Bird Technologies Group 61470 UHF Digital Signal Booster User Manual 9558S1 2 3
Bird Technologies Group UHF Digital Signal Booster 9558S1 2 3
Manual Rev6
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 1
8625 Industrial Parkway, Angola, NY 14006 Tel: 716-549-4700 Fax: 716-549-4772 sales@birdrf.com www.bird-technologies.com
Installation and Operation Manual for
the SBIII Digital Signal Booster
Model 614
Manual Part Number
7-9558-2.3
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
WARNING: This is NOT a consumer device. It is designed for installation by
FCC Licensees and Qualified Installers. You must have an FCC license or
express consent of an FCC Licensee to operate this device. This booster can
be configured as either a Class A or Class B signal booster. If configured as a
Class B signal booster (as defined in 47 CFR 90.219), you MUST register
this signal booster online at www.fcc.gov/signal-booster/registration. Unau-
thorized use may result in significant forfeiture penalties, including penalties
in excess of $100,000 for each continuing violation.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 2
Warranty
This warranty applies for five years fr om shippi ng date
TX RX Systems Inc. warrants its products to be free from defect in material and workmanship at the time of shipment.
Our obligation under warranty is limited to replacement or repair, at our option, of any such products that shall have
been defective at the time of manufacture. TX RX Systems Inc. reserves the right to replace with merchandise of
equal performance although not identical in every way to that originally sold. TX RX Systems Inc. is not liable for dam-
age caused by lightning or other natural disasters. No product will be accepted for repair or replacement without our
prior written approval. The purchaser must prepay all shipping charges on returned products. TX RX Systems Inc.
shall in no event be liable for consequential damages, installation costs or expense of any nature resulting from the
purchase or use of products, whether or not they are used in accordance with instructions. This warranty is in lieu of all
other warranties, either expressed or implied, including any implied warranty or merchantability of fitness. No repre-
sentative is authorized to assume for TX RX Systems Inc. any other liability or warranty than set forth above in con-
nection with our products or services.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE
PRICES AND TERMS:
Prices are FOB seller’s plant in Angola, NY domestic packaging only, and are subject to change without notice. Fed-
eral, State and local sales or excise taxes are not included in prices. When Net 30 terms are applicable, payment is
due within 30 days of invoice date. All orders are subject to a $100.00 net minimum.
QUOTATIONS:
Only written quotations are valid.
ACCEPTANCE OF ORDERS:
Acceptance of orders is valid only when so acknowledged in writing by the seller.
SHIPPING:
Unless otherwise agreed at the time the order is placed, seller reserves the right to make partial shipments for which
payment shall be made in accordance with seller’s stated terms. Shipments are made with transportation charges col-
lect unless otherwise specified by the buyer. Seller’s best judgement will be used in routing, except that buyer’s routing
is used where practicable. The seller is not responsible for selection of most economical or timeliest routing.
CLAIMS:
All claims for damage or loss in transit must be made promptly by the buyer against the carrier. All claims for shortages
must be made within 30 days after date of shipment of material from the seller’s plant.
SPECIFICATION CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS:
All designs and specifications of seller’s products are subject to change without notice provided the changes or modifi-
cations do not affect performance.
RETURN MATERIAL:
Product or material may be returned for credit only after written authorization from the seller, as to which seller shall
have sole discretion. In the event of such authorization, credit given shall not exceed 80 percent of the original pur-
chase. In no case will Seller authorize return of material more than 90 days after shipment from Seller’s plant. Credit
for returned material is issued by the Seller only to the original purchaser.
ORDER CANCELLATION OR ALTERATION:
Cancellation or alteration of acknowledged orders by the buyer will be accepted only on terms that protect the seller
against loss.
NON WARRANTY REPAIRS AND RETURN WORK:
Consult seller’s plant for pricing. Buyer must prepay all transportation charges to seller’s plant. Standard shipping pol-
icy set forth above shall apply with respect to return shipment from TX RX Systems Inc. to buyer.
DISCLAIMER
Product part numbering in photographs and drawings is accurate at time of printing. Part number labels on TX RX
products supersede part numbers given within this manual. Information is subject to change without notice.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 3
Symbols Commonly Used
NOTE
VIDEO
WARNING !!!
CAUTION or ATTENTION
Important Information
Training Video Available
Heavy Lifting
High Voltage
Hot Surface
ESD Electrostatic Discharge
Electrial Shock Hazard
Safety Glasses Required
Manual Part Number 7-9558
Copyright © 2015 Bird Technologies
First Printing: June 2014
Version Number Version Date
1 06/16/14
1.1 07/14/14
1.2 09/23/14
1.3 11/13/14
2.0 02/23/15
2.1 04/07/15
2.2 04/29/15
2.3 05/14/15
Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 4
Table of Contents
Overview ...............................................................................................................7
Down / Up Conversion.........................................................................................8
Unpacking ............................................................................................................9
Installation ............................................................................................................9
Location .............................................................................................................9
Mounting .............................................................................................................9
Connections......................................................................................................10
Antenna Isolation .............................................................................................10
Required Equipment .......................................................................................11
Measurement Procedure.................................................................................11
RF Exposure (Exposition RF) ..........................................................................12
Signal Flow Block Diagram ..............................................................................12
Uplink and Downlink Input Signals.....................................................................13
Channel Module.................................................................................................13
Uplink and Downlink Output Signals..................................................................15
System Setup .....................................................................................................15
Operation ............................................................................................................15
Alarm Form-C Contacts .....................................................................................16
NFPA Compliant Signal Booster........................................................................16
Communicating with the Signal Booster........................................................17
System Summary Submenu ..............................................................................17
Control Panel Submenu.....................................................................................17
Filters Tab ..........................................................................................................18
Filter Detail Tab .................................................................................................18
Design Button ..................................................................................................19
Status Area ......................................................................................................20
Link Tab .............................................................................................................20
Command Buttons ..........................................................................................21
Link and Settings Area ....................................................................................21
Status Area .....................................................................................................21
FFT Tab ............................................................................................................22
System Tab .......................................................................................................22
Oscillation Detection........................................................................................23
Class B Enable................................................................................................23
Network Configuration Submenu ......................................................................24
User Administration Submenu...........................................................................25
SNMP Configuration Submenu .........................................................................25
Initial Setup .....................................................................................................25
Trap Receiver GUI ..........................................................................................26
Maintenance and Repair....................................................................................27
Power Amplifier Replacement............................................................................27
Channel Module Replacement ..........................................................................28
Control Module Replacement ............................................................................28
Power Supply Replacement ..............................................................................29
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 5
Figures and Tables
Figure 1: The Down / Up Converter Process .......................................................9
Figure 2: Cabinet Mounting ...............................................................................10
Figure 3: Measuring Antenna Isolation ...............................................................11
Figure 4: Signal Flow Block Diagram..................................................................12
Figure 5: Booster Cabinet Front View.................................................................13
Figure 6: On/Off Circuit Breakers .......................................................................15
Figure 7: Alarm Form-C Contacts.......................................................................15
Figure 8: Enet Connector....................................................................................16
Figure 9: System Summary Page.......................................................................17
Figure 10: Filters Page .......................................................................................18
Figure 11: Class A Limit Exceeded Warning Message.......................................18
Figure 12: Filter Detail Page ...............................................................................19
Figure 13: Invalid Filter Settings Warning Message ...........................................19
Figure 14: Design Filter Interactive Display ........................................................20
Figure 15: Link Page...........................................................................................21
Figure 16: FFT Page...........................................................................................22
Figure 17: System Page .....................................................................................23
Figure 18: Starting Class B Operation Message ................................................23
Figure 19: Network Configuration Display ..........................................................24
Figure 20: The Admin Page................................................................................24
Figure 21: SNMP Configuration Display .............................................................25
Figure 22: Trap Receiver GUI Interface ..............................................................26
Figure 23: Trap Details........................................................................................26
Figure 24: Removing the Power Amplifier...........................................................27
Figure 25: Removing the Channel Module .........................................................28
Figure 26: Removing the Power Supply..............................................................29
Table 1: Model number nomenclature...................................................................7
Table 2: Specifications ..........................................................................................8
Table 3: Subassembly LED Descriptions ............................................................14
Table 4: Integer Fault Definitions.........................................................................26
Appendixes
Appendix A: Front Panel Ethernet Connectivity .................................................30
Ethernet Connectivity ..........................................................................................30
Direct Connection ..............................................................................................30
Required Equipment ........................................................................................30
Procedure ........................................................................................................30
Networked Connection ......................................................................................31
Required Equipment ........................................................................................31
Procedure ........................................................................................................33
Appendix B: Changing Your Service Computers IP Address.............................34
Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 6
For Class A or Class B Unintentional Radiators
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A or Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when
the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio fre-
quency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in
which the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Pour Classe-A ou Classe-B Radiateurs Involontaires
Cet équipement a été testé et jugé conforme avec les limites de la Classe-A ou Classe-B des appareils numériques,
suivants à la Partie 15 des règlements de la FCC. Ces limites sont conçues pour fournir une protection raisonnable con-
tre les interférences dangereuses lorsque l'équipement est utilisé dans un environnement commercial. Cet équipement
génère, utilise et peut émettre des fréquences radio et, s'il n'est pas installé et utilisé conformément aux instructions du
manuel, ceci peut causer des interférences dangereuses aux communications radio. Le fonctionnement de cet équipe-
ment dans une zone résidentielle est susceptible de causer des interférences mauvaises dans lequel l'utilisateur sera
tenu pour responsable de corriger l'interférence à sa propre discrétion.
