The type of traffic supported by the radio. You can choose between Packet, Hybrid and TDM only. If you select TDM only, the TDM capacity and the Ethernet + TDM capacity values must be the same.

SR: Ici, rajouter + d’infos sur la technology, préciser ce qu’il faut définir en fonction de la technology sélectionnée. En 3.2.0.01, préciser également que ces champs soeront pris en compte pour le backhaul. You can also define the properties of a capacity in its Properties dialog box. To open a capacity’s Properties dialog box: •

Double-click the capacity in the left margin of the Capacities table. The capacity’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3.24). In the capacity’s Properties dialog box, either enter the TDM capacity in Mbps, or click the Calculate button (

) to let Atoll calculate the TDM capacity corresponding to a specific configuration.

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Figure 3.24: Capacity’s Properties dialog box

3.3.8.3.4

Creating or Modifying Branching Types Atoll enables you to define the branching types supported by radios. The branching type is defined in the form of "n + m" where "n" is the number of active channels and "m" is the number of standby channels. In addition, you can define if the system supports hot standby, frequency diversity, space diversity, XPIC, and MIMO. Standby channels are inactive and used only when active channels fail. Switching to the standby channel in case of failure can be automatic; such a system is called a "hot" standby system. If the system must be manually switched to the standby channel, the system is called a "cold" standby system. Standby channel frequency can be different from active channels. Frequencies allocated to active and standby channels are defined in the microwave link properties dialog box.

To create or modify a branching type: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Branching Types folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Branching Types table appears (see Figure 3.25).

Figure 3.25: Branching Types table 6. For each branching type you define, add the following data. • • •

•

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N: The number of active channels. M: The number of standby channels. Hot Standby: Select this option if a hot standby system is available. Standby channels are inactive and used only when active channels fail. Switching to the standby channel in case of failure can be automatic; such a system is called a "hot" standby system. If the system must be manually switched to the standby channel, the system is called a "cold" standby system. XPIC: Select this option when a cross-polarised interference canceller (XPIC) is present.


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• • • •

• •

Space Diversity: Select this option if the system supports space diversity. Frequency Diversity: Select this option if the system supports frequency diversity. MIMO: Select this option if MIMO is enabled. Number of MIMO transmission antennas and Number of MIMO reception antennas: Specify the same number of antennas for transmission and reception when MIMO is enabled. In a MIMO configuration, you must specify either 2, 3 , or 4 antennas for both transmission and reception. Number of MIMO transmission antennas: The number of transmission antenna ports used for MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output). Number of MIMO reception antennas: The number of reception antenna ports used for MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output).(FR34834)

To open a branching type’s Properties dialog box: •

Double-click the branching type in the left margin of the Branching Types table. The branching type’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3.26).

Figure 3.26: Branching Type Properties dialog box

3.3.8.3.5

Creating or Modifying Operation Modes Atoll enables you to define the operation modes supported by the radios. Atoll has a default list of operation modes available, but you can create new ones. To create or modify an operation mode: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Operation Modes folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Operation Modes table appears (see Figure 3.27).

Figure 3.27: Operation Modes table 6. For each operation mode you define, add the following data: • • •

Name: The name of the operation mode. Short Name: Enter the short name of the operation mode that you want to display in some analysis reports. With ACM: Select True if the operation mode supports adaptive modulation. Otherwise, choose False.

To open an operation mode’s Properties dialog box: •

Double-click the operation mode in the left margin of the Operation Modes table. The operation mode’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 3.28).

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Figure 3.28: Operation Mode Properties dialog box

3.4 Microwave Feeders Feeders are used to transfer the RF signal from the transmission module of the microwave radio to the microwave antenna. Atoll enables you to manage different types of feeders (cables, etc.). Microwave energy can be guided in a metallic tube, called a waveguide, with very low attenuation. The waveguide is designed for a specific wavelength. Hence, the operating frequency is a very important characteristic for a waveguide. The electric and magnetic fields are contained within the guide, and therefore there is no radiation loss. Since the dielectric is air, the dielectric losses are also negligible. A waveguide operates between two limiting frequencies, called the cut-off frequencies. Cables, on the other hand, have a metallic inner core with a dielectric material separating the outer metallic conductor. The cable is covered with a plastic jacket for protection. The dielectric material is usually air or foam. These are quite robust and therefore easy to install. Cable loss is a function of cross-sectional area; the thicker the cable, the lower the loss. Cable loss is measured in terms of decibels per 100m. The following sections describe feeder modelling: • •

"Definition of Feeders" on page 158 "Creating or Modifying Feeders" on page 159.

3.4.1 Definition of Feeders In Atoll, microwave feeders are characterised by the loss a signal undergoes per 100 m of their length. Once a microwave feeder has been defined, you can assign it to a microwave link for both transmission and reception. The parameters of feeders can be found in the feeder Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has one tab: •

The General tab (see Figure 3.29) • • • • •

Name: The name of the feeder. Frequency: Select the frequency band from the list. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected frequency band. Manufacturer: Select the manufacturer from the list. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected manufacturer. Loss per length: Enter the signal loss in dB per 100 m. Type: Select the type of feeder. You can select from Cable, Elliptic, Rectangular, Circular, Flex/Twist or Other.

Figure 3.29: Feeder Properties dialog box

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3.4.2 Creating or Modifying Feeders You can modify existing feeders or you can create new feeders. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you’re creating new feeders or modifying existing feeders. To create new feeders: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. 3. Right-click the Feeders folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select New from the context menu. The Feeders: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 5. Modify the parameters described in "Definition of Feeders" on page 158. 6. Click OK. If you are creating a large number of feeders based on manufacturers data, it can take a long time. However, if you have the data available in tabular format, you can copy it from the spreadsheet or word processor and paste the data into the Feeders table. To modify existing feeders: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Microwave Equipment folder to expand the folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to the left of the Feeders folder to expand the folder. 4. Right-click the feeder whose properties you want to edit. The context menu appears. 5. Select Properties from the context menu. The feeder Properties dialog box appears. 6. Modify the parameters described in "Definition of Feeders" on page 158. 7. Click OK.

3.5 Microwave Antenna/Radio/Feeder Compatibility Atoll allows you to define compatibility between antennas, radios, and feeders. The defined compatible antenna/radio/ feeder sets can be then selected when you define the properties of a microwave link. You can define compatibility directly in the Antenna-Radio Compatibility and Antenna-Feeder Compatibility tables or you can use the assistants available in Atoll to define compatibility. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Defining Compatibility Manually" on page 159 "Using Assistants to Define Compatibility" on page 160.

3.5.1 Defining Compatibility Manually You can use the Antenna-Radio Compatibility and Antenna-Feeder Compatibility tables to define which microwave antennas are compatible with which feeders and which microwave antennas are compatible with which radios. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Using the Microwave Antenna/Feeder Compatibility Table" on page 159 "Using the Microwave Antenna-Radio Compatibility Table" on page 160

3.5.1.1 Using the Microwave Antenna/Feeder Compatibility Table You can use the Antenna-Feeder Compatibility table to list compatible microwave antennas and feeders. When you define the properties (i.e., antennas, radios, and feeders) of a microwave link, these compatibility definitions can be used to display only compatible antennas, radios, and feeders as options in lists. To define antenna/feeder compatibility using the Antenna-Feeder Compatibility table: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Compatibility folder. 4. Right-click Antenna-Feeder Compatibilities. The context menu appears.

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5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Antenna-Feeder Compatibility table appears. 6. Create a new antenna/feeder compatibility pair by selecting an Antenna and a Feeder from the lists in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ). The values in the Antenna and Feeder lists are taken from the Antennas table and the Feeders table, respectively. You can also, if desired, enter a Comment by double-clicking the Comment field to open the record’s Properties dialog box. If you have a large number of antenna or feeder compatibility definitions to enter, you can import them by right-clicking on the table and selecting Import from the context menu, or you can paste them into the Antenna-Feeder Compatibility table.

3.5.1.2 Using the Microwave Antenna-Radio Compatibility Table You can use the Antenna-Radio Compatibility table to list compatible microwave antennas and radios. If you have previously defined compatible antenna-feeder pairs, these are taken into account and, by default, a radio compatible with an antenna will be compatible with the feeders compatible with this antenna. When you define the properties (i.e., antennas, radios, and feeders) of a microwave link, these compatibility definitions can be used in order to display only compatible antennas, radios, and feeders as options in lists. To define antenna-radio compatibility using the Antenna/Radio Compatibility table: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Compatibility folder. 4. Right-click Antenna-Radio Compatibility. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Antenna-Radio Compatibility table appears. 6. Create a new antenna/radio compatibility pair by selecting an Antenna and Radio from the lists in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ). The values in the Antenna and Radio lists are taken from the Antennas table and the Radios table, respectively. You can also, if desired, enter a Comment by double-clicking the Comment field to open the record’s Properties dialog box. If you have a large number of antenna-radio compatibility pairs to enter, you can import them by right-clicking on the table and selecting Import from the context menu, or you can paste them into the Antenna-Radio Compatibility table.

3.5.2 Using Assistants to Define Compatibility Atoll provides assistants to help you define which microwave antennas are compatible with which feeders and which microwave antennas are compatible with which radios. In this section, the following are explained: • •

"Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Feeder Compatibility" on page 160 "Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Radio Compatibility" on page 161.

3.5.2.1 Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Feeder Compatibility Atoll provides an assistant to allow you to define compatible pairs of antennas and feeders. The assistant gives you an overview of antennas and feeders that operate in the same frequency band. To use the assistant to define compatible pairs of antennas and feeders: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Compatibility folder. 4. Right-click Antenna-Feeder Compatibilities. The context menu appears. 5. Select Edit Grid from the context menu. A dialog box appears. 6. Select the Frequency band from the list. Only antennas and feeders operating in the selected frequency band are displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected frequency band. 7. Select the Antenna manufacturer from the list. Only antennas manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected manufacturer.

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8. Select the Feeder manufacturer from the list. Only feeders manufactured by the selected manufacturer is displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected manufacturer. 9. You can now define the compatibility between an antenna and a feeder or delete a defined compatible antennafeeder pair:

Figure 3.30: Compatibility Between Antennas and Feeders dialog box To define the compatibility between an antenna and a feeder: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Add Record from the context menu. The cell is marked in green to indicate that the antenna and feeder are compatible. To delete a defined compatible antenna-feeder pair: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Delete from the context menu. The cell is no longer marked in green. 10. Click OK. You can select multiple cells by pressing Ctrl, and use the Fill (Up, Down, Right, Left) and the Copy and Paste commands to create or delete compatible antenna-feeder pairs.

3.5.2.2 Using the Assistant to Define Antenna/Radio Compatibility Atoll provides an assistant to allow you to define compatible pairs of antennas and radios. The assistant gives you an overview of antennas and radios that operate in the same frequency band. To use the assistant to define compatible pairs of antennas and radios: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Compatibility folder. 4. Right-click Antenna-Radio Compatibility. The context menu appears. 5. Select Edit Grid from the context menu. A dialog box appears. 6. Select the Frequency band from the list. Only antennas and radios operating in the selected frequency band are displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected frequency band. 7. Select the Antenna manufacturer from the list. Only antennas manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected manufacturer. 8. Select the Radio manufacturer from the list. Only radios manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the table. Clicking the Browse button opens the Properties dialog box of the selected manufacturer.

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9. You can now define the compatibility between an antenna and a radio, delete a defined compatible antenna-radio pair, or define compatibility with an antenna, a radio, and feeders:

Figure 3.31: :Compatibility Between Antennas and Radios dialog box To define the compatibility between an antenna and a radio: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Add Record from the context menu. The cell is marked in green to indicate that the antenna and the radio are compatible. To delete a defined compatible antenna-radio pair: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Delete from the context menu. The cell is no longer marked in green. To define compatibility with an antenna, a radio, and feeders: a. Right-click on the cell of the grid that coincides with the entries for the antenna and the radio. The context menu appears. b. Select Add Record from the context menu. The cell is marked in green to indicate that the antenna and the radio are compatible. c. Right-click on the square and select Record Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box opens. d. In the Properties dialog box, under List of the Compatible Feeders, select the feeders that you want to make compatible with this antenna/radio pair. If you have previously defined compatible antenna/feeder pairs, these are taken into account and, by default, the feeders compatible with the corresponding antenna are selected. e. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box. 10. Click OK. You can select multiple cells by pressing Ctrl, and use the Fill (Up, Down, Right, Left) and the Copy and Paste commands to create or delete compatible antenna-radio pairs.

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Chapter 4 Radio Calculations and Models This chapter provides the information to work with calculations in Atoll.


"Working with Backhaul Propagation Models" on page 165

•

"Defining Backhaul Calculation Parameters" on page 171


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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Chapter 4: Microwave Calculations and Models

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4 Microwave Calculations and Models Once you have created microwave links, you need to define the parameters necessary to study the network: • •

"Working with Backhaul Propagation Models" on page 165. "Defining Backhaul Calculation Parameters" on page 171.

4.1 Working with Backhaul Propagation Models If you want to analyse a microwave link, a propagation model must be assigned to it, as explained in "Microwave Link Parameters" on page 175. Atoll calculates the path loss between two points using propagation models. The following propagation models are available in Atoll for use in backhaul projects: •

Microwave Propagation Model and Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model: These propagation models are suited for microwave links in the 1.5 to 55 GHz band. While the Microwave Propagation Model is recommended for the calculation of the useful signal, the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model should be used to predict the signal level from interfering sites. For more information, see "Working with the Microwave Propagation Model" on page 165 and "Working with the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model" on page 167.

•

Microwave E-Band Propagation Model: The Microwave E-Band Propagation Model is suited for microwave links in the 60 to 90 GHz band, in order to calculate the useful signal as well as the interfering signal. For more information, see "Working with the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model" on page 167.

4.1.1 Working with the Microwave Propagation Model The Microwave Propagation Model is used to calculate the fade margin and to determine the microwave link profile. When calculating attenuation, the Microwave Propagation Model takes free space loss, atmospheric losses, diffraction loss, and tropospheric losses into account. The parameters of the propagation model, including some of its coefficients, can be modified using the Microwave Propagation Model Properties dialog box. To define the parameters of the Microwave Propagation Model: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Propagation Models folder, right-click the Microwave Propagation Model, and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 2. Click the Parameters tab. Under Heights, you can set the following parameter: •

Clutter taken into account in diffraction: Select "1 - Yes" to have Atoll take clutter height information into account when calculating diffraction. Otherwise, select "0 - No". If you choose to take clutter height into account, Atoll uses the clutter height information in the clutter heights file if available. Otherwise, it uses average clutter height specified for each clutter class in the clutter classes.

Under Profile Extraction, you can set the following parameter: •

Step: Define the resolution in metres to be used to extract the profile. If you enter "0" as the resolution, Atolll uses the highest resolution of the geographic maps considered in the profile (i.e., DTM, clutter classes and clutter height maps).

Under LOS attenuation, you can set the following parameters: •

K1, K2, and K3: Enter the K1, K2, and K3 values that will be used to calculate free space loss.

Under Diffraction, you can set the following parameters: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate diffraction. • • • • • •

•

Deygout Epstein-Peterson Deygout with correction (ITU 526-5) Millington ITU 452-11 Full Deygout

K4: Enter "1" as the K4 value if you want Atoll to calculate diffraction. Entering "0" means that no diffraction will be calculated.

Under Tropospheric scattering, you can set the following parameters: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate tropospheric scattering:

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• • • • • •


No attenuation: No attenuation will be calculated. ITU-R P617-1: Attenuation will be calculated according to the ITU-R P617-1 recommendations for 50%, 90%, or 99.99% of the time. ITU-R P452: Attenuation will be calculated according to the ITU-R P452 recommendations. Simplified Method: Attenuation will be estimated using a specialised equation.

Ktropo: Enter the value for the weight factor. The loss is multiplied by the selected method to calculate the tropospheric scatter loss. N0: Enter the value for N0, which is the surface refractivity of the centre of the path.

Under Vegetation, you can set the following parameters: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate attenuation due to vegetation: • •

• •

No attenuation: No attenuation will be calculated. ITU-R P.833-4: Attenuation will be calculated according to ITU-R P.833-4 recommendations.

A1: Enter the value of the A1 coefficient. Alpha: Enter the value of the Alpha coefficient. A1 and Alpha coefficients are used to calculate the maximum attenuation experienced by a transmitter or a receiver site located within a vegetation area. The maximum attenuation is taken into consideration to calculate the attenuation due to vegetation.

Under Gaseous attenuation, you can set the following parameter: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate the attenuation (dB) due to atmospheric gases: • • • •

No attenuation: No attenuation will be calculated. ITU-R P.676-1&2: Attenuation will be calculated according to ITU-R P.676-1 and ITU-R P.676-2 recommendations. ITU-R P.676-3: Attenuation will be calculated according to ITU-R P.676-3 recommendations. ITU-R P.676-6&7: Attenuation will be calculated according to ITU-R P.676-6 and ITU-R P.676-7 recommendations.

Under Rain effects, you can set the following parameters: •

•

•

•

Rain attenuation: Select the method that will be used to calculate the attenuation due to the rain. The rain attenuation will be considered in the total propagation losses. • No attenuation: No attenuation will be considered. • ITU-R P.530: The entire path will be considered as attenuated by the rain. This method is based on ITU-R P.530-14 recommendations. Rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to evaluate the rainfall rate. • Property at 0.01% of the link: Atoll will use the rainfall rate set in the property of the link. It is the rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of the average year. • ITU-R P.837-4: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-4 recommendations. • Crane: The rainfall rate will be based on Crane method. • ITU-R P.837-5,6: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-5 and ITU-R P.837-6 recommendations. Time percentage for which rainfall rate is exceeded: The time percentage of the average year the rainfall rate is exceeded. This parameter is considered when using ITU-R P.837-4 and ITU-R P.837-5,6 recommendations or Crane to calculate the rainfall rate. Specific rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to determine the specific rainfall rate. • ITU-R P.838-1: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-1 recommendations. • ITU-R P.838-3: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-3 recommendations. Rain attenuation is already considered in availability calculations. It will be considered twice if the ITU-R P.530 method is selected and the propagation model used for the calculation of the useful signal.

Under Reflections, you can set the following parameters: • •

• •

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Method: Select the 2 rays model (ITU-R P.530) method if you want to consider the attenuation due to reflections in the total propagation losses. Otherwise, select No attenuation. Antenna height above the reflection plan: Select the method to be used to calculate antenna heights above the reflection plan. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Linear regression on the area. Terrain roughness: Select the method to be used to calculate the terrain roughness. You can choose between the Root mean square method, the Standard deviation method and the Interdecile range method. Attenuation calculation: Select the method to be used to calculate the amplitude of the reflected signal. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Equivalent reflection coefficient taken into account.


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When there are more than one reflection zone along the calculated profile, Atoll considers the highest attenuation over the zones.

3. Click the Clutter tab. Under Clutter Consideration, you can set the following parameters for each clutter class: •

•

Clearance per clutter class: Define a clearance (in metres) around each transmitter and each receiver site for each clutter class. The clearance information is used when clutter is taken into account in diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole profile except over a specific distance around the transmitter and the receiver sites (i.e., the clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM. Clutter categories: Select a clutter category for each clutter class. Clutter categories are taken into consideration when studying reflections and must be defined in order to analyse reflections along the profile. Clutter categories are ITU-standardised clutter classes. For information on clutter categories, see "Global Parameters" on page 171.

4. Click OK. For more information on the parameters of the Microwave Propagation Model, see the Technical Reference Guide.

4.1.2 Working with the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model The Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model is used to calculate signal level received from interfering sites. It is an empirical model, but it takes more physical characteristics into consideration than the Microwave Propagation Model, which is why it is recommended for calculating interference. Assigning the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model to a microwave link is explained in "Microwave Link Parameters" on page 175. You can modify the parameters of the propagation model, including some of its coefficients, using the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model Properties dialog box. To define the parameters of the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Propagation Models folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model. The context menu appears. 4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the Parameters tab (see Figure 4.6). Under Heights, you can set the following parameter: •


Under Reference attenuation not exceeded during the average year, you can set the following parameter: •

Required time percentage: Enter the percentage of time during which the global attenuation is not exceeded.

Under Rec. ITU-R P452 version, you can set the following parameter: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate the global attenuation (dB) between an interfering transmitter and an interfered (victim) receiver: • • •

ITU-R P.452-14 ITU-R P.452-12 Simplified ITU-R P.452-8





Rain attenuation: Select the method that will be used to calculate the attenuation due to the rain. The rain attenuation will be considered in the total propagation losses.

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• •

• •

•

•

No attenuation: No attenuation will be considered. ITU-R P.530: The entire path will be considered as attenuated by the rain. This method is based on ITU-R P.530-14 recommendations. Take scattering into account: Select "1 - Yes" to consider hydrometeor scatter in the total propagation losses. Otherwise, select "0 - No". Rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to evaluate the rainfall rate. • Property at 0.01% of the link: Atoll will use the rainfall rate set in the property of the link. It is the rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of the average year. • ITU-R P.837-4: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-4 recommendations. • Crane: The rainfall rate will be based on Crane method. • ITU-R P.837-5,6: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-5 and ITU-R P.837-6 recommendations. Time percentage for which rainfall rate is exceeded: The time percentage of the average year the rainfall rate is exceeded. This parameter is considered when using ITU-R P.837-4 and ITU-R P.837-5,6 recommendations or Crane to calculate the rainfall rate. Specific rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to determine the specific rainfall rate. • ITU-R P.838-1: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-1 recommendations. • ITU-R P.838-3: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-3 recommendations.

6. Click the Clutter tab (see Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1: Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model Properties - Clutter tab Under Clutter Consideration, you can set the following parameters for each clutter class: •

•


7. Click OK. For more information on the parameters of the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model, see the Technical Reference Guide.

4.1.3 Working with the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model The Microwave E-Band Propagation Model is suited for microwave links in the 60 to 90 GHz band, in order to calculate the useful signal as well as the interfering signal. The parameters of the propagation model, including some of its coefficients, can be modified using the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model Properties dialog box. To define the parameters of the Microwave Propagation Model: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Propagation Models folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model. The context menu appears.

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4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the Parameters tab. Under Heights, you can set the following parameter: •


Under Profile Extraction, you can set the following parameter: •

Step: Define the resolution in metres to be used to extract the profile. If you enter "0" as the resolution, Atolll uses the highest resolution of the geographic maps considered in the profile (i.e., DTM, clutter classes and clutter height maps).

Under Diffraction, you can set the following parameters: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate diffraction. • • • • • •

Deygout Epstein-Peterson Deygout with correction (ITU 526-5) Millington ITU 452-11 Full Deygout

Under Vegetation, you can set the following parameters: •

Method: Select the method that will be used to calculate attenuation due to vegetation: • • •

• •

No attenuation: No attenuation will be calculated. ITU-R P.833-4: Attenuation will be calculated according to ITU-R P.833-4 recommendations. CCI-Report 236-2: Attenuation will be calculated according to CCI-Report 236-2 recommendations.

A1: Enter the value of the A1 coefficient. Alpha: Enter the value of the Alpha coefficient. A1 and Alpha coefficients are only used for the "ITU-R P.833-4" method. They are used to calculate the maximum attenuation experienced by a transmitter or a receiver site located within a vegetation area. The maximum attenuation is taken into consideration to calculate the attenuation due to vegetation. For more information on how the value is used, see the Technical Reference Guide.





•

•

•

Rain attenuation: Select the method that will be used to calculate the attenuation due to the rain. The rain attenuation will be considered in the total propagation losses. • No attenuation: No attenuation will be considered. • ITU-R P.530: The entire path will be considered as attenuated by the rain. This method is based on ITU-R P.530-14 recommendations. Rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to evaluate the rainfall rate. • Property at 0.01% of the link: Atoll will use the rainfall rate set in the property of the link. It is the rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of the average year. • ITU-R P.837-4: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-4 recommendations. • Crane: The rainfall rate will be based on Crane method. • ITU-R P.837-5,6: The rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.837-5 and ITU-R P.837-6 recommendations. Time percentage for which rainfall rate is exceeded: The time percentage of the average year the rainfall rate is exceeded. This parameter is considered when using ITU-R P.837-4 and ITU-R P.837-5,6 recommendations or Crane to calculate the rainfall rate. Specific rainfall rate: Select the method that will be used to determine the specific rainfall rate. • ITU-R P.838-1: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-1 recommendations. • ITU-R P.838-3: The specific rainfall rate will be based on ITU-R P.838-3 recommendations. Rain attenuation is already considered in availability calculations. It will be considered twice if the ITU-R P.530 method is selected and the propagation model used for the calculation of the useful signal.

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• •

Method: Select the 2 rays model (ITU-R P.530) method if you want to consider the attenuation due to reflections in the total propagation losses. Otherwise, select No attenuation. Antenna height above the reflection plan: Select the method to be used to calculate antenna heights above the reflection plan. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Linear regression on the area. Terrain roughness: Select the method to be used to calculate the terrain roughness. You can choose between the Root mean square method, the Standard deviation method and the Interdecile range method. Attenuation calculation: Select the method to be used to calculate the amplitude of the reflected signal. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Equivalent reflection coefficient taken into account. When there is more than one reflection zone along the calculated profile, Atoll considers the highest attenuation over the zones.

6. Click the Clutter tab. Under Clutter Consideration, you can set the following parameters for each clutter class: •

•


7. Click OK. For more information on the parameters of the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model, see the Technical Reference Guide.

4.1.4 Working with the Point-to-Area Model The Microwave Point-to-Area Model is suited for non-line-of-site microwave backhaul links in order to calculate the useful signal as well as the interfering signal in small-cell environments. The parameters of the propagation model, including some of its coefficients, can be modified using the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model Properties dialog box. To define the parameters of the Microwave Propagation Model: 1. Select the Parameters explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Propagation Models folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave Point-to-Area Model. The context menu appears. 4. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the Parameters tab. Under Point-to-zone model, you can set the following parameter: •

Name: Select a propagation model for non-line-of-site transmissionsh. This can be any of the radio technology propagation models that are available in Atoll.


• •

Method: Select the 2 rays model (ITU-R P.530) method if you want to consider the attenuation due to reflections in the total propagation losses. Otherwise, select No attenuation. Antenna height above the reflection plan: Select the method to be used to calculate antenna heights above the reflection plan. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Linear regression on the area. Terrain roughness: Select the method to be used to calculate the terrain roughness. You can choose between the Root mean square method, the Standard deviation method and the Interdecile range method. Attenuation calculation: Select the method to be used to calculate the amplitude of the reflected signal. You can choose between the Simplified method and the method with Equivalent reflection coefficient taken into account. When there is more than one reflection zone along the calculated profile, Atoll considers the highest attenuation over the zones.

6. Click OK.

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For more information on the parameters of the Microwave Point-to-Area model, see the Technical Reference Guide.

4.2 Defining Backhaul Calculation Parameters In a backhaul project, parameters that affect calculations can be divided into the following categories: • •

Global parameters: Global parameters are defined for all microwave links and affect all links. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Microwave Link parameters: Microwave link parameters are defined per microwave link and affect individual microwave links. For information on setting microwave link parameters, see "Microwave Link Parameters" on page 175.

As well, any parameters set for the propagation model affect calculations: • • •

Microwave Propagation Model: For information on setting Microwave Propagation Model parameters, see "Working with the Microwave Propagation Model" on page 165. Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model: For information on setting Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model parameters, see "Working with the Microwave ITU-R P.452 Model" on page 167. Microwave E-Band Propagation Model: For information on setting Microwave E-Band Propagation Model parameters, see "Working with the Microwave E-Band Propagation Model" on page 168.

4.2.1 Global Parameters The global properties of a backhaul project are defined for all microwave links in the Properties of the Links folder. The global parameters are those used for: • •

Quality and availability analysis Objective selection

To define the global parameters for link quality and availability analysis, and objective selection: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Links folder and select Properties from the context menu. The Links Properties dialog box appears. 2. Click the General tab. On the General tab, the parameters you define are valid for all types of analyses: quality and availability analyses, objective selection, and interference calculation.

Figure 4.2: Links Properties General tab Under Calculation parameters, you can define the following parameters: •

Median k factor: The value of the k factor (the earth curvature factor), observed 50% of time. Select the value to be used in link analyses: • •

•

Calculated for each link: Atoll calculates the median value of the k factor according to the microwave link position. Then it takes into account the calculated value for the link analysis. Same value for all links: If you select this option, the value you enter will be used as the k factor for all links in link analyses.

Effective k factor: The value of the k factor (the earth curvature factor), observed 99% of time. Select the value to be used in link analyses:

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• •


Calculated for each link: Atoll calculates the effective value of the k factor according to the microwave link position. Then it takes into account the calculated value for the link analysis. Same value for all links: If you select this option, the value you enter will be used as the k factor for all links in link analyses.

•

Under Power control on useful signal, you can select the output power to be considered in useful signal calculations when ATPC is active. You can choose between Use the nominal power and Use the coordinated power. These options can be defined for quality and availability analyses separately.

•

Available modulations: Select if you want to display all modulations which are available for the operation mode of the selected reference radio and compatible with its channel bandwidth (Based on the operation mode) or all modulations compatible with the channel bandwidth of the selected reference radio without any additional filter on its operation mode (Based on the status with or without ACM).

Under Bit Error Rate (BER), you can define the following options: • •

Use defined value for each link: If you select Use defined value for each link, Atoll performs the link analysis using the values of the BER1 and BER2 defined in the properties of each microwave link. Same value for all links: If you select Same value for all links, you can define a value for BER 1 and BER 2 that Atoll will use for all microwave links.

3. Click the Models tab. On the Models tab, the parameters you define will be used for quality and availability analysis.

Figure 4.3: Links Properties Models tab Under Availability, you can define the following parameters: •

• •

Method: Select the method to be used to calculate availability. Six availability analysis methods are available (Crane and those based on implemented ITU recommendations: ITU-R P.530-5, ITU-R P.530-8, ITU-R P.530-10, ITU-R P.530-11, ITU-R P.530-12, ITU-R P.530-13, ITU-R P.530-14, and ITU-R P.530-15). Attenuation model for rain: Select the model to be used to calculate rain attenuation. Two attenuation models for rain (ITU recommendations 838-1 and 838-3) are available. Attenuation model for fog: Select the model to be used to calculate fog attenuation. Two attenuation models for rain (ITU recommendations 840-3 and 840-6) are available.

Under Quality, you can define the following parameters:

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Method: Select the method to be used to calculate quality: Vigants-Barnett, KQ factor, ITU-R P.530-8, ITU-R P.530-10, ITU-R P.530-11, ITU-R P.530-12, ITU-R P.530-13, ITU-R P.530-14, or ITU-R P.530-15. If you select a method based on one of the ITU-R P.530 recommendations, you can set further parameters under ITU-R P.530.

•

Multi-channel frequency diversity: Define whether the number of diversity-standby channels should have an impact on the frequency improvement factor. The selected option is only considered in case of multi-channel frequency diversity systems when the equivalent frequency factor is calculated. Select Shared if you want the equivalent frequency factor to be in proportion to the number of diversity-standby channels. Otherwise, select Continuous and the equivalent frequency factor will be the same for any N+M configuration (it will be equal to 1). For more information see the Technical Reference Guide.

•

ITU-R P.530: If you selected a Method under Quality based on implemented ITU recommendations (ITU-R P.530-8, ITU-R P.530-10, ITU-R P.530-11, ITU-R P.530-12, ITU-R P.530-13, ITU-R P.530-14, or ITU-R P.530-15), you can set the following parameters: • •

• •

•

Multi-path propagation: Under Multi-path propagation, select the Ignore Signal Enhancements check box if you want Atoll to ignore signal enhancements. Multipath occurrence method: If you select recommendation ITU-R P.530-10, ITU-R P.530-11, ITU-R P.530-12, ITU-R P.530-13, ITU-R P.530-14, or ITU-R P.530-15, you can use either a simplified method or a method taking roughness into account to calculate the geoclimatic factor (K). Selective fading: Under Selective fading you can define reference delay values for the secondary signal t (tau) for minimum and non-minimum phase conditions. Erroneous blocks: Under Erroneous blocks you can define the network level consideration values for the Residual Bit Error Rate (RBER), the number of errors per burst for Bit Error Rate between 10-3 and BERSES and for Bit Error Rate between BERSES and RBER.

K.Q. method: If you selected "KQ factor" as the Method, under Quality, you can set the following parameter: • •

Frequency exponent: Define the exponent of the frequency. Distance: Define the distance.

Under XPD degradation (ITU-R P.530), you can define the following parameter: •

Ignore interruptions due to the reduction of discrimination decoupling: Select the Ignore interruptions due to the reduction of discrimination decoupling check box if you want Atoll to ignore outages due to the reduction of the XPD.

4. Click the Objectives tab. On the Objectives tab, you can define objective-related parameters.

Figure 4.4: Links Properties Objectives tab •

•

Under Performance objectives, you can define the type(s) of objective(s) to be considered for quality and availability (from ITU-T G.821, ITU-T G.826, or ITU-T G.828 recommendations for the quality objectives and ITU-T G.821 or ITU-T G.826 for availability objectives, or a customised objective) and how the objectives are selected. By default, the objectives are selected according to the microwave link data rate and its length. Then, they can be selected according to the type of the objective and the defined priority. Clicking the Browse button ( ) beside the Quality or Availability box opens a dialog box where you can select the type(s) of objective(s) to be used and define their priority. Under Apportionment of availability objectives, you can define the ratio between the different objectives considered in the global availability objective. Microwave link unavailability can be due either to rain (with its impact on propagation), to equipment failure, or it can be random. Therefore, the global availability objective consists of

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three partial objectives for which you can define a weight. These weights are taken into consideration when calculating the performance objectives to be considered when analysing the microwave link unavailability due to rain and the unavailability due to equipment failures. 5. Click the Clutter Categories tab. On the Clutter Categories tab, the parameters you define will be used to analyse reflection and calculate vegetation losses.

Figure 4.5: Links Properties Clutter Categories tab This tab lists all clutter categories defined in Rec. P.1058-2 and their characteristics. For each clutter category, you can define the following parameters: • • • •

Reflective: Select the Reflective check box if you want Atoll to consider all clutter classes with this clutter category as reflection areas. Vegetation with leaves: Select the Vegetation with leaves check box if you want Atoll to consider all clutter classes with this clutter category as vegetation zones with foliage. Vegetation without leaves: Select the Vegetation without leaves check box if you want Atoll to consider all clutter classes with this clutter category as vegetation zones without foliage. Soil type: Select the type of ground as defined in Rec. ITU-R P. 527-3. The type of ground is used to determine permittivity and conductivity values taken into account in reflection analysis. The following are the available types of ground: • • • • • • •

A: sea water (average salinity), 20°C B: wet ground C: fresh water, 20°C D: medium dry ground E: very dry ground F: pure water, 20°C G: ice (fresh water)

6. Click OK.

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4.2.2 Microwave Link Parameters The microwave link parameters which affect calculations are the following: •

•

•

•

Geoclimatic parameters: The geoclimatic parameters define the environment and the climate zone where the microwave link is operating, including terrain-climate factor, rain intensity (exceeding 0.01% of time), PL percentage, temperature, water vapour density, earth curvature factor (k), effective earth curvature factor (ke), and the geoclimatic factor K. Performance parameters: The performance parameters define the quality and availability of the microwave link. Under ideal circumstances a microwave link should be completely reliable 100% of the time. In practice, this performance level is never achieved due to continuously changing propagation conditions and possible problems with the equipment. Propagation parameters: Propagation models can be defined to calculate useful and interfering signals. From the useful signal, Atoll evaluates the margin which is then considered for calculating the quality and the availability of the microwave link. Link class: Each link class can have different performance objectives. By assigning the link class with the appropriate performance objectives, you assign the performance objectives to the microwave link. For information on creating a link class, see "Defining Link Classes" on page 272.

The microwave link parameters which affect calculations can be defined for a single microwave link and then applied to all microwave links or to a group of microwave links that share the same characteristics. Defining parameters is explained in the following sections: • • • •

"Defining Parameters for a Single Microwave Link" on page 175 "Defining Parameters for All Microwave Links" on page 179 "Defining Parameters that Affect Calculations for a Group of Microwave Links" on page 179 "Calculating Geoclimatic Parameters" on page 182.

4.2.2.1 Defining Parameters for a Single Microwave Link You set the parameters that affect calculations for a microwave link on three tabs of the microwave link’s Properties dialog box: the Geoclimatic tab, the Performance tab, and the Propagation tab. To define the parameters for a single microwave link: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder. 4. Right-click the microwave link for which you want to set the parameters. The context menu appears. 5. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. You can also access a microwave link’s Properties dialog box by right-clicking the microwave link on the map and selecting Properties from the context menu.

The microwave link Properties dialog box has several tabs: General, Radio, Connections, Geoclimatic, Performance, Propagation, and Display. The microwave link settings that affect calculations are on the Geoclimatic, Performance, and Propagation tabs and are described here. For an explanation of the options available on the General, Radio, Connections, and Display tabs, see "Backhaul Networks" on page 187. 6. Click the Geoclimatic tab (see Figure 4.6).

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Figure 4.6: Microwave link Properties dialog box - Geoclimatic tab 7. On the Geoclimatic tab, you can define climate-related settings affecting the microwave link: •

Common Parameters: Under Common Parameters, you can define the parameters common to all calculation methods. •

Temperature: Set the average temperature of the zone in which the microwave link operates. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Temperature text box opens a dialog box where you can select the temperature based on Rec. ITU-R P.1510-0, ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the temperature set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113.

•

Refractivity gradient: Under Refractivity gradient, you can set the following parameters: In normal conditions: Set the refractivity gradient observed 50% of time in N-units per km. Clicking the button ( ) beside the In normal conditions text box opens a dialog box where you can select the method to estimate the refractivity gradient under normal conditions. The refractivity gradient can be calculated from Rec. ITU-R P.453-9, using a user-defined reference altitude, or the refractivity gradient can be based on data given by Rec. ITU-R P.453-9 for less than 65 m. and a percentage of the year that N is not exceeded (50% is set by default), or the refractivity gradient can be set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. The k factor median value, calculated using the set parameters, is displayed. In sub-refraction conditions: Set the refractivity gradient observed 99% of time in N-units per km. Clicking the button ( ) beside the In sub-refraction conditions text box automatically calculates the refractivity gradient under sub-refraction conditions. The k factor effective value, calculated using the set parameters, is displayed.

•

Location: Under Location, you can define the following parameters: •

•

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For converting month/year (Rec. ITU-R P.841): Select the climatic zone used to convert annual statistics into worst-month statistics. You can choose between "Global", "Europe North West", "Europe Mediterranean", "Europe Nordic", "Europe Alpine", "Poland", "Russian Federation", "Congo", "Canada (Prairie and North)", "Canada (Coast and Great Lakes)", "Canada (Central and Montains)", "Indonesia" and "Japan". For Tropospheric losses and interference (Rec. ITU-R P.617): Select the climatic zone considered in tropospheric scattering attenuation and interference calculations. You can choose between "Maritim Climate",


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"Equatorial Climate", "Tropical Climate", "Wet Tropical Climate", "Desert Climate", "Continental Climate" and "Oceanic Climate". Clicking the button ( ) beside the For Tropospheric losses and interference (Rec. ITU-R P.617) text box opens a dialog box where you can select the zone based on Rec. ITU-R P.617-3. •

Rainfall Rate: Under Rainfall Rate, you can define the conditions under which the microwave operates. •

•

•

Value exceeded during 0.01% of the average year (Rec. ITU-R P.530): Set the rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of the average year (or, in other words, an amount of rainfall almost never observed). This information is used only when working with Rec. ITU-R P.530 as availability calculation method. Click the button ( ) beside the Value exceeded during 0.01% of the average year (Rec. ITU-R P.530) text box to specify whether the value is based on Rec. ITU-R P.837-4, Rec. ITU-R P.837-5 and Rec. ITU-R P.837-6, or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. Rain zone (Crane method): Select the rain zone in which the microwave link operates. This information is used only when working with Crane as availability calculation method. You can select the following rain zones: "A", "B", "B1", "B2", "C", "D1", "D2", "D3", "E", "F", "G" and "H".

Atmospheric Conditions (Rec. ITU-R P.530): Under Atmospheric Conditions (Rec. ITU-R P.530), you can define the conditions under which the microwave operates. These parameters are used by ITU-R P.530 to calculate the quality of the microwave link. •

Water vapour density: Set the water vapour density in grams per cubic metre. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Water vapour density text box opens a dialog box where you can select the water vapour density based on Rec. ITU-R P.836-3 (and select the percentage of the average year where the defined water vapour density is exceeded), or based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the water vapour density set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. The dialog box also displays the water vapour pressure in hectopascals (hPa) calculated using your data and based on Rec. ITU-R P.453-9.

•

Atmospheric pressure: Set the atmospheric pressure in hectopascal (hPa). Click the button ( ) beside the Atmospheric pressure box to specify whether the atmospheric pressure is based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. Relative humidity: The Relative humidity displayed is calculated using the defined water vapour density. Rain height (0°C/32°F Isotherm): You can enter the Rain height (0°C/32°F Isotherm) in metres. The rain height

• •

is the height of the top of the rain column above mean sea level from the 0°C isotherm. Click the button ( ) beside the Rain height box to specify whether the value is based on Rec. ITU-R P.839-3, or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. •

Geoclimatic factor: The parameters under Geoclimatic factor are used to calculate the quality of the microwave link and are broken down by calculation method. You can set the following parameters: •

•

ITU-R P.530-5, -8: Under ITU-R P.530-5, -8, you can select the Environment. You can choose between "Open areas" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest antenna in the microwave link is lower than 700 m; "Mountains" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest antenna in the microwave link is higher than 700 m; "Lakes" for microwave links over an expanse of water; or "Overwater" for microwave links over an extended expanse of water. Finally, you can define the PL factor. PL is the percent of time the relative refractivity gradient is less than -100 N⁄Km. The PL factor can be found on the ITU-R maps. Rec. ITU-R P.530: Under ITU-R P.530, you can define the K factor. K models geoclimatic and terrain effects on

•

climate. Clicking the button ( ) beside the K box opens a dialog box where you can select the K factor based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-5 or Rec. ITU-R P. 530-8 (and select a terrain type and enter a value for C0 and for the percentage of time the refractivity gradient (< 100 m.) is less than -100 N-units⁄km for the worst average month) or based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-10 and above (and select the simplified method where you also define the refractivity gradient (< 65 m.) not exceeded during 1% of the average year or select the method with terrain roughness taken into account where you define the refractivity gradient and the terrain roughness). Vigants-Barnett: Parameters available under Vigants-Barnett are used with Vigants-Barnett method only. Climate zone: Select the climatic zone that best describes the climate in which the microwave link operates. You can choose between "Warm and Humid", "Temperate", "Dry", "Great Lakes Areas", "Gulf Coasts", "Hawaii-Caribbean", "Alaska Coasts", and "Alaska Inland". Terrain type: Select to consider terrain roughness of the link in the Terrain-climate factor C calculation or the terrain type that best describes the terrain in which the microwave link operates. You can choose between "Flat Terrain", "Average Terrain", "Great Lakes", "Gulf Coasts", "Islands", "Alaska Mountain", or "Tundra Zones". Changing the terrain type automatically updates the climate zone and vice-versa. Terrain-climate factor C: The propagation condition factor for the Vigants-Barnett method. You can define the value or let Atoll calculate the Terrain-climate factor C value based on the defined Climate zone and Terrain type. When mode is selected as Terrain type, Atoll calculates the Terrain-climate factor C based on the terrain roughness of the link which depends on its profile. Clicking the button (

) beside the Terrain-

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climate factor C box opens a dialog box to specify whether the value is based on the roughness of the selected terrain type or on a user-defined roughness value. By default, only the ground altitude is used to evaluate terrain roughness. You can configure Atoll to consider both the ground altitude and the clutter height in roughness calculation by editing the Atoll.ini configuration file. For more information about editing the configuration file, see the Administrator Manual. •

K.Q. method: Under K.Q. method, you can define K.Q. for the K.Q method. K models geoclimatic and terrain effects on climate while Q is the factor for variables other than those dependent on distance and frequency.

8. Click the Performance tab (see Figure 4.7).

Figure 4.7: Microwave link Properties dialog box - Performance tab 9. On the Performance tab, you can define performance-related parameters: •

Link class: Under Link class, you can select the TDM and IP link classes.. Each link class can have different performance objectives. By assigning link classes to microwave links, you are assigning the target parameters and usage limitations of the link class to the selected microwave links. For information on creating a link class, see "Defining Link Classes" on page 272. Clicking the Browse button (

) opens the Properties dialog box of the selected link class.

The Quality Objectives and Availability Objectives tabs provide tables where you can view the selected performance objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG, IPER) for the specified link class. For SESR, ESR, and BBER parameters, Atoll displays the cutoff probability, the annual and monthly cutoff duration as well as the non-cutoff percentage. •

BER: Under BER, you can set the values for BER 1 and BER 2. Atoll displays the resulting sensitivity for each BER. If the value for BER that you enter is not defined in the properties of the equipment, Atoll will interpolate to determine the corresponding sensitivity.

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•

Reliability: Under Reliability, you can set the Mean time to repair (MTTR) in hour. The MTTR is taken into account when calculating unavailability due to failures if the microwave link is not equipped with a hot standby channel system.

10. Click the Propagation tab (see Figure 4.8).

Figure 4.8: Microwave link Properties dialog box- Propagation tab 11. On the Propagation tab, you can define propagation-related parameters: •

•

Useful signal: Under Useful signal, you can select the propagation model that will be used to calculate the useful signal. From this parameter, Atoll evaluates the margin which is then considered for calculating the quality and the availability of the microwave link. Interfering signal: Under Interfering signal, you can select the propagation model that will be used to calculate signal level received from interfering sites.

12. Click OK.

4.2.2.2 Defining Parameters for All Microwave Links Under certain circumstances, for example, in a highly homogeneous network, you will want to set the same parameters for all microwave links. You can set the same parameters for all microwave links at the same time by first defining the parameters for a single microwave link and then copying them to all microwave links. To define the parameters for all microwave links: 1. Define the parameters for a single microwave link, as described in "Defining Parameters for a Single Microwave Link" on page 175. 2. Copy the defined parameters to all microwave links. To copy the defined parameters to all microwave links: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. 4. From the context menu, select one of the following: • •

Select Open Table > Geoclimatic Parameters from the context menu, if you want to modify geoclimatic parameters. Select Open Table > Links - Standard Parameters from the context menu, if you want to modify propagation and performance parameters.

The Microwave Links table appears. 5. Locate the row in the Microwave Links table with the microwave link whose parameters you just updated and copy the values into other cells as explained in "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 66.

4.2.2.3 Defining Parameters that Affect Calculations for a Group of Microwave Links Under certain circumstances, for example, in a network that spans a great distance, you will want to set the same parameters for defined groups of microwave links but not for all microwave links. You can set the same parameters for defined groups of microwave links by first defining the parameters for a single microwave link, sorting the microwave links according to their common attributes, and then copying the parameters to all microwave links in that group.

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To define the parameters for a group of microwave links: 1. Define the parameters for a single microwave link, as explained in "Defining Parameters for a Single Microwave Link" on page 175. 2. Select the microwave links to which you want to copy the parameters by: • • •

Grouping the microwave links (see "" on page 180) Sorting the microwave links (see "Sorting Microwave Links" on page 180) Filtering the microwave links (see "Filtering Microwave Links" on page 181)

3. Copy the defined parameters to the selected group of microwave links.

To select the microwave links to which you want to copy the parameters by grouping: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. 4. From the Group By submenu, select the property by which you want to group the microwave links. Ensure that you chose a property that all the microwave links you want to modify and the microwave link with the modified parameters have in common. The microwave links in the folder are grouped in separate folders by that property. If the range of properties available in the Group By submenu has been configured as explained in "Customizing the Group By Submenu" on page 78, you can select additional properties by selecting More Fields from the Group By submenu. 5. Right-click the folder with the grouped microwave links. The context menu appears. 6. From the context menu, select one of the following: • •


The Microwave Links table appears. 7. Copy the parameters from the modified microwave link to the other microwave links in the group as explained in "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 66. Once you have finished copying the parameters, you can ungroup the links by right-clicking the Microwave Links folder and selecting Group By > None from the context menu. Sorting Microwave Links To sort the microwave links to which you want to copy the parameters: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. 4. From the context menu, select one of the following: • •


The Microwave Links table appears. 5. Right-click the table column with the parameter you want to sort on. The context menu appears. 6. Select either Sort Ascending or Sort Descending from the context menu. 7. Locate the row in the Microwave Links table with the microwave link whose parameters you just updated and copy the parameters from the modified microwave link to the other microwave links as explained in "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 66.

