Basics of Mobile Base Station

Antennas

Claes Beckman
MW-Engineering Professor
University of Gävle
Sweden
 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
 Claes Beckman
Claes Beckman is Professor in Microwave Engineering and
Telecommunications at the University of Gävle. He is the founder of the
Center for Wireless Systems, at the Royal Institute of Technology in
Stockholm and an independent consultant.

His industry experience includes five years (between 1983 and 1988)
with Ericsson working as a RF design engineer, and six years (between
1994 and 2000) with the Swedish Antenna and RF-sub-supplier Allgon,
where he held various leading research and management positions.

He has also served in both the ETSI and 3GPP organisations,

standardising existing and future 2G and 3G wireless systems.

As a consultant he has worked as an independent telecom analyst for

investment banks and venture capitalists and also as a technical expert
for equipment manufacturers, operators and national regulators
Introduction
• What differs Base station antennas for mobile phone
systems from similar antennas in other types of networks is
the beam shaping in elevation, the ability to handle large
powers, the intermodulation performance and that they have
to be produced in great numbers at low cost
• Design of base station antennas differs between European
and American (Japanese) systems because of different cell
planning strategies
• The greatest technical challenge for the antenna designer is
the requirement on passive intermodulation products, PIMPs
• In GSM the standard base station antenna has a 65
horizontal half power beamwidth whereas in AMPS it is
typically 90.
Introduction cont.
• All base stations for macro cellular communications
incorporate diversity on the up-link
• In the past space diversity has dominated but polarization
diversity is now prevailing
• In WCDMA systems diversity will be incorporated on the
down-link through the use of transmit diversity
• Due to the limitation of available spectrum all future
systems will need to operate over multiple bands and,
hence, the same ability must be held by the antennas
• By using dual band antennas with equal gain and equal
patterns in the two different bands, it is possible to cost
effectively operate a dualband network using the control
channels for only one of the two bands
 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
Base Station Antenna Performance
 Horizontal beamwidth
 Vertical beamwidth
 Gain
 Electrical downtilt
 Sidelobe supression
 Nullfill
 Front to back ratio
 Isolation
 Tracking
 XPD
 Power handling
 Intermodulation products
 Antenna Array
Beamwidth

-D/2
 3dB


D
  2

+D/2

Apperture approximation k z  k0 sin  Far field function

D
1 z  D/2 2 sin( k z )
f ( z)   F (k z )  2
0 z  D/2 kz
Antenna Element
Beamwidth, Gain
 • Half Power Beam Width (-3 dB)
(in figure HPBW=60º)

4
Directive Gain 
 ver hor
Gain Reference

Isotropic element
Dipole element
Antenna array

2.15 dB Gain [dBd]

Gain [dBi]
 Antenna Arrays
Two Element, Sidelobes, “In-phase”

Sidelobe
Directive gain (dB)

Elevation 
 Antenna Arrays
Gain increase

Directive gain (dB)

Elevation 
 Antenna Arrays
Element Separation

Directive gain (dB)

Elevation 
 Antenna Array
General

D = array length
d = element distance
d  = angle in relation to elevation
 = difference in travelling distance

 

sin()= /d Tilt the antenna electrically

by phasing the elements
relative eachother
 Antenna Arrays
Electrical down-tilt



• By feeding the power to the top element before the lower elements,
the waves from the lower elements “catch up” and add in phase.
 Tracking
Good diversity requires good tracking between the branches
Tx air-combining performance require good tracking performance

Level error
Directional error
Measured Radiation Pattern
-3dB Vertical beamwidth

Nullfill
1st upper side lobe suppression

Electrical down tilt

 Measured Radiation Pattern
-3dB Horizontal beamwidth

Front/Back ration XPD

 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
 Multi-user Communication

Principal constraints:
• Bandwidth B
• Power Ptx
• Noise N
• Interference I
• Pathloss L
 Noise Sources

• Thermal Noise
– ‘White’ noise S(f)=N0=kT
– Noise power N=N0W
– Noise figure F=T/T0

• Atmospheric Noise
• Extraterrestrial Noise
• Man-made Noise
 Link Budget
kTsys
Ptx PEIRP

TX Gt Lb Gr + RX

Lf
2 Ptx G t G r
Prx  Ptx G t G r 
(4r )2 Lb

N  kTB ERP P tx G t

Ptx G t G r
SNR 
L b kT0 B

This is true only in free space. Normally L= (/4)2 1/R g

g varies between 2 and 4 dependent on the environment
 Radio Propagation
• Path loss
• Multipath (Rayleigh fading) 20-30m

• Shadowing (LogNormal fading)

Friis’ formula:

Power
  
2
/2
PRx  PTx   GTx GRx
 4R 
Frequency dependency:
Distance
 4D   4Df 
L  20 log 10    20 log 10  
    c 

