Mentum Planet User Guide

>> Mentum Planet
User Guide
version 5.3.1
Copyright 2011
Mentum S.A. All rights reserved.
Notice
This document contains confidential and proprietary information of Mentum S.A. and may not be
copied, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced in any format or media, in whole or in
part, without the prior written consent of Mentum S.A. Information contained in this document
supersedes that found in any previous manuals, guides, specifications data sheets, or other
information that may have been provided or made available to the user. This document is provided
for informational purposes only, and Mentum S.A. does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy,
adequacy, quality, validity, completeness or suitability for any purpose the information contained in
this document. Mentum S.A. may update, improve, and enhance this document and the products to
which it relates at any time without prior notice to the user. MENTUM S.A. MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO
THIS DOCUMENT OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.
Trademark Acknowledgement
Mentum, Mentum Planet, Mentum Ellipse, Mentum Fusion, Mentum CellPlanner, and Mentum
LinkPlanner are registered trademarks owned by Mentum S.A. MapInfo Professional is a registered
trademark of PB MapInfo Corporation. iBwave is a trademark owned by iBwave. This document
may contain other trademarks, trade names, or service marks of other organizations, each of which
is the property of its respective owner.
Last updated July 11, 2011
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction
Features of Mentum Planet
Project Explorer
Site Editor
Traffic Map Generator
Interference Matrix Generator
Neighbor Plan Generator
Network Data Import Wizard
Survey Data tool
Subscriber Settings
Data Manager
Microwave Links
MapInfo Professional
Using this documentation
User documentation updates
Online Help
Documentation library
Notational conventions
Textual conventions
Organization of this user guide
Chapter 2 Creating Generic Projects
11
Understanding generic projects
12
Creating a generic project
14
To create a generic project
14
To view or edit project settings
16
Opening and closing projects
18
Mentum Planet User Guide i
To open a project
18
Saving projects
19
To save a project
19
To back up a project
19
Restoring projects
20
To restore a project
20
Chapter 3 Working with Sites and Sectors
21
Displaying and formatting site labels
22
To display site labels
22
To hide site labels
22
To format site labels
22
Choosing sites
24
To choose sites and sectors from the Project Explorer
24
To choose sites and sectors using the Select tools
25
Grouping sites
26
To group sites by properties in the Project Explorer
26
To copy grouped sites in the Project Explorer
26
To ungroup sites in the Project Explorer
27
Finding and selecting sites and sectors in the Map window
28
To find a site in the Map window
28
To find a sector in the Map window
28
To find and display a site with user-selected zoom
28
To select a site or sector in the Map window
29
Using queries to identify sectors
30
To use queries to identify sectors
31
Working with sites
34
To display information about a site
34
To copy a site or sector into a group
34
ii Mentum Planet User Guide
To clone a sector at a site
35
To swap site and sector parameters
35
To rename a site
35
To refresh the sites list
36
To delete sites from the Project Explorer
36
To delete sites from the Map window
36
To change the antenna for a sector
36
Using sector placement tools
38
To use the Find Maximum Point tool
38
To use the Angle From Line tool
39
To use the Draw Angle tool
39
Working with sector groups
41
To create a sector group
41
To display a group in a Map window
42
Editing sector groups
43
To rename a group
43
To remove a site or sector from a group
43
To delete a group
43
To refresh the groups list
44
To edit groups from the Site Properties dialog box
44
Working with flags
45
Example
45
To create a flag
46
To add a condition
46
To apply flag conditions to one or more sites
47
To display sectors based on flag conditions
48
Editing flags and conditions
49
To rename a flag
49
To rename a condition
49
Mentum Planet User Guide iii
To delete a flag or condition
49
To invert flag conditions
49
Modifying sector symbols for individual sites
51
To modify color and symbol settings for individual sites
51
Customizing sector symbols for multiple sites
52
To create a sector display scheme
53
To define an active sector display scheme
56
To add a sector display scheme
57
To apply a sector display scheme
57
To apply the default sector symbol
59
Adding custom data
60
Local custom data
60
Shared custom data
60
To add local custom data
61
To add shared custom data
61
Optimizing a single site
62
To optimize a single site
62
Chapter 4 Managing Antenna Systems
70
Understanding antenna systems
71
How antenna systems are used in network planning
71
Optimization of antenna patterns
73
Required accuracy for antenna patterns
74
Antenna pattern formats
75
Workflow for adding antenna patterns to a project
76
Workflow for modeling antenna patterns
77
Importing antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet format
78
To import an antenna pattern in .dpa format
78
Importing Multiple Antenna Files
79
iv Mentum Planet User Guide
To import multiple antenna files
79
Downloading antenna patterns from the Antenna Server
80
To download antenna patterns
80
Opening and viewing antenna patterns
82
To open an antenna pattern
82
To open an antenna pattern from the Project Explorer
82
Editing antenna algorithm parameters
83
To edit algorithm parameters
83
Editing antenna patterns
85
To edit antenna patterns
86
Printing antenna patterns
89
To preview an antenna pattern
89
To print an antenna pattern
89
Adding antenna patterns to a project
90
To add antenna pattern files to a project
90
To view or hide unassigned antenna patterns
90
To refresh antenna patterns
90
To rename antenna patterns
91
To remove an antenna pattern from the Project Explorer
91
Grouping antenna patterns
92
To group antenna patterns
93
To ungroup antenna patterns
93
Using antenna queries
94
To create and run a new antenna query
94
Chapter 5 Managing Survey Data
96
Understanding surveys
97
How survey data is organized in the Project Explorer
97
Workflow for surveys
99
Mentum Planet User Guide v
Collecting survey data
100
Adding surveys to a project
101
To add surveys to the project
102
To import surveys
102
To modify the properties of a survey
103
Adding survey header information
105
To update survey header information using sector properties
105
Saving a copy of a survey
106
To save a copy of a survey
106
Displaying survey data
107
To view a survey in the Map window
107
To find survey data points in the Map window
108
To view survey data in tabular format
108
To create a thematic map of survey data
109
To modify display options for thematically mapped surveys
109
Viewing survey statistics
111
To view a survey histogram
111
To view a survey clutter distribution histogram
112
To view a survey regression analysis
113
Assigning surveys
117
To assign a survey to a sector
117
To create a survey assignment file
117
To assign multiple surveys using an assignment file
118
To view and update survey assignments
119
To export a survey assignment file
119
To clear all survey assignments
120
Creating survey reports
121
To create survey assignment reports
121
Modifying survey data
122
vi Mentum Planet User Guide
To average survey data
122
To filter survey data
124
To filter survey data by selection
127
To filter survey data by polygon
128
To remove survey data points from the Map window
129
Combining and comparing surveys
130
To combine surveys
130
To compare two surveys
131
To compare a survey with a numeric grid
132
To compare a survey with a modeled prediction
133
Chapter 6 Managing Test Mobile Data
136
Understanding test mobile data
137
Input file requirements for test mobile data
137
Test mobile data file header
137
Workflow for test mobile data
139
Importing test mobile data
140
To import test mobile data
140
Viewing information about a test mobile data file
145
To view information about a test mobile data file
145
Viewing and locating test mobile data
146
To view the test mobile data locations in a Map window
146
To find test mobile data in a Map window
147
To view test mobile data in tabular format
147
Displaying test mobile data in a Map window
149
Understanding point display settings
149
Automatic selection
149
Understanding how display information is organized
149
To define map view settings for a test mobile data file
150
Mentum Planet User Guide vii
To define individual point display settings
153
To define point display settings for ranges of values
154
To display the test mobile data points in a Map window
156
To create a map view template for test mobile data
156
Viewing test mobile data in graph format
158
To view test mobile data in graph format
159
To print the data in the Test Mobile Graph window
161
Allocating test mobile data to sectors
162
Looking up sectors for test mobile data
162
Allocating test mobile records to sectors
162
To look up sectors for test mobile data automatically
163
To assign sectors to test mobile carrier nodes manually
165
To add a virtual test mobile sector
165
To view or modify sector information
166
To allocate test mobile records to sectors
167
To view the test mobile records
168
To unassign sectors
168
To modify the display in the Test Mobile tree view
168
Exporting test mobile data to surveys
169
To export test mobile data to surveys
169
Chapter 7 Managing Scan Receiver Data
170
Understanding scan receiver data
171
Input file requirements for scan receiver data
171
Scan receiver data file header
171
Workflow for scan receiver data
173
Importing scan receiver data
174
To import scan receiver data
174
Viewing information about a scan receiver data file
179
viii Mentum Planet User Guide
To view information about a scan receiver data file
179
Viewing scan receiver data
180
To view the scan receiver data locations in a Map window
180
To find scan receiver data in a Map window
181
To view scan receiver data in tabular format
181
Displaying scan receiver data in a Map window
183
183
Automatic selection
183
183
To define map view settings for a scan receiver data file
184
187
188
To display the scan receiver data points in a Map window
190
To create a map view template for scan receiver data
190
Viewing scan receiver data in graph format
192
To view scan receiver data in graph format
193
To print the data in the Scan Receiver Graph window
195
Allocating scan receiver data to sectors
196
Looking up sectors for scan receiver data
196
Allocating scan receiver records to sectors
196
To look up sectors for scan receiver data automatically
197
To assign sectors to scan receiver carrier nodes manually
199
To add a virtual scan receiver sector
199
200
To allocate scan receiver records to sectors
201
To view the scan receiver records
202
To unassign sectors
202
To modify the display in the Scan Receiver tree view
202
Exporting scan receiver data to surveys
203
Mentum Planet User Guide ix
To export scan receiver data to surveys

Chapter 8 Managing Scanner Survey Data
203
206
Understanding scanner survey data
207
Input file requirements for scanner survey receiver data
207
Workflow for managing scanner survey data
208
Importing scanner survey data
209
To import scanner survey data
209
Exporting scanner survey data to surveys
211
To export scanner survey data to surveys
211
Chapter 9 Generating Predictions
216
Understanding path loss and signal strength predictions
217
Path loss and signal strength files
218
Path loss files
218
Signal strength files
218
Combined signal strength files
219
Choosing a prediction mode
221
Modeled predictions
221
Merged predictions
221
Defining output settings
222
Advanced prediction layers
222
To define analysis output settings
223
Generating predictions
224
To generate predictions
224
Viewing predictions from the Project Explorer
227
To view predictions for a sector
227
Viewing predictions from the View menu
228
To view predictions using the View menu
228
Displaying, filtering, and deleting predictions
231
x Mentum Planet User Guide
To display, filter, and delete predictions
231
Chapter 10 Generating Signal Strength Predictions Between

Two Points
234
Understanding point-to-point analyses
235
The Fresnel zone
235
Workflow for point-to-point analyses
237
Understanding the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box
238
Generating point-to-point profiles
241
To generate a point-to-point profile
241
Understanding how to interpret a point-to-point profile
245
What you see
245
What you can do
246
Viewing the height of clutter above the elevation profile
247
To define clutter height values
247
To view clutter heights
247
Customizing the point-to-point profile graph window
248
To customize the Point-to-Point profile graph window
248
To inspect individual points on a profile
249
Displaying reflection points
250
To display reflection points
250
Exporting a point-to-point graph
252
To export a point-to-point graph as an image
252
To export a point-to-point graph to a text file
252
Printing point-to-point graphs
253
To print a point-to-point graph
253
Saving and opening point-to-point profiles
254
To save a point-to-point profile
254
To open a point-to-point profile
254
Mentum Planet User Guide xi
Chapter 11 Generating Propagation Model Analyses
256
Understanding propagation model analyses
257
Analysis results
257
Workflow for generating a propagation model analysis
259
Defining analysis settings
260
To define analysis settings
260
Generating a propagation model analysis
263
To generate a propagation model analysis from sectors
263
To generate a propagation model analysis from surveys
264
Viewing analysis results
265
To view analysis results
265
To view related sector information
266
To view related survey information
267
To view related sector-based propagation model information
268
To view related survey-based propagation model information
269
Chapter 12 Managing Traffic
270
Understanding traffic maps
271
Using traffic maps
271
Conversion factors for input traffic data
272
Traffic weighting
273
Understanding clutter weighting
274
Including vectors in clutter
275
Workflow for creating and editing a traffic map
277
Creating traffic maps
278
To create a traffic map
278
To create a traffic map from a fixed subscriber table
279
Creating traffic maps from network data
281
Best server coverage grid
281
xii Mentum Planet User Guide
On-the-fly best server coverage grid
281
Sector service probabilities
281
Viewing traffic maps
282
To view a traffic map
282
Adding traffic maps to the Project Explorer
283
To add a traffic map to the Project Explorer
283
Modifying traffic maps
284
Converting traffic maps
285
To convert a traffic map
285
Scaling traffic maps
286
To scale a traffic map by percentage
286
To scale a traffic map by offset
286
To scale a traffic map using clutter scaling factors
287
Combining traffic maps
289
To combine traffic maps
289
Deleting traffic maps
291
To delete a traffic map
291
Chapter 13 Working With Interference Matrices
292
Understanding interference matrices
293
Histogram interference matrices
293
Histogram interference algorithms
294
Workflow for creating interference matrices
295
Creating interference matrices
296
To create a histogram interference matrix
296
Viewing interference matrices
303
To view a histogram interference matrix
303
To view histogram interference matrix settings
304
Exporting an interference matrix
306
Mentum Planet User Guide xiii
To export an interference matrix
306
Deleting interference matrices
307
To delete interference matrices
307
Chapter 14 Managing Neighbor Relationships
308
Understanding neighbor planning
309
Workflow for planning neighbor relationships
311
Choosing the type of neighbor plan
312
Best Server algorithm
312
Interference Matrix algorithm
313
Service Probabilities algorithm
313
Creating neighbor plans
314
To create a neighbor plan
314
Adding neighbor plans to the Project Explorer
321
To add a neighbor plan to the Project Explorer
321
Viewing neighbor relationships
322
To view neighbor relationships in the Tabular Editor
322
To view neighbor relationships
323
Comparing neighbor plans
324
To compare neighbor plans
324
Optimizing neighbor plans
326
To optimize the current neighbor plan
326
To optimize neighbor plans
327
Applying neighbor plans
328
To merge neighbor plans
328
To replace neighbor plans
328
Deleting neighbor plans
329
To delete a neighbor plan
329
Chapter 15 Optimizing Network Design
xiv Mentum Planet User Guide
330
Understanding network optimization
331
Better network design
332
Lower cost
333
Before you begin
334
Workflow for network optimization
335
Understanding optimization in Mentum Planet
336
Using optimization goals
337
Understanding site selection
340
Optimizing the network
341
To create an optimization profile
341
To optimize the network
342
Creating optimization profiles
344
To create an optimization profile for LTE goals
344
To create an optimization profile with goals for disparate technologies
347
To create an optimization profile for cdma2000 goals
348
Viewing site selection and optimization results
352
To view site selection results
352
To view optimization results
352
Applying site selection and optimization changes
353
To apply site selection changes
353
To apply optimization changes
353
Chapter 16 Planning Microwave Links
354
Understanding microwave link planning
355
Microwave link planning objectives
355
Microwave data
356
Workflow for microwave link planning
357
Defining microwave settings
358
Mentum Planet User Guide xv
To define microwave settings
358
Adding profile sources
359
To add profile sources
359
Configuring user equipment
360
To configure radios
360
To configure feeder cables
360
Creating frequency plans
362
To create frequency plans
362
Understanding microwave links
363
AMSL layers
363
AGL layers
365
Link clearance
366
Antennas
366
Creating and configuring microwave links
367
To create a microwave link
367
To configure microwave link parameters
367
Importing and exporting microwave links
369
To import microwave links
369
To export microwave links
369
Creating a reflection plane analysis
370
To create reflection plane analysis
370
Analyzing microwave links
372
To analyze link profiles
372
Chapter 17 Using the Extension Manager
374
Customizing Mentum Planet using the Extension Manager
375
To add an extension
375
To uninstall an extension
376
To save the extension
376
xvi Mentum Planet User Guide
To enable or disable an extension
376
Chapter 18 Working with Grids
378
Getting information about a grid
379
To view a grid legend
379
To use the Grid Manager Info function
380
To use the Grid Info tool
380
To use the Region Info tool
381
To use the Line Info tool
381
Contouring a grid
383
Creating contours for a numeric grid
383
To define contour polylines or regions
384
Creating contours for a classified grid
385
To create contours for a classified grid
385
Creating smooth grid contours
387
How smooth grid contours are created
387
To create smooth grid contours
390
Creating slope and aspect grids
393
To create a slope and aspect grid
393
Working with area grids
395
To create an area grid
395
To add an area grid
396
To rename an area grid
396
To view an area grid
396
To delete an area grid
397
Analyzing visibility on a grid
398
Point-to-Point Visibility function
398
To determine point-to-point visibility
398
Viewshed function
400
Mentum Planet User Guide xvii
To perform a single-point viewshed analysis
401
To perform a multi-point viewshed analysis
402
Chapter 19 Generating Coverage Reports
404
Producing coverage map reports
405
To create a print layout
405
To add a frame
406
To change the border of a frame
407
To open a graphic file
407
Creating and printing legends
408
To create and print a grid legend
408
To create and print a thematic map legend
409
Producing FCC reports
410
Service Area Boundary (SAB) formula
411
Understanding FCC table formats
411
To create FCC contours
412
To define override values for 32 dBu services
414
To use the FCC Point tool
416
To save FCC contour tables
418
To export an FCC report
419
Chapter 20 Working the Tabular Editor
420
Working with the Tabular Editor
421
To edit sites, flags, or link configurations using the Tabular Editor
421
Chapter 21 Importing and Exporting Data
424
Importing, replacing, and exporting project data
425
Importing data
426
Replacing data
426
Exporting data
427
xviii Mentum Planet User Guide
To export project data
427
To import project data
429
Importing network data into Mentum Planet projects
432
Binding network data
432
Viewing the results of data binding
432
To import network data
432
Importing CellPlanner projects
437
To import a CellPlanner project
437
Appendix A Survey to numeric grid calculations
438
Survey to numeric grid calculations
439
Mean
439
STD (standard deviation)
439
RMS (root-mean-square)
440
Confidence Level
440
Correlation factor
442
Appendix B Propagation Model Analysis Equations
444
Understanding propagation model analysis equations
445
Survey Mean Error from Prediction (dB)
445
Standard Deviation of Errors
446
Correlation
447
Simplified Pathloss
448
Free space pathloss
448
Quality (%)
449
Confidence
450
Mentum Planet User Guide xix
Chapter 1 Introduction
This User Guide provides an overview of the full life cycle of a wireless
network, and includes information on the tools and procedures that are
common to all network technologies. Many procedures, for example network
analyses, are dependent on the technology being used, and are not included in
this User Guide. For more information on technology-specific procedures, see
the appropriate User Guide.
This chapter covers the following topics:
Mentum Planet User Guide 1
Chapter 1

Mentum Planet provides you with all the tools you need to accurately design,
analyze, and optimize wireless networks. You can add extensions and enable
additional technologies to support the planning functions that you require.
Below is a list of some of the main features of Mentum Planet. This list is not
comprehensive. For a detailed feature list, go to the Mentum web site at
http://www.mentum.com.
Project Explorer
The Project Explorer organizes all components of a project into a hierarchical
structure, enabling you to easily manage all project-related data including sites,
project information, network analyses, network data, and surveys. You can sort
components such as sites and antenna patterns by their characteristics and manage
support documents such as census tract data, capacity planning information, or RF
design review documents. Shortcut menus give you quick access to a wide variety of
commands.
Site Editor
The Site Editor brings together all the parameters you need to specify when defining
base station technologies, sites, and sectors. This includes the link configuration, the
implementation settings as well as general site and sector settings.
Traffic Map Generator

Using the Traffic Map Generator, you can create traffic maps based on various
sources of data, including market information, demographics, vehicular traffic, and
switch statistics. You can combine this information with clutter information for your
coverage area for an even more accurate assessment of traffic loading for your
wireless network. You can also scale traffic maps to better meet your requirements.
Interference Matrix Generator

The Interference Matrix Generator analyzes the potential for co-channel and
adjacent-channel interference in your wireless network. If required, you can include
traffic map information in the interference matrix calculations. Interference matrices
2 Mentum Planet User Guide
Introduction
are required input for the Neighbor List Generator and the Automatic
Frequency Preamble and Perm Base Planning tool.
Neighbor Plan Generator

You can use the Neighbor Plan Generator to create, view, edit, and compare
neighbor lists for single-technology networks and for multi-technology
networks. Neighbor plans can be based on cell adjacency or interference.
Multiple user-defined criteria determine neighbor selection. You can also
import and export neighbor plans.
Network Data Import Wizard

You can import switch statistics for use in traffic maps, interference matrices,
neighbor lists, and other Mentum Planet analysis tools. Performance-related
data you can import includes dropped call rates, blocked call rates, and traffic
levels. The Network Data tool can also produce a thematically mapped display
of the imported data by sector.
Survey Data tool

Using the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer, you can import, manage,
and visualize survey data.
Subscriber Settings
The Subscriber Settings dialog box contains all the parameters you need to
define the characteristics of your network subscribers including the mobile
equipment and services they use as well as the Quality of Service thresholds.
Data Manager
The Data Manager enables you to store data centrally and manage projects
more efficiently, thus facilitating project collaboration and data sharing.
Chapter 1
Microwave Links
You can visualize microwave transmission links within the context of your Mentum
Planet projects and perform basic microwave planning tasks when designing your
wireless network.
Using the shortcut menus that are accessible within the Microwave category in the
Project Explorer, you can create microwave links between sites by selecting the
sites in the Project Explorer Sites category and using the shortcut commands and
you can view links in the Map window.
MapInfo Professional
Mentum Planet includes a full version of MapInfo Professional, an industry standard
mapping tool that gives you access to a full suite of raster and vector analysis tools,
cartographic-quality tools, and advanced thematic mapping capabilities. For a list of
new features in MapInfo 10.5, see the MapInfo Professional User Guide located in the
mapinfo folder within the Mentum Planet installation folder.
Introduction

Before using this documentation, you should be familiar with the Windows
environment. It is assumed that you are using the standard Windows desktop,
and that you know how to access ToolTips and shortcut menus, move and copy
objects, select multiple objects using the Shift or Ctrl key, resize dialog boxes,
expand and collapse folder trees. It is also assumed that you are familiar with
the basic functions of MapInfo Professional . MapInfo Professional functions
are not documented in this User Guide. For information about MapInfo
Professional, see the MapInfo online Help and MapInfo Professional User Guide.
You can access additional MapInfo user documentation from the Pitney Bowes
Business Insight website at
http://www.pbinsight.com/support/product-documentation.
All product information is available through the online Help. You access online
Help using the Help menu or context-sensitive Help from within a dialog box by
pressing the F1 key. If you want to view the online Help for a specific panel or
tab, click in a field or list box to activate the panel or tab before you press the
F1 key. The following sections describe the structure of the online Help.
User documentation updates

User documentation is continually evolving to address feedback or introduce
improvements. You can download the latest user documentation from the
Customer Care Product Downloads page where it is available as a separate
download from the software.
Online Help
From the Help menu, you can access online Help for Mentum Planet software
and for MapInfo Professional. This section describes the structure of the
Mentum Planet online Help.
The online Help provides extensive help on all aspects of software use. It
provides
n
help on all dialog boxes
procedures for using the software
Chapter 1
an extensive Mentum Planet documentation library in PDF format
The following sections provide details about the resources available through the
online Help.
Resource Roadmap
When you first use the online Help, start with the Resource Roadmap. It describes
the types of resources available in the online Help and explains how best to use
them. It includes a step-by-step guide that walks you through the available
resources.
Knowledge Base
You can access the Knowledge Base maintained by the Customer Care group by
clicking the Knowledge Base button on the online Help toolbar or by choosing the
Knowledge Base command from the Help menu. The Knowledge Base contains
current information on Mentum products such as How To procedures as well as
solutions to issues.
Printing
You have two basic options for printing documents:
n
If you want a good quality print of a single procedure or section, you

can print from the Help window. Click Print in the Help window.
If you want a higher quality print of a complete User Guide, use
Adobe Reader to print the supplied print-ready PDF file contained in
the Mentum Planet documentation library. Open the PDF file and
choose File
Print.
Library Search
You can perform a full-text search on all PDF files contained in the Mentum Planet
documentation library if you are using a version of Adobe Reader that supports fulltext searches. The PDF files are located in the Mentum\Planet\Help\User Guides
folder.
You can also perform a search on all online Help topics by clicking the Search tab in
the Help window. Type a keyword, and click ListTopics to display all Help topics that
contain the keyword. The online Help duplicates the information found in the User
Introduction
Guide PDF files in order to provide more complete results. It does not duplicate
the information in the Release Notes, or Glossary.
Whats This? Help

Whats This? Help provides detailed explanations of all dialog boxes.
User Guides
All User Guides for Mentum Planet software is easily accessible as part of the
online Help.
Documentation library
Mentum Planet comes with an extensive library of User Guides in PDF format.
You can access PDF versions of the user guides by navigating to the Help/User
Guides folder within the Mentum Planet installation folder or by choosing the
Guides command from the Mentum Planet Help menu.
Additional documents, including Application Notes and Technical Notes, are
available at http://www.mentum.com.
Notational conventions
This section describes the textual conventions and icons used throughout this
documentation.
Textual conventions
Special text formats are used to highlight different types of information. The
following table describes the special text conventions used in this document.
Bold text is used in procedure steps to identify a
user interface element such as a dialog box, menu
item, or button.
bold text
For example: In the Select Interpolation Method
dialog box, choose the Inverse Distance
Weighting option, and click Next.
courier text
Courier text is used in procedures to identify text

that a user must type.For example: In the File
Chapter 1
Name box, type Elevation.grd.
bright blue
text
Bright blue text is used to identify a link to another

section of the document. Click the link to view the
section.
Menu arrows are used in procedures to identify a
sequence of menu items that you must follow.
For example, if a step reads Choose File
you would click File and then click Open.
<>
Open,
For example, if a menu item changes depending on

the chosen unit of measurement, the menu
structure would appear as Display
<unit Of
Measurement>.
Introduction

This user guide is organized according to the workflow that you would typically
follow to model and analyze a network and contains detailed information
related to all of the main steps in the workflow. Secondary or optional steps in
the workflow include references to manuals contained in the Mentum Planet
documentation library.
Each chapter in this guide provides details about how to perform a step in the
planning process and explains how it relates to the other steps. Before you
begin, you should read the Understanding... sections in each chapter for an
overview of the planning process.
Chapter 2 Creating Generic Projects

You can create a generic project in Mentum Planet. A generic project is
technology-agnostic so you do not need a technology-related license.
However, using a generic project, you can only use some of the functionality
available in Mentum Planet.
For information on creating a technology-specific project, see the User Guide
for the technology you are using.
12
14
18
Saving projects
19
Restoring projects
20
Chapter 2

Generic projects are a convenient way to manage candidate sites where there is no
base station assigned to the site and for which there is no detailed network
information available.
With generic projects, you can:
n
configure and place sites. See Working with Sites and Sectors.
generate predictions. See Generating Predictions.
use the Tabular Editor to modify data. See Using the Tabular
Editor.
export project data to Excel or Comma Separates Values (.csv)
files. See "Importing and Exporting Data.
In addition, using other Mentum Planet tools, you can:

n
create sector queries. See Using queries to identify sectors.

create sector display schemes. See Customizing sector symbols for
multiple sites.
create neighbor lists. See Managing Neighbor Relationships.
create interference matrices. See Working with Interference
Matrices.
A generic project, like a technology-specific project, contains and organizes all of the
information pertaining to a particular wireless network. At a minimum, a project is
created from a heights file (i.e., a Digital Elevation Model) although you can also
include clutter information (i.e., land use) in a project.
A generic project contains:
n
digital elevation models
project clutter information
clutter information for specific environments
propagation models
site locations
Creating Generic Projects
sector equipment, including antennas
groups
flags
any documents you want to attach to the project
A project also contains the results of predictions made on the basis of this
information.
NOTE: For information on technology-specific projects, see the user guide for
the technology you are using. User Guides are available in the Help folder
within the Mentum Planet installation folder.
NOTE: You can rename a generic technology to better suit your requirements.
For example, in the Network Settings dialog box, on the General tab, you
change the technology name from Generic to DVB-H.
Chapter 2

The Project Wizard leads you through the process of creating a project.
In order to streamline design work, you can specify that the Wizard automatically
displays when you start Mentum Planet. If you want Mentum Planet to automatically
open the last project, instead of the Project Wizard, in the Startup Options section of
the User Preferences dialog box, choose the Open Most Recent Project option.
You can use remote project folders to store and access Mentum Planet project data.
For example, you can use shared project folders for the following types of project
files to conserve disk space on your workstation:
n
pathloss files
signal (field) strength files
prediction view files
By default, these files are saved in the local project folder. If you use shared project
folders, the project files are stored in the shared folders, instead of the local project
folder. The shared folders must have read/write access permissions for all Mentum
Planet users accessing the shared folders.
If you are using shared folders and do not enable the corresponding check box in the
Sharing section of the Advanced Options tab in the Project Settings dialog box, the
shared path is not stored in Data Manager when you check in the project. For any
Data Manager users who perform a Get on the project, all data will be stored within
their local project folder.
When you create a project, you can choose to use a workspace to save your map
window settings, although this is not required. You can also choose the coordinate
system.
For additional information about projections, see Appendix B, Elements of a
Coordinate System in the MapInfo Professional User Guide.
To create a generic project

1
Start Mentum Planet.
By default, the Project Wizard opens when you start Mentum Planet. To
use the wizard at any other time, choose File New Project.
On each page of the Wizard, provide the required information and

clickNext.
On the Select Your Project Technologies page, in the

Available list, choose Generic.
On the Choose Default Settings for Each Enabled Technology page, the
Generic.xls file containing default project settings is displayed. Default
settings are saved in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>\Global\Technologies folder. If you want to customize the default
settings to use each time a new project is created, you can modify the
Generic.xls file.
Click Next.
On the Choose Geodata That Covers All Of Your Site

Locations page, click the Browse button and navigate to where
the project geodata is saved.
The folder you define for geodata can be located within the project
folder although it doesnt have to be. In order to save disk space, the
geodata folder can be located on a server or in a common location
where multiple users can access it. At a minimum, it must, however,
Chapter 2
contain a Heights folder and a Clutter folder. The Heights folder must contain
the primary elevation file but the Clutter folder can be empty.
6 Click Next.
7 Click Finish.
The project opens in a Map window.
To view or edit project settings

1
Choose Edit
Project Settings.
The Project Settings dialog box opens.
Modify project settings as required.
NOTE: When you create a project, default propagation model (.pmf) files and
default antenna (.paf) files are copied to the project folder.
TIP: To open the Project Settings dialog box once a project is open, choose Edit
Project Settings, or click the Project Settings button on the Network toolbar.
TIP: To make a copy of an existing project, close the existing project and copy the
contents of its project folder to a new project folder. It is not recommended that you
create the new project folder as a subfolder of the existing project folder. In the new
project folder, you can delete large folders (e.g., Bin, SignalStrength, and
PredictionView) or you can elect not to copy them because Mentum Planet
automatically recreates these folders. Once your new project folder is
populated, open it in Mentum Planet and rename it using Edit
Project
Settings
Name. Finally, save, close, and re-open the renamed project.
CAUTION: Never save projects in the Mentum Planet installation folder.
Chapter 2

You must close an open project before opening a new one.
If you want Mentum Planet to automatically open the last project, choose the Open
Most Recent Project option on the General panel in the User Preferences dialog box.
If you do not want the last project to open, choose the None option.
To open a project
1
Do one of the following:

n
Double-click the Mentum Planet (.planet) project file to start

Mentum Planet and open the project.
In Mentum Planet, choose File
OpenProject and go to Step 2.
In Mentum Planet, choose File

RecentProjects
<Project
Name>.
The path to the project is displayed in the Mentum Planet taskbar at
the bottom of the application window.
In the Open dialog box, locate the project you want to open, and click
Open.
The project opens in a Map window.
TIP: To view two projects side-by-side, you can open multiple instances of Mentum
Planet on your workstation.
TIP: Create a shortcut to your Mentum Planet project (.planet) file to quickly open
projects that you use often.
Saving projects
You can save project data at any time without closing a project. It is
recommended that you save your project periodically in order to avoid the loss
of data in the event of a network or system failure. You can also save a named
backup of your project. This can be useful if you want to save the project at
various stages in the network development.
To save a project
n
Choose File
Save Project.
The project is saved in the project folder.
To back up a project
1
Choose File
In the Backup Project dialog box, in the Name box, type a

name for the folder where the data will be saved and click OK.
Back Up Project.
Project data is saved in the named folder within the Backup folder.
Chapter 2
Restoring projects
Each time you open or save a project, a copy of the project is saved in the Backup
folder within the project folder. When a project has been terminated abnormally, you
can choose to restore the last opened version of the project or the last saved version
of the project.
Project files can only be restored to the original project folder.
Do not open a .planet file saved in the Backup folder. Backup .planet files should only
be opened from the Restore Project Files dialog box.
To restore a project
1
Start Mentum Planet.
Choose File
Restore.
The Restore Project Files dialog box opens.
Click the Browse button next to the Restore Project Files From box
and navigate to the .planet file saved in the Backup folder within the
project folder, and then click OK.
Click the Browse button next to the Restore Project Files To box
and navigate to the original folder where project files were saved, and
then click OK.
The backup files are copied to the project folder.
Chapter 3 Working With Sites And Sectors

After you define site and sector properties, you can place your sites. If you are
using the same site configuration for many sites, you can save a site template,
which simplifies the process of site placement.
This chapter covers additional features related to the configuration and
placement of sites. See the appropriate User Guide for the technology you are
using for procedures relating to the main workflow.
22
Choosing sites
24
Grouping sites
26
28
30
Working with sites
34
38
41
43
Working with flags
45
49
51
52
Adding custom data
60
62
Chapter 3

You can display and format site labels in order to improve the readability of a map.
To display site labels

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, expand the

Map Windows node, right-click the active site file and choose
Auto Label if there is not already a check mark indicating the
feature is turned on.
To hide site labels

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, expand the

Map Windows node, right-click the active site file and choose Auto
Label to remove the check mark.
To format site labels

1
Right-click in the Map window and choose Layer Control.

The Layer Control dialog box opens.
From the list of layers, choose your site file and click the Layer
Properties button at the top of the dialog box.
The Label Properties dialog box opens.
On the Label Display tab, specify the following:

n
the information to include in the label
how the labels appear in the Map window (e.g., font type and size)
the placement of the labels in the Map window

Click the Help button for more information on the Label Display tab.
On the Labeling Rules tab, specify the following:
Working With Sites And Sectors
whether labels are visible in the map window and conditions

for zoom ranges.
how labels are displayed under exceptional conditions. For
example, allowing duplicate text is useful if you want to
display sector labels such as technology where more than one
site would have the same label.
Note that the Label Partial Objects parameter does not apply
to labels for sites or other point objects.
In the Layer Properties dialog box, click OK.
In the Layer Control dialog box, ensure that the Automatic

Labels icon is enabled for your site file.
In the Layer Control dialog box, click OK.
You can create complex labels that combine several pieces of information by
choosing Expression from the Label With list in the Layer Properties dialog box.
For information on how to create the expression you need, press the F1 key.
Chapter 3
Choosing sites
There are several methods available in Mentum Planet for choosing sites. You can:
n
choose sites and sectors from the Project Explorer.
use the shortcut commands from the Project Explorer.
use the Select, Marquee, Radius, or Polygon Select tools on the Main
toolbar.
use the Select All From Site Table button on the Site toolbar to
select all sites or the Unselect All button from the Main toolbar to
unselect all sites.
When you choose a site using the Select tool, only one sector is selected. If you want
to choose all of the sectors in a site, you must choose the sectors using the Marquee,
Radius, or Polygon Select tools or use the Select in Map window command from the
Project Explorer.
To choose sites and sectors from the Project Explorer

The recommended method for choosing sites and sectors is using the Project
Explorer.
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Sites

node.

n
To choose a site, click on the site node.

