Electrical Services & BMS

Systems

Communal Aerial Broadcast

Distribution (CABD) System

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 1
CABD Systems
 Introduction
 System components
 System design considerations
 System design calculations

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 2
Introduction
 Very unsightly if all the tenants had
their own TV aerial on the roof of the
building
 In fringe reception areas, large aerials
mounted very high up
 Difficult to equip each dwelling with its
own aerial

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 3
Introduction
 In built up areas, large buildings shield
smaller ones

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 4
Introduction
 Occupants of the small blocks may put
their own aerials on masts rising as high
as the top of the tower block to have
good reception of signals
 Advantageous to receive television and

radio signals by one suitably sited aerial

array and relay them to individual
dwellings by cables or transmission
lines
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 5
Introduction
 Such system is called Communal Aerial
Broadcast Distribution (CABD) system
or Communal TV system
 The building services engineer is more
concerned with community systems
serving a single block of flats or one
small estate of houses and maisonettes

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 6
Introduction
 Radio signals are electromagnetic
waves
 They cover a range of frequencies
(Table 1)
 Usually radio broadcasts were identified
by wavelength

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 7
Introduction
 At frequencies used for television the
wavelength becomes so small, it is
more convenient to use the frequency

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 8
Introduction
 The properties of aerials and
transmission lines depend very much on
frequency
 Different types have to be used for
different frequencies

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Introduction
 VHF and UHF frequencies are sub-
divided into five bands, which makes it
possible for commercial equipment to
be manufactured for one or two
selected bands only

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 10
Introduction
 If a signal consists of one frequency
only, the only way it can convey
information is by varying in amplitude
 When several adjacent frequencies are
present, they can combine to form
complicated wave shapes
 Total number of distinguishable pattern
increases rapidly
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 11
Introduction
 This explains why the band of
frequencies required for transmission
increases as the amount of information
to be conveyed increases
 Television provides much more
information than sound broadcasting
 Each service requires a large bandwidth

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 12
Introduction
 For sound broadcasting, each station
needs a bandwidth of only 10 kHz
 A station broadcasting on 1500 m
wavelength (which corresponds to 200
kHz) actually uses all wavelengths
between 1457 m and 1543 m

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 13
Introduction
 Provided the next station has a nominal
wavelength of 1587 m or more, there
will be no interference between them
 A 625 line TV picture (HK case) requires
a bandwidth of 5.5 MHz
 This cannot be transmitted at less than
HF, and that the HF range would only
accommodate five different stations
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 14
Introduction
 That is why TV is transmitted in the
VHF and UHF ranges
 Care must be taken about separation of
stations
 The five bands of frequency are further
divided into a number of channels, each
of which covers a bandwidth of 6 MHz
 These channels are shown in Table 2
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 15
Introduction
 Each station is allocated one channel,
and neighboring stations are thus
prevented from interfering with each
other
 The distance over which VHF and UHF
waves can be propagated is quite
limited

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 16
Introduction
 Two stations separated by more than a
certain minimum geographical distance
apart can safely use the same channel

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 17
Introduction
 A CABD system is usually composed of
aerials, transmission cables, amplifiers,
mixers, splitters, repeater amplifiers,
attenuators and TV outlets

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 18
System Components
 Aerials
 Cables
 Mixers and Splitters
 Power Loss and Amplification
 TV and FM Outlets

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Aerials
 Maximum power is transferred from a
source to a load when their impedance
are equal
 The half wave dipole has an impedance
of about 75 ohms unbalanced, which
matches the characteristic impedance of
the co-axial aerial cable used

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 20
Aerials
 TV aerial should normally have a gain of
13-15 dB and a front to back ratio of at
least 28 dB. FM aerial should normally
have a gain of 4-7 dB
 The TV and FM aerials, including those
that are mounted on the same mast,
shall be separated by at least 1.8 m to
achieve minimum interaction
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 21
Aerials
 The aerial and its supporting structure
should be heavy duty, suitable for
outdoor mounting and be able to
withstand a wind load of 160 km/hr
 The aerial system should be provided

with a durable protective coating, be

adequately earthed and protected
against lightning in accordance with BS
6651 or equivalent
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Aerials
 Aerial mast should be made of stainless
steel installed at a point where
reception is best

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 23
Cables
 Any wire carrying current tends to act
as a radiating aerial
 At low frequencies the power radiated
is so small that it can hardly be
detected
 At high frequencies it can become
significant

