MICROWAVES RADIO COMMUNICATIONS to the microwave region by the mixer, microwave oscillator, and

bandpass filter.
I. MICROWAVE RADIO SYSTEM  Mixing, rather than multiplying, is used to translate the IF
frequencies to RF frequencies because the modulation index is
unchanged by the heterodyning process. Multiplying the IF
carrier would also multiply the frequency deviation and the
modulation index, thus increasing the bandwidth.
 Microwave generators consist of a crystal oscillator followed by
a series of frequency multipliers.
b) FM Microwave Radio Receiver
 The channel separation network provides the isolation and
filtering necessary to separate individual microwave channels
and direct them to their respective receivers. The bandpass filter,
AM mixer, and microwave oscillator down-convert the RF
microwave frequencies to IF frequencies and pass them on to
the FM demodulator.
 The FM demodulator is a conventional, noncoherent FM
detector (i.e., a discriminator or a PLL demodulator). At the
output of the FM detector, a deemphasis network restores the
baseband signal to its original amplitude-versus-frequency
characteristics.
II. MICROWAVE REPEATERS

a) FM Microwave Radio Transmitter The permissible distance between an FM microwave transmitter and its
 Preemphasis network provides an artificial boost in amplitude to associated microwave receiver depends on several system variables,
the higher baseband frequencies. This allows the lower such as transmitter output power, receiver noise threshold, terrain,
baseband frequencies to frequency modulate the IF carrier and atmospheric conditions, system capacity, reliability objectives, and
the higher baseband frequencies to phase modulate it. performance expectations. Typically, this distance is between 15 miles
 FM deviator provides the modulation of the IF carrier that and 40 miles. Long-haul microwave systems span distances considerably
eventually becomes the main microwave carrier. Low-index longer than this. With systems that are longer than 40 miles or when
frequency modulation is used in the FM deviator. This produces a geographical obstructions, such as a mountain, block the transmission
narrowband FM signal at the output of the deviator. path, repeaters are needed. A microwave repeater is a receiver and a
Consequently, the IF bandwidth resembles conventional AM and transmitter placed back to back or in tandem with the system. The
is approximately equal to twice the highest baseband repeater station receives a signal, amplifies and reshapes it, and then
frequency. The IF and its associated sidebands are up-converted retransmits the signal to the next repeater or terminal station down line
from it.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MICROWAVE REPEATERS
A.) INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY

B.) BASEBAND C.) RADIO FREQUENCY

 III. DIVERSITY
Diversity suggests that there is more than one transmission path or
method of transmission available between a transmitter and a receiver.
In a microwave system, the purpose of using diversity is to increase the
reliability of the system by increasing its availability.

a) Frequency Diversity
Frequency diversity is simply modulating two different RF carrier
frequencies with the same IF intelligence, then transmitting both
RF signals to a given destination.

c) Polarization Diversity
With polarization diversity, a single RF carrier is propagated with
two different electromagneticpolarizations (vertical and
horizontal)

d) Receiver Diversity
Receiver diversity is using more than one receiver for a single
radio-frequency channel.

e) Quad Diversity
Quad diversity is another form of hybrid diversity and
b) Space Diversity undoubtedly provides the most reliable transmission; however, it
With space diversity, the output of a transmitter is fed to two or is also the most expensive.
more antennas that are physically separated by an appreciable
number of wavelengths. f) Hybrid Diversity
Hybrid diversity is a somewhat specialized form of diversity that
consists of a standard frequency-diversity path where the two
transmitter/receiver pairs at one end of the path are separated
from each other and connected to different antennas that are
vertically separated as in space diversity.

IV. PROTECTION SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS

To avoid a service interruption during periods of deep fades or

equipment failures, alternate facilities are temporarily made available in
a protection switching arrangement.
 V. FM MICROWAVE RADIO STATIONS
a) Hot Standby
With hot standby protection, each working radio channel has a Two types of FM microwave station
dedicated backup or spare channel. With diversity protection, a
single backup channel is made available 1. Repeater stations are points in a system where baseband
to as many as 11 working channels. signals may be reconfigured or where RF carriers are simply
“repeated” or amplified.
2. Terminal stations are points in the system where baseband
signals either originate or terminate.

A. MICROWAVE REPEATER STATION

b) Diversity
This system has two working channels (channel 1 and channel 2),
one spare channel, and an auxiliary channel. The IF switch at the
receive end continuously monitors the receive signal strength of
both working channels.

B. MICROWAVE TERMINAL STATION

 Free-space path loss is often defined as the loss incurred by an
electromagnetic wave as it propagates in a straight line through a
vacuum with no absorption or reflection of energy from nearby objects.
Free-space path loss assumes ideal atmospheric conditions, so no
electromagnetic energy is actually lost or dissipated—it merely spreads
out as it propagates away from the source, resulting in lower relative
power densities. A more appropriate term for the phenomena is
spreading loss.

b. Path Clearance and Antenna Heights

A majority of the time, the path loss of a typical microwave link can be
VI. LINE OF SIGHT PATH CHARACTERISTICS approximated by the calculated free-space path loss. This is
The free-space path is the line-of-sight path directly between the accomplished by engineering the path between transmit and receive
transmit and receive antennas (this is also called the direct wave). The antennas to provide an optical line-of-sight transmission path that
ground-reflected wave is the portion of the transmit signal that is should have adequate clearance with respect to surrounding objects.
reflected off Earth’s surface and captured by the receive antenna. The This clearance is necessary to ensure that the path loss under normal
surface wave consists of the electric and magnetic fields associated atmospheric conditions does not deviate from its nominal free-space
with the currents induced in Earth’s surface. The magnitude of the value and to reduce the effects of severe fading that could occur
surface wave depends on the characteristics of Earth’s surface and the during abnormal conditions.
electromagnetic polarization of the wave. The sum of these three paths
c. Fading
(taking into account their amplitude and phase) is called the ground
Fading is a general term applied to the reduction in signal strength at
wave. The sky wave is the portion of the transmit signal that is returned
the input to a receiver. It applies to propagation variables in the
(reflected) back to Earth’s surface by the ionized layers of Earth’s
physical radio path that affect changes in thepath loss between
atmosphere.
transmit and receive antennas.

References:
Tomasi, W. (n.d.). Advanced Electronic Communications Systems. 534-
564.
a. Free-Space Path Loss