To choose multiple sites, press the Ctrl key and click on multiple
sites.
To choose a sector, expand the site node and click a sector.
To choose multiple sectors, expand the sites node, press the Ctrl
key and click on multiple sectors.
To choose sites and sectors using the Select tools

You can also use the Select tools on the Main toolbar to choose sites and
sectors. You can also use the Select All in Site Table button and the Find Site
button on the Site toolbar.
When more than one layer is displayed in a Map window, you can only make
selections using the Select tools on objects that are on the uppermost layer.
Mentum Planet automatically sets the project defaults so that the site table
and editable map layers added to the Map window are selectable. Therefore, if
you have opened several map layers, use the Layer Control to make these
layers unselectable in order to facilitate the selection process or ensure the
site table is the uppermost selectable layer.
You can also view currently selected objects in a Browser window to ensure
that the correct objects (sites and sectors) are chosen. Choose Window
New Browser Window and choose Selection in the Browser Table dialog box.
Click any of the following buttons on the Main toolbar and then
click in the Map window or drag the mouse pointer to select
multiple sites:
n
Select tool
Polygon Select tool
Marquee Select tool
Chapter 3
Grouping sites
By grouping sites, you can organize how sites are displayed in the Project Explorer.
This makes it easier to work with sites. You can group sites by the following
properties:
n
antenna pattern
propagation model
technology
To group sites by properties in the Project Explorer

You can quickly view which sites have specific properties using the Group By option
in the Project Explorer. For example, if you want to view sites organized according to
antenna pattern, you can choose the Antenna Pattern option. This creates nodes
under the Sites node for each antenna pattern in the project, and groups the sites
according to which pattern they use.
n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Sites,

choose GroupBy, and then choose the property by which you want
the sites grouped.
To copy grouped sites in the Project Explorer

You can quickly copy all sectors from a grouped sites node to a new group in the
Project Explorer. Only those sectors with the grouped by property will be copied. In
Figure 3.1, sites are grouped by Antenna type. To add all sectors assigned the 60_
degree antenna, you can drag the 60_degree node onto the Sixty_degrees node
under the Local group node. Sectors assigned an antenna other than 60_degree will
not be copied to the group.
Figure 3.1: Example of sites grouped by Antenna
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Sites,

choose GroupBy, and then choose the property by which you
want the sites grouped.
Right-click the grouped by node that you want to copy and

choose Copy.
Right-click the group to which you want to add the copied sectors
and choose Paste.
You can also drag the grouped sites to the new group.
To ungroup sites in the Project Explorer

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click

Sites and choose GroupBy
None.
Chapter 3

Mentum Planet provides many methods for finding and selecting sites and sectors in
the Map window. The Locate command is useful if you have many sites in your
project and you want to select one particular site and center it in the Map window or
if you have co-located sectors in your project and you want to select a co-located
sector. The Select in Map Window command enables you to choose several sites or
sectors in the Project Explorer and highlight them in the Map window.
To find a site in the Map window

n

n
n
In the Site Editor, click Locate.

the site and choose Locate.
The site is selected and centered in the Map window.
To find a sector in the Map window

n

n
In the Site Editor, in the tree view, choose a sector and click
Locate.
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand a site
node, right-click a sector, and choose Locate.
The sector is selected and centered in the Map window.
To find and display a site with user-selected zoom

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Sites and

choose FindSite.
In the Find Site dialog box, do one of the following:

n
Enable the Select FromList check box and, in the Find list, choose
the site you want to find.
Type the site ID in the Find box.
In the Zoom Width box, define the width of the map view.
Click Find to display your chosen site.
NOTE: You can also choose Edit

Find Site dialog box.
FindSite from the main menu to open the
To select a site or sector in the Map window

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, do one of the

following:
n
Right-click the Sites node, select a site, and choose

Select In Map Window.
Expand a site node, select a sector, and choose Select
In Map Window.
At the site level, all the sectors will be selected in the Map window. At
the sector level, the chosen sector will be selected in the Map window.
NOTE: Due to a MapInfo limitation, sites that consist of an even number of
sectors do not appear to be selected in the Map window. The workaround is to
select a sector instead of a site.
TIP: You can select multiple sites or sectors in the Project Explorer by
pressing the Ctrl key and selecting multiple sites or sectors. When you choose
Select in Map Window, the chosen sites or sectors will be highlighted.
Chapter 3

You can create queries to identify sectors based on a defined criteria. This can be
very useful, for example, when you want to:
n
identify specific sectors in the Map window in order to visualize

sectors within the context of analysis layer results
view a selection of sites
view a selection of sites based on a certain criteria in order to
evaluate performance and modify site settings
select specific sectors within a large project based on a defined
criteria
modify site and sector parameters for a specific group
export site and sector data for sectors that meet a defined criteria
Queries can be local or, if you are working in a collaborative work environment,
shared using Data Manager.
Figure 3.2: Sector Query Editor dialog box.
TIP: To identify cdma2000 sectors that are within the Toronto region that use
Band Class 0A, you could create the query:
[Sector Technology]='cdma2000' And [Sectors.Band Name]='Class_0A' And
[Sectors.Flag: Region] Contains 'Toronto'.
To use queries to identify sectors

1

Queries and do one of the following:
n
Choose New
Local to create a local project query.
Choose New
Shared to create a shared query that can be
shared with others using Data Manager.
In the Add New Local/Shared Query dialog box, type a

descriptive name for the query and click OK.
In the Project Explorer, right-click the newly created query and

choose Edit.
The Sector Query Editor opens.
Chapter 3
In the Query Clauses section, choose the elements of the query from
the following lists:
n
And/Ordisplays chosen condition. Choose And when all clauses

must be satisfied. For example, in the query, [Sectors.Propgation
Model]=default_PlanetGeneralModel.pmf And
[Sectors.Technology]=cdma2000, only those sites that are
designated as cdma2000 and that use the default Planet General
Model will be chosen. Choose Or when only one clause need be
met. For example, in the query, [Sectors.Propgation
Model]=default_PlanetGeneralModel.pmf Or
[Sectors.Technology]=cdma2000, a site that is defined as
cdma2000 but uses the Predict propagation model would satisfy the
query requirements.
Categorydisplays the sector category including Sectors,
Antennas, and technology.
Fielddisplays the sector parameters associated with the chosen
category.
Operatordisplays available operators.
Valuedisplays the value that must be satisfied. Click the Browse
(...) button to see available values.
To modify the query, click any of the following buttons:

n
Addto add a new row to the Query Clauses table.
Deleteto remove the selected row from the Query Clauses table.
Groupdisplays a parenthesis that encompasses those clauses

that are grouped.
Groupto group the selected clauses. When clauses are grouped,

both conditions must be met first. A red bracket in the second
column encompasses the clauses in the group.
Ungroupto ungroup the selected clauses.
Once you have defined your query, from the View Result In list,
choose one of the following options:
Report Previewerto open query results in the Report

Preview dialog box from where you can export data to Excel
for further analysis.
Tabular Editorto open the Tabular Editor where you can
modify data.
Mapto display results in the Map window. A new map layer
called QueriesMap is added to the Windows category of the
Project Explorer.
To generate query results, click Run Query.

The number of sectors that satisfy query requirements is displayed in
the status bar at the bottom of the Sector Query Editor.
To create a new local group that contains sectors that satisfy

query conditions, click Create Group and, in the Add New
Local Group dialog box, type a name for the group, then click
OK.
NOTE: To calculate the number of sites and sectors that satisfy each query,
from the Queries node in the Project Explorer, right-click and choose Update
Count.
Every individual query in the Project Explorer is followed by
(a/b) where a is the number of sites and b is the number of sectors that satisfy
the query.
TIP: You can quickly create new queries by right-clicking an existing query
and choosing Create Copy.
Chapter 3
Working with sites

The Project Explorer provides easy access to functions that help you manage your
sites. You can
n
display information about a site.
copy a site or sector into a group.
delete a site.
swap site parameters.
To display information about a site

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the site

and choose Edit.
The Site Editor opens.

TIP: You can also double-click on a site to open the Site Editor.
To copy a site or sector into a group

You can quickly add sites or sectors to a group in the Project Explorer using the Copy
and Paste commands.
In the Project Explorer, expand the Sites node, right-click the sites
or sectors you want to copy into a group, and choose Copy.
Expand the Groups node.
Right-click the group to which you want to add the sites or sectors, and
choose Paste.
The selected sites are added to the group or the selected sectors are added to
the group under the original site name.
NOTE: To add sites or sectors to a group, you can also drag sites or sectors onto a
group under the Groups node.
To clone a sector at a site

You can quickly clone a sector to create a copy of an existing sector at a site.
All sector settings, carrier assignments, and base station link configuration
parameters are copied to the new sector.
In the Project Explorer, expand the Sites node.
Right-click the sector upon which you want the new sector based
and choose Clone.
In the Clone Sector dialog box, in the New Sector Name box,
type a name for the sector.
Click OK.
The new sector is added to the same site as the original sector.
To swap site and sector parameters

n
In the Project Explorer, right-click the two sites for which

you want site and sector parameters swapped and choose
Swap Sites.
All site and sector parameters will be swapped (i.e., the site and sector
parameters for Site A will be copied to Site B and vice-versa)
NOTE: Groups, flags, and assigned repeaters are not swapped.
To rename a site
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the

site and choose Rename.
Type a new name for the site and press ENTER.
In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes to acknowledge that

existing predictions will be deleted.
Chapter 3
To refresh the sites list

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Sites

and choose Refresh.
The sites list is ordered alphabetically or numerically, depending on the site ID.
To delete sites from the Project Explorer

n

n
To delete one site, in the Project Explorer, in the Sites

category, right-click a site, choose Delete, and click Yes to
confirm the deletion.
To delete multiple sites, in the Project Explorer, in the Sites
category, choose a site and holding-down the Ctrl key,
choose the other sites you want to delete. Right-click and
choose Delete, and click Yes to confirm the deletion.
To delete sites from the Map window

n

n
To delete one site, in the Map window, choose the site, rightclick and choose Delete, and then click Delete to confirm the
deletion.
To delete multiple sites, in the Map window, use the selection
tools to choose the sites you want to delete, and then rightclick and choose Delete. In the Delete dialog box, click
Delete for each site you want to delete.
To change the antenna for a sector

Each sector assigned to a site must have a valid antenna pattern associated with it
in order to generate predictions. Mentum Planet includes some default antenna
patterns, but you can add antenna patterns to your project as required. See To add
antenna pattern files to a project.
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a

site and choose Edit.
Click the Edit Site button on the Site toolbar and choose a
site in the Map window.
In the Site Editor, in the tree view, choose the sector you want
to modify.
Click the Link tab.
From the Antenna list, choose the antenna you want to use with
the sector.
Only antennas that are displayed in the Antennas node are available.
If you are using a smart or MIMO antenna, from the Antenna

Algorithm list, choose the algorithm you want to associate with
the antenna.
Click Apply to apply the changes.
Click Close to close the Site Editor.

Antenna patterns are organized in the Project Data category of the
Project Explorer. The icons of antenna patterns that have been assigned
to a sector are displayed in color. The icons of antenna patterns that
have not been assigned to sectors, but are located in the Antennas
folder of the project, are displayed in gray.
Chapter 3

The Grid Analysis toolbar includes tools that will help you with the placement of
sectors and the positioning of directional antennas.
n
Find Maximum Point toolfinds the highest point in a region. This is

an aid to finding good locations for sites.
Angle From Line toolmeasures the direction of a line relative to
true north. This can help in the placement of a directional antenna to
serve a section of highway.
Draw Angle tooldraws a line at a specified direction with respect to
true north.
To use the Find Maximum Point tool

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, right-click the

Cosmetic layer for the Map window and choose Editable if the check
box is not already enabled.
If the Grid Analysis and Drawing toolbars are not visible, choose
View
Toolbars, enable the GridAnalysis and Drawing check
boxes in the Show column, and click OK.
If the Map window does not contain a suitable polygon object, such as a
county or census district, click the Polygon button on the Drawing
toolbar, and draw a polygon enclosing the area in which you want to
find the highest point.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the Find Maximum Point button
and choose the polygon in the Map window.
A point object is generated on the cosmetic layer, showing the point of highest
elevation within the polygon. To obtain the location coordinates, double-click
on the point object.
NOTE: If you drew the polygon, select it in the Map window, press the DELETE key
to remove it, and make the location of the highest point more visible.
NOTE: To delete the point object, choose the object in the Map window, and
press the DELETE key to remove it.
To use the Angle From Line tool

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, right-click

the Cosmetic layer for the Map window and choose Editable if
the check box is not already enabled.
If the Grid Analysis and Drawing toolbars are not visible,

choose View
Toolbars, enable the GridAnalysis and
Drawing check boxes in the Show column, and click OK.
If the Map window does not contain a suitable line object, such as
a road, click the Line button on the Drawing toolbar, and draw
the line for which you want to measure the direction.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the Angle From Line

button, and choose the line in the Map window.
A label is added to the Map window showing the angle of the line with
respect to true north.
NOTE: To delete the label, in the Windows category of the Project Explorer,
expand the Windows node, and choose the cosmetic layer. Right-click and
choose Clear Objects.
To use the Draw Angle tool

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, right-click

the Cosmetic layer for the Map window and choose Editable if
the check box is not already enabled.
If the Grid Analysis toolbar is not visible, choose View

Toolbars, enable the GridAnalysis check box in the Show
column, and click OK.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the DrawAngle button, and

then click anywhere in the Map window.
Chapter 3
The DrawAngle dialog box opens.
In the Angle box, type the direction of the line in degrees with respect
to true north.
In the Distance box, type the length of the line in kilometers.
Click in the Map window where you want the line to begin.
The line is drawn in the Map window.
If you want to draw another line, modify the Angle and Distance values
as needed, and click in the Map window at the start point of the line.
When you have finished drawing lines, close the Draw Angle dialog
box.

You can create groups and assign sites or individual sectors to one or more
groups. You can then use these groups to make selections when performing
certain operations. For example, you could divide the sites in your project into
four groups: North, South, East, and West. You could then choose to generate
predictions only for the sectors that are part of the North and East groups. Any
sectors that are not part of these two groups will be ignored.
Groups are organized in the Project Explorer according to whether or not they
are used with Data Manager:
n
Groups listed under the Shared node are stored in Data

Manager and will be available to other users.
Groups listed under the Local node are not stored in Data
Manager. Even if the project is stored in Data Manager, the
groups under the Local node will not be available to other
users.
When you add or remove a site or sector from a group, or delete an entire
group, the sectors are not removed from the Sites list in the Project Explorer.
To create a sector group

1

Groups node and do one of the following:
n
Choose New
Local to create a local group. The Add New
Local Group dialog box opens.
Choose New
Shared to create a shared group. The Add
New Shared Group dialog box opens.
Type a name for the new group and click OK.

The group is added to either the Local or Shared node, under the Groups
node in the Project Explorer.
Choose one or more sites or sectors from the Sites list or from
another group and drag them to the group.
Chapter 3
TIP: You can also right-click either Local or Shared and choose New to create a new
group under the chosen node.
TIP: You can also choose one or more sites or sectors in the Project Explorer, rightclick and choose Copy, then right-click the group and choose Paste.
To display a group in a Map window

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a group

and choose View.
A new layer is created in the Map window that shows only the sites in the group. For
information on working with map layers, see the appropriate User Guide for the
technology you are using.

You can rename or delete groups. You can also remove sites and sectors from
groups. When you delete a group or remove sites or sectors from a group, the
sites or sectors are removed from the group or the Groups node, but remain
under the Sites node in the Project Explorer.
You can also use the Tabular Editor to quickly edit sector group assignments.
For more information, see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you
are using.
To rename a group
1

group and choose Rename.
Type a new name for the group and press ENTER.
To remove a site or sector from a group

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the

group you want to edit.
In the group, right-click the site or sector you want to remove

and choose Remove From Group.
To delete a group
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand Groups,

right-click the group and choose Delete.
In the Mentum Planet dialog box, click Yes.

The group is deleted from the Groups node in the Project Explorer, but
the sites and sectors in the group are not deleted.
Chapter 3
To refresh the groups list

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Groups

and choose Refresh.
The groups list is ordered alphabetically.
To edit groups from the Site Properties dialog box

You can assign sectors to groups or edit the groups to which a sector is assigned on
the Sectors tab in the Site Properties dialog box.
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Groups or

Sites node, right-click the site you want to edit and choose Edit.
In the Site Editor dialog box, in the tree view, choose the sector you
want to edit.
Click the General tab.
In the Groups section, enable the check boxes next to those groups to
which you want this sector to belong.
Click OK.
Working with flags

Flags are properties that you can use to identify sectors as having certain
characteristics (conditions). You can create multiple flags, and each flag can
have multiple conditions, but you can assign only one condition per flag to a
sector. The conditions of a flag should be a set of related but mutually
exclusive values.
Once you have assigned flag conditions to your sectors, you can enable
specific flags using the check boxes under the Flags node in the Project
Explorer. When you enable a flag condition in the Project Explorer, the flag icon
changes from gray to color, indicating that the flag has active conditions.
When you right-click the Flags node in the Project Explorer and choose a
command, only the sectors that have been assigned conditions for the enabled
flags will be used.
Example
If you wanted to generate predictions for a new network based on sector
status and location, you could create the flags and conditions shown in Figure
3.3 .
Figure 3.3: Flags node in the Project Explorer. In this example, there are 3
sites (6sectors) that satisfy the flag conditions.
You would then assign one Status flag condition and one Location flag
condition to each sector in your network. Figure1.3 shows how you would
assign a Status of Active and a Location of South to a sector.
Chapter 3
Figure 3.4: Assigning flag conditions to a sector

You could then generate predictions based on both the status and location of a
sector. For example, if you only wanted to generate predictions for active sectors
located in the central or south, you would enable the Active condition for the Status
flag and the Central and South conditions for the Location flag, as shown in
Figure1.2. In this example, the flag filter would identify sites where the Location flag
is Central OR South AND the Status flag is Active.
To create a flag
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click Flags and

choose New.
In the Add New Flag dialog box, type a name for the flag, and click
OK.
The name must contain only alphanumeric characters with no spaces.
The new flag is added to the Project Explorer tree view in the Sites category.
The new empty flag appears in the tree view under Flags.
To add a condition
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a flag and

choose New Condition.
In the Add New Condition dialog box, type a name for the new
condition, and click OK.
The new condition is added to the Project Explorer tree view under the flag
node.
To apply flag conditions to one or more sites

1

n
In the Project Explorer, choose one or more sites, right-click

and choose Tabular Edit.
In the Map window, use the Marquee Select tool to choose
one or more sites, and then choose Tabular Editor.
The Tabular Editor opens.
To modify flag data, in the Tabular Editor, click the Sectors

tab, and do any of the following:
n
Double-click in a table cell and type a new value.
Click the down arrow in a table cell and choose a new value.
Enable or clear the check box for the chosen setting.
Right-click in a table cell to copy and paste data.
Click the down arrow next to a table heading to display all the
data or a particular subset. When a filter has been applied, the
down arrow changes to the filter icon.
To change the Tabular Editor display, do any of the following:

n
Click the Change Options button to specify which

worksheets and columns to display in the Tabular Editor.
Click the Sort Ascending button to reorder the rows based on
the data in the selected column.
Click the Sort Descending button to reorder the rows based
on the data in the selected column.
Place the pointer between column headings to increase or
decrease the size of the column.
Enable the Freeze Panes check box to lock rows and
columns in one area so that they remain visible when you
scroll. This is useful, for example, if you want to freeze a
Chapter 3
particular column and then scroll through subsequent columns

comparing the values.
To copy data to the clipboard, click the Copy To Clipboard button.
To paste from the clipboard, click the Paste From Clipboard button.
When you have finished modifying or examining the data, click Close.
NOTE: There are some columns that you cannot edit in the Tabular Editor. These
columns are grayed out.
TIP: To quickly copy a value across all rows in a column in the Tabular Editor, type
the new value in the first cell of the column, click the column header to select the
column, and press CTRL+D. Then, click outside the column to make the updates.
Click Apply to save your changes.
TIP: To update displayed information with current data, click the Refresh button.
This update may be longer than when you click Apply because all data is
recomputed.
To display sectors based on flag conditions

You can quickly locate sectors identified with certain flags and conditions.
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand the Flags

node, then expand the individual flag nodes you want to view.
Enable the check boxes for the flag conditions you want to display.
Right-click the Flags node and choose View.

A new layer is added to the Map window, showing the sites with the chosen
flag conditions. For information on working with map layers, see the
appropriate User Guide for the technology you are using.

You can edit flags and conditions when you need to refine them. You can also
use the Tabular Editor to quickly edit flags and conditions for a group of
sectors. For information on working with map layers, see the appropriate User
Guide for the technology you are using.
You can use the Invert Conditions option to select all of the sites and sectors
that have not been assigned the enabled flag conditions. When the Invert
Conditions option is enabled, a check mark appears beside the menu
command. The option remains enabled until you right-click the Flags node and
choose Invert Conditions again.
To rename a flag
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a flag

and choose Rename.
Type a new name for the flag and press ENTER.
To rename a condition
1

condition and choose Rename.
Type a new name for the condition and press ENTER.
To delete a flag or condition

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a flag

or condition and choose Delete.
In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.
To invert flag conditions

1

Flags node and choose Invert Conditions.
Chapter 3
The Invert Conditions option is enabled, and all of the sites and sectors that
have not been assigned the enabled flag conditions will be selected.
To turn off the Invert Conditions option, right-click the Flags node
and choose Invert Conditions again.

Sites and sectors are displayed using the sector display scheme you associate
with the sector.
To modify sector symbols for multiple sites, you can define a sector display
scheme and use the Tabular Editor to associate it to multiple sectors. For more
see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you are using.
To modify color and symbol settings for individual sites

1
In the Site Editor, in the tree view, choose the sector you want
to modify in the tree view.
Click the General tab.
From the Sector Display Schemes list, choose the scheme you
want to associate with the sector.
Only those sector display schemes that appear beneath the Sector
Display Schemes node in the Project Explorer are available.
In the Site Editor, click Apply.
Click Close.
NOTE: The rotation angle of sector symbols is defined by the azimuth of the
sector.
Chapter 3

You can customize sector symbols by creating and applying sector display schemes
based on sector properties such as:
n
the antenna height
the antenna beamwidth
the PA power
Uplink loading
You can also use sector display schemes to show the relationship between sectors
and repeaters or between sectors and non co-located sectors. Sector display
schemes are saved as .xml files. shows a sector display scheme.
Figure 3.5: Sector display scheme showing various symbol types and sizes. The
lines from site11 illustrates how a sector/repeater relationship can be shown on the
map.
Within one sector display scheme you can define settings for various technologies.
Sector display schemes are saved in the Sector Display Scheme folder within your
project.
You can apply sector display schemes to sector groups, to sectors assigned specific
flags, or to all sectors. Sector display schemes are not dynamic. If you apply a sector
display scheme but then change the value of the sector property upon which
the scheme is based, the sector symbol is not automatically updated. You
must reapply the sector display scheme in order to see your changes reflected
in the Map window.
You can also define an active sector display scheme that will be used when you
place new sites.
NOTE: In order to view sector relationships in the Map window, you must first
add the SiteFile_Relation layer to the Map window. To do so, in the Windows
category of the Project Explorer, expand the Map Windows node, right-click
the SiteFile group node, and choose Add Layer. In the Add Layer dialog box,
choose the SiteFile_Relation layer and click OK.
To create a sector display scheme

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick the Sector Display Schemes node and choose New.
Type a name for the new sector display scheme and click OK.
The Sector Display Scheme dialog box opens.
From the Technology list, choose the technology of the sectors

for which you are creating the sector display scheme.
You can define sector display scheme settings for different technologies
within the same one sector display scheme.
In the Display Options section, enable the check boxes for the
settings you want to specify for the sector display scheme.
If you clear a check box, settings for that display option are not used.
If you enabled the Symbol check box, click the Symbol tab.
From the Omni-directional Antenna list, choose the symbol

you want to use to represent omni-directional antennas (i.e.,
antennas that have a 360 degree horizontal beamwidth).
Chapter 3
From the Sectorized Antenna list, choose the symbol you want to use
to represent antennas that have a horizontal beamwidth less than 360
degrees.
The Arrow symbol displays sectors based on the direction of the antenna
without any reference to the beamwidth. All other symbols display both the
direction of the antenna and the beamwidth. The width of the symbol
represents the horizontal beamwidth. The accuracy of the symbols is within 10
degrees.
In the Background section, choose one of the following options:

n
Noneno background is displayed.
Halothe symbol is outlined with a white border.
Borderthe symbol is outlined with a black border.
In the Effects section, enable any of the following check boxes:

n
Drop Shadowa drop shadow is displayed beneath the symbol.
Boldthe symbol is displayed in bold.
10 If you are creating a sector display scheme for statistical data, click the
Data button to view detailed statistics and, once you have finished
viewing the data, click Close.
11 If you enabled the Color check box, click the Color tab.
12 Do one of the following:
n
To base color on a property, choose the Based On Property

option, and then choose the sector property for which you want to
specify a color.
To base color on an identifier, choose the Based On Identifier
option, and then choose the setting for which you want to specify a
color.
Default values are displayed for some properties and identifiers.
13
Do any of the following:
To change the color associated with a value, click the color in

the Color column, choose a new color, and click OK.
To add a value, click Add, choose a value from the list of
available values or type a value in the box, and click OK.
To add multiple identifiers (e.g., based on propagation
models, antenna files, or technology), click the Lookup &
Add All button.
To delete a value, choose a row in the table and click Delete.
If the value you are deleting is a flag condition, all conditions
in the table are deleted.
14 Repeat Step 13 to add, delete, or change a value.

15 If you enabled the Size check box, click the Size tab.
16 From the Property To Use list, choose the property you want to
use to determine the size of the sector symbol.
For more information on the properties available, press the F1 key.
17 In the Property Value section, specify the range of the property

value in the From and To boxes.
18 In the Point Size section, specify the range of the symbol point
size in the From and To boxes.
The symbol size will be determined by the values you specified in Step
17. Values that fall outside the specified range will be increased up to
the minimum value or reduced to the maximum level. For example, if
you chose Height as the property value and defined the From value as
20 meters and the To value as 100 meters, then all sectors that have
a height of 20 or less will use the point size you defined in the From box
and all sectors that have a height of 100 or more will use the point size
you defined in the To box. The symbol size of sectors with a height that
falls between the From and To values will be interpolated linearly using
the From and To values defined in the Point Size section.
19 If you enabled the Relationship check box, click the

Relationship tab.
Ensure you have added the SiteFile_Relation layer to the Map window.
Chapter 3
20 If you want to define a display scheme to represent the relationship

between a site and a repeater, do the following in the Repeaters
section:
n
Choose a line style from the Styles list.
Click the color square and choose a line color.
Choose the line width from the Width list.
21 If you want to define a display scheme to represent the relationship

between a site and a non co-located sector, do the following in the Non
Co-located Sectors section:
n
Choose a line style from the Styles list.
Click the color square and choose a line color.
Choose the line width from the Width list.
22 Repeat Step 3 to Step 21 to define sector display scheme settings for

additional technologies.
23 Click OK to save sector display scheme settings.

The sector display scheme is added under the Sector Display Schemes node in
the Project Explorer. Sector display schemes are saved as .xml files.
To define an active sector display scheme

The active sector display scheme is used when you place a new site. If there is no
active sector display scheme, the default symbol, size, and color are used.
In the Project Data category, expand the Sector Display Schemes

node.
Right-click a sector display scheme and choose Active.

The icons associated with sector display schemes indicate which sector
display scheme is currently active, as shown in Figure 3.5.
Figure 3.6: Sector Display Schemes node in the Project Explorer
To add a sector display scheme

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick Sector Display Schemes and choose Add.
In the dialog box that opens, navigate to where the sector display
scheme file (.xml) is stored and click Open.
To apply a sector display scheme

You can remove sector display schemes that are visible in the Map window.
Do the following to apply the default sector symbol, size and color
in the Map window:
n

Sites node and choose Sector Display Scheme
Apply.
Project Data category, expand the Sector Display
Schemes node.
Right-click the display scheme you want to apply and choose

Apply.
Chapter 3
In the Select Sectors dialog box, specify the sectors to which you
want to apply a sector display scheme by choosing one of the following
options in the Sector Selection section:
n
All Sectors to apply the scheme to all sectors in the project.

Current Selection if you have selected specific sectors in the Map
window.
Flag Filtering if you have defined and assigned flags to sectors.
Enable the Invert Conditions check box to select those sectors for
which the applied conditions do not apply.
Group Selection if you have defined and created groups.
Query Selection if you have defined and created sector queries.
In the Band Filtering section, enable the bands you want to include in
your sector selection.
The sectors to which the sector display scheme will be applied are displayed in
the Selected Sectors list.
Click OK.
Sectors that meet the criteria defined in the sector display scheme are
modified accordingly.
NOTE: You can also apply a sector display scheme from the Sites category of the
Project Explorer. Right-click the Flags node, a group within the Groups node, or the
Sites node, and choose Sector Display Scheme. In the Select Scheme dialog box,
choose the sector display scheme you want to apply or choose Default Symbol, and
click Apply.
NOTE: When you get a project from Data Manager, the default sector symbol is
used. You must reapply the sector display scheme to see changes. Similarly, if you
make any changes to sector properties after you have applied a sector display
scheme, you will need to reapply the sector display scheme to see changes.
To apply the default sector symbol

You can apply the default sector symbol, size, and color to remove sector
display schemes that are visible in the Map window.
Do the following to apply the default sector symbol, size and color
in the Map window:
n

Sites node and choose Sector Display Scheme
Apply.
In the Select Scheme dialog box, choose None, and click
Apply.
To remove relationship lines from the sector display scheme that

are still visible in the Map window, do the following:
n
In the Project Explorer, in the Windows category, expand

the Map Windows node.
Right-click the SiteFile_Relation node and choose Remove.
Chapter 3
Adding custom data

You can add value to a Mentum Planet project by including custom attributes that
more fully describe base stations, sites, sectors, repeaters, antennas, and
transceivers.
You can add custom data:
n
at the project level (in which case the data is saved locally and is
not shared)
at the Data Manager level (in which case the data is saved in the
Data Manager and can be shared with other users)
Local custom data

To add local custom data, you must first define the custom data definition in the
project settings. You can add local custom data to base stations, sites, sectors,
carriers, and antennas. This data is not saved in Data Manager. Once the new
custom attributes are defined, you can add information to them using:
n
the Site Editor
the Tabular Editor
the Import/Export Wizard
Shared custom data

To add shared custom data, the Data Manager Administrator must define custom
data columns in the Data Manager Server Console. You can only add shared custom
data for sites, sectors, and repeaters. When you connect to the Data Manager and
update your local project, you will see new custom data attributes in the Site Editor.
Once the new custom attributes are added, you can add information to them using:
n
the Site Editor
the Tabular Editor
the Import/Export Wizard
To add local custom data

1
In Mentum Planet, from the Edit menu, choose Project

Settings.
In the Project Settings dialog box, if you are adding a list of

predefined values, click the Custom List tab to define list
values.
Click the Custom Data tab and, for each item in the tree view,
define the custom attributes you want available in the project.
To add shared custom data

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a site

and choose Edit.
The Site Editor opens.
Do one of the following;

n
To add site user data, click Site User Data and, in the Site
User Data dialog box, specify values for the available
parameters, and click OK.
To add base station user data, in the tree view, choose the
base station for which you want to specify user data, and click
the User Data tab, and specify values for the available
parameters.
To add sector user data, in the tree view, choose the sector
for which you want to specify user data, click the User Data
tab, and specify values for the available parameters.
To add repeater user data, in the tree view, choose the
repeater for which you want to specify user data, click the
User Data tab, and specify values for the available
parameters .
To add antenna user data, in the tree view, expand the
Antennas node, choose the antenna for which you want to
specify user data, click the User Data tab, and specify values
for the available parameters.
Chapter 3

In order to quickly ascertain the impact of changes you make to sector settings, you
can optimize a single site and view the impact on coverage and interference layers
(i.e., the best server signal strength layer and the C/(N+I) layer).
The process of optimizing a single site involves generating predictions along radials
that span 170 degrees (ignoring the antenna backlobe). Points spread along the
radials are then optimized using the defined criteria and layers are generated.
If the proposed changes to sector and antenna parameters are acceptable, you can
apply those changes to the site.
NOTE: Before optimizing a site, define optimization constraints for the antenna
pattern in the Site Editor.
To optimize a single site

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, expand a site node,

right-click a base station and choose Optimize.
In the Sector Selection dialog box, from the Band list, choose the
band you want to optimize.
In the Sectors Or Repeaters To Consider section, choose one of the

following:
n
All if you want to include all sectors.

window.
Click Select.
In the Site Optimization Tool dialog box, click the General tab
and specify general optimization parameters.
Click the Optimization tab and define optimization goals.
Chapter 3
Site Optimization Tool

Use the Site Optimization Tool to quickly evaluate the impact of changes you make
to site and antenna parameters.
General
Use A Traffic Mapchoose from this list the traffic map you want to use when
generating layers.
Receiver
Noise Figuretype in this box the noise figure you want to assume at the receiver.
Maximum Transmit Powertype in this box the maximum transmit power.
Antenna Gaintype in this box the antenna gain at the receiver.
Environmentchoose from this list the environment for which the site is to be
optimized.
Antennas
Initial values are initially retrieved from the settings in the network but may change
when you optimize the site. You can also define values that you can apply to the
network.
NOTE: If you decide to define antenna values but do not click Apply, the current
network values are used when optimizing a site.
Sector Namedisplays the name of the sector.
Antenna IDdisplays the antenna identification.
Azimuthdisplays the azimuth for the associated antenna. You can edit this value
as required.
Tiltdisplays the tilt for the associated antenna. You can edit this value as required.
Antenna Modeldisplays the antenna model. You can change the model you want
to assign to the sector for the site optimization analysis by choosing a model from
the list.
Site Optimization Tool - General
Electrical Tilt displays the electrical tilt of the antenna. This parameter is
only available when electrical parameters are enabled for the antenna. You can
edit this value as required.
Electrical Azimuthdisplays the electrical azimuth of the antenna. This
parameter is only available when electrical parameters are enabled for the
antenna. You can edit this value as required.
Electrical Beamwidthdisplays the electrical beamwidth of the antenna.
This parameter is only available when electrical parameters are enabled for
the antenna. You can edit this value as required.
Areadisplays the area covered.
Trafficdisplays the traffic supported. This column is available only when
using a traffic map.
Layers
Update enable this check box update layers based on your changes.
Close On Exitenable this check box to close the layer displayed when you
close the Site Optimization Tool.
View Coverage Layerenable this check box to display the best server
signal strength coverage layer (i.e., SSOT_SignalStrength layer). This layer
displays the best received signal strength from all sectors.
View C/(N+I)Layerenable this check box to display the interference layer
(i.e., SSOT_CNIR layer). This layer displays the ratio between the best
received signal strength and the sum of all other received signal strengths.
Extent Sizetype in this box the extents of the displayed layer.
Resolutiontype in this box the resolution of the displayed layer.
Carrier Standardchoose from this list the carrier standard to use when
optimizing a cdma2000 site.
Chapter 3
Site Optimization Tool

Use the Site Optimization Tool to quickly evaluate the impact of changes you make
to site and antenna parameters.
Optimization
Use the Optimization tab to specify the optimization criteria you want to use in single
site optimization.
Optimization Goals
Use Optimization Profilechoose from this list the optimization profile that
contains the optimization goals you want to use for single site optimization.
Use Generic Goalschoose this option to define coverage, interference, and area
parameters for single site optimization.
WCDMA
Optimize CPICH Ec Coverageenable this check box to define the CPICH Ec
coverage threshold.
Optimize Interferenceenable this check box to choose whether to
optimize interference using a capacity or CPICH threshold.
Optimize Capacitychoose this option to define a capacity threshold.
Optimize CPICHEc/Iochoose this option to define a CPICH Ec/Io
threshold.
Maintain CPICH Ec Coverageenable this check box to maintain CPICHEc
coverage.
cdma2000
Optimize Pilot Ec Coverageenable this check box to define the Pilot Ec
coverage threshold.
optimize interference using a capacity or Pilot threshold.
Optimize Pilot Ec/Iochoose this option to define a Pilot Ec/Io threshold.
Site Optimization Tool - General
Maintain Pilot Ec Coverageenable this check box to maintain Pilot

Ec coverage.
GSM
Optimize Ec Coverageenable this check box to define the Ec coverage
threshold.
optimize interference using a capacity or Ec threshold.
Optimize Ec/Iochoose this option to define a Ec/Io threshold.
Maintain Ec Coverageenable this check box to maintain Ec
coverage.
LTEFDD
Optimize RSRP Coverageenable this check box to define the RSRP
coverage threshold.
optimize interference using a capacity or RSRQ\RSRP threshold.
Optimize RSRQchoose this option to define a RSRQ threshold.
Maintain RSRP Coverageenable this check box to maintain RSRP
coverage.
LTETDD
Optimize RSRP Coverageenable this check box to define RSRP coverage
threshold.
optimize interference using a capacity or RSRQ\RSRP threshold.
Optimize RSRQchoose this option to define a RSRQ threshold.
Maintain RSRP Coverageenable this check box to maintain RSRP
coverage.
TDMA-FDMA
Chapter 3

threshold.
optimize interference using a capacity or Ec threshold.
Maintain Ec Coverageenable this check box to maintain Ec coverage.
WiMAX TDD
threshold.
Optimize Ecenable this check box to choose whether to optimize
interference using a capacity or Ec threshold.
Maintain Ec Coverageenable this check box to maintain Ec coverage.
Traffic/Area Coverage
Limit Sector Relative Coverage Variationchoose this option to define the
maximum relative traffic variation as a percentage.
Limit Sector Absolute Coveragechoose this option define the minimum and
maximum traffic values to use when limiting coverage.
Chapter 4 Managing Antenna Systems

In Mentum Planet, you can model a wireless communication network that
takes advantage of the performance gains achieved using adaptive antenna
systems (AAS) and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna systems. If
they are available, you can also assign three-dimensional antennas where
several horizontal and vertical patterns are used.
Using the available Editors, you can organize, view, and manage all elements
of the antenna system.
71
76
77
Importing antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet format
78
79
Downloading antenna patterns from the Antenna Server
80
82
83
85
89
90
92
94
Chapter 4

Using Mentum Planet, you can model advanced antenna systems such as adaptive
antenna systems and MIMO systems. To do so, you must first create the antenna
system by specifying:
n
general antenna information

the master antenna, which defines the vertical and horizontal
antenna patterns. In the case of smart antennas, the master
antenna corresponds to the antenna used for the preamble signal,
and potentially for other pilot or control channels.
the physical antennas that make up the pattern. Each physical
antenna has its own configuration (i.e., tilt, azimuth, twist,
location), frequency range, and electrical tilt
if you are using smart antennas, the antenna array, which is a
collection of antenna elements
if you are using smart antennas, antenna elements, which define the
vertical and horizontal antenna patterns
You manage antenna systems using the following Editors:

n
the Antenna Editor, where you define the various parts of the
antenna system as listed above.
the Antenna Algorithm Editor, where you define required parameters
to model smart antennas and multiple antenna systems
the Site Editor, where you define the general characteristics of the
antenna system assigned to the sector as well as the antenna
tuning parameters that will be used in prediction generation. You
must also specify the antenna optimization constraints you want to
use in antenna optimization.
How antenna systems are used in network planning

Antenna manufacturers generally provide antenna patterns for both the horizontal
and vertical planes as ASCII or binary files. Many manufacturers also provide
additional patterns with specific electrical tilt values. Although antenna patterns
represent an approximation of reality under ideal conditions, they are considered
sufficient for planning purposes.
Managing Antenna Systems
Figure 4.1: Horizontal plane of an antenna pattern

Figure 4.1 illustrates how an antenna distributes its energy over the horizontal
plane. Figure 4.2 illustrates how an antenna distributes energy over the
vertical plane. In both examples, the boresight is at zero degrees. The
horizontal pattern is specified in terms of a clockwise angle, while the vertical
pattern is displayed in terms of an angle measured downward from the
horizontal.
Chapter 4
Figure 4.2: Vertical plane of an antenna pattern.

