Step by Step Guide to Check Uplink

Interference for WCDMA Network

without using the Nastar

By:
Hussain Ali Albayati
WRNP Engineer
Iraq Representative office

Introduction:
The interference is one of the main concerns in CDMA based systems. Since
the frequency reuse in such systems is very tight, so its very important to
keep the interference under control.
Since the received power in the NodeB is very small compared with the
received power in the ME, and the bigger gain in the NodeB due to the
antennas and the amplifiers, then the influence of uplink interference is
higher than the downlink interference. This paper discusses the uplink
interference only and explains a new way of deciding the existence of
external interference.

RTWP Check:
RTWP stands for the Received Total Wide band Power which is received in
the NodeB. Normally the unloaded network RTWP is about 105.5 dBm. If
the average RTWP for 3 to 7 days of some cells reaches about 95 dBm, 10
dB higher than that of unloaded network, the cells encounters uplink
interferences.
If the average RTWP for 3 to 7 days of some cells reaches about 85 dBm,
20 dB higher than that of unloaded network, the cells encounters strong
uplink interferences.
However, some times we have strong interference during a specified period
of time (like 4 or 5 hours) but the average is not more than -100 dBm. This
case will be shown in the example mentioned in the end of the paper.
The RTWP checking procedure is as follows:
1- Get the RTWP records (the average values) for previous certain
number of days (for example 5 days) from the M2000 as an Excel
sheet.
2- Arrange the Excel sheet so that to have three columns: Time, Object
name, and average RTWP.
3- Auto filter the columns.
4- Choose the cell name to be checked for RTWP and copy the values of
time and mean RTWP to a new work sheet in (the same excel file).
5- Choose the values of time and mean RTWP, click the chart wizard in
the tool bar, choose the line type of chart, and click the subtype of line

with markers displayed on each data value, then click finish. Now you
have a chart that shows you the RTWP values for five days.
6- Choose the values of RTWP and take their average using (AVERAGE)
function. For an actual example, refer to the attached RTWP example.
7- Now mark the cells with obvious high RTWP, and move to the step of
discovering the interference source.

Investigating the Interference Source

There are several features for the RTWP behavior which refer to the external
interference:
z

The interference to main or diversity is relevant. Namely, in terms of time,

the interference to main or diversity trends similarly, and the difference
between them is within 5 dB.
The external interference affects multiple cells that are geographically
bordering.
In terms of time feature of RTWP, the external interference is mutational,
the interference occurs at a regular point and in a regular period, and lasts
for a regular period (exceptions are microwave interference, improperly
configured gain of repeaters, so the RTWP is not mutational)

The interference which is not external interference is internal interference,

which could be because Intermodulation due to participation of transmitted
signals, the transmitted signals interfere receiver band due to problematic
transmitters and the receiver encounters self-excitation, Intermodulation and
unlocked phenomenon generated by transmitted signals inside the receiver,
or RTWP problem due to improperly configured NodeB RF.

Example of finding an external interference source in XXX

project:
After checking the RTWP of all (D) city sites, It was found that in three cells
out of two sites the RTWP gets very high (-90 to -70 dBm) for some regular
times. Those cells are A-2, A-3, and B-3.
The cells were suffering from nearly same strength of interference and in the
same time, refer to (fig.1, 2, and 3). See the attached Excel sheet of the
RTWP check.