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Ensure that you only select the cells of the microwave links you want to modify.

Filtering Microwave Links To filter the microwave links to which you want to copy the parameters: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. 4. From the context menu, select one of the following: • •


The Microwave Links table appears. You can now filter on a value in the table. You can either use a value that all microwave links to which you want to copy parameters have in common with the microwave link you previously modified, or you can use a value these microwave links do not have. 5. Select the value to filter on. To select more than one value, press CTRL as you click the other values. 6. Right-click the cell and select one of the following from the context menu: •

Filter by Selection: All microwave links with the selected value or values are displayed. You can now modify these microwave links as you would normally do with the entire Microwave Links table (see Figure 4.9 on page 181).

•

Filter Excluding Selection: All microwave links without the selected value or values are displayed. You can now modify these records or make calculations on them as you would normally do with the entire Microwave Links table (see Figure 4.10 on page 181).

Figure 4.9: Filtering by selection (Sub-Band A>> B: 23G_28)

Figure 4.10: Filtering excluding selection (Sub-Band A>> B: 23G_28)

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You can use advanced data filtering to combine several criteria in different fields to create complex filters. For more information on advanced filtering, see "Advanced Data Filtering" on page 83. 7. Copy the parameters from the modified microwave link to the other microwave links in the group as explained in "Pasting the Same Data into Several Cells" on page 66.

4.2.2.4 Calculating Geoclimatic Parameters Some geoclimatic parameters (geoclimactic factor K, temperature, etc.) are calculated based on defined calculation options. You can calculate these geoclimatic parameters for each microwave link, using each microwave link’s Properties dialog box, or you can calculate them for all or for a defined group of microwave links. This section covers the following topics: • •

4.2.2.4.1

"Definition of Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations" on page 182 "Updating Geoclimatic Parameters" on page 182

Definition of Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations The geoclimatic parameter option calculations can be found in the Microwave Links: Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations dialog box. The Microwave Links: Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations dialog box has 10 tabs: • • •

• • • •

•

•

•

The General tab: You can select the geoclimatic parameters you want to recalculate. The Temperature tab: You can define the temperature value, or select the temperature based on Rec. ITU-R P.1510-0, ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the temperature set in the geoclimatic file. The Water Vapour Density tab: You can define the water vapour density value, or select the water vapour density based on Rec. ITU-R P.836-3 (and select the percentage of the average year where the defined water vapour density is exceeded), or based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the water vapour density set in the geoclimatic file. The Atmospheric Pressure tab: You can define the atmospheric pressure value, or select the atmospheric pressure based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the value set in the geoclimatic file. The Rainfall Rate tab: You can define the rainfall rate value, or select the rainfall rate based on Rec. ITU-R P.837-4, Rec. ITU-R P.837-5 and Rec. ITU-R P.837-6, or the value set in the geoclimatic file. The Rain Height tab: You can define the rain height value, or select the rain height based on Rec. ITU-R P.839-3, or the value set in the geoclimatic file The Refractivity tab: You can define the refractivity gradient value under normal conditions, or select the method to estimate the refractivity gradient. The refractivity gradient can be calculated from Rec. ITU-R P.453-9, using a userdefined reference altitude, or the refractivity gradient can be based on data given by Rec. ITU-R P.453-9 for less than 65 m. and a percentage of the year that N is not exceeded (50% is set by default), or the refractivity gradient can be set in the geoclimatic file. The K Factor tab: You can define the K factor value under normal conditions, or select the K factor based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-5 or Rec. ITU-R P. 530-8 (and select a terrain type and enter a value for C0 and for the percentage of time the refractivity gradient (< 100 m.) is less than -100 N-units⁄km for the worst average month) or based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-10 and above (and select the simplified method where you also define the refractivity gradient (< 65 m.) not exceeded during 1% of the average year or select the method with terrain roughness taken into account where you define the refractivity gradient and the terrain roughness). The Location tab: You can define the zone considered in tropospheric scattering attenuation and interference calculations, or select the zone based on Rec. ITU-R P.617-3. If you define the zone, enter one of the following values: • 0 for "Maritim Climate", • 1 for "Equatorial Climate", • 2 for "Tropical Climate", • 3 for "Wet Tropical Climate", • 4 for "Desert Climate", • 5 for "Continental Climate", • 6 for "Oceanic Climate". The C Factor tab: You can define the C factor value, or select the C factor based on the roughness of the selected terrain type or on a user-defined roughness value.

For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113.

4.2.2.4.2

Updating Geoclimatic Parameters You can calculate geoclimatic parameters for all microwave links.

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To recalculate geoclimatic parameters for all microwave links: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Calculations > Force Calculations > Geoclimatic Parameters from the context menu. The Microwave Links: Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations dialog box opens. 3. Click the General tab. On the General tab, you can select the geoclimatic parameters you want to recalculate. 4. For each geoclimatic parameter that you have selected, click the corresponding tab and define the parameters as explained in "Definition of Geoclimatic Parameter Calculations" on page 182. 5. Click OK. Atoll recalculates the geoclimatic parameters for all microwave links. The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer window. You can also update geoclimatic parameters for all or for a defined group of microwave links using the Microwave links table which contains geoclimatic parameters. In the Microwave links table, select the column of the parameter you want to recalculate or a selection of cells for this parameter and select Calculate from the context menu. A dialog box appears in which you can set the calculation options. For information on the parameters, see "Microwave Link Parameters" on page 175.

4.3 Managing Microwave Link Profiles This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Calculating Microwave Link Profiles" on page 183 "Stopping Microwave Link Profile Calculation" on page 183 "Setting the Storage Location of Microwave Link Profiles" on page 183

4.3.1 Calculating Microwave Link Profiles When you are working on microwave links, Atoll automatically calculates non-existent and invalid link profile data. This can take a lot of time if the network covers a wide area. Consequently, you can calculate microwave link profiles separately, when you have more time and computer resources available. In multi-user environments, the administrator is responsible for shared microwave link profiles and can calculate them on a central Atoll document. Users can then base calculations on the latest shared profile data. When you calculate microwave links, Atoll calculates only the non-existent and invalid profiles that intersect the rectangle containing the computation zone, whether or not the computation zone is visible. When you manually calculate the microwave link profiles as described in this section, Atoll does not take the computation zone into consideration; it calculates all non-existent and profiles of active and filtered microwave links. To calculate microwave link profiles: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Right-click the Microwave Radio Links folder. The context menu appears. 3. Select Calculations > Profile Extraction from the context menu. Atoll calculates all non-existent and invalid profiles of active and filtered microwave links. You can calculate the non-existent and invalid path loss matrices for all links, for a single link, or for a defined group of links, by expanding the Microwave Radio Links folder right-clicking either the single link or the defined group of links and selecting Calculations > Profile Extraction from the context menu.

4.3.2 Stopping Microwave Link Profile Calculation Depending on the number of microwave links, it can take a long time and a lot of computer resources to calculate all profiles. If necessary, you can stop calculation at any point. To stop calculations: •

Click the Stop Calculations button ( ) in the toolbar. Atoll immediately stops all ongoing calculations. The results of calculations that have already been completed, however, will be saved.

4.3.3 Setting the Storage Location of Microwave Link Profiles Microwave link profile data is stored in a folder with a ".profiles" suffix, located in the same directory as the Atoll document.

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However, in a multi-user environment where several users are working on the same radio-planning document, you can centralise the profile data in a shared directory. In this cas, an administrator is responsible for calculating the microwave link profiles of the entire project and saving them in an external folder accessible to all users. This folder is read only and shared by all users. When users change their microwave link data and recalculate profiles, the changes to those profiles are stored locally and the shared profile data is not modified. In other words, users can read the information from the shared profiles but any changes they make are stored locally. Centralised microwave link profiles are recalculated by the administrator on a regular basis (as described in "Calculating Microwave Link Profiles" on page 183) and take into consideration the changes that were uploaded to the central database by the users. For more information on working in a multi-user environment, see the Administrator Manual. To set the storage location of the path loss matrices: 1. Select the Network explorer. 2. Right-click the Microwave Radio Links folder and select Calculations > Properties from the context menu. The Microwave Radio Links Properties window opens. 3. On the Profile Directory tab, you can set the location for your private and shared profile data: •

Private Directory: Click "..." to specify the location where you store the microwave link profile data that you generate or, if you are loading profile data from a shared location, where you store your changes to shared path loss matrices.

•

Shared Directory: If you are working in a multi-user Atoll environment with shared profiles, click "..." to specify the location of the shared directory that is accessible to all users. Any changes you make will not be saved to this directory; they will be saved in the location indicated in Private Directory.

4. Click OK.

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Chapter 5 Backhaul Networks This chapter provides information on using Atoll to design, analyse, and optimise a microwave link network.


"Designing a Backhaul Network" on page 187

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"Planning and Optimising Microwave Sites" on page 188

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"Creating Links" on page 197

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"Analysing the Path Profile" on page 217

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"Analysing Microwave Link Reliability" on page 227

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"Studying Reflection" on page 236

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"Planning Microwave Link Channels" on page 244

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"Analysing Interference" on page 253

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"Exporting Custom Reports" on page 266

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"Advanced Configuration" on page 268


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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Chapter 5: Backhaul Networks

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5 Backhaul Networks The backhaul network is the critical link that carries the traffic between the individual cellular base stations and the core network. A physical backhaul network comprises the following assets: • • •

Sites, which are the extremities of links are usually shared with cellular base stations. Microwave links, which are defined by their radio and equipment characteristics. Other transmission links, are typically either fibre-optic links or leased lines.

Backhaul links must satisfy the quality and availability requirements that are set by the operator. Each link is assessed in terms of robustness, i.e., the data transmission should undergo the least possible errors, the link should suffer the least number of failures (usually measured per year) and the duration of these failures should also be as short as possible. All these criteria are described in detail in the ITU standards and recommendations. To help you satisfy these requirements, the Atoll backhaul module enables you to plan, design, and analyse backhaul networks and to set in-depth quality and availability targets for the network, either in standalone backhaul projects or as part of larger 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network projects. Atoll models simple, multi-hop, and point to multipoint links within a backhaul network. It can determine link budgets and carry out end-to-end reliability analyses, interference analyses, and frequency planning. In addition to the physical layer, Atoll provides a logical layer, which is a model designed specifically for backhaul capacity planning. For more information, see Chapter 6: Backhaul Capacity Planning.

5.1 Designing a Backhaul Network The following figure depicts the process of creating and planning a backhaul network. The steps involved in planning a backhaul network are described below.

Figure 5.1: Planning a backhaul network - workflow The numbers refer to Figure 5.1. 1. Open an existing backhaul document or create a new one ( 1 ). • •

You can open an existing Atoll document by selecting File > Open. You can create a new Atoll document as explained in Chapter 1: Working Environment.

2. Add sites and carry out basic evaluations of the candidate sites and locate more suitable locations for candidate sites ( 2 ). • •

You can add sites or modify existing ones (see "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 189). You can evaluate the location of existing sites (see "Site Survey Tools" on page 189) and search for new candidate sites (see "Tools in Atoll for Finding New Sites" on page 195).

3. Create backhaul links between sites ( 3 ).

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•

• • •


You can create a microwave link (see "Creating Microwave Links" on page 197) based on a microwave link template. If necessary, you can modify the template on which new links are based (see "Creating Other Transmission Links" on page 206). If necessary, you can create repeaters along microwave links between sites. You can create multi-hop microwave links (see "Creating Multi-hops" on page 235). You can create optical fibre links or leased lines between sites (see "Creating Other Transmission Links" on page 206).

In parallel to this activity, you can create logical segments and nodes to the backhaul capacity planning module. For more information, see Chapter 6: Backhaul Capacity Planning. 4. Analysing and optimising the microwave network. • •

You can use the guidance provided by the problem-solving interface of the Link Design Assistant to design and optimise microwave links (see "Designing and Optimising Microwave Links" on page 213). You can analyse the path profile (see "Analysing the Path Profile" on page 217), adding passive repeaters if neces-

•

sary (see "Creating Passive Repeaters" on page 208) ( 4 ). You can analyse the quality and reliability of the network (see "Analysing Microwave Link Reliability" on page 227) ( 5 ).

•

You can study reflection along the microwave link profile (see "Studying Reflection" on page 236) ( 6 ).

•

You can allocate microwave link channels (see "Planning Microwave Link Channels" on page 244) ( 7 ).

•

You can study interference along the microwave link profile (see "Analysing Interference" on page 253) ( 8 ).

Optimisation and analysis are iterative steps. The last two steps can be repeated in order to achieve the optimum solution for the network

5.2 Planning and Optimising Microwave Sites As described in Chapter 1: Working Environment, you can start an Atoll document from a template, with no sites, or from a database with a set of sites. As you work on your Atoll document, you will still need to create sites and modify existing ones. In Atoll, a site is defined as a geographical point supporting one or more microwave links. Atoll enables you to verify the characteristics of each candidate in order to chose the best site. Additionally, Atoll has tools that allow you to search for new locations for sites. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Creating Sites" on page 188 "Site Survey Tools" on page 189 "Tools in Atoll for Finding New Sites" on page 195.

5.2.1 Creating Sites When you create a microwave site, you create only the geographical point. The created site can then support one or more microwave links. In this section, the following are described: • •

"Site Properties" on page 188 "Creating or Modifying a Site" on page 189.

5.2.1.1 Site Properties The parameters of a site can be found in the site’s Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has the following tabs: The General tab •

Name: Atoll enters a default name for each new site. You can modify the default name. If you want to change the default name that Atoll gives to new sites, see the Administrator Manual. By default, Atoll places the name of the site on the map in a certain position vis-à-vis the site. If you right-click the Sites tab in the Network explorer and select Calculating Label Positions from the context menu, Atoll will determine a position for the label where it is not hidden by the microwave link.

• •

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Position: By default, Atoll places the new site at the centre of the map window. You can modify the location of the site. Altitude: The altitude, as defined by the DTM for the location specified under Position, is given here. You can specify the actual altitude under Real, if you want. If an altitude is specified here, Atoll will use this value for calculations.


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Comments: If necessary, you can enter any comments in this field.

The Support tab • •

Support height: You can define the height of the structure on which you can install antennas. Atoll can use this height in several analyses (site analysis, antenna height optimisation, and so on). Support type: You can describe the nature of site. This field is for information only.

The Display tab For more information about displaying sites in Atoll, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

5.2.1.2 Creating or Modifying a Site You can modify an existing site or you can create a new site. You can access the properties of a site, described in "Site Properties" on page 188, through the site’s Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new site or modifying an existing site. To create a new site: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Sites folder and select Add Site from the context menu. The mouse cursor changes and the coordinates of the mouse cursor are displayed in the status bar. 2. Click the map at the location where you want to place the new site. A new site is created with default values at the corresponding location. Alternatively, you can create a new site by entering its coordinates and properties as described in "Site Properties" on page 188, by right-clicking the Sites folder and selecting New from the context menu.

To modify the properties of an existing site: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Sites folder and right-click the site, or right-click the site on the map. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The site’s Properties dialog box appears. 3. Modify the parameters described in "Site Properties" on page 188. 4. Click OK. If you are creating several sites at the same time, or modifying several existing sites, you can do it quickly by editing or pasting the data directly in the Sites table. You can open the Sites table by right-clicking the Sites folder on the Network tab of the explorer window and selecting Open Table from the context menu. For information on copying and pasting data, see "Copying and Pasting in Tables" on page 65.

5.2.2 Site Survey Tools Atoll provides several tools to enable you to evaluate the line of sight around a site or between candidate sites. In this section, the following are explained. • • • •

"Displaying the Line of Sight Area Around One Site" on page 189 "Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites" on page 191 "Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Candidate Sites" on page 193 "Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Candidate Sites" on page 193

5.2.2.1 Displaying the Line of Sight Area Around One Site Atoll allows you to display the line-of-sight area around a site in the map window. To display the line-of-sight area around a site: 1. Right-click the site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Visibility > Line of Sight Area from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialog box appears.

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To display the line of sight area around all sites in your Sites folder (or in the computation zone, if any) you should right-click the Sites folder and select Visibility > Overlapping Area instead. See "Tools in Atoll for Finding New Sites" on page 195. 3. Under Transmitter, select one of the following options to specify the height of the antenna on the transmitter side and specify a Default height applicable to that option: • • •

Site support: Select this option to specify a transmitter height that uses the Support height from the site properties. Relative to the ground: Select this option to specify a transmitter height above the ground in Default height. Relative to clutter: Select this option to specify a transmitter height above the clutter height in Default height.

4. Under Receiver, select one of the following options to specify the height of the antenna on the receiver side and specify a Default height applicable to that option: • • •

Relative to the ground: Select this option to specify a receiver height above the ground in Default height. Relative to clutter: Select this option to specify a receiver height above the clutter height in Default height. Per clutter class: Select this option to use the receiver height above the clutter height that is defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab.

5. Define the Maximum distance around the selected site to be considered in the line-of-sight analysis. 6. Define the Resolution. 7. Under Earth curvature factors, define the First k value and the Second k value. 8. Under Penetration condition, define the following parameters: a. Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select this option to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight. b. Define the type of clearance to calculate by selecting one of the following items: • •

Line of sight clearance: Select this option to study the direct line of sight between the transmitter and receiver sites. Ellipsoid clearance: Select this option to study the percentage of clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid. Enter the required percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid in the Target clearance box. In Frequency band, select the frequency band to use when calculating the line of sight.

9. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the lineof-sight area. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following: •

•

Receiver height (m): Specify a receiver height above the the clutter height for each clutter class. This is the value that will be taken into consideration if you selected Per clutter class under Receiver on the Calculation Parameters tab. Horizontal clearance around transmitter and receiver (m): Specify a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole profile except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM.

10. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can define how the line-of-sight areas will be displayed on the map. You can select one of the following display options: •

One area per site: Select this option to display a line-of-sight area for each site and then define the colour the lineof-sight areas will be displayed in: • •

Automatic colour: If you select this option, Atoll will automatically assign a different colour to each line-ofsight area, and you will be able to distinguish the line-of-sight areas for each site. Unique colour: If you select this option, Atoll will display all line-of-sight areas in the same colour, and the resulting display will show the cumulative line-of-sight areas.

Set the transparency of the displayed line-of-sight area, by moving the slider. 11. Select the Add to legend check box to add the options defined on the Display tab to the Legend. For information on the Legend window, see "Displaying the Map Legend" on page 42. 12. Click OK. Atoll displays results on the map. To delete the line-of-sight area around a site: 1. Right-click the site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Visibility > Delete Line of Sight Area from the context menu.

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5.2.2.2 Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites In Atoll, you can analyse the line of sight (LOS) between candidate sites for different frequency bands. The analysis can be done for one particular site or for a group of sites. In the first case, Atoll performs the analysis between the selected site and all sites located within the computation zone. If there is no computation zone, all sites of the Atoll document will be considered as candidates. When run on a group of sites, both focus and computation zones can be used. Atoll calculates a line of sight between each site located within the focus zone and each site within the computation zone. If no focus zone exists, the analysis will be done between the sites of the computation zone. For information on the focus zone, see "Focus Zone" on page 50 and for information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. To calculate a LOS report for one particular site: 1. Right-click the site either on the map or in the Sites folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Visibility > Line of Sight Report from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialog box appears. 3. Click the Calculation Parameters tab. 4. Under Transmitter, select one of the following options to specify the height of the antenna on the transmitter side and specify a Default height applicable to that option: • • •

Site support: Select this option to specify a transmitter height that uses the Support height from the site properties. Relative to the ground: Select this option to specify a transmitter height above the ground in Default height. Relative to clutter: Select this option to specify a transmitter height above the clutter height in Default height.

5. Under Receiver, select one of the following options to specify the height of the antenna on the receiver side and specify a Default height applicable to that option: • • • •

Site support: Select this option to specify a receiver height that uses the Support height from the site properties. Relative to the ground: Select this option to specify a receiver height above the ground in Default height. Relative to clutter: Select this option to specify a receiver height above the clutter height in Default height. Per clutter class: Select this option to use the receiver height above the clutter height that is defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab.

6. Define the Maximum distance around the selected site to be considered in the line-of-sight analysis. 7. Define the Resolution. 8. Under Earth curvature factors, define the First k value and the Second k value. 9. Under Penetration condition, define the following parameters: a. Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select this option to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight. b. Define the type of clearance to calculate by selecting one of the following items: • •

Line of sight clearance: Select this option to study the direct line of sight between the transmitter and receiver sites. Ellipsoid clearance: Select this option to study the percentage of clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid. Enter the required percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid in the Target clearance box. In Frequency band, select the frequency band to use when calculating the line of sight.

10. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the line of sight. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following: • •

Receiver height (m): You can define a receiver height for each clutter class. It is not used when calculating the line of sight between existing sites. Horizontal clearance around transmitter and receiver (m): If you want, you can define a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole profile except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM.

11. Click the Table tab. On the Table tab you can define the contents of the report. Atoll displays a default set of fields and lets you select other information to be included in the report. a. Click Add. The Field Selection dialog box appears. b. In the Field selection dialog box, select the fields that you want to display in the report. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking each field separately.

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•

To select a field to be included in the report, select the field in the Available fields list and click it to the Selected fields list.

to move

•

To remove a field from the list of Selected fields, select the field in the Selected fields list and click remove it.

•

To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will be displayed in the order of the fields in the Selected Fields list, from top to bottom.

to

c. Click OK to return to the Table tab. 12. Click OK. Atoll displays the selected results in the Terrain Sections table. As well, Atoll displays a terrain section on the map between each pair of sites. The Terrain Sections table contains the following default information for each pair of sites, Site1-Site2. Site1 is either the selected site or the studied site within the focus zone or the computation zone if no focus zone is defined. Site2 is a candidate site within the computation zone if available. • • • • • • •

• • • • • •

Site1: Site1 is the transmitting site of the pair of sites. Site2: Site2 is the receiving site of the pair of sites. Frequency (MHz): The mean frequency used to calculate the line of sight between the transmitting site and the receiving site. Antenna 1 Height/Ground (m): The height of the transmitting antenna. Antenna 2 Height/Ground (m): The height of the receiving antenna. Custom heights: The value is False when the antenna heights of the terrain section are those that were calculated by line of sight report. If any of the antenna heights is modified, then it is set to True. Line of Sight (k1) (%): The clearance or penetration of the Fresnel ellipsoid in percentage for the first k factor value. The result can be between -100 and 100%. A value from -100 to 0% corresponds to the percentage of penetration of the upper half of the Fresnel ellipsoid. A value from 0 to 100% corresponds to the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid (see Figure 5.2). Line of Sight (k2) (%): The clearance or penetration of the Fresnel ellipsoid in percentage for the second k factor value. Distance (m): The distance between the sites. Direction 1 (°): The angle from Site1 to Site2 in the horizontal plane. Direction 2 (°): The angle from Site2 to Site1 in the horizontal plane. Tilt 1 (°): The tilt angle from Site1 to Site2 in the vertical plane. Tilt 2 (°): The tilt angle from Site2 to Site1 in the vertical plane.

Figure 5.2: Line of sight clearance The results provided in the Terrain Sections table are calculated in real time. Therefore, you can modify the frequency or the antenna heights and immediately see the impact of the modifications on the line of sight results. You can remove the line-of-sight sections by selecting Visibility > Delete Terrain Sections from the site’s context menu. If necessary, you can also calculate a LOS report for all sites by selecting Visibility > Line of Sight Report from the context menu of the Sites folder. You can remove the terrain sections by selecting Visibility > Delete Terrain Sections from the context menu of the Sites folder. After you have calculated the LOS report, you can change the terrain section display on the map, analyse the terrain profile of a calculated terrain section, or create links with them: • • •

5.2.2.2.1

"Displaying the Terrain Sections on the Map" on page 192 "Displaying the Terrain Profile of an Existing Terrain Section" on page 193 "Creating a Microwave Link with a Terrain Section" on page 194.

Displaying the Terrain Sections on the Map The terrain sections displayed on the map are coloured by default according to the percentage of clearance or penetration of the Fresnel zone: •

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Green: By default, a terrain section is displayed on the map in green if it is completely unobstructed (i.e., if the visibility is over 100 m.).


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Orange: If the terrain section is partially obstructed (i.e., if the visibility is between 0 m. and 100 m.), it is displayed in orange on the map. Red: If the terrain section is completely obstructed, it is displayed in red.

You can modify the colours and value intervals in order to make their display properties more meaningful to you. To colour terrain sections according to the percentage of clearance or penetration of the Fresnel zone 1. Click the Geo tab of the explorer window. 2. Right-click the Terrain Sections folder and select Properties from the context menu. The Terrain Section Properties dialog box appears. 3. Select the Display tab and define the following parameters: • • •

Under Display Type, select "Value Intervals". Under Field, select "Visibility". You can change the value intervals and their displayed colour. For information on changing display properties, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

4. Click OK.

5.2.2.2.2

Displaying the Terrain Profile of an Existing Terrain Section If you have previously calculated a LOS report on a site or a group of sites (see "Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites" on page 191), you will already have terrain sections between sites that you can study. To display the terrain profile of an existing terrain section: 1. On the map, right-click the terrain section you want to analyse. The context menu appears. 2. Select Open Terrain Section. Atoll opens the Terrain Section window. It displays a Fresnel ellipsoid between both sites, and terrain height and clutter along the profile. In order to calculate the Fresnel ellipsoid, Atoll uses the site heights, the k factor value and the frequency used for the LOS report calculation.

5.2.2.2.3

Creating a Microwave Link with a Terrain Section You can use a terrain section to create a microwave link. To create a microwave link from a terrain section: 1. On the map, right-click the terrain section you want to use for a microwave link. The context menu appears. 2. Select Create Link from the context menu. Atoll adds the new microwave link in the Microwave Links folder; its properties are based on the default microwave link template selected in the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

5.2.2.3 Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Candidate Sites In Atoll, you can check the terrain profile in the following cases: • • • •

from a site to another site from a site to a point on the map from a point on the map to a site from a point on the map to another point on the map

To study the terrain profile between two sites or points on the map: 1. Select how the support height will be defined on both sites of the microwave link by clicking the arrow next to the Terrain Section button (

) on the toolbar and selecting one of the following:

•

Transmitter Heights Defined by Site / Receiver Heights Defined by Site: If you select one of these options, Atoll will use the corresponding support height defined on each site.

•

Transmitter Heights Relative to Ground / Receiver Heights Relative to Ground: If you select one of these options, Atoll will use the corresponding support height with respect to ground.

•

Transmitter Heights Relative to Clutter / Receiver Heights Relative to Clutter: If you select these options, Atoll will use the corresponding support height with respect to clutter. Receiver Height Defined per Clutter Class: If you select this option, Atoll will use the receiver height defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab of the Line of Sight Parameters dialog box.

•

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You can set more options using the Line of Sight Parameters dialog box. You can open the Line of Sight Parameters dialog box by clicking the arrow next to the Terrain Section toolbar button ( ) and selecting Properties. For a description of the options available in the Line of Sight Parameters dialog box, see "Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites" on page 191. 2. Click the Terrain Section button (

) on the toolbar.

3. Move the pointer to the site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to create the first analysis point. 4. Move the pointer to another site on the map. When the frame appears around the site, indicating it is selected, click to create the second analysis point. A terrain section is created on the map between the sites. The terrain section is coloured according to its visibility (see "Displaying the Terrain Sections on the Map" on page 192). The profile between both sites appears on the Terrain Section window. The terrain height is displayed along the profile as well as clutter classes and clutter heights. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone between both sites. By default, Atoll considers the antenna heights defined for the selected sites to determine the profile. You can modify them as well as the studied frequency in the Terrain Section Properties dialog box. Once you have created the terrain sections, you can get detailed results: 1. Select the terrain section on the map. 2. In the Terrain Section window, click the Properties button (

). The Terrain Section Properties dialog box appears.

3. In the Terrain Section Properties dialog box, you have the following parameters: • • • • • • •

• • •

Id: The terrain section reference number. Site1: The name of Site1. Site2: The name of Site2. Frequency (MHz): The frequency to be considered. Antenna 1 Height/Ground (m): The antenna height on Site1, relative to ground. Antenna 2 Height/Ground (m): The antenna height on Site2, relative to ground. Line of Sight (k1) (%) and Line of Sight (k2) (%): The percentage of clearance/penetration of the Fresnel zone. The value can vary between -100% and 100%. A value from -100% to 0% corresponds to the percentage of penetration of the upper half of the Fresnel ellipsoid. A value from 0% to 100% corresponds to the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid. Distance (m): The distance between Site1 and Site2. Direction 1 (°): The angle from Site1 to Site2 in the horizontal plane. Direction 2 (°): The angle from Site2 to Site1 in the horizontal plane.

4. Click OK to close the dialog box. The line of sight results are calculated in real time. Therefore, you can modify the frequency or the antenna heights, click Apply, and immediately see the impact of the modifications on the line of sight results. If you want, you can create a microwave link from a terrain section (see "Creating a Microwave Link with a Terrain Section" on page 193).

5.2.2.3.1

Creating a Microwave Link with a Terrain Section You can use a terrain section to create a microwave link. To create a microwave link using a terrain section: 1. On the map, right-click the terrain section you want to use for a microwave link. The context menu appears. 2. Select Create Link from the context menu. Atoll adds the new microwave link in the Microwave Links folder; its properties are based on the default microwave link template.

5.2.2.4 Finding the Best Route Between Two Sites Atoll allows you to find all routes between two sites fulfilling line-of-sight criteria. The routes can consist of several hops and have different lengths. If necessary, the route with the least of hops or the shortest route can be displayed. In the analysis, Atoll considers the selected sites and all sites located within the computation zone; if no computation zone is defined, all sites are considered. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. To find the best route between two sites: 1. Right-click the destination site either on the map, or in the Sites folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Visibility > Show LOS Routes from from the context menu. The mouse cursor switches to site selection mode.

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Figure 5.3: Mouse cursor in site selection mode 3. Click the source site. The Line of Sight Parameters dialog box appears. 4. On the Routing Options tab, define the following parameters: • • • • •

From site: The source site. Atoll lists all sites available in the Atoll document. By default, this is the site that you selected in step 3. Maximum number of hops: The maximum number of hops allowed between starting and target sites. Path maximum length: Specify a maximum length for the entire route including all the links. Minimise the number of hops to reach the target: Select this option to calculate the best solution in terms of number of hops, i.e. the path containing the least of hops. Minimise the total path length: Select this option to calculate the best solution in terms of distance, i.e. the shortest path.

5. Click the Calculation Parameters tab. 6. Under Height - transmitter side, the Use the support height defined by site option is set by default and cannot be changed. Atoll uses the support height defined by site for each line of sight. 7. Under Height - receiver side, the Use the support height defined by site option is set by default and cannot be changed. Atoll uses the support height defined by site for each line of sight. 8. Specify the Maximum distance around the selected site to be considered in the line-of-sight analysis. 9. Specify the Resolution. 10. Under Earth curvature factors, specify the First k value and Second k value. 11. Under Penetration condition, specify the following parameters: • •

Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select this check box if you want to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight. Frequency band: Select from the list the frequency band to be used when calculating the line of sight or select to automatically use the frequency band(s) defined in the design rules. For more information on design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. The Frequency box displays the average frequencies of the selected frequency bands or is blank if is selected.

12. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the line of sight. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following: • •

Receiver height: You can define a receiver height for each clutter class. It is not used when calculating the line of sight between existing sites. Horizontal clearance around transmitter and receiver (m): If you want, you can define a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole profile except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM.

13. Click OK. Atoll displays the results in the Routing to Site table. The Routing to Site table contains the following information for each route. • • •

Node1: The name of the source site selected on the Routing Options tab. Node#: The names of the sites that are part of the route and the name of the target site. Distance (m): The length of the route.

The number of columns named "Node#" displayed in the Routing to Site table depends on the maximum number of hops defined in the Routing Options tab. You can click a route in the Routing to Site table to open the Terrain Sections table. For more information on the Terrain Sections table, see "Analysing the Line of Sight Between Candidate Sites" on page 191 In addition, Atoll displays terrain sections on the map between each site of routes (see "Displaying the Terrain Profile Between Candidate Sites" on page 193). You can remove the line of sight lines by selecting Visibility > Delete Terrain Sections from the context menu of the Sites folder on the explorer window’s Network tab.

5.2.3 Tools in Atoll for Finding New Sites Atoll provides different tools to find new microwave site locations. You can improve the location of a site, in terms of reception and transmission, by letting Atoll find a higher location for it, as explained in "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 39. You can also let Atoll display the mutually visible areas of multiple sites in order to find good places to create new sites.

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Atoll allows you to calculate the line-of-sight areas around all sites in the Sites folder and display their intersection. The intersection of line-of-sight areas will be calculated for sites in the computation zone (for information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49). To display the line-of-sight areas around multiple sites and display their intersection: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Right-click the Sites folder. The context menu appears. 3. Select Visibility > Overlapping Areas from the context menu. The Line of Sight Parameters dialog box appears. 4. Click the Calculation Parameters tab. 5. Under Height - transmitter side, the Use the support height defined by site option is set by default and cannot be changed. Atoll uses the support height defined by site for each line of sight. 6. Under Height - receiver side, you can select how receiver height will be defined at the far edge of the LOS area: • •

Use heights defined per clutter class: If you select this option, Atoll will use the receiver height defined per clutter class on the Clutter tab of the Line of Sight Parameters dialog box. Use the default height relative to the ground / Use the default height relative to the clutter: If you select one of these options, Atoll uses the support height that was specified in the Default height box.

7. Specify the Maximum distance around the selected site to be considered in the line-of-sight analysis. 8. Specify the Resolution. 9. Under Earth curvature factors, specify the First k value and the Second k value. 10. Under Penetration condition, specify the following parameters: a. Take clutter into account in diffraction: Select the Take clutter into account in diffraction check box if you want to use clutter information when calculating diffraction in the line of sight. b. Define the type of clearance that will be calculated by selecting one of the following: • •

Line of sight clearance: Select Line of sight clearance if you want to study the line of sight between the transmitter and receiver sites. Ellipsoid clearance: Select Ellipsoid clearance if you want to study the percentage of clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid. Enter the percentage of clearance of the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid in the Target clearance box and select the Frequency band to be used when calculating the line of sight from the list. The average frequency of the selected frequency band is displayed in the Frequency box.

11. Click the Clutter tab. On the Clutter tab you can set clutter-related parameters that will be used to calculate the lineof-sight area. The settings on the Clutter tab are independent from any clutter parameters you might have set for the propagation model. For each clutter class, you can set the following: •

•

Receiver height (m): If you want, you can define a receiver height for each clutter class. This is the value that will be taken into consideration if you selected Use heights defined per clutter class under Height - receiver side on the Calculation Parameters tab. Horizontal clearance around transmitter and receiver (m): If you want, you can specify a clearance around each site for each clutter class. The clearance is used when calculating diffraction. Both ground altitude and clutter height are considered along the whole profile except over a specific distance around the sites (clearance), where Atoll bases its calculations only on the DTM.

12. Click the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can specify how the line-of-sight areas will be displayed on the map. You can select one of the following display options: •

One area per site: Select this option to display a line-of-sight area for each site and then define the colour the lineof-sight areas will be displayed in: • •

Automatic colour: If you select this option, Atoll will automatically assign a different colour to each line-ofsight area, and you will be able to distinguish the line-of-sight areas for each site. Unique colour: If you select this option, selecting a colour from the palette, Atoll will display all line-of-sight areas in the same colour, and the resulting display will show the cumulative line-of-sight areas.

Set the transparency of the displayed line-of-sight area, by moving the slider. •

Overlapping: Select this option to display the line-of-sight areas with coverage from the defined number of sites: • • •

Areas covered by at least 2 sites: Select this check box if you want Atoll to display all areas covered by at least 2 sites in the colour selected from the palette. Areas covered by at least 3 sites: Select this check box if you want Atoll to display all areas covered by at least 3 sites in the colour selected from the palette. Areas covered by all sites: Select this check box if you want Atoll to display all areas covered by all sites in the colour selected from the palette.

13. Select the Add to legend check box to add the options defined on the Display tab to the Legend. For information on the Legend window, see "Displaying the Map Legend" on page 42.

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14. Click OK. The Event Viewer appears. 15. Click Close when Task ’Line of sight area’ End is shown in the Event Viewer. Atoll displays the results on the map. To delete the line-of-sight areas: 1. Right-click the Sites folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Visibility > Delete line of sight areas from the context menu.

5.3 Creating Links In Atoll, you can manage microwave links as well as other transmission links such as leased lines or optical fibres. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

"Creating Microwave Links" on page 197. "Creating Other Transmission Links" on page 206. "Modifying Sites and Links Directly on the Map" on page 207. "Displaying Tips for Sites and Links" on page 208. "Creating Passive Repeaters" on page 208 "Creating Passive Repeaters" on page 208. "Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document" on page 212.

5.3.1 Creating Microwave Links A microwave link, in Atoll, is a point-to-point fixed radio frequency link operating in either simplex or in duplex mode. Duplex operation means that each radio frequency channel consists of a pair of frequencies, one for transmission and one for reception. The baseband signal, containing the user data, occupies a limited bandwidth depending on the modulation scheme used. This baseband signal is modulated onto a radio frequency carrier at the transmission end, and is transmitted over the air as an electromagnetic wavefront. Microwave radio links are designed to operate between 300 MHz and 90 GHz. A microwave link comprises two transmission/reception ends with antennas, transceiver radios, etc., installed at both. Atoll enables you to create new microwave links by basing them on templates or by setting all the parameters for each new microwave link. In addition, you can manage the microwave link activity status globally or individually. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • •

"Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. "Creating a Microwave Radio Link on the Map" on page 202 "Creating Microwave Radio Links On Existing Sites" on page 203 "Modifying a Microwave Radio Link" on page 203 "Defining Power Settings" on page 203 "Defining Port Parameters" on page 204

5.3.1.1 Microwave Link Properties The parameters of a microwave link can be found in the microwave link’s Properties dialog box: The General Tab The General tab provides general information about the microwave link, including site information and the frequency band. • •

Name: The name of the microwave link. Under Site A: you can set the name of the site defining one extremity of the link. If the extremity of the microwave link is not located exactly on the site, you can modify its position under Antenna position: • •

•

Relative to site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna position as offsets with respect to the site location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively. Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.

Under Site B: you can set the name of the site defining the other extremity of the link. If the extremity of the microwave link is not located exactly on the site, you can modify its position under Antenna Position: • •

Relative to Site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna positions as offsets with respect to the site location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively. Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.

In Atoll, "A" is the site of departure and "B" is the site of arrival. • •

Frequency band: The working frequency band of the microwave link. Length: The calculated length.

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•

Under Passive repeaters: you can select any repeaters on the microwave link: • •

• •


Repeater P: The name of a passive repeater on the microwave link. Repeater Q: The name of a second passive repeater on the microwave link.

Active: The microwave link activity status. Only active microwave links are considered in reliability and interference analysis. Comments: Any comment about the microwave link.

The Radio Tab The Radio tab allows you to configure the radio equipment for the microwave link. •

•

A>>B and A<>B: transmission from Site A to Site B, A<
• • • • • • • • •

Model: The antenna model. By default, Atoll lists antennas that operate in the frequency band defined for the microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the antenna model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes ( ). In this case, Atoll proposes in the list antennas compatible with the selected equipment as defined in the Antenna/Equipment Compatibility table. Height/ground: The antenna height with respect to the ground (in metres). Polarisation: The polarisation of the antenna to be used. This parameter helps Atoll determine which antenna pattern diagrams to use for calculations. Azimuth: The calculated azimuth of the antenna is displayed. Misalignment (az.): The azimuth with respect to the direct ray between the both extremities. Tilt: The calculated tilt of the antenna is displayed. Misalignment (tilt): The tilt with respect to the direct ray between the both extremities. Use a radome: Select the Use a radome check box if there is a radome protecting the antenna. Losses: If the Use a radome check box is selected, Atoll displays the radome losses.

Under Radios, you can define radio related parameters for the both sites of the microwave link: •

Model: You can select a reference radio. By default, Atoll lists radios that operate in the frequency band defined for the microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the antenna model box. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes ( ). In this case, Atoll proposes in the list radios compatible with the selected antenna as defined in the Antenna/Radio Compatibility table. You can also use an assistant to select a suitable reference radio. Clicking the wand button ( ) beside the Model text box opens the Radio Selection Assistant dialog box. By default, the assistant lists all radios that operate in the frequency band of the microwave link. You can apply additional filters according to the radios series, the manufacturer, the adaptive modulation support, the operation mode, the technology, the capacity, the channel bandwidth or the modulation. Atoll lists the radios that match the defined criteria. Select a radio from the Available radio equipment list and click OK to apply the selected radio equipment to the microwave link. The Modulations and the Capacity text boxes are automatically defined from the properties of the radio.

•

Modulations: You can change the modulation from the Modulations list. The list presents all modulations which are available for the operation mode of the selected reference radio and compatible with its channel bandwidth (i.e., 128QAM, 16QAM, and C-QPSK in the example). Depending on the operation mode of the selected reference radio, you can define one or more modulations. If it does not support adaptive modulation, select a modulation from the list. If it supports adaptive modulation, the microwave link can switch from one modulation to another one and then, select the supported modulations. Changing the modulation automatically changes the selected reference radio and the capacity. You can display all modulations compatible with the channel bandwidth of the selected reference radio without any additional filter according to its operation mode by changing the Available Modulation option in the General tab of the Links Properties dialog box. For more information, see "Global Parameters" on page 171.

•

• •

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Capacity/Technology: Select the capacity from the list. The list only offers capacities that can be provided for the channel bandwidth of the selected reference radio (i.e., 75*2, 46*2 and 18*2 in this example). Changing the capacity automatically changes the selected reference radio and the modulation. Transmission Powers: You can read the Coordinated power and the Nominal power. Power Settings: Click the Power Settings button to define the radio power type to be considered and configure RTPC and ATPC. These parameters are then used to calculate the Coordinated power and the Nominal power.


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For further information on power settings, see "Defining Power Settings" on page 203. •

Under Branching, you can define the following parameters: •

Configuration: Select a branching type. Only the branching types supported by the radio series of the radio and the defined frequency band are available in the list. When you change the branching type, the port settings are automatically reset.

• • • •

Diversity antenna: Select the diversity antenna model when the configuration supports space diversity. Separation: The distance between the main and the diversity antennas when space diversity is used on the site. Radome: Select the Radome check box if there is a radome protecting the diversity antenna. Atoll displays the radome losses beside the check box.

Under Frequencies, you can define the following parameters: •

• • • •

Sub-Band: The frequency sub-band. By default, Atoll lists all frequency sub-bands, whose the frequency spacing exceeds the channel bandwidth of the selected radio. If you want, you can remove this filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the frequency sub-band field. The appearance of the button changes ( ) and Atoll displays all frequency sub-bands available for the microwave link frequency band in the list. Frequency: The frequency on which the signal is transmitted. This value is used when no sub-band is defined. By default, it equals the central frequency of the frequency band. Half-band: Define which half-band (either the upper or the lower half-band) is assigned to the site. Channels: The channel(s) allocated to the site. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets. Channel(s) can be selected only after choosing a frequency sub-band. Port Settings: Click the Port Settings button to configure channel(s) in detail. The Ports Definition dialog box appears. You can configure the channels, transmission and reception port numbers, values for transmission and reception attenuation, the polarisation and the channel port status. The number of ports you can define depends on the selected configuration and cannot exceed n+m (where "n" is the number of channels in normal use and "m" is the number of channels available as standby channels). For further information on port settings, see "Defining Port Parameters" on page 204. Port settings have to be defined if you use cross-polarisation interference canceller, hot standby or frequency diversity configurations. For other configurations, port settings is not mandatory; you can define either the frequency or the sub-band and channels.

The Connections Tab The Connections tab allows you to configure the feeders and to specify the corresponding connection losses. •

Under Feeders, you can select up to two feeders. For each of them, you can define if it is used either for transmission or reception only, or for both transmission and reception directions and select the feeder model. By default, Atoll lists feeders that operate in the frequency band defined for the microwave link. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button ( ) beside the antenna model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes ( ). In this case, Atoll proposes feeders that are compatible with the selected antenna and radio as defined in the Antenna/Feeder Compatibility and Antenna/Feeder Compatibility tables. You can also enter the length of each feeder. Atoll displays the attenuation. Under Connection Losses, you can define additional losses to be taken into account on transmission, reception, or on both transmission and reception. You can also add a Shielding Factor that is taken into consideration when calculating the interference received by the sites of the microwave link. Signal levels received from interferers are attenuated by the shielding factor. You can change the way Atoll considers the shielding factor in calculations by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. When this option is active, both transmitted and received signals are attenuated by the shielding factor. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

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The Geoclimatic Tab The Geoclimatic tab allows you to configure the parameters for calculating weather and climatic factors that affect the microwave link. The different geoclimatic parameters are described below: •

Common Parameters: Under Common Parameters, you can define the parameters common to all calculation methods. •

Temperature: Set the average temperature of the zone in which the microwave link operates. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Temperature text box opens a dialog box where you can select the temperature based on Rec. ITU-R P.1510-0, ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the temperature set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113.

•

Refractivity gradient: Under Refractivity gradient, you can set the following parameters: •

In normal conditions: Set the refractivity gradient observed 50% of time in N-units per km. Clicking the button ( ) beside the In normal conditions text box opens a dialog box where you can select the method to estimate the refractivity gradient under normal conditions. The refractivity gradient can be calculated from Rec. ITU-R P.453-9, using a user-defined reference altitude, or the refractivity gradient can be based on data given by Rec. ITU-R P.453-9 for less than 65 m. and a percentage of the year that N is not exceeded (50% is set by default), or the refractivity gradient can be set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. The k factor median value, calculated using the set parameters, is displayed.

•

In sub-refraction conditions: Set the refractivity gradient observed 99% of time in N-units per km. Clicking the button ( ) beside the In sub-refraction conditions text box automatically calculates the refractivity gradient under sub-refraction conditions. The k factor effective value, calculated using the set parameters, is displayed.

•

Location: Under Location, you can define the following parameters: •

•

•

mate". Clicking the button ( ) beside the For Tropospheric losses and interference (Rec. ITU-R P.617) text box opens a dialog box where you can select the zone based on Rec. ITU-R P.617-3. Rainfall Rate: Under Rainfall Rate, you can define the conditions under which the microwave operates. •

•

For converting month/year (Rec. ITU-R P.841): Select the climatic zone used to convert annual statistics into worst-month statistics. You can choose between "Global", "Europe North West", "Europe Mediterranean", "Europe Nordic", "Europe Alpine", "Poland", "Russian Federation", "Congo", "Canada (Prairie and North)", "Canada (Coast and Great Lakes)", "Canada (Central and Montains)", "Indonesia" and "Japan". For Tropospheric losses and interference (Rec. ITU-R P.617): Select the climatic zone considered in tropospheric scattering attenuation and interference calculations. You can choose between "Maritim Climate", "Equatorial Climate", "Tropical Climate", "Wet Tropical Climate", "Desert Climate", "Continental Climate" and "Oceanic Cli-

Value exceeded during 0.01% of the average year (Rec. ITU-R P.530): Set the rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of the average year (or, in other words, an amount of rainfall almost never observed). This information is used only when

working with Rec. ITU-R P.530 as availability calculation method. Click the button ( ) beside the Value exceeded during 0.01% of the average year (Rec. ITU-R P.530) text box to specify whether the value is based on Rec. ITU-R P.837-4, Rec. ITU-R P.837-5 and Rec. ITU-R P.837-6, or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. • Rain zone (Crane method): Select the rain zone in which the microwave link operates. This information is used only when working with Crane as availability calculation method. You can select the following rain zones: "A", "B", "B1", "B2", "C", "D1", "D2", "D3", "E", "F", "G" and "H". Atmospheric Conditions (Rec. ITU-R P.530): Under Atmospheric Conditions (Rec. ITU-R P.530), you can define the conditions under which the microwave operates. These parameters are used by ITU-R P.530 to calculate the quality of the microwave link. •

Water vapour density: Set the water vapour density in grams per cubic metre. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Water vapour density text box opens a dialog box where you can select the water vapour density based on Rec. ITU-R P.836-3 (and select the percentage of the average year where the defined water vapour density is exceeded), or based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the water vapour density set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. The dialog box also displays the water vapour pressure in hectopascals (hPa) calculated using your data and based on Rec. ITU-R P.453-9.

