Antenna System, Combiners,

Filters and Passive Accessories

TOPICS ON COMBINERS AND FILTERS

Manila (Philippines); May 27, 2014

MAIN OBJETIVES

• COMBINER AND FILTER DEFINITION

• TO KNOW HOW COMBINERS WORK
• TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN PARAMETERS OF:
• Combiners
• Filters
• TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF:
• Combiners
• Filters
• REAL EXAMPLES
FILTER DEFINITION
• FILTERS:
• 1-input and 1-output passive element
connected at the output of the transmitter.
• Main function in DTV networks: to filter
the signal to delete the spurious emissions
• Analog purposes: to supres the mixed
products between video and audio carriers
• Digital Purposes: to ensure the mask
specifications
• Critical mask:
• commonly used when other service
is adjacent
• Number of cavities (poles): 8
• Non critical mask:
• when there is not adjacent services
• Number of cavities (poles): 6

TransmitterMask Filter Mask Transmis. Mask

COMBINER DEFINITION
• COMBINERS:
• N-input and 1-output passive
element connected at the output of
the transmitter.
• Main function in DTV networks: to TX TX TX … TX
1 2 3 N
combiner several RF channels in one
signal
• Combiners are commonly composed
by filter Combiner
• Non mask combiners
• Combining performances
• Critical mask combiners
• Combining and filtering
performances (critical)
• Non Critical mask combiners
• Combining and filtering
performances (non critical)
FILTERS & COMBINERS MAIN PARAMETERS
Specification Value
Type Bandpass
Numer of cavities 3, 4, 6 or 8
Power handling 1W…14 KW
Insertion losses 2 dB … 0.3 dB
Filtering Mask Non mask, Non Critical, Critical
Filters
VSWR 1.15-1.25
Standard DVB-T, ATSC, ISDB-T,…
Bandwidth 6, 7 or 8 MHz
Materials Alumium, Copper, Silver plated

Specification Value
Type Strech line, S-P, Manifold, CIB
Numer of channels 2…10
Power handling 1W…25 KW, per input
Insertion losses 2 dB … 0.3 dB
Combiners
Filtering Mask Yes/No
VSWR 1.1
Isolation between CH 20 - 35 dB
Materials Alumium, Copper, Silver plated
FILTER TYPES
• According to the filtering type:
• Low and High pass filters
• Band pass filter

• According to the design

technology:
• Coaxial (cavity and resonators)
• Dual-Mode (waveguide)

• According to the filtering

properties:
• Non mask filter (4 or less poles):
Analog TV
• Non Critical Mask filter (6 poles): DTV
• Critical Mask filters (8 poles): DTV
COMBINER TYPES
• According to the filtering properties :
• Non masking combiners: composed by non masking filters
• Masking Combiners: composed by non masking filters
• According to the design technology:
• Stretch-line combiner

OUTPUT Advantages Disadvantages

INPUT 2

•Cost effective •Max. 2 inputs

solution •Min. Freq spacing high
•Small dimensions •Non filtering
INPUT 1 EQ LOAD •Low insertion loss •Isolation determined by 3dB
hybrid directivity
• Non expandable

Elements:
- 2 x 3 dB couplers
- Dummy load
- Phased line
COMBINER TYPES
• Star-point combiners
Advantages Disadvantages

INPUT 1 •Cost effective •Max. 8 inputs

solution •Min. Freq spacing more
BANDPASS FILTER
•Small than 1 CH
dimensions • Filtering
INPUT 2 OUTPUT •Low insertion •Isolation determined by
loss (filters) filter selectivity
BANDPASS FILTER
• Non expandabñle
• VSWR: filter

Elements:
INPUT N
- N x band pass filter
- Star-point junction
BANDPASS FILTER

Advantages Disadvantages
• Manifold combiner
OUTPUT •Cost effective •Max. 8 inputs
solution •Min. Freq spacing more
INPUT N
•Small than 1 CH
BANDPASS FILTER
dimensions • Filtering
•Low insertion •Isolation determined by
loss (filters) filter selectivity
INPUT 2
• Non expandabñle
• WSWR: filter
BANDPASS FILTER

