Atoll 3.1.

0 Training Exercise Book

: Atoll :
General Features
(UMTS HSPA Platform)

Creating an Atoll document

Importing geographic data
Creating a new station
Grouping and filtering radio data
Creating a computation zone
Calculating coverage predictions

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Atoll 3.1.0 Training Exercise Book

Exercise 1: Creating an Atoll document

Objectives:
o Creating an Atoll document from a database
o Using the Explorer

1. Launch Atoll.
2. Create from an existing database a 3GPPMulti-RAT document that will support GSM, UMTS
and LTE:
Select File New From an Existing Database
In the Selection of a Database dialogue box, choose the Access database that is
located at:
Material_for_exercises\Brussels\MultiRAT\Network_Data\Brussels_MultiRAT.m
db
In the Data to Load dialogue box, click OK.
In the 3GPP Multi-RAT dialogue box, select the three access technologies GSM,
UMTS and LTE and click OK.
3. Check the content of the Network Explorer:
Expand the Sites folder.
Right-click on one of the sites and select Centre in Map Window.
Collapse back the Sites folder.
4. Right-click on the GSM Transmitters folder and select Properties.
Select the Display tab.
In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Yellow and the Size
30, and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
5. Do the same for the UMTS Transmitters:
Right-click on the UMTS Transmitters folder and select Properties.
Select the Display tab.
In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Blue and the Size 25,
and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
6. Do the same for the LTE Transmitters:
Right-click on the LTE Transmitters folder and select Properties.
Select the Display tab.
In the Display type field, select the Unique option.
Click on the symbol displayed and choose to give it the Colour Red and the Size 20,
and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
7. Save the document in a personal folder:
Create a personal folder in the Atoll_Training folder provided.
Save your document in this folder under the name Atoll_MultiRAT.atl by selecting
File Save or Save As...

Information: If you want to redo the exercises after the training and want to create some MultiRAT
documents, make sure you only select the technologies (GSM, UMTS and/or LTE) that you have the
licence key for.

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Exercise 2: Importing geographic data

Objectives:
o Importing geographic data files
o Importing a user configuration file

1. Check the content of the Geo Explorer.

Information: You can import your geographic files either manually or automatically.
MANUAL IMPORT:
2. Import the following geographic data files by selecting File Import:
The DTM (Digital Terrain Model) file located at:
"Geo_Data\Brussels\Height_(DTM)\Brussels_Altitudes_(DTM).bil"
In the File Import dialogue box choose Altitudes (DTM) as the Data type
then click Import.

The Clutter Classes file located at:

"Geo_Data\Brussels\Clutter_Classes\Brussels_Clutter_Classes.bil"
In the File Import dialogue box choose Clutter Classes as the Data type
then click Import.

The Vector file located at:

"Geo_Data\Brussels\Vectors\Belgium_Districts.mif"
Select the Geo option in the Import to field to specify that you want the vector
to be placed in the Geo Explorer, then click Import.

AUTOMATIC IMPORT:
3. Import a User Configuration file that will automatically import all the geographic files by
selecting Tools User Configuration Load...

The User Configuration file is located at:

Material_for_exercises\Brussels\MultiRAT\User_Configuration\Brussels_Geo_
MultiRAT.geo
Leave the Delete Existing Geo Data and Geographic Data Set ticked and click OK.

Warning: The User Configuration file is pointing to geographic files that need to be placed at
the following location: C:\Atoll_Training\Geo_Data\Brussels
Information: After the import of the User Configuration file you can see that several maps are now
available in your Geo Explorer:
3 Vector files (Brussels_Transportation_Ways, Belgium_Districts and Belgium_Municipalities)
1 Clutter Heights file (Brussels_Clutter_Heights)
1 Clutter Classes file (Brussels_Clutter_Classes)
1 Digital Terrain Model file (Brussels_Altitudes_(DTM))
1 Image (Brussels_Ortho_Image)
1 Population file (Brussels_Population)
4. Change the order of the maps or uncheck the visibility boxes of some of them to display the
information you are most interested in.
Information: To change the order of the maps you need to select a map and drag it above or below
the other maps.
5. Save the document.

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Exercise 3: Creating a new station

Objectives:
o Using station templates
o Using the Find on Map tool

Information: The goal of this exercise is to create a new Multi-RAT station in the district of Krosf
1. In the Geo Explorer, uncheck all the visibility boxes.
2. Tick the visibility box of the Belgium_Districts geographic file.
3. Use the Find on Map tool to locate the district called Krosf:

You can access the Find on Map tool by clicking on the icon
or by using the
shortcut CTRL+F.
In the Find field, select Vector.
In the Field field, select NAME.
Type Krosf in the white box below
Zoom around the Krosf district (by double-clicking in the district, you can display its
properties to make sure you are looking at the Krosf district).