•

Atmospheric pressure: Set the atmospheric pressure in hectopascal (hPa). Click the button ( ) beside the Atmospheric pressure box to specify whether the atmospheric pressure is based on Rec. ITU-R P.835-3 (and select a season), or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. Relative humidity: The Relative humidity displayed is calculated using the defined water vapour density. Rain height (0°C/32°F Isotherm): You can enter the Rain height (0°C/32°F Isotherm) in metres. The rain height is

• •

the height of the top of the rain column above mean sea level from the 0°C isotherm. Click the button (

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) beside


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•

the Rain height box to specify whether the value is based on Rec. ITU-R P.839-3, or the value set in the geoclimatic file. For more information on the geoclimatic file, see "Geoclimatic Maps" on page 113. Geoclimatic factor: The parameters under Geoclimatic factor are used to calculate the quality of the microwave link and are broken down by calculation method. You can set the following parameters: •

•

ITU-R P.530-5, -8: Under ITU-R P.530-5, -8, you can select the Environment. You can choose between "Open areas" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest antenna in the microwave link is lower than 700 m; "Mountains" for terrestrial microwave links where the height of the lowest antenna in the microwave link is higher than 700 m; "Lakes" for microwave links over an expanse of water; or "Overwater" for microwave links over an extended expanse of water. Finally, you can define the PL factor. PL is the percent of time the relative refractivity gradient is less than -100 N⁄Km. The PL factor can be found on the ITU-R maps. Rec. ITU-R P.530: Under ITU-R P.530, you can define the K factor. K models geoclimatic and terrain effects on climate. Clicking the button ( ) beside the K box opens a dialog box where you can select the K factor based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-5 or Rec. ITU-R P. 530-8 (and select a terrain type and enter a value for C0 and for the percentage of time the refractivity gradient (< 100 m.) is less than -100 N-units⁄km for the worst average month) or based on Rec. ITU-R P. 530-10 and above (and select the simplified method where you also define the refractivity gradient (< 65 m.) not exceeded during 1% of the average year or select the method with terrain roughness taken into account where you define the refractivity gradient and the terrain roughness).

•

Vigants-Barnett: Parameters available under Vigants-Barnett are used with Vigants-Barnett method only. •

•

Climate zone: Select the climatic zone that best describes the climate in which the microwave link operates. You can choose between "Warm and Humid", "Temperate", "Dry", "Great Lakes Areas", "Gulf Coasts", "Hawaii-Caribbean", "Alaska Coasts", and "Alaska Inland". Terrain type: Select to consider terrain roughness of the link in the Terrain-climate factor C calculation or the terrain type that best describes the terrain in which the microwave link operates. You can choose between "Flat Terrain", "Average Terrain", "Great Lakes", "Gulf Coasts", "Islands", "Alaska Mountain", or "Tundra Zones". Changing the terrain type automatically updates the climate zone and vice-versa.

•

Terrain-climate factor C: The propagation condition factor for the Vigants-Barnett method. You can define the value or let Atoll calculate the Terrain-climate factor C value based on the defined Climate zone and Terrain type. When mode is selected as Terrain type, Atoll calculates the Terrain-climate factor C based on the terrain roughness of the link which depends on its profile. Clicking the button ( ) beside the Terrainclimate factor C box opens a dialog box to specify whether the value is based on the roughness of the selected terrain type or on a user-defined roughness value. By default, only the ground altitude is used to evaluate terrain roughness. You can configure Atoll to consider both the ground altitude and the clutter height in roughness calculation by editing the Atoll.ini configuration file. For more information about editing the configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.

•

K.Q. method: Under K.Q. method, you can define K.Q. for the K.Q method. K models geoclimatic and terrain effects on climate while Q is the factor for variables other than those dependent on distance and frequency.

The Performance tab The Performance tab allows you to configure quality and availability objectives, BER and reliability parameters for the microwave link. •

Link class: Under Link class, you can select the TDM and IP link classes. Each link class can have different performance objectives. By assigning link classes to microwave links, you are assigning the target parameters and usage limitations of the link class to the selected microwave links. For information on creating a link class, see "Defining Link Classes" on page 272. Click the Browse button (

) to open the Properties dialog box for the selected link class.

The Quality Objectives and Availability Objectives tabs provide tables where you can view the selected performance objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG, IPER) for the specified link class. For SESR, ESR, and BBER parameters, Atoll displays the outage rate, the annual and monthly outage duration as well as the non-outage percentage. •

Bit error rate: Under Bit error rate, you can set the values for BER 1 and BER 2. Atoll displays the resulting sensitivity for each BER. If the value for BER that you enter is not defined in the properties of the equipment, Atoll will interpolate to determine the corresponding sensitivity.

•

Reliability: Under Reliability, you can set the Mean time to repair (MTTR) in hour. The MTTR is taken into account when calculating unavailability due to failures if the microwave link is not equipped with a hot standby channel system.

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The Propagation Tab The Propagation tab allows you to define propagation-related parameters: •

•

Useful signal: Under Useful signal, you can select the propagation model that will be used to calculate the useful signal. From this parameter, Atoll evaluates the margin which is then considered for calculating the quality and the availability of the microwave link. Interfering signal: Under Model used for the interfering signal, you can select the propagation model that will be used to calculate signal level received from interfering sites.

The Display Tab The Display tab allows you to define the appearance of the microwave link and the link extremities: • • • • •

Main colour and Secondary colour: These settings allow you to specify colors for the current link. Style: This specifies the width of the line. Show direction: Select this option to display an arrow that indicates the direction from site A to site B. Sites symbol and Repeaters symbol: Select the symbol for the site. Display name with style: Select this option to specify a font and style for the text that indicates the name of the site.

5.3.1.2 Creating a Microwave Radio Link on the Map You can create microwave links freely on the map. The created microwave link is based on a microwave link template and can be edited later. This allows you to build your network quickly with consistent parameters, instead of building the network by first creating the microwave link and then defining all of the relevant parameters. For more information on the microwave link template, see "Defining Microwave Link Templates" on page 277. You can a microwave link in the following ways: • •

By allowing Atoll to automatically select the microwave link template based on a set of design rules. For more information about design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. By manually selecting the microwave link template before you create the link.

To create a microwave link directly on the map between new or existing sites using a microwave link template: 1. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, select a microwave link template from the list or select to automatically apply the template specified by the design rules. 2. Click the arrow next to New Link button (

) on the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

3. Select MW Using The Mouse On The Map from the menu. The pointer changes (

).

The sites that define the extremities of a microwave link can be already existing sites or Atoll can create new sites automatically at the location you click on the map. Each site in Atoll can support several transmission links, transmitters, and passive repeaters. 4. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place one end of the new microwave link and click. The pointer now changes (

).

If you click on an existing site, Atoll will use the site as one extremity; otherwise, Atoll will create a site where you click. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are displayed in the Status bar. 5. Move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place the other extremity of the microwave link and click to place it. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location as well as length of the link are visible in the Status bar. A tooltip also displays the length of the link and the suggested frequency band based on the design rules. 6. If you selected in the microwave link template selection list and multiple templates are available for the design rule criteria of the new link, a popup list allows you to select among the available templates. To place the microwave link more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the New Link button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on page 43.

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5.3.1.3 Creating Microwave Radio Links On Existing Sites You can create microwave links by specifying the Site A and Site B. To create a microwave link on two existing sites using a microwave link template: 1. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, select a microwave link template from the list or select to automatically apply the template specified by the design rules. 2. Click the arrow next to New Link button (

) on the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

3. Select MW Between Sites from the menu. The Link Creation dialog box appears. 4. In the Link Creation dialog box, define the following parameters: • • •

Model: the microwave link template you want to use in order to create the microwave link. Site A: the name of the site defining one extremity of the microwave link. Site B: the name of the site defining the other extremity of the microwave link.

5. Click OK. By default, Atoll names the newly created microwave links in the following manner: SiteX – SiteY, where SiteX is the name of the start site (existing or newly created) and SiteY is the name of the end site (existing or newly created). Alternatively, you can create the microwave radio link In the Network explorer by rightclicking the Microwave Links folder and selecting New from the context menu and specifying the link properties as described in "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197.

5.3.1.4 Modifying a Microwave Radio Link You can access the properties of a microwave link, described in "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197, through the microwave link’s Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new microwave link or modifying an existing microwave link. To modify a microwave link: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, the Microwave Links folder, and right-click the microwave link that you want to modify, and select Properties from the context menu. If the microwave links are organised in sub-folders, you must first xpand the sub-folder. The microwave link Properties dialog box appears. 2. Modify the parameters described in "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. 3. Click OK.

5.3.1.5 Defining Power Settings You can configure power settings for each individual microwave link and view the output powers asociated with each modulation state. To define power settings for a single microwave link: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window, expand the Links or Microwave Radio Links folder, and expand the Microwave Links folder. 2. Right-click the microwave link whose power settings you want to define. If the microwave links are organised in subfolders, first expand the sub-folder before right-clicking the microwave link. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Select the Radio tab. 5. Under Radios, click the Power Settings button. The Power dialog box appears. 6. Define the following parameters for the A>>B direction: •

• •

Power type: you can either select the ODU configuration (Low power, Standard power, High power) of the radio, and Atoll considers the maximum output power defined for the selected reference radio, or you can choose Constant power, and enter the output power value in dBm. This last option allows you to consider the same output power for all supported modulations when using adaptive modulation. RTPC (dB): The tuning value in dB if you do not want to transmit at the maximum power. Define the value if you have previously selected either Low power, or Standard power, or High power. ATPC (dB): The power reserve used to increase the transmitted signal when it is attenuated. The value cannot exceed the Max ATPC value of the reference radio. The way Atoll considers ATPC depends on the standard (ETSI or ANSI) defined for the radio series. With ETSI mode, ATPC value is considered for the reference modulation only. With ANSI mode, it is used for all selected modulations.

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ANSI mode can be managed as ETSI mode, i.e., ATPC value can be considered for the reference modulation only, by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. For each selected modulation, Atoll displays the following information: • •

• •

•

Reference power (dBm): The output power of the radio for the selected power type. Maximum power (dBm): The maximum output power when adaptive modulation is active. The value depends on the standard (ETSI or ANSI) defined for the radio series. With ANSI mode, the maximum power corresponds to the reference power associated with the modulation state. In this case, the maximum power values can be different from one modulation to another. With ETSI mode, the maximum power corresponds to the reference power of the reference modulation. Nominal power (dBm): The output power after tuning. It is equal to the maximum power minus the RTPC value. Coordinated power (dBm): The output power when RTPC and ATPC are considered. It is equal to the maximum power minus RTPC and ATPC. The value cannot be lower than the minimum output power supported by the radio. Power control can be modelled by considering either the nominal power or the coordinated power in quality and availability calculations. For information on taking power control into consideration, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Average reception threshold (dBm): The average receiver signal level to switch from N-modulation state to N+1modulation state and vice-versa. This threshold is considered to calculate the microwave link quality and availability when adaptive modulation is supported. This parameter is calculated from the ACM step up and ACM step down values of the radio.

Values highlighted in red correspond to the reference modulation, i.e., the modulation of the reference radio. 7. After defining the configuration for one direction, click the Initialise Symmetrically button to define the opposite direction. 8. Click OK. The Power dialog box closes. 9. Click OK. You can configure power settings for all microwave links. To define power settings for all microwave links: 1. Select the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links or Microwave Radio Links folder, right-click the Microwave Links folder, and select Open table > Links - Standard Parameters from the context menu. The Microwave Radio Links table opens. 2. Define the following parameters: • • • •

Power Type A/B: The ODU configuration of the radio. Set the value to 0 for High power, to 1 for Standard power, to 2 for Low power, and to 3 if you want to define a Constant power. Reference Power A/B (dBm): The output power of the radio for the selected power type. RTPC A/B (dB): The tuning value in dB if you do not want to transmit at maximum power. Define the value if you have previously selected either Low power, or Standard power, or High power. Otherwise, leave the field empty. ATPC A/B (dB): The power reserve used to increase the transmitted signal when it is attenuated. The value cannot exceed the Max ATPC value of the reference radio. Power control can be modelled by considering either the nominal power or the coordinated power in quality and availability calculations. For information on taking power control into consideration, see "Global Parameters" on page 171.

5.3.1.6 Defining Port Parameters In Atoll, ports are used to configure channel(s) in detail. They have to be defined if you use cross-polarisation interference canceller, hot standby or frequency diversity configurations. For other configurations, port settings are not mandatory; you can define either a frequency or the channels used. You can configure port parameters for an individual microwave link or for all microwave links. To define port parameters for a single microwave link: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window, expand the Links or Microwave Radio Links folder, and expand the Microwave Links folder. 2. Right-click the microwave link whose port parameters you want to define. If the microwave links are organised in subfolders, first expand the sub-folder before right-clicking the microwave link. 3. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 4. Select the Radio tab. 5. Under Frequencies, select a Sub-Band for the Site A of the microwave link. 6. Click Apply. The Port Parameter Settings button becomes active. 7. From the Half-band list, select the half-band used on Site A. 8. Click the Port Parameter Settings button. The Ports Definition dialog box appears.

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9. Define the following parameters for each channel transmitted in one direction: • • • • • • •

Channel: The channel name. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets. Tx port: The port number for the transmitting equipment. The number must be 1 or greater. Rx port: The port number for the receiving equipment. The number must be 1 or greater. Transmission Attenuation: The transmission attenuation in dB. Reception Attenuation: The reception attenuation in dB. Polarisation: The signal polarisation. Status: Either select "Main" if the channel is active (channel "n"), "Standby" for a standby channel (channel "m"), "Diversity" if it is used for frequency diversity, or "Diversity-Standby" if it used as standby diversity. In Atoll, frequency diversity can be modelled in two different ways: • •

One channel can be associated with a diversity channel that is always active. You have to create two channels with "Diversity" as status. One or several standby channels can be used to protect "n" diversity channels. In this case, you have to define n channels with "Diversity" as status and one or several standby channels with "Diversity - Standby" as status. This is referred to as multi-channel frequency diversity.

Note that the number of ports you can define depends on the branching configuration selected in the microwave link properties and cannot exceed n+m. After defining the configuration for one direction, you can define the opposite direction by clicking the Initialise Symmetrically button. In interference calculations, any channel, whether its status is main, standby, diversity or diversity-standby, is considered as a potentially interfered channel and a potentially interfering channel. You can change the way Atoll takes standby and diversity-standby channels into consideration when calculating interference by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. When this option is active, standby and diversity-standby channels are considered as potentially interfered channels but they are not interfering other channels. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. 10. Click OK. The Ports Definition dialog box closes. 11. Click OK. To define port parameters for all microwave links: 1. Select the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links or Microwave Radio Links folder, right-click the Microwave Links folder, and select Open table > Ports from the context menu. The table opens. Define the following parameters: • • • • • • • • •

Link: The name of the microwave link. Way: The link direction (AB or BA). Channel: The channel name. The corresponding frequency is indicated in brackets. Tx port: The port number for the transmitting equipment. The number must be 1 or greater. Rx port: The port number for the receiving equipment. The number must be 1 or greater. Transmission Attenuation: The transmission attenuation in dB. Reception Attenuation: The reception losses attenuation in dB. Polarisation: The signal polarisation. Status: Either select "Main" if the channel is active (channel "n"), "Standby" for a standby channel (channel "m"), "Diversity" if it is used for frequency diversity or "Diversity-Standby" if it used as standby diversity. In Atoll, frequency diversity can be modelled in two different ways: • •

One channel can be associated with a diversity channel that is always active. You have to create two channels with "Diversity" as status. One or several standby channels can be used to protect "n" diversity channels. In this case, you have to define n channels with "Diversity" as status and one or several standby channels with "Diversity - Standby" as status. This is referred to as multi-channel frequency diversity.

In interference calculations, any channel, whether its status is main, standby, diversity or diversity-standby, is considered as a potentially interfered channel and a potentially interfering channel. You can change the way Atoll takes standby and diversity-standby channels into consideration when calculating interference by setting an option in the Atoll.ini file. When this option is active, standby and diversity-standby channels are considered as potentially interfered channels but they are not interfering other channels. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

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5.3.2 Creating Other Transmission Links Atoll enables you to manage other transmission links such as leased lines or optical fibres. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Other Transmission Link Properties" on page 206. "Creating Other Transmission Links on the Map" on page 206 "Modifying Other Transmission Links" on page 207.

5.3.2.1 Other Transmission Link Properties The parameters of an Other Transmission Link can be found in its Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has three tabs: •

The General tab (see Figure 5.4): • • • • •

Name: The name of the link. Support type: The type of transmission link (e.g., a leased line, an optical fibre, etc.). For information on creating a transmission link type, see "Defining Transmission Link Types" on page 279. Site A: The name of the site defining one extremity of the link. Site B: The name of the site defining the other extremity of the link. Active: The link activity status. Only active links are considered in reliability analysis.

Figure 5.4: Other Transmission Link’s Properties dialog box - General tab •

The Performance tab: On the Performance tab, you can select the TDM link class. Each link class can have different performance objectives. By assigning link classes to other transmission links, you set the target parameters and usage limitations of the link class to the selected other transmission link. For information on creating a link class, see "Defining Link Classes" on page 272. Click the Browse button (

) to open the Properties dialog box of the selected link class.

The Quality Objectives and Availability Objectives tabs provide tables where you can view the selected performance objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG) for the specified link class. For SESR, ESR, and BBER parameters, Atoll displays the outage rate, the annual and monthly outage duration as well as the non-outage percentage. •

The Display tab: On the Display tab, you can define the appearance of the link.

5.3.2.2 Creating Other Transmission Links on the Map You can create other transmission links directly on the map between new or existing sites. To create an Other Transmission Link directly on the map between new or existing sites: 1. Click the arrow next to New Link button (

) on the Microwave Link Planning toolbar. The menu appears.

2. Select Other Link With Mouse On The Map. The pointer changes to (

).

3. The sites that define the extremities of an Other Transmission Link can be already existing sites or Atoll can create new sites automatically at the location you click on the map. Each site in Atoll can support several transmission links, transmitters, and passive repeaters. 4. In the map window, move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place one end of the new Other Transmission Link and click. The pointer now changes (

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If you click on an existing site, Atoll will use the site as one extremity; otherwise, Atoll will create a site where you click. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are visible in the Status bar. 5. Move the pointer over the map to where you would like to place the other extremity of the Other Transmission Link and click to place it. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location as well as the length of the link are visible in the Status bar. To place the link more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the New Link button. For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on page 43. Let the mouse pointer hover over the extremity that you have placed, Atoll displays tip text with the exact coordinates, which allows you to verify that the location is correct. By default, Atoll names the newly created links in the following manner: SiteX – SiteY, where SiteX is the name of the start site (existing or newly created) and SiteY is the name of the end site (existing or newly created).

5.3.2.3 Modifying Other Transmission Links The properties of an Other Transmission Link, described in "Other Transmission Link Properties" on page 206, can be accessed through its Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new Other Transmission Link or modifying an existing one. To modify an existing Other Transmission Link: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and the Other Transmission Links folder, right-click the transmission link that you want to modify, and select Properties from the context menu. The Other Transmission Link Properties dialog box appears. 2. Modify the parameters described in "Other Transmission Link Properties" on page 206. 3. Click OK.

5.3.3 Modifying Sites and Links Directly on the Map In Atoll, you can access the Properties dialog box of a site or link using the context menu on the Network tab of the explorer window. However, in a complex microwave project, it can be difficult to find the data object on the Network tab, although it might be visible in the map window. Atoll lets you access the Properties dialog box of sites and links directly from the map. If there is more than one link between the same sites or if there are two sites in close proximity, clicking them in the map window opens a context menu allowing you to select one link or site. You can also change the position of the site by dragging it, or by letting Atoll find a higher location for it. Modifying sites and links directly on the map is explained in detail in Chapter 1: Working Environment: • • • • • •

"Accessing Object Properties" on page 32 "Selecting One out of Several Links" on page 39 "Moving a Site Using the Mouse" on page 39 "Moving a Site to a Higher Location" on page 39 "Changing the Azimuth of the Antenna Using the Mouse" on page 39 "Changing the Antenna Position Relative to the Site Using the Mouse" on page 40

5.3.4 Setting Microwave and Other Transmission Links as Active Once microwave or other links are set up within a network, you can decide whether or not to activate them. Quality, availability and interference analyses and associated reports and statistics only take into account active microwave links that have not been filtered out. Active and inactive links are displayed in the Network explorer: • •

In the Microwave Links folder, active microwave links are displayed in red ( ) and inactive microwave links are displayed in grey ( ). In the Other Transmission Links folder, active links are displayed in green ( ) and inactive links are displayed in grey ( ).

You can set an individual link as active from its context menu or you can set more than one link as active by activating them from the context menu of the Microwave Links or the Other Transmission Links folder.

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To set an individual link as active: 1. In the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links and Microwave Links or Other Transmission Links folders. 2. Right-click the link that you want to activate and select Active Link from the context menu. The transmitter is now active. To set more than one microwave link as active: 1. In the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Microwave Radio Links folder. 2. Select the microwave links that you want to set as active: • •

To set all microwave links as active, right-click the Microwave Links folder and select Activate Links from the context menu. To set a group of microwave links as active, expand the Microwave Links folder, right-click the sub-folder of microwave links you want to set as active, and select Activate Links from the context menu.

The selected microwave links are set as active. To set more than one other transmission link as active: 1. In the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links folder. 2. Select the links that you want to set as active: • •

To set all other transmission links as active, right-click the Other Transmission Links folder and select Open Table from the context menu. To set a group of other transmission links as active, expand the Other Transmission Links folder, right-click the sub-folder of other transmission links you want to set as active, and select Open Table from the context menu.

The Other Transmission Links table appears with the parameters of each link in a second row. 3. For each other transmission link that you want to set as active, select the check box in the Activate column.

5.3.5 Displaying Tips for Sites and Links Atoll allows you to display information about links in a number of different ways. This enables you not only to display selected information, but also to distinguish links at a glance. The following tools can be used to display information about links: •

•

•

Label: You can display information about each object, such as each site or link, in the form of a label that is displayed with the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. The label is always displayed, so you should choose information that you would want to always be visible; too much information will lead to a cluttered display. When you create a label for a link, Atoll allows you to change the position of the label using the mouse. For information on defining the label, see "Associating a Label to an Object" on page 34. Tip text: You can display information about each object, such as each site or link, in the form of tip text that is only visible when you move the pointer over the object. You can choose to display more information than in the label, because the information is only displayed when you move the pointer over the object. You can display information from every field in that object type’s data table, including from fields that you add. For information on defining the tip text, see "Associating a Tip Text to an Object" on page 35. Link style: You can configure the line style, colour, and width of a link to emphasize information about the link. For example, you can set link colours by frequency band, line widths by bandwidth capacity, or various line styles to distinguish other link types. For information on defining the link style, see "Setting the Display Type" on page 33.

5.3.6 Creating Passive Repeaters Passive repeaters are normally used to redirect the microwave signal around an obstruction. Passive repeaters divide the radio path into two branches, each traversing different type terrain, normally having different lengths and different inclinations. This implies different propagation conditions for these two branches concerning fading, distortions and rain etc. Due to this property of passive repeaters they are also referred to as "beam benders". Passive repeaters have the following advantages over active sites: • • • • •

No power is required No regular road access is required No equipment housing is needed They are environmentally friendly Little or no maintenance is required.

These advantages mean that passive repeaters can be placed in relatively inaccessible areas.

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There are three main types of passive repeaters. The first type is where two antennas are placed back to back connected by a short feeder cable; these are called back-to-back antenna passive repeaters. The second type is a plane reflector type passive repeater where a flat metal reflector is used to redirect the signal; these are often called passive reflectors or plane reflectors. The third type is where the urban environment such as the building frontage is used to redirect the signal; these are called building passive repeaters. Atoll can model these types of passive repeaters and provide you with access to all the relevant parameters. The following sections explain how Atoll models passive repeaters. In Atoll, a "repeater" is always a "passive repeater." This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Definition of a Passive Repeater" on page 209. "Opening the Passive Repeaters Table" on page 210 "Creating or Modifying a Passive Repeater" on page 210 "Placing a Passive Microwave Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse" on page 210 "Adding a Passive Repeater to a Microwave Link" on page 211

5.3.6.1 Definition of a Passive Repeater The parameters of a passive repeater can be found in the repeater’s Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has four tabs: •

The General tab: • • •

Name: The name of the repeater. By default, repeaters are named "RepeaterN" where "N" is a number assigned as the repeater is created. You can change the Site the repeater is located on by selecting it from the Site list. Under Antenna Position, you can define the position of the passive repeater, if it is not located on the site itself: • •

• •

Type: From the Type list, you can select whether the passive repeater is a "Building" or "Panel Reflector" or "Backto-Back Antennas".

The Panel Reflector tab. The Panel Reflector tab is active if you have selected "Panel Reflector" as Type in the General tab. • Surface: The surface area of the repeater. • Gain at 45°: Click the Gain at 45° button to know the maximum gain of the repeater calculated for the defined Frequency band, Surface and an azimuth of 45°. • Height: The reflector height. •

Azimuth: The azimuth towards the site of transmission. You can click the Calculate button ( calculate azimuth and tilt angles.

•

Tilt: The tilt angle towards the site of transmission. You can click the Calculate button ( culate azimuth and tilt angles. The Symbol of the repeater.

• •

Relative to Site: Select this option if you want to enter the antenna positions as offsets with respect to the site location, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis offsets, Dx and Dy, respectively. Coordinates: Select this option if you want to enter the coordinates of the antenna, and then enter the x-axis and y-axis coordinates of the antenna, X and Y, respectively.

) to automatically

) to automatically cal-

The Back-to-Back Antennas tab. The Back-to-Back Antennas tab is active if you have selected "Back-to-Back Antennas" as Type in the General tab. • •

Frequency Band: The operating frequency band of the passive repeater. Under Antenna1, define the following: • Model: The model of the antenna. By default, Atoll lists antennas that operate in the defined frequency band. • Height: The antenna height. • Azimuth: The azimuth towards the site of transmission. • Tilt: The tilt angle towards the site of transmission. You can click the Calculate button (

) to automatically calculate azimuth and tilt angles of both antennas.

•

Under Antenna2, define the following: • Cross polarisation: Select the Cross polarisation check box for antennas with crossed polarisation. • Model: The model of the antenna. By default, Atoll lists antennas that operate in the defined frequency band. • Height: The antenna height. • Azimuth: The azimuth towards the site of transmission. • Tilt: The tilt angle towards the site of transmission.

•

Under Feeder, you can choose the Feeder and define the Length. By default, Atoll lists feeders that operate in the frequency band defined for the passive repeater. If you want, you can apply an additional filter by clicking the button (

) beside the model field. When the filter is active, the appearance of the button changes (

). Atoll

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• •


now lists feeders compatible with the selected antennas as defined in the Antenna-Feeder Compatibility table. The Attenuation is calculated and displayed. Under Display, you can change the Symbol of the repeater.

The Building tab. The Building tab is active if you have selected "Building" as Type in the General tab. • Frontage: The material of the facade where the repeater is installed. For information on creating other frontage types, see "Defining Frontages" on page 276. • Surface: The surface area of the facade. It depends on the building length and on the height which is read in the clutter height file. If not found, Atoll considers that the building height is equivalent to the length. • Gain at 45°: Click the Gain at 45° button to know the maximum gain of the building repeater calculated for the defined Frequency band, Frontage, Surface and an azimuth of 45°. • Height: The repeater height. • Azimuth: The azimuth towards the site of transmission. • Under Display, define the Size and the Colour of the building repeater symbol which is a line.

5.3.6.2 Opening the Passive Repeaters Table Passive repeaters and their defining parameters are stored in the Passive Repeaters table. To open the Passive Repeaters table: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) of the Links folder to expand the folder. 3. Right-click the Repeaters folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Passive Repeaters table appears.

5.3.6.3 Creating or Modifying a Passive Repeater You can modify an existing passive repeater or create a new passive repeater. You can access the properties of a passive repeater, described in "Definition of a Passive Repeater" on page 209, through the passive repeater’s Properties dialog box. How you access the Properties dialog box depends on whether you are creating a new passive repeater or modifying an existing passive repeater. To create a passive repeater: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) of the Links folder to expand the folder. 3. Right-click the Repeaters folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select New from the context menu. The Repeaters: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 5. Modify the parameters described in "Definition of a Passive Repeater" on page 209. 6. Click OK. To modify a passive repeater: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) of the Links folder to expand the folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) of the Repeaters folder to expand the folder. 4. Right-click the repeater you want to modify. If the repeaters are organised in folders, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the folder then right-click the desired repeater. 5. Select Properties from the context menu. The repeater’s Properties dialog box appears. 6. Modify the parameters described in "Definition of a Passive Repeater" on page 209. 7. Click OK.

5.3.6.4 Placing a Passive Microwave Repeater on the Map Using the Mouse In Atoll, you can create passive repeaters and place them using the mouse. When you create a passive microwave repeater, you can add it to an existing site, or have Atoll automatically create a new site. Atoll can model three types of passive repeaters: panel reflectors, back-to-back antennas and buildings. Building vectors must be available in the ATL document before you

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create building type repeaters. For information on importing building vectors or creating building vectors, see "Importing Vector Format Geo Data Files" on page 102 and "Vector Objects" on page 53. To create a panel reflector or a back-to-back antennas repeater and place it using the mouse: 1. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, click the arrow next to New Repeater button ( Planning toolbar.

) on the Microwave Link

2. Select Panel Reflector or Back-to-Back Antennas from the menu according to the type of passive repeater you want to create. 3. Click the map to place the repeater. To create a building repeater and place it using the mouse: 1. In the map window, select the building that you want to use as repeater. 2. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, click the arrow next to New Repeater button ( Planning toolbar and select Building from the menu.

) on the Microwave Link

3. Click the facade building where you want to place the repeater. The repeater is placed on the map. Atoll automatically creates a new repeater in the Passive Repeaters table and a new site in the Sites table that is assigned to the newly created repeater. For information on the properties of the new microwave passive repeater, see "Definition of a Passive Repeater" on page 209.

5.3.6.5 Adding a Passive Repeater to a Microwave Link You can also insert a repeater in a microwave link. Atoll permits a maximum of 2 passive repeaters in a single microwave link. The following terms are used in Atoll for passive repeaters and related parameters: • •

Passive repeaters (maximum 2) along a microwave link are named repeater P and repeater Q. A part of the microwave link is called a "Section". A section can be: • • •

One of the directions of a bidirectional link. One of the trajectories towards a repeater (if any). For example: • • •

Unidirectional link without repeater: 1 section, Site A-Site B Bidirectional link without repeater: 2 sections, Site A-Site B and Site B-Site A Bidirectional link with 2 repeaters: 6 sections, Site A-Site P, Site P-Site Q, Site Q-Site B, Site B-Site Q, Site QSite P, Site P-Site A.

To insert a repeater in a microwave link: 1. In the map window, right-click the microwave link for which you want to insert a repeater. The context menu appears. 2. Select Insert Repeater from the context menu. 3. Click the microwave link and drag the pointer over the repeater you want to use. Release the mouse button to insert the repeater. The azimuth(s) and tilt(s) for the repeater antenna(s) are automatically calculated according to the directions of the two sections of the microwave link.

5.3.7 Checking Data Consistency You can perform an audit of the backhaul network. The audit allows you to verify the consistency and validity of some data. To perform an audit of the backhaul network: 1. Select Document > Data Audit > Microwave Link Data Check from the context menu. The Microwave Data Check dialog box appears. 2. In the Microwave Data Check dialog box, define the parameters of the audit: •

Frequency consistency: Select this check box if you want the audit to verify: • • •

Frequency band definition: The minimum frequency must be lower than the maximum frequency. Frequency sub-band definition: The frequency band must be defined, excluded channels must belong to the list of channels and at least one channel must be available. Microwave link definition: At least one direction must be selected, the frequency defined must be within the frequency band limits, the number of channels must not exceed the number of channels allowed by the selected configuration, the channels must belong to the selected frequency sub-band, the frequency band of antennas, equipment, feeders and frequency sub-band must be the same as the microwave link frequency band and, the antenna vertical and horizontal patterns must be correctly aligned at the extremities (antenna patterns are correctly aligned when the horizontal pattern attenuation at 0° is the same as the vertical pattern

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attenuation at the pattern electrical tilt angle, and when the horizontal pattern attenuation at 180° is the same as the vertical pattern attenuation at the 180° less the pattern electrical tilt angle. Pattern attenuations are considered the same if they differ less than 1 dB.) •

Undefined records: Select this check box if you want the audit to verify if there are undefined multi-hops (i.e., multi-hops with no link), undefined point to multipoint systems (i.e., point to multipoint with no link), or unused repeaters.

•

Other (XPIC, antenna separation, etc.): Select this check box if you want the audit to verify that: • •

•

The XPIF value of the radio is a non-zero value when XPIC system is used on a microwave link. Antenna separation is a non-zero value when space diversity is used on a microwave link.

List all the checks: Select this check box if you want to display all checks performed in addition to detected inconsistencies.

3. Click OK to perform the audit. Atoll displays the results of the audit in the Events Viewer.

5.3.8 Setting the Working Area of an Atoll Document When you load project data from a database, you will probably only modify the data in the region for which you are responsible. For example, a complex microwave link planning project may cover an entire region or even an entire country. You, however, might be responsible for the planning for only one city. In such a situation, doing engineering and interference predictions that calculate the entire network not only take a lot of time, they are not necessary. Consequently, you can restrict engineering and interference predictions to the sites and microwave links that you are interested in and generate only the results you need. In Atoll, there are three ways of restricting the number of sites and microwave links studied, each with its own advantages: •

Filtering the desired sites and microwave links You can simplify the selection of sites and microwave links to be studied by using a filter. You can filter sites and microwave links according to one or more fields, or you can create an advanced filter by combining several criteria in several fields. You can create a graphic filter by either using an existing vector polygon or creating a new vector polygon. For information on graphic filters, see "Filtering Zone" on page 48. This enables you to keep only the sites and microwave links with the characteristics you want to study. For information on filtering, see "Filtering Data" on page 81.

•

Setting a focus zone Drawing a focus zone allows you to select the sites and microwave links for which you want to get results and reports. When you perform a visibility report, a link budget or you study interference, Atoll will display results only for the sites and links contained in the focus zone. For information on focus zones, see "Focus Zone" on page 50.

•

Setting a computation zone You can draw a computation zone to define the sites and links to be considered in calculations and the area where Atoll calculates link budgets, link profiles, interference reports, etc. The computation zone limits the number of sites and microwave links to be calculated, which in turn reduces the time necessary for calculations. For information on computation zones, see "Computation Zone" on page 49.

You can combine a focus zone, a computation zone and a filter, in order to create a very precise selection of the sites and microwave links to be studied. The figure below shows the hierarchy between the different zones and how they should be configured.

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Figure 5.5: Zone Hierarchy

5.4 Designing and Optimising Microwave Links Atoll provides a Link Design Assistant tool, which helps you design and optimise microwave radio links by identifying problems and suggesting solutions. The tool provides guidance for improving equipment selection, link configuration, and power level characteristics. The workflow of the Link Design Assistant enables you to create successive iterations of a link design until you are satisfied with the result and no further issues are raised.

Figure 5.6: Link Design Assistant For each issue that is raised by the Link Design Assistant, one or several solutions are recommended. For each solution, a shortcut allows you to modify the corresponding link parameters. When a solution has been implemented and the problem has been solved, the tool removes the issue from the list. It is possible that a solution creates one or several new issues, which in turn appear in the list with their associated solutions. At any time, you can revert to the initial state and create a new version of the link design to try another set of changes. Link design versions are saved during the session, which allows you to compare engineering results on successive versions of the design. For example, you can run the analysis report or the profile analysis tool on two versions of a link design to determine which version provides the best global configuration. Design versions are lost when you close the Atoll document. Only the link design that is active is saved with the document.

This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Understanding Issues Raised by the Link Design Assistant" on page 214 "Specifying Link Design Parameters" on page 214 "Using the Link Design Assistant" on page 215 "Applying Solutions to Link Design Issues" on page 216

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5.4.1 Understanding Issues Raised by the Link Design Assistant When you run the Link Design Assistant on a microwave link, it raises a number of issues and indicates the values associated with the issue, for example, when a value is found to be below the specified threshold. The following issues can be identified by the tool: •

• •

Frequency band and link length are not consistent regarding design rules: This issue is raised when the length and the frequency band of the link does not comply with a design rule. If no design rule for the length of the link is found, or if the length of the link already matches the rule, this issue is not displayed. The link is not in visibility: This issue is raised if the diffraction loss exceeds a threshold specified in the link design parameters. Diffraction loss is calculated bidirectionally and the highest value is retained. The attenuation due to reflections is greater than the authorised threshold: This issue is raised if the calculated reflection loss exceeds the Maximum attenuation threshold due to reflections in the link design parameters. Reflection loss is calculated bidirectionally and the highest value is retained. Reflection losses are null if the propagation model of the link does not take consider reflection losses.

• •

•

• •

• • • • • • •

Connection losses are greater than the permitted threshold: This issue is raised when connection losses on site A or on site B exceed the Maximum connection losses per link threshold specified in the link design parameters. Received signal level doesn't match objectives in rainy conditions: This issue is raised if an RXLEV availability objective for rainy conditions exists and the calculated "Received signal in rain" value for the link does not reach the requested RXLEV value. The availability margin linked to rain does not meet the objectives: This issue is raised when the calculated "Availability margin" value does not reach the requested margin. The availability margin is calculated bidirectionally and the lowest value is retained. Availability objectives are not fulfilled: This issue is raised when the calculated SESR value does not reach the requested SESR. The SESR is calculated bidirectionally and the lowest value is retained. Received signal level doesn't match objectives in clear-air conditions: This issue is raised if an RXLEV availability objective for clear air conditions exists and the calculated "Received signal level in clear air" value for the link does not reach the requested RXLEV value. Quality thermal fade margin does not meet the objectives: This issue is raised if a MARG quality objective exists and the calculated thermal fade margin (TFM) value for the link does not reach the requested MARG value. Quality composite fade margin is too low: This issue is raised if a SESR quality objective exists and the calculated "Composite thermal fade margin" value for the link does not meet the requested composite thermal fade margin. Enhancements exceed the allowed threshold: This issue is raised if the calculated margin against enhancements (E) exceeds the Maximum margin against enhancements threshold specified in the link design parameters. Quality objectives are not fulfilled: This issue is raised if all quality objectives are not reached. Objectives linked to failures are not fulfilled: This issue is identified if the calculated outage does not reach the objective. Margin in rain is too high: This issue is raised when the availability margin is above the requested availability margin by more than the Maximum difference between margin and required margin in rain in the link design parameters. Clear Air margin is too high: This issue is raised when the availability margin is above the requested availability margin by more than the Maximum difference between margin and required margin in clear air in the link design parameters.

For each issue raised, the Link Design Assistant suggests one or several solutions, as listed in "Applying Solutions to Link Design Issues" on page 216. You are free to choose which problems you want to address, in which order, and which solutions you want to implement.

5.4.2 Specifying Link Design Parameters When the Link Design Assistant checks a link, some calculated values are checked against thresholds that are specified engineering rules and raises an issue accordingly. You can specify the corresponding threshold values in the Link Design Parameters window. To specify link design parameters: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click a microwave link, or right-click a microwave link on the map, and select Engineering > Link Design Assistant from the context menu. The MW Analysis view opens displaying the Link Design Assistant. The Link Design Assistant is not available for Point-to-Multipoint systems.

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2. In the Link Design Assistant toolbar, click the Link Design Parameters ( window opens.

)button. The Link Design Parameters

3. Specify the following thresholds that are used for detecting issues: •

Maximum difference between margin and required margin in rain: When the availability margin exceeds the requested availability margin by more than this value, then a Margin in rain is too high issue is raised. The default is 10dB.

•

Maximum difference between margin and required margin in clear air: When the availability margin exceeds the requested availability margin by more than this value, then a Margin in rain is too high issue is raised. The default is 10dB. Maximum margin against enhancements: This value determines the margin against enhancements (E) threshold that must not be exceeded. Maximum attenuation threshold due to reflections: This value determines the attenuation due to reflections threshold that must not be exceeded. Maximum connection losses per link: This value determines the connection losses threshold on site A or site B that must not be exceeded. Upper limit of radio equipment maximum ATPC: This is the maximum ATPC value of the radio equipment that can be suggested as a solution to a detected power level issue. If you do not want to implement ATPC, set the value to 0 dB.

• • • •

Clear the check box in front of any of these parameters to disable detection of the corresponding issue. 4. Click OK.

5.4.3 Using the Link Design Assistant The Link Design Assistant is used iteratively. You create a new version of a link design, optimise or modify the parameters to fix issues, ideally until no issues are listed. You can revert to the initial design at any time and create a new version of the design. This allows you to compare several designs for the same link. When all issues have been fixed, you can apply the optimal link design and save the Atoll document. To use the Link Design Assistant: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click a microwave link, or right-click a microwave link on the map, and select Engineering > Link Design Assistant from the context menu. The MW Analysis view opens, displaying the Link Design Assistant. The Link Design Assistant lists the issues it has found for the selected link. This is the initial design, which corresponds to the current link configuration. If no issues are listed, then no further action is required. 2. To start addressing the listed issues, you must create a new design. a. In the Link Design Assistant toolbar, click New Design (

). The New Design window opens.

b. If necessary, enter a comment. Click OK. The Link Design Assistant displays "Design 1". For each Issue, the Link Design Assistant displays a Values column and a Modify button. c. Click the Modify button for the solution that you want to apply. d. Correct the issue as described in "Applying Solutions to Link Design Issues" on page 216. When the recommended solution has been applied, the microwave link is modified. If the solution corrected the issue, then it is removed from the list. In some cases, the solution might generate one or several other issues, which are then displayed in the Link Design Assistant and can be corrected in the same manner. e. Repeat from step c. until all issues have been solved or until you can no longer optimise the link design. 3. If you want to try another set of solutions to solve the issues, create a new design by repeating the process described in step 2. At any time, you can run the Atoll engineering tools on the microwave to evaluate the current design. When you are satisfied with a link design, or when you can no longer optimise the link design, click the Designs button to select the best design and click OK. The selected design is applied to the microwave link. 4. At any time, you can also revert to the initial design or to a previous design by clicking the Designs button. This opens the Design List window. The Design List window displays the design history for the current link. •

To select an active design, click the Selection box for the corresponding link.

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•

•


To display the design history for all the links in the current Atoll document, click the Filter button. This displays the Revert to initial designs and Use the last designs buttons. • To revert all the links that you have modified during the current session to their initial value, click Revert to initial designs. • To use the latest design for all the links that you have modified during the current session, click Use the last designs. To clear the design list and keep only the selected designs, select Delete other designs and click OK.

5. Close the MW Analysis window or select another link.

5.4.4 Applying Solutions to Link Design Issues For each issue listed in the Link Design Assistant, one or several of the following solutions are proposed: •

Use a more appropriate frequency band: Click Modify to open the Frequency Band window. This window displays the current length of the link and frequency band. Select a new frequency band and click OK to apply the new value. This applies a new frequency band template, including radio equipment and antennas. You might need to reconfigure the link

•

Optimise antenna heights: Click Modify to open the Antenna Height Optimisation window, which allows you to enter parameters to run an automatic optimization. •

•

The Antenna Support Heights tab displays the characteristics of the antenna support structure. You can specify a minimum height and you can exclude a range or a series of height values (for example: "30-32;35;37" prevents the tool from using antenna heights of 30, 31, 32, 35, and 37 meters). The Parameters tab allows you to enter the clearance and reflection conditions for the environment of the microwave link. For more information, see "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226.

Click Calculate to determine the Antenna optimum height for Site A and Site B. Click OK to apply the values displayed in Antenna optimum height. You can check the new antenna heights in the microwave link Properties dialog box. •

Misalign antennas vertically: Click Modify to open the Vertical Misalignment window. This window displays the current vertical misalignment between site A and site B and suggests a misalignment value that will correct the problem. If necessary, you can enter a different misalignment. Click OK to apply the solution.

•

Modify polarisation: Click Modify to automatically invert the polarisation from Horizontal to Vertical.

•

Modify branching configuration: Click Modify to open the Branching Configuration window. This window displays the current branching configuration and suggests a recommended branching solution. If necessary, you can select a different configuration. Click OK to apply the solution.

•

Change feeder or guide: Click Modify to open a shortcut to the Connections properties of the microwave link where you can reconfigure the site A or site B feeders. For more information on configuring feeders, see "The Connections Tab" on page 199. Click OK to apply the new values.

•

Optimise powers: Click Modify to open the Power Optimisation window. This window displays the current power control values and the required values for the microwave link. In the RTPC and ATPC areas, the tool suggests new power values for RTPC and ATPC. If necessary, you can enter your own RTPC and ATPC values. Click OK to apply the new values.

•

Increase Powers: Click Modify to open the Nominal Transmitted Power Increase window. This window displays the current power values and the required values for the microwave link. In the New Values area, the tool suggests a power type and nominal power value for site A and site B that will solve the issue. If necessary, you can enter your own power values. Click OK to apply the new value.

•

Reduce Powers: Click Modify to open the Power Control Reduction window. This window displays the current power control values and the required values for the microwave link. In the New Values area, the tool suggests an ATPC value that will solve the issue. If necessary, you can enter your own ATPC value. Click OK to apply the new value.

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•

Change antenna: Click Modify to open the Change Antenna window. This window displays the current antennas and gain values for Site A and Site B and the required gain value for the link. In the New Antenna area, the tool suggests an antenna combination that will solve the issue. If necessary, you can specify your own antenna combination for site A and site B that reaches the required gain. Click OK to apply the suggested value.

•

Change radio equipment: Click Modify to open a shortcut to the Radio Selection Assistant, which provides a set of filtering options that enable you to work with large lists of radio equipment. By default, the assistant lists all radios that operate in the frequency band of the microwave link. You can apply additional filters according to the radios series, the manufacturer, the adaptive modulation support, the operation mode, the technology, the capacity, the channel bandwidth or the modulation. Atoll lists the radios that match the defined criteria. After using the filtering options, select a radio from the Available radio equipment list and click OK to apply the selected radio equipment to the microwave link.

The Link Design Assistant only offers solutions that are appropriate for the design. For example, the "Increase powers" solution is not be displayed if power levels are already at the maximum level, and a new ATPC power value is only suggested if you specified an Upper limit of radio equipment maximum ATPC in the Link Design Parameters. In some cases, the Link Design Assistant might detect an issue, but displays "No solution" in the Solutions column. In this case, click the Modify button to display a Tips window. The information displayed in the Tips window can help you solve the problem manually.

5.5 Analysing the Path Profile After the microwave link has been created, it can be analysed in terms of the terrain and clutter profile between the two extremities in Atoll. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Displaying the Path Profile" on page 217. "Determining Microwave Link Antenna Heights" on page 226.

5.5.1 Displaying the Path Profile This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

"Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. "Studying Microwave Link Clearance" on page 218. "Defining the Display of the Microwave Link Profile" on page 219. "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. "Zooming and Scrolling in the Profile Analysis View" on page 221. "Printing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 221. "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222.