Environmental impact:
1
SS  N=2 free space, N=3 flat suburban, N=4 city/urban
RN
Okumura-Hata
The Cellular Concept
The Cellular Concept

k

k


h
North American Cell Planning

• The base station antennas are not directed towards their next
neighbour
• Each cell forms a rhombus
• The frequency planning is based on a 7/21 pattern
 European Cell Planning

• The base station antennas are directed towards their next

neighbour
• Each cell forms a hexagon
• The frequency planning is based on a 4/12 pattern
 Beam shaping

Beam shaping is used as a means of

controlling the power in the cell so that
all mobile receives about the same
power independent on location
Horizontal beamwidth
Beamwidth, Gain
 • Half Power Beam Width (-3 dB)
What is the optimum horizontal HPBW of
the antenna so that all mobiles in the
hexagonal cell receives the same power
independent on location?
Horizontal beamwidth
If we approximate the hexagon shape
with a circle the distance to a point on
the cell border is approximately:

If we want a constant radiation intensity

on the cell border we get the following
condition:

GTx()/(2rcos)g =constant

 For a typical urban environment with

g=4 we then get that:
HPBW=2arccos(1/2)1/g =65 degrees

For a typical rural environment with

g=2 we then get that:

HPBW=2arccos(1/2)1/g =90 degrees

Vertical Beam Pattern
• What is the optimum beam pattern so that all
mobiles receive the same power independent
on distance from the base station?

R
h

r
 Vertical Beam Pattern

G(a)~cscg(a)
R2=h2+r2; h/R=sin(a)

Pr~G(a)/Rg =constant

G(a)=C·hg/sing(a)~cscg(a)
 Antenna Arrays
Two Element, Sidelobes, “In-phase”

Sidelobe
Directive gain (dB)

Elevation 
Ex. Chebychev taper to decrease
sidelobes
8 vertical dipoles, lambda spacing
15
uniform
10 Chebychev

0
Gain (db)

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25
-90 -75 -60 -45 -30 -15 0 15 30 45 60 75 90
Elevation
Vertical Beam Pattern
 Antenna Arrays
Electrical down-tilt



• By feeding the power to the top element before the lower elements,
the waves from the lower elements “catch up” and add in phase.
 Electrical Tilt
General

D = array length
d = element distance
d  = angle in relation to elevation
 = difference in travelling distance

 

sin()= /d Tilt the antenna electrically

by phasing the elements
relative eachother
 Tilt of antenna
Mechanical Downtilt Electrical Downtilt

Radiation intensity does not change at 90 degrees Radiation intensity decreases uniformly along horizon
 The Rayleigh fading channel
0
10

-1
10
Prob(g<)

ideal Rayleigh
-2 N=2
10
N=3
N=4
N=5
N=6

-3
10
-3 -2 -1 0
10 10 10 10

Diversity Techniques

Frequency
Time Independent signals
Space
Polarization
2
• Correlation (signals) renvelope  r power  rc

• Orthogonality S1  S2  0

• Note that orthogonality is an antenna parameter, while correlation

is a signal parameter on which the diversity performance rests.
Diversity Gain from correlated
branches
0
10

single branch
|rc |2 = 1
|rc |2 = 0.8
|rc |2 = 0.6
-1 |rc |2 = 0.4
10
|rc |2 = 0.2
|rc |2 = 0
Prob(g<)

-2
10

-2 -1 0
10 10 10

 Space Diversity
Vertical or horizontal displacement?

Need to know:
• The angular spread is larger in
azimuth relative in elevation.
• Angular spread is not correlated
to distance.

What is the required separation to ensure independent signals?

Dissolve the angular spread by “shaping a lobe” less than the angular spread
(the sampling theorem)
Space Diversity
Cont..

1º

5º 180   
angular _ spread   
  D
“Lobe shaping” at 900 MHz:
Azimuth (AS=5): D>4m
Elevation (AS=1): D>19m
Polarization Diversity
Polarization Diversity
• When the radio signal is scattered against obstacles
with slanted orientations, it will change its polarization.
• In a multi-path environment the the energy in the two
polarizations will, more or less, fade independently.
Antenna model

The channel vectors

a,b are projected onto
the polarization ellipse
of axial ratio c0.5
 Output Correlation
Ideal ±45º Slanted Dual Polarized Antenna

Environment Received Polarization Output Correlation

(XPD in dB) Statistical Distribution Coefficient (rpower)

0 (indoor-microcell) 0.00

3 (urban) 0.11

6 (urban-suburban) 0.36

9 (rural) 0.77
 Polarization Diversity
Cont..
Environmental impact:
• Mobile station antenna use
statistically more often vertical
polarization

• The horizontal projection fades

faster in an urban environment

Diversity requirements:
S1
1 Big effect differences implies low
45º polarization with
S2 diversity gain
maintained

S1  S 2  0 Poor orthogonality implies low orthogonality in the
diversity gain sector border
 Polarization Diversity
45º or 0/90º?