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 24
Cables
 Not only is there a loss of power from
the line itself, but the radiation will
cause interference in neighboring
receivers
 Similarly, any wire acts as a receiving
aerial

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 25
Cables
 A line feeding a television or radio set
can pick up unwanted high frequency
radiation

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 26
Cables
 Both these effects can be suppressed
by efficient screening, and radio and TV
services therefore always use screened
cable
 The energy conveyed by a transmission
line is held in the electric and magnetic
fields

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 27
Cables
 At high frequencies the energy is
rapidly dissipated into space, and the
losses from the transmission system
become unbearably high
 If a screen is placed round the
conductors, the fields are confined
within the screen and the losses are
reduced
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 28
Cables
 Communal TV systems normally employ
screened co-axial cable with
polyethylene

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 29
Mixers and Splitters
 The signal received by the aerial is
attenuated as it travels along the cable
 It must be amplified
 There are difficulties in designing
amplifiers which work equally well over
a large range of frequencies

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 30
Mixers and Splitters
 Two or more amplifiers are used, each
operating on a particular band of
frequencies
 The output impedance of each amplifier
must be matched to the characteristic
impedance of the cable

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 31
Mixers and Splitters
 The output of one amplifier must not
feed back into another amplifier to
distort the output of that one
 A mixer unit is inserted between the
amplifiers and the line
 The mixer unit accepts two or more
different frequencies and combines
them
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 32
Mixers and Splitters
 At the same time, it isolates their
sources from each other
 It achieves this by suitable filtering
networks of inductance and capacitance
 Sometimes, it is necessary to take two
cables away from one amplifier

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 33
Mixers and Splitters
 The output impedance of one amplifier
must then be matched to the
characteristic impedance of two cables
working in parallel
 This is done by a splitter unit

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 34
Mixers and Splitters
 It divides the output from an amplifier
and distributes it between two or more
lines
 The splitter is a network of resistance,
inductance and capacitance

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 35
Power Loss and Amplification
 Because of losses in the transmission
system, the signal received at the aerial
has to be amplified either at the aerial
or along the line or both
 As the gain of an amplifier is increased,
the noise it introduces also increases
 This sets a limit to the gain which can
be used
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 36
Power Loss and Amplification
 In practice, amplifiers with a gain of 30
to 60 dB are used
 If a 30 dB amplifier is used, then the
distribution system can be allowed to
attenuate the signal by 30 dB before a
repeater amplifier has to be installed

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 37
Power Loss and Amplification
 Similarly a 60 dB amplifier permits
losses of 60 dB to be incurred before a
repeater is necessary
 Attenuation occurs at a uniform rate
along the length of the cable
 At each branch, there is a sharp loss in
the junction unit

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 38
Power Loss and Amplification
 The graph of signal strength against
cable run appears as in Figure 3
 The signal level at each branch
decreases as one goes along the cable
 A TV set must receive a signal not less
than about 1 mV but will distort the
picture if the signal is about 6 dB higher
than this minimum
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 39
Power Loss and Amplification
 The signal level at a junction must be
high enough to accommodate the
losses in the length of line continuing
from the junction to the next amplifier

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 40
Power Loss and Amplification
 The attenuation in the shortest branch
from the junction must be large enough
to bring the signal strength down to
less than the maximum acceptable to
the receiving set at the end of the short
branch
 The branch cable is quite short and in

any case its length cannot be adjusted

to yield the required
29-Aug-17
attenuation
HDBSE-Yr 3 41
Power Loss and Amplification
 It is necessary to build in some extra
attenuation
 This is done in the junction unit itself

(junction attenuators)
 The junction unit attenuates the signal

to the branch outlet terminals by a

given amount whilst keeping the
attenuation to the line continuation
terminals as low HDBSE-Yr
29-Aug-17 as possible
3 42
Power Loss and Amplification
 This is the second function of the
junction unit and it is achieved by a
suitable network of resistors
 In Figure 3, the attenuation required to
produce a given output signal level is
different at each junction
 It would be most inconvenient to make
a special unit for every junction
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 43
Power Loss and Amplification
 This is not necessary
 A good TV set has a certain tolerance in

the input voltage it can accept

 Thus, a standard attenuator can be

used for several successive junctions

giving a small range of outputs within
the limits acceptable to the receivers
 Table 3 shows a standard range of

ratios
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 44
Power Loss and Amplification
 The resulting signals available at the
outlets in a typical case are shown in
Figure 3