4. In the Radio Planning toolbar, expand the Station Templates drop-down list:
Select the UMTS: Urban 900 station template from the list.

Click on the New Transmitter or Station icon

and drop the station in the Krosf
district.
Double-click on this newly created site to open its Properties and update the following
fields:
In the General tab rename the site to Krosf.
Set the sites Position as follows: X: 597 870 m and Y: 5 632 010 m.
In the Other properties tab set the RNC field to RNC9, the BSC field to
BSC3, the SAE Gateway to SAE-GW1 and the Manufacturer to TBD
Then click OK.

5. Go back to the Station Templates drop-down list to now select the UMTS: Urban station
template.
Click again on the New Transmitter or Station icon and drop this new station exactly
on the Krosf Site (when you are exactly above it, the site will get highlighted).
6. Go back to the Station Templates drop-down list to now select the LTE: Urban station
template.
Click again on the New Transmitter or Station icon and drop this new station exactly
on the Krosf Site also.
7. Click on the Refresh icon
display getting updated.

(or F5) to refresh the map display and see the Krosf stations

8. Close the Find on Map tool.

9. Save the document.

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Exercise 4: Grouping and filtering radio data

Objectives:
o Using Atoll grouping functions
o Using Atoll filtering functions

GROUPING:
1. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the Sites folder and select Group by RNC
Expand the Sites folder to notice the new data organisation.
Right-click on one of the subfolders and select Open Table to access the parameters
of the Sites that belong to this group
Close the table.
Information: Grouping used at the folder level can only be based on one parameter. Grouping used
at the folder properties level can be based on several parameters.
2. To group the Sites according to 2 fields, you need to do it through the Sites Properties
dialogue box:
Right-click on the Sites folder and select Properties.
In the General tab, click on the Group By... button.
In the Available fields box, select the Manufacturer parameter, press the
button
and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.
Expand the Sites folder and notice the new data organisation (the Sites are grouped
by RNC and by Manufacturer now).
FILTERING:
3. Right-click on the Sites folder and select Properties
In the General tab, click on the Filter... button.
In the Field drop-down list, select RNC.
Remove the RNC1 as a value to include and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.

Notice the filter symbol

on the Sites folder. Also notice that is no more Sites
belonging to RNC1 in the Explorer or on the map.

4. To remove the filtering, go back to the General tab of the Sites Properties and click on the
Filter... button:
Click the Clear all button and then click OK.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Sites Properties dialogue box.
Notice that the Sites belonging to RNC1 have reappeared in the Explorer and on
the map, and that the filter symbol on the Sites folder has also disappeared.

5. Save the document.

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Exercise 5: Creating a computation zone

Objectives:
o Creating a computation zone

1. In the Geo Explorer, expand the Zones folder to see the Computation Zone.
2. Right-click on the Computation Zone and select Draw.
Click several times on the map to create each point defining the Computation zone
and double-click to finish creating it.
3. Right-click on the border of the Computation Zone on the map, and select Insert Point
Click on the inserted point to move it and place it where you want.
4. Right-click on the border of the Computation Zone on the map, and select Move
Move the zone to place it where you want.
5. In the Geo Explorer, right-click on the Computation Zone and select Fit Zone to Map
Window
A rectangular Computation Zone that surrounds the current view of your map is
created (you can zoom out to see it better)
6. Right-click on the Computation Zone and select Import
Import the file that is located at
Material_for_exercises\Brussels\MultiRAT\Computation_Zone\Brussels_Comp
utation_Zone.mif
In the Vector Import dialogue box, make sure that the Computation Zone is selected
in the Import to field, and then click Import.
7. Save the document.

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Exercise 6: Calculating coverage predictions