Elements:
INPUT 1 - N x band pass filters
- Connecting line
BANDPASS FILTER

SHORT CIRCUIT
 COMBINER TYPES
• Constant -impedance combiners
Elements:
EQ LOAD
BANDPASS FILTER
• 2 x 3dB hybrid couplers
OUTPUT
• 1 x dummy load
• 2 x band pass filter

Advantages Disadvantages

• Flexible solution •Bigger size

NB INPUT
• Expandable •Higer price
WB INPUT
•Min. Freq. Spacing: adjacent
•Cost effective solution
BANDPASS FILTER
•High isolation (filters+3dB
Hybrids)
BANDPASS FILTER •Tunable
EQ LOAD
OUTPUT •Low insertion loss

Power Relations:
-Pout= PNB + PWB
-Pmax= PNB + 2*PWB

NB INPUT WB INPUT

BANDPASS FILTER
 COMBINER TYPES
• Mask filter + Non-mask • Mask filter combiner
combiner

TX1 Mask Filter1 TX1

Non Mask Mask

TX2 Mask Filter2 TX2
Combiner Combiner

.
. .
. .
. .
. . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . .
.

TX3 Mask Filter3 TX3

Loss 0.7dB 0.7 dB

Loss 0.9 dB 0.7 dB 0.2 dB
VSWR 1.08 1.08
VSWR 1.30 1.20 1.08
FILTERS AND COMBINERS SUMMARY
• A Filter included into a Combiner also works as the mask
output filter of the combiner. The systems built under this
premises are technically (the lowest insertion losses) and
economically optimized.
• The channel combiners with best performances are the
constant impedance units, since:
• Minimum frequency spacing is lower (even they can combine
adjacent channels)
• Isolation between inputs is the highest
• A change at the antenna system VSWR is not detected in the
transmitter
• Based on this, it is recommended to use constant
impedance combiners for high and medium power and the
rest of combiners topologies for low power.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Is it possible to combine an existing analogue channel with
a new digital channel?
YES, by using a constant impedance channel combiner.
The narrowband input will be connected to the digital
transmitter and the wideband input will be connected to
the analogue transmitter. In this way, no any transmitter
output filter is needed if the combiner is composed by
mask filters.
2. Is it possible to combine to digital transmitters, not using
transmitter output filters?
YES, by including a mask filter at the wideband input of a
constant impedance channel combiner
3. Is it possible to combine adjacent channels?
YES, by using mask filters in the combiners, in despite of
the nature of the analogue or digital nature of the
transmitters
FREQUENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
4. I need to combine two analogue channels. In the near
future those channels will broadcast digital channels. Can I
now install a mask combiner, ready for broadcasting digital
channels?
YES, combiners with mask filters are able to combine
analogue channels.
5. Is it possible to use a RYMSA combiner with any
transmitter branch?
YES
6. Are all RYMSA’s filters and constant impedance channel
combiner on-site tunable to any other channel within the
UHF?
YES
RYMSA ADVANTAGES
1.- COMPLETE RANGE OF FILTERS & COMBINERS
PORTFOLIO, IN TERMS OF:
• Power requirements
• Transmission requirements (non-mask and
mask)
2.- ON-SITE FULLY TUNABLE TO ANY CHANNELS WITHIN
THE UHF BAND
3- COMPLETE PORTFOLIO THERMAL COMPENSATED
4.- CUSTOMIZED RADIOELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS
PERFORMANCES OPTIMIZATION
5.- CUSTOMIZED MECHANICAL SOLUTIONS TO MINIMIZE
THE ROOM NEED FOR INSTALLATION
FILTER PORTFOLIO
Non Critical Mask Power Range
Models
FLDV-016 50 W
FLDV-026 130 W
FLDV-036 600 W
FLDV-116 1000 W
FLDV-156 3500 W
FLDV-196 5000 W
FLDV-196X 12500 W