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 45
TV and FM Outlets
 If a communal aerial system is installed,
it becomes necessary to have a suitable
terminal in the flats
 This takes the form of a socket capable
of accepting the coaxial plugs used on
the end of aerial cable

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 46
TV and FM Outlets
 As the FM signals are also fed into the
system, it is common to have a twin-
outlet socket (one for TV and one for
FM signals)
 For flats of large area, there are usually
more than one socket in each flat, say
one in the living room and one in the
master room
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 47
TV Signal Level at Outlet
 Unless otherwise specified in the
Particular Specification, the r.m.s.
voltage when measured at the
subscriber’s outlet across a non-
inductive 75 ohm resistor (or referred to
75 ohm) shall be:

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 48
TV Signal Level at Outlet
 Minimum Level:

 60 dBu for Band IV

 63 dBu for Band V

 Maximum Level:

 80 dBuV for Band IV & V

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 49
FM Signal Level at Outlet
 Unless otherwise specified in the
Particular Specification, the r.m.s.
voltage at the subscriber’s outlet across
a non-inductive 75 ohm resistor (or
referred to 75 ohm) shall be within the
range of 49.5 to 74 dBuV

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System Design Considerations

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 51
System Design Considerations
 A CABD is designed with an aim to
convey the best receivable signal at a
particular site to individual users
sharing the same system
 The following system performance
requirements should be observed
 At sites where a number of blocks are
constructed under one common roof, more
than one CABD for these blocks shall NOT
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 52
be allowed
System Design Considerations
 To maximize signal to noise ratio and to
achieve good directivity, the gain of TV and
FM aerials should be chosen to be as high
as possible
 The TV and FM aerials should be conveyed
through separate down leads to the
respective amplifiers in the head end circuit
for amplification

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 53
System Design Considerations
 For systems design which involves the use
of amplifiers in the head end to drive the
TV channel amplifiers and/or FM channel
amplifier, the first amplifiers to be used for
the TV and/or FM signal path shall be a TV
bandpass preamplifier and/or a FM band
preamplifier respectively

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 54
System Design Considerations
 Alternatively, a TV bandpass filter shall be
used for the TV signal path and shall be
connected to the input of the first
wideband amplifier, notwithstanding that
it is a preamplifier or a distribution
amplifier
 Amplifiers of the system would not be
overloaded by strong out-of-band signals

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 55
System Design Considerations
 A 3 dB attenuation factor should be
included in the calculation of system level
to account for practical installation losses
such as cable joints
 The headend circuit components shall be
enclosed in a well-ventilated enclosure
fitted with lock
 The equipment shall be adequately
screened from radio interference caused by
lift equipment, starters, etc
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 56
System Design Considerations
 The case should be properly secured
against the wall and have sufficient space
for cable routing and bending

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 57
The Unit of dBµV
 dBµV means the number of dB above
the voltage level of 1 dBµV in 75 Ω
circuit, i. e.

 0 dBµV = 1µV in 75 Ω
 60 dBµV = 1mV in 75 Ω
 120 dBµV = 1V in 75 Ω

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 58
The Unit of dBµV
 The reference voltage of 1 µV is used
because all signal voltages used in
practice are above 1 µV, hence it makes
all dBµV values positive
 In HK, the required TV signal levels at
the TV outlets of a CABD system is 60 -
80 dBµV (i.e. 1-10 mV)

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 59
The Unit of dBµV
 The signal strengths for individual TV
channels (also called the “tilt”) shall not
differ by more than 6 dB
 The limit for FM signals levels at the FM
outlets is 50 - 74 dBµV (i.e. 0.3 - 5 mV)

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 60
Mutual Isolation
 Levels of attenuation between terminals
of two different TV socket outlets
 To minimize interference between TV
receiver sets
 Generally, a minimum mutual isolation
between TV/FM outlets from the same
tee-unit shall be 33 dB

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 61
Other Design Considerations

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 62
Measured Signal Strength
of the Building Location
 The signal strength decreases with
increasing distance from the transmitter
 Also decreased by obstacles between
the transmitter and the reception
location, e.g. mountains or buildings,
preventing a direct beam from the
transmitter reaching the receiving aerial