Objectives:
o Calculating coverage predictions

1. In the Network Explorer, group the UMTS Transmitters by Site.

2. Display the properties of the transmitters and select the Propagation tab.
Under "Main Matrix", select Standard Propagation Model 2100 MHz as the main
Propagation Model, set the Radius to 5000 m and the Resolution to 20 m.
Click Apply.
Click OK.
3. Save the document.
4. In the Geo Explorer, tick the visibility box of the Belgium_Districts.
Use the Find on Map tool to locate the district called Krosf by putting Vector in the
Find field, NAME in the Field field and Krosf in the white box below.
Right-click in the Krosf district and select Use As Focus Zone.
Close the Find on Map tool.
Expand the Zones folder and tick the visibility box of the Focus Zone to see your
newly created zone.
5. Clear the visibility boxes of the Focus Zone and the Belgium_Districts.
6. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the Predictions folder and select New.
Under the Standard Predictions UMTS, select Coverage by Signal Level.
In the General tab, rename the study UMTS Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal
Level.
In the Display tab, select Actions Shading... and set the following parameters:
o First break : -75
o Last break : -105
o Interval : -5
o Then click OK.
Click Calculate to calculate the prediction.
7. Right-click on the UMTS Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level prediction and select
Generate Report.
Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
2
o Surface (km )
o % of Covered Area
o % Focus Zone
o % Computation Zone
Then click OK.
Do not close this report.
Information: You can notice that the statistical report is only based on the Focus zone (no
information is available in the "% Computation zone" column)
8. In the Geo Explorer, right-click on the Focus Zone folder and select Delete Zone.
9. In the Network Explorer, right-click on the UMTS Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level
and select Generate report.
Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
2
o Surface (km )
o % of Covered Area
o % Focus Zone
o % Computation Zone

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Then click OK.

Compare this report with the one you made previously.

Information: You can now notice that the statistical report is based on the Computation zone (no
information is available in the "% Focus zone" column)
10. Close both reports.
11. Save the document.

12. Clear the visibility boxes of the GSM Transmitters and the LTE Transmitters to only keep
the UMTS Transmitters displayed on the map.
13. Right-click on the UMTS Transmitters folder and select Properties.
Select the Display tab.
In the Display type field, select the Automatic option.
Click OK to apply your changes and close the Transmitters Properties dialogue.
14. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select New.
Under the Standard Predictions UMTS, select Coverage by Transmitter.
In the General tab, rename the study UMTS Prediction 2: Coverage by
Transmitter (Best Server-Null Margin).
Set the margin to 0 dB.
Click OK.
15. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select New.
Under the Standard Predictions UMTS, select Coverage by Transmitter.
In the General tab, rename the study UMTS Prediction 3: Coverage by
Transmitter (Best Server- Positive Margin).
Set the margin to 4 dB.
Click OK.
16. On the Radio Planning toolbar click on the Calculate icon
predictions.

(or F7) to calculate both

17. Right-click on the prediction UMTS Prediction 1: Coverage by Signal Level, select Split
in Cells and choose the prediction UMTS Prediction 2: Coverage by Transmitter (Best
Server-Null Margin).
Click OK.
Information: Atoll has created a prediction named Splitting in Cells (UMTS Prediction 1:
Coverage by Signal Level-UMTS Prediction 2: Coverage by Transmitter (Best Server-Null
Margin)) enabling you to see the transmitter's coverage zone and the distribution of the signal
strength levels inside of the coverage zone at the same time.
18. Save the document.
19. From the Menu bar, select Tools Point Analysis.
Select the UMTS - Reception tab.

Move the point analysis icon

surrounding Transmitters.
Close the Point Analysis tool.

on the map to examine the contribution of the

20. In the Network Explorer, expand the UMTS Transmitters folder.

Right-click on the Krosf site and select Calculations Create a New Prediction...
Select a Coverage by Signal Level prediction

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Rename the prediction UMTS Prediction 4: Coverage by Signal Level Krosf

only.
Click Calculate.

21. Expand the UMTS Transmitters folder.

Right-click on the Krosf site and select Open Table.
Set the Height (m) of all the antennas to 40 m.
Close the table.
22. Right-click on the UMTS Transmitters and select Properties.
In the Propagation tab, notice that the path loss matrices of the Krosf transmitters
are no longer valid. Why?
23. Right-click on the prediction UMTS Prediction 4: Coverage by Signal Level Krosf only
and select Duplicate.
Rename the duplicated prediction to UMTS Prediction 5: Coverage by Signal
Level Krosf only 40 m.
Calculate this new prediction.
24. Tick the visibility boxes of the UMTS Prediction 4 and the UMTS Prediction 5 only.
25. Right-click on the Predictions folder and select Generate Report.
Select the following Columns to be Displayed:
2
o Surface (km )
o % of Covered Area
o % Focus Zone
o % Computation Zone
Then click OK.
Which prediction is showing better results? Why?
Close the report.
Information: Atoll will generate a comparative report for both predictions. It is then easier to look for
differences.
26. From the Menu bar, select Edit Select Area... to define a zone on the map that you want to
export as an image.
From the Menu bar, select File Save Image As... to export your selection.
Save your image as a TIFF file under the name Krosf_ExportImage.tif.
27. Expand the UMTS Transmitters folder.
Right-click on the Krosf site and select Open Table.
Set the Height (m) of all the antennas back to 30 m.
Close the table.
28. Save the document.

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