Jump to content

FYI South African base stations (Previously: Azimuth's local South Africa lte base stations)


Azimuth

Recommended Posts

Now that I've posted an intro to South African carriers, I'm comfortable to share some images of our base stations this side of planet Earth.  I'd really appreciate help identifying everything since our equipment is common.

 

Oh, this base station is located at a local school and serves a really large area.

 

nhplcRG.jpg

This is my base station I have clear LOS to.  It's 1622m away.

 

RSSWD7F.jpg

What is what here? :unsure:

 

VjYi5uX.jpg

All the sector antennas seem old yet this site was upgraded within the past year to 100Mbps LTE.

 

BogLMAF.jpg

Again, not sure what antenna this is, or what belongs to who.  I suppose it'll be difficult for you guys too given the country difference.

 

2TAz1Lu.jpg

MTN owns this site but also hosts Telkom Mobile equipment.  There is only one large BTS shelter from what I could see.

 

T7MoqLZ.jpg

Interested to know what this is...

 

LwuHaev.jpg

Close-up.  I hope the high resolution photo I took is in tact because I can read the writing on the original.

 

bOhinxS.jpg

Cabling...

 

HA6qUS3.jpg

A lot of cabling... :P

 

oEvug18.jpg

Company that provided the cooling for the BTS shelter.

Edited by Azimuth
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I won't comment again on each photo since I can't add any value; I'll just post the lot here and we can discuss further.

 

pzEixiE.jpg

 

utacpDM.jpg

 

v0nnQ7B.jpg

 

XrHluOX.jpg

 

ZxTCFLP.jpg

 

ysiCMa4.jpg

 

mb6BSkB.jpg

Edited by Azimuth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The antennas didn't change because they can generally broadcast whatever technology you feed in to them. An antenna that broadcasts HSPA+ in 5800Mhz should also be able to broadcast LTE in 5800Mhz. I can't really comment on anything else, and I may be wrong about what I just said, but it's true from what I've read here. I hope this helps! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The antennas didn't change because they can generally broadcast whatever technology you feed in to them. An antenna that broadcasts HSPA+ in 5800Mhz should also be able to broadcast LTE in 5800Mhz. I can't really comment on anything else, and I may be wrong about what I just said, but it's true from what I've read here. I hope this helps! :)

GSM antennas used for LTE? I kinda thought all along the elongated antennas were GSM, while the smaller ones were LTE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GSM antennas used for LTE? I kinda thought all along the elongated antennas were GSM, while the smaller ones were LTE.

Antennas are completely agnostic. They can broadcast whatever technology you hook up to it as long as it's within the supported range. Hell Sprint can broadcast CDMA one or GSM or iDen over their new triband antennas (6 ports - 2x SMR 4x AWS/PCS) if they wanted to as long as its within those frequencies.

 

To help your query out..

 

The ones with 4/6 ports are dual polarized 1700-1900-2100 antennas. They're hooked up with TMA (tower mounted amplifiers) or a RF combiner / splitter and hooked up to the base stations on the bottom. It's LTE Release 8 because they do not have remoted radio units mounted next to antennas (RRUs).

 

The one with 6 ports are the 2300 antennas with a DBS 3900 series Huawei setup with a RRUS3704 model RRU. It's the same series of RRUs that are utilized by Clearwire (owned by Sprint) for the Clear Wimax / TDD-LTE markets (see the How to Spot Clearwire TDD-LTE / Wimax thread) that are going to be decommissioned by the end of 2015 because of US Government concerns and a condition of the Softbank buyout.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just how long does it take to be an antenna Jedi?

 

P.S. I could make out Powerwave branding only.

Edited by Azimuth
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an omni antenna of sorts?

heck I couldn't tell you that. I am honestly unsure what type of antennas GPS are usually.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does the cabling work? What sort of cabling are we talking here?

 

I work a fair bit with antennas and cabling on the consumer side so trying to relate to the carrier side.

Edited by Azimuth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does the cabling work? What sort of cabling are we talking here?

 

I work a fair bit with antennas and cabling on the consumer side so trying to relate to the carrier side.

Copper coaxial or hybriflex / hybrid cable which has fiber and power in one.