5.5.1.1 Viewing a Microwave Link Profile In Atoll, you can perform a microwave link profile analysis using the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window. Before studying the profile of a microwave link, you must configure its antennas, radios, its frequency band, and the propagation model that you want to use. To open the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Engineering > Profile Analysis from the context menu. The Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window appears. 3. At the top of the Profile Analysis view, select whether you want to display the profile from site A to site B or vice versa, and on which port the profile analysis should be performed. If you select Worst case, the profile analysis is calculated for the port with the lowest frequency. The Profile Analysis view provides an interactive real-time display of the microwave link profile in the selected direction. It includes any passive repeaters composing the microwave link. The altitude (in metres) is reported on the vertical axis and the distance on the horizontal axis. A blue ellipsoid indicates the Fresnel zone between the transmitter and the receiver sites, with a green line indicating the line of sight (LOS). Along the profile, if the signal meets an obstacle, this causes attenuation with diffraction displayed by a black vertical line (if the propagation model used takes diffraction into account). The main peak is the one that intersects the Fresnel ellipsoid the most. The diffraction losses is displayed above the peak.

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When a repeater is inserted on the microwave link, it is displayed in the Profile Analysis view by a vertical line in the profile. At the top of the Profile Analysis view, you can select which part of the profile you want to display: • • • • • •

Site A ==> Site P Site P ==> Site B Site B ==> Site P Site P ==> Site A Site A ==> Site B (profile "broken" at Site P) Site B ==> Site A (profile "broken" at Site P)

When a second repeater (Q) is inserted on the microwave link, the profile display options include Site Q as well. You can click the Properties button (

) on the Profile Analysis view to open the microwave link properties dialog box.

5.5.1.2 Studying Microwave Link Clearance The Profile Analysis view allows you to display the clearance along the entire link profile. When displaying the clearance, you can hide or display the Fresnel zones between the two extremities of the microwave link. To study the microwave link clearance 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the Parameters button (

) in the toolbar.

You can view the microwave link profile with two different values for the earth curvature factor (k factor). Atoll displays the clearance (%) and the penetration (m) of the Fresnel zone for each value of k. By default, the k factor values are initialised either with global values, or with the values calculated for each microwave link; this depends on the option selected in the Properties of the Links folder. In addition, it indicates the tilts/direct ray, the azimuths, and the angles of incidence for both antennas. To hide or display the Fresnel zones 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the arrow next to Display Options button (

) on the toolbar.

3. Select Display Fresnel Ellipsoids from the menu. The first Fresnel ellipsoid corresponding to the first k value is shown in blue, while the second related to the second k value is shown in red. You can also display another Fresnel ellipsoid when a diversity antenna is installed at the receiver. If there are obstructions in the path of the microwave link that introduce losses, a green coloured line is drawn from the transmitter to the first obstacle’s highest point. A perpendicular from the horizontal axis is also drawn to mark the obstacle that introduces the highest loss in the link, and the loss from this obstacle is displayed on the top of this perpendicular. You can display the first Fresnel zone at 100% and the second at 60% in order to depict the minimum clearance requirement directly on the profile. You can define how both the first and second Fresnel ellipsoids are displayed using the Profile Display Options dialog box. You can open the Profile Display Options dialog box by right-clicking the Fresnel ellipsoids and then selecting Display Options from the context menu. You can modify the antenna heights at both extremities either manually or automatically. For more information, see "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226. When 100% of the Fresnel ellipsoid is displayed, the clearance is referred to as F, F1 for the first k factor value and F2 for the second one. When the percentage of the Fresnel ellipsoid is less than 100%, the clearance is referred to as F’, F’1 for the first k factor value and F’2 for the second one.

5.5.1.3 Studying the Microwave Link Cross Section The Profile Analysis view allows you to display the cross section of the Fresnel ellipsoid at any point along the link profile. For links including repeaters, the cross section can be displayed for each section of the link (SiteA => SiteP, SiteP => SiteB, etc.). This is particularly useful when studying horizontal clearance with regards to clutter.

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Figure 5.7: Profile Cross Section To hide or display the microwave link cross section: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the arrow next to Display Options button (

) on the toolbar.

3. Select Display Cross Section from the menu. The Cross Section view provides an interactive real-time display of the microwave link profile in the selected direction. Click a point in the map window or in the MW Analysis view to specify a point. The marker in the map window ( ) and a black vertical marker in the MW Analysis view indicate the location of the selected point along the profile. The blue circle represents the diameter of the Fresnel ellipsoid at the selected section of the profile. The altitude (in metres) is reported on the vertical axis and the distance on the horizontal axis. Atoll displays the terrain height along the profile as well as clutter classes and clutter heights when the visibility check box of the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo tab is selected. If you do not want to display the clutter along the profile, you can clear the visibility check box of the Clutter Classes folder on the Geo tab.

5.5.1.4 Defining the Display of the Microwave Link Profile In the Profile Analysis view, you can configure how to display the profile. To open the Profile Display Options dialog box: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the arrow next to Display Options button (

) on the toolbar.

3. Select Display Options from the menu. The Profile Display Options dialog box appears. 4. Select the Display tab. On the Display tab, you can define the following: • • • •

Vertical axis: Set the Min. and Max. value on the vertical axis as well as the Interval between tick marks. Horizontal axis: Set the Interval between tick marks on the horizontal axis. Draw along the path: Select the Draw along the path check box if you want Atoll to display gridlines to indicate the values on the vertical axis. Earth curvature display: Select one of the following: •

•

Real: Select Real if you want Atoll to display the actual curvature of the earth, with the radio path displayed curved. • Optical: Select Optical if you want Atoll to display the radio path as straight, with the curvature of the earth increased by the value defined for k. Edge diffractions: Select the Display potential edge diffractions for visible links option if you want Atoll to display horizontal obstructions along the profile. Each edge diffraction is represented by a red vertical dotted line.

5. Select the Ellipsoids and Antenna Beamwidths tab. On the Ellipsoids and Antenna Beamwidths tab, you can define the following under Diffraction: •

Display 1st Fresnel ellipsoid: Select the Display 1st Fresnel ellipsoid check box to display the first Fresnel ellipsoid and define the following: • •

k1 factor: The k1 factor, defined in the parameters of the microwave propagation model, is displayed. For information on setting the k1 factor, see "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226. % of displayed ellipsoid: Define the percentage of the ellipsoid to be displayed.

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• • •


Display the diversity antenna ellipsoid: Select the Display the diversity antenna ellipsoid check box if you want the ellipsoid of any diversity antenna to be displayed. Display the even Fresnel zones: Select the Display the even Fresnel zones check box if you want the even Fresnel zones to be displayed and define the Max order.

Display 2nd Fresnel ellipsoid: Select the Display 2nd Fresnel ellipsoid check box to display the second Fresnel ellipsoid and define the following: • •

k2 factor: The k2 factor, defined in the parameters of the microwave propagation model, is displayed. For information on setting the k2 factor, see "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226. % of displayed ellipsoid: Define the percentage of the ellipsoid to be displayed.

6. On the Ellipsoids and Antenna Beamwidths tab, you can define the following: •

•

Display tree or foliage growth: If you have out-of-date clutter maps, you can select the Display tree or foliage growth check box. Atoll will add the projected growth to the related clutter classes. For information on setting the projected growth, see "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226. Display the line of sight: Select the Display the line of sight check box to display the line of sight between the sites of the microwave link.

7. Select the Reflections tab. On the Reflections tab, you can define how reflections are displayed: •

Under For all reflection zones, you can select the following options: •

•

•

Under For the selected area, you can select the following options: •

• • • •

Display the specular reflection point: Select the Display the specular reflection point check box if you want to display reflection areas along the link profile and unobstructed reflected paths. The option is automatically selected after you have displayed reflections as previously explained. Display the critical reflection zone when k factor varies: Select the Display the critical reflection zone when k factor varies check box if you want to display the reflection zone regardless of clutter categories. The reflection zone is determined from antenna heights and ground altitude at the transmitter and receiver sites; it is not based on the defined clutter categories. When this option is selected, you have to check if this zone is a reflection area and, if so, if there is a reflection point within the reflection area. Display the reflections for the k factor range: Select the Display the reflections for the k factor range check box if you want to display unobstructed and obstructed reflected paths calculated for the defined range of k factor values. For information on defining the range of k factor values, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. Display the obstructed reflections: Select the Display the obstructed reflections check box if you want to display obstructed reflected signals. Obstructed reflected signals are represented with orange dashed lines. Display all the paths: Select the Display all the paths check box if you want to display all possible reflected signals within the reflection area. Display the reflection plan: Select the Display the reflection plan check box in order to display the reflection slope. This one is used to determine the reflection point.

Under Above sea water, you can select the Display tide levels check box and set the height variation due to tides above the sea water clutter category. Reflection paths and reflective surfaces can only be displayed and analysed over unbroken microwave link profiles, i.e., the profile should not include repeaters.

8. Click OK.

5.5.1.5 Analysing a Particular Point Along the Profile You can display profile analysis information in a tip text tool with details on any particular point along the profile.

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Figure 5.8: Profile Analysis window tool tip and current point information tool When the tip text tool is enabled, the profile analysis information is dynamically displayed for the point over which the mouse hovers. To display the details on a point of a microwave link profile: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the arrow next to Display Options button ( ) on the toolbar and select Display Information in a tip text from the menu. The tool displays the profile analysis information when you hover the mouse pointer over the profile (see Figure 5.8). The tool tip displays the following profile analysis information: • • • • • • •

Coordinates: The latitude and longitude of the point. Distance: The distance from the transmitting site A. Distance to B: The distance to the receiving site B. Total Height: The altitude of the ground level more the clutter height. Clearance: The clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. This value is relative to the line of sight and corresponds to the difference of height between the line of sight and the current point. Fresnel ellipsoid radius: The radius of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. Cursor location (z): The altitude of the point.

5.5.1.6 Zooming and Scrolling in the Profile Analysis View You can zoom in and scroll along the profile in the Profile Analysis view. To zoom in on the profile: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the Zoom on Profile button (

) on the toolbar. The pointer changes (

).

3. Click in the profile on one of the four corners of the area you want to zoom in on. 4. Drag to the opposite corner. When you release the mouse button, Atoll zooms in on the selected area. To scroll along the profile: 1. When the Profile Analysis view is zoomed in, click the Move Map button (

) in the toolbar. The pointer changes.

2. Move the pointer over the map and drag the map in the desired direction. To restore the initial profile: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the Cancel Zoom button (

) on the toolbar.

5.5.1.7 Printing a Microwave Link Profile You can print a microwave link profile. To print the contents of the Profile Analysis view: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the Print button (

) on the toolbar.

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3. Click OK to print.

5.5.1.8 Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values In Atoll, you can display the details of the geographic profile along the microwave link, and modify it if needed. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • •

5.5.1.8.1

"Viewing the Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222 "Editing Profile Values" on page 223 "Displaying Reflection and Vegetation Zones" on page 225 "Copying and Pasting Profile Values" on page 225 "Exporting Profile Values" on page 225 "Importing Profile Values" on page 225 "Resetting the Profile Values" on page 225

Viewing the Microwave Link Profile Values You can use the Profile Values view of the MW Analysis window to view all the profile analysis data for each selected point along the microwave link profile. Atoll displays the details in a separate window. Profile values cannot be computed for links that contain repeater(s). In this case, the Profile Values view is empty.

To display the profile data using the Profile Values view: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Engineering > Profile Values from the context menu. The Profile Values view of the MW Analysis window appears. You can also access the Profile Values view by opening the MW Analysis window and selecting the Profile Values view. 3. At the top of the Profile Values view, select whether you want to display the profile from site A to site B or vice versa. The Profile Values view displays the following values for each point along the profile: • • • • • • • •

Distance (m): The distance from the transmitting site. Altitude (m): The altitude of the ground level (from DTM files). Clutter: The clutter class. Clutter Height (m): The clutter height from clutter height files if available or from clutter class file. Category: The clutter category assigned to each clutter class when configuring the propagation model. Fresnel Radius (m): The radius of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. Clearance (m): The clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid for the first k factor value. This value is relative to the line of sight and corresponds to the difference of height between the line of sight and the current point. Ellipsoid Penetration (%): The penetration of the current point in the lower half of the Fresnel ellipsoid (percentage of the ellipsoid radius penetrated by the current point). This value is relative to the bottom of the Fresnel ellipsoid and is given for the first k factor value.

Figure 5.9: Penetration and clearance values on the Profile Values view

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The geographic details provided in the Profile Values view of the MW Analysis window are stored in a table. The resolution of the information given depends on the resolution of the geographic data: information is given every X metres, where X is the highest resolution of clutter class and DTM maps.

5.5.1.8.2

Editing Profile Values You can modify some profile values at any point along the profile and immediately check the impact of these modifications in the Profile Analysis view. When you save profile changes in one direction (for example: Site A => Site B), the profile is automatically reversed and applied to the opposite direction (for example: Site B => Site A). Before saving the profile, you can apply the changes to the opposite direction by clicking the Make Symmetrical ( ) toolbar button. Changes made to one direction can be automatically be made symmetrical by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

The profile values, i.e., the altitude, the clutter class, the clutter height, and the clutter category, can be edited in the table or using the mouse. To edit the profile values in the table: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Edit the contents of the table by entering the value directly in the field. You can edit the following columns: • • • •

Altitude: The altitude (DTM) Clutter: The clutter class Clutter Height: The clutter height Category: The clutter category.

3. Click elsewhere in the table when you have finished updating the table. 4. To commit the changes that you have made to the profile values, click the Save ( ) button in the toolbar. To edit profile values using the mouse: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222.

Figure 5.10: The Profile Values view when editing. 2. Right-click the part where the profile is displayed. 3. Select Zoom In from the context menu. 4. In the profile, click one of the four corners of the area you want to select. 5. Drag to the opposite corner and release the mouse button. Atoll zooms in on the selected area. 6. Select one of the following columns in the table: •

Altitude: Select Altitude if you want to edit ground altitudes (see Figure 5.11).

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Figure 5.11: Ground in Edit mode. You can change the altitude of one point or a range of points. i.

Click the point you want to edit. The pointer changes ( ).

ii. If you are changing the altitude for a range of points, move the pointer to the second point and click the second point. iii. On the map, drag the point to its new altitude. •

Clutter Height: Select Clutter Height if you want to edit clutter heights (see Figure 5.12).

Figure 5.12: Clutter heights in Edit mode. You can change the clutter height of one point or a range of points. i.

Click the point you want to edit. The pointer changes ( ).

ii. If you are changing the clutter height for a range of points, move the pointer to the second point and click the second point. iii. Drag the point to its new clutter height. •

Clutter: Select Clutter if you want to edit clutter classes (see Figure 5.13). The clutter classes are displayed with lines separating the clutter classes if clutter heights are defined or with points if clutter heights are not defined.

Figure 5.13: Clutter classes in Edit mode. i.

Click the line or point. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Drag the line or point to change the area with the corresponding clutter class. •

Category: Select Category if you want to edit clutter categories (see Figure 5.14). You can see lines separating the clutter categories.

Figure 5.14: Clutter categories in Edit mode. i.

Click the line. The pointer changes (

).

ii. Drag the line to change the area with the corresponding clutter category. 7. To commit the changes that you have made to the profile values, click the Save ( ) button in the toolbar.

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The data (altitudes, clutter heights, clutter classes, clutter categories) that you have changed are not automatically saved and will be lost if you select another link or if you close the MW Analysis window without saving.

5.5.1.8.3

Displaying Reflection and Vegetation Zones When you are editing the profile as explained in "Editing Profile Values" on page 223, you can view reflection areas and vegetation zones. To display reflection areas and vegetation zones: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Right-click the part where the profile is displayed and select one of the following options from the context menu: • • •

•

•

5.5.1.8.4

Display Reflection Areas: Select Display Reflection Areas to view reflection areas taken into account in the reflection analysis and reflecting paths. Reflection areas are displayed with a pattern ( ). Display Slopes: Select Display Slopes to view the slope of the selected reflection area. You must already have selected Display Reflection Areas if you want to Display Slopes. Display Vegetation Zones with Foliage: Select Display Vegetation Zones with Foliage to view zones with foliage that Atoll takes into account when calculating vegetation losses. Zones with foliage are displayed with with a pattern ( ). Display Vegetation Zones without Foliage: Select Display Vegetation Zones without Foliage to view vegetation zones without foliage that Atoll takes into account when calculating vegetation losses. Vegetation zones without foliage are displayed with a pattern ( ). Hide Peculiarity Zones: Select Hide Peculiarity Zones to hide reflection areas and vegetation zones.

Copying and Pasting Profile Values You can copy and paste some profile values such as altitude, clutter classes, clutter heights, and clutter categories in the table. To copy and paste profile values in the table: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Click the cell with the data you want to copy and press CTRL+C to copy its contents. 3. Click and drag to select the cells into which you want to copy the data. 4. Copy into the selected cells: • • •

5.5.1.8.5

To copy the contents of the clipboard into the selected cells, press CTRL+V. To copy the contents of the top cell of the selection into the other cells, press CTRL+D. To copy the contents of the bottom cell of the selection into the other cells, press CTRL+U.

Importing Profile Values You can import data in the form of ASCII text files (in TXT and CSV formats) into the table of the Profile Values view. Only editable values (i.e., altitude, clutter classes, clutter heights, and clutter categories) can be imported. To import data into the table: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Click the Import button ( ) in the toolbar. The Open dialog box appears. 3. Select the text file you want to import and click Open. The Import dialog box appears. 4. Define import settings as explained in "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 70.

5.5.1.8.6

Exporting Profile Values You can export the entire table or selected columns to ASCII text files (in TXT or CSV formats) and MS Excel files. To export profile values: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Click the Export ( ) button in the toolbar. The Export dialog box appears. 3. Define export settings as explained in "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 68.

5.5.1.8.7

Resetting the Profile Values If you have edited the profile values, you can reset them to their original values from the geographic data files.

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To restore the original link profile values: 1. Open the Profile Values view as explained in "Modifying Microwave Link Profile Values" on page 222. 2. Click the Reset button (

) in the toolbar of the MW Analysis window.

5.5.2 Determining Microwave Link Antenna Heights When designing a microwave link, you should set the antenna height to avoid any obstruction of the line-of-sight signal and reflections. In Atoll, you can modify or optimise microwave links antenna heights. Using the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window, you can modify antenna heights using the mouse or enter new values and see the clearance and penetration parameters displayed. Atoll allows you to calculate and adjust the microwave link antenna heights at the extremities to their optimal values. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Adjusting Microwave Antenna Heights Using the Mouse" on page 226 "Defining Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226 "Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights" on page 226.

5.5.2.1 Adjusting Microwave Antenna Heights Using the Mouse You can use the mouse to modify the antenna height of the extremity of a microwave link on the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window. To modify antenna heights using the mouse: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the antenna height pointer (

) (the pointer changes

3. Right-click the antenna height pointer (

) and drag it up or down to modify the antenna height.


4. Select Save Hx and Tilt, where "x" is either "a" or "b" depending on the site, from the context menu. Atoll saves the current antenna height and tilt in the microwave link. You can specify a maximum support height for the receiving and transmitting sites not to be exceeded. This parameter can be defined on the Other Properties tab of the Properties dialog box for each site. When defined, these height limits are displayed on the Profile Analysis view.

5.5.2.2 Defining Microwave Antenna Heights You can enter a new height for the antenna of the extremity of a microwave link on the Profile Analysis view of the MW Analysis window. To modify the antenna height: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the Parameters button (

) beside the Path list and enter the exact antenna Height.

3. Right-click the antenna height pointer (


4. Select Save Hx and Tilt, where "x" is either "a" or "b" depending on the site, from the context menu. Atoll saves the current antenna height and tilt in the microwave link. You can specify a maximum support height for the receiving and transmitting sites not to be exceeded. This parameter can be defined on the Other Properties tab of the Properties dialog box for each site. When defined, these height limits are displayed on the Profile Analysis view.

5.5.2.3 Automatically Optimising Microwave Antenna Heights Atoll enables you to automatically calculate antenna heights in order to avoid reflections and profile obstructions. Automatically optimising antenna heights is only possible for single microwave link profiles, i.e., you can not automatically optimise antenna heights for microwave link profiles with one or more repeaters. You can, however, calculate optimal antenna heights for each hop of a microwave link profile (e.g., for Site - Site B or Repeater P - Site B).

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To perform an automatic optimisation for an antenna: 1. Open the Profile Analysis view as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Right-click the antenna height pointer ( menu appears.

) for the site whose antenna height you want to optimise. The context

3. In the context menu, choose the optimisation that you want to apply: • •

Select Optimise Side A or Optimise Side B to calculate the optimal antenna height for the antenna that you selected. Choose Optimise Sides A and B to calculate the optimum antenna heights for both extremities. The Height Optimisation dialog box appears.

4. Under Clearance conditions, define the k1 factor. If desired, you can select the Take second constraint into account and define the k2 factor. 5. Select the optimisation method: •

Clearance condition methods: Clearance condition methods are based on the clearance of the Fresnel ellipsoid. You can enter a Target clearance for the k1 factor and for the k2 factor, if you chose to take it into consideration. You can specify a Global additional margin. Atoll takes this value into account and adds it to the clutter height for all clutter classes. In addition, If you have old clutter class maps, you can estimate the projected tree or foliage growth (Tree covered) for vegetation-based clutter categories (6 to 14) only.

•

Minimum Diffraction Loss Method: Atoll determines antenna heights to minimise diffraction losses due to the main obstacle (i.e., it calculates antenna heights to get a clearance of 60% of the first Fresnel zone).

6. Under Reflection conditions, select the Take into account the reflection areas check box and define the range of k factor values (kmin factor and kmax factor) to be used during the antenna height optimisation if you want to take reflection into consideration. 7. Click OK. 8. Right-click the antenna height pointer (


9. Select Save Side A, Save Side B, or Save Sides A and B from the context menu to save the current antenna heights and tilts in the microwave link. You can specify a maximum support height for the receiving and transmitting sites not to be exceeded. This parameter can be defined in each site properties dialog box (Other Properties tab). If defined, these height limits are represented on the Profile Analysis view.

5.6 Analysing Microwave Link Reliability Reliability is the general term used to refer to the quality and availability of a microwave link obtained through assessing its performance according to the criteria defined in the relevant performance objectives. Ideally, a microwave link should be completely reliable 100% of the time. In practice, this performance level is never achieved over any microwave link due the continuously changing propagation conditions and possible problems with the radio. The objective of carrying out reliability analyses is to estimate the unavailability or outage of a microwave link on an annual basis and to determine the quality of the connection over worst case or average monthly scenarios. Reliability analysis takes into consideration the fade margin, diffraction loss, average annual temperature, terrain roughness calculations, radio parameters, antenna parameters, transmission and reception parameters, and other miscellaneous losses. A microwave link reliability analysis determines whether a designed system will operate successfully. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Analysing a Single Microwave Link" on page 227. "Analysing Microwave Links" on page 232. "Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis" on page 234.

5.6.1 Analysing a Single Microwave Link When you create a microwave link, you can study it to test the effectiveness of the set parameters. Atoll can generate an analysis report or design summary for each microwave link. Before analysing the microwave link reliability, you must assign a propagation model, define the microwave link class and related performance objectives and set the calculation parameters.

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The propagation model takes the radio and geographic data into account and computes losses along the microwave link path. This allows you to predict the received signal level and to calculate the thermal fade margin. You can assign a propagation model to all microwave links at once, to a group of microwave links, or to a single microwave link. Assigning a propagation model is explained in "Working with Backhaul Propagation Models" on page 165. Microwave link classes are used to differentiate microwave link types and give target performance objectives to microwave links. You can assign a link class to all microwave links at once, to a group of microwave links, or to a single microwave link. Assigning a link class is explained in "Defining Link Classes" on page 272. Calculation parameters include global parameters applied to all microwave links and link parameters such as geoclimatic and reliability parameters defined per microwave link. Defining global parameters is explained in "Global Parameters" on page 171. Setting microwave link parameters is explained in "Microwave Link Parameters" on page 175. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Calculating a Microwave Analysis Report" on page 228 "Calculating a Microwave Link Design Summary" on page 230 "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231 "Printing a Microwave Report" on page 232 "Exporting a Microwave Report" on page 232

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5.6.1.1 Calculating a Microwave Analysis Report Atoll enables you to create a detailed analysis report for a microwave link. If you want a less concise report instead, you can create a design summary, as described in "Calculating a Microwave Link Design Summary" on page 230. Interference are not considered in this analysis. The results provided in this report are calculated in real time. Therefore, you can modify the properties of the microwave link, or the calculation parameters, and immediately display the impact of the modifications in the MW Analysis window (the Profile Analysis, Design Summary, and Analysis Report views). Any modification made to the profile of the microwave link using the Profile Values and the Profile Analysis views are taken into account in the Analysis Report view. However, a change made on A>>B direction is not reported to the B>>A direction (and vice versa) until it is saved in the microwave link properties. Changes made on the A>>B direction can be automatically reported on the B>>A direction (and vice versa) by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. To generate an analysis report for a single microwave link: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Engineering > Analysis Report from the context menu. The Analysis Report view of the MW Analysis window appears. 3. At the top of the Analysis Report view, select the port on which port the analysis should be performed. When you select Worst case, Atoll performs the analysis for each channel and displays the results for the worst channel in terms of signal level (i.e., the channel with the lowest signal level). The Analysis Report view of the MW Analysis window includes the following information: •

•

•

•

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Summary: Shows whether quality, availability (rain) and availability (failures) objectives have been reached for both directions of the microwave link and the specified BER values, and a global estimation of the outage duration for an average year taking into account both link quality and availability. A global estimation of the outage duration including failures is also displayed for an average year. Worst month results are used to determine the quality objective status. The availability objective status is based on average year results. Link Budget: Shows a basic link budget including the operating frequency band, the link length, the thermal fade margin, the worst month quality (in percentage of time), the average annual availability taking into account rain (in percentage of time), and the average annual availability taking into account both rain and equipment failures (in percentage of time), and the worst month non-quality objective and the average annual unavailability objective (duration). The average annual availability is calculated using the Crane or the ITU-R P.530 recommendations. Link Specifications: Shows information about the microwave link design, site names, locations, and the altitudes for both extremities, repeaters (if any), antennas used at both sites with their respective models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains, diameters, near fields, beamwidths and XPD values, diversity antennas and repeater back-to-back antenna details such as the models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains and diameters, microwave transceiver radios installed at both sites with details such as the radio series, models, digital hierarchy employed, modulation used, Ethernet + TDM capacity, minimal channel bandwidths, capacities and configurations, feeders details and point to multipoint parameters if the studied microwave link is a part of a point to multipoint system. Transmission: Shows transmission-related parameters for both extremities of the microwave link including the transmitted power considered in quality and availability analyses, the power type (High, Low, Standard or Constant), EIRP,


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•

•

•

•

•

•

ATPC effects, total losses and the details (filter losses, connection losses, common losses, shielding losses, radome losses, port connection losses, and feeder losses), the branching configuration, channel and frequency parameters such as the port and the channel for which the calculations have been performed, polarisation and the diversity frequency, and details on the port configuration for both directions (the channel, the corresponding frequency, the polarisation, if it is a main channel or a standby channel or a channel for frequency diversity or a diversity-standby channel, the transmission and reception port numbers, the ACU losses, the port circulator and attenuator losses. Transmitted power and EIRP values considered in quality and availability analyses can be different depending on the power control on useful signal options selected in global parameters. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Reception: Shows reception-related parameters for both ends of the microwave link including the bit error ratios and sensitivities at the receivers, saturation thresholds, thermal noise, the required C/I minus the XPIF and total losses at reception comprising filter losses, connection losses, shared losses, shielding losses, port connection losses, and feeder losses. Geoclimatic Parameters: Information about the type of environment, type of terrain, rain zone and the climatic zone in which the microwave link is operating, climatic factor, rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of time, isotherm height (0°C/ 32°F), atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, PL, temperature, water vapour density, the earth curvature factor used for calculations, the median earth curvature factor (k) and the effective earth curvature factor (ke) of the microwave link, the geoclimatic factor K, refractivity gradient, roughness, and fog intensity. Calculation Parameters: Parameters used to calculate the analysis report such as the calculation methods (propagation model for useful and interfering signals, quality method, availability method, attenuation model for rain and fog, interference, if signal enhancements and XPD degradation are ignored, space diversity and frequency diversity), quality objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG), availability (rain) objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER,RXLEV, MARG) and availability (failures) objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER,RXLEV, MARG). Propagation: The received signal levels at the main and diversity antennas, the required signal levels at the main and diversity antennas to reach quality and availability objectives, propagation results for both directions of the microwave link including total losses, free space losses, losses due to dry air, water vapour losses, diffraction losses, vegetation losses, reflection losses, antenna losses and tropospheric scattering losses, epsilon and the type of path (LOS or NLOS). If relevant, propagation results are also detailed for the diversity antenna. Received signal level values considered in quality and availability analyses can be different depending on the powers selected in global parameters. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Non-quality due to Multipath in Clear Air: Results depicting the quality of the microwave link in the selected directions, for specified BER values and when interference is not taken into account. These results include the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for the worst month, the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for an average year, performance objectives (SESR (objective), ESR (objective), BBER (objective), Received signal level (objective), Margin (objective)), details for the worst month (dispersive fading, selective fading, fading due to XPD degradation, signal enhancement), improvement factors when space and frequency diversities are used. Unavailability due to Rain: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to rain in the selected directions, for specified BER values and when interference is not taken into account. These results include the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for the worst month, the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for an average year, performance objectives (SESR (objective), ESR (objective), BBER (objective), Received signal level (objective), Margin (objective)), details for an average year (lineic rain losses, wet snow factor, lineic fog losses, fading due to rain, fading due to XPD degradation). When calculating unavailability due to rain, an extrapolation method is used to obtain an outage rate lower than the minimum defined by the calculation method (i.e, 0.01% for Crane, and 0.001% for ITU recommendations).

•

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Unavailability due to Failures: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to radio failure. These results include availability of hot standby, the outage rate due to failures for an average year and the outage duration for an average year and the performance objective. Adaptive Modulation: If you have selected Adaptive modulation (ACM) as operation mode in the Properties of the Links folder and if the microwave link supports several modulations, Atoll details the analysis for each defined modulation. The displayed results include: • • •

•

Global outage estimates and the percentage of non-outage duration for the link for an average year. Thermal fade margin, received signal levels considered in quality and availability analyses, Ethernet + TDM capacity, system gains. Results depicting the non-quality of the link due to multipath in clear air (outage and non-outage rate for the worst month and an average year, outage duration for the worst month and an average year, outage details for the worst month). Results depicting the link unavailability due to the rain (outage and non-outage rate for the worst month and an average year, outage duration for the worst month and an average year, outage details for an average year, availability rate for an average year and the average unavailability duration with failures for an average year).

For information on defining the contents of the analysis report, see "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231.

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5.6.1.2 Calculating a Microwave Link Design Summary Atoll enables you to create a concise design summary of a microwave link. If you want a comprehensive report, you can create an analysis report, as described in "Calculating a Microwave Analysis Report" on page 228, instead. Interference are not considered in this analysis. The results provided in the design summary are calculated in real time. Therefore, you can modify the properties of the microwave link, or the calculation parameters, and immediately display the impact of the modifications in the MW Analysis window (the Profile Analysis, Design Summary, and Analysis Report views). Any modification made to the profile of the microwave link using the Profile Values and the Profile Analysis views are taken into account in the analysis report in the Design Summary view. However, a change made on A>>B direction is not reported to the B>>A direction (and vice versa) until it is saved in the microwave link properties. Changes made on the A>>B direction can be automatically reported on the B>>A direction (and vice versa) by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual. To generate a design summary for a single microwave link: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Engineering > Design Summary from the context menu. The Design Summary view of the MW Analysis window appears. 3. At the top of the Design Summary view, select the port on which the analysis should be performed. When you select Worst case, Atoll performs the analysis for each channel and displays the results for the worst channel in terms of signal level (i.e., the channel with the lowest signal level). The microwave link information in the Design Summary view includes the following: •

The preliminary section of the design summary provides a rapid overview of the objectives. Whether or not the defined quality, availability (rain) and availability (failures) objectives for each site are met. Worst month results are used to determine the quality objective status. The availability objective status is based on average year results. Additionally, you will find the global duration of outage for an average year and the percentage of non-outage for an average year. More detailed information is given in the following sections.

•

Link Budget: Under Link Budget, you can read the transmitted power considered in quality calculations, the power type (High, Low, Standard or Constant), EIRP, ATPC effects, the antenna gain, total transmission and reception losses including details (filter losses, connection losses, common losses, radome losses, port connection losses, and feeder losses), total propagation losses and details (free space losses, diffraction losses, etc.), the receiver sensitivity, the received signal level considered in quality calculations, the thermal fade and composite fade margins. Transmitted power and EIRP values considered in quality and availability analyses can be different depending on the power control on useful signal options selected in global parameters. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171.

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Link Specifications: Under Link Specifications, you can read the information on the microwave link, such as the coordinates, the altitudes of both ends of the microwave link, the height, azimuth, and tilt of the antennas at both ends of the microwave link, as well as the radio series, modulation, capacity, calculated channel and polarisation.

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Performance for the Worst Month: In this section, you can read the performance measurements for each site for the worst month in a year. Included are the outage durations due to multipaths and due to rain, the durations corresponding to the quality objective and the required availability objective, the total duration of unavailability, and the total duration of required availability.

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Performance for an Average Year: In this section, you can read the performance measurements for each site averaged over a year. Included in this section are the outage durations due to multipaths, due to rain and due to equipment failures, and the durations corresponding to the quality objective, the rain objective and the objective due to failures. Geoclimatic Parameters: In this section, you can find information about the type of environment, type of terrain, rain zone and the climatic zone in which the microwave link is operating, climatic factor, rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of time, isotherm height (0°C/32°F), atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, PL, temperature, water vapour density, the earth curvature factor used for calculations, the median earth curvature factor (k) and the effective earth curvature factor (ke) of the microwave link, the geoclimatic factor K, refractivity gradient, roughness, and fog intensity.

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For information on defining the contents of the design summary, see "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231.

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5.6.1.3 Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports You can configure both the appearance and the contents of the report generated on the Analysis Report, Design Summary, and Required Margin views. To configure the appearance and contents of the report: 1. On the Analysis Report, Design Summary, or Required Margin view, click the Configure Report button ( Report Configuration dialog box appears.

). The

2. On the Contents tab, expand a result category and select the results to display in the report. • • • • •

To display results, select the check box corresponding to those results. To hide results, clear the check box corresponding to those results. To restore the selected results to their default settings, or to refresh the list of results available, click Reset. To select all available results, click the arrow on the Reset button and select Select All. To clear the selection, click the arrow on the Reset button and select Deselect All.

3. Click the Style tab. You can define the appearance of the text styles used in the report. a. Click the style you want to define in the preview window. b. Click the AaBbYyZz button to set the font. c. Define the alignment of the paragraph by selecting Left, Centre, Right, or Justified. You can restore the style to its default appearance by clicking the Reset button. 4. On the Style tab you can also define the contents of the header and footer. You can include keywords such as the document author, the document title, the current date, etc. You can also enter you own text in the header or footer. a. Click the "Header" or "Footer" entry in the preview window. b. Click one of the Keywords buttons to select the keywords you want to appear. The Available Keywords dialog box appears. Where the keywords appear in the header or footer depends on which Keywords button you select: the Keywords button across from Left defines what appears in the left of the header or footer, the Keywords button across from Centre defines what appears in the centre, and the Keywords button across from Right defines what appears in the right. Most of the keywords take their content from the entries made on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box. The following keywords are available: •

Version: The version of Atoll used to last edit the document. Until you save your Atoll document, the returned value for Version will be "undefined".

• • • • • • •

File: The file name including the full path name. Date: The date defined as the Timestamp on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box. Owner: The owner of the document defined on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box Title: The name of the document defined on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box. Comments: Any comments entered on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box. Logo: The logo defined on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box. Status: The project status defined on the Project tab of the Properties dialog box.

You can change the settings of the Project tab of the Properties dialog box by clicking the Edit button. c. Click OK to close the Available Keywords dialog box and save your changes. d. If desired, you can enter text into the Keywords boxes either along with the keywords or alone.

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•

If you encounter an alignment issue in the generated report, you can modify the tab value by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

•

You can define a default configuration file for each link budget report by specifying an absolute or UNC path in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

•

You can save the choices you have made in the Report Configuration dialog box as a model for future reports by clicking the Save As button at the top of the dialog box and entering a name for the file in the Save As dialog box that appears. The next time you configure a report, you can click Open in the Report Configuration dialog box to open the model with the saved settings.

5. Once you have defined the contents and appearance of the report, click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box. You can restore the style to its default appearance by clicking the Reset button.

5.6.1.4 Printing a Microwave Report After you have configured the report displayed in the Analysis Report, Design Summary, or Required Margin view, you can print it. To print the report: 1. In the Analysis Report, Design Summary, or Required Margin, click the Print button ( appears.

). The Print dialog box

2. Define the settings and click OK to print your report.

5.6.1.5 Exporting a Microwave Report After you have configured the report displayed in the Analysis Report, Design Summary, or Required Margin view, you can export it in RTF format. To export the report in RTF format: 1. In the Analysis Report, Design Summary, or Required Margin, click the Save Report button ( box appears.

). The Save As dialog

2. In the Save As dialog box, enter the File name and click Save.

5.6.2 Analysing Microwave Links Atoll enables you to calculate multiple microwave link budgets for a group of microwave links simultaneously. Microwave links in Atoll can be grouped in views according to different property parameters (e.g., by frequency band). You can launch simultaneous link budget calculations for the microwave links grouped in a view. The results are displayed in the form of a report. Before calculating one or more link budgets, you can create a focus zone. The focus zone is used to define the area on which you want to generate reports and results. Atoll will calculate a link budget for all microwave links in the selected view that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and that intersect the focus zone. The focus zone is taken into account whether or not it is visible. In other words, if you have drawn a focus zone, it will be taken into account whether or not its visibility check box in the Zones folder of the Geo tab in the explorer window is selected. You will have to delete the focus zone if you no longer want to define an area for reports and results. If there is no focus zone defined, but there is a computation zone, the report will be based on the computation zone. If there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll calculates a link budget for all microwave links in the selected view that are active and filtered and for the entire extent of the geographical data available. For information on the focus zone, see "Focus Zone" on page 50. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. To set the microwave links as active, see "Setting Microwave and Other Transmission Links as Active" on page 207 After you have ensured that all links are active and properly filtered, you can set the propagation model and other calculation parameters. For information on choosing and configuring a propagation model and calculation parameters, see Chapter 4: Microwave Calculations and Models. This section covers the following topics: • • •

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"Defining Link Budget Analysis Parameters" on page 233 "Calculating Multiple Microwave Link Budgets" on page 233 "Link Budget Calculation Validity" on page 234


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5.6.2.1 Defining Link Budget Analysis Parameters Before calculating a link budget, you can select on which channels should be displayed the results of the analysis, and define the contents of the link budget report. To define the link budget analysis parameters: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and select the microwave links for which you want to define the contents of the link budget report: • •

To define the contents of the link budget report for all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To define the contents of the link budget report for a group of microwave links, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links for which you want to define the contents of the link budget report. The context menu appears.

2. Select Link Budgets > Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Click the General tab. You can select on which channel should be displayed the results of the analysis. • • •

All: If you select All, Atoll performs the link analysis for each channel and displays the results for all channels. Worst channel: If you select Worst channel, Atoll performs the link analysis for each channel and displays the results for the worst channel in terms of fade margin (i.e., the channel with the lowest fade margin). Specific port: If you select Specific port, Atoll performs the link analysis and displays the results for the channel specified individually for Site A and Site B.

4. Click the Field Selection tab. Atoll displays a default set of fields in the Selected fields list and lets you select other information to be included in the report. 5. Define the contents of the report: a. In the Field Selection dialog box, select the fields that you want to display in the report. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking each field separately. •

To select a field to be included in the report, select the field in the Available fields list and click it to the Selected fields list.

to move

•


•

To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will be displayed in the order of the fields in the Selected fields list, from top to bottom.

to

You can view more detailed information on each selected field by clicking the Table button. •

You can restore the Selected fields list to its default appearance by clicking the Reset button.

•

You can save the choices you have made in the Field Selection dialog box as a configuration file by clicking the Save As button at the top of the dialog box and entering a name for the file in the Save As dialog box that appears. The next time you configure a report, you can click Open in the Properties dialog box to open your configuration file with the saved settings.

b. Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.

5.6.2.2 Calculating Multiple Microwave Link Budgets You can calculate a link budget for all microwave links or for a group of microwave links. To perform link budget calculations on a group of microwave links: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder. 2. Select the microwave links on which you want to calculate the link budgets: • •

•

To calculate link budgets on all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To calculate link budgets on a group of microwave links, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links on which you want to calculate link budgets. The context menu appears. To calculate link budgets on a point to multipoint system, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Point to Multipoint folder and right-click the hub of the point to multipoint system on which you want to calculate link budgets. The context menu appears.

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Atoll displays the link budget report. The report content depends on the analysis parameters (see "Defining Link Budget Analysis Parameters" on page 233). The report contains the name of the link, its direction, its length, the frequency band, the frequency sub-band, the channel number, the name of the channel, the transmission and reception ports, the frequency, the characteristics of the microwave link (sites, antennas, polarisation, and radios installed), the received signal levels considered in quality and availability calculations, the fade margin, and its quality and availability. It displays the transmission parameters (EIRP, various losses, etc.), reception parameters (sensitivity, various losses, etc.), calculation options, and geoclimatic parameters. It also details the propagation calculation (total losses and losses details) and the calculations related to link engineering (quality (clear air), unavailability due to rain, unavailability due to failures). All the results are provided in both the directions of the microwave link being studied. You can view details of each microwave link, by double-clicking the record in the report. The details are displayed in the Analysis Report view of the MW Analysis window as described in "Analysing a Single Microwave Link" on page 227. •

You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button (

) in the toolbar.

5.6.2.3 Link Budget Calculation Validity Link budget calculations performed for a group of microwave links (i.e., intermediate results such as propagation, outage probabilities) are saved in the Atoll document. So, once calculations have been performed for all microwave links, you can quickly perform a link budget for a group of microwave links. Atoll only recalculates new and invalid microwave links. Calculations can become invalid for different reasons: • • •

If a calculation method or option has been changed If microwave link properties have been modified If geographic data maps have been updated.

For the first two reasons, Atoll automatically detects invalidity of the calculation when starting calculations and recalculates. In the last case (e.g., if you add a new clutter class map), you must force Atoll to recalculate. To force link budget recalculation: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. If you want to recalculate the link budget for a given view of microwave links in the Microwave Links folder, you can click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder before right-clicking to access the context menu. 2. Select Calculations > Force Calculations > Link Budgets from the context menu. The Microwave Links Properties dialog box opens. You can define the analysis parameters as explained in "Defining Link Budget Analysis Parameters" on page 233. 3. Click OK. Atoll removes existing calculations, including valid ones, and recalculates the link budget. The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer window. You can also reset existing calculations without recalculating the link budget afterwards by selecting the Calculations > Reset command. Atoll removes existing calculations, including valid ones.

5.6.3 Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis Multi-hop links, or multi-hops, are sets of two or more links (microwave links or other transmission links) that are connected to create a longer link. In general practice, multi-hops are used for two purposes; to construct a connection over areas that do not provide line-of-sight and to transfer signals through links over long distances. Atoll enables you to perform end-to-end reliability analysis over multi-hops. This section covers the following topics: • •

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"Creating Multi-hops" on page 235 "Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis" on page 236


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5.6.3.1 Creating Multi-hops In Atoll, a multi-hop is managed as a group of links. A link can be common to more than one multi-hop as well. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

5.6.3.1.1

"Creating a Multi-hop" on page 235. "Adding a Link to a Multi-hop Using the Mouse" on page 235. "Mapping Multiple Multi-hops and Links Globally" on page 236. "Mapping Multiple Multi-hops and Links Globally" on page 236. "Setting all Links of a Multi-Hop as Active" on page 236.

Creating a Multi-hop To create a new multi-hop in the Multi-hops folder: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Multi-Hops folder, and select New from the context menu. The Multi-Hops: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 2. Enter or modify the following fields on the General tab: • •

Name: The Name field is filled automatically by Atoll, but can be modified. Comments: Enter any comments for this new multi-hop.

3. Click the Performance tab and select the TDM link class from the list. Each link class can have different performance objectives. By assigning link classes to multi-hops, you are assigning the target parameters and usage limitations of the link class to the selected multi-hop. For information on creating a link class, see "Defining Link Classes" on page 272. Click the Browse button (

) to open the Properties dialog box of the selected link class.

The Quality Objectives and Availability Objectives tabs provide tables where you can view the selected performance objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG) for the specified link class. For SESR, ESR, and BBER parameters, Atoll displays the outage rate, the annual and monthly outage duration as well as the non-outage percentage. 4. Click OK. An empty multi-hop is created in the Multi-hops folder. By default, newly created multi-hops are named as "Multi-hops", where "" increments with each instance of a multi-hop. 5. To manually assign links to the multi-hop: a. In the Network explorer, expand the Multi-hops folder, right-click the new multi-hop and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. b. Select the Links tab. c. Enter a number in the Id column to set the position of the link in the multi-hop. d. Either select a microwave link from the Link column, or choose an other transmission link from the Other transmission link column. e. The link with the Id "0" defines the multi-hop direction, i.e., the start site of this link is considered to be the start site of the multi-hop. Then, the start site of the next links in the multi-hop correspond to the end sites of each preceding link. The end site of the multi-hop corresponds to the end site of the last link. f.

Click OK.

Alternatively, you can assign links to the multi-hop with the mouse as described in "Adding a Link to a Multi-hop Using the Mouse" on page 235. The Other Properties tab will appear if you have defined additional fields in the Multi-hops table.

5.6.3.1.2

Adding a Link to a Multi-hop Using the Mouse You can add a link to a multi-hop by using the mouse. To add a link to a multi-hop using the mouse: 1. Right-click the multi-hop either in the Multi-hops folder on the Network tab of the explorer window or on the map, and select Add a Link from the context menu. The pointer shape changes (

) in the map window.

2. On the map, click the link you want to add to the multi-hop. You can add multiple links to the multi-hop by pressing CTRL while you click. The link is added to the list of links forming the multi-hop and is assigned an order automatically.

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5.6.3.1.3


Mapping Multiple Multi-hops and Links Globally Atoll allows you to map multiple links to the multi-hops. To map multiple links to multi-hops: 1. Select the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Right-click the Multi-Hops folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select Multi-hop - Link Mapping from the context menu. The Multi-hop - Link Mapping table appears, containing all the multi-hops and their corresponding links (i.e. microwave and other transmission links). In this table, you can modify, delete, add, and change the order of the links that make up a multi-hop.

5.6.3.1.4

Setting all Links of a Multi-Hop as Active You can activate or deactivate all links belonging to a multi-hop. Quality and availability analyses only take into account active links and not inactive or filtered links. In the explorer window, active links are displayed in red ( ) in the Multi-Hops folder; inactive links are displayed in grey (

).

To change the activity status of all links of a multi-hop: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Multi-Hops folder. 4. Right-click the multi-hop whose activity status you want to set. The context menu appears. 5. Do one of the following: • •

Select Activate Links to make all links of the multi-hop active. Select Deactivate Links to make all links of the multi-hop inactive.

5.6.3.2 Performing an End-to-End Reliability Analysis Atoll enables you to perform end-to-end reliability analysis over multi-hops. This calculation is based on the ITU-R P.530-8 and P.530-10 recommendations. To perform an end-to-end reliability analysis over a multi-hop link: 1. Click the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Multi-Hops folder. 4. Right-click the multi-hop that you want to analyse. The context menu appears. 5. Select Analysis from the context menu. The Multi-Hop Budget dialog box appears. It contains the following information: • • • • •

Multi-Hops Characteristics: the links forming the multi-hop, total length of the multi-hop. Summary: Atoll indicates if quality and availability objectives have been reached for both directions of the link. Transmission: the frequency band, sub-band, channels, and polarisation of each transmitting site. Reception: received signal levels, margins, quality (percentage of time for the worst month), availability (percentage of time for an average year) and failures (percentage of time for an average year). Multi-hop link budget (both directions): Non-quality due to multipath and unavailability due to rain including total outage ratio, monthly and annual outage durations, quality indicators (probabilities of SESR, ESR, BBER) compared to the required performance objectives and unavailability due to radio failures comprising annual outages due to faults and annual outage duration.