Antenna patterns are used when generating signal strength predictions. The
orientation between any ground point and the sector location is determined and the
antenna gain is calculated based on this orientation. In most cases some
interpolation is required, because antenna patterns do not provide a pattern gain in
every possible orientation. The orientation between the tower and the ground point
is resolved into an azimuth and inclination relative to the direction in which the
antenna is pointing. The actual antenna gain for the particular orientation is the sum
of the horizontal gain (based on the azimuth), the vertical gain (based on the
inclination), and the boresight gain. Figure 4.3 shows how small variations in the
vertical pattern can have a major effect on the horizontal distance covered.
Figure 4.3: Antenna height versus coverage distance

Depending on the resolution of the signal strength grid file (which will be the same as
that of the elevation grid file), it may not be possible to observe the influence of the
antenna vertical gain distribution at larger angles, beyond the bin in which the
antenna is located. For example, if the grid size is 50 meters, and the antenna height
is 30 meters, the inclination angle to the center of the next grid will be about -31
degrees. Therefore, the influence of all vertical gains between -31 degrees and -90
degrees is contained in the single bin where the sector is located.
Optimization of antenna patterns

In order to better model the backlobe of the antenna in generated predictions, you
can define correction factors that will be applied during antenna masking on a persector basis. This is useful, for example, when the antenna system is mounted on a
wall, which affects its radiating pattern. Using the correction factors, you can better
adapt the antenna behavior to the environment.
These correction factors, however, are not taken into account when model
tuning. As a result, there could be slight discrepancies between model turning
results and the comparison of predictions and measurements that are based
on sector antennas.
Required accuracy for antenna patterns

Antenna patterns represent an approximation of reality under ideal conditions.
When field or laboratory measurements are taken, the transmission path is
cleared of reflections so that what is measured is the energy distribution in
space and not the transmission channel. Also, antennas are generally installed
so that no near field effect occurs, potentially causing a significant change to
the radiation pattern.
In order to model real-world networks, you must account for sub-optimal
transmission tower installations, and reflections from the ground and
surrounding structures. This is why it is important to remove very deep nulls (a
null is defined as a direction where very little energy is dispersed).
In Figure 4.3, there is a null at +/-15 degrees in the vertical gain of the
antenna. Also, side-lobes (transmission lobes other than the main lobe) are
often disturbed by elements located in the near field when the installation is
not properly done or where constraints make it impossible to perform an
optimal installation. In order to alleviate this problem, side-lobes may be
averaged.
It is also important to use high-resolution antenna patterns to provide highresolution signal strength predictions. In practice though, using a resolution of
more than one degree is unnecessary due to imprecise installations. Vertical
antenna patterns are generally more sensitive as they tend to be narrower
than horizontal patterns. For this reason, the typical resolution for antenna
patterns ranges from 10 degrees to 1 degree for the horizontal and from 5 to
0.5 for the vertical pattern.
Vertical patterns are needed only for a few tens of degrees (e.g., -30 to 30)
around the horizon point (defined as 0 degrees). This is a simple geometric
consideration, since for a 100 meter high transmit site, 30 degrees of elevation
angle is reached after only 172 meters. At such a short distance from the
transmit site, the amount of received energy is often due more to reflections
than to the main path. Mentum Planet propagation models use the full
horizontal pattern but a vertical pattern with values between + 52 and -73
(if available).
Chapter 4
Antenna pattern formats

Mentum Planet stores antenna patterns in .paf (Planet Antenna Format) files. Since
manufacturers typically supply antenna patterns in a limited number of standard
formats, you may have to convert antenna patterns into the .paf format. You can
convert the original Planet antenna format (.dpa) as well as .nsm formats to the new
.paf format. For more information on converting antenna patterns, see "Importing
antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet format" on page 78.
Antenna pattern sets that are a .dpa format and which include electrical tilt patterns
must also be converted to ensure they display hierarchically in the Project Explorer
and work with third-party tools. To combine antenna patterns into one .paf file, see
"Importing Multiple Antenna Files" on page 79

Antenna files saved in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>\global\Antennas folder are available for any new project you create.
Antenna files saved in the Antennas folder within an individual project are
project-specific.
Step 1
If required, convert antenna files to Planet Antenna Format (.paf)

files. See Importing antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet
format.
Step 2
If required, connect to the Antenna Server and download the

required antenna pattern in .paf format.
Step 3
If you are using multiple antennas, configure and assign the

antenna algorithms associated with the antenna pattern. See
Editing antenna algorithm parameters.
Step 4
If required, edit antenna patterns. See Editing antenna patterns.
Step 5
Add antenna patterns to your project. See Adding antenna patterns

to a project.
Chapter 4

Step 1
In the Project Data category of the Project Explorer, create and tune the
propagation models you are using.
Step 2
In the Antenna Editor, create an antenna system.
Step 3
In the Site Editor, for each sector, assign an antenna, define general
antenna parameters, antenna correction factors, and antenna
optimization constraints.
Step 4
Generate predictions.
Importing antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet

format
You can import antenna patterns in the NSMA (.nsm or .adf) antenna format or
Planet (.pln) format and convert them to the Mentum Planet (.paf) antenna
pattern format. If an antenna file contains more than one pattern, the patterns
are saved in one .paf file. Converted antenna patterns are saved in the source
folder with a .paf file extension using the same name as the source file. There
is no need to save the converted patterns.
When you convert full antenna patterns, the full pattern will display in the
Antenna Editor. In Mentum Planet, however, propagation models use the full
horizontal pattern while using a vertical pattern with values between + 52
and -73 (if available). Some third-party tools, for example propagation
models, use the full vertical pattern.
To import an antenna pattern in .dpa format

1
Choose Edit
Antennas.
The Antenna Editor opens.
Choose File
In the Import dialog box, navigate to the folder containing the

antenna patterns, choose the files that you want to convert and
click Open.
In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.
Import File.
The antenna pattern opens in the Antenna Editor where you can view
and modify antenna characteristics.
Click one of the following buttons:

n
Savesaves the antenna pattern without closing the Antenna

Editor.
Closesaves the antenna pattern and closes the Antenna
Editor.
Chapter 4

You can import multiple antenna patterns and save them as a single .paf file. In order
to do so, you must first create an antenna definition file in a .txt or .csv format using
a tab or a semi-colon as the separator. The antenna definition file must contain the
following information:
Parent Antenna
Child Antenna
Frequency
E-Tilt
E-Azimuth
Antenna file with .paf extension

Antenna file with .dpa, .pln, .nsm, .adf extension
Frequency band with a minus as separator between the minimum
and the maximum frequency (e.g., 1850-1990). This is an
optional parameter and may be left blank.
Optional.
Optional
The first field of the first line of the antenna definition file must contain "Antenna
Definition File".
All child antennas associated with a parent are saved in one .paf file.
CAUTION: The antenna definition file must be saved in the same folder as the
antenna files you want to import.
To import multiple antenna files

1
Choose Edit
Antennas.
Choose File
In the Import Antennas From A Definition File dialog box, navigate

to where the .txt or .csv file is saved and click Open.
Import From Definition File.
Downloading antenna patterns from the Antenna

Server
You can download antenna patterns in the Planet Antenna File (.paf) format
from the Antenna Server, where vendors have posted the latest antenna files.
You cannot access the Antenna Server if you are using the standalone version
of the Antenna Editor or if you are using Windows 2000.
In order to use the Antenna Server, you must have the .NET Framework,
version 3.5 with Service Pack 1 installed.
To download antenna patterns

1
Choose Edit
Antennas.
Choose File
Download Files.
The Download dialog box opens.
On the Search tab, define the search criteria.
Chapter 4
For detailed information on the settings available on this tab, press the F1 key
for online Help.
Click the Antenna List tab to view the search results.

n
CTRL+Click to select the antennas you want to download.
Click Select All to select all antennas.
Click Download.
In the Browse For Folder dialog box, navigate to the folder where you
want to save the antenna file and click OK.
In the Download Progress dialog box, click one of the following

buttons:
n
Open Fileopens the .paf file in the Antenna Editor
Open Folderopens the folder where you have saved the .paf file.
Closecloses the dialog box.

The file format of antenna patterns varies depending upon the manufacturer.
Mentum Planet can directly open antenna patterns in several formats;
however, you should verify that the data you want to open is valid and
correctly formatted. For some antenna patterns, you will need to confirm
whether the positive values contained in the antenna pattern file are gain
values or not.
You can view high quality plots of both the horizontal and vertical antenna
patterns in the Antenna Editor.
You can customize the antenna pattern display by changing the colors used or
by modifying the scale. You can also print antenna information and patterns.
To open an antenna pattern

1
Choose Edit
In the Antenna Editor dialog box, choose File
Choose the antenna pattern (.paf) file that you want to open and
click Open.
Antennas.
Open File.
The antenna pattern is displayed in the Antenna Editor.
To open an antenna pattern from the Project Explorer

n
In the Project Explorer, in the ProjectData category,

expand the Antenna Files node, right-click an antenna
pattern and choose Edit.
Antenna patterns are listed in the Project Data category of the Project
Explorer. The icons of antenna patterns that have been assigned to a
sector are displayed in color. The icons of antenna patterns that have
not been assigned to sectors, but are located in the Antennas folder of
the project, appear dimmed.
TIP: You can also open an antenna pattern by double-clicking it in the Project
Explorer.
Chapter 4

You can configure the algorithms used with MIMO and smart antennas in order to
meet the requirements of the technology you are using.
The tabs displayed in the Antenna Algorithm Editor depend on the technology and
the antenna algorithm you choose. This procedure provides an overview of the
workflow. You can find detailed parameter descriptions in the online Help.
Antenna algorithms are saved as algorithm (.algr) files and are stored in the Antenna
Algorithms folder within an individual project.
To edit algorithm parameters

1
Choose Edit
Antenna Algorithms.
The Antenna Algorithm Editor opens.
In the tree view, expand the node for the network technology you are
using ((i.e., WiMAX, LTE, HSPA).
If you chose WiMAX in step 2, choose one of the following antenna

algorithms:
n
Smart Antenna
WiMAX MIMO A
WiMAX MIMO B
WiMAX Automatic MIMO Switching
Smart Antenna + WiMAX MIMO A
Smart Antenna + WiMAX MIMO B
Smart Antenna + AMS
If you chose LTE in step 2, choose one of the following antenna

algorithms:
n
Smart Antenna
Diversity
MIMO
Automatic MIMO Switching
Smart Antenna + Diversity
Smart Antenna + MIMO
Smart Antenna + AMS
If you chose HSPA in step 2, choose the following antenna

algorithm:
n
MIMO
Click the tabs associated with the antenna and define the
required parameters.
For detailed information on the settings available on these tabs, press
F1 for online Help.
Chapter 4

You may need to edit antenna patterns so that they conform to Mentum Planet
guidelines and accuracy principles or to correct the way the antenna patterns
account for antenna gain.
An antenna pattern must follow these basic guidelines to be usable with Mentum
Planet:
n
The directivity of the antenna pattern must be the amount of gain in

any given direction compared with the maximum gain of the
antenna. The directivity, therefore, can only be equal to or less than
zero decibels.
In most cases, the horizontal plane must be aligned so that the
boresight angle is at zero degrees. Exceptions to this rule occur, for
example, when the antenna has multiple main lobes or electrical
tilts. In these cases, the boresight angle can be at an azimuth
different than zero degrees.
The vertical plane must be aligned so that zero degrees is
horizontal.
The horizontal pattern must always be provided. The vertical
pattern is optional, and the vertical pattern gain will be assumed to
be zero decibels at all inclinations when the vertical pattern is not
provided. Nonetheless, it is not a sound engineering practice to use
a horizontal-only pattern for signal strength predictions, as it can
create significant prediction errors near the sector.
In Mentum Planet, the antenna pattern must be described as the amount of gain in
any given direction compared with the boresight gain of the antenna. Information
about antenna patterns is displayed in the lower left corner of the dialog box. The
horizontal and vertical boresight angles and beamwidth angles are displayed in the
Information section. shows the beamwidth and the boresight angle.
Figure 4.4: Illustration of the beamwidth and the boresight angle.
To edit antenna patterns

1
In the Project Explorer, in the ProjectData category, expand

the Antenna Files node, right-click an antenna pattern and
choose Edit.
Chapter 4
Modify the settings on any of the following tabs:

n
Generalallows you to define and view information about the

antenna such as the name, manufacturer, polarization, cost, length,
width, etc. You can also specify parameters related to the antenna
band and physical antenna. When you define electrical tilt values, an
eTilt node is added beneath the antenna for each degree of tilt.
Master Antennaallows you to view details of the master
antenna, which consists of the horizontal and vertical planes of a
physical antenna. You can define display preferences and update
antenna information. The Master Antenna contains all the
information that defines the main antenna and is typically used for
transmission and reception of signals that are common to all
subscribers (e.g., common channels and synchronization signals).
Multiple Antennaallows you to specify details about smart
antenna or MIMO system capabilities.
Antenna Elementallows you to view antenna elements that form
an antenna array, which is the association of several antenna
elements. You can define the inclination and orientation of the
antenna pattern, specify display preferences as well as examine the
antenna information. This tab is only visible when the antenna is a
smart antenna.
For detailed information on the settings available on these tabs, press

F1 for online Help.
Chapter 4

You can print antenna patterns from the Antenna Editor for your reference. Before
you print, you can preview the antenna pattern to ensure that it displays as you
expect.
To preview an antenna pattern

1
In the Antenna Editor, choose File
In the Print Preview dialog box, do any of the following:

n
Print Preview.
Click the Zoom button or choose a pre-defined zoom level to

change how the preview is displayed.
Click the Print button if you are ready to print.
Click Close.
To print an antenna pattern

1
In the Antenna Editor, choose File
In the Print dialog box, specify the printer, page size, source, and
orientation, and click Print.
Print.

Mentum Planet includes a small set of default antenna files; however, you can
add additional antenna pattern files as required. Antenna files must be in the
Mentum Planet antenna (.paf) file format. For information on importing
antenna patterns, see Importing antenna patterns in the NSMA or Planet
format.
Antenna patterns are added to the Project Data category of the Project
Explorer. By default, only assigned antennas are displayed beneath the
Antennas node when you open a project.
To add antenna pattern files to a project

Antenna files must be saved in the Antennas folder either within a specific
project or in the <Mentum Planet installation folder>\global\Antennas folder.
Antenna pattern files saved in the global\Antennas folder are available for all
new projects you create.
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick the Antenna Files node and choose Add.
In the Open dialog box, choose the Mentum Planet antenna (.paf)
files that you want to add to your project and click Open.
To view or hide unassigned antenna patterns

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick Antenna Files and choose one of the following commands:
n
Show Unassigned Antennas
Hide Unassigned Antennas
To refresh antenna patterns

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category,

right-click Antenna Files and choose Refresh.
Chapter 4
To rename antenna patterns

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click

Antenna Files and choose Rename.
Type a new name for the antenna pattern.

The name of the antenna pattern displayed in the Project Explorer changes as
does the underlying antenna pattern file. When you rename antenna patterns
with electrical tilt, you are prompted to confirm how the underlying antenna
files will be renamed.
NOTE: You can only rename unassigned antenna patterns.
To remove an antenna pattern from the Project Explorer

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, expand the

Antenna Files node, right-click an antenna and choose Delete.
While the antenna pattern is removed from the Project Explorer, the antenna
file is not deleted.
NOTE: You can only remove unassigned antenna patterns from a project.

In the Project Explorer, you can group antenna patterns based on the following
criteria to make them easier to find:
n
horizontal beamwidth
vertical beamwidth
gain
front-to-back ratio
frequency
manufacturer
Within the Antenna Files node, a new node is created for each group of
antennas, as shown in Figure 4.5.
Figure 4.5: Antenna patterns grouped by gain.
Chapter 4
To group antenna patterns

n

Antenna Files, choose GroupBy, and then choose the type of
grouping that you want.
The antenna patterns are listed based on the type of grouping you chose.
To ungroup antenna patterns

n

Antenna Files and choose GroupBy None.
The antenna patterns are now listed in order of name.

You can create queries to identify antennas based on a defined criteria.
To create and run a new antenna query

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick Antenna Queries and choose New.
In the Add New Antenna Query dialog box, type a descriptive

name for the query and click OK.
The Antenna Query Editor opens and a new node is created in the
Project Explorer.
In the Query Clauses section of the Antenna Query Editor,

choose the elements of the query from the following list:
n
And/Ordisplays chosen condition. Choose And when all

clauses must be satisfied. Choose Or when only one clause
need be met.
Fielddisplays the antenna parameters upon which you can
base the query.
Operatordisplays available operators.
Valuedisplays the value that must be satisfied. Depending
on the field, the value may initially display a default.
To modify the query, click any of the following buttons:

n
Addto add a new row to the Query Clauses table.

Deleteto remove the selected row from the Query Clauses
table.
Groupto group the selected clauses. When clauses are
grouped, all the selected conditions must be met first. A red
bracket in the second column encompasses the clauses in the
group.
Ungroupto ungroup the selected clauses.
Chapter 4
The example in the following figure shows a query that selects antennas that
support MIMO and/or electrical tilts. Notice that the full query is displayed in
the Query box at the bottom of the Antenna Query Editor.
To generate query results, click Run Query.

The number of antennas that satisfy the query results is displayed in the
status bar at the bottom of the Antenna Query Editor. If the number is greater
than zero, an Antenna Query Results dialog box opens and displays details
about the selected antennas.
Click Close to close the Antenna Query Results dialog box.
In the Antenna Query Editor, click one of the following buttons:

n
OKto save your changes and close the Antenna Query Editor.
Cancelto close the Antenna Query Editor without saving your
changes.
NOTE: To change an existing query: in the Project Explorer, in the Project Data
category, right-click the query and choose Edit.
NOTE: To run an existing query, in the Project Explorer, in the Project Data
category, right-click the query and choose Report Previewer.
Chapter 5 Managing Survey Data

You can use survey data to accurately analyze the network based on
information from the field.
This chapter describes how to import and add survey data, work with survey
statistics, and create a new survey.
97
99
100
101
105
106
107
111
Assigning surveys
117
121
122
130
Chapter 5
Surveying involves collecting signal strength values at small intervals, including
many samples from all clutter classes wherever possible. For best results, the raw
data collected must be modified to filter unrepresentative points and average
duplicate points.
Using Mentum Planet, you can work with and analyze survey data. Survey data can
greatly increase the accuracy of predictions. For information on merged predictions
that combine survey data with prediction outputs, see the appropriate User Guide for
the technology you are using.
After you import or add a survey to a project, you can modify the properties of the
survey and choose different methods of viewing the survey data in a Map window.
You can also view statistical data about the survey. Based on these statistics, you
can choose to create a new survey by averaging, filtering, combining, or comparing
existing survey data.
How survey data is organized in the Project Explorer

When you add or import survey data, it is added to the Survey Data node in the
Project Explorer under one of the following categories:
n
Surveys RSSIcontains surveys with valid antenna information

Surveys Deltacontains surveys that measure differences, such
as those you create when comparing surveys
Surveys Othercontains surveys with data other than RSSI values
Once a survey is added to the project, the status of the survey is identified using the
following icon colors:
n
Dimmed Iconsidentify valid surveys that have not been

assigned to a sector.
Blue Iconsidentify valid surveys that have been assigned to a
sector.
Gray Icons With Red Xidentify surveys that have invalid
parameters or no antenna information. By adding antenna
information to surveys based on the sector properties, you can
Managing Survey Data
change an invalid survey to a valid one. For more information,

see Adding survey header information.
Figure 5.1 shows the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer. In this
example, survey GS040_1 has been assigned, survey GS040_2 is valid but has
not been assigned, and survey GS040_3 is invalid.
Figure 5.1: Survey Data node in the Project Explorer.
Chapter 5
Step 1
Determine the sites from which you want to collect data and plan the
survey routes.
Step 2
Collect the survey data.
Step 3
Import the survey data into Mentum Planet or add survey data to the
project.
Step 4
If required, modify the properties of the surveys that you have imported
or added.
Step 5
Assign surveys to sectors.
Step 6
Edit survey data to remove anomalous points (e.g., points that are very
close to the site, points where the survey route passes under a bridge or
where it goes over water). Survey data should also be averaged in order
to account for Rayleigh fading.
Step 7
Combine and compare surveys in order to better understand survey data.

When collecting survey data, you should collect data for one sector at a time
to avoid introducing errors that arise from signals from other sectors. You
should also collect a statistically meaningful number of samples from all clutter
classes and cover both flat and hilly areas. For the CRC-Predict model, for
example, 100 aggregated data points is the minimum number of points for the
analysis to be statistically significant. The more sample points you collect, the
more accurate the data.
The following are some general guidelines for collecting survey data:
n
Select sites where you are certain that the antenna/sector

characteristics and location coordinates are well documented,
and avoid sites with very high gain antennas where possible.
Select sites that are free from near-field obstructions when
outside a dense urban environment.
Drive regular grid patterns, avoiding elevated highways or
roads.
Ensure that the distribution of data extends a reasonable
distance from the site. You should collect data outside the
expected effective range of the site, because it is important to
collect data at values where coverage is questionable and to
verify the border or edge of the coverage, and to accurately
predict interference to other cells.
Take samples in all clutter classes and include representative
samples in each drive as much as possible.
For best results, it is recommended that survey data be collected using a CW

(continuous wave) transmitter with an omni test antenna.
Chapter 5

You can add a survey directly to the project if it is in a MapInfo table (.tab) format
and it is mappable (i.e., you must be able to view the survey points in a Map
window). If the survey data is not in MapInfo table format, you can import the survey
and convert it from the following formats into MapInfo table format:
n
Microsoft ExcelA Microsoft Excel format (.xls) survey file

consists of a minimum of three columns with latitude, longitude, and
signal strength values specified. It does not contain a header row.
You can select multiple Microsoft Excel format survey files to import,
but all of the files must use the same column settings.
ASCII textAn ASCII text format (.txt) survey file has flexible
delimiters, and consists of a minimum of three columns with
latitude, longitude, and signal strength values specified. It also
contains a header row. You can choose multiple ASCII text format
survey files to import, but all of the files must use the same column
settings.
Data Manager Server filesA Data Manager Server or 2.8 format
survey file consists of a header file and a results file. The results file
must be in the same folder as the header file or in a results folder at
the same level as the folder that contains the header files. If you
want to use Data Manager Server or 2.8 format survey files in
merged predictions, you need to import them so that they are
available as MapInfo tables.
To ensure that the survey data you add is valid, the survey must contain a minimum
of three columns with latitude, longitude, and signal strength values specified. The
columns must be in this order. The data in additional columns is added or imported if
the columns come after these first three.
The names of the columns are not taken into account when adding or importing. For
example, the first three columns could be named x, y, and RSSI or 1, 2, and
3.
If required, you can also modify survey properties such as survey date, operator,
and antenna information.
Before you import a survey, ensure that you:

n
Check the projection that is specified in the survey file. By

default, the Latitude/Longitude projection value is WGS84.
Specify a valid projection or the data will not be positioned
correctly in the survey when you import the data.
Check the survey data for integrity. Problems in the data may
not be easily visible. For example, check that the sector, its
power, and its antenna are correct.
To add surveys to the project

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category,

right-click Survey Data and choose Add.
In the Add Survey (Planet Format) dialog box, choose one or

more surveys that you want to include in your project, and click
Open.
The surveys are added to the Survey Data node in the ProjectExplorer.
NOTE: For more information on creating survey points in a Map window, see
the MapInfo Professional User Guide.
To import surveys
1
In the Project Explorer, in the OperationalData category,

right-click Survey Data, choose Import, and then choose the
format of the survey that you want to import.
In the Open dialog box, navigate to the file that you want to
import, and click Open.

n
If you are importing a survey in ASCII format, define delimiter

and projection settings in the ASCII Import Parameters
dialog box, and click OK.
Chapter 5
If you are importing a survey in Excel format, define named range

and projection settings in the Excel Import Parameters dialog
box, and click OK.
If you are importing a Planet DMS survey, define the projection
parameters, and click OK.
The survey is added to the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer.
To modify the properties of a survey

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, rightclick a survey and choose Properties.
The Properties dialog box opens.

n
To modify the general properties of the survey, including

assignments, modify the values in the General section.
To modify the antenna information about the sector from which the
survey was created, modify the values in the Antenna
Information section.
For more information on the fields and options in the Properties dialog box,
press the F1 key.
Click OK.
If you want to use the survey in merged predictions, ensure that you
have provided the following information in the Antenna Information
section:
n
A name for the antenna in the Name box. The name must
match an antenna available in Mentum Planet.
A value for antenna power in the Power box
NOTE: If you want to use a merged prediction with the Model Tuning tool, all
antenna parameters must be valid. For more information on merged
predictions, see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you are using.
TIP: To delete a survey, in the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data

category, right-click a survey, and choose Delete.
Chapter 5

You can update survey header information using the antenna properties of a sector
in your project. You can update existing survey header information or add
information to surveys that have invalid or missing header information.
To update survey header information using sector properties

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, choose the sector that
you want to use to update the surveys.
The sector is highlighted in the Project Explorer.
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, choose

one or more surveys that you want to update, right-click one of the
surveys, and then choose Generate Header From Sector.
The Generate Survey Headers dialog box opens, showing the sector that will
be used and the surveys that will be updated.
If you want to view or edit the sector data that will be added to the
surveys, click View/Edit Data, modify the information in the
Properties dialog box as required, and then click OK.
For more information on the fields and options in the Properties dialog box,
press the F1 key.
In the Generate Survey Headers dialog box, click OK.

The sector information is added to the surveys. The survey icon changes from
red to dimmed if the survey originally contained invalid header or antenna
information.

You can save a copy of a survey with a new name.
To save a copy of a survey

1

right-click a survey and choose Save Copy As.
In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want
to save the file, type a name for the file in the File Name box,
and click Save.
Chapter 5

After you import or add a survey, you can choose different methods of displaying
survey data. You can view the survey data points in the Map window, locate and
zoom in on survey data points, browse longitude, latitude, and signal strength values
for each point in the survey, or create and view a thematic map of the survey data.
To view a survey in the Map window

n

expand the Survey Data node, right-click a survey and choose
View.
Each survey data point is displayed in the Map window using the default
symbol and color as shown in "Survey data displayed in the Map window using
the default symbol and color." below.
Figure 5.2: Survey data displayed in the Map window using the default symbol and
color.
TIP: To clear the survey display in the Map window, choose File
then choose the survey from the Close Tables list, and click Close.
Close Table,
To find survey data points in the Map window

After you view the survey data in a Map window, you can use the Locate
function to zoom in on it.
n

expand the Survey Data node, right-click a survey and
choose Locate.
The survey data is centered in the Map window and the Map window
zooms in on it.
NOTE: To display the location of the transmitting antenna (as defined in the
survey properties), right-click a survey and choose View
Transmitting
Location.
To view survey data in tabular format

n

expand the Survey Data node, right-click a survey and
choose Browse.
The Browser window opens containing the data used in the survey.
Chapter 5
To create a thematic map of survey data

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, rightclick the surveys you want to view and choose Thematic Map.
The thematic map is displayed in the Map window as shown in Figure 5.3.
Figure 5.3: Survey data points shown as a thematic map.

For more information on thematic maps, see the MapInfo Professional User Guide.
When you create and view a thematic map of the survey data, the standard color
profile selected for signal strength grids is automatically applied. For more
information, see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you are using.
To modify display options for thematically mapped surveys

You can modify the display options when thematically mapping surveys. You can
change both the color profile used and the symbol point size.
By default, surveys are thematically mapped using the color profile defined for signal
strength files. You can use a different color profile for surveys beneath the Surveys
Delta node and the Surveys Other node but you cannot change the color profile for
surveys beneath the Surveys RSSI node.

right-click Survey Data and choose Options.
The Survey Data Options dialog box opens.
To change the size of the survey point display symbol in the Map
window, type the new size in the Symbol Size box.
To define a different color profile to use when thematically

mapping surveys beneath the Surveys Delta node, click Browse
next to the Surveys Delta Color Profile box, navigate to the
folder that contains the color profile that you want to use, and
then click Open.
To define a different color profile to use when thematically

mapping surveys beneath the Surveys Other node, click Browse
next to the Surveys Other Color Profile box, navigate to the
folder that contains the color profile that you want to use, and
then click Open.
Click OK.
Chapter 5

You can view statistics about the collected sample points in one or multiple surveys.
Statistics are generated using the following types of graphs:
n
Survey Histogramdisplays the points of the signal strength survey

data in a histogram and a cumulative histogram. You can also view
the mean, standard deviation, and the root mean square (RMS) of
the points.
Survey Clutter Distributiondisplays the number of points of the
survey data by clutter class in a stacked format.
Survey Regression Analysisdisplays the points of signal strength
mapped versus the distance to the antenna with either a userdefined or Lee model regression line. You can also edit some of the
regression parameters and view a Free Space curve.
These graphs enable you to view statistics of multiple surveys simultaneously. This
is useful when you want to compare statistics on survey data before you average,
filter, compare, or combine it.
To view a survey histogram

1

the surveys that you want to view in a histogram.
Right-click and choose Analyze
Histogram.
The Survey Histogram dialog box opens, displaying a histogram for the chosen
surveys.
Choose any of the following options to view statistics:

n
To view a symbol at each data point in the histogram, enable

the Show Points check box.
To view a cumulative histogram for multiple surveys, enable
the Cumulative Data check box.
To view horizontal grid lines, enable the Show Horizontal
Grid check box.
To view vertical grid lines, enable the Show Vertical Grid
check box.
To save the statistics in a text (.txt) file, click Save, navigate to

the folder where you want to save the file, type the file name, and
then click Save.
Click Close.
To view a survey clutter distribution histogram

1

choose the surveys that you want to view in a clutter distribution
histogram.
Chapter 5
Right-click one of the surveys and choose Analyze

Distribution.
Clutter
The Survey Clutter Distribution dialog box opens, displaying a clutter

distribution histogram for two surveys.

n
To view the number of survey sample points collected for each

clutter class by percentage, enable the Show% Of Points check
box.
To view the number of survey sample points collected for each
clutter class, enable the Label Columns check box.
To save the statistics in a text (.txt) file, click Save, navigate to the
folder where you want to save the file, type the file name, and then
click Save.
Click Close.
To view a survey regression analysis

You can view a regression curve of surveys that have valid antenna files.

choose the surveys that you want to view in a regression
histogram.

Regression.
The Survey Regression Analysis dialog box opens, displaying a
regression curve for two surveys.
Click Curves.
The Curve Parameters dialog box opens.
Chapter 5
To manually define the curve, do any of the following in the boxes in the
User Defined section:
n
To save the curve using the values in the Best Fit section, choose
the Best Fit option.
To save the curve using the values in the User Defined section,
choose the User Defined option.
To draw a curve using the values in the Best Fit section, enable the
Best Fit check box.
To draw a curve using the values in the User Defined section,
enable the User Defined check box.
If you want to draw a free space curve on the regression graph, enable
the Draw Free Space Curve check box in the Free Space Loss
Curve section, and do any of the following:
n
In the Slope box, type the value of the logarithmic regression curve
slope, expressed as dB/Dist for a linear regression or dB/Decade for
a logarithmic regression.
In the Draw Curve section, do any of the following:

n
In the Intercept Distance box, type the value of the signal

strength at which the regression curve starts.
In the Selected Curve section, do any of the following to generate the

values saved with the survey points when you click Save in the Survey
Regression Analysis dialog box:
n
In the Intercept box, type the value of the signal strength at the
intercept distance.
To define the power with which to draw the free space line, type a
value in EIRP dBm in the Power box.
To define the frequency with which to define the free space line,
type a value in MHz in the Frequency box.
Click OK to close the Curve Parameters dialog box.
To view the regression graph using a linear instead of a

logarithmic scale, clear the Use Log Scale check box.
10 To save the statistics in a text (.txt) file, click Save, navigate to

the folder where you want to save the file, type the file name, and
then click Save.
11 Click Close.
Chapter 5
Assigning surveys
After you add a survey and modify its properties, you can assign the survey to a
sector. You must assign the appropriate survey to the corresponding sector. When
you create merged predictions, these assignments determine the survey that will be
used when updating a prediction for a site.
To assign a survey to a sector

n

n
In the Project Explorer, drag a survey from the

Operational Data category to a sector in the Sites category.
Use a survey assignment file to associate multiple surveys
with multiple sectors.
When a survey is assigned to a sector, the survey icon turns blue.
To create a survey assignment file

A survey assignment file is a text file that defines the surveys that are associated
with each sector.
Create the survey assignment file in a text editor using the following
conventions:
n
The first line is a header and must contain the following text:
HEADER Planet EV 3.1 SPT Assignments file Version 1.0

n
Subsequent lines use the following format:
CELLID <Site_ID>:<SectorID> <Survey file name>

For example:
CELLID Site_44:3 survey_1164
If you are assigning multiple surveys to a sector, separate the survey file
names with a comma.
When you have completed assigning all of the surveys, save the
file as a text file.
To assign multiple surveys using an assignment file

1
In the ProjectExplorer, in the OperationalData category,

right-click Survey Data and choose Assignment
Assign
From File.
The Assign From File dialog box opens.
In the SurveyAssignment section, choose one of the following

options:
n
Assign Surveys In Fileadds survey assignments from the

chosen survey assignment file to the sectors in a project. All
existing survey assignments are retained.
Reassign All Surveysdeletes any existing survey
assignments and assigns the surveys from the chosen survey
assignment file.
In the Assignment File section, click Browse, choose the

assignment file that you want to use, and click Open.
Click OK.
The Assignment Report dialog box opens.

n
Review the report and click Close without saving the report to
a file.
Chapter 5
If you want to save the report, in the Save Report As dialog box, do
the following:
n
Click Save As to save the report.
From the Save In list, choose the folder to which you want the file
saved.
In the File Name box, type a name for the report.
Click Save.
In the Assignment Report dialog box, click Close.
To view and update survey assignments

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click a site or a

sector and choose Surveys
Assigned Surveys.
The Assigned Surveys dialog box opens.
To unassign a survey from the sector, clear the check box next to the
survey.
Click OK.
To export a survey assignment file

You can export a survey assignment file that contains the current assignments. This
is useful if you have assigned surveys by dragging and dropping them onto sectors,
and you want to save the assignments.

