Case Study:
R-TMS Remote Site Monitoring System
Mann Wireless Ltd.
Overview
The R-TMS is a remote site monitoring system that provides real-time data and alerts on the status and performance of repeater sites. The R-TMS can monitor various parameters, such as RF uplink spectrum, interference, and SINR, both pre- and post- BDA turn-up. The R-TMS is configured to triangulate interference to specific locations, send alarm notifications via email when any parameter exceeds a predefined threshold and be used to register BDAs within the platform. The R-TMS is a compact and easy-to-install device that can be deployed in any repeater site.
This case study demonstrates how the R-TMS can be used to detect and locate interference sources that affect the quality and reliability of public safety radio services. Mann Wireless installed three R-TMS units in Pinellas County, Florida, and used them to triangulate and identify an interfering signal that was created by Mann Wireless using a signal generator. This demonstrates how the R-TMS can provide valuable data and insights for wireless site management and optimization.
Challenge
Interference is one of the major challenges for wireless operators, as it can degrade the performance and coverage of wireless networks, reduce user satisfaction, and increase operational costs. Interference can be caused by various sources, such as faulty equipment, unauthorized transmitters, harmonics, intermodulation, or adjacent channel leakage. Interference can also vary in time, frequency, and location, making it difficult to detect and locate.
Mann Wireless wanted to test the capabilities of the R-TMS to monitor the RF spectrum and identify interference sources in a real-world scenario and demonstrate how the R-TMS can help their customers improve their wireless site performance and reliability.
Solution
Mann Wireless installed R-TMS units in three different locations in Pinellas County, Florida. The locations (St. Petersburg, Pasadena, and Clearwater) were chosen to cover a large area and to have a clear line of sight to each other.
The R-TMS units were connected to the repeater site antennas that had visibility to the area between the sites. The R-TMS units were configured to scan the RF spectrum from 800 MHz to 820 MHz, and to report the spectrum data to a central server via cellular connection. The full spectrum capabilities of the R-TMS are 9 KHz to 6 GHz. The R-TMS units were also configured to send alerts when any signal that exceeded a predefined power level was detected.
Mann Wireless used a signal generator to create an interfering signal that simulated a rogue transmitter. The signal generator was placed in a vehicle that moved around the area. The signal generator was set to transmit a continuous wave signal at 805 MHz with a power of 0 dBm. The signal generator was turned on and off at random intervals and locations.
The R-TMS units detected the interfering signal whenever it was turned on and reported the signal strength and direction to the central server, which used the data from the three units to triangulate the location of the interfering signal using a geolocation algorithm. The spectrum data and the geolocation results were displayed on a web interface to be accessed by any authorized user.