Ultra-long microwave links between backhaul towers enable long-distance telecommunications in the Mojave Desert. Photo credit: °Florian / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Designing and engineering microwave radio networks has always been challenging and a bit of an art—especially when they are ultra-long point-to-point wireless networks. In an article published February 25, 2013, Aviat’s solutions architect Charles Dionne outlines some of the key considerations that need to be made when designing and building these ultra-long microwave backhaul links for point-to-point wireless networks.
The article on RCR Wireless provides an overview and detailed checklist of the relevant items for designing ultra-long point-to-point wireless microwave links including:
- Site selection
- Frequency selection
- Antenna size
- Atmospheric conditions
Readers will take away more than just a laundry list of potential pitfalls; they will gain an enhanced appreciation of the very specialized skills and thorough understanding of microwave technology that is necessary for successfully implementing point-to-point wireless microwave backhaul.
Related articles
- First White Space Chips (dailywireless.org)
- Record 180 km Hybrid Diversity IP Microwave Link (aviatnetworks.com)
- The World’s Longest All-IP Microwave Link (aviatnetworks.com)
- Fresh €50 million EU research grants in 2013 to develop ’5G’ technology (ec.europa.eu)
- METCO Integrates Aviat Networks Microwave Backhaul for Zain Kuwait’s LTE Network (prnewswire.com)
The parameters have not changed much since I was the very person who specified the tower sites for the Western Union Transcontinental Microwave transmission system around 1960. We used photogrammetic countoured mapping for elevation siting, atmpospheric conditions, frequency allocations and the microwave power availability. Principles remain but technology has advanced far.
By: Gunther Karger on March 1, 2013
at 5:13 PM
Hello Gunther,
Thanks for your comments. Always good to hear from the senior members of our community.
Charlie Dionne
Solutions Architect
Aviat Networks
By: aviatnetworks on March 4, 2013
at 5:14 PM