Save To
File.
In the Save Assignment File As dialog box, navigate to the

folder where you want to save the file, type a name for the file,
and click Save.
You can save the file with any extension.
To clear all survey assignments

1

Clear All
Assignments.
Chapter 5

You can create a number of reports that enable you to view survey assignments. You
have the following options for reports:
n
By Site/Sectorlists any sectors that have surveys assigned to

them and identifies the survey
By Surveylists the available surveys and identifies which sector
each survey is assigned to
By Predictionlists surveys in one of three categories according to
whether the survey metadata is correct:
Valid Assigned Surveys
Assigned Surveys Missing Metadata
Unassigned Surveys
To create survey assignment reports

1
In the ProjectExplorer, in the OperationalData category, rightclick Survey Data, choose Reports, and then choose one of the
following:
n
By Site/Sector
By Survey
By Prediction
In the Survey Report dialog box, do one of the following:

n
If you want to save the report, click Save As, and in the Save
Report As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want to
save the file, type a name for the file, click Save, and then click
Close.
If you do not want to save the report, click Close.

After adding or importing a survey, you can modify survey data to remove
anomalous survey points and account for Rayleigh fading. This creates a new
survey that more closely resembles the topography and clutter along the
survey route. To this end, you can:
n
average survey data. See To average survey data.
filter survey data using one of three methods:

n
By creating survey filters using the Survey Filtering

dialog box where you can view a graph display of
survey points and create, edit, and save survey filters.
See To filter survey data.
By filtering survey points based on the points selected
in the Map window. See To filter survey data by
selection.
By filtering survey points based on a polygon selected
in the Map window. See To filter survey data by
polygon.
remove data from the Map window. See To remove survey

data points from the Map window.
To average survey data

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Operation Data category,

choose the surveys that you want to average.
Average.
The Survey Averaging dialog box opens.
Chapter 5
In the Rayleigh Fading Distance box, type a value or accept the

default.
To remove Rayleigh fading, the recommended aggregation distance is 40
wavelengths. For example, 13 m at 900 MHz, and 5 m at 2400 MHz. The
resulting survey will have data points spaced no closer than the specified
distance, and the signal strength values will be the median of signal strengths
in the original survey within this distance. The points to aggregate are
selected using the Distance method in Step 4.
In the Averaging section, choose one of the following options to

average data points:
n
Area MethodData points are averaged using the median by

dividing the area covered by the point file into adjacent squares in a
rectangular array. The sides of the squares have the length defined
in the Averaging Distance box. The points that fall inside any of
these squares are averaged to create one point at the geocenter of
the averaged points (not at the center of the square). The averaging
areas do not depend on the distribution of points in the original
survey.
Distance MethodData points are averaged using the median by
dividing the area covered by the point file into circles that may
overlap, but which include all of the points in the original survey.
(Points in the overlapping areas are assigned to only one circle.) The
diameters of the circles are defined in the Averaging Distance box.
The points that fall inside any of these circles are averaged to create
one point at the geocenter of the averaged points (not at the center
of the circle). The averaging areas do depend on the distribution of
points in the original survey.
Either method can be used for any survey, but there may be a slight
advantage in using the Area method for a survey done on a rectangular
grid of roads, and the Distance method for more randomly distributed
survey points.
To define the minimum separation allowed between data points,

type a value in the Averaging Distance box, or accept the
default, which is the elevation grid resolution.
This second level of aggregation is used to remove signal strength
variations due to shadowing by buildings and other objects smaller than
the grid resolution. Averaging by Distance is not necessary for
deterministic, urban models because the prediction resolution is close to
the value in the Rayleigh Fading box. If you do not require this second
aggregation, set the Averaging Distance to be equal or less than the
Rayleigh Fading Distance.

n
If you averaged one survey, type a name for the new survey
in the Survey Name box.
If you averaged multiple surveys, type a suffix for the new
survey in the Survey Suffix box. Each survey that you
average will be created as a new survey, with the original
name and the suffix that you define.
Click OK.
The new survey is added to the Survey Data node in the Project
Explorer.
To filter survey data

1

choose the surveys that you want to filter.
Filter.
The Survey Filtering dialog box opens.
Chapter 5
From the Filter Type list, choose the type of filter that you want to
use.
For information on the types of filters available, press the F1 key.
Click in the Minimum and Maximum fields and type new values to
specify the range of points to be saved.
Survey sample points below the defined minimum value and above the
defined maximum value are removed from the resulting survey.
For the Clutter Class and Line of Sight filters, you can only choose the type of
points that you want to remove.
In the Filters section, click Apply.

The Removed and Remaining fields update to display the number of data
points that have been filtered out of the survey and the number of data points
remaining in the survey.
Click Curves.
The Curve Parameters dialog box opens.
To manually define the curve, do any of the following in the User

Defined section:
n
In the Intercept box, type the value of the signal strength at the
intercept distance.
In the Slope box, type the value of the logarithmic regression

curve slope, expressed as dB/Dist for a linear regression or
dB/Decade for a logarithmic regression.
In the Selected Curve section, do any of the following to

generate the values saved with the survey points when you apply
the Distance From Reg. Line filter type in the Survey
Filtering dialog box:
n
In the Intercept Distance box, type the value of the signal

strength at which the regression curve starts.
To draw a curve using the values in the Best Fit section,

choose the Best Fit option.
choose the User Defined option.
In the Draw Curve section, do any of the following:

n
To draw a curve using the values in the Best Fit section,

enable the Best Fit check box.
enable the User Defined check box.
10 If you want to draw a free space curve on the regression graph,

enable the Draw Free Space Curve check box in the Free
Space Loss Curve section, and do any of the following:
n
To define the power with which to draw the free space line,
type a value in EIRP dBm in the Power box.
To define the frequency with which to define the free space
line, type a value in MHz in the Frequency box.
11 Click OK to close the Curve Parameters dialog box.

12 To view the results in a graphical format, choose one of the
following formats from the Graph Display list:
n
Histogramdisplays a histogram of the sample points

contained in the chosen survey. The X-axis displays the range
Chapter 5
of signal strengths found in the chosen survey and the Y-axis

displays the number of sample points collected for each signal
strength.
n
Cumulative Histogramdisplays a cumulative histogram of the

sample points contained in the chosen surveys. The X-axis displays
the range of signal strengths found in the chosen survey and the Yaxis displays the cumulative sum of the number of sample points
collected for each signal strength.
Distance Plotdisplays a graph of Signal Strength and Distance
for the sample points in a chosen survey
Clutter Distributiondisplays a graph of survey sample points
and the clutter classes from which they were collected
13 To view the regression graph using a linear instead of a logarithmic

scale, clear the Use Log Scale check box.
This option is only available if you have chosen the Distance Plot format from
the Graph Display list.
14 Click Save, and do one of the following:

n
If you filtered one survey, in the Filtered Survey Name dialog box,
type a name for the new survey in the Survey Name box.
If you filtered multiple surveys, in the Filtered Survey Name
Suffix dialog box, type a suffix for the new survey in the Survey
Suffix box. Each survey that you filter will be created as a new
survey, with the original name and the suffix that you define.
15 Click Close.
The new survey is added to the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer.
To filter survey data by selection

1
In the Map window, using any of the Select tools on the Main toolbar,
select survey data points from the survey that you want to filter.

the survey that you want to filter.
Right-click the survey and choose Analyze
Filter From Selection.
The Filtered Survey Name dialog box opens.
Type a name for the new survey in the Survey Name box.
Click OK.
Explorer.
To filter survey data by polygon

1
In the Map window, using the Polygon tool on the Drawing

toolbar, draw a polygon object around the survey data points in
the survey you want to filter.
In the Map window, using the Select tool on the Main toolbar,
select the polygon object.

choose the surveys that you want to filter.

From Polygon.

n
Filter
If you filtered one survey, in the Filtered Survey Name

dialog box, type a name for the new survey in the Survey
Name box.
If you filtered multiple surveys, in the Filtered Survey Name
Suffix dialog box, type a suffix for the new survey in the
Survey Suffix box. Each survey that you filter will be created
as a new survey, with the original name and the suffix that
you define.
Click OK.
Explorer.
Chapter 5
To remove survey data points from the Map window

Using RF knowledge, you may want to remove additional survey data points.
Click the Zoom-in button on the Main toolbar and zoom in to the area
where you want to remove survey points.
In the Windows category of the Project Explorer, expand the

Windows node, and then expand the Map Windows node.
Right-click the survey and choose Editable if the layer is not already
editable.
A check mark next to Editable indicates that the survey can be modified.
Click the Select button on the Main toolbar.
Click in the Map window to select the survey points you want to
remove.
Press the Delete key.
When you have finished deleting survey points, choose GIS

Table to save the updated survey.
Save
NOTE: You can use any of the MapInfo select tools to select points in the Map
window. See the MapInfo Professional User Guide or online Help.

You can combine two surveys together if you have two surveys that overlap
and you need only one survey for the entire area. You can compare:
n
two surveys and generate a new survey that represents the

difference of the two. See To compare two surveys.
a survey with a numeric grid to create a new survey. See To
compare a survey with a numeric grid .
a survey with a model prediction to create a new survey. See
To compare a survey with a modeled prediction.
These comparisons are useful when you want to determine if the predicted
signal strength data is relevant based on the actual signal strength data from
the field.
To combine surveys
1

choose the surveys that you want to combine.
Combine.
The Combine Surveys dialog box opens.
From the Use Header From list, choose the survey that
contains the header information that you want to use to create
the new survey.
Type a name for the new survey in the Output Survey Name
box.
Chapter 5
Click OK.
The new survey is added to the Survey Data node in the Project Explorer.
To compare two surveys

The results of the comparison will be more useful if you compare surveys that are
located beneath the same survey node in the Survey Data node.

the surveys that you want to compare.

Surveys.
Compare Two
The Compare Two Surveys dialog box opens.
From the Reference Survey list, choose the survey that contains the
reference data.
The Comparison Survey field updates to display the second survey. The data
from the Comparison Survey is subtracted from the data in the Reference
Survey.
In the Survey Interpolation Distance box, type a value to define the

distance of the radius around each reference point of the Reference
Survey.
The distance units that are displayed are defined on the Units pane in the User
Preferences dialog box.
In the Max Number Of Interpolation Points box, type a value

to define the maximum number of points from the radius around
each reference point that will be included in the comparison.
If you define the maximum number of points as 1, the closest point from
the radius is included in the comparison. If you define the maximum
number of interpolation points as 10, but there are 100 points within the
radius, the 10 points that are closest to the reference point are retained
and averaged. The remaining 90 points are discarded.
In the Delta Survey Name box, type a name for the new
survey.
Click OK.
The new survey is added to the Survey Delta node in the Survey Data
node.
To compare a survey with a numeric grid

You can compare a survey with the following types of numeric grids:
n
Signal strength layerscompare an RSSI survey with the

predicted signal strength of a propagation model. Signal
strength layers are located in the SignalStrength folder of the
project.
Analysis layerscompare an RSSI survey with a Best Server
RSSI analysis layer, or an RxQual survey with a predicted
RxQual analysis layer. Analysis layer files are located in the
<technology>_Analyses folder of the project. For more
information, see the appropriate User Guide for the
For information on the calculations used in the comparison, see Chapter 11:
Working with Network and Project Data.

right-click a survey and choose Analyze
Compare To Grid.
Chapter 5
In the Compare Survey To Grid dialog box, navigate to the folder

that contains the numeric grid that you want to compare, and click
Open.
The Survey to Grid Comparison dialog box opens.
To save the new survey, click Save, type a name for the survey, and
then click OK.
The new survey is added to the Surveys Delta node in the Survey Data node.
To compare a survey with a modeled prediction

You can create a delta survey showing a comparison between survey values and
modeled prediction values. Values in the delta survey are calculated by subtracting
the model prediction values from the survey values (i.e., survey values - modeled
prediction values). A positive value indicates that the predicted grid value is less
than the survey value.
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, rightclick a survey and choose Analyze
Compare To Modeled
Prediction.
If the survey is assigned to more than one sector, in the Choose

Sector dialog box, choose the sector that you want to use for the
comparison, and click OK.
A series of tabbed charts opens, including a tab for Compare to Modeled

Prediction.
To save the new survey, click Save, type a name for the survey,
and then click OK.
The new survey is added to the Surveys Delta node in the Survey Data
node .
Chapter 6 Managing Test Mobile Data

Test mobile data consists of data relating to calls made by the mobile and
general network measurements collected by it along a defined route over a
period of time. A test mobile is a functioning phone and collects data about an
actual phone call/data session. The test mobile data features of Mentum
Planet are part of the AMDP module.
137
139
140
145
146
149
158
162
169
Chapter 6

Test mobile equipment enables network operators to collect reporting and
measurement data. Typically, test mobile equipment takes measurements along a
defined route over a period of time. The use of test mobile equipment in operational
cellular networks is a common network optimization practice.
Test mobile data consists of records organized into columns. Mentum Planet enables
you to work with and analyze test mobile data to increase the accuracy of
predictions. For example, you can compare a test mobile value against network
analysis layers that contain the same value, or you can export test mobile data to a
survey and use the survey to increase the accuracy of Mentum Planet predictions.
NOTE: For information on merged predictions that combine survey data with
prediction outputs, see Choosing a prediction mode.
Input file requirements for test mobile data

Test mobile data that you want to import into Mentum Planet must:
n
use a technology that is supported by Mentum Planet and is enabled

in your project
overlap the heights file for the project
be in text (.txt or .csv) format
contain data from only one test mobile (if you have combined data
from multiple test mobiles, the test mobile tool will not distinguish
between the measurements taken by each one, and will treat the
data as though it came from a single test mobile)
contain the following information in each record:
n
n
n
latitude or northing
longitude or easting
signal strength (RSSI or equivalent), if you want to export the
data to a survey
Test mobile data file header
Managing Test Mobile Data
Because networks are not static, a test mobile recording is only valid for the
network configuration when it was recorded. If any attributes of the network,
for example, antennas or powers, are changed, the data may be less accurate
or invalid.
To ensure that the test mobile data is valid, a snapshot is taken of the network
configuration at the time the data was collected, and this information (referred
to as header information) is recorded along with the test mobile data file.
Chapter 6
Step 1
Import test mobile data.
Step 2
View the data in a Map window, table, or graph. See
Step 3
If you want to export the signal strength values (RSSI or equivalent), do

the following:
n
Allocate the data to Mentum Planet sectors.
Export the data to a survey.

The Test Mobile Data Import Wizard guides you through the process of
importing your test mobile data.
As you proceed through the wizard, you must provide the following
information:
n
the network technology used in the test mobile data file

the file type (delimited text file or comma-separated value
file)
the file or files to import
the delimiter between columns in the test mobile data file, if
applicable
the date the test mobile data file was created
the coordinate system of the test mobile data file
You must also bind the columns in the imported data to fields in Mentum
Planet. At a minimum, you must bind latitude and longitude, but you can bind
additional columns depending on the technology. Once you have bound the
columns, you can save the binding information as a template to use again. This
is useful for files from the same equipment that have been exported in the
same manner.
To import test mobile data

This procedure may vary slightly depending on the type of data that you are
importing.
When binding data using the Test Mobile Wizard, you must choose a value
from the list or click the down arrow a second time to close the list.

expand the Field Measurement Data node.
Right-click Test Mobile, and choose Import.

The Test Mobile Data Import Wizard opens.
On the Welcome page, click Next.
Chapter 6
On the Choose A Technology page, choose the technology of the test

mobile data file and click Next.
On the Choose The Type Of The Source Data File page, choose the
file type of the test mobile data file and click Next.
On the Choose The Data File(s) You Want To Use page, click
Browse, navigate to the test mobile data file or files, click Open, and
then click Next.
On the Choose The Format Of The Source Data File page, do the
following:
n
In the Delimiters section, enable one or more of the check boxes

(Tab, Semicolon, Comma, Space, Other) to identify the delimiters
used to separate values in the test mobile data file.
If you enabled the Other check box, type a delimiter in the adjacent
box.
If the test mobile data file contains a header row, enable the Use
Header Row check box and, from the Header Row list, choose the
row number of the header row.
From the Start Import At Row list, choose the row number at
which to start the import. This option is useful if your test mobile
data file has comments at the beginning or multiple header rows
that do not need to be imported.
In the Rows With Invalid Latitude/Longitude section, choose
one of the following options to define how to manage invalid
coordinates:
Discard Rows With Invalid Coordinatesdo not import records
with invalid latitude and longitude values.
Use Value From Last Valid Recordcopy valid latitude and
longitude values from the previous record. The coordinate values
0,0 are used if it is the first record.
The lower part of the page updates to show the results of your choices.
Click Next.
The Choose How You Want the Data Bound Page opens.
For each column that you want to bind, do the following:

n
Click in the Mentum Planet Field box and, from the list,
choose the Mentum Planet field to which you want to bind the
test mobile data column.
Click in the Data Format row and choose the format for the
data. Typically, you will only need to choose a format for
latitude, longitude, and BSIC. All other columns offer only one
option that is automatically chosen.
At a minimum, you must bind columns to the latitude and longitude

fields in Mentum Planet. A green indicator is displayed if the binding is
successful and a red indicator if the binding is unsuccessful. Any
columns that you do not bind are shown as <Unbound>. You can move
the cursor over the indicator for more information.
The Binding Status section displays the available Mentum Planet
columns. When the binding is successful, a check mark is displayed.
When the binding is unsuccessful, an X is displayed.
10 If you want to use a template to bind the test mobile data to

Mentum Planet fields, click Load Template, navigate to the
template file that you want to use, and click Open.
Chapter 6
By default, templates are stored in the Test Mobile Data/Template Files folder.
Once you load the template, you can modify any of the rows for a single use,
save them as a new template, or overwrite the current template.
11 If you want to bind multiple columns to a single Mentum Planet field (for
example, if you have multiple PN offset columns), do the following:
n
Choose the columns by holding down the Shift or Ctrl key and
clicking the column headers.
Click Multiple Bindings.
In the Bind Multiple Columns dialog box, from the Mentum
Planet Field list, choose the Mentum Planet field to which to bind
the columns, from the Data Format list, choose the format for the
data, and click OK.
12 If you want to save the binding information to use with other test
mobile data files, click Save As Template, navigate to the folder
where you want to save the template, type a name for the binding
template file in the Name box, and click Save.
13 In the Test Mobile Data Import Wizard, click Next.

14 If you want to modify the file header information, on the Enter Header
Information page, do any of the following:
n
In the Data Name box, type a new name. The default data name is
the file name minus the extension. This is the name that will be
displayed in the Project Explorer.
In the Operator Name box, type the name of the network
operator.
Click the down arrow in the Data Date box and choose a different
date to apply to the test mobile data file.
Beside the Coordinate System box, click Change, and in the
Choose Projection dialog box, choose the new projection category
and member, and then click OK.
In the Comments box, type any additional comments or modify the
existing comments.
15 Click Next.
The Data Import dialog box displays the progress of the import process.
16 On the Choose A Map View Template page, do one of the

following:
n
If you do not want to apply a map view template, choose

<None> from the Map View Template list.
To use an existing map view template to display data points in
the Map window, choose a template from the Map View
Template list.
To create a new template, click New Template and follow Step
3 to Step 7 in the procedure, To create a map view template
for test mobile data.
17 Click Next and then click Finish.

The test mobile data file is added as a node to the Test Mobile node
under the Field Measurement Data node in the Operational Data
category of the Project Explorer.
Chapter 6

At any time, you can view information about a test mobile data file, including the
following:
n
data name
data date
network technology
operator name
coordinate system
any comments that you have entered about the test mobile data file
To view information about a test mobile data file

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, expand

the Field Measurement Data node, then expand the Test Mobile
node.
Right-click a test mobile data node and choose Properties.

The Test Mobile - Data Properties dialog box opens.
If you want to modify the information, do any of the following and click
OK:
n
date to apply to the test mobile data file.
operator.
existing comments.

After you import a test mobile data file, you can quickly view
n
the data points (i.e., the location where each record was
captured) in the Map window
the test mobile data records in tabular format
NOTE: You can also display the values in individual columns in the Map
window, but you must first define the settings to use for these values. See
Displaying test mobile data in a Map window.
To view the test mobile data locations in a Map window

1

expand the Field Measurement Data node, then expand the
Test Mobile node.
Right-click a test mobile data node and choose View.

Each data location is displayed in the Map using a default symbol and
color.
To remove the test mobile data from the Map window, right-click the test
mobile data node and choose View again.
Chapter 6
To find test mobile data in a Map window

You can use the Locate function to view and zoom in on the test mobile data in the
Map window.

node.
Right-click a test mobile data node and choose Locate.

The test mobile data is centered in the Map window and the Map window
zooms in on it.
To view test mobile data in tabular format

1

node.
Right-click a test mobile data node and choose Browse.

The Test Mobile Browser window opens containing the test mobile data in
tabular format. Any columns that you have bound are identified by a Mentum
Planet icon. You can move your cursor over the Mentum Planet icon to view
the name of the Mentum Planet field to which the column has been bound.
To sort the data, in ascending or descending order, click the

header of the column that you want to use for sorting. To reverse
the order, click the column header again.
To filter the data, click the down arrow in the column header that
you want to use for filtering and choose the value to display.
The name of the filter (the column name plus the value that you chose
to display) is shown at the bottom of the dialog box, for example
([Message Type] = Cell Report).
If you filtered the data, in the filter section at the bottom of the
dialog box, do any of the following:
n
To remove the filter temporarily, clear the check box

associated with it.
To remove the filter completely, click the close button located
to the left of the filter name.
Chapter 6

You can graphically display the data associated with the points in the drive test by
defining map view settings for the test mobile data file. Map view settings identify
which columns to display and which point display settings to apply to each column.

Point display settings define how to present the data in a column. They enable you to
define the symbol, size, and color for each value or range of values in a column.
There are two types of point display settings:
n
individualenables you to assign a single symbol and color for a

specific value. Use this option for columns that contain textual data
or that have a limited number of fixed values. For example, if your
test mobile data file has a column called Direction with values of
Uplink and Downlink, you can assign a different symbol and color for
Uplink and Downlink.
rangesenable you to assign a symbol size to a range of values.
Use this option for columns with a high number of individual values.
For example, if your test mobile data file has a column for RxLev
(the received power level), you can assign symbols to ranges of
RxLev values (e.g., 0-5.6, 5.6-11.2, 11.2-16.6, etc.).
Automatic selection
When you define map view settings for a test mobile data file, if you choose to create
new point display settings, the Test Mobile tool automatically chooses an
appropriate point display setting type, and, by default, assigns the column name and
display values based on the content of the column. You can modify these values.

Test mobile display information is located in three sections under the Field
Measurement Data node in the Operational Data category of the Project Explorer:
n
Point display settings are stored under the Point Display Settings
node. They are classified as either Local (i.e., not stored in Data
Manager), or Shared (i.e., stored in Data Manager).
Map view templates, which are groups of point display

settings and associated column names, are stored under the
Map View Templates node under the Test Mobile node.
If you have defined map view settings for a test mobile data
file, the names of any columns that have a point display
setting assigned to them are displayed under the test mobile
data node along with the name of the point display setting, in
the format <column name> - <point display setting>. For
example, in Figure 6.1, the All-ARFCN TCH column in the
TMData test mobile data file is assigned the Channels point
display setting.
Figure 6.1 shows the organization of point display and map view settings in the
Project Explorer.
Figure 6.1: Point display and map view settings in the Project Explorer
To define map view settings for a test mobile data file

1

Test Mobile node.
Right-click a test mobile data node and choose Map View

Settings.
Chapter 6
The Map View Settings dialog box opens. The Map View Settings dialog box
enables you to define point display settings for the columns in your test
mobile data file. If you applied a template when you imported the test mobile
data file or if you have already defined map view settings for the test mobile
data file, the Map View Settings dialog box contains the defined values.
Otherwise, it contains no values.
If you want to apply a map view template to the test mobile data, click
Load, and in the Load Template dialog box, choose a template from
the list and click OK.
For information on creating a map view template, see To create a map view
template for test mobile data.
To add a data column from the test mobile data file, click Add.
The Column Assignment dialog box opens.
From the Data Columns list, choose one or more columns in the test
mobile data file that you want to display.

n
From the Point Display Setting list, choose an existing point

display setting to apply to the test mobile column, click OK, and go
to Step 10.
From the Point Display Setting list, choose Create New Setting,
click OK, and go to Step 7. The Test Mobile tool automatically
chooses the correct display setting type or types (individual or

ranges) based on the contents of the data column that you
chose, and provides a default name for the setting.
In the New Point Display Settings dialog box, choose a display

setting type, type a name or accept the default, and click OK.
If the data in the column is textual, only the Individual display setting
type will be available. If the data is numeric, all three types will be
available.
Click OK.

n
If you chose to define individual point display settings, see To

define individual point display settings.
If you chose to define ranges, see To define point display
settings for ranges of values.
10 If you want to view the data in the Map window, in the Map View
Settings dialog box, choose the point display setting that you
want to view and click View.
A new layer is added to the Map window.
11 If you want to save the map view settings as a template, click

Save As, and in the Save Template dialog box, type a name for
the template, and click OK.
12 When you have finished defining map view settings, in the Map
View Settings dialog box, click OK.
The names of the columns with point display settings assigned are
displayed in the Project Explorer under the test mobile data file (see
Figure 6.1). To view them, see To display the test mobile data points in
a Map window.
The point display settings are also added to the Shared node under the
Point Display Settings node. These settings can be used again for other
test mobile or scan receiver data files.
Chapter 6
NOTE: You can move point display settings between the Local and Shared node by
choosing one or more point display settings in the Project Explorer and dragging
them to the Local or Shared node.
NOTE: To edit point display settings, under the Local or Shared node, right-click the
point display setting and choose Edit.
NOTE: You can also apply a map view template by dragging it onto a test mobile
data file in the Project Explorer.

When you are defining map view settings for a test mobile data file, the Editing Point
Display Settings dialog box is automatically populated with values from the column
that you chose.
To add a row, in the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box, click
Add.
To remove a row, choose the row and click Remove.

You cannot remove the Default value. This value is used to define display
settings for any value that you do not specifically enter.
To modify a row, do any of the following:

n
Click in the Name box and type a new column name.

If you do not want the value to be visible in the Map window, clear
the Visible check box. Clearing the Visible check box is useful if you
do not want to view points that match this value now, but may want
to view them later.
To change the symbol, click in the Symbol box, and from the list,
choose the font, and then choose the individual symbol, and click
OK.
Click in the Size box and type or choose the symbol size that you
want.
To modify the color, click in the Color box and choose the
color that you want.
When you have finished defining individual point display settings,

in the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box, click OK.
NOTE: You can also define individual point display settings by right-clicking
Local or Shared under the Point Display Settings node and choosing New.
Then, in the New Point Display Settings dialog box, choose Individual and click
OK. In this case, because you are not defining individual point display settings
based on an existing column, the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box is
not automatically populated. You must define the values manually.
NOTE: If you define the values manually, you should define them to match
the types and ranges of values that are likely to occur in your test mobile data.

When you are defining map view settings for a test mobile data file, the Editing
Point Display Settings dialog box is automatically populated with values from
the column that you chose.
To add a row, in the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box,

click Add.

n
In the >=Min box, type or choose the minimum value for the
range.
In the <Max box, type or choose the maximum value for the
range.
To change the symbol, click in the Symbol box, and from the
list, choose the font, and then choose the individual symbol,
and click OK.
Click in the Size box and type or choose the symbol size.
To modify the color, click in the Color box and choose a color.
Chapter 6
To define ranges automatically, click Auto, and in the Auto Range

Settings dialog box, do the following:
n
In the Minimum and Maximum boxes, type the minimum and

maximum values for the range.
In the Interval Method section, choose one of the following:
n
n
Intervalto define an interval between range values

Numberto define a number of range values
In the Value box, type a value to indicate the interval or the number
of range values. For example, if you choose a minimum value of 2
and a maximum value of 8, if you choose Interval and type 2 in the
Value box, the ranges created will be 2-4, 4-6, and 6-8. If you
choose Number and type 2 in the Value box, the ranges created will
be 2-5 and 5-8.
Click OK.
A maximum of 16 ranges will be created. The ranges will overwrite any

existing ranges. You can remove or modify any of these ranges as described in
Step 2 and Step 3.
When you have finished defining ranges, in the Editing Point Display
Settings dialog box, click OK.
If any ranges overlap (for example, 610-620 and 615-625), when a value falls
into both ranges, only the symbol associated with the first set of values will be
displayed.
NOTE: You can also define ranges by right-clicking Local or Shared under the Point
Display Settings node and choosing New. Then, in the New Point Display Settings
dialog box, choose Ranges and click OK. In this case, because you are not defining
ranges based on an existing column, the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box is
NOTE: If you define the values manually, you should define them to match the
types and ranges of values that are likely to occur in your test mobile data.
To display the test mobile data points in a Map window

After you define map view settings for a test mobile data file, you can display
the data points in a Map window. Any columns to which you have assigned
point display settings are displayed as nodes in the Project Explorer under the
test mobile data node.

Test Mobile node.
Expand the test mobile data node for which you want to view data
points.
Right-click the column node that you want to view, and choose
View.
NOTE: To remove the test mobile data points from the Map window, in the
Project Explorer, right-click the test mobile data node (one level up from the
column node) and choose View. This clears the check box and removes the
data from the Map window.
To create a map view template for test mobile data

You can create a map view template that you can apply to multiple test mobile
data files. This is useful if you have similar data collected at another location.
You can apply templates
n
when you are importing a test mobile data file (see To import
test mobile data)
when you are defining map view settings (see To define map
view settings for a test mobile data file)
at any time by dragging the template onto a test mobile data file in the Project
Explorer
Chapter 6

node.
Choose a test mobile data node and drag it onto the Map View
Templates node.
The Edit Template dialog box opens with the columns in the test mobile data
file listed under the Data Columns heading.
For each column that you want to display, from the Point Display
Setting list, choose a setting to apply to the column.
If you want to add a row, click Add and type a name for the test mobile
data column in the Data Columns column.
If you want to remove a row, choose the row and click Remove.
Click OK.
In the Save Template dialog box, type a name in the New Template
Name box and click OK.
The template is added to the Map View Templates node under the Test Mobile
node.

You can view information about the records in your test mobile data file in
graph format. This format enables you to view and compare the following
types of information:
n
parametersthe values for a specific parameter or

parameters, such as quality, over a period of time or sequence
of events
eventsthe values for events such as handovers or dropped
calls, over a period of time or sequence of events
This information provides useful options for analyzing test mobile data.
Viewing multiple parameters over time enables you to visualize the
interaction between parameters. For example, in Figure 6.2, the RxLev
is compared to the occurrences of the No Service Mode event (vertical
lines).
Figure 6.2: Comparison of data in the Test Mobile Graph dialog box
In the Test Mobile Graph dialog box, the x-axis is either Time or Index. Index
identifies the sequence of records in the test mobile file. You can display up to
four values for the y-axis.
Chapter 6
The Test Mobile Graph dialog box provides two toolbars:

n
The first toolbar enables you to format the graph.

The second toolbar enables you to zoom, print, and navigate
through the graph. For more information about how to use the
second toolbar, press the F1 key.
When the Test Mobile Graph dialog box is open, if you also have a Test Mobile
Browser window or Map window open, they are all synchronized. If you choose a
record in one, the same record is also chosen in the others.
To view test mobile data in graph format

1

node.
Right-click the test mobile data node that you want to view and choose
Graph.
The Test Mobile Graph dialog box opens.
To modify the format of the x-axis, from the Settings list, choose X
Axis and do any of the following:
n
From the Data list, choose Time or Index.

From the Color list, choose the color to use for the lines in the graph
and the axis label.
From the Font Size list, choose the font size for the axis label.
If you want to view grid lines in the graph, enable the Grid Lines
check box.
The display updates dynamically as you choose your options.
To define y-axis values, from the Settings list, choose one of the
following options:
n
First Y Seriesdefines the first column (numeric data only) to be

displayed on the y-axis and the display settings to be used. The
label for this series is located on the y-axis to the left of the
graph.
n
Second Y Seriesdefines the second column (numeric data

only) to be displayed on the y-axis and the display settings to
be used. The label for this series is located on the y-axis to the
right of the graph.
Third Y Seriesdefines the third column (numeric data only)
to be displayed on the y-axis and the display settings to be
used. The label for this series is located on the y-axis to the
left of the label for the First Y Series.
Message Seriesdefines the fourth column (textual data
be used.
From the Data list, choose the type of data to display.

If you choose Message Series in Step 4, the list available in the Data box
is limited to the textual columns in the imported test mobile data file.
Otherwise, the list is limited to numerical values.
If you chose First Y Series, Second Y Series, or Third Y

Series in Step 4, to format the data, do any of the following:
n
From the Color list, choose the color to use for the point or
lines in the graph and the axis label.
Choose Points or Lines to use for the data in the graph. If you
chose Points, choose a point size from the Point Size list.
If you want to view grid lines in the graph, enable the Grid
Lines check box.
The display updates dynamically as you choose your options. For

numerical values, the Numerical legend box updates to display the
legend for the data and color that you chose.
If you chose Message Series in Step 4, in the Message Legend

box, enable the check boxes for the types of message that you
want to view.
Chapter 6
If you want to compare multiple types of data, repeat Step 4 to Step 7

for the data that you want to view.
You can compare up to three types of numeric data (using the First Y Series,
Second Y Series, and Third Y Series options) and one type of string data.
NOTE: To close the Test Mobile Graph dialog box, right-click the test mobile data
node and choose Graph again.
TIP: When you minimize the Test Mobile Graph dialog box, a Test Mobile Graph icon
appears at the bottom of the Project Explorer. Click the icon to restore the dialog
box.
To print the data in the Test Mobile Graph window

n
In the Test Mobile Graph dialog box, click the Print button.
TIP: You can also preview the printed version by clicking the Print Preview button.

If you want to convert your test mobile data to surveys or identify sectors by
carrier or color code information, you must allocate the data to sectors. You
can allocate data either automatically or manually.
There are two steps in the automatic allocation process:
n
looking up sectors
allocating records to sectors
For details on the manual allocation process, see To assign sectors to test
mobile carrier nodes manually.
Looking up sectors for test mobile data

During this part of the process, the Test Mobile tool attempts to match the
information in the test mobile data file to sector information in Mentum Planet.
This process differs slightly depending on the technology: For WiMAX, the
preamble code and, optionally, the carrier are used. During the automatic
allocation process, the Test Mobile tool attempts to match the carrier and
scrambling code combinations in the records in the test mobile data file to the
carrier and scrambling code combinations in Mentum Planet. For more
information on carriers and preamble codes, see the WiMAX User Guide.
The values that are looked up are saved with the test mobile data file. This
retains the attributes of the sectors that were used when the measurements
were taken.
Allocating test mobile records to sectors

During this part of the process, the Test Mobile tool assigns the records in the
test mobile data file to the sectors that match those records using one of the
following methods:
n
by distanceattempts to assign sectors to test mobile data

records using the sector closest to the location where the
record was captured
Chapter 6
by path lossattempts to assign sectors to test mobile data records

using the sector with the least path loss to the location where the
record was captured. The path loss is calculated using a free space
loss calculation that takes into consideration the effects of ERP, the
antenna pattern, and the azimuth.
Records with a null RSSI value will not be assigned to a sector.
To look up sectors for test mobile data automatically

1

node.
Right-click the test mobile data node for which you want to look up
sectors and choose Allocate Records.
The Test Mobile - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog box opens.
By default, the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view displays a list of
carrier nodes that show the combinations of carrier and color code, PN offset,
or scrambling code that appear in the test mobile data file. Only nodes for
which there are records with valid RSSI values are displayed. For these nodes,
the number of records with valid RSSI values is shown in parentheses. If a
record is missing a carrier or color code, PN offset, or scrambling code, it is
identified as missing.
For example, if the test mobile data uses GSM technology and the carrier node
is labeled 69-67 (317), this means that there are 317 records in the test
mobile data file with a BCCH of 69 and a BSIC of 67. If the node is labeled
Missing-Missing (108), this means that there are 108 records that do not
contain a BCCH or BSIC.
In the Sectors section, click Look Up, and then in the Sector
Selection dialog box, choose the group of sectors to use and click
Continue.
The Serving Site/Sector Information tree view is updated to show which
carrier nodes match values from the Mentum Planet sectors. Carrier nodes
that do match Mentum Planet sectors are shown in red. You can manually
assign sectors to unmatched carrier nodes. See To assign sectors to test
mobile carrier nodes manually.
If you want to look up additional sectors from a different group,

repeat Step 3, and then in the confirmation dialog box, do one of
the following:
n
Click Yes to remove existing sector assignments. Any sectors

that have already been allocated to the test mobile records
will be removed.
Click No to keep existing sector assignments.
If required, manually adjust any sector assignments. See To

assign sectors to test mobile carrier nodes manually.
You can also look up sectors by doing one of the following:

n
To look up sectors for all carrier nodes, right-click the toplevel node and choose Look Up Sectors.
To look up sectors for a single carrier node, right-click the
carrier node and choose Look Up Sectors.
Chapter 6
To assign sectors to test mobile carrier nodes manually

If you want to assign a sector to a carrier node, and the sector has either not been
assigned automatically or has been assigned incorrectly, you can assign a sector
manually. You can assign multiple sectors to each carrier node.
In the Test Mobile - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog box, in the

Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose a carrier node
and click Assign Sector.
In the Sector Selection dialog box, choose the group that contains the
sector that you want to assign, and click Continue.
In the Site Lookup dialog box, choose the sector to assign to the
carrier node and click OK.
You can also assign a sector by right-clicking a carrier node in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view and choosing Assign Sector.
To add a virtual test mobile sector

A virtual sector is one that does not exist in your Mentum Planet project, but that
was part of the drive test. This sector could be part of another region, a competitors
sector, or no longer on the air.
You can add a virtual sector to the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view and
allocate the appropriate records to it. Virtual sectors appear only as part of the Test
Mobile tool. They are not added to your Mentum Planet project.
In the Test Mobile - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog box, in the

Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, right-click the carrier
node to which you want to assign the virtual sector, and click Add
Virtual Sector.
In the Add Virtual Sector dialog box, in the Site Name box, type a
name for the site to which the virtual sector belongs, and in the Sector
Name box, type a name for the virtual sector.
In the Antenna Information section, do the following:
From the Name list, choose the name of the antenna.