WARNING: Changes or modifications which are not expressly approved by Bird Technologies
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
AVERTISSEMENT: Les changements ou modifications qui ne sont pas approuvés par Bird Tech-
nologies pourrait annuler l'autorité de l'utilisateur de faire fonctionner l'équipement.
ATTENTION: This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference and (2) this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
ATTENTION: Cet appareil est conforme à la Partie 15 des règlements de la FCC. L'opération doit se con-
former aux deux conditions suivantes: (1) cet appareil ne peut causer d'interférences nuisibles et (2) cet
appareil doit accepter toute interférence reçue, y compris les interférences qui peuvent provoquer un fonc-
tionnement indésirable.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 7
OVERVIEW
Signal boosters extend radio coverage into areas
where abrupt propagation losses prevent reliable
communication. The system receives an RF signal,
raises its power level, and couples it to an antenna
so that it can be re-radiated. The Bird Technologies
614 family of signal boosters is designed to oper-
ate in either the 450 - 470 MHz range or the 470 -
488 MHz range. The system is based on a module
design with each module capable of handling 14 or
30 filters in the uplink and downlink direction. The
signal booster is available in a variety of configura-
tions as shown in Table 1. The product model num-
ber is used to describe each configuration
available. Model number nomenclature is
described in table 1.
The size of the system can be tailored to the cus-
tomers needs by increasing or decreasing the
number of filters used. Each module is bi-direc-
tional with one downlink and one uplink signal
branch. Each of the two branches in a module are
independently tunable to their required pass fre-
quencies via software interface. The booster uses
614-XX-YY-UD-Z-P-Options (nomenclature breakdown)
614 Product Description
UHF Digital Signal Booster
XX
Designates operating frequency band
70 = 450 - 470 MHz
70A = 470 - 488 MHz
YY
Designates how many modules used and number of filters available
A = 1 module with 14 filters
B = 1 module with 30 filters
AA = 2 modules with 14 filters each
BB = 2 modules with 30 filters each
AB = 1 module with 14 filters and 1 module with 30 filters
BA = 1 module with 30 filters and 1 module with 14 filters
UD
Designates the type of output for the uplink and downlink
HH = high power uplink and downlink
HL = high power uplink and low power downlink
LH = low power uplink and high power downlink
LL = low power for both uplink and downlink
FH = fiber output uplink and high power downlink
FL = fiber output uplink and low power downlink
HF = high power uplink and fiber output downlink
LF = low power uplink and fiber output downlink
DP = dual port head-end
DPR = dual port remote-end
Z
Designates mounting style
G1 = Grey Steel
G2 = Stainless
N = NFPA / Red Steel
P
Power Options
B = AC with DC backup (standard)
D = DC only (24 VDC option)
A = AC only (option)
Options
Designates the options that have been added
Blank = no options added
P = 10 MHz high precision reference
Table 1: Model number nomenclature.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 8
digital processing techniques to provide a wide
range of filter choices to the end user. It is possible
to program digital filters as narrow as 5 KHz and as
wide as 1.5 MHz centered at any frequency within
the licensed range.
The SBIII Digital Signal Booster is capable of oper-
ating as either a Class A booster (no filters greater
than 75 KHz passband width) or as a Class B
booster (having filters with a greater than 75 KHz
passband width). The boosters operating class (A
or B) is user determined via configuration. Class B
operation must be enabled by the customer and
the customer is responsible for registering a
booster operated as Class B with the FCC. System
specifications for the 614 family of signal boosters
are listed in Table 2.
Down / Up Conversion
A signal booster has much in common with a
superheterodyne (superhet) receiver. The incom-
ing signal is converted to a lower frequency so that
single channel selectivity can be obtained. It is then
filtered. Unlike the superhet receiver however, the
signal is not demodulated. Instead, it is up-con-
verted back to its original frequency where it is fur-
ther amplified to reach a useful power level.
Figure 1 shows a simplified block diagram that
illustrates the down/up conversion principle. An
incoming signal at (Freq IN) is amplified and
applied to the first mixer along with a signal from a
local oscillator (Freq LO). A third signal at an inter-
mediate frequency (Freq IF) is produced as a result
of the mixing. The intermediate frequency is given
by the following relationship:
(1) Freq IF = Freq IN - Freq LO
The IF signal from the mixer then passes through
digital filtering with single channel bandwidth
before being amplified and passed on to the sec-
ond mixer. The second mixer also receives the
same local oscillator signal (Freq LO). The result is
Parameter Specification
Frequency Range (MHz) 450 - 470 MHz ; 470 - 488 MHz
Number of Carriers per Module
Low Density Model
High Density Model
14 uplink and downlink
30 uplink and downlink
Gain
Low Power Version
High Power Version
80 dB (max)
95 dB (max)
Maximum RF Bandwidth
450 - 470 MHz module
470 - 488 MHz module
3 MHz
1.5 MHz
Output Level
Low Power
High Power
22 dBm composite (max)
34 dBm composite (max)
Maximum Continuous Input Level Operational: -20 dBm
Static w/o damage: -10dBm
RF In/Out Impedance 50 Ohms
Alarms Form-C Contacts and SNMP v3
Power 90 - 250 VAC, 50/60 Hz
with +24 VDC back-up
Operating Temperature Range -30°C to +60°C
95% RH (non-condensing)
Table 2: Specifications for the UHF SBIII system.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 9
a mixing product frequency at the output of mixer 2.
The output frequency (Freq OUT) is given by the
following relationship:
(2) Freq OUT = Freq IF + Freq LO
Substituting equation (1) for the “Freq IF” term in
equation (2) allows the “Freq LO” terms to be can-
celed yielding:
(3) Freq Out = Freq IN
The implication of equation (3) is that the frequency
stability of the signal that is processed by this type
of signal booster is not affected by the frequency
stability of the signal booster itself. Frequency sta-
bility depends only on the stability of the signal
source producing the signal to be boosted. A shift
in the LO frequency will cause the center of the fil-
ter bandwidth to move with respect to the signal.
For very narrow filter widths, the channel modules
LO may be locked to a high stability 10 MHz refer-
ence.
UNPACKING
It is important to report any visible damage to the
shipping company immediately. It is the customers
responsibility to file damage claims with the ship-
ping company within a short period of time (1 to 5
days). Care should be taken when removing the
unit from the packing box to avoid damage to the
unit.
INSTALLATION
The following sub-sections of the manual discuss
general considerations for installing the booster. All
work should be performed by qualified personnel
and in accordance with local codes.
Location
The layout of the signal distribution system will be
the prime factor in determining the mounting loca-
tion of this unit. However, safety and serviceability
are also key considerations. The unit should be
located where it can not be tampered with by the
general public, yet is easily accessible to service
personnel. Also, consider the weight of the unit and
the possibility for injury if it should become
detached from its mounting for any reason.
The booster needs to be installed such that there
can be unobstructed air flow around the equip-
ment. Insure that the heat sink fins are unob-
structed. The various subassemblies within the
equipment cabinet will stay warm during normal
operation so in the interest of equipment longevity,
avoid installation locations that carry hot exhaust
air or are continually hot.
Mounting
Figure 2 shows the mounting hole dimensions and
layout for the cabinet. Mount the cabinet using 3/8”
(10 MM) diameter steel bolts (not supplied). We
recommend flat washers on both ends and a lock
washer under the nut. Nut and bolt mounting is
preferred to the use of lag bolts. Use backer blocks
where necessary to spread the force over a larger
area. In areas of known seismic activity, additional
devices such as tether lines may be necessary.