Critical Mask Models Power Range

FLDV-018 80 W
FLDV-028 200 W
FLDV-038 500 W
FLDV-118 1000 W
FLDV-158 2500 W
FLDV-198 5000 W
FLDV-198X 12500 W
LOW POWER FILTER PORTFOLIO
• Non Mask solutions:
• 3 or 4 pole filters up to 50W
• Very cost effective solutions
• Low insertion loss solutions
• Tunable on site on all the UHF band
• Thermal compensated
• The filters can be wall mounted of to install in
a 19” standard rack with the transmitter

50W 4 pole
filter solution

50W 4 pole filter solution with 50W 4 pole filter

measurement probe on the output solution for rack
integration
LOW POWER COMBINER PORTFOLIO I
STAR-POINT SOLUTIONS

2 x 50W 4 pole star point

3 x 50W 4 pole star point with
measuring coupler

4 x 50W 4 pole star point with

measuring coupler 5 x 50W 4 pole star point with
measuring coupler
LOW POWER COMBINER PORTFOLIO II
CONSTANT IMPEDANCE SOLUTIONS

2 x 50W 4 pole constant 3 x 50W 4 pole constant impedance

impedance with measuring coupler

4 x 50W 4 pole constant 5 x 50W 4 pole constant impedance

impedance with measuring coupler with measuring coupler
LOW POWER COMBINER PORTFOLIO III
MIXED SOLUTIONS

• Low cost solution to combine

adjacent channels
• It consists of a combination of 6
pole and 4 pole filters in the
combiner
• Good isolation value between
channels

6 + 4 pole constant
impedance mixed solution
LOW POWER COMBINER PORTFOLIO IV
MOUNTING

Wall Mount Integrated solution for 19” rack

mounting
LOW POWER REFERENCES
CASE OF STUDY: SPAIN

It was supplied the antenna systems and channel combiners for DVB-T at
3.000 stations in 18 months (July 2011-December 2012)
The transmitting powers of the 3.000 stations were from 1 watt to 100 w, per
transmitter
The antenna systems were fully customized
The antenna systems must handle the power and peak voltage due to the
broadcasting of 5 transmitters, 4 of them in a SFN (nationwide) and the fifth
one in MFN (statewide)
In the most of the cases, it was a turn-key project, with the following scope of
supply
◦ Design and customization of the antenna systems
◦ Supply of antenna systems
◦ Supply of the mouting hardware to fix the antenna system to the existing tower
◦ Supply of feeder cables
◦ Supply of channel combiners
◦ Supply of the coaxial accessories between the channel combiners and the transmitters
◦ Logistic works: transportation of the scope of supply of each project to the transmitting station
◦ On site engineering works:
Survey
Commissioning
HIGH POWER REFERENCES I

France (TDF)
Limoges DTV & Strasbourg DTV
HIGH POWER REFERENCES II

Lima (Peru)
Mounted at the ceiling of the transmitting room
HIGH POWER REFERENCES III

France (TDF): Caen & Mulhouse

DTV DVB-T
HIGH POWER REFERENCES IV

France (TDF): Besançon

Montfaucon DTV DVB-T
HIGH POWER REFERENCES V

Mexico (TV Azteca) Ciudad Uruguay (Multicanal)

Juarez DTV ATSC Montevideo DTV DVB-T
HIGH POWER REFERENCES VI

Mexico (Televisa) Tijuana DTV ATSC

HIGH POWER REFERENCES VII

Mexico (Televisa) Tres Padres DTV ATSC

HIGH POWER REFERENCES VIII

Spain (Abertis Telecom ) Madrid, Torrespaña UHF Analogue TV

combiner & UHF DTV combiner
 THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR ATTENTION !

“RYMSA antenna and combiner systems tailored to your

needs!”