Kaelus PIM Fundamentals

Passive Intermodulation Fundamentals
Jay R. Maple
Applications Engineer
303.378.3475
Smiths Group PLC

Global Technology Company
Listed on the London Stock
Exchange
22,000 employees, Active in 50
countries
2010 sales = $5.4 Billion USD
New company name

Kaelus is global company that designs and manufactures complex and
technically sophisticated RF products for use in the rapidly growing wireless
communications market.
We are not a new company but the consolidation of some leading industry
brands within Wireless Telecoms: Triasx, Summitek, Allrizon and the commercial
division of TRAK Microwave Ltd.
Test Instrument Heritage

Summitek Instruments: Denver, CO
Founded in 1996, Acquired by Smiths in 2001
Summiteks primary business is manufacturing Passive
Intermodulation (PIM) test equipment
>800 Bench-top PIM systems worldwide
Triasx: Brisbane, Australia

Founded in 1995, Acquired by Smiths in 2008
Recognized leader in the design and manufacture of
innovative RF filter based products
Pioneered development of Portable PIM systems with Telstra
in Australia in 2004
Partnership with Summitek in 2007
>1000 Portable PIM systems worldwide
#1 PIM Test Equipment manufacturer

worldwide.
What is Passive InterModulation (PIM)

PIM = Interference
PIM = Noise generated by Tx signals interacting with

materials in the RF path
PIM = Reduced BTS Coverage and Capacity
What causes PIM?

Anything introducing distortion within the RF path;
Loose / inconsistent metal to metal contacts
Not enough contact pressure.
Cracked solder joints
Cold solder joints
Scratches or dents at mating interfaces
Burrs
Metal flakes, chips, dust
Improperly formed / sized parts
Misaligned parts
Rough mating surfaces (saw cut)
Loose bolts
Ferromagnetic materials (steel, nickel, etc.)
Contamination
Trapped between mating surfaces
Trapped between plating layers
Surface Oxides.
The result
MANY unwanted frequencies are generated.
Desired
Interference
Interference
f
1
f -f
2 1
2f -f
3f -2f 1 2
4f -3f 1 2
1 2
2f -f
2 1
3rd Order
5th Order
7th Order
3f -2f
2 14f -3f
2 1
2f
f +f
1 2
1
2f
Ideal Infrastructure
Minimum loss
Incident signals
Linear Infrastructure
Transmitted signals
(No new frequencies)
Minimum
Reflected signals
Reflections measured by sweep test

Measures the quality of impedance
matching in the system.
Return Loss:
Return Loss
Pr
PT
-3 dB
50%
50%
-6 dB
25%
75%
-9 dB
12.5%
87.5%
-12 dB
6.3%
93.7%
-15 dB
3.1%
96.9%
-18 dB
1.6%
98.4%
-21 dB
0.8%
99.2%
Return Loss is a ratio of Power Reflected to Power Transmitted

Has become the standard quality metric to measure installation
quality
Non-ideal Infrastructure
Incident signals
Transmitted signals
Non-Linear Infrastructure
(Creates new frequencies)
Reflections still measured by sweep test

Reflected + interference signals
Interference measured by PIM tester
Smiths Group PLC
Sweep test measures efficiency of signal propagation
PIM test measures ability to propagate signals without

generating interference
Both tests are important and necessary to insure quality site

construction.
PIM testing is not new!
Summitek Instruments has been producing bench top

PIM test systems for more than a decade
Summitek has delivered more than 800 BPIM systems
worldwide
These systems have been used by RF equipment
manufacturers to reduce PIM in their component designs
What is new is the availability of

rugged, portable versions.
Portable PIM test sets were developed in Australia at the
request of Telstra by Summiteks sister division, Triasx
Summitek / Triasx have delivered more than 1000 PPIM
systems worldwide
These systems are being used by network operators
worldwide to reduce PIM in their RF infrastructure
How does a PIM tester work?
PIM Test Equipment
Low PIM Load