Because Bird Technologies cannot anticipate all of
the possible mounting locations and the structure
types where these devices will be located, we rec-
ommend consulting local building inspectors, engi-
neering consultants or architects for advice on how
to properly mount objects of this type, size and
weight in your particular situation. It is the custom-
ers responsibility to make sure that these devices
are mounted safely and in compliance with building
codes.
Intermediate
Frequency
Signal
Processing
1st Mixer 2nd Mixer
RF OutRF In
Local
Oscillator
Figure 1: The down converter / up converter process.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 10
Connections
All RF cabling connections to the booster should
be made and checked for correctness prior to pow-
ering up the system. N(f) bulkhead connectors are
available at the top of the booster enclosure box for
connection to the system antennas. Make sure the
correct branch of the antenna system is connected
to its corresponding uplink/downlink connector or
the system will not work properly. Using high qual-
ity connectors with gold center pins is advised.
Flexible jumper cables made of high quality coax
are also acceptable for connecting to rigid cable
sections.
Caution: The ERP (effective radi-
ated power) from the booster sys-
tem must not exceed +37 dBm (5
Watts) in order to remain compliant
with FCC regulations.
Caution: The maximum continu-
ous input power level for this
booster is -20 dBm. Stronger input
signals will cause the unit to exceed
it’s IM specifications. Static input
signals greater than -10 dBm may
damage the unit.
Models of the booster are available for either AC,
DC, AC/DC operation. Based on the model number
(see table 1) the booster is designed to be plugged
into either a single phase AC line (110 VAC at 50/
60 Hz) or a 24 Volt DC source. A connector is avail-
able at the top of the equipment box for connecting
the AC or DC source voltage.
Antenna Isolation
Antenna isolation between uplink and downlink
should be measured before connecting the signal
booster to the antenna system. This step is neces-
sary to insure that no conditions exist that could
possibly damage the signal booster and should not
be skipped for even the most thoroughly designed
system.
Just like the feedback squeal that can occur when
the microphone and speaker get too close together
0.44 Dia
(2 places)
0.44 wide slot (2 places)
33.2430.00
14.00 10.8
20.00
Mounting Tabs
(4 Places)
Figure 2: Cabinet mounting hole layout.
Lockable Door Latch
(user supplied padlock)
Note: To open the door handle insert
a slotted screw driver into the silver
slot and turn to the vertical position.
At the same time turn the black han-
dle. This will release the latching
mechanism and the door can now be
opened. When the door is closed and
the black handle is turned down, the
silver slot will reset to the horizontal
position re-enabling the latching
mechanism.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 11
in a public address system, a signal booster can
start to self oscillate. This can occur when the iso-
lation between the Uplink and Downlink antennas
does not exceed the signal boosters gain by at
least 15 dB. Oscillation will reduce the effective-
ness of the system and may possibly damage
amplifier stages. Isolation values are relatively
easy to measure with a spectrum analyzer and sig-
nal generator.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
The following equipment is required in order to per-
form the antenna isolation measurements.
1) Signal generator for the frequencies of interest
capable of a 0 dBm output level. Modulation is
not necessary.
2) Bird Technologies “Signal Hawk” spectrum ana-
lyzer which will cover the frequencies of interest
and is capable of observing signal levels down
to -100 dBm or better.
3) Double shielded coaxial test cables made from
RG142, RG55 or RG223 coaxial cable.
MEASUREMENT PROCEDURE
To measure the antenna isolation perform the fol-
lowing in a step-by-step fashion.
1) Set the signal generator for a 0 dBm output level
at the center frequency of the boosters pass-
band.
2) Set the spectrum analyzer for the same center
frequency and a sweep width equal to or just
slightly greater than the passband chosen ear-
lier in step 1.
3) Temporarily connect the test leads of the signal
generator and spectrum analyzer together
using a female barrel connector, see Figure 3.
Observe the signal on the analyzer and adjust
the input attenuator of the spectrum analyzer for
a signal level that just reaches the 0 dBm level
at the top of the graticule.
4) Referring to figure 3, connect the generator test
lead to one side of the antenna system and the
spectrum analyzer to the other then observe the
signal level. The difference between the
observed level and 0 dBm is the isolation
between the sections. If the signal is too weak
to observe, the spectrum analyzer’s bandwidth
Signal Generator
External
Antenna
(YAGI)
Spectrum Analyzer
Isolation (dB)
Zero Loss
Reference
Internal
Signal Distribution
System
(Omni-directional
Antennas)
Figure 3: Typical test equipment interconnection for measuring antenna isolation.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 12
may have to be narrowed and it’s input attenua-
tion reduced. The isolation value measured
should exceed the signal booster’s gain figure
by at least 15 dB.
5) Repeat step 4 again with the signal generator
set at the passband edges in order to see if the
isolation is remaining relatively constant over
the complete width of the passband.
6) Repeat the isolation measurements if neces-
sary at other system passbands to determine
the overall minimum isolation value for the sys-
tem. Physical modification of the antenna sys-
tem maybe required in order to reach an
acceptable minimum value.
RF EXPOSURE
To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance
requirements, a separation distance of at least 90
cm must be maintained between the Donor
antenna of this device and all persons. To comply
with FCC RF exposure compliance requirements, a
separation distance of at least 22.2 cm must be
maintained between the DAS antenna of this
device and all persons. This device must not be co-
located or operating in conjunction with any other
antenna or transmitter.
EXPOSITION RF
Pour conformer aux exigences d'exposition de
FCC RF, une distance de séparation d'au moins 90
cm doit être maintenue entre les Donor antenne de
cet appareil et toutes les personnes. Pour con-
former aux exigences d'exposition de FCC RF, une
distance de séparation d'au moins 22.2 cm doit
être maintenue entre les DAS antenne de cet
appareil et toutes les personnes. Cet appareil ne
doit pas être co-localisé ou exploités en conjonc-
tion avec toute autre antenne ou transmetteur.
SIGNAL FLOW BLOCK DIAGRAM
Figure 4 is the signal flow block diagram of the
standard signal booster model 614. Figure 5
shows the front view of the booster cabinet. In the
Digital Booster design the channel modules are bi-
directional with each module containing one down-
link branch and one uplink branch. The branches
are functionally identical because the same circuit
board designs are used in each branch. The uplink
and downlink branches may be programmed to any
frequency in the appropriate band.
Figure 4: Signal flow block diagram of the signal booster.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 13
Uplink and Downlink Input Signals
Uplink input signals are picked up by the DAS
antenna and are passed through an isolator before
being applied to a bandpass filter. The signals pass
through the filter and are fed into the uplink input
port of the channel module. Downlink input signals
are picked up by the Donor antenna and are
passed through an isolator before being applied to
a bandpass filter. The signals pass through the fil-
ter and are applied to the downlink input port of the
channel module.
Channel Module
The uplink input signals and the downlink input sig-
nals are applied to a down-converter board when
they enter the channel module. Within the channel
module input signals are down converted, digitized,
and DSP filtering is performed. There are two
styles of Channel modules available, a 14 filter ver-
Figure 5: Front view of the booster.
Channel Module
Control
Board
Power
Supply
Filters Power
Amplifier
Circulator
Circulator
Line
Filters
Circuit
Breakers
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 14
sion and a 30 filter version. After DSP filtering the
analog signal is recreated and up converted with
an up-converter board to the original frequency
before being output from the channel module at the
downlink and uplink output ports.
Up converter boards are available in two different
styles including low level and high level. If the sig-
nal booster is a high-power model then a low level
up converter board is used in the channel module.
If the booster is a low power model then high level
up converter boards are used. Signal booster mod-
els that have the fiber-optic option installed in them
have enhanced down-converter boards that are
capable of dealing with the low level signals from
the optical conversion.