In the X/Long box, type the x-coordinate of the sector. This
value must be within the co-ordinates of the heights file for
the project.
In the Y/Lat box, type the y-coordinate of the sector. This
the project.
In the Height box, type the height of the sector above ground
level.
In the Power box, type the power of the sector.
In the Azimuth box, type the azimuth of the sector.
In the Tilt box, type the tilt of the sector.
For more information on any of these values, press the F1 key.
Click OK.

You can view information about any of the serving sectors in the Serving
Site/Sector tree view. The information that is displayed originally is the
information associated with that sector in Mentum Planet.
When you modify information in the Sector Information section of the Test
Mobile - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog box, you are modifying only the
data associated with the test mobile data file. You are not changing the values
assigned to the sectors in Mentum Planet. Typically, you would modify this
data when you know that a sector that actually exists (and was used to collect
the test mobile data) has different values than those assigned in Mentum
Planet.
In the Test Mobile - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog box,

in the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose the
sector.
The Sector Information displays the information for the chosen sector.
If you want to modify the sector information, type new values in

any of the editable boxes, and click Apply.
Chapter 6
To allocate test mobile records to sectors

1
In the Records section, choose the By Distance or By Path Loss

option for assigning records where there is more than one possible
match.
See Allocating test mobile data to sectors for more information on these
options.

n
To allocate records to all sectors, in the Serving Site/Sector

Information tree view, choose the top-level node and in the
Records section, click Allocate. The Serving Site/Sector
Information tree view is updated to show the number of records that
have been assigned to all sectors in parentheses following the
sector names.
To allocate records to a single sector only, in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view, choose a sector and in the
have been assigned to the chosen sector in parentheses following
the sector name.
If you click Allocate, but you have not yet looked up sectors, the Test Mobile tool
automatically looks up sectors before allocating records.
NOTE: If you want to hide sectors that have not been allocated, in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view, right-click the top-level node, and choose Hide All
Unmatched Sectors. You can view all sectors by right-clicking the top-level node
again and choosing Show All Sectors.
NOTE: You can also allocate records by right-clicking a carrier node in the
Site/Sector Information tree view and choosing Allocate Records by Minimum
Distance or Allocate Records by Minimum Path Loss. This option is only available if
you have looked up sectors automatically or assigned sectors manually first.
To view the test mobile records

You can view the test mobile data records associated with a sector or a carrier
node.
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In the Test Mobile - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog

box, in the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view,
right-click the item and choose Browse Records.
A Test Mobile Browser window opens, showing the records associated

with the item that you chose.
To unassign sectors
n
In the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose

the sector, and in the Sectors section, click Unassign
Sector.
You can also unassign a sector by right-clicking the sector and choosing
Unassign Sector.
To modify the display in the Test Mobile tree view

By default, when you assign sectors to carrier nodes, the sectors are added to
the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view under each carrier node. You
can reverse the order to display the carrier nodes under the sectors.
n
In the Test Mobile - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog

box, in the Serving Site/Sector Information section, rightclick the top-level node, and choose Toggle View.
TIP: You can restore the original view by right-clicking the top-level node and
choosing Toggle View again.
Chapter 6

After you have allocated test mobile data to sectors, you can export the test mobile
data to one or more surveys. For information on allocating test mobile data to
sectors, see Allocating test mobile data to sectors. When you export the test
mobile data to a survey, the latitude, longitude, signal strength, and sector header
information are exported. You can choose one of the following options for export:
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With Assignmentcreates an assignment file with the survey

assigned to the matched sector (see To export a survey
assignment file for details on assignment files).
Without Assignmentdoes not create an assignment file
For more information on what you can do with the exported surveys, see Chapter 3:
Managing Survey Data.
The Export to Survey function for test mobile data files is subject to the sampling
rates of the original test mobile data files. The equipment used to create the original
test mobile data files is not always configured to sample data with enough samples
for quality model tuning purposes (for example, to satisfy the Lee Criteria).
To export test mobile data to surveys

1

node.
Right-click the test mobile data node you want to view and choose one
of the following:
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Export To Survey
With Assignment
Export To Survey
Without Assignment
The test mobile data is converted to one or more surveys. The exported
surveys are grouped under the Surveys RSSI node. The name of the group is
the same as the test mobile data name. Surveys with invalid header
information are identified by a red icon in the Project Explorer. A warning
message identifies the surveys with invalid headers.
Chapter 7 Managing Scan Receiver Data

Scan receiver data consists of data relating to the location and signal strength
of multiple carriers. A scan receiver collects only information related to signal
strength and is never involved in an actual call. The scan receiver data
features of Mentum Planet are part of the AMDP module.
171
173
174
179
180
183
192
196
203
Chapter 7

Scan receiver equipment enables network operators to collect reporting and
measurement data. Typically, scan receiver equipment takes measurements along a
defined route over a period of time. The use of scan receiver equipment in
operational cellular networks is a common network optimization practice.
Scan receiver data consists of records organized into columns. Mentum Planet
enables you to work with and analyze scan receiver data to increase the accuracy of
predictions. For example, you can compare a scan receiver value against network
analysis layers that contain the same value, or you can export scan receiver data to
a survey and use the survey to increase the accuracy of Mentum Planet predictions.
For information on merged predictions that combine survey data with prediction
outputs, see Choosing a prediction mode.
Input file requirements for scan receiver data

Scan receiver data that you want to import into Mentum Planet must:
n

in your project
be in text (.txt or .csv) format
contain data from only one scan receiver (if you have combined data
from multiple scan receivers, the scan receiver tool will not
distinguish between the measurements taken by each one, and will
treat the data as though it came from a single scan receiver)
contain the following information in each record:
latitude or northing
longitude or easting
signal strength (RSSI or equivalent), if you want to export the data

to a survey
Scan receiver data file header
Managing Scan Receiver Data
Because networks are not static, a scan receiver recording is only valid for the
network configuration when it was recorded. If any attributes of the network,
for example, antennas or powers, are changed, the data may be less accurate
or invalid.
To ensure that the scan receiver data is valid, a snapshot is taken of the
network configuration at the time the data was collected, and this information
(referred to as header information) is recorded along with the scan receiver
data file. See To view information about a scan receiver data file.
Chapter 7

Step 1
Import scan receiver data. See Importing scan receiver data.
Step 2
View the data in a Map window, table, or graph. See
Step 3
If you want to export the signal strength values (RSSI or equivalent), do

the following:
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Allocate the data to Mentum Planet sectors. See Allocating scan

receiver data to sectors.
Export the data to a survey. See Exporting scan receiver data to
surveys.

The Scan Receiver Data Import Wizard guides you through the process of
importing your scan receiver data.
As you proceed through the wizard, you must provide the following
information:
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the network technology used in the scan receiver data file

the file type (delimited text file or comma-separated value
file)
the file or files to import
the delimiter between columns in the scan receiver data file, if
applicable
the date the scan receiver data file was created
the coordinate system of the scan receiver data file
You must also bind the columns in the imported data to fields in Mentum
Planet. At a minimum, you must bind latitude and longitude, but you can bind
additional columns depending on the technology. Once you have bound the
columns, you can save the binding information as a template to use again. This
is useful for files from the same equipment that have been exported in the
same manner.
To import scan receiver data

NOTE: This procedure may vary slightly depending on the type of data that
you are importing.
When binding data using the Scan Receiver Wizard, you must choose a value
from the list or click the down arrow a second time to close the list.

expand the Field Measurement Data node.
Right-click Scan Receiver and choose Import.
Chapter 7
The Scan Receiver Data Import Wizard opens.
On the Choose A Technology page, choose the technology of the

scan receiver data file and click Next.
On the Choose The Type Of The Source Data File page, choose the
file type of the scan receiver data file and click Next.
On the Choose The Data File(s) You Want To Use page, click
Browse, navigate to the scan receiver data file or files, click Open, and
then click Next.
On the Choose The Format Of The Source Data File page, do the
following:
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In the Delimiters section, enable one or more of the check boxes

(Tab, Semicolon, Comma, Space, Other) to identify the delimiters
used to separate values in the scan receiver data file.
If you enabled the Other check box, type a delimiter in the adjacent
box.
If the scan receiver data file contains a header row, enable the Use
Header Row check box and, from the Header Row list, choose the
row number of the header row.
From the Start Import At Row list, choose the row number at
which to start the import. This option is useful if your test mobile
data file has comments at the beginning or multiple header rows
that do not need to be imported.
In the Rows With Invalid Latitude/Longitude section, choose
one of the following options to define how to manage invalid
coordinates:
Discard Rows With Invalid Coordinatesdo not import records
with invalid latitude and longitude values.
Use Value From Last Valid Recordcopy valid latitude and
longitude values from the previous record. The coordinate values
0,0 are used if it is the first record.
The lower part of the page updates to show the results of your choices.
Click Next.
The Choose How You Want the Data Bound Page opens.
For each column that you want to bind, do the following:

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Click in the Mentum Planet Field box and, from the list, choose
the Mentum Planet field to which you want to bind the scan
receiver data column.
Click in the Data Format row and choose the format for the
data. Typically, you will only need to choose a format for
latitude, longitude, and BSIC. All other columns offer only one
option that is automatically chosen.
At a minimum, you must bind columns to the latitude and
longitude fields in Mentum Planet. Any columns that you do
not bind are shown as <Unbound>.
At a minimum, you must bind columns to the latitude and
longitude fields in Mentum Planet. A green indicator is
displayed if the binding is successful and a red indicator if the
binding is unsuccessful. Any columns that you do not bind are
shown as <Unbound>. You can move the cursor over the
indicator for more information.
The Binding Status section displays the available Mentum
Chapter 7
Planet columns. When the binding is successful, a check mark is

displayed. When the binding is unsuccessful, an X is displayed.
10 If you want to use a template to bind the scan receiver data to Mentum
Planet fields, click Load Template, navigate to the template file that
you want to use, and click Open.
By default, templates are stored in the Scan Receiver Data/Template Files
folder.
Once you load the template, you can modify any of the rows for a single use,
save them as a new template, or overwrite the current template.
11 If you want to bind multiple columns to a single Mentum Planet field (for
example, if you have multiple PN offset columns), do the following:
n
12
13
14
Choose the columns by holding down the Shift or Ctrl key and
clicking the column headers.
Click Multiple Bindings.
In the Bind Multiple Columns dialog box, from the Mentum
Planet Field list, choose the Mentum Planet field to which to bind
the columns, from the Data Format list, choose the format for the
data, and click OK.
If you want to save the binding information to use with other scan
receiver data files, click Save As Template, navigate to the folder
where you want to save the template, type a name for the binding
template file in the Name box, and click Save.
In the Scan Receiver Data Import Wizard, click Next.
If you want to modify the file header information, on the Enter
Header Information page, do any of the following:
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In the Data Name box, type a new name. The default data name is
the file name minus the extension. This is the name that will be
displayed in the Project Explorer.
operator.
date to apply to the scan receiver data file.
15
Beside the Coordinate System box, click Change, and in

the Choose Projection dialog box, choose the new
projection category and member, and then click OK.
In the Comments box, type any additional comments or
modify the existing comments.
Click Next.
The Data Import dialog box displays the progress of the import process.
16
On the Choose A Map View Template page, do one of the

following:
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If you do not want to apply a map view template, choose

<None> from the Map View Template list.
To use an existing map view template to display data points in
the Map window, choose a template from the Map View
Template list.
To create a new template, click New Template and follow Step
3 to Step 7 in the procedure, To create a map view template
for scan receiver data.
For details on map view templates, see Displaying scan receiver data in
a Map window.
17
Click Next and then click Finish.

The scan receiver data file is added as a node to the Scan Receiver node
under the Field Measurement Data node in the Operational Data
Chapter 7

At any time, you can view information about a scan receiver data file, including the
following:
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data name
data date
network technology
operator name
coordinate system
any comments that you have entered about the scan receiver data
file
To view information about a scan receiver data file

1

the Field Measurement Data node, then expand the Scan Receiver
node.
Right-click a scan receiver data node and choose Properties.

The Scan Receiver - Data Properties dialog box opens.
If you want to modify the information, do any of the following and click
OK:
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date to apply to the scan receiver data file.
operator.
existing comments.

After you import a scan receiver data file, you can quickly view
n
the data points (i.e., the location where each record was
captured) in the Map window
the scan receiver data records in tabular format
You can also display the values in individual columns in the Map window, but
you must first define the settings to use for these values.
To view the scan receiver data locations in a Map window

1

Scan Receiver node.
Right-click a scan receiver data node and choose View.

A new layer is added to the Map window displaying each location using a
default symbol and color.
NOTE: To remove the scan receiver data from the Map window, right-click the
scan receiver data node and choose View again.
Chapter 7
To find scan receiver data in a Map window

You can use the Locate function to view and zoom in on the scan receiver data in the
Map window.

node.
Right-click a scan receiver data node and choose Locate.

The scan receiver data is centered in the Map window and the Map window
zooms in on it.
To view scan receiver data in tabular format

1

node.
Right-click a scan receiver data node and choose Browse.

The Scan Receiver Browser window opens containing the scan receiver data in
tabular format. Any columns that you have bound are identified by a Mentum
Planet icon. You can move your cursor over the Mentum Planet icon to view
the name of the Mentum Planet field to which the column has been bound.
To sort the data, in ascending or descending order, click the

header of the column that you want to use for sorting. To reverse
the order, click the column header again.
To filter the data, click the down arrow in the column header that
you want to use for filtering and choose the value to display.
The name of the filter (the column name plus the value that you chose
to display) is shown at the bottom of the dialog box, for example
([Message Type] = Cell Report).
If you filtered the data, in the filter section at the bottom if the
dialog box, do any of the following:
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To remove the filter temporarily, clear the check box

associated with it.
To remove the filter completely, click the close button located
to the left of the filter name.
Chapter 7

You can graphically display the data associated with the points in the drive test by
defining map view settings for the scan receiver data file. Map view settings identify
which columns to display and which point display settings to apply to each column.

Point display settings define how to present the data in a column. They enable you to
define the symbol, size, and color for each value or range of values in a column.
There are three types of point display settings:
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Individualenables you to assign a single symbol and color for a

specific value. Use this option for columns that contain textual data
or that have a limited number of fixed values. For example, if your
scan receiver data file has a column called Direction with values of
Uplink and Downlink, you can assign a different symbol and color for
Uplink and Downlink.
Rangesenable you to assign a symbol size to a range of values.
Use this option for columns with a high number of individual values.
For example, if your scan receiver data file has a column for RxLev
(the received power level), you can assign symbols to ranges of
RxLev values (e.g., 0-5.6, 5.6-11.2, 11.2-16.6, etc.).
Automatic selection
When you define map view settings for a scan receiver data file, if you choose to
create new point display settings, the Scan Receiver tool automatically chooses an
appropriate point display setting type, and, by default, assigns the column name and
display values based on the content of the column. You can modify these values.

Scan receiver display information is located in three sections under the Field
Measurement Data node in the Operational Data category of the Project Explorer:
n
Point display settings are stored under the Point Display Settings
node. They are classified as either Local (i.e., not stored in Data
Manager), or Shared (i.e., stored in Data Manager).
Map view templates, which are groups of point display

settings and associated column names, are stored under the
Map View Templates node under the Scan Receiver node.
If you have defined map view settings for a scan receiver data
file, the names of any columns that have a point display
setting assigned to them are displayed under the scan
receiver data node along with the name of the point display
setting, in the format <column name> - <point display
setting>. For example, in Figure 7.1, the All-ARFCN TCH
column in the TMData scan receiver data file is assigned the
Channels point display setting.
Figure 7.1 shows the organization of point display and map view settings in the
Project Explorer.
Figure 7.1: Point display and map view settings in the Project Explorer
To define map view settings for a scan receiver data file

1

Scan Receiver node.
Right-click a scan receiver data node and choose Map View

Settings.
Chapter 7
The Map View Settings dialog box opens. The Map View Settings dialog box
enables you to define point display settings for the columns in your scan
receiver data file. If you applied a template when you imported the scan
receiver data file or if you have already defined map view settings for the scan
receiver data file, the Map View Settings dialog box contains the defined
values. Otherwise, it contains no values.
If you want to apply a map view template to the scan receiver data,
click Load, and in the Load Template dialog box, choose a template
from the list and click OK.
For information on creating a map view template, see To create a map view
template for scan receiver data.
To add a data column from the scan receiver data file, click Add.
The Column Assignment dialog box opens.
From the Data Columns list, choose one or more columns in the scan
receiver data file that you want to display.

n
From the Point Display Setting list, choose an existing point

display setting to apply to the scan receiver column, click OK, and
go to Step 10.
From the Point Display Setting list, choose Create New Setting,
click OK, and go to Step 7. The Scan Receiver tool automatically
chooses the correct display setting type or types (individual or
ranges) based on the contents of the data column that you

chose, and provides a default name for the setting.
In the New Point Display Settings dialog box, choose a display

setting type, type a name or accept the default, and click OK.
If the data in the column is textual, only the Individual display setting
type will be available. If the data is numeric, all three types will be
available.
Click OK.

n
10
If you chose to define individual point display settings, see To

define individual point display settings.
If you chose to define ranges, see To define point display
settings for ranges of values.
If you want to view the data in the Map window, in the Map
View Settings dialog box, choose the point display setting that
you want to view and click View.
11
If you want to save the map view settings as a template, click

Save As, and in the Save Template dialog box, type a name for
the template, and click OK.
12
When you have finished defining map view settings, in the Map
View Settings dialog box, click OK.
The names of the columns with point display settings assigned are
displayed in the Project Explorer under the scan receiver data file (see
Figure 7.1). To view them, see To display the scan receiver data points
in a Map window.
The point display settings are also added to the Shared node under the
Point Display Settings node. These settings can be used again for other
scan receiver or scan receiver data files.
Chapter 7
NOTE: You can move point display settings between the Local and Shared node by
choosing one or more point display settings in the Project Explorer and dragging
them to the Local or Shared node.
NOTE: To edit point display settings, under the Local or Shared node, right-click the
point display setting and choose Edit.
NOTE: You can also apply a map view template by dragging it onto a scan receiver
data file in the Project Explorer.

When you are defining map view settings for a scan receiver data file, the Editing
Point Display Settings dialog box is automatically populated with values from the
column that you chose.
To add a row, in the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box, click
Add.

You cannot remove the Default value. This value is used to define display
settings for any value that you do not specifically enter.

n
Click in the Name box and type a new column name.

If you do not want the value to be visible in the Map window, clear
the Visible check box. Clearing the Visible check box is useful if you
do not want to view points that match this value now, but may want
to view them later.
To change the symbol, click in the Symbol box, and from the list,
choose the font, and then choose the individual symbol, and click
OK.
Click in the Size box and type or choose the symbol size that you
want.
To modify the color, click in the Color box and choose the
color that you want.
When you have finished defining individual point display settings,

in the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box, click OK.
You can also define individual point display settings by right-clicking Local or
Shared under the Point Display Settings node and choosing New. Then, in the
New Point Display Settings dialog box, choose Individual and click OK. In this
case, because you are not defining individual point display settings based on
an existing column, the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box is not
automatically populated. You must define the values manually.
If you define the values manually, you should define them to match the types
and ranges of values that are likely to occur in your test mobile data.

When you are defining map view settings for a scan receiver data file, the
Editing Point Display Settings dialog box is automatically populated with
values from the column that you chose.
In the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box, if you want to

add a row, click Add.

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In the >=Min box, type or choose the minimum value for the
range.
In the <Max box, type or choose the maximum value for the
range.
To change the symbol, click in the Symbol box, and from the
list, choose the font, and then choose the individual symbol,
and click OK.
Click in the Size box and type or choose the symbol size.
Chapter 7
To modify the color, click in the Color box and choose a color.
To define ranges automatically, click Auto, and in the Auto Range

Settings dialog box, do the following:
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In the Interval Method section, choose one of the following:
n
n
Intervalto define an interval between range values

Numberto define a number of range values
In the Value box, type a value to indicate the interval or the number
of range values. For example, if you choose a minimum value of 2
and a maximum value of 8, if you choose Interval and type 2 in the
Value box, the ranges created will be 2-4, 4-6, and 6-8. If you
choose Number and type 2 in the Value box, the ranges created will
be 2-5 and 5-8.
Click OK.
A maximum of 16 ranges will be created. The ranges will overwrite any

existing ranges. You can remove or modify any of these ranges as described in
Step 2 and Step 3.
When you have finished defining ranges, in the Editing Point Display
Settings dialog box, click OK.
If any ranges overlap (for example, 610-620 and 615-625), when a value falls
into both ranges, only the symbol associated with the first set of values will be
displayed.
TIP: You can also define ranges by right-clicking Local or Shared under the Point
Display Settings node and choosing New. Then, in the New Point Display Settings
dialog box, choose Ranges and click OK. In this case, because you are not defining
ranges based on an existing column, the Editing Point Display Settings dialog box is
TIP: If you define the values manually, you should define them to match the
types and ranges of values that are likely to occur in your test mobile data.
To display the scan receiver data points in a Map window

After you define map view settings for a scan receiver data file, you can
display the data points in a Map window. Any columns to which you have
assigned point display settings are displayed as nodes in the Project Explorer
under the scan receiver data node.

Scan Receiver node.
Expand the scan receiver data node for which you want to view
data points.
Right-click the column node that you want to view, and choose
View.
To remove the scan receiver data points from the Map window, in the Project
Explorer, right-click the scan receiver data node (one level up from the column
node) and choose View. This clears the check box and removes the data from
the Map window.
To create a map view template for scan receiver data

You can create a map view template that you can apply to multiple scan
receiver data files. This is useful if you have similar data collected at another
location. You can apply templates
n
when you are importing a scan receiver data file (see To

import scan receiver data)
when you are defining map view settings (see To define map
view settings for a scan receiver data file)
at any time by dragging the template onto a scan receiver
data file in the Project Explorer
Chapter 7

node.
Choose a scan receiver data node and drag it onto the Map View
Templates node.
The Edit Template dialog box opens with the columns in the scan receiver data
file listed under the Data Columns heading.
For each column that you want to display, from the Point Display
Setting list, choose a setting to apply to the column.
If you want to add a row, click Add and type a name for the scan
receiver data column in the Data Columns column.
If you want to remove a row, choose the row and click Remove.
Click OK.
In the Save Template dialog box, type a name in the New Template
Name box and click OK.
The template is added to the Map View Templates node under the Scan
Receiver node.

You can view information about the records in your scan receiver data file in
graph format. This format enables you to view and compare the following
types of information:
n
parametersthe values for a specific parameter or

parameters, such as quality, over a period of time or sequence
of events
eventsthe values for events such as handovers or dropped
calls, over a period of time or sequence of events
This information provides useful options for analyzing scan receiver data.
Viewing multiple parameters over time enables you to visualize the interaction
between parameters. For example, Figure 7.2 the RxLev is compared to the
occurrences of the No Service Mode event (vertical lines).
Figure 7.2: Comparison of data in the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box
In the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box, the x-axis is either Time or Index.
Index identifies the sequence of records in the scan receiver file. You can
display up to four values for the y-axis.
The Scan Receiver Graph dialog box provides two toolbars:
Chapter 7
The first toolbar enables you to format the graph.

The second toolbar enables you to zoom, print, and navigate
through the graph. For more information about how to use the
second toolbar, press the F1 key.
When the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box is open, if you also have a Scan Receiver
Browser window or Map window open, they are all synchronized. If you choose a
record in one, the same record is also chosen in the others.
To view scan receiver data in graph format

1

node.
Right-click the scan receiver data node that you want to view, and
choose Graph.
The Scan Receiver Graph dialog box opens.
To modify the format of the x-axis, from the Settings list, choose X
Axis and do any of the following:
n
From the Data list, choose one of the following:
Timedisplays the time on the x-axis
Indexdisplays sequence numbers on the x-axis
If you want to view grid lines in the graph, enable the Grid Lines
check box.
The display updates dynamically as you choose your options.
To define y-axis values, from the Settings list, choose one of the
following options:
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First Y Seriesdefines the first column (numeric data only) to be

displayed on the y-axis and the display settings to be used. The
label for this series is located on the y-axis to the left of the graph.
Second Y Seriesdefines the second column (numeric data

be used. The label for this series is located on the y-axis to the
right of the graph.
Third Y Seriesdefines the third column (numeric data only)
to be displayed on the y-axis and the display settings to be
used. The label for this series is located on the y-axis to the
left of the label for the First Y Series.
Message Seriesdefines the fourth column (textual data
be used.
From the Data list, choose the type of data to display.

If you choose Message Series in Step 4, the list available in the Data box
is limited to the textual columns in the imported scan receiver data file.
Otherwise, the list is limited to numerical values.
If you chose First Y Series, Second Y Series, or Third Y

Series in Step 4, to format the data, do any of the following:
n
From the Color list, choose the color to use for the point or
lines in the graph and the axis label.
Choose Points or Lines to use for the data in the graph. If you
chose Points, choose a point size from the Point Size list.
If you want to view grid lines in the graph, enable the Grid
Lines check box.
The display updates dynamically as you choose your options. For

numerical values, the Numerical legend box updates to display the
legend for the data and color that you chose.
If you chose Message Series in Step 4, in the Message Legend

box, enable the check boxes for the types of message that you
want to view.
If you want to compare multiple types of data, repeat Step 4 to

Step 7 for the data that you want to view.
Chapter 7
You can compare up to three types of numeric data (using the First Y Series,
Second Y Series, and Third Y Series options) and one type of string data.
To close the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box, right-click the scan receiver data node
and choose Graph again.
When you minimize the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box, a Scan Receiver Graph icon
box.
To print the data in the Scan Receiver Graph window

n
In the Scan Receiver Graph dialog box, click the Print button.
You can also preview the printed version by clicking the Print Preview button.

If you want to convert your scan receiver data to surveys or identify sectors by
carrier or color code information, you must allocate the data to sectors. You
can allocate data either automatically or manually.
There are two steps in the automatic allocation process:
n
looking up sectors
allocating records to sectors
For details on the manual allocation process, see To assign sectors to scan
receiver carrier nodes manually.
Looking up sectors for scan receiver data

During this part of the process, the Scan Receiver tool attempts to match the
information in the scan receiver data file to sector information in Mentum
Planet. This process differs slightly depending on the technology.
Allocating scan receiver records to sectors

During this part of the process, the Scan Receiver tool assigns the records in
the scan receiver data file to the sectors that match those records using one of
the following methods:
n
by distanceattempts to assign sectors to scan receiver data

records using the sector closest to the location where the
record was captured
by path lossattempts to assign sectors to scan receiver data
records using the sector with the least path loss to the
location where the record was captured. The path loss is
calculated using a free space loss calculation that takes into
consideration the effects of ERP, the antenna pattern, and the
azimuth.
Records with a null RSSI value will not be assigned to a sector.
Chapter 7
To look up sectors for scan receiver data automatically

1

node.
Right-click the scan receiver data node for which you want to look up
sectors and choose Allocate Records.
The Scan Receiver - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog box opens.
By default, the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view displays a list of
carrier nodes that show the combinations of carrier and color code, PN offset,
or scrambling code that appear in the scan receiver data file. Only nodes for
which there are records with valid RSSI values are displayed. For these nodes,
the number of records with valid RSSI values is shown in parentheses. If a
record is missing a carrier or color code, PN offset, or scrambling code, it is
identified as missing.
For example, if the scan receiver data uses GSM technology and the carrier
node is labeled 69-67 (317), this means that there are 317 records in the scan
receiver data file with a BCCH of 69 and a BSIC of 67. If the node is labeled
Missing-Missing (108), this means that there are 108 records that do not
contain a BCCH or BSIC.
In the Sectors section, click Look Up, and then in the Sector
Selection dialog box, choose the group of sectors to use and click
Continue.
The Serving Site/Sector Information tree view is updated to show which
carrier nodes match values from the Mentum Planet sectors. Carrier nodes
that do match Mentum Planet sectors are shown in red. You can manually
assign sectors to unmatched carrier nodes. See To assign sectors to scan
receiver carrier nodes manually.
If you want to look up additional sectors from a different group,

repeat Step 3, and then in the confirmation dialog box, do one of
the following:
n
Click Yes to remove existing sector assignments. Any sectors

that have already been allocated to the scan receiver records
will be removed.
Click No to keep existing sector assignments.
If required, manually adjust any sector assignments. See To

assign sectors to scan receiver carrier nodes manually.
You can also look up sectors by doing one of the following:

n
To look up sectors for all carrier nodes, right-click the toplevel node (the file name) and choose Look Up Sectors.
To look up sectors for a single carrier node, right-click the
carrier node and choose Look Up Sectors.
Chapter 7
To assign sectors to scan receiver carrier nodes manually

If you want to assign a sector to a carrier node, and the sector has either not been
assigned automatically or has been assigned incorrectly, you can assign a sector
manually. You can assign multiple sectors to each carrier node.
In the Scan Receiver - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog box, in

the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose a carrier node
and click Assign Sector.
In the Sector Selection dialog box, choose the group that contains the
sector that you want to assign, and click Continue.
In the Site Lookup dialog box, choose the sector to assign to the
carrier node and click OK.
You can also assign a sector by right-clicking a carrier node in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view and choosing Assign Sector.
To add a virtual scan receiver sector

A virtual sector is one that does not exist in your Mentum Planet project, but that
was part of the drive test. This sector could be part of another region, a competitors
sector, or no longer on the air.
You can add a virtual sector to the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view and
allocate the appropriate records to it. Virtual sectors appear only as part of the Scan
Receiver tool. They are not added to your Mentum Planet project.
In the Scan Receiver - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog box, in

the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, right-click the carrier
node to which you want to assign the virtual sector, and click Add
Virtual Sector.
In the Add Virtual Sector dialog box, in the Site Name box, type a
name for the site to which the virtual sector belongs, and in the Sector
Name box, type a name for the virtual sector.
In the Antenna Information section, do the following:
From the Name list, choose the name of the antenna.

In the X/Long box, type the x-coordinate of the sector. This
the project.
In the Y/Lat box, type the y-coordinate of the sector. This
the project.
In the Height box, type the height of the sector above ground
level.
In the Power box, type the power of the sector.
In the Azimuth box, type the azimuth of the sector.
In the Tilt box, type the tilt of the sector.
For more information on any of these values, press the F1 key.
Click OK.

You can view information about any of the serving sectors in the Serving
Site/Sector tree view. The information that is displayed originally is the
information associated with that sector in Mentum Planet.
When you modify information in the Sector Information section of the Scan
Receiver - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog box, you are modifying only the
data associated with the scan receiver data file. You are not changing the
values assigned to the sectors in Mentum Planet. Typically, you would modify
this data when you know that a sector that actually exists (and was used to
collect the scan receiver data) has different values than those assigned in
Mentum Planet.
In the Scan Receiver - Allocate Records To Sectors dialog

box, in the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose the
sector.
The Sector Information displays the information for the chosen sector.
If you want to modify the sector information, type new values in

any of the editable boxes, and click Apply.
Chapter 7
To allocate scan receiver records to sectors

1
In the Records section, choose the By Distance or By Path Loss

option for assigning records where there is more than one possible
match.
See Allocating scan receiver data to sectors for more information on these
options.

n
To allocate records to all sectors, in the Serving Site/Sector

Information tree view, choose the top-level node and in the
have been assigned to all sectors in parentheses following the
sector names.
To allocate records to a single sector only, in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view, choose a sector and in the
have been assigned to the chosen sector in parentheses following
the sector name.
NOTE: If you click Allocate, but you have not yet looked up sectors, the Scan
Receiver tool automatically looks up sectors before allocating records.
NOTE: If you want to hide sectors that have not been allocated, in the Serving
Site/Sector Information tree view, right-click the top-level node, and choose Hide All
Unmatched Sectors. You can view all sectors by right-clicking the top-level node
again and choosing Show All Sectors.
NOTE: You can also allocate records by right-clicking a carrier node in the
Site/Sector Information tree view and choosing Allocate Records by Minimum
Distance or Allocate Records by Minimum Path Loss. This option is only available if
you have looked up sectors automatically or assigned sectors manually first.
To view the scan receiver records

You can view the scan receiver data records associated with a sector or a
carrier node.
n
In the Scan Receiver- Allocate Records to Sectors dialog

box, in the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view,
right-click the item and choose Browse Records.
A Scan Receiver Browser window opens, showing the records associated

with the item that you chose.
To unassign sectors
n
In the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view, choose

the sector, and in the Sectors section, click
UnassignSector.
You can also unassign a sector by right-clicking the sector and choosing
Unassign Sector.
To modify the display in the Scan Receiver tree view

By default, when you assign sectors to carrier nodes, the sectors are added to
the Serving Site/Sector Information tree view under each carrier node. You
can reverse the order to display the carrier nodes under the sectors.
n
In the Scan Receiver - Allocate Records to Sectors dialog

box, in the Serving Site/Sector Information section, rightclick the top-level node, and choose Toggle View.
You can restore the original view by right-clicking the top-level node
and choosing Toggle View again.
Chapter 7

After you have allocated scan receiver data to sectors, you can export the scan
receiver data to one or more surveys. For information on allocating scan receiver
data to sectors, see Allocating scan receiver data to sectors. When you export the
scan receiver data to a survey, the latitude, longitude, signal strength, and sector
header information are exported. You can choose one of the following options for
export:
n
With Assignmentcreates an assignment file with the survey

assigned to the matched sector (see To export a survey
assignment file for details on assignment files).
Without Assignmentdoes not create an assignment file
For more information on what you can do with the exported surveys, see Chapter 3:
NOTE: The Export to Survey function for scan receiver data files is subject to the
sampling rates of the original scan receiver data files. The equipment used to create
the original scan receiver data files is not always configured to sample data with
enough samples for quality model tuning purposes (for example, to satisfy the Lee
Criteria).
To export scan receiver data to surveys

1

node.
Right-click the scan receiver data node you want to view and choose
one of the following:
n
Export To Survey
With Assignment
Export To Survey
Without Assignment
The scan receiver data is converted to one or more surveys. The exported
surveys are grouped under the Surveys RSSI node. The name of the group is
the same as the scan receiver data name. Surveys with invalid header
information are identified by a red icon in the Project Explorer. A warning

message identifies the surveys with invalid headers.
Chapter 8 Managing Scanner Survey Data

Scanner survey data consists of data relating to the location and signal
strength of multiple carriers. A scanner collects only information related to
signal strength and is never involved in an actual call. The scanner survey data
For details on scan receiver data, which is similar to scanner survey data, but
has a different set of functionality, see Managing Scan Receiver Data.
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208
209
211
Chapter 8

Scanner survey equipment enables network operators to collect reporting and
measurement data. Typically, scanner survey equipment takes measurements along
a defined route over a period of time. The use of scanner survey equipment in
operational cellular networks is a common network optimization practice.
Scanner survey data consists of records organized into columns. Mentum Planet
enables you to work with and analyze scanner survey data to increase the accuracy
of predictions. For example, you can compare a scanner survey value against
network analysis layers that contain the same value, or you can export scanner
survey data to a survey and use the survey to increase the accuracy of Mentum
Planet predictions.
NOTE: If you are importing .aod files, you must have the JDSU E6474A Wireless
Network Optimization Software installed on the same computer as Mentum Planet.
Input file requirements for scanner survey receiver data

The scanner survey data that you want to import into Mentum Planet must:
n

in your project. All technologies are supported except TDMA-FDMA,
Fixed WiMAX, and Generic.
be in one of the following formats:

n
n
n
n
.aod
.csv
.tab
.TEMS_LOG
contain data from only one scanner survey (if you have combined
data from multiple scanner surveys, the scanner survey tools do not
distinguish between the measurements taken by each one, and
treat the data as though it came from a single scanner survey)
Managing Scanner Survey Data

This workflow explains the steps involved in managing scanner survey data.
Step 1
Import scanner survey data. See Importing scanner survey data.
Step 2
If required, export the data to a survey. See Exporting scanner

survey data to surveys.
Chapter 8

The Scanner Survey Data Import Wizard guides you through the process of importing
your scanner survey data.
NOTE: This procedure may vary slightly depending on the type of data that you are
importing. You can view the import log for details on the import process.
To import scanner survey data

1
In the Project Explorer, in the OperationalData category, expand

the Field Measurement Data node.
Right-click Scanner Survey and choose Import.