S1  S 2  0 S1
In front of 1
S2
S1
From the side 
S1  S 2  0 1
S2

• Equal effect from both • Orthogonality between branches

branches maintained
 Combination Techniques

• Selection Combining
– Chooses the branch which currently has the best SINR

• Equal Gain Combining

– Adds the antenna signals with a phase shift employed on
one of the branches

• Maximum Ratio Combining

– All received paths are weighted by a factor proportional to
the SNR in each branch

• Interference Rejection Combining

– Uses complex weights on each branch in order to supress
one interfering signal
 Transmit Diversity
New Feature

CPiCH0


Ts
wˆ 0 (t ) h0 (t ) RAKE
DPCH CPiCH1


wˆ1 (t ) h1 (t ) Max ( Signal Power )  Max ( w H H H w)
H

hˆ0 (t ) Matched Filter

Decode with CPiCH0
Weights w0 (t ) Compute & Encode
Tx
Rx Delay 1 w1 (t ) Tx AA Weights
Delay  2
Matched Filter
hˆ1 (t ) with CPiCH1
• New Demands on BS antennas?
• Reciprocity?
 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
General Antenna Aspects
Singleband Dualband (W)CDMA
Performance Performance Performance
• Higher order of IM • 2nd order IM • No antenna IM problem,1-2 carriers
• VSWR • VSWR • VSWR
• Isolation • Isolation • Isolation

Capacity Capacity Capacity

• Radiation pattern • Radiation pattern • Radiation pattern
• Power handling • Planning philosophy • Sectorize tighter
• Orthogonality/XPD • Power handling • Multiband
• Orthogonality/XPD • ±45º slanted dual polarization
Diversity gain? Adaptive antennas?
Limiting interference ratio? Smaller horizontal BW?
Too large? 6-8 sectors/site?
 Typical Electrical Specifications

Gain 17dBi
Polarization Linear Vertical
VSWR, 50W 1.3:1
Horizontal 3dB beamwidth 65 degrees
Vertical 3dB beamwidth 9 degrees
Custom electrical downtilts 0
40 degree cone Front-to-back ratio >23dB
Suppression of first upper side lobe >17dB
First lower null fill >13dB
Maximum CW input power 500W
Two tone intermodulation 3rd order -107dBm for 2*20W
 Dualband Antenna Choice
Maximum Gain: Equal Gain:
• Compensate for higher attenuation on • Interference limited environment, with
1800 MHz than 900 MHz short site to site distance (enough signal
dynamics, high levels)
• Individual frequency plans, better
utilization • Cost efficient, equally mapped frequency
plans
• Works in both coverage and
interference limited environments • Equal “roll-off” enhance sharp cell border
and implies easier HO-parameter tuning
• Benefits from individual EDT on
respectively band • Benefits from a interference limited
environment, where site to site distance is
very short
Common aspects:
• Equal horizontal beamwidth, to maintain control of cell
sectorization
• Pattern performance (nullfill and side lobe suppression)
important in order to control both bands
• Good IM performance, 2nd order must be avoided
through planning
 Intermodulation Products
How are IM products measured, single tone or modulated multicarrier?
2nd order a dualband problem

n + m = the order of IM product

IMRx = nfTx1  mfTx2

1852.6
948.8

903.8
1757.6

IM2

MHz
880 915 925 960 1710 1785 1805 1880
Dualband antenna choice (MG)

900 MHz

1800 MHz
Dualband antenna choice (EG)

900 MHz

1800 MHz
 GSM and 3G frequency bands in
Europe

GSM bands at 900 and 1800 MHz

UMTS Bands at 2100MHz

600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 MHz
Antenna Configuration

Dual Band Filters

Tx/
Rx1 Tx/Rx2 Rx1 Rx2

Base Transceiver
Stations
900 MHz 1800 MHz
 Suburban Environments

1.4m max gain 2.0m equal

gain
Pathloss [400-2500 m] Pathloss [500-2500 m]
-90 -90

-100 -100
PRX/(PTX GTX GRX) (dB)

PRX/(PTX GTX GRX) (dB)

-110 -110

-120 -120

-130 -130

-140 -140

-150 + 900 MHz (-55.1 dB/dec) -150 + 900 MHz (-39.7 dB/dec)
x 1800 MHz (-52.8 dB/dec) x 1800 MHz (-42.8 dB/dec)
-160 -160
500 1000 2000 1000 2000
Distance (m) Distance (m)
 900 MHz 1800 MHz

MG Ant.

EG Ant.

