TERM

KEYWORD
Point-to Can be used as STL Links
point
Head-ends (antenna sites) of many
Microwave
cable television installations
Links
Part of many communications
network (telephone, data or
television signals)
Hop
Term for link
Repeaters
Mulitiple hops
Extends the system beyond
LOS of a single link
Modulation Analog FM and Single
techniques
Sideband AM
Digital QAM
Disadvanta
Repeaters cost money
ges of
Each one increase the
repeaters
chance of an equipment
breakdown
Noise in analog
Jitter in digital
Prevention
Land acquisition
from using
Access and electricity
repeaters
Topography must be
inspected (preferably high
points of the terrain
Procedures
Selection of sites that are in
of
line-of-sight of each other
Microwave
Selection of an operating
(Radio
frequency band
Link)
Development of path
Engineerin
profiles to determine radio
g
tower heights
Path calculations
Making a path survey
Establishments of frequency
plan and necessary
operational parameters.
Equipment configuration to

Boresightin
g
TYPES OF
PATH
Line of
Sight

achieve the fade margin set

in step 4 post economically
Installation
Beam alignment, equipment
line up, checkout, and
acceptance by a customer
Beam alighnment

Grazing
Path

Obstructed
Path
Terrestrial
Microwave
Links

K-Curve

Line of sight
Grazing path
Obstructed path
The straight path between a
transmitting and receiving
antenna unobstructed by
the horizon
The microwave beam
barely touches the
obstruction (zero clearance)
The microwave beam is
hindered by an obstruction
Generally use LOS
propagation

d= 17 ht + 17 hr
A numerical figure that considers the
non-ideal condition of the
atmosphere resulting to atmospheric
refraction that causes the ray beam
to be bent toward the earth or away
from the earth.

k=

Effective Earth Radius

True Earth Radius

re and ro
K-Curve Condtions
Substandard Microwave beam is bent away from
Condtion
earth
(k<1)

Standard
Condtion
(k=4/3)

The fictitious earth radius appears to

the microwave beams to be longer
than the true earth radius

Super
Standard
Condition
(k>4/3)

Effective flattening of the equivalent

earths curvature

Infinity
Condtion
(Flat Earth
Condtion)

Zero curvature (earth is flat) and the

microwave beam follows the
curvature of the earcth