The Scanner Survey Data Import Wizard opens.
On the Choose The Data Files You Want To Use page, choose a
value from the File Format list.
Click Add, locate the files you want to import, and click Open.
Click Next and, on the Select Technology page, choose the

technology of the imported data.
You can import data from all technologies except Fixed WiMAX, TDMA-FDMA,
and Generic.
Click Next and choose the coordinate system of the scanner survey
data being imported.
The coordinate system is saved in a .coo file for each scanner survey data file.
As required, do one of the following:

n
If you are importing AOD data, on the Scanner Survey AOD

Device page, choose the device type from the list and click Next.
An XML file is created from each file you chose. This step may take
some time to complete.
If you are importing TEMS_LOG data, on the Device page,
On the Select Coordinate System page, choose one of the

following options:
n
If you are importing AOD data, on the Scanner Survey AOD

Device page, choose the device type from the list and click
Next.
Use Network Coordinate Systemto use the coordinate

system of the site data.
Use Geodata Coordinate Systemto use the coordinate
system of the height file.
Select A Coordinate Systemto select a coordinate
system.
Click Finish.
The scanner survey data file is added as a new node under the Scanner
Survey node.
The name of the new node is the same as the name of the file you
imported. If you imported more than one file, the name of the new node
is the name of the first file.
Chapter 8

After you have imported scanner survey data, you can export the data file to one or
more surveys. Depending on the nature of the data you are exporting, more than one
survey may be created.
The settings that are available in the export process enable you to modify the
scanner survey data so that the exported survey data more closely meets your
requirements. For example, there are numerous options for filtering the data that is
to be exported. You can also average survey data.
Once the data has been exported, see Chapter 4: Managing Survey Data for
information on what you can do with the exported surveys.
The Export to Survey function for scanner survey data files is subject to the sampling
rates of the original scanner survey data files. The equipment used to create the
original scanner survey data is not always configured to sample data with enough
samples for quality model tuning purposes (for example, to satisfy the Lee Criteria).
To export scanner survey data to surveys

1

the Field Measurement Data node, then expand the Scanner
Survey node.
Right-click the scanner survey data node you want to export and
choose Export to Survey.
The Scanner Data Export to Survey Wizard opens.
On the Selecting Sectors page, specify the sectors on which you want
to filter the data by choosing one of the following options in the Sector
Selection section:
n
All cdma2000 Sectors to filter on all sectors in the projects.

window.
Flag Filtering if you have defined and assigned flags to

sectors. Enable the Invert Conditions check box to select
those sectors for which the applied conditions do not apply.
Query Selection if you have defined and created sector
queries.
In the Band Filtering section, enable the bands you want to

include in your sector selection.
The sectors on which the data will be filtered are displayed in the
Selected Sectors list.
Click Next.
On the Choose How You Want the Data Bound page, do one
of the following:
n
To use an existing template that defines how to map the

scanner survey data to Mentum Planet data, click Load
Template, locate the template file, and click Open.
Manually define how to map the scanner survey data to the
Mentum Planet data. For every required field in the table, click
in the <Unbound> cell and choose the Mentum Planet field to
which it must be mapped. Every mandatory field in the Binding
Status column must have a scanner survey data field mapped
to it.
If you want to save the current mapping configuration to a

template, click Save as Template, navigate to where the
template file is to be stored, enter a name in File Name, and
click Save.
Click Next.
10 On the First Stage Filtering Settings page, enable any of the

following check boxes and define the required values in the
associated text boxes:
n
Filter Based on Received Signal Strengthfilters the

survey data based on the defined limits of received minimum
Chapter 8
and maximum strength.

n
Filter Based On Ec/Iofilters the survey data based on defined

limits for the minimum and maximum Ec/Io.
11 Click Next.
12 On the Second Stage Filtering Settings page, enable any of the
following check boxes and define the required values in the associated
text boxes:
n
Filter Based On Received Signal Strengthfilters the survey

data based on the defined limits of received minimum and maximum
signal strength.
Filter Based On Free Space Path Lossfilters the survey data
based on a maximum possible signal strength determined by a free
space path loss calculation between the serving sector and the
location. Measurements that exceed the maximum possible value
are discarded during filtering.
Filter Based On Ec/Iofilters the survey data based on the
defined minimum and maximum Ec/Io.
Filter Based On Distancefilters the survey data based on the
minimum and maximum linear distance that the survey point must
be from the serving sector location. Survey points that are located
within this distance are discarded during filtering.
Filter Based On Antenna Beamwidthfilters the survey data
based on the angle of incidence of the survey point and the serving
sector antenna. Survey points that fall outside of an area defined by
the antenna beamwidth (3dB limits) plus the angle from the serving
sector are discarded during filtering.
Filter Based On Regressionfilters the survey data based on the
maximum permitted distance from the regression line for the
regression analysis of the Received Signal Strength against the
distance for the individual survey only. Values outside of this value
from the regression line are discarded during filtering.
Remove Data In Defined Areasremoves survey data points
falling in the area defined by the area vector file. This is a MapInfo
format file (.tab) made up of ellipses or polygons.
13 If you are filtering based on defined areas, Click Browse to

locate the vector file and click Open.
14 Click Next.
15 On the Survey Averaging Settings page, enable the Perform
Survey Averaging check box if you want to define the minimum
separation between data points.
16 If you are averaging survey data, do one of the following:

n
Define a value in the Survey Averaging Distance box.

Click Calculate to display the Survey Averaging Distance
Calculation dialog box.
17 If you are using the Survey Averaging Distance Calculation dialog

box, define values for the Carrier Bandwidth, Frequency of
Operation, and Delay Spread (a value that corresponds to the
reflection environment in the field), and click OK.
The dialog closes and the recommended averaging distance is placed in
the Survey Averaging Distance box on the Survey Averaging Settings
page.
18 Click Finish.
The scanner survey data is converted to one or more surveys. The
exported surveys are grouped under the Surveys RSSI node. The name
of the group is the same as the scanner survey data name. Surveys with
invalid header information are identified by a red icon in the Project
Explorer.
Chapter 9 Generating Predictions

Predictions use a propagation model, terrain and clutter information, and
general sector settings including the power, antenna, and azimuth to predict
the signal strength and path loss of a sector at any location where the signal
exceeds the defined minimum level.
Path loss and signal strength predictions are used in network analyses to
determine coverage and other metrics. The procedure for generating analysis
layers varies, depending on the technology. For information on generating
analysis layers, see the appropriate User Guide.
217
218
221
222
224
227
228
231
Chapter 9

When you generate a network analysis, Mentum Planet analyzes the path loss
predictions and, depending on the technology, the signal strength predictions for
each sector to generate analysis layers. You can generate and view predictions prior
to and separate from an analysis, or you can generate them as required, as part of
an analysis. For more information, see Generating predictions.
By default, Mentum Planet checks to make sure that valid prediction files are
available when you generate an analysis. If you have not generated predictions or
the files have been deleted or are out of date, they are generated as part of the
analysis. The process for generating network analyses and the analysis layers that
are available varies depending on the technology. For information on generating
network analyses, see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you are using.
Predictions and analysis layers are available to view or to use as inputs for other
Mentum Planet tools, including the Neighbor List Generator and the Interference
Matrix Generator. For more information, see Viewing predictions from the Project
Explorer.
TIP: You can use the Prediction Manager to remove prediction files that are no
longer valid or are no longer required. For more information, see Displaying,
filtering, and deleting predictions.
Generating Predictions

The following sections describe path loss files, signal strength files, and
combined signal strength files.
Path loss files

When you generate predictions, a set of path loss files (a .ppf file and a
HashParameters.txt file) is created based on the site and sector settings. If
the sector settings for the site are the same, only one set of path loss files is
generated for the site. Path loss files use the following naming convention:
<Site_ID>_<Sector_ID>_<Grid_resolution>_<Distance>
For example, Site_1_3_225_20000.bin is a path loss file for Site_1, sector 3,
using a grid resolution of 225, as well as a Distance of 20km. The grid
resolution number is calculated using various inputs and isnt the grid
resolution itself. If the sector settings are the same, the sector designation in
the file name indicates the first sector, but all sectors are included in the
prediction. The HashParameters.txt file that lists the parameters used in the
prediction is also created.
Each set of path loss files is stored in a separate folder within the Bin folder.
The folder names include the Site ID, Sector ID, and a unique ID to
differentiate between predictions. When you regenerate predictions, new path
loss files are created, and any existing files and folders are left intact.
NOTE: High resolution grids can result in very large pathloss files.
Signal strength files

Signal strength predictions are based on the path loss values and the
associated sector properties. Signal strength files are used for a limited
number of functions (for example, viewing predictions and GSM analysis) and
are created only as they are needed.
Chapter 9
When needed, a set of signal strength files (a .grd file and a .tab file) is created using
the following naming convention:
<Site_ID>_<Sector_ID>_<Antenna_ID>_<PowerSelectionName>.grd and .tab
By default, signal strength files are deleted when you close the project. You can keep
default power signal strength files permanently by selecting signal strength as an
additional layer on the Advanced Options tab of the Project Settings dialog box. Only
one signal strength file is kept per sector and power.
When signal strength files are kept, they are saved in the projects SignalStrength or
Temp\SignalStrength folder. All the signal strength files of a sector reside in the
same folder.
For example, <project>\Temp\SignalStrength\Site 1\Site 1_3_1_Total.grd is a
signal strength grid file for the Site 1, sector 3, antenna1 total power.
Combined signal strength files

When you view the predictions for a site, a combined set of signal strength files for
all of the sectors at the site is created. The combined files are located in the
Temp\SignalStrength\<Site_ID> folder. The following table provides a description of
the combined layer types and the file name conventions.
Table 1 Combined signal strength layers
Layer
Combined Base Station Signal
Strength
Description and File Name

Composite coverage of the signal
strength for the selected base
station at a specified power. Some
powers are only available for certain
technologies. For more information,
see the appropriate User Guide for
the technology you are using.
CBS_<Site_ID>_<Sector_list>_
<PowerSelectionName>.grd
Combined Sector/Repeater Signal

Strength
Composite coverage of the signal

strength for the selected sector,
Layer

including its repeaters, at a specified
power. Some powers are only
available for certain technologies.
For more information, see the
appropriate User Guide for the
CSR_<Site_ID>_<Sector_ID>_
<PowerSelectionName>.grd and
.tab
Chapter 9

Propagation models cannot always account for the complexities of signal
propagation in urban environments. Hence, to predict more accurately how a signal
will behave, you can merge survey and prediction data. This is valuable because
survey data represents the actual coverage provided by the network, improving the
accuracy of your predictions.
When you configure sectors, you can define whether to use model or merged
predictions by enabling the Merged check box and specifying an interpolation
distance. When the check box is cleared, modeled predictions are generated using
the assigned propagation model. When the check is enabled, modeled predictions
are merged with survey data. See Generating predictions. After generating merged
predictions, two pathloss files and two signal strength files are generated for each
site or sector.
Modeled predictions
Modeled predictions are calculated using the propagation model assigned to the site
or sector. For information on propagation modeling, see the appropriate User Guide
for the technology you are using.
Merged predictions
Merged predictions are calculated using unmasked survey data and path loss values
converted from signal strength readings. Bins that are outside the Interpolation
Distance (defined in the Site Editor) contain model prediction values. Bins that are
within the interpolation distance contain interpolated values calculated by merging
survey data and model prediction values.

You can choose to define additional output options, such as advanced
prediction layers and the prediction thresholds to use when generating
predictions.
Analysis output settings can be defined on a per-project basis using the
Advanced Options tab in the Project Settings dialog box (see Advanced
prediction layers).
Advanced prediction layers

When you generate predictions, you can choose to include a number of
advanced prediction layers that provide additional information about the sites
specified in the analysis.
When you generate advanced prediction layers, a folder with the same name
as the layer typefor example, Azimuthis created in the root of your project
folder. A .grd file and a .tab file are stored for each of the advanced layer types
listed in Table 1.
Table 1 Advanced prediction layers
Layer
Azimuth

The bearing between the site and the receiver, corrected for
map projection.
AZ_<Site_ID>_<Site_ID>_<Sector>_<Grid_resolution>_
<Distance>
Inclination
The angle below the horizontal from the transmitting antenna

to the receiving antenna.
IN_<Site_ID>_<Site_ID>_<Sector>_<Grid_resolution>_
<Distance>
Path Loss
Loss or attenuation of the electromagnetic wave between the

transmitter and the receiver. This may be due to various
factors including free space path loss, refraction, reflection,
or diffraction of the transmitted signal.
PL_<Site_ID>_<Site_ID>_<Sector>_<Grid_resolution>_
<Distance>
Chapter 9
You can also enable the Signal Strength check box to preserve signal strength
layers. Layers are generated using the default power (i.e., the prediction power)
during prediction generation (i.e., whenever you generate predictions, signal
strength files are also generated). Signal strength files are saved in the Signal
Strength folder within the project folder. When you clear this check box, signal
strength layers are saved in the temporary folder within the project folder and are
deleted on project close.
To define analysis output settings

1
Choose Edit
In the Project Settings dialog box, click the Advanced Options tab.
In the Additional Layers section, enable the check boxes for the
advanced prediction layers that you want to generate.
To specify the clutter grid to use when defining environment settings, in

the Environments section, choose one of the following options:
n
Project Settings.
Use Primary Clutter Griduses the clutter grid defined in the

Project Settings dialog box.
Use User-Defined Griduses the grid you specify. For example,
you could use a grid created using the Environment Splicer.
Environment settings are used in Monte Carlo simulations.
Click OK.
For more information on the prediction layers that you can generate, see
Advanced prediction layers. For information on the Sharing section of the
Advanced Options tab, see the appropriate User Guide for the technology you
are using.
Path loss and signal strength predictions are a prerequisite to network
analyses. You can generate predictions prior to, or as part of a network
analysis. By default, prediction files are only generated as required; however,
you can choose to generate all prediction files, regardless of their status.
You can greatly increase the accuracy of predictions by generating merged
predictions. To do so, you must import at least one survey, associate it with
your project, and assign it to a sector. For more information, see Chapter 3:
When you are generating merged predictions, the following files are created in
the Site folder (e.g., Site_1_1_6DCCCABFE512183CA1B8C6A) within the Signal
Strength folder of your project:
n
a .grd file and a .tab file for the modeled output
a .grd file and a .tab file for the merged output.
NOTE: By default, predictions are generated at the same resolution as the

primary heights file specified in the Project Settings.
To generate predictions
1
In the Project Explorer, right-click the Sites node and choose

Generate Predictions.
In the Select Sectors dialog box, specify the sectors for which
you want to generate predictions by choosing one of the following
options in the Sector Selection section:
n
All Sectors if you want to include all sectors in the project.

Current Selection if you have selected specific sectors in the
Map window.
Chapter 9
The sectors for which predictions will be generated are displayed in the
Click OK.
The Prediction Generator dialog box opens.
If you only want to check the status of the current set of prediction
files, click Check.
To generate predictions, do one of the following:
If you want to generate only predictions that are missing or

out of date, click Generate.
If you want to generate predictions for all sectors regardless
of their status, click Regenerate.
Predictions will be generated or regenerated only for the
sectors and repeaters listed in the Prediction Generator dialog
box. The Progress section of the Prediction Generator dialog
box provides an indication of the overall progress, as well as
the time elapsed and an estimate of the time remaining. If
errors occur during prediction generation, the Messages box
opens displaying error messages.
To close the Messages box if required, click Hide Messages.
When the generation of predictions is complete, click Close.
TIP: If you want to keep working in Mentum Planet while the predictions are
being generated, you can minimize the Prediction Generator dialog box. When
you minimize the dialog box, a Prediction Generator icon appears at the
bottom of the Project Explorer. Click the icon to restore the dialog box.
Chapter 9

You can view prediction layers for individual sites, sectors, or repeaters from the
Project Explorer. This is a fast and easy way to view predictions in the same Map
window.
You can display prediction layers for various powers depending on the technology of
the sector.
NOTE: You cannot view predictions from the Project Explorer when you use the
Shift key to select multiple sectors or sites.
To view predictions for a sector

1
In the ProjectExplorer, in the Sites category, expand the Sites

node.
Right-click a sector, choose View Sector Predictions, and choose one

of the following:
n
Modeled
<Power>to view a prediction layer for the chosen
power. The options available depend on the technology of the
sector.
Merged
<Power>to view a merged prediction layer based on
survey data and model prediction values for the chosen power. The
options available depend on the technology of the sector.
The prediction layers for the sector are displayed in the Map window.

You can display prediction layers for various powers depending on the
technology of the sector. You can also display predictions in a new Map
window.
TIP: You can set the translucency of the prediction layer you display by
defining user preferences for viewing. See the appropriate User Guide for the
To view predictions using the View menu

1
Choose View
Predictions.
The ViewPredictions dialog box opens.
To view predictions for sites, select the sites in the Map window
and click the Base Stations tab.
In the list box, choose the site entries for which you want to see
predictions.
The entries in the List box for a site are based on the technologies and
frequency bands assigned to that site. You can choose multiple site
entries by dragging the pointer.
Chapter 9
In the Type section, choose the type of prediction you want to display.
If the generated prediction is a modeled prediction, the Merged option is not
available.
From the Power list, choose which power you want to view.
To display the prediction layer in a new Map window, enable the New
Window check box.
For each site entry chosen in the List box, a combined prediction opens in a
new Map window.
Click View to view the predictions for the chosen site entries.
To view predictions for sectors, click the Sectors tab, and in the list
box, choose the sectors for which you want to view predictions.
Repeat Step 4 to Step 7.

When you select multiple sectors that assigned different technologies, the
only power available is total power.
10 To view predictions for a site or sector not currently displayed in the

View Predictions dialog box, choose a site or sector in the Map
window and click the appropriate tab in the View Predictions dialog
box.
11 Repeat Step 4 to Step 7.

12 Click Save Settings to save the settings currently chosen in the View
Predictions dialog box.
13 To view details about a prediction that is currently displayed in a Map

window or to close displayed predictions, click the Displayed tab and
do any of the following:
n
Click Close All Tables to close all predictions currently being

displayed in a Map window.
In in the list box, choose the predictions you want to close and click
Close Table.
You can choose multiple predictions by dragging the pointer.
14 When you have finished viewing predictions, click OK.

TIP: To view predictions for a site, you can also click the ViewPredictions
button on the Network toolbar and then click an individual site in the Map
window. You can also right-click a site in the Map window and use the
commands from the shortcut menu to generate and view predictions or open
the Prediction Manager.
Chapter 9

You can use the Prediction Manager to view a list of the predictions that have been
generated for a project, and remove any files that you no longer require. You can
view a list of all of the predictions that have been generated for a project or you can
use the Filter dialog box to display only specific predictions based on the file type and
status, and the sector settings.
The Prediction Manager dialog box displays a number of different properties for each
prediction, including the Type, Site Name, Sector Name, and Model Name, to help
you identify the predictions. You can also view a detailed list of the properties
associated with each prediction.
NOTE: You cannot view detailed properties for predictions that were generated
prior to Mentum Planet version 4.1.
TIP: When you select one or more rows in the Prediction Manager, the status bar at
the bottom of the window indicates the number of files selected and the total amount
of disk space used by the files.
TIP: If your project contains a large number of predictions, you can filter the list of
predictions based on a number of different criteria. For example, you could filter the
list of predictions by file date and remove any predictions that were more than two
weeks old.
To display, filter, and delete predictions

1
Choose Tools
Prediction Manager.
The Prediction Manager dialog box opens with no predictions displayed.
If you want to display predictions based on a defined criteria, choose

View
Filter and, in the Filter dialog box, and do the following:
n
From the File Status list, choose the status of the file on which you
want to filter.
Enable the check box next to the properties upon which you want to
filter and define or choose the filter criteria.
In the Filter dialog box, click OK.

A list of predictions is displayed based on the options you chose.
If you want to display all predictions that have been generated for
the project, in the Prediction Manager, choose View
Show
All.
If you want to limit the columns or change the order in which they
are displayed in the Prediction Manager, choose View
Columns, do any of the following, and then click OK:
n
To define which columns are displayed, enable the check

boxes beside the items in the Visible Columns list.
To define the order in which the columns are displayed,
choose the columns in the Visible Columns list and click
Add. Use the Up and Down buttons to arrange the items, and
then in the Sorting Order section, choose either Ascending or
Descending.
If you want to view detailed information for a prediction, choose a

row in the table, and then choose View
Properties.
The Prediction Properties dialog box opens.
Do any of the following and then click OK.

n
Click the Categorized button to display the properties in

grouped categories.
Click the Alphabetic button to display the properties in
alphabetical order.
Click any row in the table to view a description of the property
at the bottom of the dialog box.
To delete predictions, choose one or more rows, and then choose

Prediction
Delete or press the Delete key.
The predictions that you chose are deleted from the project folder.
Chapter 9
TIP: There are other ways to open the Prediction Manager. You can right-click one
or more sites, sectors, or groups in the Project Explorer, or right-click the Sites or
Flags node and choose Prediction Manager. A list of predictions is displayed based on
the nodes you selected. No predictions are displayed if you use the Sites node. You
can also right-click sites in the Map window and choose Prediction Manager.
TIP: You can also use the toolbar buttons at the top of the Prediction Manager
dialog box to access relevant commands.
Chapter 10 Generating Signal Strength

Predictions Between Two Points
Using Mentum Planet, you can focus an analysis on two points. These two
points can represent, for example, a base station and a mobile subscriber or a
base station and a possible candidate site. This type of analysis can provide
valuable information about the effect that changing sector heights, antenna
properties, transmit power, or rain fade has on the signal path and quality.
235
237
Understanding the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box
238
241
245
247
248
250
252
253
254
Chapter 10

How a signal travels over the terrain and is attenuated by obstructions within the
Fresnel zone can have important ramifications on the overall performance of your
network. To better understand the effects of changing the height of a sector or
modifying antenna properties, you can visualize the signal path by generating a
profile between two points, such as a base station and a mobile subscriber.
Because signal strength profiles are generated on-the-fly, you do not have to
generate predictions for the entire area of a sector but can focus instead on the
signal path alone. As a result, you can quickly and easily create a profile of the
terrain (elevation or clutter), the signal strength, the path loss, or the Fresnel zone.
In addition, you can model changes to transmitter and receiver heights, locations, or
antenna parameters within the Point-to-Point Profile Tool. Once you have achieved
the desired result, you can print a profile or export it for use in reports.
The Fresnel zone

The Fresnel zone is the area around the visual line-of-sight where radio waves
spread as they move out from the antenna. In the Point-to-Point dialog box, the
Fresnel zone is shown as the perpendicular distance from the line of sight.
Generally, each Fresnel zone is reserved for a specific type of propagation. The first
zone typically shows the obstruction and clearance levels of the signal. The higher
zones include interference that cause the original signal to attenuate.
The perpendicular distance is calculated as:
Where
K is a constant that determines the percentage of the Fresnel zone to be shown
N is the number of the Fresnel zone
Generating Signal Strength Predictions Between Two Points
is the wavelength calculated as c/f

D is the horizontal distance from the start point
1
D is the horizontal distance from the end point

2
Chapter 10

Step 1
In the Map window, choose a start point. The Point-to-Point Profile Tool
dialog box opens.
Step 2
In the Map window, move the cursor over the map. The profile displayed in
the Point-to-Point graph window will update dynamically until you click on
an end point. The default profiles (i.e., elevation and clutter (if the project
includes clutter)) are automatically updated. By default, the line-of-sight
is also displayed.
Step 3
Add additional profiles (e.g., propagation model, Fresnel zone and line-ofsight) as required.
Step 4
Customize the point-to-point profiles as required. This includes choosing

color and line style.
Step 5
If required, export or print point-to-point profiles.
Step 6
Save point-to-point profiles.
NOTE: If you want to generate a sector-to-sector profile, open the Point-to-Point

Profile Tool by choosing Tools
Point-to-Point Profile.
NOTE: When you minimize the Point-to-Point dialog box, a Point-to-Point icon
box.
Understanding the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog

box
The Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box contains the following elements:
n
Graph windowdisplays the selected profiles. You can

customize the look and feel of the graph window and display a
legend if required.
Profile panedisplays a list of profiles with the associated line
color. You can view profiles by enabling the check box next to
the profile or remove the profile from the graph window by
clearing the check box.
the Transmitter tabdisplays transmitter location and
frequency as well as details about the transmitting antenna.
You can adjust transmitter settings and view changes in the
profiles by clicking the Refresh button.
the Receiver tabdisplays the location and height of the
receiver as well as details about the receiving antenna. You
can adjust antenna settings and view changes in the profiles
by clicking the Refresh button.
Options tabdisplays an additional geodata setting (i.e., the
maintain maximum inclination setting). It also displays
additional network settings such as the earth curvature and
the rain factor.
Tracking tabdisplays the values for the profiles at a specific
point. This tab is only displayed when you have clicked the
Cursor Tracking button.
Clutter legenddisplays the color scheme and classes
contained in the clutter file.
Information bardisplays the angle, the inclination, the height
of the terrain at the transmitter and the height of the terrain at
the receiver as well as information about the clutter class.
For detailed information on any of these sections, press the F1 key.

You can quickly access the main features of the Point-to-Point Tool using the
following toolbar buttons.
Chapter 10
Refreshredraws the profiles in the graph window based on current

settings
Toggle Real-time updatesupdates the signal strength and path
loss profiles on-the-fly as you move the cursor over the map. In
addition, changes to the power setting, frequency setting, or
antenna settings are automatically reflected in the graph window as
soon as you make a change.
Toggle Profile Capturefreezes the profiles displayed in the graph
window. This is useful when you want to display a different profile in
a second Point-to-Point Tool dialog box.
View Path lossadds the path loss profile to the graph window if you
have a prediction profile listed in the Profiles list. You can view either
the signal strength profile or the path loss profile at any one time.
View Signal Strengthadds the signal strength profile to the graph
window if you have a prediction profile listed in the Profiles list. You
can view either the signal strength profile or the path loss profile at
any one time.
Panenables you to move the profile graph around the graph
window.
Cursor Trackingdisplays additional information on the Tracking tab
about a specific point along a profile.
Zoom Inzooms in on the graph by a predefined factor.
Zoom Outzooms out of the graph by a predefined factor.
Toggle Legenddisplays a legend in the upper right corner of the

graph window. You turn the display off or on but you cannot change
the location of the legend.
Toggle Split Axesstacks the vertical axes above each other.
Figure 10.1: Elements of the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box
Chapter 10

Using point-to-point profiles, you can analyze the path of the signal between two
points. These two points can be a sector and a mobile user or they can be two
sectors.The Point-to-Point Profile tool uses project information to determine which
elevation and clutter grids to use for calculations. Signal strength values are
calculated on-the-fly along the path you specify.
When you enable the Use Maximum Gain check box on the Antenna tab for either the
transmitter or receiver, Mentum Planet assumes that the direction of the
corresponding antenna is always such that it receives with the maximum gain. If you
do not enable the Use Maximum Gain check box, the gain is calculated according to
the angle of departure or the angle of arrival.
To generate a point-to-point profile

1
With a Mentum Planet project open, on the RF Tools toolbar, click the
Point-to-Point Profile Tool button and click in the Map window at the
start point.
The Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box opens.

n
If you want to create a point-to-point profile, in the Map window,

click to define the end point of the signal path.
If you want to create a sector-to-sector profile, in the Point-toPoint Profile Tool dialog box, click the Transmitter tab, click
Select Antenna, and in the Antenna Selection dialog box, choose
the sector where the antenna marks the start point, and click OK.
Repeat on the Receiver tab to define the end point.
The signal path is drawn in the Map window.
If you want to add prediction profiles to the graph, in the Profiles pane,
click the Add Prediction Profile button and do the following:
n
In the Profile Name box, type a name for the profile

From the Propagation Model list, choose the propagation model to
use for the profile and click OK.
The profile is added to the profile list and displayed in the graph window.
If you want to add a Fresnel profile to the graph, click the Add
Fresnel Zone Profile button and, in the Add Fresnel Zone
Profile dialog box, define the following parameters and click OK.
n
Fresnel Zonezone number. The zone number you specify

depends on the type of clearance or interference you want to
see. The first zone typically shows the obstruction and
clearance levels of the signal. The higher zones include
interference that cause the original signal to attenuate.
Fresnel Constantfixed value indicating the percentage of
the Fresnel zone that will be displayed. For wireless
applications, 60% is generally required.
Frequencyfrequency of the signal. Defining a higher
frequency will reduce the amount of spread within the Fresnel
zone.
Both the Fresnel zone and the line-of-sight will be added to the graph
window.
If you want to view the path loss profile, click the View Path
Loss button.
The path loss profile is added to the graph window. To change the color
of the profile line, right-click on the profile in the Profiles pane and
choose Format.
If you want to view the signal strength profile, click the View
Signal Strength button.
The signal strength profile is added to the graph window. To change the
color of the profile line, right-click on the profile in the Profiles pane and
choose Format.
If you want to remove the profile from the graph window, but not
delete the profile, in the Profiles pane, clear the check box next
to the profile name.
Do any of the following and click Refresh:

n
To change the height or frequency of the transmitter, override

the propagation model frequency, or update antenna settings,
Chapter 10
click the Transmitter tab and modify transmitter and antenna

settings accordingly.
n
To change the height or frequency of the receiver, override the

propagation model frequency, or update antenna settings, click the
Receiver tab and modify transmitter and antenna settings
accordingly.
For information on these tabs, press the F1 key.
If you want to enable the maintain maximum inclination setting, modify

the earth curvature, or change the rain factor, click the Options tab,
and do any of the following:
n
To calculate the over obstacle corrected distance and the angle to

the top of the single most significant obstructing obstacle, doubleclick in the box next to Maintain Max Inclination if the current
setting is False. You need to know the angle between the sector and
the receiver in order to determine the actual antenna gain directed
at a location. However, if the signal gets diffracted over an
interfering obstacle, the appropriate antenna gain is considered to
be the angle to the top of the obstacle over which the signal was
diffracted. This effect can be important, especially when the location
is relatively close to the sector, where inclinations are relatively
significant (i.e., more than -5 degrees), and the antenna pattern is
very directional. If you clear this check box, the direct angle to the
receiver is calculated.
Expand the Network Options node and type a value in the Earth
Curvature (K Factor) box and, if required, click the arrow next to
Rain Factor and specify the rain attenuation and rate.
If you want to view profiles for a different signal path, click in the Map window
to define a new start point and a new end point.
10 Click Refresh.
The profiles in the graph window are updated.
11 Choose File
Exit to close the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog
box.
NOTE: You can customize the contents of the Point-to-Point Profile Tool
dialog box using the commands from the View menu. You can also resize the
graph area by dragging its edges.
NOTE: To change the color of the Fresnel profile or edit the values used in the
profile, right-click on the Fresnel Profile in the Profiles pane and choose Format
or Edit Profile. Similarly, you can change the color of the line-of-sight profile or
the elevation profile by right-clicking the profile and choosing Format.
TIP: You can open multiple instances of the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog
box when you want to view multiple profiles. Use the View New Window in
the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box to open a new Point-to-Point Profile
Tool dialog box or click the Point-to-Point Profile button on the RF Tools
toolbar. If you have two dialog boxes open and draw the signal path in the Map
window, by default, both graph windows will be updated with the same profile.
Use the Toggle Profile Capture button to freeze the profiles in one Point-toPoint Tool dialog box.
Chapter 10

There is a lot of information contained in a point-to-point profile that you can use to
help better model a network. Understanding how to interpret a point-to-point profile
will enable you to make the best use of the tools provided.
Figure 10.2: Example of a typical point-to-point profile
What you see

In the figure, the graph window has been divided into two using the Toggle Split Axes
button. The lower graph window displays the physical elevation and clutter profiles
along a defined line. It also displays the line-of-sight profile and the Fresnel zone.
The bottom half of the Fresnel zone is red indicating that the Fresnel zone crossed
the elevation profile. The upper graph window displays the signal strength
profile along the same line. Using the View Pathloss toolbar button, you can
quickly change the profile in the upper window to show path loss instead of
signal strength. You can also remove the legend from the display using the
Toggle Legend button.
What you can do

In order to analyze different scenarios, you can:
n
change the height, power, frequency, and antenna parameters

for the transmitter or receiver.
change the earth curvature, rain factor, and the Maintain Max.
Inclination setting.
change the look and feel of the profile displayed in the graph
window. See To customize the Point-to-Point profile graph
window.
zoom in or out of the graph using the Zoom In and Zoom Out
buttons or the Enable Zoom command from the shortcut
menu.
pan across the graph using the Pan button or the Enable Pan
command from the shortcut menu.
enable cursor tracking. See Exporting a point-to-point
graph.
Chapter 10

In order to more accurately assess the line-of-sight and the Fresnel zone clearance
along the signal path, you can view the clutter height above the elevation.
To define clutter height values

1
In the Point-to-Point Profile Tool, generate the profiles you want to

display.
Click the Edit button beneath the clutter legend.
In the Clutter Height Editor, for each clutter class where you want to
view the clutter height above the elevation, click in the Clutter Height
column, and enter the appropriate value.
When you have finished entering values, click OK.

Clutter heights are saved in the DefaultClutterHeight.cpa file in the project
Model folder.
To view clutter heights

n

n
To view clutter heights above the elevation profile, click the

Toggle Clutter Heights button beneath the clutter legend.
To view the clutter heights up to the elevation profile, click
the Toggle Clutter Heights button a second time.

You can change the colors and line styles displayed in the graph window and
specify which elements of the graph you want to view.
To customize the Point-to-Point profile graph window

1
In the Point-to-Point Profile Tool, generate the profiles you

want to display.
If you want to display two graph windows, click the Toggle Split
Axes button to stack the vertical axes above each other.

n
To view the signal strength, click the View Signal Strength

button.
To view the path loss, click the View Pathloss button.
To format the color and style of profile lines, in the Profiles pane,
right-click the profile and choose Format.
In the Line Properties Editor dialog box, define the line color,
width, and style and click OK.
To format the axes displayed for the graph, right-click in the

graph window and choose Axes Options.
In the Axes Options dialog box, specify the appearance of the

axes and line ticks and click OK.
For information on axes options, press the F1 key.
To display a legend in the graph window, click the Legend button.
To close the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box, choose

File
Exit.
Chapter 10
To inspect individual points on a profile

When you enable cursor tracking, a Tracking tab appears at the bottom of the Pointto-Point Tool dialog box. As you move the cursor over a profile, values relative to the
cursor position are displayed on the tab.
In the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box, do one of the following:

n
Click the CursorTracking button.

Right-click in the graph window and choose Enable Cursor
Tracking.
A Tracking tab appears next to the Transmitter and Receiver tabs at the
bottom of the dialog box.
Move the cursor over the signal strength or path loss profile.
Distance, elevation, and path loss or signal strength values are displayed on
the Tracking tab. The values change as you move the cursor along the profile.
To exit the cursor tracking mode, click the Cursor Tracking button a
second time.

You can display reflection points in a point-to-point profile to determine
whether there are multipath signals between the transmitter and the receiver
that would interfere with the signal and impact your network performance. You
can then change the height of the receiver or transmitter in order to eliminate
multipath signals.
To display reflection points

1
In the Point-to-Point Profile Tool, on the Profile toolbar, click

the Display Reflection Points button.
To define your start point (or the transmitting sector), do one of

the following:
n
Click at a point in the Map window.

Click the Transmitter tab, click the Select Sector button,
choose a sector, and click OK.
To define your end point (or the receiving sector), do one of the
following:
n
Click at a point in the Map window.

Click the Receiver tab, click the Select Sector button,
choose a sector, and click OK.
If there is a multipath signal where the reflected angles between the

transmitter and the receiver are the same at a point on the elevation
profile, it is displayed in the point-to-point graph as shown in the figure.
If the reflected lines intersect with the terrain, the reflection point is not
displayed.
Chapter 10
Figure 10.3: Point where the reflected angles between the transmitter and the
receiver equal 1.06 degrees.