05
.2
05 6 00
.2 .0
05 6 03 0
.2 .3
05 6 07 0
.2 .0
05 6 10 0
.2 .3
6
05 14 0
.2 .0
05 6 17 0
.2 .3
05 6 21 0
.2 .0
05 7 00 0
.2 .3
05 7 04 0
.2 .0
7
05 07 0
.2 .3
05 7 11 0
.2 .0
05 7 14 0
.2 .3
05 7 18 0
.2 .0
05 7 21 0
.2 .3
8
05 01 0
.2 .0
05 8 04 0
.2 .3
05 8 08 0
.2 .0
05 8 11 0
.2 .3
05 8 15 0
.2 .0
8
05 18 0
.2 .3
05 8 22 0
.2 .0
05 9 01 0
.2 .3
05 9 05 0
.2 .0
05 9 08 0
.2 .3
05 9 12 0
.2 .0
9
05 15 0
.2 .3
05 9 19 0
.2 .0
05 9 22 0
.3 .3
05 0 02 0
.3 .0
05 0 05 0
.3 .3
0
05 09 0
.3 .0
05 0 12 0
.3 .3
05 0 16 0
.3 .0
05 0 19 0
.3 .3
0
23 0
.0
0
05
.2
6
05 00
.2 .0
0
6
05 03
.2 .3
0
6
05 07
.2 .0
0
6
05 10
.2 .3
0
6
05 14
.2 .00
6
05 17
.2 .3
0
6
05 21
.2 .0
0
7
05 00
.2 .3
0
7
05 04
.2 .00
7
05 07
.2 .3
0
7
05 11
.2 .0
0
7
05 14
.2 .3
0
7
05 18
.2 .00
7
05 21
.2 .3
0
8
05 01
.2 .0
0
8
05 04
.2 .3
0
8
05 08
.2 .0
0
8
05 11
.2 .30
8
05 15
.2 .0
0
8
05 18
.2 .3
0
8
05 22
.2 .0
0
9
05 01
.2 .30
9
05 05
.2 .0
0
9
05 08
.2 .3
0
9
05 12
.2 .0
9
0
05 15
.2 .3
0
9
05 19
.2 .00
9
05 22
.3 .3
0
0
05 02
.3 .0
0
0
05 05
.3 .3
0
0
05 09
.3 .00
0
05 12
.3 .3
0
0
05 16
.3 .0
0
0
05 19
.3 .3
0
0
23
.0
0

They also are directed in a way that intersects in a common point.

VS.MeanRTWP

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90
VS.MeanRTWP

-95

-100

-105

-110

Fig.1 B-3 RTWP

VS.MeanRTWP

-70

-75

-80

-85

-90
VS.MeanRTWP

-95

-100

-105

-110

Fig.2 A-2 RTWP

VS.MeanRTWP

05.30 23.00

05.30 19.30

05.30 16.00

05.30 12.30

05.30 09.00

05.30 05.30

05.30 02.00

05.29 22.30

05.29 19.00

05.29 15.30

05.29 12.00

05.29 08.30

05.29 05.00

05.29 01.30

05.28 22.00

05.28 18.30

05.28 15.00

05.28 11.30

05.28 08.00

05.28 04.30

05.28 01.00

05.27 21.30

05.27 18.00

05.27 14.30

05.27 11.00

05.27 07.30

05.27 04.00

05.27 00.30

05.26 21.00

05.26 17.30

05.26 14.00

05.26 10.30

05.26 07.00

05.26 03.30

-75

05.26 00.00

-70

-80

-85

VS.MeanRTWP

-90

-95

-100

-105

-110

Fig.3 A-3 RTWP

We started a driving interference test using YBT250 and directional antenna
to locate the exact location of the interference source. The directional
antenna is light weight, so we didnt fix it on the car but hold it by hand to
be easier for changing the directions.
We started our test from the intersection point of the three sectors direction.
We found an interference signal that constantly broadcasting on the
frequency 1949 MHz. We followed the path that the signal gets stronger
through, until we reached the strongest point of the interference signal. That
point was at a TV station. The figures below show the interference signal
that is coming from the TV.
After negotiating with the TV responsibles, we found out that they have
some problem in their filters which generate some harmonics in the
multiples of the center frequency value, which one of them is in our used
frequency range. The interfering signals are show as below pictures in
YBT250 screen, spectrum and spectrogram modes.

References:
-

UL interference Report for Duhok city, by Hussain Ali Albayati.

W-Interference Processing Guide, by Li Junwei and Jiang Lihong