Course Overview
This unique one-day RF Design training course provides an authoritative coverage of RF design principles from Industry-leading trainers.
The one-day course, or its equivalent, is a pre-requisite for the two-day course "RF Design for WiMAX Networks". If you are planning to complete the WiMAX Network DesignerTM certification exam, but have no recent experience with RF design, we strongly recommend that you take this course.
The course provides deep background and hands-on experience with the RF propagation models that are used in all RF planning tools, like those used for WiMAX network design. You'll learn the differences between various propagation models, and where each model should be applied in your RF design process. You'll learn how to model foliage, terrain, buildings, and other obstructions in a network design. You'll prepare yourself for WiMAX-specific network design, and you'll learn the fundamentals of RF design which are tested in the WiMAX Network DesignerTM certification exam.
The course is structured as 50% tutorial content, and 50% hands-on exercises. Four spreadsheet tools are provided to enhance hands-on experience, and you'll have the experience of building an additional spreadsheet in class to model the loss budget for a link. Bring your laptop, or arrange in advance for DoceoTech to provide one for you.
Audience
This course is targeted at students who will be completing the WiMAX Network DesignerTM certification program, and who require a refresher course on RF design or Technical staff seeking an authoritative overview of generic RF design principles.
Skills Gained
On completing this course, delegates should be able to:
- Describe various path impairments in a Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) system.
- Discuss the concepts of gain and loss using decibels.
- Calculate system noise floor based on bandwidth, temperature and Noise Figure.
- Describe the Shannon and Nyquist theorems and the C/I+N requirements of various modulation approaches.
- Describe coding and its effect on C/I+N requirements.
- Understand power limitations in licensed and unlicensed bands.
- Perform a link budget using manufacturer's equipment specs.
- Approximate path loss using analytical and empirical models.
- Describe the impact of frequency reuse on interference levels.
- Explain the impact of elevation changes on coverage.
- Explain the impact of foliage, buildings, and obstructions on coverage.
- Characterise a Point-to-Point architecture.
- Calculate Fresnel Zone clearance on Point-to-Point link.
- Describe area morphologies and their impact on coverage.
- Calculate expected C/(N+I) for a specific frequency reuse factor.
- Describe the concept of a balanced path.
Prerequisites
Attendees should have prior technical experience working with a mobile or wireless technology prior to attending the course.
Course Outline
Basic RF terms and concepts
On completing this module you should be able to:
- Calculate power levels in dBm, Watts and muV/m
- Describe Shannon and Nyquist theorems
- Relate modulation, coding, and C/I+N requirements
- List power limitations of several bands
- Describe the sources of noise based on bandwidth and operating frequency
- Determine the system noise floor based on bandwidth and Noise Figure
- Compare modulation schemes based on spectral efficiency vs. power efficiency
- Describe several different antenna types and uses
- Determine system performance based on C/N and Eb/No
- Describe various path impairments in a Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) system
- Determine Fresnel zone clearance for a point-to-point link
Performing a Link Budget
On completing this module you should be able to:
- Describe the concept of "System Gain"
- Determine LOS Maximum Allowable Path Loss (MAPL) based on system parameters
- Determine power settings for a balanced path
- Perform a link budget based on manufacturer's equipment parameters and system requirements
Modeling RF Path Loss
On completing this module you should be able to:
- Describe the morphology types considered in RF propagation modeling
- Determine expected point-to-point link performance using an analytical path loss model
- Calculate expected NLOS performance using an empirical path loss model
- Determine the amount of margin required, based on log-normal fading
- Estimate impact of co-channel interference based on re-use factor
- Describe the types of databases employed by propagation modeling tools
Follow On Courses
- WiMAX Forum(R) RF Network Engineer (WFRE) Boot Camp, 4-day training course
- WiMAX Forum(R) Core Network Engineer Certification (WFCE) Boot Camp(TM), 4-day course
- WiMAX Forum(R) Network Associate Certification (WFNA) Boot Camp, 4-day training course
- WiMAX Forum(R) Security Professional Certification (WFSP) Boot Camp, 3-day training course
