41st Signal Battalion

Maintenance Support Team

AN INTRODUCTION TO

MEGASTAR 155 MICROWAVE

PART OF DIGITAL MICROWAVE UPGRADE

(DMU)
Mr. Thomas Samuels
1st Signal Brigade
HHD 41st Signal Battalion MST

724-4003
[email protected]
1
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Pre Quiz

• Name the three sub units of the Megastar 155

Microwave Radio.

• What is the bandwidth of the Megastar 155

Microwave Radio?

• What is the purpose of the F1 channel?

• What is the power output of the Megastar 155

Microwave Radio?
2
Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Pre Quiz

• Name three circuit cards in the Signal

Processing Unit (SPU).

• What are the three types of access for

monitoring the Megastar 155 Microwave
Radio?

• When replacing a module in the Megastar 155

Microwave Radio, is their any alignment
required?
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Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Megastar 155 Microwave Radio Manufactured by

Harris Corp.
Operating Frequency 7.125 GHz to 8.275 GHz
70 MHz Intermediate Frequency (IF)
Transmitter power 29.5 dB
Receiver threshold -69.5 dB
system gain 99 dB
Receiver overload -17 dB
Channel Bandwidth 30 MHz
Channel Spacing 29.65 MHz
Transmission Rate 155.52 Mb/Sec
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

• The MegaStar 155 Microwave Radio is a high

capacity point-to-point digital microwave radio,
available at 7/8 GHz. In a compact, single platform.
The MegaStar 155 can be upgraded from 1 to 7 high
capacity channels (155 MBit/s each). The MegaStar
155 features include 10BASE-T transport for OEM
equipment connection to SNMP management,
support for Open Network Management through an
SNMP proxy, convenient provisioning with remote
software download, remote inventorying, and plug
and play module replacement, and easy
maintenance including local IF loopback with built
in test signal for BER measurement. The Megastar
155 Microwave radio consists of primary and
redundant circuit cards and modules for each radio.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

• Standard Features
• Provides a high level of readiness
• Fully digital adaptive time domain
equalization (ATDE)
• Fully digital adaptive slope equalization
• Forward Error Correction (FEC)
• Anticipatory errorless receiver switching
• Reverse Path Protection
• ATPC Automatic Transmit Power Control

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

• Standard Features (Cont)

• Offers self-aligning operation
• Inventory Reporting
• (SCAN) System Control and Alarm Network
• Farscan
• Replace me/Loss of Signal LED
• Automatic calibration of replacement circuit
packs
• Local/Remote software download

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
1
2
Megastar 155 Microwave Radio system
consists of 3 subsystems.
1. Antenna Coupling Unit (ACU)
2. Radio Frequency Unit (RFU) two
sections
3. Signal Processor Unit (SPU)
3

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Single Power
Amplifier A B
Configuration
ACU ACU
Couples RF signal from RFU
Power Amplifier
assembly to antenna
Receiver B
Receiver A Low Noise Converter
Low Noise Converter
PLS
PLS
IF Amplifier
IF Amplifier
Transmitter A Transmitter B
Power Amplifier A Power Amplifier B
RF Switch & Filter RF Switch & Filter
Assembly A Assembly B
PLS A PLS B

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
A B

ACU ACU
Couples RF signal from RFU
Power Amplifier
assembly to antenna
Receiver B
Receiver A Low Noise Converter
Low Noise Converter
PLS
PLS
IF Amplifier
IF Amplifier
Transmitter A Power Amplifier B
Power Amplifier A Transmitter B
RF Switch & Filter RF Switch & Filter
Assembly A Assembly B
PLS A PLS B

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Signal Processor Unit (SPU)

Slot 5 Slot 9 Slot 13 Slot 16 Slot 18

Slot 4 Slot 6 Slot 8 Slot 10 Slot 12 Slot 15 Slot 17
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Tributary Interface card

Slot 9 Slot 12
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow
Tributary Interface Card
• Provides physical connection (multi-mode fiber OC-3 connectivity).
• Recovers clock pulse of the incoming signal.
• Switches receivers errorless using Differential Absolute
Delay Equalization (DADE) circuitry
•Located in the SPU provides one circuit card in a non-protected
and two identical circuit cards in a protected configuration
•Three fault indicators
•Fault LED indicates a fault
•Transmitter (Tx) LED indicates active transmitter
•Receive (Rx) LED indicates active receiver
•The tributary Interface Unit is remotely controlled and
monitored via the SPU Controller 13
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Modulator Card

Slot 8 Slot 13
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Modulator

The modulator combines the 70 MHz IF frequency of the input

signal with the carrier frequency of the microwave radio (i.e..
7GHz-8GHz)

70 MHz IF frequency 7-8 GHz Carrier frequency

Frequency domain Frequency domain

representation of input representation of output
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Modulator

A device which varies a characteristic of a repetitious

electrical or electromagnetic wave of less than infrared
frequency in accordance with a characteristic of an
arbitrarily varying modulating signal.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow
Modulator card
• Selects the active Tributary Interface Transmitter
• Modulates the 70 MHz Intermediate Frequency (IF) carrier
128 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), and processes
IF signal to transmitter (a part of the RFU assembly).
• Houses digital to analog converter.
• Two Fault Indicators and one connector
•Fault LED indicates a fault or signal loss in the Modulator Unit
•Active LED indicates this Modulator is Active
•IF carrier out SMA connector Tx 70 MHz IF carrier out to the
RFU
• Controlled and monitored through SPU controller. 17
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
• QAM is a family of encoding schemes that are widely used for
encoding multiple bits per symbol that combine Amplitude and
Phase Modulation.