Location Label Possible
States Causes Action
to take
Bottom of channel module DL/UL PWR Green solid FPGA successfully loaded None
Bottom of channel module DL/UL PWR Off Issue with board Return to factory
Bottom of channel module DL/UL COM Red flashes Exchanging data with con-
trol board None
Bottom of channel module DL/UL COM Red solid Exchanging data with con-
trol board None
Bottom of channel module DL/UL COM Off No data exchanging None
Bottom of channel module DL/UL COM
Always Off and it
is expected to
flash
No data exchanging Check cabling; return con-
trol board to factory
Bottom of channel module DL/UL DAC Red solid DAC overflow Lower output power setting
Bottom of channel module DL/UL DAC Off DAC normal operation None
Bottom of channel module DL/UL ADC Red solid ADC overflow Increase down converter
attenuation
Bottom of channel module DL/UL ADC Off ADC normal operation None
Control board Ctrl LED Off no power, no bootloader,
no program Return to factory
Control board Ctrl LED Orange bootloader installed, no
program
return to factory or perform
field update
Control board Ctrl LED Red Control board detected a
fault
Address fault condition.
Contact factory
Control board Ctrl LED Green solid Control board normal oper-
ation None
Power Amplifier PWR Green solid 6 VDC supply to Amplifier
is OK None
Power Amplifier PWR Off No supply voltage check power supply and
cabling
Power Amplifier PA OFF Off Power Amp normal opera-
tion None
Power Amplifier PA OFF Red solid Over current, over temp Amp shut down, contact
factory
Table 3: Subassembly LED descriptions.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 15
Uplink and Downlink Output Signals
Uplink output signals leave the channel module at
the UL OUT port. The signals are then passed on
to a power amplifier stage. The output of the power
amplifier is passed through a filter then radiated
from the donor antenna. Note: When the booster is
operated at the maximum uplink output power level
(+37 dBm) the gain of the donor antenna should be
limited to 0 dBi.
Downlink output signals leave the channel module
at the DL OUT port. The signals are then passed
on to a power amplifier stage. The output of the
power amplifier is passed through a filter then radi-
ated from the DAS antenna. Note: When the
booster is operated at the maximum downlink out-
put power level (+37 dBm) the gain of the DAS
antenna should be limited to 0 dBi. We recommend
the use of a Ceiling Mount DAS Antenna from Frac-
tal Antenna Systems inc. part # UACM.
SYSTEM SETUP
The filter bandwidths can be programmed up to 3
MHz wide occupied bandwidth as long as operat-
ing in Class B mode. If in Class A mode the occu-
pied filter bandwidth is limited to 75 KHz.
Typically the filter bandwidth is usually kept small,
such as one of the predefined bandwidths of 12.5
KHz, 25 KHz, or 12.5 KHz low delay. In areas
where group delay is a concern the filter rejection
bandwidths or rejection amount can be modified
using the filter design tool.
When programming a filter for wide-
band it is important to note that the fil-
ter cannot be programmed wider than
the hardware filter being used in the
booster design (typically 1.5 MHz for
the 470-488 range and 3 MHz for the
450-470 range).
When the booster is shipped from the factory it is
programmed in a generic fashion as follows; the
first wideband filter will be set to 500 KHz above
the lowest frequency in the band, the second wide-
band filter will be set to the center frequency of the
band, and the third wideband filter will be set to 500
KHz below the highest frequency in the band. All of
these filters will be set up as 12.5 KHz low delay fil-
ters. Changes to this initial setup are the cus-
tomer’s responsibility. If you need help with
programming your frequencies please contact your
sales representative at Bird Technologies.
OPERATION
Power is applied to the digital booster by plugging
in the AC or DC power cord (depending on how the
system was configured for input power), then turn-
ing the circuit breakers inside the cabinet to the ON
position. The breakers are ganged so they function
as a 2-pole switch, see Figure 6.
NOTE
Figure 6: On/Off Circuit breakers.
Figure 7: Alarm Form-C Contacts.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 16
When the unit is powered ON there are LED’s
located on several of the subassemblies within the
cabinet that will become illuminated to indicate the
ON condition. The function of each of these indica-
tor LED’s are listed in Table 3.
Alarm Form-C Contacts
The ALARM Form-C relay contacts are located on
the back panel of the unit as shown in Figure 7.
These screw terminals are intended for connection
to the customer’s supervisory and data acquisition
system. Both normally open and normally closed
contacts are available. The system will alarm when
an over current or high temperature event occurs in
a channel module or power amplifier. Also, a DAC
overflow condition can cause the alarm contacts to
change state.
NFPA Compliant Signal Booster
The NFPA style booster system is designed to be
compliant with the national public safety in-building
codes issued in the International Fire Code (IFC
2009) and the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA-72 2009). The booster system accom-
plishes compliance when used in conjunction with
an appropriate battery backup unit. An optional
battery backup unit is available from Bird Technolo-
gies, model number 6160-H-48-NG. Detailed
installation and operating instructions for the bat-
tery backup unit are included with the backup unit
when it ships from the factory.
The system consists of a signal booster unit as well
as the optional battery backup unit which can pro-
vide up to 24 hours of emergency battery operation
for the booster. The NFPA compliant signal booster
is designed to easily interface to fire alarm panels.
Five alarms are provided which are accessible
through a convenient terminal block location. The
terminal block provides a common access point to
the alarm signal relay contacts. Available alarm
functions include;
SB Failure - this is a summed alarm that is active
when any number of fault conditions arise within
the booster unit such as when an over current or
high temperature event occurs in a channel module
or power amplifier. Also, a DAC overflow condition
can cause the alarm contact to change state.
Loss of AC Power - active when the booster
switches from operating on the AC power supply to
operating on the DC battery backup voltage.
Low Battery Capacity - the source of this alarm is
the battery backup unit and it indicates that the bat-
tery backup voltage level has dropped significantly.
The optional battery backup unit is capable of pro-
viding at least 24 hours of continuous backup
power for the booster.
Charge Fail - the source of this alarm is the battery
backup unit and it indicates failure of the battery
charger. If the battery charger looses AC power
this alarm will be active. It will also indicate when
the battery will not properly charge.
Antenna Malfunction - indicates there is a loss of
cable connection integrity between the signal
booster unit and the remote antenna line sensor.
The alarm terminal strip uses screw terminals for
ease of connection. Route the alarm wires through
one of the access holes in the bottom of the box,
strip about 3/16” of insulation from each end,
loosen the screw terminal, insert and retighten.
Use #20 or #22 gauge insulated wire.
All five of the alarms use “supervising” alarm cir-
cuits. A supervised circuit includes technology that
will detect open or shorted circuits regardless of
Figure 8: Enet connector on the control board.
Enet
Connector
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 17
the alarm status. This is accomplished by using
EOL (end-of-line) resistors at the alarm terminal
strip in the signal booster cabinet. The value of the
EOL resistors is a function of the alarm panel so
you should consult the manual for the alarm panel
when you are determining the resistor value.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOOSTER
The booster provides Ethernet connectivity that
allows access to a web-based user interface for
communicating with the control board, program-
ming the individual filters, checking system status,
etc. Communications will require connecting your
laptop computer to the Enet connector on the con-
trol board. Figure 8 shows the connector. A stan-
dard Ethernet crossover cable is used to make the
connection between your laptop computer and the
booster cabinet. Refer to Appendix A at the back
of this manual for detailed instructions on how to
properly connect your laptop computer to the Enet
port of the booster.
System Summary Submenu
Once your laptop computer is properly connected
to the signal booster the web-based user interface
screen will appear as shown in Figure 9 This is the
System Summary page which shows the IP and
MAC address of the control module. On the left-
hand side of the screen are a list of the major sub-
menus available to the user including System Sum-
mary, Control Panel, Network Configuration, SNMP
Configuration, and User Administration.
When the webpage first comes up,
the Control Panel menu choice will
not be displayed. The user needs to
go to the User Administration Page
and type in the default user name
(admin) and default user password
(admin). After this login function is
performed the Control Page menu
choice will appear.
Place your cursor over a particular menu heading
and left click to make a selection. Each submenu
page contains a group of related functions. With
password protection enabled the user will only be
allowed to view the pages, however the user will
not be able to make changes without entering a
password. After entering a valid password via the
Admin submenu the pages will switch from read-
only to fully interactive.
Password protection is disabled by
default when your system leaves the
factory. To enable password protec-
tion for your system refer to the
ADMIN submenu page for specific
instructions.
Control Panel Submenu
The Control Panel submenu gives the user the abil-
ity to interface with and adjust the RF parameters
of the booster. Five tabs are available on the Con-
trol Panel Page including FILTERS, FILTER
DETAIL, LINK, FFT, and SYSTEM. Each page con-
NOTE
NOTE
Figure 9: System Summary page.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 18
tains a group of related user functions. Each tab of
the Control Panel presents a new screen. Selection
is made by placing your cursor over the tab and
performing a left click.
