Antenna System Monitor (ASM)

What is the ASM?

• The Antenna System Monitor (ASM) is used to monitor and measure the RF coverage performance determining characteristics of a communications site, on an individual per-channel basis, and provides network owners, operators, or end-user customers with unparalleled levels of performance monitoring and fault reporting for their communications networks. Measurements and alarm events can be logged for viewing, or downloaded for historical analysis.

• Monitoring the Tx Forward Power and VSWR on the antenna side of the transmitter combiner ensures that any RF faults that would otherwise be masked by the combiner’s isolators, and therefore not seen by the network base stations, can be monitored, measured, and have alarm conditions notified.

What does it look like?

Antenna System Monitor - Front View

Antenna System Monitor - Rear View

What can it do?

• The Antenna System Monitor (ASM) non-intrusively measures the RF

performance of a communications site on a truly ‘per-channel’ 24x7 basis,

allowing coverage performance impacting problems to be detected promptly.

The ASM provides valuable detailed information on the fault condition,

allowing appropriately prioritised maintenance activities to be decided - and

efficiently and cost-effectively actioned - depending on the nature, severity,

and impact of the fault.

What can it do?

The ASM may be used to monitor;

– Each channel’s RF Forward Power output from the Tx combiner(s),

– The Tx antenna system’s Reflected Power (VSWR) on each channels’

operating frequency,

– The received signal level (RSSI) for each channel’s Rx frequency, and/or,

– Tx signal levels from surrounding sites to confirm network RF propagation

– An inbuilt signal generator in the ASM can perform System Tx-Rx Isolation

and Rx System Gain/Loss/Ripple tests. Tx Rejection tests can also be

performed. This suite of System Isolation tests can be used to confirm

intra-system antenna isolation, Rx sub-system performance and Rx

sub-system protection from Tx carrier blocking.

What can it do?

The ASM may also be used to monitor;

– When used with an optional Site Alarm Module (SAM), the ASM can be

used to monitor a diverse array of temperature, analogue voltages, digital

inputs, and conditional Tx PTT/Trunking/Rx UNSQ/Voting Shelf operation

may also be monitored

or controlled by the ASM to

enhance its monitoring

capabilities to include

non-RF equipment

at a network site.

What can it do?

The ASM may also be used to monitor;

– The SAM also provides an additional ten (10) alarm relay outputs that can

be flexibly mapped to any of the ASM or SAM monitored measurement

parameters’ alarms.

– Up to ten (10) SAM modules may be daisy-chained onto an ASM for added

monitoring an alarm output capacity.

– SAM modules may be added to an ASM at any time, providing the ability to

increase the monitoring of other equipment at network sites as and when

desired.

What can it do?

The ASM may also be used to monitor;

– When used with an optional Receive Systems Module (RSM), the ASM can

be used to monitor multiple receive systems – as may be used in dual

diversity, redundant Rx, and hot/standby receive antenna systems.

– The ASM’s System Isolation Tests

and Rx Channels measurements

can be performed on any (or all)

of the monitored multiple receive

signal paths.

What can it do?

The ASM may also be used to monitor;

– The RSM also detects any high level RF signals between ~ 50-1000MHz

that may appear in the monitored receive signal paths, providing an alarm

indication for overloaded base station receivers (‘blocking’) that can impact

network performance.

– The RSM may be fitted to an ASM

at an time, supporting a network

technology migration path from

using and monitoring a single Rx

antenna to using and monitoring

multiple Rx antennas.

Installation

• The ASM conveniently connects into the

site’s Transmitter and Receiver

multicoupling using a low-loss PIM and

PIP rated Antenna Line Coupler fitted in

each Tx antenna feeder line, and by using

a spare port on the site’s receiver

multicoupler(s). Several Tx combiners at

a site can monitored by one ASM.

• Once installed, the ASM continuously

monitors the RF performance parameters

of each channel non-intrusively on a ‘24x7’

basis.

ASM FRONT VIEW

Tx ANTENNA 1

COUPLER TOP VIEW - MOUNTED ON 1RU FRONT PANEL

Tx COMBINER (1)

ASM REAR VIEW

ASM + 1 ANTENNA LINE COUPLER

FWD

RFL

OPTIONAL

DEDICATED Rx

MONITORING

ANTENNA FROM SPARE

PORT(S) ON

BTS Rx MUX(S)

TO ADDITIONAL COUPLERS IF REQUIRED

OPTIONAL SAM(s) or CAM(s)

1

10

to

MONITORED

CHANNELS

BTS PTT LINE

CONDITIONING

10 ASSIGNED ALARM

RELAY OUTPUTS

4 EXT ALARM INPUTS

10 EXT ALARM INPUTS

OPTIONAL RSM

4 ASSIGNED ALARM

RELAY OUTPUTS

Rx ANTENNA(s)

Configuration

The ASM features an integral webserver

with a user-friendly Graphical User

Interface (GUI) that allows the RF

measurements made on each channel,

and any alarm conditions, to be viewed.

Per-channel configuration, alarm

threshold levels, and other parameters

can also be easily configured.

SNMP alarm traps, and SMTP (Email)

alarms can also be provided for prompt

notification of performance impacting changes to normal measurement values.

Connectivity

To access and use the webserver GUI, an internet browser such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or Firefox is used. Connection to the ASM may be;

– “locally” via a computer using an Ethernet cable

– “locally” via a wireless router connected to the ASM (i.e. WiFi)

– “remotely” via a customer’s intra-site Local Area Network (LAN)

– “remotely” via a site linking backbone (such as microwave links, fiber, or other link technologies)

– “remotely” via a cellular router (if the ASM site is within coverage of a cellular network)

– “remotely” via an IP protocol satellite link (ideal for very remote sites)

Configuration

The ASM’s webserver GUI allows each channel’s parameters to be configured

independently. Other ASM system parameters are also user-configurable.

Monitoring

The ASM’s RF measurements for each

frequency, and any associated alarm

conditions, are presented in the GUI. Alarms

are also available as relay outputs, SNMP GET

or Alarm Traps, and SMTP (Email) messages.

Example SMTP (Email) Alarm Message

Example SNMP Alarm Trap Message

Monitoring

If optional SAM modules are connected to the

ASM, their measurements and alarm conditions

are also presented in the ASM GUI.

Summary

The Antenna System Monitor (ASM)

provides comprehensive channelised

monitoring of the RF performance

characteristics of a communications

site.

Monitoring is on a non-intrusive 24x7

basis and provides confirmation of the

site’s RF performance.

Alarm notifications can also be provided

to facilitate appropriately prioritised and

cost-effective maintenance responses

to faults.

More Information

• Antenna System Monitor (ASM) https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring.html#.XON-V8gzaUk

• ASM Product Brief and User Manuals https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/antenna-system-monitor-asm3852.html#tab_downloads

• ASM Application Note, Service Bulletins, SNMP MIB files and downloads https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/antenna-system-monitor-asm3852.html#tab_downloads

• Site Alarm Module (SAM) https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/site-alarm-module.html#.XON-rMgzaUk

• SAM Product Brief and downloads https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/site-alarm-module.html#tab_downloads

• Receive Systems Module (RSM) https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/receive-systems-module-option-for-asm.html#.XON-3sgzaUk

• RSM Product Brief and downloads https://www.rfiwireless.com.au/multicoupling-monitoring/monitoring/receive-systems-module-option-for-asm.html#tab_downloads