Differential plots
 Downtown Stockholm:

1.4 m max gain 2.0 m equal gain

Pathloss [100-2000 m] Pathloss [100-2000 m]

-90 -90
First null @ 1800 MHz
-100 -100
PRX/(PTX GTX GRX) (dB)

PRX/(PTX GTX GRX) (dB)

-110 -110

-120 -120

-130 -130

-140 -140

-150 -150

-160 + 900 MHz (-36.5 dB/dec) -160 + 900 MHz (-42.6 dB/dec)
x 1800 MHz (-44.9 dB/dec) x 1800 MHz (-43.7 dB/dec)
-170 -170
100 200 500 1000 2000 100 200 500 1000 2000
Distance (m) Distance (m)
 900 MHz 1800 MHz

MG Ant.

EG Ant.

Differential plots
Conclusion

• Dual band base station antennas is an attractive solution

for an operator expanding with a new frequency band.

• The signal strength at 1800 MHz exhibits a fairly fixed

negative offset of about 10 dB to the signal strength at 900
MHz. (Small cells)
– This is very evident for the equal gain antenna.

• Blind handover is possible if the choice of the antenna’s

radiation pattern preserve the ‘constant’ offset.

• Could simplify the cell planning process when co-siting

 Slant 45 vs. vertical/horizontal
polarization
• With orthogonal far-fields of the two channels, all power is received at the
antenna and thus all the information in both cases

• We can then change slant 45 to vertical/horizontal using loss-less, reciprocal

networks

• However, it is very hard to realize an antenna with vertical/horizontal

polarization that exhibits orthogonal far fields

•Therefore the industry standard is Slant 45

Patches or Dipoles

What is the output signal correlation from a dual polarized

antenna?

Is there a difference between different antenna configurations?

What is the impact in terms of diversity gain of using different

types of base station antennas?
Geometry of the two
Measured Base Station
Antennas

•Dual polarized antenna

arrays of 8 elements.
•Aperture Coupled Patch
elements are symmetrical
and centred
•Dipole elements are
displaced to increase
isolation
Simulated Output Envelope Correlation from Measured Radiation Patterns:
10000 samples

ACP antenna: Slanted dipole antenna:

renvelope ~= 0.3 at -60 degrees renvelope = 0.8 at -60 degrees

Both antennas: renvelope = 0.38 at boresight

due to projection onto the polarization ellipse
 Impact of correlation on diversity gain
• Mobile at -60 degrees azimuth (cell border):
renvelope = 0.3 for ACP and 0.8 for slanted dipole antenna
• Radio channel XPD (vert./hor. power) = 6 dB
Note: renv ~rpower = r2 for Rayleigh signals
= loss of diversity gain

1% level
ACP:
rpower = 0.3 =
rpower = 0 = 0.552

~2.5 dB ~2.8 dB

Dipoles:
rpower = 0.8 = 0.92

rpower = 0 ACP: rpower = 0.3 = 0.552 rpower = 0.8 = 0.92

a) Selection diversity b) Maximum Ratio Combining
(Schwartz, Bennett, Stein 1966) (Yongbing Wan, J.C. Chen 1995)
Conclusions
• The output correlation is a function of the antenna far-field coupling as
well as the XPD of the environment.
• For an un-polarized environment (XPD = 0 dB) the output correlation
equals the square of this coupling.
• Symmetrical antenna designs with equal patterns for vertical and
horizontal polarizations provide orthogonal far-fields <=> low far-field
coupling.
• The aperture coupled patch provides the lower output correlation in all
investigated cases.
• For symmetrical radiation patterns, the far-field coupling can be
calculated from amplitude-only patterns.
• A high far-field coupling, i.e. poor orthogonality, could result in a loss
of 2-3 dB diversity gain for selection or MR combining.
 Agenda
Introduction

Fundamental Parameters

Radio Networks

Antenna Requirements

Future Antennas
Smart Antenna Issues
• Active antenna
– Power amplifier to increase coverage on the down link
– Low noise amplifiers to increase coverage on the up-
link
• Multi-lobe antennas
– Use horizontal phase arrays in order to form beams and
direct the energy in desired direction and to increase the
gain on the up-link.

• Adaptive antennas:
– Uses also antenna arrays to digitaly form beams and nulls
in the processing of the antenna signals
 Active antennas

•Typically boosts the down

link signal to an ERP ~1000W
•LNA compensation of feeder
losses
•Any use for 3G??
 Multibeam and adaptive antennas

Multi-lobe antennas:
Use horizontal phase
arrays in order to form
beams and direct the
energy in desired
direction and to increase
the gain on the up-link.

Adaptive antennas:
Uses also antenna arrays
to digitally form beams
and nulls in the
processing of the antenna
signals
Multilobe antenna (azimuth)
 Adaptive Antenna Systems

Sectorized system Adaptive antenna system

Multiple Input Multiple Output, MIMO