MICROWAVE LINKS

Microwave link

 A microwave link is a communications system that uses a beam of radio waves in the
microwave frequency range to transmit information between two fixed locations on the
earth.
Use I different industries

 Broadcasters use microwave links to send programs from the studio to the transmitter
location, which might be miles away.
 Microwave links carry cellular telephone calls between cell sites. Wireless Internet
service providers use microwave links to provide their clients with high-speed Internet
access without the need for cable connections.
 Telephone companies transmit calls between switching centers over microwave links,
although fairly recently they have been largely supplanted by fiber-optic cables.
 Companies and government agencies use them to provide communications networks
between nearby facilities within an organization, such as a company with several
buildings within a city.
Benefits of using Microwave

 What are some advantages of microwave links?

 Advantages of Microwaves
 Supports larger bandwidth and hence more information is transmitted. ...
 More antenna gain is possible.
 Higher data rates are transmitted as the bandwidth is more.
 Antenna size gets reduced, as the frequencies are higher.
 Low power consumption as the signals are of higher frequencies
Elements of Microwave

 A simple one-way microwave link includes four major elements: a transmitter, a

receiver, transmission lines, and antennas. These basic components exist in every radio
communications system, including cellular telephones, two-way radios, wireless
networks, and commercial broadcasting
Technology used in microwave links differs

 But the technology used in microwave links differs markedly from that used at the lower
frequencies (longer wavelengths) in the radio spectrum. Techniques and components
that work well at low frequencies are not useable at the higher frequencies (shorter
wavelengths) used in microwave links
Parabolic or dish antenna

 On the other hand, microwave frequencies allow engineers to take advantage of certain
principles that are impractical to apply at lower frequencies. One example is the use of a
parabolic or “dish” antenna to focus a microwave radio beam. Such antennas can be
designed to operate at much lower frequencies, but they would be too large to be
economical for most purposes.
Microwave signal

 Microwave is a form of high frequency radio signal (operating at thousands of MHz)
in which the signal is not broadcast but is transmitted in a straight line through the
air
Functionalities of transmitter

 The function of transmitter is to convert the message signal produced by the source of
information into a form suitable for transmission through the channel.

A transmitter and a receiver combined in one unit is called a transceiver. The term
transmitter is often abbreviated "XMTR" or "TX" in technical documents. The purpose of
most transmitters is radio communication of information over a distance.
microwave Transmission line

 A transmission line is a connector which transmits energy from one point to another.
The study of transmission line theory is helpful in the effective usage of power and
equipment.

What are the 4 major types of microwave transmission?
 A simple one-way microwave link includes four major elements: a transmitter, a
receiver, transmission lines, and antennas.
Antennas

 Antennas are usually metal and have a wide variety of configurations, from the mastlike
devices employed for radio and television broadcasting to the large parabolic reflectors
used to receive satellite signals and the radio waves generated by distant astronomical
objects.
Highly directional antennas

 Highly directional antennas are used for long distant point-to-point communication.

They are used to bridge networks between two buildings that are far apart. Because these
antennas are high gain, they provide the most focused and narrow beam width. ... A third
type of highly directional antenna is the Sector antenna
Path taken by the signal

 When current flows through a circuit, the high-speed signals established will follow the
path of least impedance rather than least resistance. Return path is the path the current
takes to return to the source.
Regulatory and Licensing

 Each country has a varying requirement for the licensing of microwave radio links. In
most cases this license only addresses the transmitter, but in the same instance, it offers
regulatory protection to any inteference that may affect the microwave receiver.
 License costs are usually linked with the size of the spectrum occupied by the transmitter
signal - and are often directly influenced by some of the spectrum lease costs realized by
the local regulator, eg FCC, ACMA, PTT's etc.
Microwave Radiation Safety

 Microwave ovens are constructed to ensure the electromagnetic radiation does not leave
the oven. This includes safety interlocks which ensure that the oven turns off anytime
the door is opened. Most injuries from microwave ovens are the result of heat related
burns from overheated food or liquids
Frequency Planning

In the older Frequency Division Multiplex (FDM) microwave radio link systems, only
a single pair of frequencies were allocated to the whole link network, with an alternating
polarisation isolation arrangement from more distant stations in the network. This meant that
at a single microwave repeater station, the link transmitters operate on the same frequency,
but with antennas pointed in different directions, and with opposite antenna polarisation. 
The same frequency planning logic still applies to modern digital microwave radio links, with
a close eye on the 'emission' bandwidth / designator. Frequency planning may also have
restrictions from the Regulator (FCC / ACMA / Ofcom / PTT's), so extensive consultation is
required before any commitments can be made.
Microwave Radio Link Planning

 The design and construction of a microwave radio link network is based on a number of
factors. These include:
 Distance between microwave radio terminals;
 Terrain properties, eg bodies of water, cliffs, forests, snow;
 Frequency of operation, often governed by licensing costs, frequency availability, planned
distances and even susceptibility to rain fading;
 Interference management to the microwave link receiver.
 Fading, dispersion and multipath distortion;
 Size of antennas, feedline properties, need for towers and masts, and for high gain
antennas
 Management of moisture inside external waveguides;
 Management of equipment, power and security alarms, remote control switching and
order wire systems.
 Council, Local Government, FAA, CASA and community development permissions
governing visual and controlled airspace intrusions;
 Cost of equipment and cost benefit analysis including equipment maintenance
 Availability of equipment, spares, maintenance, test equipment and skilled staff;
Manufacturers of Microwave Link Equipment