FILTERS TAB
The Filters page gives an overview of all the filters
associated with each branch in the booster system.
Refer to Figure 10. The link drop-down box allows
you to select which branch you want to overview.
Press the down arrow button and highlight the
desired branch. Each filter is accorded one row in
the display. The first row of displayed data is used
to provide a summation of the input and output
power for the branch. The parameters displayed for
each filter include; Center frequency, Bandwidth,
Channel enabled, Test signal, Squelch, Input signal
level as both a numeric value and a bar graph,
Maximum allowed output level, and Output signal
level as both a numeric value and a bar graph.
Changes to the filters are made from the Filter
Detail page.
A check mark in the box for enable, test signal, and
squelch indicates that function is turned on while
no check mark indicates the function is turned off.
The All Filters area at the top of the page allows
the user to adjust the Maximum Output Level of all
the filters in a branch simultaneously. Use the up or
down arrow to set the level change amount then
press the submit button.
On start-up, the booster validates the
widths of programmed filters. If any
are configured wider than 75 KHz and
the booster is set to Class A mode an
error message as shown in Figure 11
will appear. The offending filter or filters must be
corrected or the booster must be switched to Class
B mode. Refer to the System Page discussion later
in this manual for instructions on switching from
Class A to Class B mode of operation.
FILTER DETAIL TAB
The Filter Detail page is divided into three func-
tional areas which includes two drop down boxes
and a row of command buttons running down the
left side of the screen, a filter details area in the
middle of the screen, and a status area on the right
side of the screen as shown in Figure 12. Once
NOTE
Figure 10: Filters page.
Figure 11: Class A limit exceeded warning message.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 19
you have interactive access to the Filter Detail
page you can begin programming the individual fil-
ters that you want the booster to pass in the uplink
and downlink directions.
The Filter Detail page is designed to interact with
one filter at a time. To program individual filters you
must select the branch and the filter of interest
using the Link and Filter boxes on the left side of
the screen. Once the filter has been selected for
interaction a label can be assigned to the filter by
typing into the name box. Three groups of charac-
teristics need to be defined including frequency
band, OLC, and filter. Frequency band is selected
from a drop down list. Center Frequency and
Desired Output Power must be entered by the user
by clicking in the box and typing in the desired
value. Likewise OLC style is determined with a
drop down box. The two choices are Custom and
APCO 25 Phase 2. OLC Hold time and OLC Decay
time must be entered by the user.
Filter specifics are selected from a drop down list
that includes Custom, 12.5 KHz, 25 KHz, 12.5 KHz
Low Delay, and XML File. Four parameters are
customer adjustable including Occupied Band-
width, Adjacent Channel Offset, Passband Ripple,
and Adjacent Channel Rejection. Delay time is cal-
culated by the software. The four adjustable
parameters are setup using the Design tool, see
the following section of this manual for details.
If a filter passband is selected that
exceeds the Class A limit of 75 KHZ
and Class B operation is not selected
(see discussion in System Page sec-
tion of this manual) then a warning
message will appear as shown in Fig-
ure 13 You MUST set the booster to
the Class B mode of operation if you
have any filter with a passband
greater than 75 KHz.
Design Button
When the Design Filter button is pressed a custom
design template will be displayed as shown in Fig-
ure 14. Boxes for the four required filter parameters
mentioned earlier are shown along with a graphical
representation of the filter’s response curve. Enter
into the four boxes the parameters you want. Click
NOTE
Figure 12: Filter Detail page.
Figure 13: Invalid filter settings warning message.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 20
on the Estimate button at the bottom of the screen
and the software will calculate the Delay time for
you. Press the Design button to design the filter.
The rejection scale of the display can be changed
by making a selection from the “maximum plot
rejection” drop down list. Choices include -10, -50,
and -100 dB scale. When the display is to your sat-
isfaction and does not violate any parameter
ranges press the Save and Close button to exit
back to the filters page then load the design into
the selected filter by pressing the Submit button.
Status Area
The status area of the Filter Detail page uses sta-
tus indicators to let the user know whether the
channel is enabled, if the test signal is on, and if
the carrier squelch is on. When the status indicator
is illuminated the feature is on and when it is dark
the feature is off. The Carrier Squelch status indi-
cator will be green if the channel is squelched. The
Carrier Squelch status indicator will stay dark if
there is no squelching even if the Carrier Squelch
radio button is set to enabled. A test signal can be
generated for any channel within the system or
every channel simultaneously. The output power
box displays the output power for the channel mod-
ule. This value should be close but not necessarily
exactly the same as the “Desired Output Level” dis-
cussed earlier. The box showing output power is
only displayed if the filter is giving an output power.
If the filter is not enabled or there is no signal
present then there would be no value to display.
LINK TAB
The link page is divided into four functional areas
including a row of command buttons running down
the left side of the screen, a link and settings area
in the middle of the screen, and a status area on
the right side of the screen as shown in Figure 15.
The link page is designed to interact with one
branch of a module at a time. The branch that is
selected for interaction is determined by the Link
box on the upper left of the screen. To change the
branch that you are going to interact with click on
the arrow to display the full drop down box. Scroll
down the list until the desired branch is highlighted
and click on it. The data displayed in the link area
of the display screen will now be for the selected
branch.
Figure 14: The design filter interactive display screen.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 21
Command Buttons
Clicking on a command button (located on the
extreme left-hand side of the filters page) performs
the associated task immediately. The Submit and
Reload buttons in the bottom left corner allow any
changes you make to the display/interface boxes to
be downloaded to the booster. The Submit and
Reload buttons act like a trigger sending any
changes you made in the interface boxes to the
channel module as well as updating any displayed
data from the module, but only after the button is
pressed. Individual branches or all branches can
be enabled or disabled using the enable/disable
buttons.
Link and Settings Area
The link portion of the area displays status informa-
tion for the branch. The Settings area is a user
interactive area where the field engineer can pro-
gram the operating characteristics of the selected
branch. Each parameter in the settings area can be
changed by clicking in the box and typing in the
new values or by pointing at an arrow to display a
drop down box. Most of the adjustable parameters
have adjustment limitations as applicable.
The parameters include turning on/off the use of an
external 10 MHz reference signal when an external
reference is available. If an external reference is
not available then leave this feature off and the sys-
tem will operate from the internal 10 MHz signal.
The AGC Reference Level should be set to the cal-
ibration value which is -15 dBFS. The ADC refer-
ence level can be adjusted when excessively
strong input signals are present. The Maximum
Output Power is the desired output power level
from the booster for the selected branch. The Max
Gain allows the user to determine the maximum
operating gain of the booster. This can be adjusted
based on your antenna isolation.
The changes you make in the Settings area are
only applicable to the selected branch. After you
have made changes to the various parameters
press the Submit command interface button (lower
left corner of the screen) in order to copy the
changes into the channel module itself.
Status Area
The status area of the link page lets the user know
the status of the channel module and power ampli-
fier if a power amplifier is used in the system
design. The status for seven parameters are con-
veyed by the status indicator next to the parameter
name. When the status indicator is green it indi-
cates that the parameter is on and when it is black
it indicates the parameter is off. In the case of the
Alarm (Summed Alarm), ADC Overflow, and DAC
Figure 15: The Link page.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 22
overflow, the status indicator will turn red during a
fault condition.
When the Summed Alarm indicator is
red, if the cursor is placed over the
indicator, a message tab will appear
briefly describing the reason for the
alarm condition.
Seven additional parameters are displayed with
numerical values. The first group of parameters
using a status indicator include; Enabled which
indicates whether the branch is on or off, Ext Ref
which indicates whether the system is running on
an external or internal 10 MHz clock signal, and
Down and Up LO Lock which indicate if the down
converter and up converter local oscillators are
synchronized to their respective RF signals. The
second group of parameters using a status indica-
tor will be black under normal conditions and will
turn red to indicate a fault. The Alarm indicator is a
summed alarm and will activate when either the
module or power amplifier temperature/current
exceeds their normal range. Also, the Form-C con-
tacts inside the cabinet will change states. ADC or
DAC Overflow indicator shows that the input power
to the branch is too high.
The first four numerical parameters are real-time
indications of the module and power amplifier tem-
perature/current values. AGC Attenuation updates
in real-time and provides an indication of what the
AGC is doing. Input Power is a summation of all the
input signals to the branch. Output power also
updates in real-time and indicates the composite
power output for the branch. If a fault occurs, press
the Clear Errors button on the left side of the
screen. If the error reappears right away then trou-
bleshooting will need to take place.