5.7 Studying Reflection Studying reflection is essential to design any microwave link. A reflected signal that can reach the receiver with enough strength and with a certain delay as compared to the direct signal can generate interference. The interference can generate fading (called reflective fading) that can lower down the received signal. In Atoll, you can display reflection areas along the link profile and analyse the location of the reflection point and its impact on the received signal level. Atoll calculates the reflection point using a 2-ray model. Clutter categories are taken into account in the reflection study and must be assigned to clutter classes in the microwave propagation model properties before analysing reflections along the profile. For information on assigning clutter categories to clutter classes in the propagation model properties, see "Working with the Microwave Propagation Model" on page 165

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Reflection points can have different locations as the k factor varies during the day. Therefore, the reflection analysis has to be performed for different k factor values. For information on defining the range of k factor values, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Displaying Reflection" on page 237. "Analysing Reflections" on page 238. "Solutions for Reflection Problems" on page 242.

5.7.1 Displaying Reflection Atoll displays reflection areas along the profile and provides information about the interference generated by the reflected signal. Reflection can be destructive when the reflection point is located within the reflection area and the reflected signal is received at the receiver side (i.e., it is not obstructed). To display reflection areas: 1. Open the MW Analysis window as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Select the microwave link to analyse from the list. 3. Click the arrow next to Display Options button (

) on the toolbar.

4. Select Display Reflections from the menu. Atoll displays reflection areas and unobstructed reflected signals calculated for the first k factor value of the Profile Analysis view. This value corresponds to the median value of the k factor. By default, it is initialised either with a global value, or with the value calculated for the microwave link; this depends on the option selected in the Properties of the Links folder. Reflection areas are represented with hashed patterns, and unobstructed reflected signals by orange lines. 5. Click each reflection area to get a first analysis of reflections. Atoll displays the reflection areas in a colour indicating the reflection gravity and highlights the corresponding unobstructed reflected path if there is one: •

Red: The reflection point is within the reflection area and the reflected path is received at the receiver side for the median value of the k factor (i.e. the reflected signal is not obstructed) (see Figure 5.15). A further analysis is required. Open the reflection and diversity analysis report to verify whether the reflection creates a destructive interference. For information on the reflection and diversity analysis report, see "Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238.

•

Orange: The reflection point is within the reflection area. The reflected path is obstructed for the median value of the k factor, but it is cleared for another value of the factor (kmin, kmax, or k effective). A further analysis is required. Open the reflection and diversity analysis report to verify whether the reflection creates a destructive interference. For information on the reflection and diversity analysis report, see "Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238.

•

Green: Either there is no reflection point, or the reflection point is out of the reflection area, or the reflection point is inside the reflection area and the reflected path is obstructed for all values of the k factor. The reflection does not create destructive interference.

If present along the path, red and orange reflection areas are displayed by default. In case there are several ones, only the first one is selected and highlighted. So, each of them has to be verified. A path with no highlighted reflection area indicates that the reflections do not create destructive interference (i.e., only green reflection areas) and so, you can continue the analysis with another link.

Figure 5.15: Reflection area display You can display additional information regarding reflected paths.

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To display additional information: 1. Display the microwave link profile as explained in "Viewing a Microwave Link Profile" on page 217. 2. Click the arrow next to Display Options button (

) on the toolbar.

3. Select Display Options from the context menu. The Profile Display Options dialog box appears. 4. In the Profile Display Options dialog box, select the Reflections tab. 5. Under For all reflection zones, you can select the following options: •

•

Display the specular reflection point: Select this option to display reflection areas along the link profile and unobstructed reflected paths. The option is automatically selected after you have displayed reflections as previously explained. Display the critical reflection zone when k factor varies: Select this option to display the reflection zone regardless of clutter categories. The reflection zone is determined from antenna heights and ground altitude at the transmitter and receiver sites; it is not based on the defined clutter categories. When this option is selected, you have to check if this zone is a reflection area and, if so, if there is a reflection point within the reflection area.

6. Under For the selected area, you can select the following options: •

• • •

Display the reflections for the k factor range: Select this option to display unobstructed and obstructed reflected paths calculated for the defined range of k factor values. For information on defining the range of k factor values, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. Display the obstructed reflections: Select this option to display obstructed reflected signals. Obstructed reflected signals are represented with orange dashed lines. Display all the paths: Select this option to display all possible reflected signals within the reflection area. Display the reflection plan: Select this option to display the reflection slope. This one is used to determine the reflection point.

7. Under Above sea water, you can select the Display tide levels check box and set the height variation due to tides. Atoll displays the height variation due to tides above the sea water clutter category. For information on defining the height variation, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. Reflection paths and reflective surfaces can only be displayed and analysed over unbroken microwave link profiles, i.e., the profile should not include repeaters.

5.7.2 Analysing Reflections This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238. "Configuring the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 241. "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241.

5.7.2.1 Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report Atoll provides detailed analysis of reflection areas and their impact on microwave links. To display a detailed analysis of reflection areas: 1. Display reflection areas along the link profile as explained in "Displaying Reflection" on page 237 2. Click a reflection area. 3. Right-click the reflection area. The context menu appears. 4. Select Reflection and Diversity Analysis from the context menu. The Microwave Reflection/Diversity window appears. The Report view is selected by default. It contains the following sections: •

Summary: This section provides information on the impact of the reflection on the direct signal. The displayed message depends on how the selected reflection zone is coloured. You can always read OK for a reflection zone with the green colour. When it is coloured in orange or red, the message may be OK or NOK. It is NOK if, for one value of the k factor, the direct and reflected signals arrive with opposite phases, or if the reflection losses experienced by the direct signal exceeds the defined threshold value (1 dB by default). In this case, Atoll details the results and recommends optimal antenna and frequency separations to be used with diversity techniques for each value of the k factor (kmin, kmedian, keff and kmax). kmedian (median value of the k factor) and keff (effective value of the k factor) correspond to the k factor values displayed in the Profile Analysis view. By default, they are initialised either with global values, or with the values calculated for

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the link; this depends on the option selected in the Properties of the Links folder. kmin and kmax (the minimum and maximum values of the k factor) can be defined in the Parameters for Reflection Analysis of the Link dialog box. For information on defining the kmin and kmax, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. For information on changing the attenuation threshold value, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. •

Link Specifications: You will find data on the studied microwave link: • • • • • • •

•

Geoclimatic Parameters: You will find geoclimatic parameters defined for the studied microwave link: • • • • • •

•

Names: The name of the sites. Longitude: The site position on the x-axis. Latitude: The site position on the y-axis. Altitude: The site altitude. Coordinate system: The display coordinate system set in the ATL document. Frequency band: The operating frequency band selected in the microwave link properties. Length: The microwave link length. Temperature: The average temperature (in °C) of the zone in which the microwave link operates. Water vapour density: The water vapour density in grams per cubic metre. Relative humidity: The relative humidity in percentage. k factor used for calculations: The first value of the k factor value displayed in the Profile Analysis view. Geoclimatic factor (K): The k factor which models geoclimatic and terrain effects on climate. Rainfall rate exceeded for 0.01% of the average year: The rainfall observed 99.99% of the average year in millimetres per hour.

Ground Characteristics: The Ground Characteristics part contains the following information: •

•

•

Ground type: The ground type can be scattering, reflecting, or intermediate. It depends on the roughness, the length of the microwave link and the transmitter antenna height above the reflection area. For more information on how the ground type is determined, see the Technical Reference Guide. Humidity type: The humidity type depends on the clutter category. "Water or very wet" is considered for wet terrains, fresh and sea water clutter categories. "Slightly wet or moderately dry" is used for rural open, treecovered and cryosphere clutter categories. "Very dry" is considered for built-up area and dry ground clutter categories. Terrain roughness factor: The terrain roughness factor. By default, only the ground altitude is used to evaluate terrain roughness. You can configure Atoll to consider both the ground altitude and the clutter height in roughness calculation by editing the Atoll.ini configuration file. For more information about editing the configuration file, see the Administrator Manual.

• •

Geometry of the analysed zone: The Reflection area geometry part contains the following information: • • • • •

•

Effective reflection coefficient: The reflection coefficient of the reflection area. Total reflection area length: The length of the selected reflection zone and the total length including all reflection zones into brackets. Critical specular reflection point: This indicates if there is a reflection point for the selected reflection zone. Reflected ray grazing angle: The grazing angle and the incidence angle of the reflected path on the reflection slope plane are complementary angles. Angle between direct and reflected paths at A: The angle between the direct and the reflected paths at Site A. Angle between direct and reflected paths at B : The angle between the direct and the reflected paths at Site B.

Losses: The Losses part contains the following results calculated for the two values of the k factor displayed in the Profile Analysis view: • •

•

Reflection losses: The reflection losses experienced by the direct signal at the receiver side. Reflected signal losses: The total losses experienced by the reflected signal at the receiver side. The signal is attenuated by the receiver antenna (Due to antenna discrimination) and because it is reflected by the ground (Due to ground reflection). Direct signal losses: The attenuation of the direct signal at the receiver side. The signal attenuation is due to the receiver antenna (due to antenna discrimination) and refractivity (due to refractivity).

Additional results appear if, when configuring the report as explained in "Configuring the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 241, you select the check boxes corresponding to the following options: •

Budget: Under Budget, you can select the following information: •

Detailed study: According to the displayed message (OK or NOK), you can determine if the specular reflection point is within the reflection area, if the reflected signal is obstructed, if the reflected and direct signals arrive in opposite phases, and if the direct signal is highly attenuated by the reflected signal.

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•

Link Specifications: Under Link Specifications, you can select the following information: • •

•

• •

• • •

• •

• •

Permittivity: The terrain permittivity. Conductivity: The terrain conductivity in S/m. Specular reflection factor: The specular reflection factor. Terrain irregularity: The terrain irregularity. : The results listed after can be calculated for four k factor values (kmin, kmedian, keff and kmax). kmedian (median value of the k factor) and keff (effective value of the k factor) correspond to the k factor values displayed in the Profile Analysis view. By default, they are initialised either with global values, or with the values calculated for the microwave link; this depends on the option selected in the Properties of the Links folder. kmin and kmax can be defined in the Parameters for Reflection Analysis of the Link dialog box. For information on defining the kmin and kmax, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. Surface reflection coefficient: The surface reflection factor. Divergence factor: The divergence factor.

Area Geometry: Under Area Geometry, you can select the following information: • • •

•

• • •

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Calculation Methods: The calculation methods used (propagation model for useful and interfering signals, quality method, availability method, attenuation model for rain and fog, if signal enhancements and XPD degradation are ignored, calculation on the diversity antenna, space diversity, and frequency diversity). Quality Objectives: The quality objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG) to be considered for the microwave link. Availability Objectives: The availability objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG) to be considered for the microwave link.

Ground Characteristics: The Ground Characteristics part contains the following information: • • • • •

•

Environment: The environment type as defined in the microwave link properties. Climate zone: The climate zone as defined in the microwave link properties. Rain zone: The rain zone as defined in the microwave link properties. Terrain type: The terrain type as defined in the microwave link properties. Climatic factor: The geoclimatic factor as defined in the microwave link properties. Atmospheric pressure: The atmospheric pressure (hPa) as defined in the microwave link properties. Median k factor of the link: the k factor value observed 50% of time. The value is calculated according to refractivity conditions defined for the microwave link. Effective k factor of the link: the k factor value observed 99.9% of time. Percentage of time when the refractivity gradient (<100m) is <-100N-units/km: The percentage of the average year where the refractivity gradient value of -100N-units/km is not exceeded. The value is defined in the microwave link properties. Refractivity gradient: The refractivity gradient near the earth’s surface (in N-units/km) as defined in the microwave link properties. Isotherm height (0°C/32°F isotherm): The height of the top of the rain column above mean sea level from the 0°C isotherm. Fog: The fog intensity in percentage. The value is taken from the geoclimatic parameters file.

Calculation Parameters: Under Calculation Parameters, you can select the following information: •

•

: The custom fields available in Microwave Links table. Sites: Site-related parameters such as the support height, the support type and custom fields.

Geoclimatic Parameters: Under Geoclimatic Parameters, you can select the following information: • • • • • • •

•


Zone location: The distance from Site A at which the reflection area starts and ends. Antenna heights above the reflection plan: The antenna heights at Site A and Site B above the reflection plan. Tau (kmax) - Tau (kmin): The difference between Tau calculated for kmax and Tau calculated for kmin. Tau corresponds to the difference in path length between direct and reflected signals expressed in wavelength. If the difference is lower than 1, then there is no minimum (destructive interference at the receiver side due to the reflected signal) that is experienced with the critical k factor range and diversity can be avoided. If the difference exceeds or equals 1, then there is at least one minimum that is experienced with the critical k factor range and diversity may be implemented depending on how well the signal is reflected and whether there is significant discrimination against surface reflections from one or both of the antennas. : Select the check box in order for Atoll to display the results listed after for four k factor values (kmin, kmedian, keff and kmax). kmedian (median value of the k factor) and keff (effective value of the k factor) correspond to the k factor values displayed in the Profile Analysis view. By default, they are initialised either with global values, or with the values calculated for the microwave link; this depends on the option selected in the Properties of the Links folder. kmin and kmax can be defined in the Parameters for Reflection Analysis of the Link dialog box. For information on defining the kmin and kmax, see "Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters" on page 241. Location of the specular reflection point: The distance of the specular reflection point from Site A. Path difference (direct/reflected) (m): The difference in path length between direct and reflected signals. Reflected path delay: The delay of the reflected path in ns.


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5.7.2.2 Configuring the Reflection Analysis Report You can configure the display parameters of the reflection analysis report to display some or all of the parameters used in the calculations and results of the calculations with different styles. To configure the appearance and contents of the reflection analysis report: 1. Display the reflection analysis report as explained in "Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238. 2. Click the Configure Report button (

). The Report Configuration dialog box appears.

3. Click the Contents tab. 4. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand a result category. You can define which results will be displayed: • • •

To display results, select the check box corresponding to those results. To hide results, clear the check box corresponding to those results. To restore the selected results to their default settings, or to refresh the list of results available, click the Reset button.

5. Click the Style tab. You can define the appearance of the report. To define the appearance of each element: a. Click the style you want to define in the preview window. b. Click the AaBbYyZz button to set the font. c. Define the alignment of the paragraph by selecting Align Left, Centred or Align Right. You can restore the style to its default appearance by clicking the Reset button. •

If you encounter an alignment issue in the generated report, you can modify the tab value by adding an option in the Atoll.ini file. For more information, see the Administrator Manual.

•

You can save the choices you have made in the Report Configuration dialog box as a model for future reports by clicking the Save As button at the top of the dialog box and entering a name for the file in the Save As dialog box that appears. The next time you configure a report, you can click Open in the Report Configuration dialog box to open the model with the saved settings.

6. Once you have defined the contents and appearance of the report, click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.

5.7.2.3 Modifying Reflection Analysis Parameters You can study the influence of some parameters on the reflection analysis. In addition, you can access and modify the global calculation parameters and the microwave link parameters. To define reflection analysis parameters: 1. Display the reflection analysis report as explained in "Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238. 1. In the MW Reflection/Diversity dialog box, click the arrow next to the Settings button ( context menu appears.

) on the toolbar. The

2. Select Hop Analysis Parameters. The Parameters for reflection analysis of the link dialog box appears. 3. Under Analysis parameters, you can specify the following settings: •

•

The attenuation threshold. When the reflection losses experienced by the direct signal exceeds the attenuation threshold, the reflection is considered to create destructive interference and the message displayed in the reflection analysis is NOK. The reflection area to be considered in the reflection analysis. Two options are available: • •

Calculation on the selected reflection area: If you select this option, the reflection analysis is performed on the selected reflection area. Global calculation on all reflection areas: If you select this option, all the reflection areas along the profile in the reflection analysis are taked into account.

4. Under Antenna heights above the reflection plan, select the method to be used to calculate antenna heights above the reflection plan. You can choose between the Simplified method and the Method with linear regression on the area. For more information on these calculation methods, see the Technical Reference Guide.

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5. Under Terrain irregularity, select the method to be used to calculate terrain height irregularity. You can choose between the Root mean square method, the Standard deviation method and the Interdecile range method. For more information on these calculation methods, see the Technical Reference Guide. 6. Under Effective earth radius, select the range of k factor values: • •

Min k: the lowest k factor value to be considered in the reflection analysis. Max k: the highest k factor value to be considered in the reflection analysis.

7. Under Effect due to tide level above sea water, select the Take into account height variations of check box and define the height variation due to tides. This height will be considered above the sea water clutter category. 8. Under Attenuation calculation, select the method to be used to calculate the reflected signal amplitude. You can choose between the Simplified method and the Method with equivalent reflection coefficient. For more information on these calculation methods, see the Technical Reference Guide. 9. Click OK. To access the microwave link parameters: 1. Display the reflection analysis report as explained in "Displaying the Reflection Analysis Report" on page 238. 2. Click the Properties button (

) on the toolbar. The Properties dialog box appears.

5.7.3 Solutions for Reflection Problems At the end of the reflection analysis, you can identify whether ground reflection is a problem for the microwave link. if so, the effects of reflections can be minimised by carefully setting the antenna heights, by using the antenna discrimination capabilities and tilting the receiver antenna, or by using diversity techniques with the antenna/frequency separations recommended in the reflection analysis report. Atoll provides you with a tool you can use to check whether the recommended antenna height and frequency separations are valid over a range of k factor values. You can also use it to optimise the height and frequency separations. To check the recommended antenna height and frequency separations: 1. Display the reflection areas as explained in "Displaying Reflection" on page 237. 2. Click a reflection area. 3. Right-click the Profile Analysis view. The context menu appears. 4. Select Reflection and Diversity Analysis from the context menu. The MW Reflection/Diversity window appears with the Analysis Report view. 5. Select the Attenuations vs refractivity view (see Figure 5.16). In this view, Atoll displays the losses and gains due to reflections as a function of the k factor for the main and diversity antenna heights, and transmission frequencies.

Figure 5.16: Study of Reflection and Diversity – Attenuations vs Refractivity view You can also select one of the following views: •

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Attenuations vs transmitted frequency view to display the losses and gains due to reflections as a function of the transmission frequency, for different values of the k factor (kmin, kmax and kavg), and receiver antenna heights.


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Figure 5.17: Study of Reflection and Diversity – Attenuations vs Transmitted Frequency view •

Attenuations vs receiver height to display the losses and gains due to reflections as a function of the receiver antenna height, for different values of the k factor (kmin, kmax and kavg), and transmission frequencies.

Figure 5.18: Study of Reflection and Diversity – Attenuations vs Receiver Height view 6. Click the Display Options button (

) in the toolbar. The Graph Parameters dialog box appears.

7. Select the Display tab. 8. Under Vertical Axis, either select the Automatic bounds calculation check box in order to let Atoll automatically determine the upper and lower values of the vertical axis, or clear the Automatic bounds calculation check box and define these values manually (Max attenuation and Min attenuation). 9. Under Horizontal Axis, you can select the following: •

• •

Ordinate: The displayed read-only setting corresponds to what will be displayed on the horizontal axis according to the view you selected in step 5. • "k Factor" in Attenuations vs refractivity view • "Transmission Frequency" in Attenuations vs transmitted frequency view • "Receiver Antenna Height" in Attenuations vs receiver height view Min bound: The lower value on the horizontal axis. Max bound: The upper value on the horizontal axis.

10. Under Graph selection, select the graphs to be displayed and the corresponding colour settings. 11. Select the Variable Definition tab. 12. Under k Factors Selection, define the k factor values, kmin, kavg and kmax, to be considered for the analysis. Atoll displays the keff factor at 99% (i.e., the k factor value not exceeded 99% of the average year) and the keff factor at 50% (i.e., the median k factor value). You can redo the analysis using these values. 13. Under Receiver Antenna Height Selection, define the antenna height values, Diversity antenna, Main antenna and Other height, to be considered for the analysis. The optimal separations for the different k factor values are displayed. They are automatically calculated by Atoll. The value calculated for the kavg factor is used to initialise the diversity antenna height (main antenna height - separation) and the other height values (main antenna height + separation). You can redo the analysis by considering other separations. 14. Under Transmission Frequency Selection, define the transmission frequency values, Diversity Frequency, Main Frequency and Other Frequency, to be considered for the analysis. The optimal separations calculated for the different k factor values are displayed. The value calculated for the kavg factor is used to initialise the diversity frequency (main

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frequency + 3 x separation) and the other frequency values (main frequency + 5 x separation). You can redo the analysis by considering other separations. 15. Click OK.

5.8 Planning Microwave Link Channels Planning backhaul networks involves a number of areas of analysis. For each new microwave link created in any environment, there is a list of interference conflicts created due to this newly introduced microwave link. It is a common experience that such modifications in existing network designs introduce a number of interference problems that could have been avoided during the initial design of the same network. Thus, frequency planning in microwave networks is of extreme importance not only to reduce interference at the initial stage of the network but also to plan for future modifications in the network. The process of frequency selection in microwave systems is accomplished with interference minimisation being the most important objective. There are various ways to accomplish this. A logical approach is to define a number of specific frequency plans, each containing a fixed number of specific frequencies, then divide each plan into a high segment and a low segment. The idea is to basically allow frequency assignments to be made in pairs, with each pair having minimum separations. When an assignment is made, the transmitter and receiver get assignments in opposite segments. If the transmitter frequency is in the high block, the receiver frequency will be in the low block and vice versa. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Checking Microwave Link Site Parities" on page 244. "Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Channel Reuse" on page 247. "Allocating Channels Interactively" on page 248. "Working with the Frequency Spectrum Analyser" on page 251. "Displaying Third-order Intermodulation Products" on page 252

5.8.1 Checking Microwave Link Site Parities You can verify the parity of sites either on the map or in a report. Atoll takes into consideration the sites of microwave links which are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and which intersect the focus zone. If there is no focus zone defined, but there is a computation zone, Atoll considers the computation zone. If there is no focus or computation zone, Atoll performs the analysis for all microwave links in the selected view that are active and filtered and for the entire extent of the geographical data available. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Checking Site Parities on the Map" on page 244. "Creating a Report on Site Parities" on page 246.

5.8.1.1 Checking Site Parities on the Map Atoll enables you to view the site parities on the map and thereby to detect any possible high/low conflicts. You can verify the site parities in the following ways: • •

"Displaying Site Parities on the Map" on page 244. "Colouring Microwave Links according to Site Parities" on page 245.

The following is also explained: • •

5.8.1.1.1

"Hiding Site Parities" on page 245 "Deleting Site Parities" on page 246.

Displaying Site Parities on the Map You can view the site parities directly on the map. To perform a site parity check and display the results on the map: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Microwave Links folder, and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links (grouped by Frequency Band) on which you want to perform a site parity check. The context menu appears. 2. Select Channel Arrangement per Site > Display on Map from the context menu. The Channel Arrangement dialog box appears. • •

If you reached this step through the Microwave Links folder, select the frequency band for which you want to check the parities of microwave link extremities. If you reached this step through a Microwave Links sub-folder, the corresponding frequency band is already selected in the Channel Arrangement dialog box.

3. Select the Display parities at site level check box.

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4. Choose an icon for the different cases. • • • •

Lower: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower half-band. Upper: The site is assigned frequencies from the upper half-band. Undefined: No frequency is assigned to the site. Multiple: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower and upper half-bands.

5. Enter the position of icons relative to the site (in dpi). 6. Select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed icons to the legend. 7. Click OK to start the calculations. When you have already defined how channels are displayed, clicking the Channel Arrangement button ( ) displays the defined channels; if you want to redefine how channels are displayed, open the Channel Arrangement dialog box using the context menu of the Microwave Links folder (or the context menu of a Microwave Links sub-folder if the microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band) as explained earlier. The Channel Arrangement dialog box also allows you to save and load a display configuration file. Under Display Configuration, select Load if you want to import an existing display configuration or select Save if you want to save the display settings of the current object in a display configuration file, so that you can share them with other users or use them in other documents. You can also configure Atoll to load a default configuration file for the Channel Arrangement display configuration. For more information about setting options in the Atoll.ini file, see the Administrator Manual.

5.8.1.1.2

Colouring Microwave Links according to Site Parities Atoll can display each half of the microwave link in a colour assigned to the half-band used on its site. To colour microwave links according to site parities: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Microwave Links folder and the sub-folder of microwave links you want to colour according to site parities, and select Channel Arrangement per Site > Display on Map from the context menu. The Channel Arrangement dialog box appears. • •

If you reached this step through the Microwave Links folder, select the frequency band for which you want to colour the microwave links according to site parities. If you reached this step through a Microwave Links sub-folder, the corresponding frequency band is already selected in the Channel Arrangement dialog box.

2. Select the Display parities on links check box. 3. Define the colour and the line thickness to be applied to the half of the microwave link, for the following cases: • • •

Lower: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower half-band. Upper: The site is assigned frequencies from the upper half-band. Undefined: No frequency is assigned to the site.

4. Select the Add to legend check box to add the displayed colours to the legend. 5. Click OK to start the calculations. When you have already defined how channels are to be displayed, clicking the Channel Arrangement button ( ) displays the defined channels; if you want to redefine how channels are displayed, you will have to open the Channel Arrangement dialog box using the context menu of the Microwave Links folder (or the context menu of a Microwave Links sub-folder if the microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band) as explained earlier.

5.8.1.1.3

Hiding Site Parities You can hide all site parities, or hide specific site parities when microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Hiding All Site Parities" on page 245 "Hiding Site Parities in a Specific Operating Frequency Band" on page 246.

Hiding All Site Parities When site parities are displayed on the map, you can hide all site parities. To hide all site parities: •

Click the Channel Arrangement button (

)

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You can display them again by clicking the Channel Arrangement button (

) a second time.

Hiding Site Parities in a Specific Operating Frequency Band You can hide site parities in a specific frequency band using the context menu of a Microwave Links sub-folder, if the microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band. To hide site parities in a specific frequency band using the context menu: 1. Click on the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and, if the microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band, right-click the sub-folder of microwave links you want to hide. 4. Select Channel Arrangement > Hide Channel Arrangement from the context menu. Clicking the Channel Arrangement button ( ties in other operating frequency bands.

5.8.1.1.4

) will display the hidden site parities again as well as any other hidden site pari-

Deleting Site Parities You can delete all site parities, displayed or hidden, or just the ones in a specific frequency band. When you delete site parities, the display properties you have defined for those site parities are also deleted. Any new site parities you create will be based on the default display properties. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Deleting All Site Parities" on page 246 "Deleting Site Parities in One or More Specific Frequency Bands" on page 246

Deleting All Site Parities To delete all site parities: 1. Click the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Select Channel Arrangement > Delete Channel Arrangement > All from the context menu. Deleting Site Parities in One or More Specific Frequency Bands You can delete site parities in one or more specific frequency bands using the context menu of any Microwave Links subfolder (when the microwave links are grouped by Frequency Band). To delete site parities in specific frequency bands using the context menu: 1. Click the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Select Channel Arrangement > Delete Channel Arrangement > Select from the context menu. The Channel Distribution dialog box appears. 4. Under Frequency bands to remove, select the frequency bands for which the site parities will be deleted and click OK. If necessary, you can click the Refresh button (

) or press F5 to update the display.

5.8.1.2 Creating a Report on Site Parities Atoll enables you to create a report displaying site parities. To create a report displaying site parities: 1. Click on the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Select the microwave links on which you want to create a report displaying site parities: • •

To create a report displaying site parities for all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To create a report displaying site parities for a group of microwave links, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links on which you want to create a report displaying site parities. The context menu appears.

4. Select Channel Arrangement > Generate Report from the context menu. The Channel Distribution dialog box appears.

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5. Select the operating frequency bands for which you want to check the parities of the microwave link extremities. 6. Click OK. Atoll checks the site parities of all the microwave links working at the selected frequency bands. Once Atoll has finished checking site parities, results are displayed in the Channel Arrangement table. The Channel Arrangement table contains the following information. • • •

Frequency Band: The operating frequency band. Site: The name of the site. Parity: The parity of the site. • • • •

• • •

Lower: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower half-band. Upper: The site is assigned frequencies from the upper half-band. Undefined: No frequency is assigned to the site. Multiple: The site is assigned frequencies from the lower and upper half-bands.

Cause: Information provided for multiple parity only. Atoll gives the name of microwave links whose the site has a multiple parity. Longitude: The longitude of the site. Latitude: The latitude of the site.

You can sort and filter data in the Channel Distribution table. For more information, see "Sorting Data in Tables" on page 79 and "Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table" on page 82.

5.8.1.3 Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Channel Reuse In Atoll, you can use the Find on Map tool to search for channels. The Find on Map tool allows you to view channel reuse on the map. To find a channel using the Find on Map tool: 1. Click the Find on Map button (

) on the Map toolbar. The Find on Map window appears.

2. From the Find list, select "MW Channel." 3. Select a Frequency band. 4. Select a Sub-band. 5. Define in which half-band (Lower or Upper) you want to search for the channel. 6. Select a Channel. 7. If you only want the microwave links with the selected frequency Sub-band to be considered, select the Same subband only check box. 8. If you only want the selected Channel to be displayed, select the Co-channel only check box. 9. Click Search. Microwave links using the selected channel in the same sub-band are displayed in red. Microwave links using an adjacent channel to the selected channel in the same sub-band are displayed in blue. Microwave links using a channel which completely covers the selected channel are displayed in orange. Microwave links using a channel which is completely covered by the selected channel are displayed in purple. Microwave links using a channel which overlaps the selected channel (i.e., partially covers the selected channel) are displayed in green. All other microwave links are displayed in grey. If you selected the Same sub-band only check box, microwave links using the selected channel in the same sub-band are displayed in red; microwave links using an adjacent channel to the selected channel in the same sub-band are displayed in blue and all others are displayed in grey. If you selected the Co-channel only check box, microwave links using the selected channel in the same sub-band are displayed in red; microwave links using a channel which completely covers the selected channel are displayed in orange; microwave links using a channel which is completely covered by the selected channel are displayed in purple; microwave links using a channel which overlaps the selected channel (i.e., partially covers the selected channel) are displayed in green and all other microwave links are displayed in grey. Click the Reset Display button in the window to restore the initial microwave link colours.

5.8.2 Displaying Channel Arrangements The Arrangements window enables you to display all channel arrangements available for a selected frequency band.

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Figure 5.19: The Arrangements Window To display channel arrangements: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings, expand Frequences, right-click the Bands table, and select Open Table from the context menu. The Bands table opens. 2. In the Bands table, double-click a cell. The Properties window opens for the corresponding band. 3. Click the Frequency Plans button. The Arrangement window opens. You can also use the Find on Map tool to find a channel as described in "Using the Find on Map Tool to Display Channel Reuse" on page 247 and click the Frequency Plans button.

4. Click Lower half-band or Upper half-band to display the corresponding half-band. You can click the diagram to select a different sub-band and channel. The scale of the diagram adjusts to the selected subband. You can press Control and use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out of the diagram.

5.8.3 Allocating Channels Interactively The Interactive Channel Allocation tool enables you to verify the channel allocation of microwave links one by one, and improve an existing channel allocation by letting you select the most appropriate channels to assign to a microwave link. The Interactive Channel Allocation tool ranks the channels according to a definable cost function. This channel search is performed according to the interference received or transmitted per channel. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Allocating Channels to a Microwave Link" on page 248 "Defining the Allocation Calculation Parameters" on page 249

5.8.3.1 Allocating Channels to a Microwave Link You can allocate channel(s) to a microwave link by using the Interactive Channel Allocation tool. To allocate channels interactively: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map or in the Microwave Links folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Interactive Channel Allocation from the context menu. The Interactive Channel Allocation window appears. 3. At the top of the Interactive Channel Allocation window, select the following settings: • • •

Select the frequency sub-band from the list of available frequency sub-bands for the current microwave link. Select either Vertical or Horizontal polarity for the microwave link Select the frequency half-band configuration for the microwave link: •

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High-Low: The upper and lower half-bands are respectively assigned to Site A and Site B.


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•

Low - High: The lower and upper half-bands are respectively assigned to Site A and Site B.

4. Define the allocation calculation parameters as explained in "Allocating Channels to a Microwave Link" on page 248. 5. Click the Calculate button ( ) to launch the calculations. After Atoll has finished calculating the allocation, the following information is displayed. • • • • • • • • • • •

Channel: The channel number. Polarisation: The polarisation considered for the calculation. Threshold degradation (A victim): The threshold degradation experienced by Site A. Threshold degradation (B victim): The threshold degradation experienced by Site B. C/I (A victim): The signal-to-noise ratio at Site A. C/I (B victim): The signal-to-noise ratio at Site B. Max Threshold degradation (A interferer): The highest degradation threshold caused by Site A. Max Threshold degradation (B interferer): The highest degradation threshold caused by Site B. Cost: The cost of the channel. Lower Half-band Name: The name of the channel in the lower half-band. Upper Half-band Name: The name of the channel in the upper half-band.

The channels are sorted in increasing order with respect to their corresponding costs. This means that the best available channels, in terms of the related costs, are the ones at the top of the list. The channel(s) currently allocated to the microwave link are highlighted in blue. You can use data table shortcuts, such as sorting. For information on working with data tables, see "Data Tables" on page 58. 6. Select the Commit check box for the channel(s) you want to assign to the microwave link and click the Commit button ( ). All the channels whose Commit check box is selected are assigned to the microwave link. If more channels were selected than can be assigned to a microwave link, the Commit button becomes unavailable. After you have assigned the channel(s) to the microwave link, you can keep the Interactive Channel Allocation window open and perform an interference analysis to check the quality of new allocated channel(s). For information on interference analysis, see "Analysing the Interference on a Single Microwave Link" on page 257. If required, you can allocate another channel or return to the previous allocation. Clear the Commit check box for the current channel, select the Commit check box for the new channel you want to assign to the microwave link and click the Commit button ( ).

5.8.3.2 Defining the Allocation Calculation Parameters Before allocating channel(s) using the Interactive Channel Allocation tool, you can define the calculation parameters to be considered during the allocation. To define the allocation calculation parameters: 1. In the Interactive Channel Allocation window, click the Calculation Parameters button (

). The Properties dialog

box appears. 2. On the Conditions tab, define the following: •

Frequency sub-band: Select the frequency sub-band from the list of available frequency sub-bands (i.e., all subbands defined for the frequency band of the microwave link being studied).

•

Site A half-band: Select the frequency half-band to calculate (lower or upper) for the transmission site (the opposite half-band is assigned to the reception site).

•

The channels to be analysed: • •

Select Use all the channels of the sub-band if all channels can be allocated. If only some channels of the frequency sub-band can be allocated, select Restrict the list of potential channels and define the channels available. Here, you have to enter the channel number and not the channel name. You can enter or paste a list of channels; the values must be separated with either a comma, or a semi-colon, or a space. You can also enter a range of channels available, by entering the first and last channel numbers of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering 20-22 corresponds to entering 20 21 and 22.

•

Polarisation: Define the microwave link polarisation to be considered in the calculation. Atoll calculates a cost for each channel and each defined polarisation (either horizontal, or vertical, or horizontal and vertical).

•

Under Channel weighting, use the slider to define the weight given to the interferer and victim channels.

3. Click the Parameters tab. On the Parameters tab, you can define the parameters Atoll uses to calculate interference on the microwave link. 4. Select Use global settings or Use user-defined settings. If you select Use global settings, Atoll uses the interference analysis parameters that are defined by the Microwave Links folder. For more information on how to define the interference analysis parameters, see "Defining Interference Analysis Parameters" on page 263. If you select Use user-defined settings, you can continue with step 5. and define

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your own settings. In this context, Atoll considers the coordinated power as output power for useful and interfering signals. 5. Define the k factor, the earth curvature factor. 6. Enter the Calculation step on interferer profiles. The Calculation step on interferer profiles is the resolution used to calculate interference. The default value is 50 m. If you enter "0", Atoll will use the minimum resolution of the geographic data. 7. Under Interferer filtering, define the following parameters: •

•

Default maximum distance: The default maximum distance around the studied site to find potential interfering sites. A maximum distance can be defined per frequency band in the Design Rules table. If defined, the frequency band-specific maximum distance will be used instead of the value entered here. For information on design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. Interfered bandwidth: The interfered bandwidth enables Atoll to filter the interferers. You can choose from the following options: •

•

•

•

Co-channel only: Only co-channel sites are considered as interferer sites. Atoll considers co-channel interference when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the interfered bandwidth. User-defined percentage: If you select this option, you can enter the percentage of the interfered bandwidth that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. A site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the percentage of the interfered bandwidth defined. Therefore, if you set the percentage to 100%, Atoll will only consider co-channel interferers while a percentage between 100% and 300% will allow you to consider adjacent channel interferers (see Figure 5.20). Fixed guard band: If you select this option, you can enter the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. A site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies is lower than the userdefined value. For example, if the defined value equals the channel bandwidth, Atoll will only consider cochannel interferers (see Figure 5.20). No filter: There is no filter and all sites within the maximum distance are considered as interferers.

Figure 5.20: Interfered bandwidth for a 56 MHz channel bandwidth •

•

Interference via repeaters: Select how interference caused by repeaters is taken into consideration. You can select whether "All the repeaters are ignored", "Links with passive repeaters may also interfere via their repeater", or "Any signal can interfere via a repeater". Min threshold degradation: The minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to decide whether a site is interfered by another one. A microwave link is considered interfered when the threshold degradation caused by the interferer link exceeds the local minimum threshold degradation (i.e., if the level of interference (I) received from the interferer link leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the local minimum threshold).

8. Under Adaptive Modulation, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Interfered equipment: Select the modulation Atoll should use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, the highest modulation, or all modulations. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations. Interfering equipment: Select the modulation Atoll should use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, or the highest modulation. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations.

9. Click Ok.

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5.8.4 Working with the Frequency Spectrum Analyser Atoll can display a channel usage histogram within any microwave link’s operating frequency band enabling you to allocate unused or less-frequently used channels where required. This tool calculates and draws a graph representing the channels used along with the interference levels received on each channel of a half band. Through this graph, you can find the channels with lowest interference levels in order to allocate them to microwave links. To open the spectrum analyser: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map or in the Microwave Links folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > I Levels on the Band from the context menu. The Interference Levels on the Band view of the Microwave Analysis window opens (see Figure 5.21):

Figure 5.21: The MW Analysis window - Interference Levels on the Band view Atoll calculates the interference levels on each channel of the frequency half-band (lower or upper) of the microwave link and represents them as polygons on the graph, with the width of the polygon indicating the bandwidth. The red polygon displays the total interference level received on the interfered channel and each blue polygon represents the signal level transmitted on each interfering channel. When you move the pointer over one of the polygons, Atoll displays the following information in tip text: •

For the studied microwave link: • • • •

•

Studied link: The microwave link selected either in the toolbar or on the map. Way: The direction of the microwave link that is being analysed. Total interference level: The total interference on the given direction of the studied microwave link. FKTB Level: The receiver thermal noise for the channel bandwidth is displayed by a horizontal line on the red polygon representing the studied microwave link. The exact value is displayed in tip text when you place the pointer over the line.

For the interferer microwave link: • • • •

Interferer link: The link interfering with the studied link. Way: The direction of the link interfering with the link that is being analysed. Interferer Rx level: The signal level transmitted on the interfering channel. Frequency gap: The frequency difference between the studied link and the interfering link.

You can locate the channels on which there is the least or no interference and allocate these "free" channels where required.

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Figure 5.22: I Levels on the Band view - composite view showing tool tips Each polygon representing the interference level received on any channel depicts the peak signal value. If there is more than one interfering signal, only the peak value is displayed on the graph. You can change the following options: • •

Direction: You can select the direction to be studied, i.e., Site A - Site B, or the direction, i.e., Site A => Site B or vice versa. Properties: You can open the Properties dialog box of the selected microwave link by clicking the Properties

•

button ( ) on the toolbar. Calculation Parameters: You can define the interference calculation parameters by clicking the Calculation Parameters button ( on page 263.

•

) on the toolbar. For more information, see "Defining Interference Analysis Parameters"

Print: You can print the content of the Interference Levels on the Band view by clicking the Print button ( the toolbar.

) on

5.8.5 Displaying Third-order Intermodulation Products Intermodulation is caused by non-linear behaviour of the signal processing being used. Non-linear systems generate harmonics, meaning that if the input of a non-linear system is a signal of a single frequency (e.g., f1), then the output is a signal which includes a number of integer multiples of the input frequency (i.e., 2f1, 3f1, 4f1, 5f1, etc.). Intermodulation occurs when the input to a non-linear system is composed of two or more frequencies. The signals of different frequencies are mixed together, forming additional signals at frequencies that are not, in general, at harmonic frequencies of either. These new frequencies are called intermodulation products (IMPs). Atoll can calculate third-order intermodulation products. They are important because they fall within the vicinity of the original frequency components, and can therefore interfere with the desired behaviour. To calculate third-order intermodulation products: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map or in the Microwave Links folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Intermodulation Products from the context menu. The Intermodulation Products view of the Microwave Analysis window opens (see Figure 5.23):

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Figure 5.23: The MW Analysis window - Intermodulations Products view Atoll shows the transmission and reception frequencies used by the site (i.e., Site A if you selected Site A=>Site B or Site B if you selected Site B=>Site A) and calculates the third-order intermodulation products for each transmission channel of the frequency half-band of the microwave link. Frequencies are represented by vertical lines and reported on the horizontal axis. Only frequencies within the frequency band of the studied microwave link are represented. The blue lines indicate the frequencies used for transmission; green lines show the frequencies used for reception and red lines represent the third-order intermodulation products. Atoll displays tip text when you place the pointer on each vertical line. You can change the following options: • • •

Direction: You can select the direction to be studied, i.e., Site A - Site B, or the direction, i.e., Site A => Site B or vice versa. Port Number: You can select to display either the port number to be analysed or the worst case. Properties: You can open the Properties dialog box of the selected microwave link by clicking the Properties

•

button ( ) on the toolbar. Calculation Parameters: You can define the interference calculation parameters by clicking the Calculation Parameters button ( on page 263.

•

) on the toolbar. For more information, see "Defining Interference Analysis Parameters"

Report: You can generate a report on intermodulation products by clicking the Report button ( toolbar. The report contains the following information: • The selected hop of the microwave link. • The selected site, i.e., Site A if you selected Site A=>Site B or Site B if you selected Site B=>Site A. • The transmission frequencies used by the site. • The reception frequencies used by the site. • The third-order intermodulation products of the frequency band. • A graphic of the Intermodulation Products tab.

) on the

5.9 Analysing Interference Atoll enables you to analyse interference with tools that respect the ITU-R P.452-12 recommendations. Interference calculation between microwave links and over the network can be performed for a single microwave link as well as for any userdefined group of microwave links. Atoll performs the analysis for all microwave links in the group that are active, filtered (i.e., that are selected by the current filter parameters), and intersect the focus zone. When calculating interference levels received for any microwave link, Atoll searches for potential interferers operating in the same frequency band. Potential interferers, among all microwave links in the network, are the active and filtered microwave links whose transmitter-receiver trajectory intersects or passes through the computation zone and whose interfering transmitter-interfered receiver distance is less than a given value. Atoll also considers the adjacency of frequency bands, i.e., microwave links with radios operating frequency bands that overlap the operating frequency band of the microwave link being studied. For information on the focus zone, see "Focus Zone" on page 50. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. By default, interference in Atoll is calculated according to the ITU-R P.452-12 recommendations. However, you can change the interference calculation method and base it on any of the propagation models available on the Parameters tab. The following parameters are taken into account when calculating the interference analysis: •

Interference analysis parameters

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• •


IRFs defined on the IRF table if available. T/I curve, transmitter mask, and receiver mask graphs defined at the radio level or theoretical graphs.

This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Interference Reduction Factor" on page 254. "Using IRF in Interference Calculations" on page 256. "Analysing the Interference on a Single Microwave Link" on page 257. "Performing an Interference Analysis on Multiple Microwave Links" on page 265.

5.9.1 Interference Reduction Factor The interference reduction factor (IRF) is a method of reducing interference on the received signal. The IRF is a function of the difference between the central frequencies of the interfered signal and the interfering signal. You can define a protection level for each victim–interferer microwave transceiver radio pair by defining the protection levels (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The IRF graphs defined in the IRF table are used during the calculation of interference. When studying the interference between transmission radio and reception radio, Atoll first verifies whether an IRF graph is defined for the transmission radioreception radio pair in the IRF table. If so, Atoll uses it. Otherwise, Atoll determines IRF during the process of calculating interference. The entire process is as follows: 1. Atoll verifies that the transmission and reception radios have T/I graphs defined. If they have the same frequency band, channel bandwidth, manufacturer, capacity, and modulation, Atoll uses the T⁄I graphs to determine the IRF. 2. When T/I graphs are not defined or when the conditions described above are not met, Atoll verifies whether the transmitter and receiver masks of the radios are available to merge them and determine the IRF. 3. When transmitter and receiver masks of the radios are not defined, Atoll uses theoretical graphs (for more information on the theoretical graphs, see "Theoretical Graphs" on page 151), first T/I graphs and then, transmitter and receiver masks. If neither T/I graphs, nor transmitter and receiver masks can be selected, IRF cannot be calculated. For more information on the IRF calculation process, see the Technical Reference Guide. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Defining IRF Graphs Manually" on page 254 "Defining IRF Graphs with the Assistant" on page 255.

5.9.1.1 Defining IRF Graphs Manually You can define IRF graphs using the IRF table. These IRF graphs will be used to reduce the interference between victim and interferer microwave radios when calculating interference. To create or modify an IRF graph: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Right-click the Radios folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select IRF > Open Table from the context menu. The IRF table appears (see Figure 5.24).

Figure 5.24: IRF table 5. Select the name of the Victim radio from the list. 6. Select the name of the Interferer radio from the list.

If you are creating a new IRF graph, use the row marked with the New Row icon (

7. Double-click in the left margin of the record to open its Properties dialog box (see Figure 5.25).

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Figure 5.25: IRF record Properties dialog box 8. Under Protection values in the Properties dialog box, enter a protection level (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The resulting graph is displayed on the right of the Properties dialog box. 9. Click OK.

5.9.1.2 Defining IRF Graphs with the Assistant Atoll provides an assistant to enable you to define IRFs between transmission and reception transceiver radios. When you select a frequency band and the radio manufacturers with radios that operate in the same frequency band, Atoll displays the entries where the transmission and reception radios present the possibility of interference. To use the assistant to define IRFs: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Equipment folder. 3. Right-click the Radios folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select IRF > Edit Grid from the context menu. The IRF Settings dialog box appears (see Figure 5.26).

Figure 5.26: IRF Setting dialog box 5. Select the Frequency band from the list. Only radios operating in the selected frequency band are displayed in the grid. 6. Select the TX equipment manufacturer from the list. Only radios manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the grid. 7. Select the RX equipment manufacturer from the list. Only radios manufactured by the selected manufacturer are displayed in the grid. Atoll lists the entries where the transmission and reception radios present the possibility of interference. The cells coloured in green indicate that an IRF graph exists. 8. You can now define an IRF graph, delete an IRF graph, or create an IRF graph using radio graphs or theoretical graphs:

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Figure 5.27: IRF context menu To define an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios: a. Right-click the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Add Record from the context menu. A dialog box appears. c. Under Enter the graph values, enter a protection level (in dB) for each frequency delta (in MHz). The resulting graph is displayed on the right of the dialog box. d. Click OK.

To delete an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios: a. Right-click the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Delete from the context menu.