 

American carriers uses hybridflex to connect to remote radios units and the final connections from radio to antenna are coax jumpers.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay that makes sense. Short runs are coax, long runs are fiber.

 

After all, it's pure networking between the BTS and radios, right?

 

Thanks for the wealth of information, lilotimz! Out of interest, are you in the industry or is this also a hobby for you?

Edited by Azimuth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very interesting.  I wish we could get pictures like these from all around the world.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was first inspired by this GizModo article and thought it'd make an interesting topic on SA forums. So far the interest has been extremely low but that didn't stop me.

 

It's now become a 'thing' to photograph base stations and learn more about them - which ultimately led me to your forum. :tu:

 

If some people can do train spotting, why not 'tower spotting'? :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Copper coaxial or hybriflex / hybrid cable which has fiber and power in one.

 

American carriers uses hybridflex to connect to remote radios units and the final connections from radio to antenna are coax jumpers.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

P.S. Lilo...RRU is the unit bolted to the rear of the antenna panel? Tried to find a primer on here for the basics but came up empty. Edited by Azimuth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

P.S. Lilo...RRU is the unit bolted to the rear of the antenna panel? Tried to find a primer on here for the basics but came up empty.

 

The FAQ has some basic answers to most general questions like yours.

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1704-frequently-asked-questions/

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The "interesting to know what this is" looks like GPS.

You were right. :) I was given the following inside info:

 

That is an active GPS antenna. When looking carefully you can see the frequency on the side of the unit is 1574.42 MHz. This is the L1 band used in the GPS system.

 

The fact that it requires 5V and there is a current specified means that it is active. Using a device called a bias-tee, you can feed DC through the coaxial cable and thereby power the amplifier inside this antenna.

 

It is difficult to see the gain on the label, but a lot of commercially available active GPS antennas has 20 - 30 dB amplifiers inside. The size of the enclosure also leads me to believe that it uses a patch antenna. Patch antennas are used for a lot of these types of applications since it will always point upwards. The radiation pattern of a patch is ideal since you don't need a lot of gain on the horizon, but from about 20 degrees above horizon you want decent gain.

Edited by Azimuth
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey COZ, getting slapped with a PM restriction.

 

Please can you change the title of my thread? I don't think people will appreciate it if I litter the forums with non Sprint stuff!

 

Please change to "FYI South African base stations".

 

I'll post all my photography to this section.

 

Thanks,

Pete

Edited by Azimuth
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right, another site I photographed and which I detailed from the consumer side here

I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't take in the whole tower...zoomed all the way out to 75mm was still too close! I've learnt my lesson to cart my 17-55mm with next time. :td:

J4y5B58.jpg
So this site had three carriers operating on the tower.  A reminder that I intro'd these here.  This is MTN.

ueymIJt.jpg
Quite a mix of antennas plus microwave.  I see a real small directional panel antenna as well.
 
DdntyYi.jpg
A closer look...

KymeBPh.jpg
I don't know if it's just me but the cabling is rather messy on this tower.

jecdK2y.jpg


pwebdIl.jpg

 
pKxHLGr.jpg
Powerwave label visible. The microwave dish is pretty small - is this the standard size? Any way to tell

if this is for backhaul or to feel other cells?

BH0cags.jpg
My lens is just a bit short of reach to read the labels; perhaps I should have used my tripod to stabilise

and make the writing clearer. In any event, the images here obviously are short of resolution compared

to the originals.

4qzwqfY.jpg
Looking up into the belly of the beast.

kW0UXf6.jpg
Cell C carrier.  I personally haven't used this carrier yet.  I've use the other three daily.

qzJP9Qe.jpg

 

 

NeR4DOD.jpg
Huawei RRU.

Qbf98dX.jpg
Not sure what this little guy is for but it's an Ericsson antenna.

okSUxTx.jpg
If I'm not mistaken the label has fallen off here.  Powerwave I think?

fUT9I4s.jpg

 

 

llmpRfK.jpg
The last operator, "8ta", which was rebranded about a year ago as Telkom Mobile.  People incorrectly

shorten it here as "T-Mobile" which is one of your carriers. :rolleyes: This is the carrier I was looking for and

would be connecting to from 806m away.  I obtained a symmetric 9Mbps down/up connection with a

LOS install at the consumer side.  I know I can get at least 30Mbps so I've reported this site to Telkom

Mobile.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure what this little guy is for but it's an Ericsson antenna.