FFT TAB
A Fast Fourier Transform feature is built into the
system software. This feature allows the user the
ability to display the output spectrum of the booster
in an amplitude versus frequency display. Pressing
the FFT tab will display the FFT screen as shown
in Figure 16. The FFT screen allows the user to
look at one link at a time. All of the signals input or
output from that link of the channel module can be
displayed. Also, any filters that are enabled can be
shown (see white waveform in example).
SYSTEM TAB
The system tab lists the control board software ver-
sions. A customer-designated location name can
be recorded and is useful in situations where multi-
ple boosters are used in the overall system design.
There is also a system logbook available on the
bottom of this page for use by field engineers when
working on the system. Refer to Figure 17.
NOTE
Figure 16: The FFT page.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 23
Oscillation Detection
This feature shuts off the output signals from the
booster for both the uplink and downlink whenever
an oscillation condition is detected. Oscillation
detection occurs whenever port to port isolation
falls down to 25 dB or less. For normal operation
the port to port isolation needs to be at least 10 dB
greater than the gain of the booster. There are four
modes of operation for the Oscillation Detection
feature including Ignore, Alarm, Shutdown, and
Shutdown/Retry.
In the Ignore mode the booster will ignore oscilla-
tion events. In the Alarm mode the booster will gen-
erate a alarm notification by illuminating (turn RED)
the alarm button on the Link Tab and illuminating
(turn RED) an LED indicator on the control module.
The Shutdown mode is the same as Alarm mode
except the booster shuts off the output signals in
both the uplink and downlink direction. The shut-
down continues until the filters are re-enabled and
the alarm is reset. The Shutdown/Retry mode is
the same as the Shutdown mode except the
booster will retry operation the number of times
specified by the user. This is called the retry limit
which is entered into the associated box on the
System Page. How long the booster waits between
each retry attempt is determined by the retry inter-
val. After the retry limit is reached, if the booster is
till experiencing an oscillation condition, the
booster will enter the regular shutdown mode. The
Shutdown/ Retry mode is useful in situations where
brief transient overdrive signals are occurring.
Class B Enable
In order to operate the booster with a filter pass-
band greater than 75 KHz the booster MUST be
configured as a Class B booster and the customer
must register the booster online with the FCC.
Class B operation is enabled by checking the box
labeled “Enable Class B Operation”. When the box
is checked a warning message will be displayed as
shown in Figure 18 reminding the user to register
the booster with the FCC.
Figure 17: The System page.
Figure 18: Starting Class B operation message.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 24
Network Configuration Submenu
Values for IP Address, Netmask, the Gateway and
MAC Address are displayed on the network config-
uration page. Refer to Figure 19.
The network configuration page allows the user to
enable or disable DCHP. The Dynamic Host Con-
trol Protocol (DHCP) is a standardized networking
protocol used on IP networks for dynamically dis-
tributing network configuration parameters, such as
IP addresses for interfaces and services. With
DHCP, computers request IP addresses and net-
working parameters automatically from a DHCP
server, reducing the need for a network administra-
tor or a user to configure these settings manually.
The DCHP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
is either active or inactive. When DCHP is active
the values for IP address, netmask, and gateway
are set to zero. When the DCHP is inactive (default
setting from the factory) the IP address, netmask,
and gateway values can be modified by the user by
typing the desired values into the associated box
and pressing the submit button. The customer
should consult with their IT department to deter-
mine whether DCHP should be active or inactive.
Figure 19: The Network Configuration display.
Figure 20: The Admin Page.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 25
User Administration Submenu
The User Administration submenu allows the user
to enable password protection for the web-based
interface program. The boxes on this page are
interactive. To make changes click inside the box
and a cursor will appear. Refer to Figure 20. The
user is queried for a User Name and Password.
The default user name is “admin” and the default
password is “admin”. Once the correct user name
and password are entered then a menu box for cre-
ating a new user will be presented. To create a new
user enter the new user name and associated
password. Confirm the new password by entering it
again and then press the Submit button. Make sure
you write down the new user name and password
for safe keeping.
SNMP Configuration Submenu
The SNMP feature is designed to provide reliable
internet notification of an alarm occurrence or a
change in operational status of the TTA system.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is
an Internet-standard protocol for managing devices
on IP networks. In order to configure the booster as
an SNMP device the following values need to be
entered; the IP address, Authentication type, User
name (this field must have a value or traps will not
be sent), Password, Encryption type, and the
Encryption passphrase. Figure 21 shows the
SNMP Configuration display.
The three destination IP addresses that are
entered into the table should be the IP addresses
of the computers that you want the traps to be sent
to. The destination computer must have trap
receiver software installed and running. The trap
receiver software is available for download.
Authentication type can be either none or MD5.
The User Name field must have a value entered
with the associated user name password optional.
Encryption type can be either none or MD5 with
the associated encryption passphrase as optional.
Whenever values in the SNMP Configuration
screen are changed you must click on the submit
button to save the changes.
INITIAL SETUP
When the TTA system is installed the SNMP fea-
ture should be setup for proper communications.
There are several steps required for proper setup
of the SNMP feature as listed below.
1) Connect a laptop directly to the TTA deck. Refer
to Appendix A for detailed instructions on how
to make a direct connection. The TTA deck is
shipped from the factory setup for static IP
addressing with a default IP address of
“192.168.1.1” and the factory default subnet
mask is “255.255.255.0”. Change the factory
default IP address of the TTA deck to one pro-
vided by your IT department.
Figure 21: SNMP Configuration Page.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 26
2) Use the Network Configuration to setup the
DHCP as either active or inactive. When DHCP
is inactive the deck will be using a static IP and
the user must enter values for IP address, net-
mask, and gateway. Make sure you consult with
your IT department regarding setting DCHP
active or inactive.
3) Use the SNMP Configuration to enter up to
three destination device addresses. These are
addresses where the SNMP feature will send
traps whenever a qualifying event takes place.
Qualifying events are listed in the section of this
manual under the title Trap Receiver GUI.
4) Load trap receiver software into the destination
SNMP computer/manager(s), so it will be able
to decipher the SNMP traps. The trap receiver
software (called a MIB file) will be supplied by
Bird Technologies as a downloadable file.
TRAP RECEIVER GUI
The trap receiver software (MIB file) provides a
GUI interface for the user so that traps sent from
the TTA deck can be received and displayed for
viewing. The trap receiver software must be down-
loaded from Bird Technologies and installed on
your computer (destination computer). The soft-
ware must be running on your machine in order to
receive and display traps from the TTA deck. The
GUI interface is shown in Figure 22.
The SNMP feature does not send
traps when the web page is opera-
tional.
When a qualifying event occurs in the system a
trap message is formulated and sent to the desti-
nation computer, Typical trap messages are shown
in figure 19. To interpret the meaning of the trap
message it must be examined in detail for an inte-
ger value which is imbedded in the message. Dou-
ble clicking on the message will allow you to see
the imbedded details. When a trap message is
double clicked a details window will be presented
as shown in Figure 23. The details window will dis-
play the integer in the value column of the Variable
Bindings table. The definition of what the integer
means is listed in Table 4. Closing the Trap Details
window will return the user to the Trap Receiver
GUI.
NOTE
Figure 23: Trap details.
Integer
Value
Figure 22: Trap Receiver GUI interface.
Integer Fault Description
Value TBD
Value TBD
Value TBD
Table 4: Integer fault definitions.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 27
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
Signals boosters manufactured by Bird Technolo-
gies can perform for years with little maintenance
and repair. However, if the amplifiers are subjected
to excessively high signal levels, power surges or
lightning strikes, failures may occur. The following
procedures may be followed for detecting a mal-
functioning subassembly or as part of a periodic
maintenance program.
1) Heatsink areas should be clear of dust and
debris.
2) Inspect the unit to see that all LED indicators
are illuminated correctly. Check all hardware
and cable connections for tightness.
3) Compare system performance to initial perfor-
mance levels measured when the system was
installed.
Power Amplifier Replacement
The SBIII power amplifiers are field replaceable.
Follow the steps listed below in sequential order.
The required tools are a 3/32” hex head driver.
1) Turn off power to the signal booster.
2) Disconnect the 28 VDC power cable.
3) Disconnect the COM cable.
4) Disconnect the RF In cable.
5) Disconnect the RF Out cable.
6) Remove the 12 hold down screws (3/32” hex
head) that hold the power amplifier assembly to
the cabinet. The screw heads are accessible
from the heatsink side of the assembly. Refer to
Figure 24.