To create an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios using transmitter and receiver masks: a. Right-click the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Calculate Using > Transmitter and Receiver Masks from the context menu. The IRF Calculation dialog box appears. c. From the Transmitter Mask list, select a theoretical transmission spectrum graph. If there is a transmission spectrum graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. d. From the Reception Mask list, select a theoretical receiver selectivity graph. If there is a receiver selectivity graph defined for the radio, you can select "Same as Radio" to use it. e. Define the Calculation step in MHz. f. Click Calculate to calculate the IRF graph. g. Click OK. To create an IRF graph between the transmission and reception radios using T/I graphs: a. Right-click the cell of the grid that coincides with both entries. The context menu appears. b. Select Calculate Using > T/I graphs from the context menu. The IRF Calculation dialog box appears. c. From the T/I Graph list, select a theoretical T/I graph. d. Click Calculate to calculate the IRF graph. e. Click OK. 9. Click OK to close the IRF Edition dialog box.

5.9.2 Using IRF in Interference Calculations As explained in "Interference Reduction Factor" on page 254, the IRF graphs defined in the IRF table are used during the interference calculation. When studying interference between transmission and reception radios, Atoll first checks if an IRF graph is defined for the transmission radio - reception radio pair in the IRF table. If defined, Atoll uses it. Otherwise, Atoll determines the IRF graph during the interference calculation as follows:

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1. It checks that the transmission radio and the reception radio have the same manufacturer, capacity and modulation. In this case, Atoll uses T/I curves in order to calculate the IRF graph. It uses either the graphs defined for radio if available, or the theoretical T/I graphs if not. 2. If the radio manufacturer, capacity or modulation are not the same, Atoll merges the transmitter mask and the receiver mask of the radios in order to calculate the IRF graph. Atoll uses either the graphs defined for the radios if available, or the theoretical graphs if not.

5.9.3 Analysing the Interference on a Single Microwave Link Atoll enables you to analyse the interference on any microwave link of the network. You can define the parameters used to analyse the interference, display the results in the form of a report and in the form of tables with the details of site A or site B as either the victims of interference or as the interferers. This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Displaying Interference in the Form of a Report" on page 257 "Displaying Site A/Site B Interference Details" on page 258. "Displaying Interference on the Map" on page 261. "Defining the Interference Analysis Parameters" on page 259.

5.9.3.1 Displaying Interference in the Form of a Report You can analyse the interference on a microwave link and display the results in the form of a report. To display an interference analysis on a microwave link in the form of a report: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map or in the Microwave Links folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Interference Report from the context menu. The MW Analysis window appears with the Interference Report view displayed. 3. At the top of the Interference Report view, select the port on which the analysis should be performed. When you select Worst case, Atoll performs the analysis for each channel and displays the results for the worst channel in terms of threshold degradation (i.e., the channel with the highest threshold degradation). 4. Define the analysis parameters as explained. In the Interference Report view, the following information about the selected microwave link appears: •

•

•

•

•

Summary: Shows whether quality, availability (rain) and availability (failures) objectives have been reached for both directions of the microwave link and the specified BER values, and a global estimation of the outage duration for an average year taking into account both link quality and availability. A global estimation of the outage duration including failures is also displayed for an average year. Worst month results are used to determine the quality objective status. The availability objective status is based on average year results. Link Budget: Shows a basic link budget including the operating frequency band, the link length, the thermal fade margin, the worst month quality (in percentage of time), the average annual availability taking into account rain (in percentage of time), and the average annual availability taking into account both rain and equipment failures (in percentage of time), and the worst month non-quality objective and the average annual unavailability objective (duration). The average annual availability is calculated using the Crane or the ITU-R P.530 recommendations. Link Specifications: Information about the microwave link design, site names, locations, and altitudes for both extremities, repeaters (if any), antennas used at both sites with their respective models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains, diameters, near fields, beamwidths and XPD values, diversity antennas and repeater back-to-back antenna details such as the models, heights, azimuths, tilts, gains and diameters, microwave transceiver radios installed at both sites with details such as the radio series, models, digital hierarchy employed, modulation used, Ethernet + TDM capacity, minimal channel bandwidths, capacities and configurations, feeders details and point-to-multipoint parameters if the studied microwave link is a part of a point-to-multipoint system. Transmission: Transmission-related parameters for both extremities of the microwave link including the transmitted powers considered in quality and availability analyses, the power type (High, Low, Standard or Constant), EIRP, ATPC effects, total losses and the details (filter losses, port connection losses, common losses, shielding losses, radome losses, connection losses, and feeder losses), the branching configuration, channel and frequency parameters such as the port and the channel for which the calculations have been performed, polarisation and the diversity frequency, and details on the port configuration for both directions (the channel, the corresponding frequency, the polarisation, if it is a main channel or a standby channel or a channel for frequency diversity or a diversity-standby channel, the transmission and reception port numbers, the ACU losses, the port circulator and attenuator losses. Transmitted power and EIRP values considered in quality and availability analyses can be different depending on the power control on useful signal options selected in global parameters. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Reception: Reception-related parameters for both ends of the microwave link including the bit error ratios and sensitivities at the receivers, saturation thresholds, thermal noise, the required C/I minus the XPIF and total losses

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•

•

•

• •

•

•

•

•


at reception comprising filter losses, connection losses, common losses, shielding losses, radome losses, port connection losses, and feeder losses. Geoclimatic Parameters: Information about the type of environment, type of terrain, rain zone and the climatic zone in which the microwave link is operating, climatic factor, rainfall rate exceeded 0.01% of time, isotherm height (0°C/32°F), atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, PL, temperature, water vapour density, the earth curvature factor used for calculations, the median earth curvature factor (k) and the effective earth curvature factor (ke) of the microwave link, the geoclimatic factor K, refractivity gradient, roughness, and fog intensity. Calculation Parameters: Parameters used to make the calculations for the link budget such as the calculation methods used (propagation model for useful and interfering signals, quality method, availability method, attenuation model for rain and fog, interference, whether signal enhancements and XPD degradation are ignored, space diversity and frequency diversity), quality objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG), availability (rain) objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG), availability (failures) objectives (SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV, MARG), and interference analysis parameters (transmitted power of interferers, criteria to find interfering sites, calculation step). Propagation: The received signal levels at the main and diversity antennas, the required signal levels at the main and diversity antennas to reach quality and availability objectives, propagation results for both directions of the microwave link including total losses, free space losses, dry air losses, water vapour losses, diffraction losses, vegetation losses, reflection losses, antenna losses and tropospheric scattering losses, epsilon and the type of path (LOS or NLOS). If relevant, propagation results are also detailed for the diversity antenna. Received signal level values considered in quality and availability analyses can be different depending on the powers selected in global parameters. For information on setting global parameters, see "Global Parameters" on page 171. Interference: The received interference level, the threshold degradation, and the C/I ratios for quality and availability. Non-quality due to Multipath in Clear Air: Details about the quality of the microwave link in the selected directions, for the specified BER values and when interference is taken into account. These results include the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for the worst month, the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for an average year, performance objectives ((SESR (objective), ESR (objective), BBER (objective), Received signal level (objective), Margin (objective)), improvement factors when space and frequency diversities are used. Unavailability due to Rain: Details about the unavailability of the microwave link due to rain in the selected directions, for the specified BER values and whether interference is taken into account. These results include the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for the worst month, the outage rate, the non-outage rate and the outage duration for an average year, performance objectives (SESR (objective), ESR (objective), BBER (objective), Received signal level (objective), Margin (objective)), details for an average year (lineic rain losses, wet snow factor, lineic fog losses, fading due rain, fading due to XPD degradation). Unavailability due to Failures: Results depicting the unavailability of the microwave link due to radio failure. These results include availability of hot standby, outage rate due to faults for an average year and the outage duration for an average year and the performance objective. Adaptive Modulation: If you selected Adaptive modulation (ACM) as the operation mode in the Properties of the Links folder and if the microwave link supports multiple modulations, Atoll details the analysis for each defined modulation. The displayed results include: • Global link estimation for an average year, including the outage durations and the percentage of non-outage duration for the link for an average year. • The thermal fade margins when interference is considered and without interference, received signal levels considered in quality and availability analyses, threshold degradation, the total interference, the C/I ratios for quality and availability, Ethernet + TDM capacity, system gains. • Results depicting the non-quality of the link due to multipath (outage and non-outage rate for the worst month and an average year, outage duration for the worst month and an average year, outage details for the worst month). • Results depicting the link unavailability due to the rain (outage and non-outage rate for the worst month and an average year, outage duration for the worst month and an average year, outage details for an average year, availability rate for an average year and the unavailability duration with failures for an average year). Interference Details: The microwave links that interfere the extremity of the microwave link being studied and the microwave links interfered by the extremity of the microwave link being studied.

To define the contents of the interference report, see "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231. To print the interference report, see "Printing a Microwave Report" on page 232. To export the interference report, see "Exporting a Microwave Report" on page 232.

5.9.3.2 Displaying Site A/Site B Interference Details You can analyse the interference experienced by either of the two sites defining a microwave link. Atoll displays the results in the form of a table, with the details of site A or site B as either the victims of interference or as the interferers.

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To display the interference details of site A or site B: 1. Right-click the microwave link either directly on the map or in the Microwave Links folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Interference Details from the context menu. The MW Analysis window appears with the Interference Details view displayed. 3. At the top of the Interference Details view, you can specify the following parameters: • • • •

The link to analyse. The extremity to be analysed (A or B) and whether you prefer to display the microwave links that interfere with or are interfered by the selected extremity (interferer or victim). On which port the analysis should be performed. Select All to analysis all ports. Select Worst case to analyse each channel and display the results for the channel with the highest threshold degradation). The modulation or modulations of the selected extremity. The modulations used for the site interfering with or interfered by the studied site are defined in the interference analysis parameters. For more information, see "Defining the Interference Analysis Parameters" on page 259.

The Interference Details view displays the interference information as a table. For each interfering or interfered link, Atoll displays the interference direction, the distance between the interfered and interfering sites, the sub-band, the polarisation, the modulation and the channel of the interfered and interfering sites, the difference between the interfered and the interfering frequencies, the shielding factors at the interfered and interfering sites, the applied interference reduction factor, decoupling, the C/I ratios for quality and availability, the total interference, the threshold degradation, and the rain losses. In case of parity issues, links in the table are displayed in red. •

To hide or show columns that are displayed in the Interference Details view, click Display Columns (

• •

To specify the colours that are used to identify A and B victims and interferers, click Display Options ( To hide or show victim and interferer relationships on the map, click Victim and Interferer Links ( ).

). ).

For information on defining the contents of the interference report, see "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231. For information on printing the interference report, see "Printing a Microwave Report" on page 232. For information on exporting the interference report, see "Exporting a Microwave Report" on page 232.

5.9.3.3 Defining the Interference Analysis Parameters Before analysing interference in the Interference Report view or the Interference Details view, you can define the analysis parameters. To define the interference analysis parameters: 1. In the Interference Report view or the Interference Details view, click the Calculation Parameters button (

). The

Calculation Parameters dialog box appears. 2. In the Calculation Parameters dialog box, the parameters you define will be used to calculate interference Under Interferer filtering, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Default maximum distance: Enter the default maximum distance in metres that Atoll will search around each site to find potentially interfering sites. A maximum distance can be defined per frequency band in the Design Rules table. If defined, the frequency band-specific maximum distance will be used instead of the value entered here. For information on design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. Interfered bandwidth: Define which sites are to be considered as interferers. You can choose from the following options: •

•

•

•

Co-channel only: Only co-channel sites are considered as interferer sites. Atoll considers co-channel interference when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the interfered bandwidth. When you select Co-channel only, no IRF graph is taken into account. User-defined percentage: If you select this option, you can enter the percentage of the interfered bandwidth that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. A site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the percentage of the interfered bandwidth defined. Therefore, if you set the percentage to 100%, Atoll will only consider co-channel interferers while a percentage between 100% and 300% will allow you to consider adjacent channel interferers (see Figure 5.28). Fixed guard band: If you select this option, you can enter the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. A site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies is lower than the userdefined value. For example, if the defined value equals the channel bandwidth, Atoll will only consider cochannel interferers (see Figure 5.28). No filter: There is no filter and all sites within the maximum distance are considered as interferers.

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Figure 5.28: Interfered bandwidth for a 56 MHz channel bandwidth •

•

• •

Interference via repeaters: Select how interference caused by repeaters should be taken into consideration. You can select whether "All the repeaters are ignored", "Links with passive repeaters may also interfere via their repeater", or "Any signal can interfere via a repeater". Ignore interference between channels of a same link: Select the Ignore interference between channels of a same link check box if you want Atoll to ignore interference generated by channels of the same microwave link on each other. This option is useful if you have microwave links with 2+0 configuration (i.e., microwave links with two channels). It also applies to parallel microwave links. In this context, parallel microwave links are referred to as links sharing the same link extremities (e.g., two links between the same two sites). Ignore interference from standby ports: Select the Ignore interference from standby channels option if you want Atoll to ignore interference generated by the standby and diversity-standby channels. Ignore co-site interferers: Select the Ignore co-site interferers option if you want Atoll to ignore interference received from co-site sources (i.e., for two links A-B and B-C that shares the site B, the signal received by B from A will not be considered as interfered by the signal transmitted from B to C). This option is useful to exclude the effect of near-field interference from interference calculations.

Under Calculation parameters, you can define the following parameters: •

Calculation step on interferer profiles: Enter the resolution to be used to calculate interference. The default value is 50 m. If you enter "0", the minimum resolution of the geographic data is used.

•

Power control: Select the output power of interfering sites when modelling power control. You can choose between Use nominal power, Use coordinated power, and Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths. • Use nominal power: Atoll considers the nominal power as output power of interfering sites. • Use coordinated power: Atoll considers the coordinated power as output power of interfering sites. • Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths: For interfering paths correlated with the victim link, Atoll considers a controlled output power, i.e., the output power of the interfering site is controlled so as to balance the rain losses experienced along the interfering link. The power control is limited by the ATPC value when the rain losses exceed the ATPC value. If not correlated, Atoll considers the coordinated power as output power of interfering sites. An interfering path is considered as correlated when its direction is within a 3dB beamwidth of the antenna of the victim site.

Under Adaptive modulation, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Interfered equipment: Select the modulation Atoll should use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, the highest modulation, or all modulations. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations. Interfering equipment: Select the modulation Atoll should use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, or the highest modulation. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations. When displaying the Interference Details view of the MW Analysis window, you can select the modulation (or modulations) for the studied site. The modulations used for the site interfering with or interfered by the studied site are those defined in this section.

Under Results filtering, you can define the following parameters: •

•

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Min. threshold degradation per interferer: Enter the local minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to decide whether a site is interfered by an other one. A microwave link is considered to be interfered by another one when the threshold degradation caused by the interferer link exceeds the local minimum threshold degradation (i.e., if the level of interference (I) received from the interferer link leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the local minimum threshold). Total min. threshold degradation: Enter the total minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to indicate when a microwave link is interfered. A microwave link is considered to be interfered when the threshold deg-


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radation caused by all interferers exceeds the total minimum threshold (i.e., if the sum of all interference leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the total minimum threshold). When the total minimum threshold degradation is exceeded, the symbol (!) is displayed beside the value of the threshold degradation in the Interference Report view. 3. Click OK.

5.9.3.4 Displaying Interference on the Map After calculating interference on a microwave link, you can display the interference on the map using either the Interference Report view or the Interference Details view of the MW Analysis window. If you use the Interference Report view to display interference on the map, Atoll will display all the interfered and interfering sites for the selected microwave link. If you use the Interference Details view to display interference, Atoll will display only the interfered sites (if the site selected in the toolbar is interfering) or the interfering sites (if the site selected in the toolbar is interfered). This section covers the following topics: • • •

5.9.3.4.1

"Displaying All Interference for a Microwave Link on the Map" on page 261 "Displaying Interference on or Caused by the Selected Site of a Microwave Link" on page 262 "Defining How Interferer and Interfered Link Extremities Are Displayed" on page 262.

Displaying All Interference for a Microwave Link on the Map After calculating interference on a microwave link, you can display on the map all the interfered and interfering sites for the selected microwave link using the Interference Report view of the MW Analysis window. To display all interference for a microwave link on the map: 1. Right-click a microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Interference Report from the context menu. The MW Analysis window appears with the Interference Report view displayed. You can change the following options: • •

Link: You can select a different link to be studied, i.e., Site A - Site B. Port Number: You can select to display either the port number to be analysed or the worst case.

3. Click the Victim and Interferer Links ( ) button in the toolbar of the MW Analysis window. Atoll displays all the interfered and interfering sites for the selected microwave link (see Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1Displaying all the interference on link BRU024 - BRU036

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In Figure 5.1, you can see that the interference experienced by site BRU036 (site B) is indicated by a red line, with arrows showing the direction, between BRU036 and the interferer, site BRU046. BRU036 is interfering with site BRU024 (site A, not visible in Figure 5.1) and this interference is indicated by a green line, with arrows showing the direction of the interference. Additionally, the interference caused by site BRU036 (site B) on site BRU046 is indicated by a yellow line, and the interference caused by BRU024 (site A) on site BRU036 (site B) is indicated by a blue line. For information on modifying how interferers and victims are displayed, see "Defining How Interferer and Interfered Link Extremities Are Displayed" on page 262. When the interference connections are displayed on the map, you can place the pointer on each interference connection to display additional information in the tip text. You can hide the interference by clicking the Victims and Interferers Links button (

5.9.3.4.2

) again.

Displaying Interference on or Caused by the Selected Site of a Microwave Link After calculating interference on a microwave link, you can display on the map either the interfered sites (if the site selected in the toolbar is interfering) or the interfering sites (if the site selected in the toolbar is interfered) using the Interference Details view of the MW Analysis window. 1. Right-click a microwave link either directly on the map, or from the Microwave Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Planning > Interference Details from the context menu. The MW Analysis window appears with the Interference Details view displayed. You can change the following options: • • •

Link: You can select a different link to be studied, i.e., Site A - Site B. Port Number: You can select to display either the port number to be analysed or the worst case. Modulation: You can select the modulation or modulations of the selected extremity.

3. Click the Victim and Interferer Links ( ) button in the toolbar of the MW Analysis window. Atoll displays the relationship between the site (A or B) and the site that it is interfering or that is interfering with it (see Figure 5.2).

Figure 5.2Displaying all the interference on link BRU024 - BRU036 In Figure 5.2, you can see that the interference details are for site B, as victim of interference. Site B, in this case, is the site BRU036 of the link BRU024 - BRU036. The interference experienced by site BRU036 (site B) is indicated by a red line, with arrows showing the direction, between BRU036 and the interferer, site BRU046. For information on modifying how interferers and victims are displayed, see "Defining How Interferer and Interfered Link Extremities Are Displayed" on page 262. When the interference connections are displayed on the map, you can place the pointer on each interference connection to display additional information in the tip text. You can hide the interference by clicking the Victims and Interferers Links button (

5.9.3.4.3

) again.

Defining How Interferer and Interfered Link Extremities Are Displayed You can define how interferer and interfered link extremities will be displayed on the map.

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To define how interferer and interfered link extremities are displayed: 1. Click the Network tab of the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Links folder. 3. Select the microwave links for which you want to define how interferer and interfered link extremities are displayed: • •

To define how interferer and interfered link extremities are displayed for all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To define how interferer and interfered link extremities are displayed for a group of microwave links, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links for which you want to define how interferer and interfered link extremities are displayed. The context menu appears.

4. Select Interference > Display Options from the context menu. The Interference dialog box opens. On the Direct Interference and Interference via Repeaters tabs, you can define how different types of interference connections are displayed on the map by selecting different lines and colours.

5.9.4 Analysing the Interference on Multiple Microwave Links Atoll enables you to calculate interference for a group of microwave links simultaneously or over the entire network of microwave links. Interference results are displayed in the form of a report whose the content you can define. This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Defining Interference Analysis Parameters" on page 263. "Performing an Interference Analysis on Multiple Microwave Links" on page 265. "Managing Interference Calculation Validity" on page 266.

5.9.4.1 Defining Interference Analysis Parameters Before calculating interference on microwave links, you can change the parameters that are used for calculating and displaying interference results. You can specify the following settings: • • •

General: This tab provides parameters for filtering channels and ports. Interference: This tab provides access to the parameters that are used for interference calculation, filtering and adaptive modulation. Field Selection: This tab allows you to select the fields that you want to display in the interference report. Y

To specify the interference parameters: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links or Microwave Radio Links folder and select the microwave links for which you want to define the content of the interference report: • •

To define the content of the interference report for all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To define the content of the interference report for on a group of microwave links, expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder for which you want to define the content of the interference report. The context menu appears.

2. Select Calculations > Properties from the context menu. The Links Properties dialog box appears. 3. Select the General tab. The General tab contains channel and port settings for the interference calculation.

Figure 5.29: Interference Parameters General tab Under Channels and ports, select on which channel should be displayed the results of the interference report: •

All: If you select All, the interference analysis is calculated and displayed for all channels.

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• •


Worst channel: If you select Worst channel engineering, the link analysis is calculated for each channel and the results are displayed for the worst channel in terms of fade margin (i.e., the channel with the lowest fade margin). Specific port: If you select Specific port engineering, analysis is calculated and displayed for the specified Site A and Site B.

4. Select the Interference tab. On the Interference tab, the parameters you define will be used to calculate interference Under Interferer Filtering, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Default maximum distance: Enter the default maximum distance in metres that Atoll will search around each site to find potentially interfering sites. A maximum distance can be defined per frequency band in the Design Rules table. If defined, the frequency band-specific maximum distance will be used instead of the value entered here. For information on design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. Interfered bandwidth: Define which sites are to be considered as interferers. You can choose from the following options: •

•

•

• •

•

• •

Co-channel only: Only co-channel sites are considered as interferer sites. Atoll considers co-channel interference when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the interfered bandwidth. When you select Co-channel only, no IRF graph is taken into account. User-defined percentage: If you select this option, you can enter the percentage of the interfered bandwidth that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. Therefore, if you keep the default value of 250%, a site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed 2.5 times the interfered bandwidth. Fixed guard band: If you select this option, you can enter the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies that should be considered when searching for interferers. For example, if you keep the default value of 250 MHz, a site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies is lower than 250 MHz. No filter: All sites within the maximum distance are considered as interferers.

Interference via repeaters: Select how interference caused by repeaters should be taken into consideration. You can select whether "All the repeaters are ignored", "Links with passive repeaters may also interfere via their repeater", or "Any signal can interfere via a repeater". Ignore interference between channels of a same link: Select the Ignore interference between channels of a same link check box if you want to ignore interference generated by channels of the same microwave link on each other. This option is useful if you have microwave links with 2+0 configuration (i.e., microwave links with two channels). It also applies to parallel microwave links. In this context, parallel microwave links are referred to as links sharing the same link extremities (e.g., two links between the same two sites). Ignore interference from standby ports: Select the Ignore interference from standby channels option if you want Atoll to ignore interference generated by the standby and diversity-standby channels. Ignore co-site interferers: Select the Ignore co-site interferers option if you want to ignore interference received from co-site sources (i.e., for two links A-B and B-C that shares the site B, the signal received by B from A will not be considered as interfered by the signal transmitted from B to C). This option is useful to exclude the effect of near-field interference from interference calculations.

Under Calculation Parameters, you can define the following parameters: •

Calculation step on interferer profiles: Enter the resolution to be used to calculate interference. The default value is 50 m. If you enter "0", the minimum resolution of the geographic data is used.

•

Power control: Select the output power of interfering sites when modelling power control. You can choose between Use nominal power, Use coordinated power, and Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths. • Use nominal power: The nominal power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. • Use coordinated power: The coordinated power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. • Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths: For interfering paths correlated with the victim link, Atoll considers a controlled output power, i.e., the output power of the interfering site is controlled so as to balance the rain losses experienced along the interfering link. The power control is limited by the ATPC value when the rain losses exceed the ATPC value. If not correlated, the coordinated power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. An interfering path is considered as correlated when its direction is within a 3dB beamwidth of the antenna of the victim site.

Under Adaptive Modulation, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Interfered equipment: Select the modulation to use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, the highest modulation, or all modulations. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations. Interfering equipment: Select the modulation to use for interfered equipment during calculations: the default modulation, the lowest modulation, or the highest modulation. Selecting all modulations can increase considerably the amount of memory necessary for calculations.

Under Results Filtering, you can define the following parameters:

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•

•

•

Min. threshold degradation per interferer: Enter the local minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to decide whether a site is interfered by an other one. A microwave link is considered to be interfered by another one when the threshold degradation caused by the interferer link exceeds the local minimum threshold degradation (i.e., if the level of interference (I) received from the interferer link leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the local minimum threshold). Total min. threshold degradation: Enter the total minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to determine if a microwave link is interfered. A microwave link is considered to be interfered when the threshold degradation caused by all interferers exceeds the total minimum threshold (i.e., if the sum of all interference leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the total minimum threshold). When the total minimum threshold degradation is exceeded, the symbol (!) is displayed beside the value of the threshold degradation in the Interference Report view. Hide non-interfered links: Select this option to only display interfered microwave links in the interference results table. This option considers the Total min. threshold degradation threshold specified above to determine whether a link is interfered or not.

5. Click the Field Selection tab. On the Field Selection tab you can define the contents of the interference report. Atoll displays a default set of fields and lets you select other information to be included in the report. On the Field selection tab, select the fields that you want to display in the interference report. You can select contiguous fields by clicking the first field, pressing SHIFT and clicking the last field. You can select non-contiguous fields by pressing CTRL and clicking each field separately. •

To select a field to be included in the report, select the field in the Available fields list and click to the Selected fields list.

•


•

To change the order of the fields, select a field and click or to move it up or down in the list. The objects will be displayed in the order of the fields in the Selected Fields list, from top to bottom. • •

to move it to

You can restore all items to the Selected fields list by clicking the Reset button. You can save the choices you have made in the Field Selection dialog box as a configuration file by clicking the Save As button at the top of the dialog box and entering a name for the file in the Save As dialog box that appears. The next time you configure a report, you can click Open in the Properties dialog box to open your configuration file with the saved settings.

6. Click OK.

5.9.4.2 Performing an Interference Analysis on Multiple Microwave Links You can calculate interference for a group of microwave links simultaneously or over the entire network of microwave links. To calculate interference on multiple microwave links: 1. In the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links folder. 2. Select the microwave links on which you want to calculate interference: • •

•

To calculate interference on all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To calculate interference on a group of microwave links, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links on which you want to calculate interference. The context menu appears. To calculate interference on a point to multipoint system, click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Point to Multipoint folder and right-click the hub of the point to multipoint system on which you want to calculate interference. The context menu appears.

3. Select Calculations > Interference from the context menu. Atoll calculates the interference and displays the interference report. This report lists the results for all studied microwave links in the selected directions (site A site B/site B site A) and for the defined BER values. You can view details of each microwave link, by double-clicking the record in the report. The details are displayed in the Interference Details view of the MW Analysis window as described in "Analysing the Interference on a Single Microwave Link" on page 257. •

You can stop any calculations in progress by clicking the Stop Calculations button (

) in the toolbar.

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5.9.4.3 Managing Interference Calculation Validity Interference calculations performed on a group of microwave links are saved in the Atoll document. So, once calculations have been performed for all the microwave links, you can quickly perform interference predictions for a particular microwave link or a group of microwave links. Atoll only recalculates new and invalid microwave links. Calculations can become invalid for different reasons: • • •

If a calculation method or option has been changed If microwave link properties have been modified If geographic data maps have been updated.

For the first two reasons, Atoll automatically detects invalidity of the calculation when starting calculations and recalculates. In the last case (e.g., if you add a new clutter class map), you must force Atoll to recalculate. When you force a recalculaton, Atoll opens the interference calculation parameters so that you can modify the calculation parameters. To force Atoll to recalculate interference: 1. In the Network tab of the explorer window, expand the Links folder, and select the microwave links on which you want to recalculate interference: • •

To recalculate interference on all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To calculate interference on a group of microwave links, expand the Microwave Links folder and right-click the sub-folder of microwave links on which you want to calculate interference. The context menu appears.

2. Select Calculations > Force Calculations > Interference from the context menu. The Microwave Links Properties window opens with the interference parameters. For information on interference calculation parameters, see "Defining Interference Analysis Parameters" on page 263. 3. Click OK. Atoll removes existing calculations, including valid ones, and recalculates interference. The progress of the calculations is displayed in the Event Viewer window. You can also reset existing calculations without recalculating interference afterwards by selecting Calculations > Reset. Atoll removes existing calculations, including valid ones.

5.10 Exporting Custom Reports Atoll enables you to export various output data (i.e., microwave link parameters, calculation results, etc.) with a user-defined layout in different formats. You can export these custom reports in Microsoft Excel (XLSX and XLSM with macros), Microsoft Word (DOCX), Microsoft PowerPoint (PPTX), OpenOffice Writer (ODT) and OpenOffice Calc (ODS). Before exporting the report, you have to create a template in the desired format, with the keywords associated to outputs that you want to export. This template must have the desired layout. Each output has a corresponding keyword. The list of keywords is available in the file MWReportKeywords.xlsx located in the Atoll installation folder, under "reports". The file also contains a description and an example for each keyword. Templates can be downloaded from the Forsk Support website. You can export a custom report for one microwave link or several microwave links at the same time. In this case, Atoll generates one file per microwave link. In the custom report, Atoll exports the results calculated for a specific port and a specific modulation setting. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Exporting a Custom Report for One Microwave Link" on page 266 "Exporting a Custom Report for Several Microwave Links" on page 268

5.10.1 Exporting a Custom Report for One Microwave Link You can use Atoll to export a custom report on one microwave link. Before exporting the report, you have to create a template in the desired format. To export a custom report for one microwave link: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Microwave Links folder, right-click the microwave link for which you want to export the custom report, and select Custom Report from the context menu. The Custom Report dialog box appears. 2. Select the General tab. On the General tab, you can define the general parameters to be considered in the custom report. Under Template and Destination, you can define the following parameters: • •

Template file: Browse to the folder containing the Template and select the template document. Save As: Browse to the folder where you want to save the custom report and enter a file name.

Under Calculation parameters, you can define the following parameters:

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•

Median k factor: The value of the k factor (the earth curvature factor), observed 50% of time. Select the value to be used: • •

•

Effective k factor: The value of the k factor (the earth curvature factor), observed 99% of time. Select the value to be used in link analyses: • •

•

Calculated for each link: Atoll calculates the median value of the k factor according to the microwave link position. Then it takes into account the calculated value for the link analysis. Same value for all links: If you select this option, the value you enter will be used as the k factor for all links in the report.

Calculated for each link: Atoll calculates the effective value of the k factor according to the microwave link position. Then it takes into account the calculated value for the link analysis. Same value for all links: If you select this option, the value you enter will be used as the k factor for all links in link analyses.

Reference port: The port for which you want to generate the report: •

•

• •

Port with the lowest received level: The report displays the results for the worst channel in terms of signal level. This is equivalent to the "Worst case" setting in the Analysis Report. • Port with the highest degradation threshold: The report displays the results for the worst channel in terms of degradation. This is equivalent to the "Worst case" setting in the Interference Report. • First port of each link: The report displays the results for the first port of each link. Reference modulation: The modulation for which you want to generate the report. You can choose between the default modulation, the lowest modulation, or the highest modulation settings that are supported by the selected radio. Power control on useful signal for quality calculations: The output power to be considered in quality analyses when ATPC is active. You can choose between Use nominal power and Use coordinated power. Power control on useful signal for availability calculations: The output power to be considered in availability analyses when ATPC is active. You can choose between Use nominal power and Use coordinated power.

Under Bit Error Rate, you can define either of the following options: • •

User defined value for each link: This option uses the BER 1 and BER 2 values that are specified in the link properties. Same value for all links: This option allows you specify a BER 1 and BER 2 value for all links in the report.

3. Select the Interference tab. On the Interference tab, the parameters you define will be used to calculate interference in the custom report. Under Interferer Filtering, you can define the following parameters: •

•

Default maximum distance: The default maximum distance in metres that Atoll will search around each site to find potentially interfering sites. A maximum distance can be defined per frequency band in the Design Rules table. If defined, the frequency band-specific maximum distance will be used instead of the value entered here. For information on design rules, see "Defining Design Rules" on page 276. Interfered bandwidth: Define which sites are to be considered as interferers. You can choose from the following options: •

•

•

• •

•

•

Co-channel only: Only co-channel sites are considered as interferer sites. Atoll considers co-channel interference when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed the interfered bandwidth. When you select Co-channel only, no IRF graph is taken into account. User-defined percentage: If you select this option, you can enter the percentage of the interfered bandwidth that Atoll should consider when searching for interferers. Therefore, if you keep the default value of 250%, a site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies does not exceed 2.5 times the interfered bandwidth. Fixed guard band: If you select this option, you can enter the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies that should be considered when searching for interferers. For example, if you keep the default value of 250 MHz, a site will be considered as an interferer when the difference between the interfering and interfered frequencies is lower than 250 MHz. No filter: All sites within the maximum distance are considered as interferers.

Interference via repeaters: Select how interference caused by repeaters should be taken into consideration. You can select whether "All the repeaters are ignored", "Links with passive repeaters may also interfere via their repeater", or "Any signal can interfere via a repeater". Ignore interference between channels of a same link: Select the Ignore interference between channels of a same link check box if you want to ignore interference generated by channels of the same microwave link on each other. This option is useful if you have microwave links with 2+0 configuration (i.e., microwave links with two channels). It also applies to parallel microwave links. In this context, parallel microwave links are referred to as links sharing the same link extremities (e.g., two links between the same two sites). Ignore interference from standby ports: Select the Ignore interference from standby channels option if you want Atoll to ignore interference generated by the standby and diversity-standby channels.

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•


Ignore co-site interferers: Select the Ignore co-site interferers option if you want to ignore interference received from co-site sources (i.e., for two links A-B and B-C that shares the site B, the signal received by B from A will not be considered as interfered by the signal transmitted from B to C). This option is useful to exclude the effect of near-field interference from interference calculations.

Under Calculation Parameters, you can define the following parameters: •

Calculation step on interferer profiles: Enter the resolution to be used to calculate interference. The default value is 50m. If you enter "0", the minimum resolution of the geographic data is used.

•

Power control: Select the output power of interfering sites when modelling power control. You can choose between Use nominal power, Use coordinated power, and Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths. • Use nominal power: The nominal power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. • Use coordinated power: The coordinated power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. • Use power with minimum ATPC on correlated paths: For interfering paths correlated with the victim link, Atoll considers a controlled output power, i.e., the output power of the interfering site is controlled so as to balance the rain losses experienced along the interfering link. The power control is limited by the ATPC value when the rain losses exceed the ATPC value. If not correlated, the coordinated power is considered as the output power of interfering sites. An interfering path is considered as correlated when its direction is within a 3dB beamwidth of the antenna of the victim site.

Under Results Filtering, you can define the following parameters: •

Min. threshold degradation per interferer: Enter the local minimum threshold degradation. This threshold is used to decide whether a site is interfered by an other one. A microwave link is considered to be interfered by another one when the threshold degradation caused by the interferer link exceeds the local minimum threshold degradation (i.e., if the level of interference (I) received from the interferer link leads to a decrease of the fading margin higher than the local minimum threshold).

4. Click OK to export the report. You have to check the spelling before using a template with the Microsoft Word format.

5.10.2 Exporting a Custom Report for Several Microwave Links You can use Atoll to export a custom report several microwave links. Before exporting the report, you have to create a template in the desired format. To export a custom report for several microwave links: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Microwave Links folder, and select the microwave links for which you want to export custom reports: • •

To export custom reports on all microwave links, right-click the Microwave Links folder. The context menu appears. To export custom reports on all microwave links, right-click the sub-folder of microwave links for which you want to export custom reports. The context menu appears.

2. Select Report Export > Custom Reports from the context menu. The Custom Report dialog box appears. 3. Define the custom report parameters as described in "Configuring the Contents of the Microwave Reports" on page 231. 4. Click OK to export the report. You have to check the spelling before using a template with the Microsoft Word format.

5.11 Advanced Configuration In this section, the following advanced configuration options are explained: • • •

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"Defining Frequencies" on page 269. "Defining Performance Parameters" on page 272. "Defining Design Rules" on page 276.


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• • •

"Defining Microwave Link Templates" on page 277. "Defining Transmission Link Types" on page 279. "Modelling Point to Multipoint Systems" on page 279.

5.11.1 Defining Frequencies In Atoll, you can define frequency bands and several frequency sub-bands for each frequency band. This section covers the following topics: • • • • •

"Frequency Band Properties" on page 269 "Frequency Sub-band Properties" on page 269 "Defining Microwave Link Frequency Bands" on page 270. "Defining Microwave Link Frequency Sub-bands" on page 270. "Viewing All Channel Arrangements Available for a Frequency Band" on page 271

5.11.1.1 Frequency Band Properties The Frequency Band Properties window allows you to define a microwave frequency band by specifying the following parameters: • • • • •

Name: Enter the name of the frequency band. Min. Frequency (MHz): Specify the minimum frequency of the frequency band (in MHz). Max. Frequency (MHz): Specify the maximum frequency of the frequency band (in MHz). Frequency Plan: Click this button to display the Frequency Arrangement graph for the current frequency. For more information, see "Viewing All Channel Arrangements Available for a Frequency Band" on page 271. Comments: If necessary, add a comment for the current band. The information necessary to define a frequency band can be found in the F-series ITU-R recommendations.

5.11.1.2 Frequency Sub-band Properties The Frequency Sub-band Properties window allows you to define a microwave frequency sub-band by specifying the following parameters: • • • •

•

Name: Enter the name of the frequency sub-band. Frequency Band: Specify the name of the frequency band to which the sub-band belongs. Channel bandwidth (MHz): The width (in MHz) of the channel used to transmit the data. Custom Channels: Select this option to define the list of channels and the corresponding frequencies. In this case, click the Channels Settings button to open the Channel Settings window. The Channel Settings window allows you to create and modify channels by specifying the following parameters: • Channel: Enter the channel number. • Base Name: Enter the channel name without affixes. • Low Frequency (MHz): The frequency (in MHz) of the channel in the lower half-band. • High Frequency (MHz): The frequency (in MHz) of the channel in the upper half-band. Standardised Channels: Select this option to automatically create channel numbers and frequencies with a uniform spacing. In this case, Atoll determines channel numbers and frequencies based on the following information: • Reference frequency (MHz): The reference frequency (in MHz). Note that this frequency can be different from the central frequency. • Lower Half-Band Shift (MHz): The lower half-band shift of the sub-band (in MHz). The sign of the shift can be negative or positive; this depends on the half-band position relative to the reference frequency. • Upper Half-Band Shift (MHz): The upper half-band shift of the sub-band (in MHz). The sign of the shift can be negative or positive; this depends on the half-band position relative to the reference frequency. • First Channel: The first channel of the sub-band. • Last Channel: The last channel of the sub-band. • Step: The step between channels. • Excluded Channels in Upper Half-Band: Enter the channels that you do not want to use in the upper half-bands. You can enter or paste a list of channels; the values must be separated with a space. You can also enter a range of channels to be excluded from the upper half-band, by entering the first and last channel of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering 10-15 corresponds to exclude 10 11 12 13 14 15. • Excluded Channels in Lower Half-Band: Enter the channels that you do not want to use in the lower half-bands. You can enter or paste a list of channels; the values must be separated with a space. You can also enter a range of channels to be excluded from the lower half-band, by entering the first and last channel of the range separated by a hyphen. For example, entering 10-15 corresponds to exclude 10 11 12 13 14 15. The frequencies associated with channels are determined by the following equations:

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• •


For the lower half-band: f = Reference frequency + Lower half-band shift + Channel number*Channel bandwidth For the upper half-band: f’ = Reference frequency + Upper half-band shift + Channel number*Channel bandwidth The information required to define a frequency sub-band can be found in the F-series ITU-R recommendations. The excluded channels are not part of the ITU-R recommendations.

• • •

Channel Naming: enter the Prefix and Suffix to be appended to channel names. Prefixes and suffixes can be defined for the lower and upper half-bands. Channels - Frequency Mapping: Click this button to display the channel arrangement for the lower and upper halfbands. Comments: If necessary, add a comment for the current sub-band.

5.11.1.3 Defining Microwave Link Frequency Bands Microwave frequency bands are implemented in Atoll. There must be at least one frequency band that can be assigned to microwave links that are created. Microwave links operate within a high frequency range (2-90 GHz).The length of a microwave link is dependent upon the frequency: as the frequency increases, the length of the microwave link decreases. By default, Atoll includes several pre-defined frequency bands based on the F-series ITU-R recommendations. To create or modify a frequency band: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Settings and the Frequencies folder, right-click Bands, and select Open Table from the context menu. The Frequency Bands table is displayed. 2. To create a frequency band, enter the following in the row marked with the New Row icon ( • • • •

):

Name: The name of the frequency band. Min. Frequency (MHz): The minimum frequency of the frequency band (in MHz). Max. Frequency (MHz): The maximum frequency of the frequency band (in MHz). Comments: Any comments. The information necessary to define a frequency band can be found in the F-series ITU-R recommendations.

3. To modify a frequency band, modify any of the entries in the corresponding row.

5.11.1.4 Defining Microwave Link Frequency Sub-bands A frequency band can be divided into frequency sub-bands. Frequency sub-bands are standardised, ITU-compliant divisions of a frequency band, breaking it into channels. ITU-compliant divisions can have more than one frequency sub-band defined for a single frequency band. A frequency sub-band has two half-bands. A duplex microwave link usually uses one of these half-bands in one direction and the other half-band in the other direction. These half-bands are referred to as upper and lower half-bands. You can define a channelisation plan for the lower and upper half-band of each sub-band. To create or modify a frequency sub-band: 1. In the Parameters tab in the Explorer window, expand the Microwave Settings and the Frequencies folder, right-click Sub-Bands, and select Open Table from the context menu. The Sub-Bands table is displayed. 2. Enter the Name of the frequency sub-band in the row marked with the New Row icon (

).

3. Double-click the name column. The sub-band Properties dialog box appears. 4. Define the parameters of the sub-band as descibed in "Frequency Sub-band Properties" on page 269. 5. Click OK to close the sub-band Properties dialog box. Example of Creating a Frequency Sub-band You can find the information necessary to create a frequency sub-band in the appropriate ITU-R recommendation. In this example, the recommendation R F.747-0 (for 10 GHz) is used. The ITU-R F.747-0 standard recommends to use the frequency band 10 GHz. On page 2, you see the information in Figure 5.30:

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Figure 5.30: Second page of Recommendation ITU-R F.747 The information on page 2 of Recommendation ITU-R F.747 gives you the following values: • • • • • • •

5.11.1.4.1

Reference Frequency (MHz): 11 701 MHz Lower Half-Band Shift (MHz): -1204 MHz Upper Half-Band Shift (MHz): -1113 MHz Channel Bandwidth (MHz): 7 MHz (as indicated by "+ 7m") First Channel: 1 (as indicated by "from 1 to 12") Last Channel: 12 (as indicated by "from 1 to 12") Step: 1 (as indicated by "The 12 values of m from 1 to 12)

Importing Custom Channels For each frequency sub-band, you can import the list of channels and the corresponding frequencies. Before you can import custom channels, you must create the frequency sub-band and define its main parameters (i.e., the name, the frequency band, the channel bandwidth) as explained in "Defining Microwave Link Frequency Sub-bands" on page 270. In addition, the Custom channels option must be selected in the sub-band Properties dialog box. To import the custom channels for a frequency sub-band: 1. In the Parameters tab in the Explorer window, expand the Microwave Settings folder and the Frequencies folder, right-click Custom Channels, and select Open Table from the context menu. The Custom Channels table appears. 2. In the row marked with the New Row icon ( • • • • •

), enter the following parameters:

Sub-Band: The frequency sub-band. Channel: The channel number. Base Name: The channel name without affixes. Low Frequency (MHz): The frequency (in MHz) of the channel in the lower half-band. High Frequency (MHz): The frequency (in MHz) of the channel in the upper half-band.

5.11.1.5 Viewing All Channel Arrangements Available for a Frequency Band You can display all channel arrangements available for a given frequency band. To view all channel arrangements available for a frequency band: 1. Open the Frequency Bands table as defined in "Defining Microwave Link Frequency Bands" on page 270. 2. In the Frequency Bands table, double-click in the left margin the frequency band for which you want to view the available channel arrangements. The frequency band’s Properties dialog box appears. 3. In the frequency band’s Properties dialog box, click the Frequency Plan button to display all channel arrangements available for the frequency band. The Arrangement dialog box appears (see Figure 5.31).

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Figure 5.31: The Arrangement dialog box All channel arrangements defined for lower half-bands of the frequency band are displayed as well as the frequency associated to a particular channel when selecting it in the dialog box. You can click the Upper Half-Band button to display channel arrangements defined for lower half-bands.

5.11.2 Defining Performance Parameters Atoll enables you to manage link classes and performance objectives. This section covers the following topics: • •

"Defining Link Classes" on page 272. "Defining Performance Objectives" on page 272.

5.11.2.1 Defining Link Classes Link classes are used to differentiate performance objectives. By assigning link classes to microwave links, you are assigning the target parameters and usage limitations of the link class to the selected microwave links. To create or modify a link class: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window, expand Microwave Settings and Performance and right-click Link Classes. The context menu appears. 2. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Link Classes table appears. 3. Enter or modify the values in the table columns to create or modify a link class. Each link class has the following parameters: • • • • •

Name: The name of the link class Portion: The type of link class (I (International) or N (National)) Type: The sub-class (LH (Long Haul), SH (Short Haul), A (Access), IC (Intermediate Country), etc.) Link Length Min and Max (m): The minimum and maximum length (in metres) for this link class. These values are used for information only. Comments: Additional information describing the link class.

The Atoll microwave module includes some pre-defined microwave links classes that are compliant with ITU G.821, G.826, and G.828 recommendations, and ITU-T Y.1540 and ITU-T Y.1541 recommendations.

5.11.2.2 Defining Performance Objectives Performance objectives serve two main goals:

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• •

Performance objectives give the user of national and international digital networks an indication of the expected performance under real operating conditions, thereby facilitating service planning and terminal equipment design. Performance objectives form the basis upon which performance standards are made for transmission equipment and systems in a digital connection.

In Atoll, you can use either radio indicators as performance objectives (RXLEV (received signal level), MARG (fade margin)), or performance parameters: ESR, SESR and BBER as defined in the ITU G.821, G.826, and G.828 recommendations and IPER as defined in ITU-T Y.1540 and ITU-T Y.1541 recommendations. The error performance parameters are based on measurements of microwave error events. Atoll includes by default the quality objectives defined in the ITU G.821, ITU G.826, ITU G.828, and ITU Y.1541 recommendations. You can also define customised quality objectives. Microwave Error Events Microwave error parameters are based on the following events: • • •

Errored Block (EB): The EB is a block of data with one or more erroneous bits. Errored Second (ES): The ES is a one-second period with one or more errored blocks or at least one defect. Severely Errored Second (SES): The SES is a one-second period with 30% errored blocks or at least one defect. SES is a subset of ES. Consecutive Severely Errored Seconds can result in periods of unavailability, especially when there are no backup or standby procedures. Periods of consecutive Severely Errored Seconds persisting for T seconds, where T > 10 (sometimes referred to as "failures"), can have a severe impact on service, leading to the disconnection of switched services. The frequency of these events can be limited by limiting the SESR.

•

Background Block Error (BBE): The BBE is an errored block not occurring as part of an SES.

Microwave Error Performance Parameters The total observation time (Stotal) is split into two parts, namely, the time for which the connection is deemed to be available (Savail) and the time when it is unavailable (Sunavail). Error performance should only be evaluated while the connection is in the available state. The parameters are: • • • •

5.11.2.2.1

Errored Second Ratio (ESR): The ESR is the ratio of ES to total seconds in available time during a fixed measurement interval. Severely Errored Second Ratio (SESR): The SESR is the ratio of SES to total seconds in available time during a fixed measurement interval. Background Block Error Ratio (BBER): The BBER is the ratio of Background Block Errors (BBE) to total blocks in available time during a fixed measurement interval. The count of total blocks excludes all blocks during SESs. The IP Errored Ratio (IPER) is the ratio of errored IP to total IPs in a population of interest.

