Advanced Power Monitor (APM)

What is the APM?

• The Advanced Power Monitor (APM) 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?

Advanced Power Monitor ‐ Front View

Advanced Power Monitor ‐ Rear View

What can it do?

• The Advanced Power Monitor (APM) 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 APM 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 APM 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 channel’s operating

frequency,– The Tx Combiner’s Insertion Loss on each channel’s 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 APM can perform a system Tx-Rx Isolation test to

confirm antenna isolation and Rx sub-system operation.– When used with an optional Site Alarm Module (SAM), temperature, analogue

voltages, and digital inputs may also be monitored by the APM to enhance its monitoring to include non-RF equipment at a network site.

Installation

• The APM 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 APM.

• Once installed, the APM continuously monitors the RF performance parameters of each channel non-intrusively on a ‘24x7’ basis.

APM FRONT VIEW

Tx ANTENNA 1

COUPLER TOP VIEW - MOUNTED ON 1RU FRONT PANEL

Tx COMBINER (1)

APM REAR VIEW

APM + 1 ANTENNA LINE COUPLER

FWD

RFLOPTIONAL DEDICATED Rx MONITORING

ANTENNA FROM SPARE PORT ON

BTS Rx MUX

TO ADDITIONAL COUPLERS IF REQUIRED

OPTIONAL CAM (s) & SAM (s)

CAM/SAM 1

CAM/SAM 10

to

CAM/SAM REAR VIEW

MONITORED CHANNELS

BTS PTT LINE CONDITIONING

10 CHANNEL ASSIGNED AND

DEDICATED ALARM RELAY OUTPUTS

4 EXT ALARM INPUTS

10 EXT ALARM INPUTS

Configuration

The APM 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 APM may be;

– “locally” via a computer using an Ethernet cable– “locally” via a wireless router connected to the APM (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 APM site is within coverage of a

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

Configuration

The APM’s webserver GUI allows each channel’s parameters to be configured independently. Other APM system parameters are also user-configurable.

Monitoring

The APM’s RF measurements for each frequency, and any associated alarm conditions, are presented in the GUI. Alarms are also available as relay outputs, SNMP 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 APM, their measurements and alarm conditions are also presented in the APM GUI.

Summary

The Advanced Power Monitor (APM) 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

• Advanced Power Monitor (APM)http://www.rfi-motorola.com/ADVANCEDPOWERMONITORS.aspx

• APM Product Brief and User Manualshttp://www.rfi-motorola.com/ADVANCEDPOWERMONITORS.aspx

• APM Application Note, Service Bulletins, SNMP MIB files and downloadshttp://www.rfi-motorola.com/ADVANCEDPOWERMONITORS.aspx

• Site Alarm Module (SAM)http://www.rfi-motorola.com/ADVANCEDPOWERMONITORS.aspx

• SAM Product Brief and downloadshttp://www.rfi-motorola.com/ADVANCEDPOWERMONITORS.aspx