7) Remove the assembly by puling it away from
the cabinet.
8) To install the replacement amplifier reverse
steps 7 thru 2. When replacing the RF cables
do not overtighten the SMA connectors. They
should be tightened just slightly more than hand
tight or to the specification of 7 in/lbs. The
amplifier assembly comes with an O-ring gasket
which must press up against the outside of the
cabinet firmly and squarely in order to provide a
correct moisture seal.
Figure 24: Remove mounting screws to detach power amp from cabinet.
Remove Screws
Remove Screws
Remove
Screws
Remove
Screws
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 28
Channel Module Replacement
The SBIII channel module is field replaceable. Fol-
low the steps listed below in sequential order. The
required tools are a 5/32” hex head driver.
1) Turn off power to the signal booster.
2) Disconnect the 6 VDC power cable. The power
input cable is located at the top of the module
next to the LED indicators.
3) Disconnect the COM cable. The COM cable is
located at the top of the module next to the LED
indicators. There may be one or two COM
cables depending on the boosters configura-
tion. It is important to re-attach the correct COM
cable to the correct plug so it is a good idea to
mark the cables as you remove them from the
module so as to avoid confusion later during re-
installation.
4) Remove the control cable. The control cable is
located at the bottom of the module and has a
white plastic pull tab on it.
5) Disconnect the downlink and uplink RF cables.
6) Remove the 12 hold down screws (5/32” hex
head) that hold the channel module assembly
to the cabinet. The screw heads are accessible
from the heatsink side of the assembly. Refer to
Figure 25.
7) Remove the assembly by pulling it away from
the cabinet.
8) To install the replacement channel module
reverse steps 7 through 2. When replacing the
RF cables do not overtighten the SMA connec-
tors. They should be tightened just slightly more
than hand tight or to the specification of 7 in/lbs.
The channel module assembly comes with an
O-ring gasket which must press up against the
outside of the cabinet firmly and squarely in
order to provide a correct moisture seal.
Control Module Replacement
The SBIII Control Module is field replaceable. Fol-
low the steps listed below in sequential order. The
required tools are a 5/16” nut driver, a #2 Phillips
screwdriver, and a small flat blade screwdriver
(jewelers screwdriver).
1) Turn off power to the signal booster.
Figure 25: Remove mounting screws to detach channel module from cabinet.
Remove Screws
Remove Screws
Remove
Screws
Remove
Screws
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 29
2) Disconnect the 6 VDC power connector on the
lower left side of the module.
3) Disconnect the control cable (one for each
channel module). The control cable is located at
the lower left side of the control module and has
a white plastic pull tab on it.
4) Disconnect (3) Form-C control lines from the
top of the module. The lines are connected to a
terminal strip on the control module. The termi-
nal screws can be accessed through a slot on
the front of the control module. Use a small flat
blade screw driver (jewelers screwdriver).
6) The control module is held in place with either
mounting bolts or Phillips screws. Use a 5/16”
nut driver to remove mounting bolts or a #2 Phil-
lips screwdriver to remove mounting screws. Lift
the module up and out of the cabinet.
7) Reverse steps 6 through 2 to install the new
control module assembly.
Power Supply Replacement
The SBIII Control Module is field replaceable. Fol-
low the steps listed below in sequential order. The
required tools are a 5/32” hex head driver.
1) Turn off power to the signal booster.
2) Disconnect the AC plug on the right side of the
supply.
3) Disconnect the three (6 Volt) DC Output plugs
on the left side of the supply.
4) Disconnect the three (28 Volt) DC Output plugs
on the left side of the supply.
5) Remove the 12 hold down screws (5/32” hex
head) that hold the power supply assembly to
the cabinet. The screw heads are accessible
from the heatsink side of the assembly. Refer to
Figure 26.
6) Remove the assembly by puling it away from
the cabinet.
7) To install the replacement power supply reverse
steps 6 through 2. The power supply assembly
comes with an O-ring gasket which must press
up against the outside of the cabinet firmly and
squarely in order to provide a correct moisture
seal.
Figure 26: Remove mounting screws to detach power supply from cabinet.
Remove Screws
Remove Screws
Remove
Screws
Remove
Screws
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 30
ETHERNET CONNECTIVITY
The front panel User Interface connector on the
booster provides for 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet con-
nection using the TCP-IP protocol. This product
feature allows access to a web-based interface for
programming the individual modules within the
booster. The web based interface requires a JAVA
runtime environment (version 1.6.0 or later) to be
installed on your laptop. The JAVA software can be
downloaded free of charge from the Sun Microsys-
tems website found at “http://java.com/en/down-
load/index.jsp”. The booster is shipped from the
factory with a default IP address of “192.168.1.1”.
Two connection schemes are discussed including a
direct connection from your laptop computer to the
booster front panel as well as connecting the
booster to a networked environment. A direct con-
nection (at the installation site) should be estab-
lished the first time you interface to the booster
using the fixed IP mentioned above. Once the initial
communications are established the IP address in
the booster can be changed to permit a networked
connection (from a remote site such as your office).
Direct Connection
Your initial connection to the booster system should
be a direct connection to the front panel using an
Ethernet crossover cable. Figure A1 shows the
proper way to interconnect the equipment as well
as the pinout for a CAT-5 crossover cable.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
Cat-5 Crossover Cable
Laptop Computer with a network interface card
installed. In addition, the JAVA run-time environ-
ment version 1.6.0 or later, and a web browser
such as Internet Explorer must also be installed on
the laptop.
PROCEDURE
To connect your laptop computer to the front panel
LAN port and access the web page interface, per-
form the following steps;
1) Insure the JAVA runtime environment software is
installed on your laptop.
2) Connect your laptop network port to the LAN
connector on the booster front panel using a
standard CAT-5 Crossover cable.
The front panel LAN connector
has two built-in bi-color status
LED’s which will aid you in estab-
lishing communications. The
meaning of each LED is shown in
Table A1.
3) The left-most (LINK) status LED built-in to the
LAN port connector should illuminate amber or
green indicating that a good physical connec-
tion is established between your computer and
the booster.
4) Insure that your laptop’s IP address is compati-
ble with the default address of the signal
booster system. This may require changes be
made to the Ethernet adaptor address on your
laptop (refer to Appendix B). Your laptop’s IP
address will need to be set to “192.168.1.2”
along with a subnet mask of “255.255.255.0”.
The right-most (ACTIVITY) status LED built-in
to the LAN port connector will turn amber or
green indicating good TCP-IP communications
are established between the laptop and the
booster.
5) Launch your web browser software on the lap-
top.
NOTE
APPENDIX A
Front Panel Ethernet Connectivity
LINK LED (left side) ACTIVITY LED (right side)
Color Meaning Color Meaning
Off No Link Off No Activity
Amber 10 Mbps Amber Half-Duplex
Green 100 Mbps Green Full-Duplex
Table A1: LAN port status LED’s
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 31
6) In your web browsers address box type-in the
address of the booster “http://192.168.1.1” and
press the ENTER key. The web page interface
to the booster should appear in your laptop’s
browser window. When you launch the web
page you may notice that the JAVA applet will
load first.
Networked Connection
Before attempting a networked connection to the
signal booster system consult with your IT support
personnel for information concerning the correct IP
address to use and any additional connectivity
issues such as firewalls. Once you have the correct
IP address you will need to direct connect to the
booster system as discussed in the earlier section
of this appendix and reconfigure the booster LAN
port with this new address. You can then connect
the signal booster system using a straight-through
CAT-5 cable to the networked environment and
interface to it from a remote computer. Figure A2
shows the proper way to interconnect the equip-
ment for a networked connection as well as the
pinout for a straight-thru CAT-5 cable.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
Cat-5 Straight-thru Cable
Laptop Computer with a network interface card
installed. In addition, the JAVA run-time environ-
ment version 1.6.0 or later, and a web browser
such as Internet Explorer must also be installed on
the laptop.