You can export a graph generated in the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box
as a graphic file or as a text file. Graphic file formats include .bmp, .gif, .jpeg,
tiff, and .wmf files. The data export format is comma-separated value.
Depending on the format, you can send outputs to the clipboard, a printer, or a
file.
To export a point-to-point graph as an image

1
In the Point-to-Point Profile Tool dialog box, choose File

Export
Export Image.
In the Save As dialog box, do the following:
From the Save In list, choose the destination folder.
In the File Name box, type a name for the file.
From the Save As Type list, choose the format of the image.
Click Save.
To export a point-to-point graph to a text file

1

Export
Export Data.
In the Save As dialog box, do the following:
From the Save In list, choose the destination folder.
In the File Name box, type a name for the file.
From the Save As Type list, choose Csv Files (*.csv).
Click Save.
Chapter 10

You can customize the print layout of point-to-point graphs you want to send to a
printer.
To print a point-to-point graph

1

Setup to define the layout of the graph print out.
In the Page Setup dialog box, define the paper size, source,
orientation and margins.

n
Page
If you want to preview the print layout, in the Page Setup dialog box,
click OK and go to Step 4.
If you want to send the point-to-point graph to the printer, click the
Printer button, review the printer settings, and click OK.
Choose File
Print Preview.

You can save a profile for later use when you want to make comparisons
between profiles. Profiles are saved as .xml files.
To save a point-to-point profile

1

Save Profile.
Navigate to the folder where you want to save the profile, in the
File Name box, type a name for the profile, and click Save.
To open a point-to-point profile

1

Open.
Locate the .xml file you want to open and click Open.
Chapter 11 Generating Propagation Model

Analyses
A propagation model analysis compares prediction results with survey data.
This type of analysis enables you to verify modeled network predictions
against real-world survey data. You can view the results from an analysis in
tabular format as well as in a variety of charts. You can also export the results
to Microsoft Excel for further manipulation. The propagation model analysis
257
259
260
263
265
Chapter 11

A propagation model analysis calculates the differences between surveys and
predictions for each survey point. By validating predictions against survey data you
can determine whether the propagation models you are using are correct for the
environment or whether the survey values are reasonable.
For each survey point, the difference between the value contained within the survey
for a given point and the signal strength prediction at the bin is calculated using the
equation:
Difference = <Survey Value> - <Prediction value>
In cases where there are several survey points contained within one prediction bin,
the analysis generates a result for each value. There is no interpolation of prediction
values across a single bin.
Analysis results
Analysis results are color-coded so that the status of each key performance indicator
(KPI) is easily recognized.
Figure 11.1: An example of the Analysis Results dialog box with results color-coded
for readability.
Generating Propagation Model Analyses
The following colors are used:

n
Grayindicates that there is insufficient data.

Green (Good)indicates that the amount of data available
exceeds the minimum required and the quality parameter
meets or exceeds the level defined in the Propagation
Analysis Model Settings for the Good status.
Yellow (Poor)indicates that the amount of data available
exceeds the minimum required, and the quality parameter is
less than that required for the Green status but meets or
exceeds the level required as defined for the Poor status.
Red (Unreliable)indicates that the amount of data
available exceeds the minimum required and the quality
parameter is less than that required for the Poor status as
defined in the Propagation Analysis Model Settings.
You can define the thresholds for each color. See Defining analysis settings.
Chapter 11

This workflow explains the steps involved in generating a propagation model
analysis.
Step 1
Ensure survey data is available in Mentum Planet. Propagation model

analyses use survey data from the Surveys RSSI node of the Operational
Data category in the Project Explorer.
Step 2
Generate predictions. See Chapter 8: Generating Predictions.
Step 3
Bind the surveys that are being using to the appropriate sectors. See To
update survey header information using sector properties and To
assign a survey to a sector.
Step 4
Define analysis settings. See "Defining analysis settings" on the facing

page
Step 5
Generate an analysis. See "Generating a propagation model analysis" on

page 263.
Step 6
Review the analysis results. See "Viewing analysis results" on page 265.
Step 7
If required, export analysis results to Excel.

You define the thresholds for each key performance indicator (KPI) in order to
color-code analysis reports. This provides you with a visual reference of
analysis results so that you can easily determine the validity of the
information.
To define analysis settings

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category,

right-click Propagation Model Analyses and choose Settings.
The Propagation Model Analysis Settings dialog box opens.
For each KPI on the Statistics page, do the following:

n
Enable the associated Display check box if you want to

display the KPI in the analysis results.
Type a value in each threshold box.
See Appendix C: Propagation Model Analysis Equations for information

on how each statistic is calculated.
Click the Number of Points tab.
Chapter 11
The values you define on this tab represent the minimum number of survey
points that need to be analyzed in order for the Number of Points KPI to be
classified as good (i.e., displayed in green in the results).
In the Model section, type a value in the Overall box for the minimum
number of points required for the propagation model.
In the Sector section, type values in the following boxes to define the
minimum number of points for the associated KPI:
Overallfor the sector
Per Clutterfor a clutter class in the sector
Per Distancefor a distance range in the sector
In the Survey section, type values in the following boxes to define the
minimum number of points for the associated KPI:
n
Overallfor the survey

Per Clutter/Distancefor each clutter class in each distance
range in the survey
Per Clutterfor a clutter class in the survey
Per Distancefor a distance range in the survey
Enable the Display Column to display the number of points in the

analysis results.
Click the Reliability tab.

The purpose of the Reliability indicator is to provide an assessment of the
reliability of data. This is derived from the number of survey points in the
sample and the number of unreliable points based on the variance of the
errors. See Reliability on page390.
The values you define on this tab represent the thresholds that define how the
Reliability indicator is classified in the results.
In the Model section, for the Overall KPI, type a value in each
threshold box for the propagation model.
10
11
In the Sector section, type a value in each threshold box for the
associated KPI:
n
Overallfor the sector
Per Clutterfor a clutter class in the sector
Per Distancefor a distance range in the sector
In the Survey section, type a value in each threshold box for

the associated KPI:
n
12
13
Overallfor the survey

Per Clutter/Distancefor each clutter class in each
distance range in the survey
Per Clutterfor a clutter class in the survey
Per Distancefor a distance range in the survey
Enable the Display Column to display a Reliability column in

the analysis results.
Click the Distance tab.
The values on this tab represent the ranges from a survey point to the
sector.
14
Click Add to add a new distance range.
Chapter 11

You can generate a propagation model analysis based on the following parameters:
n
SectorThe analysis is run on all surveys assigned to the chosen

sector(s). If a chosen sector has no assigned surveys, it is not
included in the analysis.
SurveyThe analysis is run on all sectors that are included in the
chosen survey(s).
To generate a propagation model analysis from sectors

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category, rightclick Propagation Model Analyses and choose New
From
Sectors.
The Propagation Model Analysis Sector Selection dialog box opens.
Specify the sectors for which you want to generate analyses by

choosing one of the following options in the Sector Selection section:
n
All Sectors to generate analyses for all sectors in the project.

window.
The sectors that will be included in the analysis are displayed in the Selected
Sectors list.
Click Generate.
The Analysis Results dialog box opens and a new analysis node is
created in the Project Explorer. The name of the new analysis node is
analysis_<current date and time>.
To generate a propagation model analysis from surveys

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analyses category,

right-click Propagation Model Analyses and choose New
From Surveys.
The Propagation Model Analysis Survey Selection dialog box opens.
Enable the check boxes next to those surveys you want to

include in the analysis.
Click Generate.
The Analysis Results dialog box opens and a new analysis node is
created in the Project Explorer. The name of the new analysis node is
analysis_<current date and time>.
Chapter 11

The Analysis Results dialog presents information about the analysis based on the
thresholds you defined in Defining analysis settings.
The columns of information can include:
To view analysis results

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Network Analysis category, expand

the Propagation Model Analyses node and double-click the analysis
you want to view.
The Analysis Results dialog box opens.
In the tree view of the Analysis Results dialog box, do any of the
following:
n
Click the Sectors node to view results related to all the sectors
Expand the Sectors node and choose an individual sector to view
results specific to that sector.
Expand an individual sector node to view information related to
clutter classes and distance ranges for that sector.
Click the Models node to view results related to all the propagation
models included in the analysis.
Expand the Models node and choose an individual propagation
model to view results specific to that propagation model.
Expand an individual propagation model to view information related
to clutter classes and distance ranges for that propagation model.
Click the Surveys node to view results related to all the surveys
Expand the Surveys node and choose an individual survey to view
results specific to that sector.
Expand an individual survey node to view information related to
clutter classes and distance ranges for that survey.
Click the Clutter node to view results related to clutter

classes for the entire analysis.
Click the Distance node to view results related to distance
ranges for the entire analysis.
Click the Export All Results to Excel button to save all analysis
results to an Excel file.
Click the Export Sheet to Excel button to save the current

worksheet to an Excel file.
Click the Charts button to view pre-designed charts of analysis

results information.
TIP: Click a column header to sort information in ascending or descending

order.
TIP: Double-click a cell in the Sector, Site, Survey, or Model columns to drill
down to the details.
To view related sector information

You can view other information related to propagation model analysis from the
Sites category of the Project Explorer.
n

the sector node for which you want to view information and
choose Surveys
Compare to Modeled Prediction.
Chapter 11
The following tabs display:

n
Survey Vs Distance a chart of survey versus distance values
Histograma histogram at the sector level
Dataan optional table showing the corresponding survey value

and prediction value for every survey point in the sector. This table
is only available when there is one sector-survey pair (i.e., The Data
tab does not display if more than one survey is assigned to the
sector.)
Histograma histogram at the sector level
Dataan optional table showing the corresponding survey value

and prediction value for every survey point in the sector. This table
is only available when there is one sector-survey pair (i.e., The Data
tab does not display if more than one survey is assigned to the
sector.)
TIP: To view what surveys are assigned to a sector, choose the sector in the Sites
category of the Project Explorer, right-click, and choose Surveys
Assigned
Surveys.
To view related survey information

Operational Data category of the Project Explorer.
n
In the Project Explorer, in the Operational Data category, rightclick the survey for which you want to view information and choose
Analyze
Compare to Modeled Prediction.

n
Histograma histogram at the survey level
Dataa table showing the corresponding survey value and

prediction value for every survey point in the survey
Compare to Modeled PredictionSee To compare a

survey with a modeled prediction
To view related sector-based propagation model information

Project Data category of the Project Explorer.
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick the propagation model for which you want to view
information and choose Analyze
From Sector.
The Propagation Model Analysis Sector Selection dialog box opens.
Specify the sectors for which you want to view information by

choosing one of the following options in the Sector Selection
section:
n
All Sectors to view information for all sectors in the project.

Map window.
queries.

The sectors that will be included are displayed in the Selected Sectors
list.
Click Generate.
Results from all sectors that do not use the selected propagation model
are filtered out.
Chapter 11

n
Histograma histogram at the propagation model level
To view related survey-based propagation model information

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click the

propagation model for which you want to view information and choose
Analyze
From Survey.
The Propagation Model Analysis Survey Selection dialog box opens.
Enable the check boxes next to those surveys for which you want to
view information.
Click Generate.
Results are calculated using only those survey that use the chosen
propagation model.

n
Histograma histogram at the propagation model level
Dataa table showing the corresponding survey value and

prediction value for every survey point in the chosen surveys.
Chapter 12 Managing Traffic

A key step in network modeling is estimating how much traffic there is on the
network and where the traffic is concentrated. Using this information, you can
gage where problem areas exist and plan how to resolve traffic congestion
issues; perhaps, by adding a new site or by changing the site configuration.
271
274
277
278
281
282
283
284
285
286
289
291
Chapter 12

Traffic maps provide data about the geographical distribution of subscriber traffic in a
network and are key to creating an accurate model of network performance. By
using well-crafted traffic maps, you ensure that with your network design, service is
available in the areas where it is most needed.
Figure 12.1: An example of a traffic hot spot

Traffic is spread across the area under consideration based on generated predictions
and the traffic density at each bin is calculated using the settings you define.
Using traffic maps

In the network planning stages, you can use demographic data to estimate
subscriber numbers. The variation in subscriber density across the network coverage
area is likely to be similar to the variation in population density.
In the network optimization phase, you can base your traffic map on network data
that reflects the actual usage patterns in the network.
There are various types of data upon which you can base a traffic map:
n
Regionstraffic data for a set of polygon regions, such as postal

codes
Managing Traffic
Vectorstraffic data for geographical vector objects, such as

roads
Classified Gridgeographical regions and a text file
containing the traffic data for each region. This can be
information converted from region and vector data.
Network Dataimported traffic data
CAUTION: Longitude/latitude projection is not supported for input data. Reproject the original region or vector table into UTM.
n If a region is inside another region in the input data, it is discarded.
n If clutter weighting is needed, the clutter file and the input table must be
in the same projection.
Conversion factors for input traffic data

The input traffic data can be measured in subscribers, Erlangs, or Kilobits per
second (Kbps). The Traffic Map Generator output is a numeric grid of traffic
density values expressed as subscribers, Erlangs, or Kbps per km2. The
conversion factors between traffic units have default values, but you can also
specify them within a range, as described in Table 1.
Table 1 Conversion factors for input
Conversion
Default Factor
Range
Subscribers to
Erlangs
0.025
0.000001 to 1.0
Erlangs to
Subscribers
40
1 to 1000000
Subscribers to Kbps
0.000001 to 1000 000
Kbps to Subscribers
0.000001 to 1000 000
Erlangs to kbps
0.000001 to 1000 000
Kbps to Erlangs
0.000001 to 1000 000
When you work with population data, your conversion factor must include the
conversion from population to subscribers, also known as the penetration rate.
For example, if your network has a penetration rate of 10% and you want to
use a subscribers-to-Erlangs conversion of 0.025, the conversion factor when
using population data is 0.0025.
Chapter 12
Traffic weighting
Including traffic in the network model ensures that the analysis outputs more closely
mirror the usage patterns in the real-world network. Adding a traffic weighting value
to the traffic data input adds further precision to the network analyses. Bins in the
traffic map can be weighted using:
n
Clutteruse this option to take the project clutter file into account
and better reflect subscriber density within specific clutter classes.
Vectoruse this option to take main arteries into account and
better reflect subscriber density along roads, for example.
Splice Clutter With Vectoruse this option to splice the vector
file (such as roads) with the project clutter file. With this option, you
merge the two grids and in overlapping areas a mathematical
calculation is performed to determine the new grid value. Null values
are ignored.
Stamp Vector On Clutteruse this option to stamp the vector file
(such as roads) onto the project clutter file. With this option, you
combine the two grids and in overlapping areas, the value in the
vector file overwrites the value in the clutter file. Null values are
ignored.
Noneuse this option when you do not want bin traffic weighting
applied.
You use the Traffic Map Generator Wizard to create all traffic maps, but the
procedure differs depending on the form of the input. Traffic maps that you create or
add to the project are displayed in the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category.
The icon beside the traffic map name indicates whether or not you can view
properties and edit the traffic map (see Table 2).
Table 2 Traffic map icons
Icon
Description
The traffic map was created within the current project using one of
the methods described in this chapter. You can view and edit
certain properties.
The traffic map was modified or added to the project. You cannot
view the properties or edit the traffic map.
Managing Traffic

Wireless network traffic is not uniform across a region. There are more
subscribers in urban and suburban areas than in forests and open land. Clutter
weighting provides a more realistic view of traffic density. When you apply
relative weighting factors, the Traffic Map Generator redistributes the amount
of traffic within each census region according to the underlying clutter types.
Figure 12.2 shows a traffic map created from population data without applying
clutter weighting. Each census region is marked with a color reflecting its total
population. Red areas are the most populated, blue areas the least. shows the
same traffic map after clutter weighting is applied.
Figure 12.2: Traffic map made from population data by region without clutter
weighting
Chapter 12
Figure 12.3:
weighting
Traffic map made from population data by region with clutter
Clutter weighting reduces the traffic data value where the underlying clutter type
implies few subscribers, for example, water, open areas, and forest. Values are
increased where the underlying clutter is urban or industrial. Only the distribution of
traffic is affected. The total amount of traffic is unchanged. You control clutter
weighting by defining a relative weighting value for each clutter type.
The clutter file you use for predictions and analyses is probably not the best one to
use for clutter weighting. Instead of ground cover types, clutter weighting requires
land use information about areas such as shopping centers, stadiums, and highways
so that subscriber densities can be determined.
Including vectors in clutter

Wireless network traffic is often concentrated along roads. It is useful to include
roads on the clutter grid so that they can be assigned clutter classes for clutter
weighting. You do this by merging your base clutter file with the vector file containing
the roads or by stamping the vector file onto the clutter grid.
During merging, vector objects are converted to bins in the clutter grid file and
assigned a clutter class. You can set the width of vector objects on the grid by
setting their buffer radius. If the vector file contains this information, you can use a
separate buffer radius setting for each type of vector object.
A vector object, such as a road, added to the clutter grid, can be assigned a clutter
class that replaces the underlying clutter type. Or, you can create a new combined
clutter type that reflects both the vector type and the underlying clutter type. For
Managing Traffic
example, you could create new clutter types such as Highway/Urban and
Highway/Open.
You can also stamp vectors into the clutter file in order to account for traffic
congestion along roads and highways, for example. With the stamping
method, bin values in the vector overwrite those in the clutter file in
overlapping areas.
Chapter 12

Step 1
In the Environment Editor, define the penetration losses. Signals

considered in traffic map generation are attenuated using the defined
penetration losses, the frequency band of the sector and the clutter class
of each bin.
Step 2
Specify the source data for the traffic map (i.e., regions, vectors, a
classified grid, or network data).
Step 3
Specify how to apply bin weighting.
Step 4
For network data, specify the traffic-spreading algorithm to use.
Step 5
If required, modify the traffic map properties. You can

n
Convert traffic maps. See Converting traffic maps.
Scale traffic maps. See Scaling traffic maps.
Combine traffic maps. See Combining traffic maps.
Managing Traffic

The procedure for creating traffic maps changes depending on the input data
you use (i.e., regions, vectors, classified grid, or network data). You can also
create a traffic map from a fixed subscriber table.
To create a traffic map

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick TrafficMaps and choose New.
The Traffic Map Generating Wizard opens.
On the General page, type a name in the Name box.

The name must contain only alphanumeric characters and no spaces.
In the Description box, type a brief description of up to 64

characters.
In the Traffic Data Input Format section, choose the traffic

data input source:
n
Regionsif your traffic data is a .tab file that defines regions

where a total traffic count is assigned to each region.
Vectorsif your traffic data is a .tab file that contains vectors
with the total traffic count assigned to each vector.
Classified Gridif your traffic data is a .grc file where a total
traffic count is assigned to clutter classes.
Network Dataif your traffic data was collected from
wireless network switching equipment that has been imported
into Mentum Planet.
In the Weighting section, choose one of the following options:

n
Clutterto assign a traffic weight to each clutter classes.
Vectorto assign a traffic weight to each type of vector.
Chapter 12
Splice Clutter With Vectorto merge the clutter file and the
vector file and assign a traffic weight to a combined clutter class.
Stamp Vector On Clutterto stamp the vector file onto the
clutter grid and assign a traffic weight to the combined clutter class.
Noneto use a constant weighting value of 1 for all bins.
To account for an indoor\outdoor traffic ratio, enable the Use Indoor

\Outdoor Traffic Ratio check box.
To take into account the indoor/outdoor traffic ratio, you must add a clutter
heights file to the Clutter Heights node within the Geodata node of the Project
Explorer or you must add a polygon file to the Polygon folder (where a polygon
file is a MapInfo table that contains three columns Polygon ID, Polygon
Type, and AGL. The AGL column is the height above ground or sea level for
each polygon).
In the Unit section, from the Input Data Unit list, choose the units
used in the input data.
From the Output Data Unit list, choose the units that you want to use
in your traffic map.
If the units for the input and output data do not match, in the
Conversion Factor box, type a conversion factor for input data unit to
output data unit, or accept the default.
When converting from subscribers, the conversion factor should account for
both the conversion of units and the conversion of population to subscribers
(penetration rate).
10 Click Next and follow the pages of the Wizard.

The pages you see depend on the selections you have made. For more
information on individual pages of the Wizard, press the F1 key.
To create a traffic map from a fixed subscriber table

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Fixed Subscribers category, rightclick the fixed subscriber table from which you want to create a traffic
map and choose Generate Traffic Map.
Managing Traffic
In the Traffic Map Generator dialog box, type a name for the
new traffic map and click Generate.
The new traffic map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the Project Data
NOTE: When you create a traffic map from a fixed subscriber table, it is
created at the resolution of the Heights grid.
Chapter 12

When you create traffic maps from network data, you can specify that traffic be
spread across the area under consideration using:
n
an existing best server coverage grid

an on-the-fly best server coverage grid (generated automatically as
part of the traffic map creation process)
sector service probabilities
Best server coverage grid

When you use a best server coverage grid, a single server is considered at each bin.
Before beginning traffic map creation, you must generate a best server layer.
On-the-fly best server coverage grid

When you have not yet generated a best server coverage grid, choose this option to
create one as part of the traffic map creation process.
Sector service probabilities

When you use the single service probability algorithm, multiple servers are
considered at each bin based on service coverage probabilities.
Managing Traffic

You can view traffic maps in the current Map window. In the Windows category
of the Project Explorer, the traffic map layer name is prefixed with TM_.
To view a traffic map

n

right-click the traffic map and choose View.
Chapter 12

Traffic maps are automatically added to the Project Explorer when you create them.
You can also add traffic maps that you did not create in the current project.
To add a traffic map to the Project Explorer

1

TrafficMaps and choose Add.
In the AddTrafficMap dialog box, navigate to the traffic map that you
want to add, and click Open.
Managing Traffic

There are various ways that you can modify and reuse the traffic maps that are
generated in Mentum Planet. All of the following operations create a new map:
n
Convert a map to a different traffic unit, changing

subscribers/km2 to Erlangs/km2, for example. See To
convert a traffic map.
Scale the traffic values by a percentage value. You could do
this to adjust for traffic growth, for example. See To scale a
traffic map by percentage.
Scale the traffic values by a positive or negative offset. See
To scale a traffic map by offset.
Scale traffic values by a multiplier depending on the
underlying clutter type. You could do this to adjust for traffic
growth in certain clutter types, for example. See To scale a
traffic map using clutter scaling factors.
Combine maps, converting traffic units as needed. The maps
must use the same coordinate system, but can be based on
different types of input data. See To combine traffic maps.
Chapter 12

You can convert a traffic map to a different traffic unit and save it as a new file.
To convert a traffic map

1
In the Project Explorer, right-click on a traffic map and choose

Convert.
The Convert Traffic Map dialog box opens.
In the Converted Traffic Map Name box, type a name for the new
traffic map, or accept the default.
From the Converted Traffic Map Unit list, choose the traffic unit to
which you want to convert.
In the Conversion Factor box, type the conversion factor, or accept

the default.
Click Convert.
The converted map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the Project Data
category of the Project Explorer. Its properties are not editable.
Managing Traffic

You can change the values in an existing traffic map by scaling them in one of
three ways:
n
multiply each value by a factor expressed as a percentage
add or subtract an offset amount to each value
multiply each value by a factor dependent on clutter type
To scale a traffic map by percentage

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick on a traffic map and choose Scale.
The Scale Traffic Map dialog box opens.
In the Scaled Traffic Map Name box, type a name for the new
map, or accept the default.
From the Scaling Method list, choose Percentage.
In the ScalingFactor box, type the scaling factor.

For percentage scaling, the factor must be between 0 and 100000,
inclusive. A value of 100% leaves the map unchanged.
Click Scale.
The scaled map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the Project Data
To scale a traffic map by offset

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, rightclick on a traffic map and choose Scale.
In the Scaled Traffic Map Name box, type a name for the new
From the Scaling Method list, choose Offset.
Chapter 12
In the ScalingOffset box, type the scaling offset.

For Offset scaling, the factor must be between -100000 and 100000.
Click Scale.
The scaled map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the Project Data category
of the Project Explorer. Its properties are not editable.
To scale a traffic map using clutter scaling factors

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click on

a traffic map and choose Scale.
In the Scaled Traffic Map Name box, type a name for the new map,
or accept the default.
From the Scaling Method list, choose Clutter.

By default, the Scaling Clutter File box shows the name of the clutter file that
was used to create the original traffic map. The project clutter file is set as the
default clutter file when the original traffic map was created without using a
clutter weighting file.
If you want to create a different clutter file, click Browse, navigate to

the clutter file that you want to use, and click Open.

n
Click Editto modify clutter scaling factors. The Clutter Property

Assignment: Clutter Scaling Factor dialog box opens.
Click Loadto open an existing Clutter Scaling Factors (.csf) file.
Click Save Asto save the clutter scaling factors to a .csf file.
If you chose Edit, in the Clutter Properties Assignment: Clutter

Scaling Factor dialog box, click in the cell and type a new value to
change Scaling Factor values in the Properties table.
Values must be positive and between 0.001 and 10000, inclusive.
Managing Traffic
When you have finished modifying values, click Save, and then
click Close.
Click Scale.
The scaled map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the Project Data
Chapter 12

You can combine traffic maps to produce a map of a larger area. The process of
combining grids is similar to that of grid splicing, except that traffic counts for
overlapping areas can be combined using any of the following methods:
n
Averagethe average traffic value at each bin of all of the traffic

maps that have coverage at that bin
Average Of Min & Maxthe average traffic value between the
minimum traffic value and the maximum traffic value at each bin of
all of the traffic maps that have coverage at that bin
Maximumthe maximum traffic value at each bin of all of the
traffic maps that have coverage at that bin
Minimumthe minimum traffic value at each bin of all of the traffic
maps that have coverage at that bin
Sumthe sum traffic value at each bin of all of the traffic maps that
have coverage at that bin
The maps that you are combining must have the same coordinate system.
Differences in traffic units between the input maps and the new combined map are
resolved through conversion. You can specify conversion factors or use the defaults.
To combine traffic maps

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click one

of the traffic maps that you want to combine and choose Combine.
The Combine Traffic Maps dialog box opens.
In the Combined Traffic Map Name box, type a name for the new
From the Combining Method list, choose the method that you want to
use to combine the traffic maps.
In the Other Compatible Traffic Maps box, enable the check boxes
beside the traffic maps that you want to combine.
Managing Traffic
From the Combined Traffic Map Unit list, choose the traffic
unit that you want to use for the new map.
Click Combine.
If you are prompted to convert traffic map units, in the Mentum

Planet dialog box, click OK.
The Assign Conversion Factors dialog box opens.
For each map that requires conversion, in the Conversion

Factor box, type the conversion factor or accept the default and
click Next.
When you have finished assigning the conversion factors, click

Finish.
The new combined traffic map is added to the Traffic Maps node in the
Project Data category of the Project Explorer. Its properties are not
editable.
NOTE: If you want to combine traffic maps that all use the same traffic unit,
you can use the quick combine method. In the Project Explorer, in the Project
Data category, choose the traffic maps that you want to combine. Right-click
any of the traffic maps you selected and choose Combine. In the Combine
Traffic Maps dialog box, type a name in the Combined Traffic Map Name box,
and click OK.
Chapter 12

You can remove a traffic map from the Project Explorer and delete the associated
traffic map files using the Project Explorer.
To delete a traffic map

1

traffic map that you want to delete and choose Delete.
Chapter 13 Working With Interference

Matrices
An interference matrix is an important input to neighbor lists as well as
frequency plans and provides early visibility of problem areas.
293
295
296
303
306
307
Chapter 13

An interference matrix compares sector signal strengths across the network and
identifies sectors that potentially interfere with each other. Sectors with similar
signal strengths produce interference when they are on the same or adjacent
channels. An interference matrix is based on a network analysis or traffic map.
For all projects, an interference matrix is used for creating neighbor lists. It is also
used as an input to other tools such as the Automatic Frequency, Preamble, and
Perm Base Planning tool.
The completed interference matrix shows the sources of interference for each sector
in a table format.
Figure 13.1: Interference matrix listing the sectors that interfere with Site TO_158,
Sector1
Histogram interference matrices

Histogram interference matrices are based on signal strength predictions (from the
propagation model and/or drive test data) and compares C/I values on a bin-by-bin
basis using the best server area that is independent of the current serving area.
During the histogram generation process, a weighting value is assigned to non-best
serving areas.
It is important to remember that histogram interference matrices account for C/I
only at the ground level and do not account for mobile use in buildings. Further, the
Working With Interference Matrices
histogram generation process approximates subscriber traffic locations, unless

it is based on a traffic map.
Histogram interference algorithms

You can use any one of three algorithms to create the interference matrix:
n
Overlapped Best Server Areagenerates a C/I histogram

where a single server is selected for each location and where
the C/I histograms account only for bins where signals
between the serving sector and the interfering signal overlap.
Best Server Areagenerates a C/I histogram where a single
server is selected for each location and where the C/I
histograms account for all the bins served by the serving
sector.
Sector Service Probabilitiesgenerates a C/I histogram
where multiple servers are considered for each location based
on service probabilities. This option is only available if all the
selected sectors are of the same technology.
Chapter 13

Step 1
Create a sector group to use when creating interference matrices. For

valid results, each step in the workflow must be based on the same
sectors. For more information about sector groups, see Working with
sector groups.
Step 2
Create signal strength predictions for the sector group. See Generating
predictions. If you want to use a best server grid for your specific
technology instead of the best server grid that is generated by the
Interference Matrix tool, generate a best server analysis. For information
on generating analyses, see the appropriate User Guide for the
Step 3
If you want to include traffic information in your interference matrix,

create a traffic map. For more information, see Chapter 8: Working with
Traffic Maps.
Step 4
Create interference matrix. See Creating interference matrices.
Step 5
View the interference matrix. See Viewing interference matrices.
Step 6
Export the interference matrix. See Exporting an interference matrix.

In Mentum Planet, a histogram interference matrix is generated on-the-fly
based on predictions. Each interference matrix consists of histograms of C/I.
There is one C/I histogram for each server-interferer pair and each histogram
represents the distribution of C/I between a server/interferer pair if they were
assigned the same carrier.
The percentage of co-channel and adjacent-channel interference is based on
the C/I histograms and the user-defined co-channel and adjacent-channel C/I
thresholds.
A green arrow identifies the active interference matrix, which will be used as
an input for other tools (such as the neighbor list generation).
To create a histogram interference matrix

1
In the RF Tools category, right-click the Interference

Matrices node, choose New
Downlink.
In the Sector Selection dialog box, specify the sectors for which
you want to create a histogram interference matrix by choosing
one of the following options in the Selection Options section:
n
All Sectors to create a histogram interference matrix for all

sectors in the project.
Map window.
queries.

The sectors that will be included in the histogram interference matrix
are displayed in the Selected Sectors list.
Chapter 13
Click OK.
The Generate a Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box opens.
In the tree view, expand the Settings node, and define the required
settings for each item listed in the tree view:
n
Calculation
Histogram
Conversion
TIP: To update an existing histogram interference matrix, in the Project Explorer, in

the RF Tools category, right-click an interference matrix and choose Update.
TIP: You can also use the Interference Matrix Generator commands accessible from
the Optimization menu.
Generate a Downlink Histogram Interference Matrix

Use the Generate a Downlink Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box to
define the settings with which to generate a histogram interference matrix for
selected sites. A histogram interference matrix can be used with the Mentum
Planet, the Renaissance AFP tool or other third-party AFP tools.
A histogram interference matrix is generated on-the-fly based on predictions.
Each interference matrix consists of histograms of C/I. There is one C/I
histogram for each server-interferer pair and each histogram represents the
distribution of C/I between a server/interferer pair if they were assigned the
same carrier.
The percentage of co-channel and adjacent-channel interference is based on
the C/I histograms and the user-defined co-channel and adjacent-channel C/I
thresholds.
Calculation
Nametype in this box a name for the new histogram interference matrix.
After you generate a histogram interference matrix, its name is added to the
Interference Matrices node in the RF Tools category of the Project Explorer.
Algorithm
Overlapped Best Server Areachoose this option to generate a C/I
histogram where a single server is selected for each location and where the C/I
histograms account only for bins where signals between the serving sector and
the interfering signal overlap.
Best Server Areachoose this option to generate a C/I histogram where a
single server is selected for each location and where the C/I histograms
account for all the bins served by the serving sector.
Server Service Probabilitieschoose this option to generate a C/I
histogram where multiple servers are considered for each location based on
service probabilities. This option is only available if all the selected sectors are
of the same technology.
Traffic
Use this section to choose a traffic map with which to generate a histogram
interference matrix. The generated histogram interference matrix will include
Chapter 13
traffic information from the chosen traffic map. Traffic maps are numeric grids
generated using the Traffic Map Generator that contain traffic data in the form of
Erlangs/km.
Use A Traffic Mapenable this check box to generate the histogram interference
matrix based on a traffic map.
Traffic Mapchoose from this list the traffic map with which to generate the
histogram interference matrix. This list is only available when the Use a Traffic Map
check box is enabled.
RSSI Thresholds
Victim RSSI Thresholdtype in this box the received signal strength threshold for
the victim. Servers with signal strengths below this value are not used to generate
the histogram interference matrix. RSSI values range from -200 to 0 dBm.
Offender RSSI Thresholdtype in this box the received signal strength threshold
for the offending signal. Interferers with signal strengths below this value are not
used to generate the histogram interference matrix. RSSI values range from -200 to
0 dBm.
Non Best Server Calculation

Use this section to define the settings that affect the serving area of all servers. This
section is only applicable to the best server algorithms and is not available for the
sector service probablities algorithm.
After the interference at each bin is calculated for a server, the Include Servers
Within and Non-best Server Weighting settings are used to weight the affected
traffic and affected area values using the following calculations:
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total affected traffic = affected traffic when the sector is the Best
Server + Non Best Server Weighting*affected traffic when the
sector is a Non Best Server
total carried traffic = traffic when the sector is the Best Server +
Non Best Server Weighting*traffic when the sector is a Non Best
Server.
% of affected traffic = total affected traffic/total carried traffic
Include Servers Withintype in this box the maximum signal strength that a
server can be less than the best server signal and be considered as non-best server.
This value must be greater than 0 to affect the generated histogram

interference matrix.
Non Best Server Weightingtype in this box the percentage of interference
that comes from areas where a server is a non-best server. The range for nonbest server weighting is 0% to 100%.
Sector Service Probability Parameters

This section is only applicable to the service probabilities algorithm.
Environmentchoose from this list the environment within which you want to
consider the sector service probabilities.
Carrier Type (for cdma2000 only)choose the carrier type to consider when
generating sector service probabilities.
Use HCL (Hierarchical Cell Layers, GSM Only)enable this check box to use
hierarchical cell layers to generate the histogram interference matrix.
Use Timing Advanced Limit (for GSM only)enable this check box to limit
the area considered in the histogram interference matrix to that of the best
server coverage region. This option is not available for generic projects.
Use Best Server Coverage Limitenable this check box to limit the area
considered in the histogram interference matrix to that of the best server
coverage region. This option is not available for generic projects.

Use the Generate a Downlink Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box to
define the settings with which to generate a histogram interference matrix for
selected sites. A histogram interference matrix can be used with the Mentum
Planet, Renaissance AFP tool or other third-party AFP tools.
A histogram interference matrix is generated "on-the-fly" by calculating C/I
and C/A values at each bin across the network and determining the probability
of a sector being an interferer. In each histogram interference matrix, C/I
values are calculated for "strong" interferers and the C/I mean and standard
deviation values are calculated for "weak" interferers. Which interferers are
considered strong and which are considered "weak" is determined by the
thresholds that you define.
Chapter 13
Histogram
Histogram Intervals
Minimum C/Itype in this box the minimum C/I value stored in the histogram.
Maximum C/Itype in this box the maximum C/I value stored in the histogram.
Number Of Stepstype in this box the size of the intervals for the histogram.
Histogram Based Interferers Filtering

Use Nth Strongestenable this check box to set the number of strongest
interferers for which to save full histograms. Only average and standard deviation
values are saved for other interferers. In the box to the right, type the number of
strongest interferers for which to save full histograms.
Use Relative Thresholdenable this check box to define the relative threshold
used choose the interferers for which to save full histograms. Full histograms are
saved for an interferer that has an average C/I value that is lower than the worst
interferer C/I value plus the relative threshold. In the box to the right, type a value
for the relative threshold.
Use Absolute Thresholdenable this check box to define the absolute threshold
used choose the interferers for which to save full histograms. Full histograms are
saved for interferers that have an average C/I value that is lower than the absolute
threshold. In the box to the right, type a value for the absolute threshold.