Checking ITU G.821, ITU G.826, ITU G.828, and ITU Y.1541 Quality Objectives ITU G.821, ITU G.826, ITU G.828, and ITU Y.1541 quality objectives are characterised by a performance objective equation that defines the limitation of the relevant quality objective parameter (BBER, ESR, SESR, IPER). The performance objective equations define the behaviour of the quality parameter as a function of the length (L in km) of the link and a constant as follows: EPO = Factor A * L + Factor B To check the pre-defined ITU G.821, ITU G.826, ITU G.828, and ITU Y.1541 quality objectives: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings and Performance and right-click Quality Objectives. The context menu appears. 2. Select Edit from the context menu. The Quality Objectives dialog box appears. 3. Select the appropriate tab (G.821, G.826, G.828, or Y.1541). The quality objectives are available in a table. Each objective is defined by the following parameters: • • • • • • • • • •

Name: The name of the performance objective. Parameter: The parameter used to define the performance objective. Link Class: The link class to which the performance objective applies. Min Data Rate (Mbps): The minimum data rate of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max Data Rate (Mbps): The maximum data rate of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Factor A: The multiplying factor of the length in the performance objective equation. Factor B: The constant in the performance objective equation. Comments: Additional information regarding the performance objective. Minimum Length (m): The minimum length of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Maximum Length (m): The maximum length of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used.

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• • •


Quality Percentage: The percentage of non-outage that must be exceeded in clear air. Monthly Duration: The maximum outage duration in clear air for one month. Annual Duration: The maximum outage duration in clear air for one year.

When you click one record in the table, Atoll displays the performance objective equation at the top of the dialog box. The quality percentage, the monthly duration as well as the annual duration displayed in the table are derived from the performance objective equation. They are calculated for the user-defined length and when the factor A in the equation is not null. 4. Click Close to close the Quality Objectives dialog box.

5.11.2.2.2

Creating Customised Quality Objectives In addition to the ITU G.821, ITU G.826, ITU G.828, and ITU Y.1541 quality objectives, you can define customised quality objectives based on SESR, ESR, BBER, IPER, RXLEV (received signal level), or MARG (thermal fade margin). To create a new quality objective: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings and Performance and right-click Quality Objectives. The context menu appears. 2. Select Edit from the context menu. The Quality Objectives dialog box appears. 3. Select the Customised tab and enter the Name of the performance objective in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ): 4. Open the performance objective Properties dialog box as defined in "Accessing Record Properties " on page 61. The performance objective Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the General tab and define the following parameters under Link: • • • • •

Class: The link class to which the performance objective applies. Min rate: The minimum data rate (Mbps) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max rate: The maximum data rate (Mbps) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Min length: The minimum length (m) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max length: The maximum length (m) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used.

If necessary, add some Comments regarding the performance objective. 6. Click the Objectives tab and select the objective parameter that defines the performance objective. You can select SESR, or ESR, or BBER, or RXLEV, or MARG, or IPER. •

If you have selected SESR, ESR, or BBER as parameter, you can choose one of the options under Quality: • • • •

• • •

Non-quality (Month): Enter the maximum outage duration in clear air over one month. Non-quality (Year): Enter the maximum outage duration in clear air over one year. Quality: Enter the percentage of non-outage that must be exceeded in clear air. Probability: Enter the outage rate not to be exceeded in clear air. The probability is defined as a function of the length (L) of the link and a constant. When the multiplying factor of the length is not null, you can define the average link length so that Atoll can estimate the corresponding outage durations over one month and one year, as well as the percentage of non-outage. If you have selected RXLEV as parameter, enter the target level in dBm. This is the minimum received signal level to be reached. If you have selected MARG, enter the target margin in dB. This is the minimum thermal fade margin to be reached. If you have selected IPER, you can choose one of the options under Quality: • •

Quality: Enter the percentage of non-cutoff that must be exceeded in clear-air conditions. Probability: Enter the cutoff probability not to be exceeded in clear-air conditions. The probability is defined as a function of the length (L) of the link and a constant. When the multiplying factor of the length is not null, you can define the average link length so that Atoll can estimate the corresponding the percentage of noncutoff.

7. Click OK to close the performance objective Properties dialog box. 8. Click OK to close the Quality Objectives dialog box.

5.11.2.2.3

Defining Availability Objectives Atoll includes by default the availability objectives defined in the ITU G.821 and ITU G.826 recommendations. You can also define customised availability objectives. This section covers the following topics: • •

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"Checking ITU G.821 and ITU G.826 Availability Objectives" on page 275. "Creating Customised Availability Objectives" on page 275.


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Checking ITU G.821 and ITU G.826 Availability Objectives ITU G.821 and ITU G.826 availability objectives are characterised by a performance objective equation that defines the limitation of the relevant availability objective parameter (SESR). The performance objective equations define the behaviour of the availability parameter as a function of the length (L in km) of the link and a constant as follows: EPO = Factor A * L + Factor B To check the pre-defined ITU G.821 and ITU G.826 availability objectives: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings and Performance and right-click Availability Objectives. The context menu appears. 2. Select Edit from the context menu. The Availability Objectives dialog box appears. 3. Select the appropriate tab (ITU G.821, or ITU G.826). The availability objectives are available in a table. Each objective is defined by the following parameters: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Name: The name of the performance objective. Parameter: The parameter used to define the performance objective. Link Class: The link class to which the performance objective applies. Min Data Rate (Mbps): The minimum data rate of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max Data Rate (Mbps): The maximum data rate of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Factor A: The multiplying factor of the length in the performance objective equation. Factor B: The constant in the performance objective equation. Comments: Additional information regarding the performance objective. Minimum Length (m): The minimum length of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Maximum Length (m): The maximum length of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Availability % (Rain): The percentage of non-outage that must be exceeded in rain. Monthly Duration (Rain): The maximum outage duration in rain over one month. Annual Duration (Rain): The maximum outage duration in rain over one year. Availability % (Failures): The percentage of non-outage that must be exceeded when failures are considered. Monthly Duration (Failures): The maximum outage duration due to failures over one month. Annual Duration (Failures): The maximum outage duration due to failures over one year.

When you click one record in the table, Atoll displays the performance objective equation at the top of the dialog box. The availability %, the monthly durations as well as the annual durations displayed in the table are derived from the performance objective equation. They are calculated for the user-defined length and when the factor A in the equation is not null. 4. Click Close to close the Availability Objectives dialog box. Creating Customised Availability Objectives In addition to the ITU G.821, and ITU G.826 availability objectives, you can define customised availability objectives based on SESR, ESR, BBER, RXLEV (received signal level), or MARG (thermal fade margin). To create a new availability objective: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand Microwave Settings and Performance, and right-click Availability Objectives. The context menu appears. 2. Select Edit from the context menu. The Availability Objectives dialog box appears. 3. Select the Customised tab and enter the Name of the performance objective in the row marked with the New Row icon ( ): 4. Open the performance objective Properties dialog box as defined in "Accessing Record Properties " on page 61. The performance objective Properties dialog box appears. 5. Click the General tab and define the following parameters Under Link: • • • • •

Class: The link class to which the performance objective applies. Min rate: The minimum data rate (Mbps) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max rate: The maximum data rate (Mbps) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Min length: The minimum length (m) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used. Max length: The maximum length (m) of the microwave link for the performance objective to be used.

If necessary, add some Comments regarding the performance objective. 6. Click the Objectives tab and select the objective parameter that defines the performance objective. You can select SESR, or ESR, or BBER, or RXLEV, or MARG from the list. •

For SESR, ESR, or BBER, select from the Distribution menu if the performance objective is total, for rain conditions only, or for failures, and choose one of the following availability options:

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•

• •

Unavailability (Month): Enter the maximum outage duration over one month for the specified Distribution setting. • Unavailability (Year): Enter the maximum outage duration over one year for the specified Distribution setting. • Availability: Enter the percentage of non-outage that must be exceeded for the specified Distribution setting. • Probability: Enter the outage rate not to be exceeded for the specified Distribution setting. The probability is defined as a function of the length (L) of the link and a constant. When the multiplying factor of the length is not null, you can define the average link length so that Atoll can estimate the corresponding outage durations over one month and one year, as well as the percentage of non-outage. If you selected RXLEV as parameter, enter the target level in dBm. This is the minimum received signal level to be reached. If you selected MARG, enter the target margin in dB. This is the minimum thermal fade margin to be reached.

7. Click OK to close the performance objective Properties dialog box. 8. Click OK to close the Quality Objectives dialog box.

5.11.3 Defining Design Rules In Atoll, you can define design rules per frequency band. They are used when creating microwave links using microwave link templates and to filter the interfering sites to be considered. For more information on creating microwave links based on microwave link templates, see "Creating a Microwave Radio Link on the Map" on page 202. For information on interference calculations, see"Analysing Interference" on page 253. To define design rules: 1. In the Explorer window, expand the Microwave Settings folder and the Configurations folder. 2. Right-click the Design Rules table and select Open Table from the context menu. The Design Rules table appears (see Figure 5.32).

Figure 5.32: The Design Rules table 3. To create a design rule, enter the following in the row marked with the New Row icon ( • • • • •

):

Name: The name of the frequency band for which you want to define the design rule. Minimum length (m): The minimum length of the microwave link for the frequency band. Maximum length (m): The maximum length of the microwave link for the frequency band. Maximum interferer distance (m): The maximum distance around the studied site to find potential interfering sites. Comments: Any comments.

4. To modify a design rule, modify any of the entries in the corresponding row.

5.11.4 Defining Frontages Atoll allows you to model building repeaters with various types of frontages. To define frontages: 1. In the Explorer window, expand the Microwave Settings folder and the Configurations folder. 2. Right-click the Frontages table and select Open Table from the context menu. The Frontages table appears (see Figure 5.33).

Figure 5.33: The Frontages table

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3. To create a frontage, enter the following in the row marked with the New Row icon ( • •

):

Name: The type of frontage. Losses (dB): The losses for this type of frontage.

4. To modify a frontage, modify any of the entries in the corresponding row.

5.11.5 Defining Microwave Link Templates Atoll comes with microwave link templates, but you can also create and modify microwave link templates. This section covers the following topics: • • • •

"Creating a Microwave Link Template" on page 277 "Creating a Microwave Link Template" on page 277 "Modifying a Field on a Microwave Link Template" on page 278 "Deleting a Microwave Link Template" on page 279.

5.11.5.1 Creating a Microwave Link Template You can create a microwave link template by basing it on an existing microwave link or by basing it on an existing microwave link template. The new microwave link template has the same parameters as the microwave link or microwave link template on which it was based. Therefore, by selecting a microwave link or microwave link template with parameters similar to the microwave link template you want to create, you only need to modify the parameters that are different. This section covers the following topics: • •

5.11.5.1.1

"Creating a Microwave Link Template Based on a Microwave Link" on page 277 "Creating a Microwave Link Template Based on Another Microwave Link Template" on page 277.

Creating a Microwave Link Template Based on a Microwave Link To create a microwave link template based on an existing microwave link: 1. In the map window, right-click the microwave link on which you want to base your template. The context menu appears. 2. Select Save as Template from the context menu. The new microwave link template, called Same as link , has the same parameters as the microwave link it is based on. It is available in the list of the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

5.11.5.1.2

Creating a Microwave Link Template Based on Another Microwave Link Template You can also create a microwave link template based on an existing microwave link template. The new microwave link template has the same parameters as the one it is based on. To create a microwave link template based on an existing microwave link template: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Settings folder, right-click the MW Link Template folder, and select Management from the context menu. The Link Properties dialog box appears. 2. In the list of Available Templates, select the microwave link template that most resembles the microwave link template you want to create. You can verify the properties by selecting the microwave link template and clicking the Properties button. 3. Click the Add button. Atoll automatically creates a new microwave link template called Copy of Properties. The Copy of Properties dialog box appears. You can not have two microwave link templates with the same name. If there is already a template called Copy of , you will have to modify the name of that template as explained in "Creating a Microwave Link Template" on page 277. 4. Edit the parameters of the new microwave link template as explained in "Modifying a Microwave Link Template Using its Properties Window" on page 278. For information on the fields, see "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. 5. Click OK to close the Copy of Properties dialog box. The new microwave link template is displayed in the list of Available Templates. 6. Click OK to close the Link Properties dialog box. The new microwave link template is available in the list of the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

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5.11.5.2 Modifying a Microwave Link Template You can modify a microwave link template directly in the MW Link Templates table, or you can open the Properties dialog box for that microwave link template and modify the parameters in the dialog box. This section covers the following topics: • •

5.11.5.2.1

"Modifying a Microwave Link Template in the MW Link Templates Table" on page 278 "Modifying a Microwave Link Template Using its Properties Window" on page 278.

Modifying a Microwave Link Template in the MW Link Templates Table To modify a microwave link template from the MW Link Templates table: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Right-click the MW Link Template folder. The context menu appears. 4. Select Open Table from the context menu. The MW Link Templates table appears. 5. Edit the parameters of the microwave link template in the corresponding table row.

5.11.5.2.2

Modifying a Microwave Link Template Using its Properties Window To modify a microwave link template using its Properties window: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Settings folder and the MW Link Templates folder. 2. Right-click the microwave link template you want to modify and select Properties from the context menu. The MW Link Template Properties dialog box appears. 3. Edit the parameters of the link template and click OK to close the dialog box.

5.11.5.3 Modifying a Field on a Microwave Link Template You can add a field to a microwave link template, modify an existing field, or delete a field from a microwave link template. You can only modify or delete a field that you have added yourself to a microwave link template.

To add, modify or delete a field on a microwave link template: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Settings folder. 2. Right-click the MW Link Template folder and select Management from the context menu. The Link Properties dialog box appears. 3. Under Available Templates, select the microwave link template with the field you want to modify. To add a field to a microwave link template: a. Click the Fields button. The Table dialog box appears. b. In the Table dialog box, click the Add button to add a field. The Field Definition dialog box appears. c. In the Field Definition dialog box, edit the parameters of the new field and click OK. If you add a field to the microwave link templates, you must add an equivalent field to the Sites table or the field will not be taken into account.

To modify a field on a microwave link template: a. Click the Fields button. The Table dialog box appears. b. In the Table dialog box, select the field you want to modify and click the Properties button. The Field Definition dialog box appears. c. In the Field Definition dialog box, edit the parameters of the field and click OK. To delete a field on a microwave link template: a. Click the Fields button. The Table dialog box appears. b. In the Table dialog box, select the field you want to delete and click the Delete button.

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4. Click OK to close the Table dialog box.

5.11.5.4 Deleting a Microwave Link Template To delete a microwave link template: 1. In the Parameters explorer, expand the Microwave Settings folder and the MW Link Template folder. 2. Right-click the microwave link template that you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu. The microwave link template is deleted.

5.11.6 Defining Transmission Link Types In addition to microwave links, Atoll enables you to manage other transmission links such as leased lines or optical fibre links. Atoll enables you to define the types of other transmission links you can manage. Atoll has a default list of transmission link types available, but you can create new ones. To create or modify a transmission link type: 1. Click the Parameters tab in the Explorer window. 2. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Microwave Settings folder. 3. Click the Expand button ( ) to expand the Configurations folder. 4. Right-click the Transmission Link Types folder. The context menu appears. 5. Select Open Table from the context menu. The Transmission Link Types table appears (see Figure 5.34).

Figure 5.34: Transmission Link Types table 6. For each transmission link type you define, enter the following information: • • • •

Name: The name of the transmission link type. Ethernet + TDM capacity (Mbps): The total capacity that this transmission link type can support. TDM Capacity: The capacity (in Mbps) used for TDM traffic. Technology: The type of traffic supported by this transmission link type. You can choose between Packet, Hybrid, and TDM only. If you select TDM only, the TDM Capacity and Ethernet + TDM Capacity values must be the same.

To open a transmission link type’s Properties dialog box: •

Double-click the transmission link type in the left margin of the Transmission Link Types table. The transmission link type’s Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 5.35).

Figure 5.35: Transmission Link Type Properties dialog box

5.11.7 Modelling Point to Multipoint Systems A point to multipoint system is a set of microwave links connected to a hub. A point to multipoint system is used when microwave links must be made between one site and a fixed number of other sites.

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This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • • • • • •

"Creating a Point to Multipoint System" on page 280. "Setting all Microwave Links of a Point to Multipoint System as Active" on page 284. "Connecting Sites to Hubs" on page 282. "Setting all Microwave Links of a Point to Multipoint System as Active" on page 284. "Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System" on page 284. "Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point to Multipoint System" on page 284. "Deleting a Point to Multipoint System" on page 284. "Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 284. "Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub" on page 285. "Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub Using the Mouse" on page 286. "Analysing Point to Multipoint System Connections" on page 286.

5.11.7.1 Creating a Point to Multipoint System In Atoll, a point to multipoint system can be managed as a group of single-hop microwave links (which can contain repeaters) connected to a hub. You can create a point to multipoint system in several different ways: • • •

Using the mouse Using the Point to Multipoint folder Editing the Point to Multipoint table.

The sites that define the hub or sites of a point to multipoint system can be already existing sites or new sites, created automatically at the location you click on the map. Each site in Atoll can support several links, transmitters, and passive repeaters. This section covers the following topics: • • •

5.11.7.1.1

"Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Mouse" on page 280 "Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Point to Multipoint Folder" on page 281 "Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Point to Multipoint Table" on page 281

Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Mouse To create a new point to multipoint system directly on the map between new or existing sites using a microwave link template: 1. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, select a microwave link template from the list.

2. Click the New PMP button ( pointer changes (

) on the Microwave Link Planning toolbar. The

).

3. Click on the map to create the hub of the point to multipoint system.

4. Click the map at each point you want to insert a new microwave link. If you do not click an existing site, Atoll creates a new site where you click. The exact coordinates of the pointer’s current location are visible in the Status bar.

5. Double-click when adding the last microwave link to complete the point to multipoint system.

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•

•

5.11.7.1.2

To place the microwave link more accurately, you can zoom in on the map before you click the New PMP button ( ). For information on using the zooming tools, see "Changing the Map Scale" on page 43. If you let the pointer rest over the extremity you have placed, Atoll displays its tip text with its exact coordinates, allowing you to verify that the location is correct.

Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Point to Multipoint Folder To create a new point to multipoint system using the Point to Multipoint folder: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Point to Multipoint folder, and select New from the context menu. The Point to Multipoint: New Record Properties dialog box appears. 2. Enter or modify the following fields on the General tab: • •

Name: The Name field is filled automatically by Atoll, but can be modified. Frequency band: You must select a frequency band when you create a point to multipoint system. Once you have

•

selected a frequency band, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the Browse button ( ). Nodal Site: You must select the site that will be the hub of the point to multipoint system. Once you have selected

• •

the hub site, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the browse button ( Type: Select the type: TDMA, FDMA or OFDMA. Antenna: Select the antenna and its parameters.

• • • • •

).

Radio: Specify the radio equipment Model for the hub. You can click the Browse ( ) button to edit or display the properties of the selected radio equipment. Additional losses: Specify any additional transmission or reception losses for the hub. Link template: Specify the microwave link template that is used for new links that are connected to the point to multipoint system. Active: The hub activity status. Comments: Enter any comments for this new point to multipoint system.

3. Click OK. Atoll creates an empty point to multipoint system item in the Point to Multipoint folder. To add microwave links to the created point to multipoint system, see "Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System" on page 284

5.11.7.1.3

Creating a Point to Multipoint System Using the Point to Multipoint Table To create a new point to multipoint system using the Point to Multipoint table: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Point to Multipoint folder, and select Open Table from the context menu. The Point to Multipoint table appears. 2. In the row marked with the new row icon ( ), enter the details of the new point to multipoint system. The following fields must be filled: Name, Frequency Band, and Site. 3. To add microwave links to the created point to multipoint system, see "Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System" on page 284. By default, Atoll names the newly point to multipoint system "PMP HubX", where "X" increments with the creation of each new point to multipoint system.

5.11.7.2 Point to Multipoint System Properties You can modify point to multipoint system properties either individually or globally. Global settings are applied to all the filtered point to multipoint systems. This section covers the following topics: • •

5.11.7.2.1

"Modifying Global Properties" on page 281 "Modifying Individual Properties" on page 282.

Modifying Global Properties To manage the point to multipoint system properties globally: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and right-click the Point to Multipoint folder. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Point to Multipoint Properties dialog box appears. 3. Enter or modify the data on the following tabs of the Point to Multipoint Properties dialog box:

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•

• •


General: The General tab lets you organise folders and assign or save a folder configuration (for information on folder configurations, see "Folder Configurations" on page 88). You can also organise point to multipoint systems by using Atoll group, sort, and filter tools. Table: The Table tab helps you to manage contents, including user-defined fields, of the point to multipoint table. For information on working with data tables, see "Adding, Deleting, and Editing Data Table Fields" on page 58. Display: The Display tab allows you to manage the display of point to multipoint systems depending on their attributes, to manage the legend, labels on the map, and the contents of tip text using the tip text mation on changing display options, see "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

. For infor-

4. Click OK.

5.11.7.2.2

Modifying Individual Properties To edit the properties of a point to multipoint system: 1. Open the context menu of the point to multipoint system: On the Network tab of the explorer window: a. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, the Point to Multipoint folder. If the point to multipoint systems are organised into sub-folders, you will have to expand the sub-folder as well. b. Right-click the point to multipoint system whose properties you want to edit. The context menu appears. On the map: a. Select the antenna icon of the point to multipoint system hub whose properties you wish to change. The point to multipoint icon changes (

).

Be sure to select the antenna icon of the point to multipoint system hub. Do not select the site icon (

).

b. Right-click the point to multipoint icon. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Enter or modify the data on the following tabs of the Point to Multipoint Properties dialog box: •

General: The General tab lets define the following parameters of the point to multipoint system: • •

Name: The Name field is filled automatically by Atoll, but can be modified. Frequency band: You must select a frequency band when you create a point to multipoint system. Once you

•

have selected a frequency band, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the Browse button ( ). Nodal Site: You must select the site that will be the hub of the point to multipoint system. Once you have

• • • • • • • • • •

selected the hub site, you can view and modify its properties by clicking the browse button ( ). Type: Select TDMA if the hub systems use time division multiple access, FDMA if it uses frequency division multiple access, or OFDM if it uses orthogonal frequency division multiple access. Antenna: Select the antenna and its parameters. Radio: Specify the radio equipment Model for the hub. You can click the Browse ( ) button to edit or display the properties of the selected radio equipment. Additional losses: Specify any additional transmission or reception losses for the hub. Link template: Specify the microwave link template that is used for new links that are connected to the point to multipoint system. Active: The hub activity status. Comments: Enter any comments for this new point to multipoint system.

Links: The Links tab lets you add, edit, and delete the microwave links that make up this point to multipoint system. Display: The Display tab lets you to select and customise the icon symbolising the point to multipoint system on the map. An Other Properties tab is available if you have added fields to the Point to Multipoint table.

5.11.7.3 Connecting Sites to Hubs You can connect a site to a hub manually or let Atoll find the best hubs around a site and connect it by creating the missing microwave link. This section covers the following topics: •

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"Connecting a Site Manually" on page 283


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• •

5.11.7.3.1

"Connecting a Site to its Best Hub" on page 283 "Connecting Several Sites to the Best Hubs" on page 283

Connecting a Site Manually You can connect a site manually. To connect a new site to a hub: 1. In the Microwave Link Planning toolbar, select a hub template from the list. 2. In the Map window, right-click the site that you want to connect and select Connect > To Hub from the context menu. The pointer changes (

).

3. Move the pointer to the hub on the map. When the frame appears around the hub, indicating it is selected, click to connect the site.

5.11.7.3.2

Connecting a Site to its Best Hub Atoll can find the best hubs to connect to around a site. The best and second best hubs are determined by the signal level received at the site. The signal levels are calculated using the propagation model of the link template defined in the hub template which is selected the Microwave Link Planning toolbar. All hubs located within the computation zone are considered. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. To connect a new site to the best hub: 1. Right-click the site that you want to connect and click Connect > To Best Hub. Atoll displays a green line with an arrow pointing to the best hub and a black dotted line with an arrow pointing to the second best hub. 2. Right-click the line to the hub you want to connect the site and select Connect to This Hub from the context menu.

5.11.7.3.3

Connecting Several Sites to the Best Hubs For each site located within the computation zone, which is not connected to a hub, Atoll determines the best and second best hubs based on the signal level received at the site. The signal levels are calculated using the propagation model of the Link template defined in the Hub template which is selected the Microwave Link Planning toolbar. To connect several sites to the best hubs: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Sites folder and select Connect To Hubs from the context menu. Atoll opens the PMP Connection Analysis window. 2. In the PMP Connection Analysis window, click the Calculate button (

).

Atoll considers all hubs located within the computation zone and within a maximum distance of the each studied site. The maximum distance can be defined by clicking the Calculation Parameters ( )button. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. For each studied site, Atoll displays the following results: • • • • • • • • • •

Best hub: The name of the best hub. Best hub received level (dBm): The signal level received at the site from the best hub (i.e. the highest signal level). Best hub distance (m): The distance between the site and the best hub. Best hub azimuth (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the horizontal plane when connected to the best hub. Azimuth is always considered with respect to the north. Best hub tilt (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the vertical plane when connected to the best hub. The tilt is negative when it is downwards and positive when upwards. 2nd best hub: The name of the second best hub. 2nd best hub received level (dBm): The signal level received at the site from the second best hub (i.e. the second highest signal level). 2nd best hub distance (m): The distance between the site and the second best hub. 2nd best hub azimuth (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the horizontal plane when connected to the second best hub. Azimuth is always considered with respect to the north. 2nd best hub tilt (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the vertical plane when connected to the second best hub. The tilt is negative when it is downwards and positive when upwards.

When you click one site in the PMP Connection Analysis window, Atoll selects the site on the map and displays a green line with an arrow pointing to its best hub and a black dotted line with an arrow pointing to its second best hub. 3. For each site, select the hub that you want to use. By default, the best hub is selected. • •

If you want to keep the best hub, select the check box in the Select best hub column. If you want to use the second best hub, select the check box in the Select 2nd best hub column.

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4. Click the Commit button (


).

Atoll creates a link between each site and the selected hubs based on the hub template selected in the Microwave Link Planning toolbar.

5.11.7.4 Setting all Microwave Links of a Point to Multipoint System as Active You can activate or deactivate all microwave links belonging to a point to multipoint system. In the Network explorer, active microwave links are displayed in red (

) in the Multi-Hops folder; inactive links are displayed in grey (

).

To change the activity status of all microwave links of a point to multipoint system: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and the Point to Multipoint folder. If the point to multipoint systems are organised into sub-folders, you will have to expand the sub-folder as well. 2. Right-click the PMP hub whose activity status you want to set. The context menu appears. 3. Select one of the following: • •

Activate Links: Select Activate Links to make all microwave links of the point to multipoint system active. Deactivate Links: Select Deactivate Links to make all microwave links of the point to multipoint system inactive.

5.11.7.5 Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System Before you can define a microwave link as part of the point to multipoint system, the microwave link must first exist between the site of the hub of the point to multipoint system and another site. For information on creating microwave links, see "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. To add a microwave link to a point to multipoint system using the mouse: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and the Point to Multipoint folder, and right-click the point to multipoint system to which you want to add a microwave link. The context menu appears. 2. Select Add a Link from the context menu. The pointer shape changes (

).

3. On the map, click the microwave link you want to add to the point to multipoint system. The microwave link is added to the list of microwave links forming the point to multipoint system. If different, antenna parameters of the start site are updated with the hub characteristics (antenna model, azimuth, height).

5.11.7.6 Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point to Multipoint System To delete a microwave link from a point to multipoint system: 1. On the map, select the microwave link you want to delete. 2. Right-click the microwave link you want to delete from the point to multipoint system. The context menu appears. 3. Select Delete from the context menu. The microwave link is deleted. Deleting a microwave link in this manner does not delete the corresponding sites even if there are no other microwave links related to that site.

5.11.7.7 Deleting a Point to Multipoint System To delete a point to multipoint system: 1. Right-click the point to multipoint system either directly on the map or in the Point to Multipoint folder in the Links folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. When selecting a point to multipoint system on the map, be careful to select the line representing the point to multipoint system. Do not select the site icon (

).

2. Select Delete from the context menu. The point to multipoint system is deleted. You can also delete a point to multipoint system by deleting the row associated with it in the Point to Multipoint table. Deleting a point to multipoint system from the table does not delete the corresponding sites even if there are no other microwave links relating to that site.

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5.11.7.8 Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMPLink Mapping Table Atoll enables you create or modify all point to multipoint systems using the PMP-Link Mapping table. To open the PMP-Link Mapping table: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, and right-click the Point to Multipoint folder. If the point to multipoint systems are organised into sub-folders, you will have to expand the sub-folder as well. 2. Select PMP-Link Mapping from the context menu. The PMP-Link Mapping table opens, containing all the point to multipoint systems and the corresponding microwave links. In this table, you can modify, delete, and add the microwave links that make up a point to multipoint system. In this section, the following are described: • • •

5.11.7.8.1

"Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 285 "Editing a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 285 "Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 285

Adding a Microwave Link to a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table To add a link to a point to multipoint system using the PMP-Link Mapping table: 1. Open the PMP-Link Mapping table as explained in "Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 284. 2. In the row with the New Row icon ( a microwave link to.

), click in the cell in the PMP Hub column and select the hub you want to add

3. In the same row, click in the cell in the Link column and select the microwave link you want to add to the PMP hub. The PMP hub and microwave link must exist to be selected in the PMP-Link Mapping table. For information on creating a PMP hub, see "Creating a Point to Multipoint System" on page 280. For information on creating a microwave link, see "Creating Microwave Links" on page 197.

5.11.7.8.2

Editing a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table To edit a point to multipoint system using the PMP-Link Mapping table: 1. Open the PMP-Link Mapping table as explained in "Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 284. 2. In the row with point to multipoint system, click in the cell in the PMP Hub column or in the Link column and select the hub or microwave link you want to change to. The PMP hub and microwave link must exist to be selected in the PMP-Link Mapping table. For information on creating a PMP hub, see "Creating a Point to Multipoint System" on page 280. For information on creating a microwave link, see "Creating Microwave Links" on page 197.

5.11.7.8.3

Deleting a Microwave Link from a Point to Multipoint System Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table To delete a microwave link from a point to multipoint system using the PMP-Link Mapping table: 1. Open the PMP-Link Mapping table as explained in "Mapping Microwave Links to Point to Multipoint Systems Using the PMP-Link Mapping Table" on page 284. 2. Click in the left margin of the table row with the microwave link you want to delete. 3. Press DEL to delete the microwave link.

5.11.7.9 Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub When a microwave link consists of only two sites, the antenna on each site is aligned with the other antenna. In a point to multipoint system, it is impossible for the antenna on the hub to be directly aligned with the antenna on each microwave link. Consequently, the height, azimuth, and tilt of the antenna are calculated as the average of those that would be needed for each link.

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These settings are calculated for the point to multipoint hub antenna when the point to multipoint system is created. However, after the point to multipoint has been created, other factors such as the addition of new microwave links might require these settings to be readjusted. Atoll can recalculate the settings for the point to multipoint hub antenna. To recalculate the settings for the point to multipoint hub antenna: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder and the Point to Multipoint folder, and right-click the point to multipoint system of which you want to recalculate the hub antenna settings. The context menu appears. 2. Select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box appears. 3. Select the General tab of the Properties dialog box. 4. Under Antenna, click the Calculate button ( ) to the right of the Tilt box. The Calculation of the Nodal Antenna Angles dialog box appears with the recalculated height, azimuth, and tilt values for the point to multipoint hub antenna. 5. When the values for the point to multipoint hub antenna are recalculated, the point to multipoint system antennas might need to be adjusted accordingly. If you want Atoll calculate the effect of the recalculated values for the hub antenna on the link antennas, select the Transfer the misalignments to links check box in the Calculation of the Nodal Antenna Angles dialog box. 6. Click OK to update the values for the point to multipoint antennas.

5.11.7.10 Adjusting the Antenna of the Point to Multipoint Hub Using the Mouse To use the mouse to adjust the azimuth of the point to multipoint hub antenna: 1. Select the antenna icon of the point to multipoint hub. The point to multipoint icon changes (

) and you can now

rotate it manually. 2. Click the antenna icon (the point changes:

) and rotate it to its new azimuth.

5.11.7.11 Analysing Point to Multipoint System Connections In Atoll, you can check if the sites of point to multipoint systems are connected to their best hub and change their connections if you want. This section covers the following topics: • •

5.11.7.11.1

"Specifying Analysis Parameters" on page 286. "Setting the Display Properties of Objects" on page 32.

Specifying Analysis Parameters Before optimising point to multipoint systems, you can define analysis parameters. To specify analysis parameters: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Point to Multipoint folder and select Connection Optimisation from the context menu. Atoll opens the PMP Connection Analysis window. 2. In the PMP Connection Analysis window, click the Calculation Parameters ( window opens.

) button. The Analysis Parameters

3. Click the Best servers tab and define the maximum distance. Atoll will consider all hubs located within a maximum distance of the studied sites. 4. Click the Antenna Locking tab. Atoll displays all the links and sites to be analysed. 5. For each link and site, select Lock to prevent Atoll from changing the site antenna height, azimuth, and tilt. 6. Click OK.

5.11.7.11.2

Optimising Point to Multipoint Systems After specifying the analysis parameters, you can run an audit of the point to multipoint systems and optimise the connections. To optimise the connections of point to multipoint systems: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Links folder, right-click the Point to Multipoint folder and select Connection Optimisation from the context menu. Atoll opens the PMP Connection Analysis window.

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2. In the PMP Connection Analysis window, click the Calculation Parameters ( window opens. 3. In the PMP Connection Analysis window, click the Calculate button (

)button. The Analysis Parameters

).

For each link and site of point to multipoint systems located within the computation zone, Atoll determines the best and second best hubs based on the signal level received at the site. Atoll considers all hubs located within the computation zone and within a maximum distance of the studied sites. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. You can either keep the current antenna height, azimuth and tilt of sites or let Atoll change these parameters when determining the best and second best hubs. In this case, Atoll points the site antenna towards its best hub and second best hub. For each studied link and site, Atoll displays the following results: • • • • • • • • • • •

Current hub: The name of the hub to which the site is connected. It is displayed in orange when it is different from the best hub. Best hub: The name of the best hub. Best hub received level (dBm): The signal level received at the site from the best hub (i.e. the highest signal level). Best hub distance (m): The distance between the site and the best hub. Best hub azimuth (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the horizontal plane when connected to the best hub. Azimuth is always considered with respect to the north. Best hub tilt (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the vertical plane when connected to the best hub. The tilt is negative when it is downwards and positive when upwards. 2nd best hub: The name of the second best hub. 2nd best hub received level (dBm): The signal level received at the site from the second best hub (i.e. the second highest signal level). 2nd best hub distance (m): The distance between the site and the second best hub. 2nd best hub azimuth (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the horizontal plane when connected to the second best hub. Azimuth is always considered with respect to the north. 2nd best hub tilt (°): The orientation of the site antenna in the vertical plane when connected to the second best hub. The tilt is negative when it is downwards and positive when upwards.

When you click one site in the PMP Connection Analysis window, Atoll selects the site on the map and displays a green line with an arrow pointing to its best hub and a black dotted line with an arrow pointing to its second best hub. 4. For each site, define if you want to change the connection. By default, the best hub is selected. • •

If you want to keep the best hub, select the check box in the Select best hub column. If you want to use the second best hub, select the check box in the Select 2nd best hub column.

5. Click the Commit button ( the selected hub instead.

). Atoll removes the original connection and creates a link between the site and

The Commit button is active only when the selected hub is different from the current hub.

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288


Chapter 6 Backhaul Capacity Planning This chapter explains how to use the Atoll backhaul capacity planning module to model backhaul network topologies and to dimension backhaul links according to radio access network traffic.


"Creating the Logical Transport Layer" on page 292

•

"Checking Logical and Physical Layer Consistency" on page 303

•

"Dimensioning the Backhaul Network" on page 305

•

"Network Failure Simulation" on page 311


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Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Chapter 6: Backhaul Capacity Planning

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6 Backhaul Capacity Planning Atoll provides a backhaul capacity planning module that allows network operators to model backhaul network topologies and to dimension backhaul links according to radio access network traffic. Atoll supports TDM, packet, as well as hybrid microwave and other wired and wireless backhaul links as part of a heterogeneous backhaul network. The Atoll backhaul capacity planning module enables you to design your backhaul network by creating logical nodes and path segments between source and destination nodes, by automatically developing backhaul paths and sub-networks, and by providing you with tools to analyse end-to-end mobile traffic routing, to optimise backhaul network capacity, and to study traffic evolution scenarios.

Figure 6.1: Backhaul network map view in Atoll The following figure depicts the process of planning and optimising a backhaul network. The steps involved are described in the following sections. 1. Open an existing backhaul document or create a new one ( 1 ). • •

You can open an existing Atoll document by selecting File > Open. You can create a new Atoll document with the "Backhaul" template and create a physical backhaul network as explained in Chapter 5: Backhaul Networks. The backhaul capacity planning module relies on an existing physical backhaul network made of MW links and other transmission links such as optical-links or leased lines. The radio equipment and capacity must be properly configured. For instructions on creating a physical backhaul network in Atoll, see "Backhaul Networks" on page 187.

2. Configure the network by creating and configuring logical layer elements ( 2 ). You can add and modify the following elements: • •

"Creating Nodes" on page 294. "Creating Segments" on page 296.

3. Check that the logical layer is consistent with the physical network ( 3 ). •

"Checking Logical and Physical Layer Consistency" on page 303.

4. Analyse and improve network capacity ( 4 ). •

"Dimensioning the Backhaul Network" on page 305.

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5. Simulate equipment or site failures ( 5 ). •

"Network Failure Simulation" on page 311. 1

2

3

4

5

Figure 6.2: Backhaul planning and optimisation workflow

6.1 Creating the Logical Transport Layer The backhaul network model comprises a physical network and a logical transport layer. The logical transport layer is typically superimposed over an existing physical backhaul network, as shown in Figure 6.3. For information on creating a physical backhaul network, see "Designing a Backhaul Network" on page 187.

Figure 6.3: Example of a physical backhaul network with sites and links This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Transport Layer Overview" on page 292. "Creating Nodes" on page 294. "Creating Segments" on page 296.

6.1.1 Transport Layer Overview In Atoll, the transport layer is made of nodes connected by segments, as shown in Figure 6.4, where logical nodes are located on sites and logical segments represent the connection between nodes. The transport layer of a network or sub-network typically forms a tree hierarchy, or topology, from multiple source nodes to a single destination node.

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Figure 6.4: Example of a logical backhaul network with source and destination nodes and segments This section covers the following topics: • •

"Backhaul Nodes" on page 293 "Backhaul Segments" on page 293

6.1.1.1 Backhaul Nodes A backhaul node is a point of concentration of traffic. A node can be a source of traffic towards another node or a destination of traffic from other nodes. In other words, a node can be a simple node or a hub node at the same time. A radio site can house one or more nodes. Nodes can be created directly on the map using the mouse. The main parameters of a backhaul node are: • • •

The radio site to which it belongs. The backhaul sub-network, if any, to which it belongs. The TDM, uplink and downlink IP traffic concentrated at the node.

The amount of TDM traffic for each node can be estimated from the numbers of trunk lines (E1, T1, etc.) and capacities. The amounts of TDM and Ethernet traffic can be directly extracted from an underlying radio access network.

6.1.1.2 Backhaul Segments A backhaul segment outlines a hierarchical backhaul network topology by establishing a logical connection between a source and a destination node. Segments are directional, as shown in Figure 6.4, where: • •

Source nodes are the nodes at the lowest level in the hierarchical network topology. These nodes are the closest to the end base station. Destination nodes are the nodes at the highest level in the hierarchical network topology. These nodes are the closest to the core network.

Segments and links can have multiple relationships, as shown in Figure 6.5, where: • • •

A single segment connecting two nodes may be relayed over a single physical link; microwave or other. This is the most common situation. A segment connecting two nodes may be relayed over one physical link to begin with, and two or more links as the traffic between the two nodes increases. For example, two leased lines instead of only one as the traffic increases. One or more segments connecting two or more nodes may be relayed over one physical link partitioned into two separate traffic streams. For example, a microwave link serving different networks.

Figure 6.5: A segment comprising two physical links (left) and a physical link carrying two segments (right) In addition, segments can be used to model the logical connection between a destination node and each source node of a physical link. For example, in Figure 6.6 on page 294, a leased line connects Site0 to Site1, Site 1 to Site2, and so on to Site5. For each site, a logical segment exists, which models the connection between the destination node on Site0 and each individual node on the path of the leased line.

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Figure 6.6: Logical segments connecting individual nodes on the path of a leased line Segments can be created directly on the map by using the mouse. The main parameters of a backhaul segment are: • • • •

The source and destination nodes. The topology of the sub-network to which the segment belongs, star or ring. IP overbooking factors. Links, microwave or other, configured to be used by the segment, and their corresponding TDM and IP bandwidths

6.1.2 Creating Nodes Nodes are the logical elements that represent the base station equipment to which backhaul links are connected. In Atoll, nodes are always located on a site and a site can host multiple nodes. For each node, you define the traffic generated by the users that are connected to the site. Each node is assigned a combination of the following traffic types: • • •

TDM: circuit traffic demand where assigned DL traffic equals assigned UL traffic. Ethernet UL: packet upload traffic demand. Ethernet DL: packet download traffic demand. In the Atoll map view, nodes are displayed as additional layers over sites. Depending on whether you want to work with the node or the site, make sure that the display check box ( ) of either the Transport Layer > Nodes folder or the Sites folder is enabled on the Network tab of the explorer. For more information about object layers, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31.

This section covers the following topics: • • •

"Node Properties" on page 294 "Creating a Node on a Site" on page 295. "Creating Multiple Nodes by Importing a Text File" on page 295.

6.1.2.1 Node Properties The parameters of a node can be found in the node Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has two tabs: •

294

The General tab (see Figure 6.7): This tab provides general information about the node.


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Figure 6.7: Node properties dialog box •

•

Name: By default, the name of the node is based on the site name appended with a node number (for example, the first node on a site "Site401" is named as "Site401_N1"). You can rename the node if necessary. • Site: The site on which the node is located. • Sub-network: The optional name of the sub-network to which the node belongs. • Active: The node activity status. Only active nodes are considered in calculations. • Traffic: The traffic demand associated with the node. • TDM: The TDM traffic demand (in Mbps). • UL Ethernet: The uplink Ethernet traffic demand (in Mbps). • DL Ethernet: The downlink Ethernet traffic demand (in Mbps). • Comments: Optional descriptions and comments related to the node. The Display tab: This tab allows you to specify a particular display format for the current node. This setting overrides the general display properties for nodes. • •

Symbol style: Specifies the symbol and colour that is used to display the current node. Display name with style: Specifies the font and style that is used to display the name of the current node.

6.1.2.2 Creating a Node on a Site To create a new node on a site: 1. In the map view, right-click the site on which you want to create a logical node and select Create a Node. The node is created with a name based on the site name appended with "_N1" (or another number if this is not the first node to be created on the site). 2. Right-click the node and select Properties. 3. Modify the parameters described in "Node Properties" on page 294. 4. Click OK. Alternatively, you can switch the mouse cursor to node creation mode (Figure 6.8) by rightclicking the Nodes > New in the Network explorer or clicking the New Node ( ) button from the Transport Layer toolbar. In node creation mode, click a site or a site label to create the node on the site.

Figure 6.8: Mouse cursor in node creation mode

6.1.2.3 Creating Multiple Nodes by Importing a Text File To generate multiple nodes on a series of sites at once, you can import a list of sites from a text file (in .txt or .csv format). You can use a spreadsheet program to create your list of nodes based on a list of sites that you have previously exported from the Atoll site table. For more information about exporting tables, see "Exporting Tables to Text Files and Spreadsheets" on page 68.

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Before importing the list, ensure that for each node the text file contains the following columns: • • • • • •

Name: The name of the new node. Site: The name of an existing site on which the node is located. Activity: The value in this column must be True if the node is active or False if the node is inactive. TDM Traffic: The TDM traffic demand (in Mbps). UL Ethernet Traffic: The uplink Ethernet traffic demand (in Mbps). DL Ethernet Traffic: The downlink Ethernet traffic demand (in Mbps).

Other columns are optional. To import a list of multiple nodes: 1. Click the Network tab in the explorer window. 2. Expand the Transport Layer folder. 3. Right click the Nodes folder and select Open Table. 4. Click the Import

button in the table toolbar. The Open dialog box appears.

5. Select the file you want to import and click Open. The Import dialog box appears. a. Specify the number of the first line of data in the 1st Data Line box. For example, if the text file starts with a header line, set the 1st Data Line to 2. b. Select a Decimal Symbol and a Field Separator from the list. c. Select the Update Records check box if you want to replace the data of records already existing in the table. Atoll compares the values in the left-most column of the data to be imported with the values in the same column of the data table to see if records already exist. The values of these records are replaced when the Update Records check box is selected. If the Update Records check box is not selected, these records are not imported. d. Under Field Mapping, align the content of the text file with the content of the node table by clicking the column header in the Destination row and selecting the corresponding column from imported text file. Select for source file columns that you do not want to import. e. Click Import. The nodes are created in the table with the characteristics defined in the text file. For more information on importing tables, see "Importing Tables from Text Files" on page 70.

6.1.3 Creating Segments Segments are the logical elements that establish a directional connection from a source node to a destination node, where the source is the base station and the destination is the core network. A logical segment represents a connection that can consist of multiple physical links. Physical links can also be shared by multiple logical segments. For example, over a single physical link, one segment represents GSM traffic while another segment represents UMTS traffic. In the Atoll map view, segments are displayed as additional layers over links. Depending on whether you want to work with the segment or the link, make sure that the display check box ( ) of either the Transport Layer > Segment folder or the Links folder is enabled on the Network tab of the explorer. For more information about object layers, see "Displaying or Hiding Objects on the Map" on page 31. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • •

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"Segment Properties" on page 297 "Creating a Segment on an Existing Link" on page 297. "Creating a Segment over Multiple Links" on page 298. "Creating Multiple Segments over a Single Link" on page 299. "Connecting a Node" on page 300. "Creating a Subnetwork" on page 300.


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6.1.3.1 Segment Properties The parameters of a segment can be found in the segment Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box has three tabs: •

The General tab: This tab provides general information about the segment.

Figure 6.9: Segment properties • • • •

•

Source node: The site where the source node of the segment is located. Destination node: The site where the destination node of the segment is located. Segment is part of a ring: Specifies whether the segment is part of a ring structure. Booking Factors: The percentage of allowed UL Ethernet and DL Ethernet traffic that exceeds the segment bandwidth. Specify values above 100% to simulate overbooking. • Comments: An optional description or comment related to the segment. The Link Configuration tab: Use this tab to specify one or several physical links that the segment uses:

• • •

•

Active: Specifies whether the link within the segment is active or inactive. TDM bandwidth (Mbps): The segment bandwidth available for TDM traffic. Ethernet bandwidth (Mbps): The segment bandwidth available for Ethernet traffic, in both directions (uplink or downlink). • Microwave Link or Other Transmission Link: These columns specify either to microwave link or the other type of link that is used in the segment. • Comments: An optional description or comment related to the link. • Technology: Specifies whether the link uses TDM, packet, or hybrid technology. The Display tab: This tab allows you to specify the colour and style format for the current segment. This setting overrides the general display properties for nodes. The Backhaul Capacity Planning module uses two database tables to describe segments. Depending on the table that you want to access, in the Network explorer, expand Transport Layer and right-click Segments: • •

Select Open Table to access the booking factors and topology. Select Segment - Link Configuration to access the TDM and Ethernet bandwidth.

6.1.3.2 Creating a Segment on an Existing Link When a physical link already exists between two sites, you can create a logical segment over that link. The bandwidth and technology of the new segment are based on the characteristics of the physical link.

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To create a new segment on a link: 1. In the map view, right-click the link on which you want to create the logical segment and select Create a Segment. If there are multiple links or existing segments, a selection menu allows you choose a particular link, as shown in Figure 6.10.