Oops, rookie mistake. On a second look this is an Ericsson RRU.

 

Still getting my eye in for RRU vs TMA. Help lilo...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops, rookie mistake. On a second look this is an Ericsson RRU.

 

Still getting my eye in for RRU vs TMA. Help lilo...

 

Remote Radio Unit / Remote Radio Head (RRU/RRH)

 

f2xBcUg.jpg

 

Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA)

 

7O4gid1.jpg

 

RF Combiner / Splitter

 

FJGGhAi.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do TMA's replace RRU's?

 

Where do RF combiners/splitters come into the picture?

That are amplifiers. They amplify the signal going up. If you got a RRH by the antenna you don't need one.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • This has been approved.. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/fcc-approves-t-mobiles-deal-to-purchase-mint-mobile/  
    • In the conference call they had two question on additional spectrum. One was the 800 spectrum. They are not certain what will happen, thus have not really put it into their plans either way (sale or no sale). They do have a reserve level. Nationwide 800Mhz is seen as great for new technologies which I presume is IOT or 5g slices.  T-Mobile did not bite on use of their c-band or DOD.  mmWave rapidly approaching deadlines not mentioned at all. FWA brushes on this as it deals with underutilized spectrum on a sector by sector basis.  They are willing to take more money to allow FWA to be mobile (think RV or camping). Unsure if this represents a higher priority, for example, FWA Mobile in RVs in Walmart parking lots working where mobile phones need all the capacity. In terms of FWA capacity, their offload strategy is fiber through joint ventures where T-Mobile does the marketing, sales, and customer support while the fiber company does the network planning and installation.  50%-50% financial split not being consolidated into their books. I think discussion of other spectrum would have diluted the fiber joint venture discussion. They do have a fund which one use is to purchase new spectrum. Sale of the 800Mhz would go into this. It should be noted that they continue to buy 2.5Ghz spectrum from schools etc to replace leases. They will have a conference this fall  to update their overall strategies. Other notes from the call are 75% of the phones on the network are 5g. About 85% of their sites have n41, n25, and n71, 90% 5g.  93% of traffic is on midband.  SA is also adding to their performance advantage, which they figure is still ahead of other carriers by two years. It took two weeks to put the auction 108 spectrum to use at their existing sites. Mention was also made that their site spacing was designed for midrange thus no gaps in n41 coverage, while competitors was designed for lowband thus toggles back and forth for n77 also with its shorter range.  
    • The manual network selection sounds like it isn't always scanning NR, hence Dish not showing up. Your easiest way to force Dish is going to be forcing the phone into NR-only mode (*#*#4636#*#* menu?), since rainbow sims don't support SA on T-Mobile.
    • "The company’s unique multi-layer approach to 5G, with dedicated standalone 5G deployed nationwide across 600MHz, 1.9GHz, and 2.5GHz delivers customers a consistently strong experience, with 85% of 5G traffic on sites with all three spectrum bands deployed." Meanwhile they are very close to a construction deadline June 1 for 850Mhz of mmWave in most of Ohio covering 27500-28350Mhz expiring 6/8/2028. No reported sightings.  Buildout notice issue sent by FCC in March 5, 2024 https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/letterPdf/LetterPdfController?licId=4019733&letterVersionId=178&autoLetterId=13060705&letterCode=CR&radioServiceCode=UU&op=LetterPdf&licSide=Y&archive=null&letterTo=L  No soecific permits seen in a quick check of Columbus. They also have an additional 200Mhz covering at 24350-25450 Mhz and 24950-25050Mhz with no buildout date expiring 12/11/2029.
    • T-Mobile Delivers Industry-Leading Customer, Service Revenue and Profitability Growth in Q1 2024, and Raises 2024 Guidance https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/t-mobile-q1-2024-earnings — — — — — I find it funny that when they talk about their spectrum layers they're saying n71, n25, and n41. They're completely avoiding talking about mmWave.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...