PIM Source
Transmit tones in
Guard Band frequencies
BTS Transmit
1945 MHz
BTS Receive
IM3
F1
F2
Test Tone (5 KHz)

Guard Band
PIM level is expressed in either

dBm or dBc
dBm
dBc
0dBc
2 x 20 Watts
+43 dBm
Absolute power relative to1mW
PIM
-143 dBc
CARRIER
-100 dBm
PIM
CARRIER
0dBm
Power relative to the carrier level
PIM level is meaningless without also

stating the carrier power level.
20 Watts
2 Watts
PIM level is VERY dependent on test power level
+43 dBm
IEC 62037 recommends 2x 20W (+43dBm) test

carriers
-100 dBm
-130 dBm
Noise Floor
PIM
2W not enough power to certify a site
PIM
0dB
m
CARRIER
+33 dBm
3dB change in PIM level for every 1dB change in

test power
CARRIER
However 4W test sets are useful.
Light weight (11 lbs)
Battery operated
Highly portable
Able to identify loose connections
Able to find very bad components
PIM Sources at the cell site:

Site
Guy Wires
Steel Tower
Other Sites IMD
RF In-Line Surge Arrestors
Low Grade Antennas
Roof Flashing/Vent Hoods
Installation
Poorly torqued connectors
Scratches
Stress Fractures
Contamination
On conduction materials
Dielectric material
Materials
Rust
Ferromagnetic materials
Poor Quality Plating
Test Equipment
Poor Quality Loads
Low quality or damaged jumpers,
adapters and connectors
Misc.
Cracked / Cold Solder joints
Contact Pressure
Relatively new Portable PIM test

equipment.
Portable PIM test equipment enables system level testing to be conducted at the
cell site.
On site PIM testing reveals:

Installation workmanship issues
Components damaged during installation
Components damaged in transit
Historically, Sweep testing has

been the only method available to
measure installation quality.
A low power signal is transmitted into the
system and the magnitude of the reflected
signal is measured
The Tx frequency is stepped across the
operating range of the site and the ratio of
Reflected Power vs. Transmitted Power is
displayed at each frequency
Sweep testing will identify many defects:
Kinked jumpers, crushed coax
Poorly matched components (Antennas,
Filters)
Sweep testing can not identify PIM problems at
a site
One frequency transmitted at a time
At very low power
Both Sweep testing and PIM testing

are needed to ensure optimum cell
site performance.
This is illustrated by test data collected at cell
sites exhibiting poor KPIs
Survey Results
80.0%
>100 feed lines surveyed
19 operators, 11 countries
73.4%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
Many PIM problems recorded
40.0%
30.0%
Few VSWR problems found

The sites were originally commissioned with
Sweep test equipment so it is no surprise that
the VSWR results are good
20.0%
10.0%
5.5%
0.0%
PIM problems
VSWR problems
PIM defects found:

The PIM defects found were primarily
due to workmanship issues at the RF
connections
Survey Results
70%
62.50%
60%
Many lines had multiple defects

50%
Other Passive Devices with PIM

problems included:
41.25%
40%
30%
Diplexing filters
Surge Protectors
Bias-Ts
20%
17%
16.25%
Antennas
Other
Passive
Devices
10%
KPI improvements reported on the

majority of sites repaired
0%
Feed Cables
Jumper
Cables
How to recognize PIM problems in

your network:
High Dropped Call Rate
PIM induced noise
shrinks the effective
cell size.
Gaps in coverage result
in higher dropped call
rate.
Significant increase in call drops after a new carrier was added to a

DAS system with PIM problems.

your network:
GSM: Elevated Interference on Idle (IOI) channels
High interference levels before
fixing PIM problems.
PIM problems corrected
Increased successful traffic

channel (TCH) allocations
Decreased interference after fixing

PIM problems.

your network:
CDMA: High Access Channel Utilization
BTS is blind to new mobiles trying to access the cell
Not impacting Dropped Call Rate because the call never

initiated on the sector

Significant improvement
after fixing PIM.