Figure 6.10: Selection menu when multiple links exist Alternatively, you can switch the mouse cursor to segment creation mode by right-clicking the Segments > New in the Network explorer or clicking the New Segment ( ) button from the Transport Layer toolbar. In segment creation mode, click an existing link to create a segment on that link or click two sites to create a segment between those sites. The segment is created with bandwidth characteristics that are based on the physical capacity of the link. If nodes do not already exist on the end of the segment, they are created automatically. 2. Right-click the new segment and click Properties. If necessary, modify the parameters described in "Segment Properties" on page 297. 3. Click OK. After creating a segment, check that the direction of the segment was properly created from the source node (the node closest to the end base station) towards the destination (the node closest to the core network). If necessary, right-click the segment and select Swap Source and Destination to invert the direction of the segment.

6.1.3.3 Creating a Segment over Multiple Links In some cases, multiple physical links are used between two sites in order to increase the capacity of the link. You can create a single logical segment to simplify the transport model between the two sites, as shown on the left in Figure 6.5 on page 293. When a single segment uses multiple links, the segment bandwidth should correspond to the sum of the link capacities. To create a single segment over multiple links: 1. In the map view, right-click the links on which you want to create a logical segment. If there are multiple links or existing segments, a selection menu allows you to choose a particular link, as shown in Figure 6.10. If not, then select a location where multiple links exist or create a single segment on a single link as explained in "Creating a Segment on an Existing Link" on page 297. A context menu opens. 2. In the context menu, click Create a Segment. The segment is created with bandwidth characteristics that are based on the physical capacity of the link. If nodes do not already exist, they are created on the sites at each end of the segment. 3. Right-click the new segment and click Properties. 4. Select the Link Configuration tab. This tab lists the links that are used by the current segment. The first link is listed in the Microwave Link or Other Transmission Links column with the bandwidth settings corresponding to the physical link. 5. To add another link to the segment: a. Depending on the type of link, click the bottom cell in the Microwave Link or the Other Transmission Link column. b. In the dropdown list, select the name of the link. Make sure that this link connects the two same sites as the first link. c. Manually enter the TDM Bandwidth (Mbps) and Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps). These values must match the capacity of the corresponding link. d. To ensure that all the links are used in the calculations for this segment, select Active. e. If more than two links are required, repeat from step 5. 6. Click OK. After creating a segment, check that the direction of the segment was properly created from the source node (the node closest to the end base station) towards the destination (the node closest to the core network). If necessary, right-click the segment and select Swap Source and Destination to invert the direction of the segment.

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6.1.3.4 Creating Multiple Segments over a Single Link In some cases, it might be necessary to distinguish the traffic over a single physical link by using two logical segments, as shown on the right in Figure 6.5 on page 293. This can occur, for example, if you need to maintain separate models for carrying different technologies. Two segments cannot be connected to the same two nodes. Therefore, to create two segments between the same two sites, you must first create a second node on one or both of the sites. To create multiple segments over a single link: 1. In the map view, right-click the link on which you want to create the logical segment and select Create a Segment. If there are multiple links or existing segments, a selection menu allows you to choose a particular link, as shown in Figure 6.10 on page 298. The segment is created with bandwidth characteristics that are based on the physical capacity of the link. If nodes do not already exist, they are created on the sites at each end of the segment. 2. Because you cannot create a segment between two nodes that are already connected by a segment, you must create a second node on one of the sites. In the map view, right-click the site on which you want to create a second logical node and select Create a Node or click the New Node ( ) button on the Transport Layer toolbar and click the site. Because this is the second node on this site, the node is created with a name based on the site name appended with "_N2". For more information on creating a node, see "Creating a Node on a Site" on page 295. 3. Create the second segment to connect the new node: a. Right-click the new node. A selection menu lists both nodes, as shown in Figure 6.11.

Figure 6.11: Selection menu when multiple nodes exist b. Select the node that is appended with "_N2"). The context menu for that node opens. c. In the context menu, click Connect to Node and select the node that is on the other site to which you want to connect this second segment. The Transport Analysis Tool window displays the suggested route. d. In the New Route column, click Create. The New Segment dialog box opens. e. To check that there are now two segments over each other, right-click the segment. A selection menu lists both segments, as shown in Figure 6.12.

Figure 6.12: Selection menu when multiple segments exist 4. Configure the bandwidth for each segment: a. Right-click the segment. A menu lists both segments. b. Select the first segment and click Properties. c. Select the Link Configuration tab. d. Manually enter the TDM Bandwidth (Mbps) and Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps). The combined values of both segments must match the capacity of the link. e. Click OK. f.

For the second segment, repeat from step 4.

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6.1.3.5 Connecting a Node When a source node is not connected to the backhaul network, you can connect the node to a destination node by creating both the missing logical segment and the physical link. Atoll considers the existing active segments and suggests one or several solutions to connect the node to the destination, either directly or through existing segments. To route a new segment between two nodes: 1. Right-click the source node that you want to connect to the network and click Connect to Node. If there are multiple nodes on the site, a selection menu allows you choose a node, as shown in Figure 6.11 on page 299. 2. Click the destination node. Typically, this is a focal point of your subnetwork. The Transport Analysis Tool window displays a list of suggested routes from the source node to the destination node. In the analysis, Atoll considers the selected node(s) and all nodes located within the computation zone; if no computation zone is defined, all nodes are considered. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49.

Figure 6.13: Transport Analysis Tool window For each suggested route, the Transport Analysis Tool displays the names of the nodes for the route and a status is displayed for each segment: •

Status 1: This indicates the line-of-sight status for the new segment, which implies a suggested link type: • •

•

LOS (orange): A line-of-sight exists between the source node and the node 1; a MW link is suggested. LOS (red): A line-of-sight exists between the source node and the node 1, but the distance exceeds the limit for MW links specified in the Transport Layer properties; a non-MW link is suggested. • NLOS: There is no line-of-sight between the source node and the node 1; a non-MW link is suggested. A status for each existing segment in the route: • •

OK: The segment bandwidth is sufficient to support the traffic generated by the new node. NOK: The segment will be overloaded if the new node is connected through this route.

3. In the New Route column, choose the most appropriate route to connect the source node and click Create. The New Segment dialog box opens. 4. In the New Segment dialog box, specify the settings for the new segment and link: a. Link name: Enter a name for the new link. By default, this is the name of the two sites that are connected by the link. b. Ethernet bandwidth and TDM bandwidth: Specify the segment bandwidth. c. Specify the parameters of the new link, depending on the type of link that is suggested. d. For a Microwave link, specify the type of MW link or click Browse ( ) to edit the link model. For more information on microwave models, see "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. e. For an Other transmission type, specify the link type (such as optical-fibre or leased line) and an Objective class. For more information on other transmission types, see "Other Transmission Link Properties" on page 206. f. To create a multi-hop link for end-to-end analysis from the source node to the destination node, select Create the multi-hop corresponding to the selected path. For more information on multi-hop links, see "Performing an Endto-End Reliability Analysis" on page 234. 5. Click OK.

6.1.3.6 Creating a Subnetwork When multiple nodes are not connected by segments, you can route an entire subnetwork from the destination node. This is useful when you are setting up your project or if you are optimising an existing subnetwork.

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The best method for creating segments on a large network is to proceed subnetwork by subnetwork. You can do this by isolating subnetworks with computation zones or filtering zones.

When a segment is created over an existing physical link, the bandwidth and technology of the new segment are based on the characteristics of the physical link. When a link does not exist, Atoll suggests either a new microwave link or an other transmission link, depending on the lineof-sight and distance parameters. To route segments for a subnetwork: 1. Locate the destination node for the new subnetwork. This is the highest hierarchical point in the topology of the new subnetwork. 2. Create a computation zone or a filtering zone around the subnetwork area. For more information on creating zones, see "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48. 3. Right-click the destination node and click Build a Subnetwork. The Build Subnetwork dialog box opens.

Figure 6.14: The Build Subnetwork dialog box 4. In the General tab, specify the parameters for routing new segments: a. Under Subnetwork radius, specify the following values: • •

Max number of segments: The maximum number of segments between the destination and any node that is to be connected to the new subnetwork. Max distance between source and destination: The distance limit from the destination node to which a node can be connected as part of the new subnetwork.

b. Under Search conditions, select the following options: • • • •

Use existing segments: If this option is enabled, routes through existing segments are suggested in priority. Ignore inactive nodes: If this option is enabled, nodes that are not marked as Active are avoided. Ignore already connected nodes: If this option is enabled, segments can only be routed through nodes that are not connected. Priority to microwave links (LOS): If this option is enabled, microwave links are suggested whenever there is a line-of-sight and the distance is within the limit specified in the New segments section.

c. Under New Segments, select the following options: •

•

Max length of a microwave link (LOS): Specify the maximum distance for which a microwave link is suggested. If there is a line-of-sight between two nodes, but the distance exceeds this value, then another type of transmission link is suggested. Max length of another type of link (NLOS): Specify the maximum distance to suggest another type of link, such as an optical fibre link or a leased line. If the distance between two nodes exceeds this value, then a new segment is not suggested.

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5. In the Templates tab, specify the settings for the new segments and links: a. Under Microwave link, select a microwave link Template from the list or select to automatically apply the template specified by the design rules. For more information on microwave link templates, see "Microwave Link Properties" on page 197. b. Under Other link types, specify the link Type (such as optical-fibre or leased line) and an Objective class. For more information on other transmission types, see "Other Transmission Link Properties" on page 206. 6. Click OK. The New Subnetwork Segments dialog box displays the list of segments (from source node to destination node) that is suggested for the new subnetwork as well as the type of links that the suggested segments use. In the analysis, Atoll considers the selected node(s) and all nodes located within the computation zone; if no computation zone is defined, all nodes are considered. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. 7. Click Create to create the subnetwork as listed or click Cancel. To check that the subnetwork was properly created, right-click the destination node and select Dimensioning > To this node. •

•

If a segment is highlighted in red, then it was created but the bandwidth was not properly configured. Right-click the segment and select Properties to configure the segment bandwidth. If a segment is not displayed, then it was not created automatically. To create the missing segment manually, see "Connecting a Node" on page 300.

6.1.3.7 Resetting Bandwidth After changing the capacity of a physical microwave link, you can reinitialise the bandwidth configuration of the associated segment so that it matches the radio capacity of the link. 1. In the Network explorer, expand Transport Layer and Segments and right-click the segment for which you want to reset the bandwidth. Alternatively, you can right-click the segment on the map. 2. In the context menu, click Reset Bandwidths. This resets the bandwidth configuration so that it matches the radio capacity of the link.

6.1.4 Displaying and Exporting the Subnetwork Topology The Subnetwork Topology window allows you to display a hierarchical tree view of the logical nodes that are connected to a specific destination node, as shown in Figure 6.15. You can export the topology data as a tab-delimited text file, which can be imported into a spreadsheet. The exported data contains information about the number of segments and their type.

Figure 6.15: The Subnetwork Topology window

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To display the subnetwork topology for a node: 1. In the map view, right-click the node for which you want to display the subnetwork topology. If there are multiple sites or nodes, a selection menu allows you to choose a particular node, as shown in Figure 6.11 on page 299. A context menu opens. 2. In the context menu, click Subnetwork Topology. The Subnetwork Topology window opens. • • •

Specify a Maximum depth and click Filter to limit the display to a number of segments. This is useful for loops or when the topology is too complex to display. Click Expand All to expand the entire topology tree. To export the topology data, click Export, select a location and filename, and click Save. The topology list is saved as a tab-delimited text file.

3. Click Close to close the window.

6.1.5 Inserting a Site Into a Physical Link When you are modelling other types of links (such as optical-fibre links or leased lines), you might need to insert a site into an existing link A-B. This creates a new site C and splits the existing link into two links A-C and C-B. This is particularly useful if you are modelling the logical connection between a destination node and each source node of a physical link, as described in Figure 6.6 on page 294. To insert a site into a physical link: 1. Right-click a non-microwave link (optical-fibre links or leased line). 2. In the context menu, click Insert Site. The mouse cursor turns to a "forbidden" icon ( the link, the mouse turns to an "insert link" icon (

). If you hover the mouse over

).

3. Click a point of the link and drag the link to the location of the new site or over an existing site. If 4. Release the mouse button. The link is replaced with two links that join the new site. If a logical segment existed over the link, you must delete it and create a new segment to reflect the change in the network.

6.2 Checking Logical and Physical Layer Consistency To assess the consistency between logical and physical backhaul elements, Atoll provides an audit tool. You can perform an audit after creating the logical network or after updating any part of the physical backhaul network. During the audit, Atoll checks that the segment bandwidth does not exceed the radio capacity available for the link for both TDM and Ethernet traffic. Two complementary audit functions are available; one for the links and one for the segments. Both are especially useful to study complex backhaul situations as in the following situations: • •

Single segments relayed over more than one link, Multiple segments relayed over a single link.

For most standard configurations (i.e., one segment relayed over one link), you can use either one of the audit tools. You can use the audit tools on microwave radio links or other transmission links for the entire backhaul network in the document, or you can define a subnetwork by using a filtering zone or a computation zone. For information on creating zones, see "Using Zones in the Map Window" on page 48. You can also get a detailed audit for a selected segment or a selected link using the Transport Analysis Tool. In the analysis, Atoll considers the nodes and segments located within the computation zone; if no computation zone is defined, Atoll takes all nodes and segments. Segments are considered inside a zone if both of their nodes are inside the zone. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. To audit the backhaul network: 1. Run the audit analysis on segments. a. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder, right-click the Dimensioning and Audit folder, and select Audit > Segments from the context menu. The Segment Audit dialog box appears. b. On the General tab of the dialog box, enter a Name and Comments for this study. c. Click Calculate to save the defined audit analysis and calculate it immediately. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer. The audit analysis is available in the Dimensioning and Audit folder in the Network explorer. When the audit analysis is done, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 6.16).

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Figure 6.16: Segment audit results Segments where inconsistencies are detected are coloured in red. Otherwise, they are displayed in green. 2. Correct the detected inconsistencies. a. In the Dimensioning and Audit folder, expand the folder that contains the segment audit analysis. b. Double-click the item displayed with an Overloaded marker ( ). The Overloaded table appears with all segments whose bandwidth exceeds the radio capacity of the associated links. c. Double-click each record in the table to open the segment properties, and change the bandwidth configuration so that it matches the radio capacity of the link. d. Repeat from step 1. until no further inconsistencies are detected. 3. If the network contains complex backhaul situations (e.g., one segment relayed over two links, two segments relayed over a single link), run the audit analysis on either all the microwave radio links or all the other transmission links (for fibre-optic links or leased lines). a. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder, right-click the Dimensioning and Audit folder, and select Audit > Links or Audit > Other Transmission Links from the context menu. The Link Audit dialog box appears. b. On the General tab of the dialog box, enter a Name and Comments for this study. c. Click Calculate to save the defined audit analysis and calculate it immediately. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, are displayed in the Event Viewer. The audit analysis is available in the Dimensioning and Audit folder in the Network explorer. When the audit analysis is done, the results are displayed in the map window. Links where inconsistencies are detected are coloured in red. Otherwise, they are displayed in green. 4. Correct the detected inconsistencies. a. In the Dimensioning and Audit folder, expand the folder containing the link audit analysis. b. Double-click the item displayed with an Overloaded marker ( ). The Overloaded table appears with all links whose associated segment has a bandwidth exceeding the radio capacity. c. To get a detailed audit analysis for each link listed in the Overloaded table, click the Transport Analysis Tool button (

) in the Transport Layer toolbar. The Transport Analysis Tool window appears (see Figure 6.17).

Figure 6.17: Transport Analysis Tool d. At the top of the Transport Analysis Tool window, select Link Audit or Other Transmission Link Audit and the link to analyse from the list. The Transport Analysis Tool window displays the following information: • •

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The TDM and Ethernet capacities of the radio as well as the technology supported by the radio for the selected link. A table with information for all segments associated with the selected link and a summary "TOTAL".


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e. Right-click each segment in the table and click Reset Bandwidth. This changes the bandwidth configuration so that it matches the radio capacity of the link. f.

Repeat from step 3. until no further inconsistencies are detected.

You can switch between the Link Audit or the Other Transmission Link Audit view to the Segment Audit view by rightclicking a line in the table and selecting Audit.

6.3 Dimensioning the Backhaul Network Atoll allows you to study and evaluate the backhaul network capacity in order to optimise the network capacity to meet the traffic requirements. The dimensioning feature is aimed at identifying backhaul bottlenecks within an entire backhaul network, a subnetwork, or along a given traffic route. Dimensioning analysis is based on the traffic demands defined for nodes, traffic forecast in terms of increase or decrease in the overall traffic, IP overbooking factors defined by the operator’s guidelines and the backhaul network equipment, and maximum traffic loads that can be supported by the different backhaul network elements being studied. In the analysis, Atoll considers the nodes and segments located within the computation zone; if no computation zone is defined, Atoll takes all nodes and segments. Segments are considered inside a zone if both of their nodes are inside the zone. For information on the computation zone, see "Computation Zone" on page 49. This section covers the following topics: • • • • • • • •

"Dimensioning a Sub-network" on page 305. "Dimensioning a Route" on page 306. "Dimensioning the Entire Network" on page 307. "Displaying the Dimensioning Results on the Map" on page 307. "Displaying the Results of the Dimensioning Analysis" on page 309. "Estimating Traffic Decrease and Increase" on page 310. "Setting the Maximum Traffic Load" on page 310. "Overbooking Ethernet Traffic" on page 311.

6.3.1 Dimensioning a Sub-network Dimensioning analysis can be calculated for a sub-network. To dimension a sub-network: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder, right-click the Dimensioning and Audit folder, and select Dimensioning > Sub-network from the context menu. The Network dimensioning dialog box appears. 2. On the General tab of the dialog box, you can set the following parameters: • • •

Name: The name of the analysis. Destination node: The node to which the traffic converges. This is the highest concentration point in the sub-network topology. Under Traffic Scaling Factor, you can determine a decimal forecast factor for each type of traffic: • TDM: The factor of the initial TDM traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. • UL Ethernet: The factor of the initial UL Ethernet traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. • DL Ethernet: The percentage of the initial DL Ethernet traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. Scaling factors enable you to increase or decrease the traffic forecast without changing the traffic parameters of the logical nodes. For example, set the scaling factor to 1.25 to consider a 25% increase in the traffic forecast. A scaling factor of 1 uses the traffic load currently defined for the node.

•

Under Max traffic load, you can define the constraints that Atoll must respect during the dimensioning analysis. • TDM: The maximum load of TDM traffic not to be exceeded. • UL Ethernet: The maximum load of Ethernet traffic in the uplink not to be exceeded. • DL Ethernet: The maximum load of Ethernet traffic in the downlink not to be exceeded.

•

Comments: Use this field for optional descriptions and comments related to the dimensioning analysis.

3. Once you have defined the dimensioning analysis, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it to calculate it later: • •

Click Calculate to save the defined dimensioning analysis and calculate it immediately. Click OK to save the defined dimensioning analysis without calculating. To calculate it later, right-click the dimensioning analysis in the Dimensioning and Audit folder and select Calculate from the context menu.

The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer. The dimensioning analysis is available in the Dimensioning and Audit folder in the Network explorer. Once Atoll has finished calculating the dimensioning analysis, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 6.18).

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Figure 6.18: Dimensioning Results The segments in the sub-network are coloured to indicate whether they are overloaded: • •

Green: The carried traffic does not exceed the bandwidth of the segment. Red: The segment is overloaded, i.e., the bandwidth of the segment is insufficient to carry the traffic. You can quickly calculate a dimensioning analysis of the sub-network by right-clicking the destination node on the map, and selecting Dimensioning > To this node. In this case, the analysis is based on the default parameters defined in the Transport Layer folder properties.

6.3.2 Dimensioning a Route Dimensioning analysis can be calculated along a given traffic route. To dimension a route: 1. Right-click the source node either on the map, or in the Nodes folder of the explorer window’s Network tab. The context menu appears. 2. Select Dimensioning > From this node to from the context menu. The pointer now changes (

).

3. In the map window, move the pointer to the destination node and click. Atoll starts the dimensioning analysis. For the calculation, Atoll considers the default parameters defined in the Transport Layer folder properties. The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer. The audit analysis is available in the Dimensioning and Audit folder in the Network explorer. When the audit analysis is done, the results are displayed in the map window. The segments along the path are coloured to indicate whether they are overloaded: • •

Green: The carried traffic does not exceed the bandwidth of the segment. Red: The segment is overloaded, i.e., the bandwidth of the segment is insufficient to carry the traffic. Alternatively, you can calculate a dimensioning analysis on a path by right-clicking the Dimensioning and Audit folder, and selecting Dimensioning > Path. This opens the Route Dimensioning dialog box. You can select the source and destination nodes from the drop down list or by clicking the and buttons and clicking the node on the map.

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6.3.3 Dimensioning the Entire Network You can perform a dimensioning analysis for all the nodes in the Atoll document. To dimension an entire network: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder, right-click the Dimensioning and Audit folder, and select Dimensioning > Network from the context menu. The Network dimensioning dialog box appears. 2. On the General tab of the dialog box, you can set the following parameters: • •

Name: The name of the analysis. Under Traffic Scaling Factor, you can determine a decimal forecast factor for each type of traffic: • TDM: The factor of the initial TDM traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. • UL Ethernet: The factor of the initial UL Ethernet traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. • DL Ethernet: The percentage of the initial DL Ethernet traffic to be considered in the dimensioning analysis. Scaling factors enable you to increase or decrease the traffic forecast without changing the traffic parameters of the logical nodes. For example, set the scaling factor to 1.25 to consider a 25% increase in the traffic forecast. A scaling factor of 1 uses the traffic load currently defined for the node.

•

Under Max traffic load, you can define the constraints that Atoll must respect during the dimensioning analysis. • TDM: The maximum load of TDM traffic not to be exceeded. • UL Ethernet: The maximum load of Ethernet traffic in the uplink not to be exceeded. • DL Ethernet: The maximum load of Ethernet traffic in the downlink not to be exceeded.

•

Comments: Use this field for optional descriptions and comments related to the dimensioning analysis.

3. Once you have defined the dimensioning analysis, you can calculate it immediately or you can save it to calculate it later: • •

Click Calculate to save the defined dimensioning analysis and calculate it immediately. Click OK to save the defined dimensioning analysis without calculating. To calculate it later, right-click the dimensioning analysis in the Dimensioning and Audit folder and select Calculate from the context menu.

The progress of the calculation, as well as any error messages, is displayed in the Event Viewer. The dimensioning analysis is available in the Dimensioning and Audit folder in the Network explorer. Once Atoll has finished calculating the dimensioning analysis, the results are displayed in the map window (see Figure 6.18 on page 306).

6.3.4 Displaying the Dimensioning Results on the Map Atoll enables you to display on the map the dimensioning results. By default, Atoll colours the segments according to the overloading status so that you can quickly identify backhaul bottlenecks within a sub-network, or along a given traffic route (see Figure 6.18). You can also display the segments according to traffic load, or the remaining bandwidth. In addition, you can get information on dimensioning analysis using the tip text. In this section, the following is explained: • • •

"Displaying the Traffic Load" on page 307. "Displaying the Remaining Bandwidth" on page 308. "Displaying Dimensioning Results Using Tip Text" on page 308.

6.3.4.1 Displaying the Traffic Load For each type of traffic (TDM, UL Ethernet, DL Ethernet), you can colour the segments according to the traffic load. The traffic load corresponds to the percentage of the segment bandwidth used to transport the traffic. To display the traffic load: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder and the Dimensioning and Audit folder containing the dimensioning analysis whose results you want to display. 2. Right-click the dimensioning analysis and click Properties. The Network dimensioning properties dialog box appears. 3. On the Display tab of the dialog box, define the settings to display the following results: • • •

The TDM traffic load: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "TDM Traffic Load (%)" as the Field. The UL Ethernet traffic load: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "UL Ethernet Traffic Load (%)" as the Field. The DL Ethernet traffic load: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "DL Ethernet Traffic Load (%)" as the Field.

4. Click OK. The segments are now displayed according to the traffic load (see Figure 6.19).

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Figure 6.19: Displaying the TDM traffic load

6.3.4.2 Displaying the Remaining Bandwidth For each type of traffic (TDM, UL Ethernet, DL Ethernet), you can colour the segments according to the remaining bandwidth. To display the remaining bandwidth: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder and the Dimensioning and Audit folder that contains the dimensioning analysis whose results you want to display. 2. Right-click the dimensioning analysis and click Properties. The Network dimensioning properties dialog box appears. 3. On the Display tab of the dialog box, define the settings to display the following results: • • •

The remaining TDM bandwidth: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Remaining TDM Bandwidth (Mbps)" as the Field. The remaining UL Ethernet bandwidth: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Remaining UL Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps)" as the Field. The remaining DL Ethernet bandwidth: Select "Value intervals" as the Display Type and "Remaining DL Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps)" as the Field.

4. Click OK. The segments are now displayed according to the remaining bandwidth (see Figure 6.20).

Figure 6.20: Displaying the TDM traffic load

6.3.4.3 Displaying Dimensioning Results Using Tip Text You can get information by placing the pointer over a segment of the dimensioning analysis to read the information displayed in the tip text. The information displayed is defined by the settings you made on the Display tab of the Network dimensioning properties. To get dimensioning results in the form of tip text: •

In the map window, place the pointer over the segment that you want more information on. After a brief pause, the tip text appears with the information defined in the Display tab of the Network dimensioning properties (see Figure 6.21).

Figure 6.21: Displaying dimensioning results using the tip text

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6.3.5 Displaying the Results of the Dimensioning Analysis After you have performed a dimensioning analysis, as explained in "Dimensioning a Sub-network" on page 305 and "Displaying the Results of the Dimensioning Analysis" on page 309, you can display the network dimensioning results. They are available for all the segments in the selected sub-network, or path, in the form of a table. To display the results table of a dimensioning analysis: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder and the Dimensioning and Audit folder containing the dimensioning analysis whose results you want to access. 2. Double-click the dimensioning analysis. The table contains the following information per segment: • • • • • • • • • • • •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Source node: The source node of the segment. Destination node: The destination node of the segment. Status: The overload status. It is set to OK when the aggregate traffic between the source and destination nodes does not exceed the bandwidth of the segment. Otherwise, the status is NOK. Aggregate TDM traffic (Mbps): The cumulated TDM traffic from upstream segments. Aggregate UL Ethernet traffic (Mbps): The cumulated UL Ethernet traffic from upstream segments. Aggregate DL Ethernet traffic (Mbps): The cumulated DL Ethernet traffic from upstream segments. TDM Bandwidth (Mbps): The segment bandwidth available for TDM traffic. Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps): The segment bandwidth available for Ethernet traffic, in both directions (up or down). UL Ethernet Booking Factor (%): The percentage of allowed UL Ethernet traffic that exceeds the segment bandwidth including the overbooking factor. DL Ethernet Booking Factor (%): The percentage of allowed DL Ethernet traffic that exceeds the segment bandwidth including the overbooking factor. TDM Traffic Load (%): The percentage of the bandwidth used for TDM traffic. It corresponds to the ratio between the aggregate TDM traffic and the TDM bandwidth. UL Ethernet Traffic Load (%): The percentage of the bandwidth used for UL Ethernet traffic. It corresponds to the ratio between the aggregate UL Ethernet traffic and the available Ethernet bandwidth including the overbooking factor. DL Ethernet Traffic Load (%): The percentage of the bandwidth used for DL Ethernet traffic. It corresponds to the ratio between the aggregate DL Ethernet traffic and the available Ethernet bandwidth including the overbooking factor. UL Ethernet Traffic Load (Plain) (%): The percentage of the plain bandwidth used for UL Ethernet traffic. It corresponds to the ratio between the aggregate UL Ethernet traffic and the plain Ethernet bandwidth (which does not include the overbooking factor). DL Ethernet Traffic Load (Plain) (%): The percentage of the plain bandwidth used for DL Ethernet traffic. It corresponds to the ratio between the aggregate DL Ethernet traffic and the plain Ethernet bandwidth (which does not include the overbooking factor). Remaining TDM Bandwidth (Mbps): The available bandwidth while carrying the TDM traffic. This is the difference between the TDM bandwidth defined for the segment and the aggregate TDM traffic. When the maximum TDM traffic load is exceeded, the missing bandwidth is displayed with a negative value. Remaining UL Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps): The available bandwidth for the segment while carrying the UL Ethernet traffic, with the overbooking factor considered. This is the difference between the Ethernet bandwidth including the overbooking factor and the aggregate UL Ethernet traffic. When the maximum UL Ethernet traffic load is exceeded, the missing bandwidth is displayed with a negative value. Remaining DL Ethernet Bandwidth (Mbps): The available bandwidth for the segment while carrying the DL Ethernet traffic, with the overbooking factor considered. This is the difference between the Ethernet bandwidth including the overbooking factor and the aggregate DL Ethernet traffic. When the maximum DL Ethernet traffic load is exceeded, the missing bandwidth is displayed with a negative value. Remaining UL Ethernet Bandwidth (Plain): The available plain bandwidth for the segment while carrying the UL Ethernet traffic. This is the difference between the plain Ethernet bandwidth (which doesn’t include the overbooking factor) and the aggregate UL Ethernet traffic. When the maximum UL Ethernet traffic load is exceeded, the missing bandwidth is displayed with a negative value. Remaining DL Ethernet Bandwidth (Plain): The available plain bandwidth for the segment while carrying the DL Ethernet traffic. This is the difference between the plain Ethernet bandwidth (which doesn’t include the overbooking factor) defined for the segment and the aggregate DL Ethernet traffic. When the maximum DL Ethernet traffic load is exceeded, the missing bandwidth is displayed with a negative value.

You can sort and filter data in the table. For more information, see "Sorting Data in Tables" on page 79 and "Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table" on page 82.

6.3.6 Displaying a Specific Segment in a Dimensioning Analysis You can display the dimensioning analysis while highlighting a specific segment.

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To display specific segment in dimensioning analysis: 1. On the map, click a segment that is highlighted by a dimensioning result. A layer selection context menu opens (see Figure 6.22).

Figure 6.22: Layer selection context menu 2. Click the network or route dimension analysis that you want to open. The specific segment results for the corresponding dimensioning analysis is selected. 3. Right-click the segment and click View Result from the context menu. Alternatively, you can right-click the dimensioning analysis in the Network explorer and click View Result from the context menu. The View Result option is only available when a segment is selected. 4. The dimensioning analysis table opens with the selected segment highlighted. You can sort and filter data in the table. For more information, see "Sorting Data in Tables" on page 79 and "Filtering Data Objects in the Data Table" on page 82.

6.3.7 Estimating Traffic Decrease and Increase When you perform a dimensioning analysis, you are basing it on a set of traffic conditions that represent the current network situation. However, you can also define a traffic scaling factor to simulate an increase or decrease of the traffic forecast without changing the current traffic parameters of the logical nodes and to evaluate the performance of the backhaul network. To change the traffic scaling factor: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Transport Layer folder and click Properties from the context menu. The Transport Layer Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the Default Parameters tab of the dialog box, under Dimensioning, define the scaling factor for each type of traffic (TDM, UL Ethernet, DL Ethernet). For example, set the scaling factor to 1.25 to consider a 25% increase in the traffic forecast. A scaling factor of 1 uses the traffic load currently defined for the node. 3. Click OK. 4. Create a dimensioning analysis: • •

On the sub-network as described in "Dimensioning a Sub-network" on page 305. On a path as described in "Dimensioning a Route" on page 306.

6.3.8 Setting the Maximum Traffic Load During the dimensioning analysis, Atoll checks that the traffic loads on the segments do not exceed the allowed maximum loads. Maximum traffic load indicates the percentage of the segment bandwidth that can be used by the traffic. If the traffic load is exceeded, the segment is considered as overloaded. To set the maximum traffic load: 1. In the Network explorer, right-click the Transport Layer folder and select Properties from the context menu. The Transport Layer Properties dialog box appears. 2. On the Default Parameters tab of the dialog box, under Dimensioning, specify the maximum traffic load for each type of traffic (TDM, UL Ethernet, DL Ethernet). 3. Click OK. 4. Create a dimensioning analysis: • •

310

On the sub-network as described in "Dimensioning a Sub-network" on page 305. On a path as described in "Dimensioning a Route" on page 306.


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6.3.9 Overbooking Ethernet Traffic Some equipment enables operators to support an amount of IP traffic that exceeds the allowed segment bandwidth. This is called IP overbooking. Atoll models IP overbooking by providing a booking factor for each segment, which is considered in the dimensioning analysis. To define Ethernet overbooking: 1. In the Network explorer, expand the Transport Layer folder and right click the Segments folder and select Open Table from the context menu. The Segments table appears. 2. Enter values above 100% in the following columns: • •

Booking factors for UL Ethernet Booking factors for DL Ethernet

6.4 Network Failure Simulation Atoll enables you to analyse your backhaul network’s response to radio equipment or link failure for the following tasks: • • •

Anticipation of unforeseen events and assessment of intermediate solutions to such problems. Evaluation of the consequences of the failure of one element of your network on other nodes and branches. Analysis of alternate traffic routes that might enable you to maintain quality of service in case of a failure.

When a failure is simulated, all the sites that rely on the failed site or link are displayed with an Out of Order marker (

).

The failure simulation results are stored in the Network explorer, in the Transport Layer > Dimensioning and Auditing folder. To display or hide the failure simulation markers, select or clear the Failure simulation display check box ( ).

6.4.1 Simulating a Site Failure You can use a site failure simulation to simulate a general site outage. When a failure is simulated on a site, all the links that are connected to the site are considered broken and any sites that rely on those links are marked as Out of Order ( ). To simulate a site failure: 1. In the map view, right-click the site for which you want to simulate a failure and select Simulate Failure. If there are multiple sites or nodes, a selection menu allows you to choose a particular site, as shown in Figure 6.11 on page 299. 2. The map view displays all the sites, from the selected site to the source site, as Out of order (

).

3. In the Network explorer, expand Transport Layer > Dimensioning and Auditing, right click the failure simulation and select Open Table. The list of out of order sites opens.

6.4.2 Simulating a Link Failure You can use a link failure simulation to simulate a broken transmission link between two sites. When a failure is simulated on a link, any sites that rely on that link are marked as Out of Order ( ). To simulate a link failure: 1. In the map view, right-click the link for which you want to simulate a failure and select Simulate Failure. If there are multiple links or segments, a selection menu allows you to choose a particular link, as shown in Figure 6.12 on page 299. The map view displays all the sites, from the selected link to the source site, as Out of order (

).

2. In the Network explorer, expand Transport Layer > Dimensioning and Auditing, right click the failure simulation and select Open Table. The list of out of order sites opens.

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312


Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks Index

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Index

A analysis report defining contents of report (MW) 231 antenna antenna patterns, printing (MW) 137 changing relative position on the map 40 compatibility with equipment (MW) 159, 160 heights, adjusting (MW) 226 heights, optimising (MW) 226 microwave 132 microwave antenna properties 135 microwave, creating 133 point-to-multipoint link, adjusting 285 point-to-multipoint link, adjusting with the mouse 286 single antenna patterns, editing (MW) 135 antenna patterns printing 76 archiving all modifications to the database 19 automatic backup configuring 25 recovering a backup 26

B backhaul capacity planning template 16 backup configuring 25 recovering a backup 26 BER graphs creating (MW) 152 budget defining contents of report (MW) 231

C cables creating (MW) 158 microwave 158 channel search, semi-automatic (MW) 248 clearance, displaying for microwave links 218 column headers formatting 61 columns changing width 61 displaying 62 freezing 63 hiding 62 moving 63 unfreezing 63 computation zone

importing 51 polygon, creating from 51 context menu renaming objects 30 coordinate system 22 setting 22 coordinates, searching by 46 coverage prediction geographic export zone, defining 50 report, displaying using focus zone 50 report, displaying using hot spot zone 50 coverage predictions restricting sites studied (MW) 212 cursors 56 CW Measurement Analysis Tool printing data 76

D data tables adding a field 59 changing column width 61 changing row height 61 copying data 65 deleting a field 60 displaying columns 62 editing 64 exporting data 41, 68 filtering 79 filtering by selection 82 filtering by several criteria 83 find text 67 formatting column headers 61 formatting table columns 61 freezing columns 63 hiding columns 62 importing data 70 moving columns 63 opening 58 opening record properties from table 60 pasting data 65 printing 72 replace text 67 restoring after filtering 85 sorting 79 sorting by one column 79 sorting by several columns 80 unfreezing columns 63 viewing properties 58 XML files, importing from 71, 147 database

313


archiving all modifications 19 connecting to 18 creating a document from 18 refreshing document 18 working with 17 design summary defining contents of report (MW) 231 display changing properties 32 defining display type 33 display type, automatic 33 display type, discrete values 33 display type, unique 33 display type, value intervals 33 display coordinate system 22 Distance Measurement tool 47 document creating from database 18 geographic data 15 microwave data 15 microwave equipment 15 refreshing from the database 18 setting basic parameters 21 document templates, see "templates" DTM maps representing different areas 117

E equipment compatibility with antennas (MW) 159, 160 importing (MW) 145, 146 explorer window 27 layers 31

F favourite views 44 feeders, microwave 158 field adding to a table 59 deleting from a table 60 filter site list, using for 88 transmitter list, using for 88 filtering data tables by selection 82 data tables by several criteria 83 restoring after filtering 85 using a polygon 48 with views 90 filtering zone deleting 52 find in data tables 67 Find on Map 45 searching by coordinates 46 searching by text property 46 focus zone explanation 50

314


using to display coverage prediction report 50 folder configuration 88 applying a saved configuration 89 creating 89 deleting 90 exporting 89 importing 89 reapplying current configuration 89 frequency bands microwave 270 frequency planning (MW) 244 frequency sub-bands microwave 270

G Geo explorer 27 geographic export zone creating 50 grouping 76 with views 90

H HIDD_IMAGE_PP 99 HIDD_MAPLAYER_GRAPHIC_PP 114 hot spot zone explanation 50 using to display coverage prediction report 50

I interference analysis report on single link (MW) 257, 258 interference reduction factor table (MW) 149, 254 interference reduction factor (MW) 149, 254 IRF, see "interference reduction factor"

L label 34 moving link label (MW) 35 Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 22 layers 31 legend adding object type 35 displaying 42 displaying Legend window 42 printing Legend window 76 line of sight area studying (MW) 191, 194 link template creating (MW) 277 modifying (MW) 278 link, point-to-multipoint, see point-to-multipoint links

M manufacturers (MW) 132 map centring on a selected object 43, 44 exporting as image 52


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favourite views 44 measuring distances 47 moving 42 saving as image 50 map scale displaying 42 Map toolbar 92 matrix, see "path loss matrix" measurement units, setting 23 measuring distances on the map 47 microwave error performance events 273 microwave error performance parameters 273 Microwave Link Analysis printing 76 microwave link template creating (MW) 277 modifying (MW) 278 Microwave Link toolbar 92 microwave links analysis report, defining contents of 231 antenna heights, adjusting 226 antenna heights, optimising 226 antenna patterns, printing 137 antenna properties 135 antenna/equipment compatibility 159, 160 antennas 132 antennas, creating 133 budget, defining contents of 231 cables 158 cables, creating 158 calculation parameters 171 calculation parameters, modifying 241 classes, creating 272 classes, modifying 272 clearance, displaying 218 creating (MW) 202, 206 creating with template (MW) 202, 206 design summary, defining contents of 231 equipment, importing 145, 146 error performance events 273 error performance parameters 273 feeders 158 frequency bands 270 frequency planning 244 frequency sub-bands 270 global properties, defining 171 interference on a single link, report 257, 258 interference reduction factor 149, 254 label, moving 35 LOS between sites, studying 191, 194 microwave E-Band propagation model 168, 170 microwave ITU-R P.452 model 167 microwave propagation model 165 multi-hop, creating 235 passive repeater 208 performance objectives 273 point-to-multipoint link 279

point-to-multipoint links, mapping links to 285 profile analysis 217 reliability analysis 227 restricting sites studied 212 semi-automatic channel search 248 simple link, setting as active 207 simple links 197 single antenna patterns, editing 135 site parity 244 template field, adding 278 template field, deleting 278 template field, modifying 278 template, deleting 279 waveguides, creating 158 Microwave Propagation Model defining parameters 165, 167, 168, 170 microwave radio links template 16 multi-hop links 234 adding links to 235 creating 235 multipoint link, see point-to-multipoint link multi-user environment 17

N Network explorer 27

O objects changing transparency 34 deleting 31 displaying 31 displaying properties 32 grouping 76 hiding 31 label 34 tip text 35 visibility scale 34

P Page Setup, see "printing" Panoramic window 44 Parameters explorer 27 passive microwave repeaters creating 210 passive repeater defining properties (MW) 209 passive repeater table, opening (MW) 210 path loss matrix storing 183 performance objectives microwave links 273 Point Analysis window printing 76 point-to-multipoint link adding a link 284 creating 280

315


mapping links 284 properties 284 point-to-multipoint links 279 antenna, adjusting 285 antenna, adjusting with the mouse 286 creating 280 deleting 284 deleting a link from 284 global properties 281 links, adding on the map 284 links, mapping to 285 properties 282 polygon deleting polygon filter 52 using as computation zone 51 using as filter 48 printing antenna patterns 76 antenna patterns (MW) 137 CW Measurement Analysis Tool 76 data tables and reports 72 defining print layout 73 docking windows 76 Legend window 76 Microwave Link Analysis 76 Point Analysis window 76 print preview 75 profile analysis (MW) 221 recommendations 73 Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool 76 profile analysis microwave 217 options (MW) 219 printing (MW) 221 reflections, studying (MW) 236 Values tab (MW) 222 viewing (MW) 217 profile values exporting data 225 importing data 225 projection coordinate system 22 Lambert Conformal-Conic projection 22 Universal Transverse Mercator projection 22 propagation model microwave E-Band propagation model 168, 170 microwave ITU-R P.452 model 167 microwave propagation model 165 Microwave Propagation Model, defining parameters 165, 167, 168, 170

properties changing display 32 switching between property dialogues 32

R radios exporting to XML files 147 importing from XML files 147

316


reflection analysis report display (MW) 241 reflections studying (MW) 236 refresh from the database 18 reliability analysis (MW) 227 renaming 30 repeater equipment creating (UMTS) 210 modifying (UMTS) 210 repeaters passive repeater (MW) 208 replace in data tables 67 reports printing 72 row height changing 61 rulers displaying 42

S scale level, choosing 43 Search toolbar 92 searching for map objects 45, 46 site moving on the map 39 moving to a higher location 39 site list 86 adding 87 adding site 86 editing 87 exporting 88 filter, using as 88 importing 87 site parity, microwave link 244 sorting sorting tables by one column 79 sorting tables by several columns 80 with views 90 Standard toolbar 91

T table columns formatting 61 Table toolbar 93 tables, see "data tables" templates 16 backhaul capacity planning 16 deleting (MW) 279 field, adding (MW) 278 field, deleting (MW) 278 field, modifying (MW) 278 microwave radio links 16 Test Mobile Data Analysis Tool printing 76


AT332_UMM_E0

tip text 35 tool tips, see "tip text" toolbar icons 91 Map 92 Microwave Link 92 Search 92 Standard 91 Table 93 Vector Editor 92 Windows 93 transmitter list 86 adding 87 adding transmitter 86 editing 87 editing filter 88 exporting 88 importing 87 transparency, changing 34

V

U

zones creating 50 zooming choosing a scale 43 in and out 43 in on a specific area 43

Universal Transverse Mercator projection 22 user configuration 85 creating 86 exporting 86 importing 86

Vector Editor toolbar 92 views creating 90 visibility scale 34

W waveguides creating (MW) 158 waveguides and cables, microwave creating 158 Windows toolbar 93

X XML exporting microwave radios to 147 importing data tables from 71, 147 importing microwave radios from 147

Z

317


318


Atoll Quick Reference Card Toolbars Standard

Radio Planning New from template (Ctrl+N)

Station template

Open a document (Ctrl+O)

New transmitter

Save (Ctrl+S)

New repeater or remote antenna

New from database (Ctrl+Shift+N)

Edit relations on the map

Refresh from database

Point analysis tool

Import file

Calculate (F7)

Load user configuration

Force calculation (Ctrl+F7)

Save user configuration

Stop calculations

Cut (Ctrl+X)

Microwave Link Planning

Copy (Ctrl+C) Paste (Ctrl+V)

Microwave link template or

New microwave or other link

Undo (Ctrl+Z)

New repeater

Redo (Ctrl+Y)

New multi-hop microwave link

Print table or map (Ctrl+P)

New multipoint microwave link

Print preview (table or map)

Microwave link analysis

Help (F1)

Victim and interferer links

Map

Channel arrangement Refresh (F5)

Export report

Pointer (Esc)

Stop calculations

Move map (Ctrl+D)

Transport Layer Editor

Set map scale

New node

Previous view (Alt+Left Arrow)

New segment

Next view (Alt+Right Arrow)

Transport analysis tool

Zoom in or out (Ctrl+Q) Define zoom area (Ctrl+W) Display a terrain section Measure distance

Vector Editor New vector layer Vector layer to edit New polygon

Atoll Quick Reference Card Tip text

New rectangle

Find on map (Ctrl+F)

New line

Windows

Draw points

Network tab

Combine polygons

Geo tab

Cut out areas in polygons

Parameters tab

Polygon from overlapping area

Event viewer

Split a polygon

Panoramic window Legend window Site configuration

Toolbars Table Import data

Sort in descending order

Export data

Display statistics

Properties of current record

Fill down (Ctrl+D)

Centre current record on map

Fill up (Ctrl+U)

Display columns

Select all (Ctrl+A)

Hide selected columns

Align left

Freeze selected columns

Align centre

Unfreeze all columns

Align right

Filter by selected values

Bold

Filter excluding selected values

Italic

Advanced filter

Find

Remove filter

Replace

Sort in ascending order

Keyboard Shortcuts You can access some of the more common functions in Atoll by using keyboard shortcuts.

General You can use the following shortcuts anywhere in Atoll.

Atoll Quick Reference Card New document from a template

Ctrl+N

Undo last action

Ctrl+Z

New document from a database

Ctrl+Shift+N

Redo last action

Ctrl+Y

Open a file

Ctrl+O

Calculate

F7

Print

Ctrl+P

Force calculations

Ctrl+F7

Save the current document

Ctrl+S

Access add-ins and macros

Alt+F8

On-line help

F1

Export contents of a folder

Ctrl+E

Find on map / Find in table

Ctrl+F

Import into a folder

Ctrl+I

Refresh display

F5

Open Atoll.ini file in a text editor

Ctrl+Shift+I

Map Shortcuts You can use the following shortcuts in the map window. Next view

Alt+Right Arrow

Zoom on area

Ctrl+W

Previous view

Alt+Left Arrow

Zoom in

Ctrl++

Move map

Ctrl+D

Zoom out

Ctrl+-

Find on map

Ctrl+F

Zoom in/out

Ctrl+Q

Copy

Ctrl+C

Fill down

Ctrl+D

Cut

Ctrl+X

Fill up

Ctrl+U

Paste

Ctrl+V

Find

Ctrl+F

Select all

Ctrl+A

Replace

Ctrl+H

Table Shortcuts You can use the following shortcuts in a table.

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual for Microwave Networks © Forsk 2016

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• Head Office 7 rue des Briquetiers 31700 Blagnac, France Tel: +33 562 747 210 Fax: +33 562 747 211

AT332_UMM_E0

• US Office

• China Office

200 South Wacker Drive – Suite 3100 Chicago, IL 60606, USA Tel: +1 312 674 4800 Fax: +1 312 674 4847

Suite 302, 3/F, West Tower, Jiadu Commercial Building, No. 66 Jianzhong Road, Tianhe Hi-Tech Industrial Zone, Guangzhou, 510665, P. R. of China Tel: +86 20 8553 8938 Fax: +86 20 8553 8285

www.forsk.com

October 2016

Atoll 3.3.2 User Manual MW

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