Microwave Link Calculation

Running head: MICROWAVE LINK CALCULATION 1
Microwave link calculation
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MICROWAVE LINK CALCULATION 2
Q1: The digital microwave radio system shown in Fig 1 below operates in the 18GHz radio
frequency band and provides 2x2 Mbps transmission capacity between two sites. The system
deploys a passive repeater.
Figure 1: Microwave Link Configuration
1. Calculate the nominal Receive Signal Level (RSL) at the input of the receiver in dBm
assuming free space conditions
Solution

MICROWAVE LINK CALCULATION 3
Solving this problem will first necessitate us to be able to master some of the basic
concepts, which will be of significance in analyzing the radio link microwave transmission
system. We will thus be required to understand the term link budget, which refers to the results
of the gains and losses in a microwave radio communication link. These losses and gains are
available in the antennas, transmission lines, transmitters, and the environment in which the
signal is being transmitted. Also, the process of transmission is also affected by free space loses,
which are directly proportional to the length of the communication link. This implies that a more
extended link will be characterized by higher loses while a short link will register a few loses
(Jiang et al., 2016).
Since the transmitter is operating under unfading conditions, we will use the below
formula in the determination of the nominal receiver level.
PRX= PTX-LTX-FLTX+ATX-FSL+ARX-FLRX- LRX
Where PRX= Unfaded Nominal Receiver Level in dBm
PTX = output of transmitter power in dBm
LTX =branching loses in the transmitter
FLTX = transmitter feeder loses of the waveguide or cable in dB
ATX = the antennae gains in dBi (McDonald, 2015)
FSL = the free space loses
ARX = the antenna gains in dBi,
FLRX =receiver feeder loses of the waveguide or cable in dB
LRX =receiver branching loses