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 63
Measured Signal Strength
of the Building Location
 Before a communal aerial system be
designed, measurement shall be carried
out on site to record the signal field
strength at various locations
 A location shall be selected where the
signal strength is the strongest, which is
normally at direct sight of the
transmitter
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 64
Measured Signal Strength
of the Building Location
 Improvement in signal quality cannot
be achieved by using an amplifier
 The quality of picture received at the
site location shall also be examined
 Field signal strength measurement can
be carried out by an equipment
“Antenna Meter”

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 65
System Configuration
 Measured signal strength at the location
of the building
 Determine whether or not amplifiers are

to be used
 Height of the building and number of

receivers to be served
 Routing & layout of the distribution

cables which dictates the transmission

loss
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 66
Decibel Calculation
 Layout of distribution cable has been
designed
 Decibel calculations carried out to
determine the amplification magnitude
to be obtained from the amplifiers
 Amplification value obtained from
amplifiers ranges from 30 dB to 60 dB,
with nominal value of 45 dB
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Decibel Calculation
 Too high an amplification magnitude
would distort the signals

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 68
Equipment Selection
 Matching of equipment must be
performed, impedance of components is
rated at 75 Ω
 Through loss of components shall be
within desirable values
 A group of inter-connected channel
amplifiers may be used instead of a
mixer (or combiner)
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 69
Installation of Antenna
 Should not be installed on the side of
the building, which faces the street
 Sufficient clearance from chimneys, roof
poles and overhead lines must be
provided
 Follow the rules:
 Antennas shall best be installed in line-of-
sight with the transmitter
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 70
Installation of Antenna
 The signals reach the antenna via two or
more paths with different lengths
 The lateral reflection can be minimized by
using an antenna with a smaller horizontal
aperture angle

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 71
Installation of Antenna
 Individual aerials for the different ranges
should be installed from top to bottom on
the antenna mast in such a way that the
bending moment is as small as possible, i.e.
the aerial with the smallest lateral thrust
due to wind is mounted on top and so on
down the mast
 If the TV and FM antennas are mounted on
the same mast, the separation should not
less than 1.8 m
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 72
Installation of Cables
 The cables used for aerial system are
coaxial copper cables
 Conduits/trunking system is normally used
for the cabling work
 For cables to be wired in trunking, the
effective cross sectional area of cables
should not be more than 40% of the cross
sectional area of the trunking

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 73
Installation of Cables
 The overall cross-sectional area of a typical
75 Ω coaxial copper cable is approximately
38.48 mm2
 The conduit or trunking system should
avoid sharp bends of co-axial cables
(bending radius not smaller than 15 times
the outer diameter of the cable)

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 74
Installation of Cables
 Avoid the CABD co-axial cable to run in
parallel route next to the telephone cables
for a long distance (to avoid interference
between telephone system and the CABD
system)

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 75
Installation of Amplifiers,
Splitter and Tee Units
 Locations and related issues of these
equipment:
 Accessibility for maintenance
 Moderate ambient temperature
 Air humidity as low as possible
 Protection against condensation, dripping
water and water jets
 Good ventilation to achieve heat dissipation
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 76
Installation of Amplifiers,
Splitter and Tee Units
 All equipment should be properly earthed
 All distribution boardband amplifiers (also
called repeater), splitters & tee units
should be installed at the correct floor
levels
 Power supply should be available at points
next to the amplifiers

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Common Aerial Receiving
Problem
 Blurred television picture
 Horizontal interrupted lines
 Ghost television picture

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 78
Blurred Television Picture
 Caused by weak signal strength

 Either replace the antenna with another of

sufficient gain; or
 Install the antenna location where the
received signal strength is strong enough

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 79
Blurred Television Picture
 If the location where the aerial system
is installed is inherently a weak signal
strength region, hire a T. V. line from
the large communal aerial network
available

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Picture With Horizontal
Interrupted Lines
 Caused by interference due to electrical
devices and motor cars

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 81
“Ghost” Television
Picture
 Caused by one or all of the followings
 Mismatching of impedance among
components of the CABD system;
 Interference due to side reflection and
behind reflection
 Make sure that all aerial components
are matched with one another, i.e. 75
Ω
29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 82
“Ghost” Television
Picture
 Matching transformers can be inserted
at the mismatching points
 Interference can be eliminated by using
an aerial with a small horizontal
aperture angle

29-Aug-17 HDBSE-Yr 3 83