1
4
7
6
3
5
8
2
1
4
7
6
3
5
8
2
Orange/White
Orange
Green/White
Blue
Blue/White
Green
Brown/White
Brown
Green/White
Green
Orange/White
Blue
Blue/White
Orange
Brown/White
Brown
Transmit (1 & 2)
Receive (3 & 6) Transmit (3 & 6)
Receive (1& 2)
Pins 4, 5, 7 and 8 are not used
Pin Pin
CAT-5 Cross-Over Cable
18 18
Figure A1: Direct connection to the booster using crossover cable.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 32
1
4
7
6
3
5
8
2
1
4
7
6
3
5
8
2
Orange/White
Orange
Green/White
Blue
Blue/White
Green
Brown/White
Brown
Orange/White
Orange
Green/White
Blue
Blue/White
Green
Brown/White
Brown
Transmit (1 & 2)
Receive (3 & 6) Transmit (3 & 6)
Receive (1& 2)
Pins 4, 5, 7 and 8 are not used
Pin Pin
1234
4 Port Ethernet Hub
1234
4 Port Ethernet Hub
CAT-5
Straight-Through
Cable
Modem/Router Modem/Router
Remote PC System
Internet
18 18
Figure A2: WAN connection to the booster using straight-through cable.
![](/img.php?id=2614564&img=bg21.png)
Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 33
PROCEDURE
Before a networked connection can be established,
the booster LAN Port must be changed to an IP
address that’s compatible with your network. If you
are unsure how to determine this address check
with your IT support personnel. To connect the
booster LAN port to a networked environment and
access the web page interface, perform the follow-
ing steps;
1) Change the boosters LAN port IP address. To
do this, direct connect your laptop to the
booster as discussed in the earlier section of
this appendix titled “Direct Connection” and fol-
low steps 1 through 4.
2) Launch the configuration Applet in your web
browser.
3) Click the “Admin” tab at the top of the interface
display screen.
4) To be safe, take note of the settings currently
displayed.
5) Select the “User Static IP” radio button.
6) Enter the following settings provided by your
network administrator;
A) IP Address
B) Subnet Mask
C) Gateway Address
7) Click the “Submit” button to apply the changes.
8) Once the changes have been successfully
applied close your web browser.
9) Launch the configuration Applet in your web
browser using the newly entered IP address.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 34
When you initially direct connect your laptop ser-
vice computer to the booster it will be necessary to
change the computers IP address. The procedure
for doing this varies depending upon your operat-
ing system. As an example, this appendix illus-
trates how to make the change using the Microsoft
XP operating system. The procedure for other
operating systems will vary slightly from this exam-
ple. Consult with your IT support personnel if
needed. To change the IP address (assuming the
Microsoft XP operating system is being used) per-
form the following in a step-by-step fashion;
1) Select “Start” from the status menu.
2) Single click the “Control Panel” choice from the
“Start” pop-up menu as shown in Figure B1.
3) From the “Control Panel” icon selections double
click on the “Network Connections” icon. Refer
to Figure B2.
4) When the “Network Connections” folder opens
double click on the “Local Area Connection”
icon. See Figure B3.
5) The “Local Area Connection Status” box will
open. Single click the “Properties” tab as shown
in Figure B4. Note: If you do not have the cable
connected between the service computer and
the booster front panel the “Local Area Connec-
tion Status” box will not open. Instead proceed
to step 6.
6) The “Local Area Connection Properties” box will
open. Use the arrow buttons to scroll down the
list until the “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” choice
is highlighted as shown in Figure B5. Click the
“Properties” tab at the right-center of the box.
7) Select the “Use the following IP address” bub-
ble. Make sure the circle is filled-in. Refer to
Figure B6.
8) Enter the new IP address and subnet mask val-
ues as shown in Figure B7. To interface your
computer to the signal booster use an IP
address of “192.168.1.2” and a subnet mask of
“ 255.255.255.0”.
9) Click on the “OK” tab to initiate the changes.
This completes the procedure. Close any open
boxes.
APPENDIX B
Changing Your Service Computers IP Address
Figure B1: Choose the “Control panel” icon.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 35
Figure B2: Select the “Network Connections” icon.
Figure B3: Select the “Local Area Connection” icon.
![](/img.php?id=2614564&img=bg24.png)
Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 36
Figure B4: Select the “Properties” tab.
Figure B5: Make sure the “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” choice is highlighted. Then select “OK”.
![](/img.php?id=2614564&img=bg25.png)
Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 37
Figure B6: Select “Use the Following IP Address”.
Figure B7: Enter the new IP Address and Subnet mask Values.
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 38
CELCIUS FAHRENHEIT
105 221.0
104 219.2
103 217.4
102 215.6
101 213.8
100 212.0
99 210.2
98 208.4
97 206.6
96 204.8
95 203.0
94 201.2
93 199.4
92 197.6
91 195.8
90 194.0
89 192.2
88 190.4
87 188.6
86 186.8
85 185.0
84 183.2
83 181.4
82 179.6
81 177.8
80 176.0
79 174.2
78 172.4
77 170.6
76 168.8
75 167.0
74 165.2
73 163.4
72 161.6
71 159.8
70 158.0
69 156.2
68 154.4
67 152.6
66 150.8
65 149.0
64 147.2
63 145.4
62 143.6
61 141.8
60 140.0
59 138.2
58 136.4
57 134.6
56 132.8
55 131.0
54 129.2
53 127.4
52 125.6
51 123.8
50 122.0
49 120.2
48 118.4
47 116.6
46 114.8
45 113.0
44 111.2
43 109.4
42 107.6
41 105.8
40 104.0
39 102.2
38 100.4
37 98.6
36 96.8
35 95.0
34 93.2
33 91.4
32 89.6
31 87.8
30 86.0
29 84.2
28 82.4
CELCIUS FAHRENHEIT
27 80.6
26 78.8
25 77.0
24 75.2
23 73.4
22 71.6
21 69.8
20 68.0
19 66.2
18 64.4
17 62.6
16 60.8
15 59.0
14 57.2
13 55.4
12 53.6
11 51.8
10 50.0
948.2
8 46.4
744.6
6 42.8
541.0
4 39.2
337.4
2 35.6
133.8
0 32.0
-1 30.2
-2 28.4
-3 26.6
-4 24.8
-5 23.0
-6 21.2
-7 19.4
-8 17.6
-9 15.8
-10 14.0
-11 12.2
CELCIUS FAHRENHEIT
-12 10.4
-13 8.6
-14 6.8
-15 5.0
-16 3.2
-17 1.4
-18 -0.4
-19 -2.2
-20 -4.0
-21 -5.8
-22 -7.6
-23 -9.4
-24 -11.2
-25 -13.0
-26 -14.8
-27 -16.6
-28 -18.4
-29 -20.2
-30 -22.0
-31 -23.8
-32 -25.6
-33 -27.4
-34 -29.2
-35 -31.0
-36 -32.8
-37 -34.6
-38 -36.4
-39 -38.2
-40 -40.0
-41 -41.8
-42 -43.6
-43 -45.4
-44 -47.2
-45 -49.0
-46 -50.8
-47 -52.6
-48 -54.4
-49 -56.2
-50 -58.0
CELCIUS FAHRENHEIT
Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion Table
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 39
Return Loss vs. VSWR
Return Loss VSWR
30 1.06
25 1.11
20 1.20
19 1.25
18 1.28
17 1.33
16 1.37
15 1.43
14 1.50
13 1.57
12 1.67
11 1.78
10 1.92
92.10
Watts to dBm
Watts dBm
300 54.8
250 54.0
200 53.0
150 51.8
100 50.0
75 48.8
50 47.0
25 44.0
20 43.0
15 41.8
10 40.0
537.0
436.0
334.8
233.0
130.0
dBm = 10log P/1mW
Where P = power (Watt)
Insertion Loss
Input Power (Watts)
50 75 100 125 150 200 250 300
325 38 50 63 75 100 125 150
2.5 28 42 56 70 84 112 141 169
232 47 63 79 95 126 158 189
1.5 35 53 71 88 106 142 177 212
140 60 79 99 119 159 199 238
.5 45 67 89 111 134 178 223 267
Output Power (Watts)
Insertion Loss
Free Space Loss
Distance (miles)
.25 .50 .75 12510 15
150 68 74 78 80 86 94 100 104
220 71 77 81 83 89 97 103 107
460 78 84 87 90 96 104 110 113
860 83 89 93 95 101 109 115 119
940 84 90 94 96 102 110 116 120
1920 90 96 100 102 108 116 122 126
Free Space Loss (dB)
Free space loss = 36.6 + 20log D + 20log F
Where D = distance in miles and F = frequency in MHz
Frequency (MHz)
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Bird Technologies Manual 7-9558-2.3 05/14/15 Page 40
8625 Industrial Parkway, Angola, NY 14006 Tel: 716-549-4700 Fax: 716-549-4772 sales@birdrf.com www.bird-technologies.com