your network:
High Average Receive Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) differential between Main
and Diversity paths.
BTS PIM causing elevated
average noise on the Main
branch
Diversity path not impacted
Rx levels tracking
together
Main
Key indicator of an internal

interference problem
External interference would

impact both paths equally
Diversity
Severity of PIM in your system:

f1
f2
IM3
IM3
IM5
IM9
RX Band
IM5
IM7
IM7
IM9
TX Band
Higher Tx power = higher PIM levels

IM3 increases 3dB for every 1 dB increase in Tx power
Lower order non-linearity = higher PIM level

Frequency combinations:
More operating bands sharing a feeder = higher probability of PIM in a Rx band (e.g.,DAS)
Wider bandwidth signals = higher probability of PIM in the Rx band (LTE)
Low order PIM in a Rx band = high noise rise
PIM Severity:
5th Order
11th
Order
-93 dBm
9th Order
3rd Order
-60 dBm
7th Order
Outside
PCS Rx
band for F1
& F2
selected
Spectrum Analyzer Mode
Higher order products can be quite severe!

Repairing IM3 reduces ALL IM products.
Metal flake
Resistive loads
generate PIM
90 connectors
typically not as
good as straight
connectors.
RF Connector Selection:
Avoid using Type-N

7-16 DIN connectors are more robust and produce less PIM
Poor cable
preparation
Dirt / trash
Poor cable
preparation
Poor cable
preparation
Cable damage
PIM testing should be dynamic

Passing a static PIM test does not necessarily insure long term performance
Lightly tap RF connections
Flex cables while holding connector fixed
If PIM level jumps out of specification make repairs
Find problems before Mother Nature does!
Wind induced vibration
Temperature variations
Multiple PIM Sources

1
Largest PIM
generator may mask
smaller sources.
PIM displayed
PIM Source #1
PIM Source #2
Multiple PIM Sources

1
Larger PIM source

must be removed
before lower level
source can be seen.
PIM displayed
PIM Source #1
PIM Source #2
PIM sources can be external

to the system!
Incident signals
Transmitted signals
Linear Infrastructure
PIM
Reflected + interference signals
External PIM Sources
Typical 65 Beamwidth
Antenna Patterns
4 ft. (1.2m)
800MHz
End View
(Azimuth Pattern)
Side View
(Elevation Pattern)
8 ft. (2.4m)
800MHz
If external PIM is suspected,

rotate antenna on mast.
PIM
PIM
45 Rotation
Elevation tilting may be more effective

to identify external PIM sources.
PIM
PIM
15 Rotation
External PIM Sources
Antenna Testing
Make sure there are no PIM sources within
the field of view of the antenna!
Recommendations:
SKY
PIM
PIM
BE SAFE!
Point antenna toward the sky
No metal objects within the half-power

beam widths of the antenna in both Azimuth
and Elevation
Antenna should be placed on non-metallic

supports during test
Test equipment and test operators should be

located off the end of the antenna; not the
side
Use a known good antenna to verify the

test environment before testing
SKY
PIM
Antenna Testing
The Benefit
Rx Noise floor
before PIM
testing
5dB reduction in
Rx Noise floor
after correcting
PIM problems.
1dB improvement in receiver sensitivity can

mean as much as 11% fewer radio base
stations
Source
Harri Holma and Antii Toskala, WCDMA & UTMS Nokia
Finland 2004. publisher John Wiley and Son USA
Held calls before

PIM testing
Increased held
calls after
reconstruction
using PIM tester
Summary
PIM = reduces site performance
PIM sources can be eliminated / minimized through:
Careful construction techniques
Use of low PIM components
Careful site design
PIM testing should be dynamic (not static)
PIM testing AND VSWR testing are needed to verify system performance
Break
PIM test equipment: iHA Series:
Highly portable
Battery operated
2x 2W test tones
Fixed frequencies
Useful for component
testing / fault finding
PIM test equipment: iMT Series:
High Power - Economy