• 16QAM is a common form that uses 8 different phase shifts and

2 different amplitude levels. Since there are 16 possible
symbols, each symbol encodes 4 bits.

• QAM and related techniques are commonly used for voice

modems with a data rate of up to about 28 kilobits/second.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

• Modems actually use Quadrature Amplitude

Modulation (QAM).

• These concepts are explained using constellation

points where a point determines a specific amplitude
and phase.

NOTE
Quadrature amplitude modulation occurs when the phase and
amplitude of a carrier is simultaneously shifted among a plurality of
discrete angle/magnitude pairs.

19
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Constellation Diagrams

(a) QPSK (b) QAM-16 (c) QAM-64

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Phase Lock Source (Local Oscillator)

• Produces Local Oscillator (LO)
for up converter.

Phase Lock Source

Active lit
Fault
Ref Adj
• Generates LO frequency for Ref Mon
up converter to mix
(hetrodyne) the 70 MHz IF
frequency with 7GHz/8GHz RF
carrier frequency

21
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

RF Switch Assembly RF Assembly

hetrodynes 70 MHz IF
carrier from the modulator RF Out
and signal from LO together
IF in
to produce a single
sideband signal.
• Passes upper or lower side
band signal and RF carrier
signal to Power Amplifier.
Upper or lower sideband
signal feeds through
sideband select filter. (This
filter passes only desired
RF signal to power
amplifier.) 22
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

RF Switch/Filter Assembly RF Switch/Filter Assembly

• Pre filters transmited RF

signal.
RF Out 1
• Suppresses PLS
RF In 1
frequencies and unwanted RF In 2
sideband signals. BITE
BITE
• RF switch is controlled
(driven) by SPU controller RF Out 2
in the SPU shelf in
conjunction with RF
controller card in power
amplifier to select desired
RF carrier signal and IF
frequency. 23
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Single Power Amplifier Configuration

• Provides DC Power to transmitter,
receiver, and RFU controller
• Consists of power amplifier
subassembly, RF controller and bias
card. RF Out

• Provides RF amplification of the IF

signal.
• ATPC - Automatic Transmitter
Power Control. RFIn
Power Switch
Fault LED
Active LED

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

Parallel Power Amplifier Configuration

• Provides DC Power to transmitter, RF Out

receiver, and RFU controller

• Consists of power amplifier
subassembly, RF controller and
bias card.
• Provides RF amplification of the IF
signal.
RFIn
• ATPC - Automatic Power Switch
Fault LED
Transmitter Power Active LED
Control

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow

• RF Controller
• controls the status and communications task for the RFU.
• Supplies power for all associated RFU modules.
• Transmitter
• Receiver
• RFU Controller
• In conjunction with SPU controller drives for RFU circuits.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow
Transmitter Single Power
Amplifier Antenna Coupling
Unit (ACU)
• Filters and routes RF signals
from single transmitter power
amplifier to antenna port.
Transmitter Dual Power
Amplifier Antenna Coupling
Unit (ACU)
• Filters and routes RF signals
from paralell transmitter power
amplifier to antenna port.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Antenna Signal Flow

The antenna
Antenna converts a
System current or a
voltage signal to
Waveguide an electro-
magnetic signal
which is radiated
through space.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Antenna Coupling Unit

• Couples RF signal from antenna to
primary and redundant low noise
converters in RFU.
• Distributes received signal from
antenna through filter (a part of
ACU) to RFU Low Noise Converter
Receiver Assembly
• Low Noise Converter
• Phase Lock Source
• IF filter/amplifier

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Radio Frequency Unit (RFU)

Low Noise Converter
• Amplifies received signal
from ACU Low Noise Converter
RF In
• Mixes received signal with
with local oscillator Fault
frequency
• Low Noise Converter (LNC)
down converts RF carrier
frequency to 70 MHz IF
carrier frequency.

30
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Phase Lock Source

• Provides local oscillator
frequency to Low Noise
Converter
• Hetrodynes (Mixes) RF
frequency and 70 MHz IF
frequency, and extract 70 MHz
IF frequency. Phase Lock Source
Active
Fault
Ref Adj
Ref Mon

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

IF Filter/Amplifier
• provides constant output level
selectivity level.
• Improves delay and equalization
with AGC current.