2x 20W test tones
Fixed frequencies
Rugged construction
Integrated transit case
Laptop interface for
reporting
New iMT-850B
PIM test equipment: iQA Series:
High Power - Premium

Adjustable power (2 20W)
Adjustable frequencies
Rugged construction
Integrated transit case
Panel PC with touch screen interface,
on-board reporting
Accessory Kits:
iQA-130A Soft Case
iQA-110A Hard Case
Transit case
Jumper cables
Adapters
Wrench
Torque Wrench
Low PIM load
PIM source
Cleaning kit
iQA Series
Precautions
iQA Physical Characteristics

Telescoping
handle
Shock mounted
electronics
360 air inlet filter

surrounding
electronics
Fold-out legs for

bench use.
Cooling fans
2 on sides
4 internal
Storage pouch
Wheels
Rugged case
iQA User Interface

6
iQA Software
15
USER
SCREEN
16
14
17
18
13
20
19
10
11
12
iQA Software Additional

User Modes
Time Trace
Frequency Sweep
Spectrum Analyzer
iQA Software - Reports

Build final site report as you go
No post processing of data required
Output finished report from the iQA in
.PDF format
Screen shot pictures available for
engineering reports
iMT series
iMT Physical Characteristics

Telescoping
handle
Weather
resistant seal
Internal
Cooling fans
Wheels
Rugged,
integrated
transit case
iMT User Interface

6
2
1
4
3
10
iMT Software
Remote Terminal Application loaded on
Laptop Computer.
Very similar to iQA software
Serial connection between laptop & iMT
Laptop controls iMT operation
Reports stored directly to laptop computer
iHA Series
iHA Series
RF on button
Battery Check
Display Mode
Measurement
Level LEDs
Alarm
LEDs
RF Output
Port
RF ON
indicator
Verification Procedure
Contact Us:
Americas
+1.303.768.8080
Asia Pacific, Africa
+61.(0).7.3907.1200
China
+86.21.5219.2719
Europe, Middle East, India
+44.(0).1383.410386
2011 Kaelus Inc. All Rights Reserved
www.kaelus.com
Thank you
2011 Kaelus Inc. All Rights Reserved
www.kaelus.com

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Passive Intermodulation Fundamentals

Smiths Group PLC

New company name

Test Instrument Heritage

Triasx: Brisbane, Australia

#1 PIM Test Equipment manufacturer

What is Passive InterModulation (PIM)

PIM = Noise generated by Tx signals interacting with

What causes PIM?

(No new frequencies)

Reflections measured by sweep test

Return Loss is a ratio of Power Reflected to Power Transmitted

Reflections still measured by sweep test

Interference measured by PIM tester

Smiths Group PLC

Sweep test measures efficiency of signal propagation

PIM test measures ability to propagate signals without

Both tests are important and necessary to insure quality site

PIM testing is not new!

Summitek Instruments has been producing bench top

What is new is the availability of

How does a PIM tester work?

PIM Test Equipment

Low PIM Load

Test Tone (5 KHz)

PIM level is expressed in either

Absolute power relative to1mW

Power relative to the carrier level

PIM level is meaningless without also

PIM level is VERY dependent on test power level

IEC 62037 recommends 2x 20W (+43dBm) test

2W not enough power to certify a site

3dB change in PIM level for every 1dB change in

However 4W test sets are useful.

Light weight (11 lbs)

Able to identify loose connections

Able to find very bad components

PIM Sources at the cell site:

Relatively new Portable PIM test

On site PIM testing reveals:

Components damaged during installation

Components damaged in transit

Historically, Sweep testing has

Both Sweep testing and PIM testing

>100 feed lines surveyed

Many PIM problems recorded

Few VSWR problems found

PIM defects found:

Many lines had multiple defects

Other Passive Devices with PIM

KPI improvements reported on the

How to recognize PIM problems in

Significant increase in call drops after a new carrier was added to a

How to recognize PIM problems in

PIM problems corrected

Increased successful traffic

Decreased interference after fixing

How to recognize PIM problems in

BTS is blind to new mobiles trying to access the cell