Fault

IF Filter/Amplifier

32
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

IF Mixer
• The IF Mixer shifts its input in the frequency domain from the
carrier frequency to an intermediate frequency of 70 MHz:

Desired Signal

Undesired Signals

0 frequency
70 MHz

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Demodulator card

Slot 5 Slot 16
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Demodulator
A device which extracts an arbitrarily varying modulating
signal from an electrical or electromagnetic modulated
signal of less than infrared frequency.

35
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow
Demodulator card
• Slope equalizes received 70 MHz IF carrier from RFU.
• Demodulates IF carrier into digitized symbols (analog to
digital converter.
• Recovers clock from received signal.
• Controlled and monitored by SPU.

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Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

This is the generic class for demodulators.

A demodulator is a device which extracts
arbitrarily varying information carrying
signal from a signal formed by varying a
characteristic of a repetitious electrical or
electromagnetic wave of less than infrared
frequency in accordance with this
information carrying signal. Classification
herein is broadly by the type of modulation
exhibited by the input

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Decoder card

Slot 6 Slot 15
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow
Decoder card
• Decodes demodulated digitized I and Q signals
• Controls demodulator card Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)
and Q signal
• Provides error correction based on Forward Error Correction
(FEC) technology
• Controlled and monitored by SPU controller

39
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Receiver Signal Flow

Tributary interface card

Slot 9 Slot 12
40
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
Transmitter Signal Flow
Tributary Interface Card
• Provides physical connection multi-mode fiber OC-3 connectivity.
• Recovers clock pulse of the incoming signal.
• Switches receivers errorless using Differential Absolute
Delay Equalization (DADE) circuitry
•The tributary interface card one unit in a non-protected and two
units in a protected configuration
•Three fault indicators
•Fault LED indicates a fault
•Transmitter (Tx) LED indicates active transmitter
•Receive (Rx) LED indicates active receiver
•The tributary Interface Card is controlled and monitored via the SPU
Controller 41
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
BASIC SIGNAL FLOW

Antenna RADIO FREQUENCY UNIT

(RFU)

ANTENNA RECEIVER
COUPLING A/B
RF In
UNIT
TRANSMITTER
(ACU)
A/B
ATM RF Out
36170 OC3
155 MBPS 70 MHz 70 MHz
IF IF

Tributary MODULATOR
Interface
DECODER DEMODULATOR
Cards
SIGNAL PROCESSING UNIT
(SPU)
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

DC to DC converter

Slot 4 Slot 17
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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

DC to DC converter
• Requires -48 volts DC from proper power source.
• Power Supply Card provides +12 VDC, -12 VDC and +5.2 VDC
(regulated voltage) for SPU circuit card operation.
• Standard power source
• - 56 VDC to - 21 VDC (with respect to ground).

44
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Alarm display

Slot 18
45
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Alarm display

• Interfaces Farscan to controller

• Reports local alarm/status level through LED

• Provides access to external alarm/control points

• Reports alarm/status to the customer interface

• Allows local interface to Farscan

• Controlled and monitored through SPU controller

46
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Overhead Processor Unit

• allocations via E1/T1 port
• F1 supervisory channel (64 KPBS)

47
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Controller Card

Slot 10
48
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Controller Card located in Signal Processor Unit

• Monitors alarms and status of SPU shelf
• Provides control for receiver switch
• Stores and runs Megastar processor information
• With loss of SPU Controller card
• Process 90% of incoming traffic
• Loses automatic switching capabilities
• One Controller card per system

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
Farscan/Starscan diagnostic utility program
• TNOSC (Camp Walker) uses NETBOSS (previously Starscan) at
monitor console for monitoring and diagnostic testing
• MST uses Farscan loaded on laptop for diagnostic testing
• 64 KBPS allocated for overhead as F1 channel used for
monitoring Megastar 155 Microwave Radio system through out
South Korea
• Security levels 0 through 7 determine type and number of manual
commands available at each site - level determined by Master
Farscan Administrator

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
Site
• Ensure unit has proper ventilation at sight
• Power Out and Frequency Test measurements are made at ACU
null port
• PLS frequency measurements are made at PLS test monitoring
connections
NOTE
System maintenance tests to be adopted

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
Farscan/Starscan diagnostic utility program (cont)
• Three types of computer based polling
• Manual Poll - Selects specific poll to observe
• Select Poll - Continuous poll of specific command without
constantly re-entering command function
• Auto Poll
• uses pre configured commands for system status
interrogation
• provides automatic and continuous display of equipment
within network

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
Monitors and supervises via Farscan/Starscan diagnostic software.
• Remote monitoring by TNOSC at Camp Walker.
• Trouble isolation
• When necessary performed by MST through laptop computer
connection.

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
• Megastar Microwave radio automatically switches after fault
detection the following system components:
• Transmitter
• Receiver
• No calibration or testing required after replacement of defective
parts or defective units (modules).

54
 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio
System Maintenance
Module fault indicator guide
• Blinking red - loss of signal prior to output signal
• Steady red - probable fault at observed indicator signal
• Green - Signal is good at module

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 Megastar 155 Microwave Radio

Questions?

56