Use the Generate a Downlink Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box to define the
settings with which to generate a histogram interference matrix for selected sites. A
histogram interference matrix can be used with the Mentum PlanetRenaissance AFP
tool or other third-party AFP tools.
A histogram interference matrix is generated "on-the-fly" by calculating C/I and C/A
values at each bin across the network and determining the probability of a sector
being an interferer. In each histogram interference matrix, C/I values are calculated
for "strong" interferers and the C/I mean and standard deviation values are
calculated for "weak" interferers. Which interferers are considered strong and
which are considered "weak" is determined by the thresholds that you define.
Conversion
Affected Traffic Thresholds
Use this panel to view the settings taken into account when exporting an
interference matrix in order to produce the probabilities of area/traffic
interference for co-channel and adjacent channels.
Co-channel Thresholdtype in this box the signal strength below which cochannel interferers are considered affected traffic. This box is only available
when the User Defined Values option is chosen.
Adj. Channel Thresholdtype in this box the signal strength below which
adjacent channel interferers are considered affected traffic. This box is only
available when the User Defined Values option is chosen.
Chapter 13

You can view the interferers and their effects for each sector in a table format. The
interference metrics displayed include:
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Co-channel affected area (km2)
Co-channel affected area (%)
Adjacent channel affected area (km2)
Adjacent channel affected area (%)
To view a histogram interference matrix

1
In the RF Tools category, expand the Interference Matrices node,

right-click the histogram interference matrix that you want to view, and
choose View.
The Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box opens.
In the Histogram InterferenceMatrix dialog box, do any of the

following:
n
In the Servers tree view, choose a sector and view its interferers in
the Interferers table.
To view adjacent channel interferers in a histogram

interference matrix, in the Interference Display section,
choose the Adjacent Channel option.
To view co-channel interferers in a histogram interference
matrix, in the Interference Display section, choose the CoChannel option.
To view the Interferer Histogram curve of an interfering
sector, click Browse in the Display Curve column. The Curve
Editor dialog is displayed. For more information about the
Curve Editor, press the F1 key.
To view histogram interference matrix settings

1
In the RF Tools category, expand the Interference Matrices

node.
Expand the Modeled node and choose a histogram interference

matrix.
Right-click and choose View Settings.
Chapter 13
The Histogram Interference Matrix dialog box opens where you can view the
setting used in the generation of the interference matrix as well as details
about the creation of the matrix.
When you have finished reviewing the details, click Close.

You can export an interference matrix in order to examine how interference is
affecting your network. By default, the interference matrix is exported to a .txt
file.
To export an interference matrix

n
In the ProjectExplorer, in the RF Tools category, rightclick the interference matrix that you want to export, and
choose Export.
Chapter 13

You can delete interference matrices from the Project Explorer.
To delete interference matrices

1
In the ProjectExplorer, in the RF Tools category, choose the

interference matrices that you want to delete.
Right-click and choose Delete and, in the Confirmation dialog box,

click Yes.
Chapter 14 Managing Neighbor Relationships

In order to design a wireless network where users can move between sectors
smoothly with no interruption of service, you need to understand how sites
influence each other and how they can better interact with each other. To do
this, you create a neighbor plan that encompasses sector neighbor lists and
using this information, you can determine the best handover strategy for the
network and make appropriate decisions about network design.
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312
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Chapter 14

Each sector in a wireless network coordinates with its neighbors to maintain good
quality coverage to mobile users. As a mobile user reaches the margins of coverage
within a sector, stronger signals become available from other sectors. Through a
process called handover, the network re-routes the users call to one of the neighbor
sectors to maintain the connection.
Figure 14.1: Neighbors displayed in the Map window

There is a wide variety of criteria that can be used to identify neighbors and nonneighbors. Mentum Planet includes a flexible neighbor plan creation process that
ensures the neighbor plan you are working with is the one best suited for your
network environment. You can create neighbor plans for one technology or for
multiple technologies and you can focus plans on specific environments (either
indoor or outdoor).
As part of the neighbor planning process, predictions are generated and the overlap
of signals between sectors determines neighbor candidacy.
Managing Neighbor Relationships
Figure 14.2: Because the serving areas overlap significantly, these sites are
considered to be neighbors
The fundamental elements of the neighbor planning process are:
n
Neighbor Lists, which are defined at the sector level and

define which sectors are neighbors.
Black Lists, which are defined at the sector level and contain
the list of neighboring sectors that are not available and will
not be considered as part of the neighbor planning process.
Neighbor Plans, which are defined at the network level and
encompass the neighbor lists for the sectors selected. A
neighbor plan is a database of each sector's nearby sites and
sectors along with the sites and sectors that are black-listed.
Chapter 14

Step 1
Create a sector group or choose an existing sector group. For valid

results, each step in the workflow must be based on the same sectors.
Step 2
In the network settings, define the base station type and associated
neighbor planning criteria such as the maximum number of neighbors
permitted, the handover type and the boundary for the base station type.
Step 3
In the Site Editor, at the sector level, define a black list that identifies
neighbors that are not available.
To quickly define black lists, you can export Neighbor and Black Lists,
update the lists, and re-import the data.
Step 4
If you are creating a neighbor plan based on the best server, generate a
best server coverage layer.
Step 5
If you are creating a neighbor plan based on interference, generate an

interference matrix.
Step 6
Create a neighbor plan using the Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard to

define:
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the sectors to include
the type of neighbor plan to create
the algorithm
the frequencies and carriers to include
Step 7
Optimize the neighbor plan.
Step 8
If required:
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Compare a neighbor plan with another one.
View the details of the neighbor plan in the tabular editor.
View neighbor relationships in the Map window using the Carrier and
Code Display available from the Optimization menu. Each type of
neighbor relationship is displayed with a unique color.
Step 9 Once you have determined the best plan, apply it to sectors.

For each combination of technologies (e.g., GSM to WCDMA, LTE to 1xRTT,
WiMAX, etc.), there is a variety of neighbor plan types:
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Intra-RATaccounting for neighbors using the same radio

access technology.
Inter-RATaccounting for neighbors using different radio
access technologies.
Intra-Carrieraccounting for neighbors using the same
technology and carrier.
Inter-Carrieraccounting for neighbors using the same
technology but different carriers.
And, for each neighbor plan type there is a choice of neighbor plan algorithm:
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the best server algorithm
the interference matrix algorithm
the service probabilities algorithm
Best Server algorithm

The Best Server algorithm uses a best serving sector classified grid to examine
the best server coverage area (i.e., the area where the signal is strongest) of
each sector. You must generate a best server layer before beginning neighbor
planning.
Neighbors are sectors with adjacent best server coverage areas. However,
this definition could result in a large number of neighbors. Therefore, you can
set minimum length requirements for the common border between coverage
areas to reduce the number of sectors that qualify as neighbors. With the Best
Server method, the priority of neighbors is determined based on the area
between a server and a neighbor.
Chapter 14
Interference Matrix algorithm

Creating a neighbor list from an interference matrix is a more sophisticated
technique than the Best Server method. An interference matrix calculates the effect
of sectors upon each other, both as interferers and as potential neighbors. An
interference matrix can be based on any or all of the following:
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a best server sector classified grid
a traffic map
You must generate an interference matrix before beginning neighbor planning.
Service Probabilities algorithm

The service probability algorithm is based on predictions generated in Mentum
Planet. It ensures that cells with overlapping coverage areas are defined as
neighbors.
Service probabilities and handover probabilities are calculated in order to define
which cells are neighbors.

You can create a neighbor plan for single-technology or multi-technology
networks. The Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard steps you through the process
of creating a neighbor plan.
NOTE: The more detailed the neighbor requirements, the better suited the
neighbor planning results will be to your network environment. To help you
analyze neighbor planning results, neighbors are prioritized based on carried
traffic or coverage area.
To create a neighbor plan

1
In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click

Neighbor Plans and choose New.
In the Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard, type a name for the

neighbor plan and, optionally, a description.
In the Sector Selection section, choose one of the following

options:
n
All to include all sites in the neighbor plan.

Map window.
queries.
In the Band Filtering section, enable the check box next to

those bands you want to include in your sector selection.
Click Next and follow the pages of the Wizard.
Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard Name, Description And Sectors
Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard

Use the Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard to create a new neighbor plan to
better understand how neighboring sectors interact.
Name, description, and Sectors

Nametype in this box a name for the neighbor plan.
Descriptiontype in this box additional information about the neighbor plan.
Sector Selection
Selection Options
Allchoose this option to include all sectors in the generation process. The
number of sites and sectors is displayed in parentheses. The label changes to
reflect the technology of valid sectors from which you can select. For example,
if you are using the Automatic Frequency Planning tool, only TDMA sectors are
valid. In this case, the label reads All TDMA Sectors.
Current Selectionchoose this option to select those sectors currently
selected in the Map window.
Flag Filteringchoose this option to include those sites identified with the
flag and condition enabled in the Project Explorer.
Invert Conditionsenable this check box to include those sites that are not
part of the flag filter selected in the Project Explorer.
Group Selectionchoose this option to select those sectors that are part of
the specified group.
Query Selectionchoose this option to select sectors based on the
specified query.
Band Filtering
Use the Band Filtering section to choose the bands upon which you want to
create a subset of sites. Enable the check box next to the bands you want to
include. Only those bands defined in the Network Settings Editor are
displayed.
Add New Neighbor

Use the Neighbor Plan Generator Wizard to create a new neighbor list to better
understand how neighboring sectors interact.
Neighbor Plan Type and Algorithm

Neighbor Plan Type
Enable the check box next to those neighbor plan types you want to create.
Algorithm
Best Serverchoose this algorithm to use a best serving sector classified
grid to examine the best server coverage area (i.e., the area where the signal
is strongest) of each sector.
Interference Matrixchoose this algorithm to use an interference matrix in
the neighbor planning process. An interference matrix calculates the effect of
sectors upon each other, both as interferers and as potential neighbors and
can be based on any or all of the following:
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a best server sector classified grid
a traffic map
Service Probabilitieschoose this algorithm to base the neighbor plan on a

calculated coverage probability.
Neighbor List Generator Wizard Algorithm Parameters

Algorithm Parameters
Best Serving Sector Layerchoose from this list the best serving sector
layer you want to use to determine neighbor relationships.
Use Absolute Border Length Thresholdenable this check box to define
the minimum border length between the coverage area of two sectors to
consider them as neighbors. In the box to the right, type the absolute border
length. This box is only available when the Use Absolute Border Length
Threshold check box is enabled.
Use Relative Border Length Thresholdenable this check box to define
the minimum common border length relative to the total border length of the
reference sector that is required to consider the sectors as neighbors. In the
box to the right, type a percentage to define the relative border length. This
box is only available when the Use Relative Border Length Threshold check box
is enabled.
NOTE: When both the Use Absolute Border Length Threshold and Use
Relative Border Length Threshold check boxes are enabled, sectors must meet
both conditions to be considered neighbors.
Neighbor List Generator Wizard Threshold Parameters

Threshold Parameters
NOTE: Parameters with a value of zero are ignored in the neighbor planning
process.
Use Absolute Areaenable this check box to define the minimum interfering
area between two sectors. Neighbors are ranked by overlapping coverage area
and included, in descending order, until the maximum number of neighbors is
reached.
Use Relative Areaenable this check box to use the relative area (as a
percentage) when ranking neighbors and type a percentage in the associated
box. Neighbors are ranked by the size of the overlapping coverage area
relative to the value defined.
Use Absolute Trafficenable this check box to define the minimum level of
traffic between two sectors. Neighbors are ranked by traffic in the overlapping
coverage area and included, in descending order, until the maximum number
of neighbors is reached.
Use Relative Trafficenable this check box to define the minimum
percentage of traffic between two sectors. Neighbors are ranked by the traffic
in the overlapping coverage area relative to this sectors traffic and included,
in descending order, until the maximum number of neighbors is reached.
Chapter 14
Determine Priority Usingchoose from this list one of the following options:
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Areachoose this option to prioritize neighbors based on the area

handed over from sector to neighbor.
Trafficchoose this option to prioritize neighbors based on amount
of traffic handed over from sector to neighbor.
Areachoose this option to prioritize neighbors based on the area
handed over from sector to neighbor.
Trafficchoose this option to prioritize neighbors based on amount
of traffic handed over from sector to neighbor.
Adding neighbor plans to the Project Explorer

Neighbor plans are automatically added to the Project Explorer when you
create them. However, you can also add an existing neighbor plan to your
project.
To add a neighbor plan to the Project Explorer

1

NeighborPlans and choose Add.
Navigate to the neighbor plan you want to add, and click Open.
The neighbor plan is added to the Neighbor Plans node in the
ProjectExplorer and saved in the NeighborList folder within the project.
Chapter 14
Viewing neighbor relationships

You can view details about neighbor relationships in the tabular editor or you can
view neighbor relationships for any sector graphically in a Map window.
Figure 14.1: Neighbor display. The color of the line indicates the type of neighbor
(i.e., inter-RAT or intra-RAT).
To view neighbor relationships in the Tabular Editor

1
In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click a

neighbor plan and choose View.
Using the buttons on the tool strip, you can:

n
change how the data is displayed
view data graphically as a point, line, or column
generate statistics
NOTE: If you have already exported the neighbor plan to Excel, you can view
details of the plan by right-clicking and choosing Open File in Excel.
To view neighbor relationships

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, double-click the

sector for which you want to view neighbors or sites that are on
the black list.
In the Site Editor, in the tree view, choose the sector.
Click the Neighbor List tab.
On the Neighbor tab, define the display criteria to filter the

number of candidate neighbors listed.
Click Add to add neighbors to the sector.
Specify those sectors you want to consider as neighbors and then

click Add.
To view the neighbor relationships, click View In Map.

The neighbor list information is displayed in the active Map window.
NOTE: You can also view neighbor relationships using the Carrier and Code
display dialog box accessible from the Optimization menu.
Chapter 14
Comparing neighbor plans

The Neighbor Plan Generator can produce several neighbor plans for the same
sectors using different settings. You can compare any two of these plans in the Data
Comparison dialog box and, from there, export data to Excel or to .csv files for
further analysis.
To compare neighbor plans

1
In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, choose the

neighbor plans that you want to compare.
Right-click and choose Compare.

The Data Comparison dialog box opens.
To filter the data in the neighbor plan comparison, from the Filtering
list, choose which data you would like displayed.
Use the buttons on the toolbar to sort data, display graphs, or

generate statistics.
When you have finished examining the data, click Close.
Chapter 14
Optimizing neighbor plans

You can optimize neighbor plans and apply results to the neighbor lists for the
selected sectors.
To optimize the current neighbor plan

1
In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, right-click the

Neighbor Plans node and choose Optimize.
In the Neighbor Plan Optimization Wizard, specify the sectors you

want to optimize by choosing any of the following:
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window.
In the Band Filtering section, enable the check box next to those
bands you want to include in your sector selection.
Click Next.
Specify the sectors you want to consider by choosing any of the

following:
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window.

queries.

The number of sectors to consider should be greater than the number of
sectors to optimize.
Click Next and follow the pages of the Wizard to define the
optimization criteria.
To optimize neighbor plans

1

the neighbor plan you want to optimize and choose Optimize.
In the Neighbor List Optimization Wizard, choose one of the

following options:
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Map window.
queries.

Click Next and follow the pages of the Wizard to define the
optimization criteria.
Chapter 14
Applying neighbor plans

When you apply a neighbor plan, you have the choice to merge or replace the
currently assigned one. When you:
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merge two neighbor plans, those neighbors that exist in the new
plan but are not in the currently assigned plan are added.
replace the currently assigned plan with the new plan, all neighbor
relationships are replaced.
To merge neighbor plans

1

neighbor plan that you want to merge with the currently assigned one.
Right-click and choose Apply
Merge.
Missing neighbors are added to the neighbor lists associated with sectors in
the plan.
To replace neighbor plans

1

neighbor plan that will replace the currently assigned one.
Right-click and choose Apply
Replace.
All neighbors are added to the neighbor lists associated with sectors in the
plan.
Deleting neighbor plans

You can delete neighbor plans using the Project Explorer.
To delete a neighbor plan

1
In the Project Explorer, in the RF Tools category, choose one

or more neighbor plans, right-click and choose Delete.
In the Mentum Planet dialog box, click Yes.
Chapter 15 Optimizing Network Design

You can optimize network design using the Automatic Cell Planning (ACP)
features of Mentum Planet in order to extend coverage and increase capacity
by fine tuning antenna parameters and by activating only those sites that best
fit the network design and goals.
NOTE: Only LTEFDD, LTE TDD, cdma2000, and EV-DO are supported in this
release.
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Before you begin
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335
336
Chapter 15

More and more people are embracing wireless technologies and incorporating them
into their day-to-day lives using applications that require greater bandwidth. As a
result, efficiently designing a network with optimal capacity and the greatest
possible coverage while still maintaining a high quality communication grid is the
ultimate goal. You must fulfill this goal by effectively balancing network coverage,
capacity, quality, and cost.
Figure 15.1: Balancing Coverage/Capacity/Quality in network optimization.
Optimizing Network Design
Better network design

Using the Mentum Planet Automatic Cell Planning (ACP) tool to fine tune the
network design, you can significantly improve the overall quality of the
network by:
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Optimizing network performance
Resolving network issues such as coverage gaps or holes
Delivering higher received signal strength levels
Improving system quality
Providing higher capacity
Figure 15.2: Improving the quality of the network design

The ACP tool performs two key functions.
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Provides you with a list of potential changes to antenna

parameters (e.g., mechanical azimuth and tilt, electrical
azimuth, tilt, and beamwidth)
Proposes those sites, from a list of candidate sites, that
should be activated and those that should be deactivated.
Chapter 15
Lower cost
Automatic Cell Planning reports detail potential improvements to the network that
can involve:
n
changing the antenna model used
modifying individual antenna parameters
fine tuning power and repeater gains
activating or deactivating sites
Some of these improvements can be implemented remotely in a cost-effective

manner. For example, you can:
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optimize the electrical tilt to increase the coverage area
increase the pilot power to cover a larger coverage area
change the electrical azimuth to deal with interference
use an antenna pattern that is more suited to network requirements
NOTE: The ACP tool supports shared antennas.
Before you begin

Initial planning is important before using Mentum Planet to optimize your
network.
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Analyzing the networkgain an understanding of where

problem areas are located and which sites are impacted.
Determining your network strategydetermine whether
you want to consider changes to site parameters only or if you
want to only activate or deactivate sites. You might want to
do both.
Establishing the objectives of network optimization
decide which goals you want to include in the optimization. For
example, do you want to consider both the uplink coverage
and the capacity of the network in the optimization and, if so,
do you want goals to have the same impact on the results.
Settle on network performance targets that are in line with
your overall objectives and decide the cost you are willing to
assume.
Defining the optimization area and the sectors to
considerspecify the areas you want to optimize as well as
the list of sectors and repeaters to be accounted for during the
optimization. You need to carefully choose those sites to
consider because too large a selection will result in a longer
computation time while too few may produce inaccurate
results. If required, create area grids to delineate the different
areas to include in the optimization.
After the preparatory work is complete, follow the recommended workflow to

optimize your network.
Chapter 15

Step 1
In the Environment Editor, if required, define the penetration losses to be

considered in the network optimization.
Step 2
In the Site Editor, for the antennas being used, define the optimization
constraints.
Step 3
In the Optimization category of the Project Explorer, create an

optimization profile. You can create more than one profile to address
different situations.
Step 4
Define the goals and constraints to which you want network optimization
to adhere.
Step 5
If required, create one or several combined goals to merge goals based on

the weight assigned to each one.
Step 6
Define optimization settings including the optimization type, the sector

and repeater selection and, if you have chosen the site selection mode,
the activation mode and criteria.
Step 7
Create an optimization scenario.
Step 8
If you have chosen site selection, view the site selection report and , if
acceptable, apply site selection changes.
Step 9
If you have chosen site optimization, view the optimization report and, if
acceptable, apply optimization changes.

The Project Explorer in Mentum Planet provides easy access to core
functionality, grouping network design and optimization features in easy-touse categories. Network optimization functionality is contained within the
Optimization category.
NOTE: There are two versions of the ACP available: Cluster_ACP and ACP.
Using the Cluster_ACP version, you can optimize a maximum of 100 sectors.
The ACP version extends this limit. For more information, visit mentum.com.
Figure 15.3: Optimization category of the Project Explorer

The network optimization process encompasses the following key elements in
Mentum Planet:
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Optimization constraintsdefine the criteria used to

optimize the antenna configuration. You define constraints on
the Optimization Constraints tab in the Site Editor for each
antenna.
Optimization goalsdefine the criteria used to evaluate the
quality of the network as well as the constraints that must be
respected.
Optimization profilescontain the optimization goals and
include multiple goals as well as combined goals.
Chapter 15
Optimization settingsinclude the optimization type, sector and

repeater selection, and site selection mode (i.e., site
activation/deactivation). Defining optimization settings is the first
step in creating an optimization.
Optimization scenariosdefine the optimization areas and
environment, equipment type, and traffic. Using optimization
scenarios, you can optimize different areas of the network or you
can test results for different optimization goals , different traffic
conditions, or different environments. Creating a scenario is the
second step in creating an optimization.
Using optimization goals

Optimization goals aim to define network coverage and capacity targets. For each
technology, there is an associated list of goals. For each goal, there is a defined
weight that indicates the importance of the goal in the network optimization process.
You can further refine optimization goals by using bin weighting through the use of a
traffic map or customized grid.
NOTE: Optimization goals take into account the penetration losses that are defined
in the Environment Editor.
cdma2000 and 1xRTT

Pilot Ec Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in the
optimization area exceeding the pilot Ec threshold. To evenly distribute the coverage
across all sectors in the network, enable the Balance Footprints check box and define
a weight where a 0 results in the balance footprint option not impacting the
optimization and a weight of 1 signifies that the balance footprint option will have the
same impact as the Pilot Ec Coverage goal.
Pilot Ec/Io Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in
the optimization area exceeding the pilot Ec/Io threshold.
Capacitythe goal is for sectors to have loads as close as possible to the userdefined target cell load.
Uplink Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in the
optimization area exceeding the uplink signal strength threshold.
Pilot Ec Coverage Limitthe goal is to minimize the area or traffic with all
bins in the optimization area exceeding the pilot Ec threshold.
First Minus Nth Signalthe goal is to maximize the area or traffic in the
optimization area for which the difference between the first pilot Ec and the
Nth pilot Ec exceeds the first minus signal strength threshold.
cdma2000 and EV-DO

Pilot Ec Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in
the optimization area exceeding the pilot Ec threshold. To evenly distribute the
coverage across all sectors in the network, enable the Balance Footprints
check box and define a weight where a 0 results in the balance footprint option
not impacting the optimization and a weight of 1 signifies that the balance
footprint option will have the same impact as the Pilot Ec Coverage goal.
Pilot Ec/Io Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all
bins in the optimization area exceeding the pilot Ec/Io threshold.
Capacitythe goal is for sectors to have loads as close as possible to the
user-defined target cell load.
Uplink Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in
the optimization area exceeding the uplink signal strength threshold.
Limit Coveragethe goal is to minimize the area or traffic in the optimization
area for which the pilot Ec exceeds the pilot Ec threshold.
First Minus Nth Signalthe goal is to maximize the area or traffic in the
optimization area for which the difference between the first pilot Ec and the
Nth pilot Ec exceeds the first minus signal strength threshold.
LTE FDD and LTETDD

RSRP Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in the
optimization area exceeding the RSRP threshold.
RSRQ Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all bins in
the optimization area exceeding the RSRQ threshold.
Reference C/(N+I) Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic
with all bins in the optimization area exceeding the Reference C/(N+I)
threshold.
Chapter 15
Downlink C/(N+I) Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all
bins in the optimization area exceeding the Downlink C/(N+I) threshold.
Spectral Efficiencythe goal is to optimize the spectral efficiency that can be
achieved. By using a traffic map to optimize the spectral efficiency in areas with a lot
of traffic, you can improve the overall network capacity.
Capacitythe goal is for sectors to have loads as close as possible to the userdefined target cell load.
Uplink Coveragethe goal is to maximize the area or traffic with all sectors in the
optimization area exceeding the uplink signal strength threshold.
Limit Coveragethe goal is to minimize the area or traffic in the optimization area
for which the RSRP exceeds the RSRP threshold.
Understanding site selection

Network optimization encompasses two phases:
n
site selection, where sites are activated or deactivated in

order to achieve the defined goals
site optimization, where antenna parameters are optimized to
achieve the defined goals
Site selection is the first of those phases and can be a long and tedious task
depending on the number of sites involved. Using the Mentum Planet
optimization features facilitate this work. Once you have specified the sites to
consider and the sites to optimize, Mentum Planet:
Generates predictions for the sites to consider.
Determines site status:

n
For site activation, activates a number of sites that were not

initially active in order to improve the network quality.
For site deactivation, deactivates a number of active sites
while minimizing the network quality degradation.
Assigns an activation/deactivation flag as defined in the

optimization settings.
Chapter 15
Optimizing the network

Easy-to-use Wizards take you through each step of the optimization configuration.
Once complete, the progress of the network optimization is displayed and you can
choose to stop the optimization at any time.
Figure 15.4: Example of optimization progress graphs

NOTE: To preserve disk space, you should periodically delete the optimization
caches (i.e., delete the pathloss structure used by all existing optimizations). To do
this, right-click the Optimizations node and choose Delete All Optimization Caches.
To delete optimization caches automatically once an optimization is complete, in the
User Preferences dialog box, on the Miscellaneous panel, clear the Retain
Optimization Cache check box.
To create an optimization profile

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, right-click

Optimization Profiles and choose New.
In the Optimization Profile Editor, in the tree view, right-click Goals

and choose the technology.
On the associated panel, define the required parameters.
Press F1 for additional information on available parameters.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to add additional goals.
To create a combined goal and associated weighting value, in the

tree view, choose the top-level Goals node.
On the associated panel, Ctrl+click to select the goals you want

to combine and then do one of the following:
n
Click the Add Combined Goal button on the tool strip
Right-click and choose Combine
The combined goal is added to the tree view.
Expand the Combined Goal node and choose the newly created
combined goal.
On the associated panel, assign a weight to the combined goal

and specify the logical operator to use when linking the goals.
A weight of zero means the goal won't have an impact on the
optimization results.
If required, group goals (e.g., group RSRP and RSRQ).

A red bracket identifies those goals that are grouped.
10
Click OK.
To optimize the network

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, rightclick Optimizations and choose New.
Follow the pages of the Optimization Settings Wizard and

define required parameters.
Press F1 for additional information on available parameters.
On the Final Step page, choose one of the following options:
Chapter 15
Save Optimization Settingsto save optimization settings and

close the Wizard. The optimization is added to the Project Explorer.
To create a scenario, right-click and choose Create Scenario.
Save Settings And Open Scenario Wizardto save the
optimization settings and create a scenario.
Click Finish.
If you chose to create a scenario, in the Scenario Wizard, type a

descriptive name for the scenario, and click Next.
Follow the pages of the Wizard to define the scenario and then click
Finish.
Creating optimization profiles

Easy-to-use Wizards take you through the process of optimizing the network.
This section contains examples of how you can use optimization goals.
EXAMPLE: You could create two LTE goals:RSRP Coverage and RSRQ
Coverage. You could then combine these goals in order to optimize your
network.
To create an optimization profile for LTE goals

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, rightclick Optimization Profiles and choose New.
In the Optimization Profile Editor, in the tree view, right-click

Goals and choose Add LTE FDD Goal.
On the associated panel, define the required parameters as

shown below.
Chapter 15
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to add another goal for RSRQ Coverage.
To create a combined goal and associated weighting value, in the tree

view, choose the top-level Goals node.
On the associated panel, ctrl+click to select the two goals you

defined, then right-click and choose Combine.
combined goal.
EXAMPLE: You could create two goals for different technologies: RSRP and
Pilot Ec and then use them to optimize your network.
Chapter 15
To create an optimization profile with goals for disparate

technologies
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, right-click

Optimization Profiles and choose New.
In the Optimization Profile Editor, in the tree view, right-click Goals

and choose Add LTE Goal.
On the associated panel, define the required parameters as shown

below.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to add a cdma2000 goal for Pilot Ec Coverage as

shown below.
EXAMPLE: You could create two cdma2000 goals: Pilot Ec and Pilot Ec/Io. You
could then combine these two goals in order to optimize your network.
To create an optimization profile for cdma2000 goals

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, rightclick Optimization Profiles and choose New.
In the Optimization Profile Editor, in the tree view, right-click

Goals and choose Add Cdma2000 - 1xRTT Goal.
On the associated panel, define the required parameters as

shown below.
Chapter 15
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to add a goal for Pilot Ec/Io Coverage and define
parameters as shown below.
To create a combined goal and associated weighting value, in the

tree view, choose the top-level Goals node.
On the associated panel, Ctrl+click to select the two goals you

defined and then right-click and choose Combine.
combined goal.
Chapter 15
On the associated panel, assign a weight of 1 to the combined goal.

A weight of zero means the goal won't have an impact on the optimization
results.
Click OK.
Viewing site selection and optimization results

Mentum Planet includes several pre-defined reports that provide detailed
information on the site selection and network optimization process.
To view site selection results

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, rightclick a scenario and choose Display Site Selection Report, and
then choose one of the following options:
n
Goalsto view the percentage of improvement against the

initial configuration at each step in the optimization process.
Step 0 is the initial configuration.
Configurationto view the complete network configuration
after a specific step of the site selection.
Configuration Changesto view the current and optimized
status of antenna parameters.
When you have finished viewing results, click Close.
To view optimization results

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, rightclick a scenario and choose Display Optimization Report, and
then choose one of the following:
n
Goalsto view the percentage of improvement against the

initial configuration at each step in the optimization process.
Step 0 is the initial configuration.
Configuration to view the complete network configuration
after a specific step in the optimization process.
Configuration Changesto view current and optimized
values of the antenna parameters.
When you have finished viewing results, click Close.
Chapter 15
Applying site selection and optimization changes

Once you are satisfied with the proposed optimization, you can apply the changes to
the network. You can choose to apply changes after the final step or after a specific
step.
A step, during the site selection process, is the activation or deactivation of one
additional site.
A step, during the site optimization phase, contains the configuration changes to all
sectors of a specific site as well as all repeaters with a donor sector that belongs to
that specific site.
To apply site selection changes

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, right-click a

scenario and choose Apply Site Selection Changes.
Choose one of the following options:

n
Final Stepto apply the site activation/deactivation changes

proposed after the optimization process is complete.
Specific Stepto apply the the site activation/deactivation
changes proposed after a specific step in the optimization process.
To apply optimization changes

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Optimization category, right-click a

scenario and choose Display Optimization Report.
Choose one of the following options:

n
Final Stepto apply the optimization changes proposed after the

optimization process is complete.
Specific Stepto apply the optimization changes proposed after a
specific step in the optimization process.
Chapter 16 Planning Microwave Links

You can visualize microwave links within the context of your Mentum Planet
projects and perform basic microwave planning tasks when designing your
wireless network.
355
357
358
359
360
362
363
367
369
370
372
Chapter 16

Good planning is an essential element of network design. Although the focus of
Mentum Planet is on wireless access networks, it is important to also consider the
impact of the wireless backhaul or microwave transmission elements of the overall
network. To do this, you can use the microwave link planning functionality contained
within the Microwave category of the Project Explorer.
Using the shortcut commands, you can create microwave links between two points,
analyze link performance, and adjust microwave link settings to ensure that you
achieve optimal link performance.
NOTE: To use the microwave link planning features, you must have a license.
Microwave link planning objectives

Your central goal when using Mentum Planet is to squeeze as much capacity out of
the network as you possible can without sacrificing the quality of the communication
links while achieving as much coverage as possible. In order to achieve these goals,
you must also consider the quality and availability of microwave link connections
that impact your wireless access network.
Recommendations
The microwave functionality available in Mentum Planet conforms to current ITU
standards in order to determine:
n
available and unavailable time
quality objectives and error performance
You can specify parameters related to the various ITUstandards in the Microwave
Settings dialog box.
NOTE: ITU recommendations are available from the ITU website at www.itu.int.
Planning Microwave Links
Microwave data
When you work with the microwave features in Mentum Planet, data is saved
in the Microwave folder within the Mentum Planet project folder. The data you
define for microwave link planning is used solely with the microwave features.
Microwave link planning data and results are intended to compliment the
contents of your Mentum Planet project but microwave links are not taken into
consideration when generating network analyses or Monte Carlo simulations.
Chapter 16

Step 1
Define microwave settings including data and profiles sources such as the
AMSL, AGL, and AGL classified layers. See "Defining microwave settings"
on the facing page and"Adding profile sources" on page 359.
Step 2
Configure user equipment including antennas, radios, and feeders. See

"Configuring user equipment" on page 360
Step 3
Specify frequency planning settings. See "Creating frequency plans" on

page 362.
Step 4
Create a microwave link. See Creating a microwave link.
Step 5
Configure the microwave link such that you assign and configure antennas
and associate channels with radio equipment. See "Creating and
configuring microwave links" on page 367.
Step 6
Optionally, create a reflection plane analysis. See "Creating a reflection

plane analysis" on page 370.
Step 7
Analyze microwave links. See "Analyzing microwave links" on page 372.

Before planning microwave links, it is important to define microwave settings
so that result information is accurate. The GIS data definition comprises both
the height and clutter as well as profile sources such as the AMSL layer, the
AGL layer, and the AGL classified grid.
NOTE: The Microwave Settings Technical Note available in the Help folder
within the Mentum Planet installation details how parameters are calculated.
To define microwave settings

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, right-click

Links and choose Microwave Settings.
Expand the GIS node and define data sources.

While microwave geodata layers are independent of the Mentum Planet
geodata layers and could be different, it is recommended that you use
the same geodata layers for best results.
Expand the Microwave Models node and define availability

settings, performance settings, as well as propagation model
parameters.
Expand the Profile node and set display options.

For additional information, press F1.
Chapter 16

The microwave functionality relies on geodata and profile sources that are used
uniquely for microwave link planning.
NOTE: User profiles, defined in the Link Editor, override GIS parameters defined in
the Microwave Settings dialog box.
To add profile sources

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, right-click the

Links node and choose Microwave Settings.
Expand the GIS node and choose Data Sources.
To add a new layer, do any of the following:

n
To add a new vector layer, on the GIS/Data Sources panel,

choose the Vector node and click the Add Layer button.
To add a new raster layer, on the GIS/Data Sources panel, choose
the Raster node and click the Add Layer button.
If you are adding a new vector layer, in the New Vector Layer dialog
box, in the Name box, type a name for the layer and then specify
either the vector file itself or the folder where it is saved.
If you are adding a new raster layer, in the New Raster Layer dialog
box, in the Name box, type a name for the layer and then specify
either the raster file itself or the folder where it is saved.
Click OK.
In the Microwave Settings dialog box, choose another node in the

tree view or click OK.

In order to ensure that the microwave links are modeled correctly, you must
accurately configure user equipment such as radios and feeder cables.
To configure radios
1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category,

right+click Radios and choose Add to add a new radio type to
the project.
Planning equipment files have a .pef extension.
Right-click the radio type you want to configure and choose Edit.
The Equipment Editor opens.
In the tree view, double-click the radio to view radio parameters.
Change radio parameters as required.

Press F1 for more information.
Click the Save button.
TIP: To add a new radio configuration, open the Default Radio equipment,
right-click the top-level node and choose New Radio Configuration.
To configure feeder cables

1

the Feeders node and choose Add.
Planning equipment feeder files have a .pff extension.
In the tree view, double-click the feeder to view feeder

parameters.
In the Feeder Editor, edit the name, manufacturer, model and

loss values for the feeder as required, and click OK.
Chapter 16
TIP: To add a new feeder to the project, right-click the Feeders node and choose
New.

To ensure efficient use of spectrum, minimize interference, and increase
network capacity, you need to have the best possible frequency plan.
To create frequency plans

1

the Frequency Plans node, and choose New.
The Frequency Plan Editor opens.
From the Built-In Library list, choose a frequency plan to use

pre-defined values or choose user-defined to specify values.
Click OK.
NOTE: If you have more than one frequency plan in your project, right-click
the frequency plan that you want to use for automatic channel assignment and
set it to be the Active plan.
Chapter 16

In order to validate the quality of microwave links, you need to determine the pointto-point visibility between the end-points of each link. Once you have created the
link, you can view quality, availability, and clearance information in the Link Editor.
Figure 16.1: Microwave link planning line of sight with Fresnel zone.
Link profiles encompass several layers of information including:
n
an AMSL layer (e.g., terrain heights, scanned maps, photo maps)

an AGL layer (e.g., clutter heights, vector building heights or
elevation heights)
an AGL classified layer
a user-defined layer
NOTE: These layers are used only for microwave link planning and must be defined
in the microwave settings. See "Defining microwave settings" on page 358.
AMSL layers
The AMSL (Above Mean Sea Level) layer is a raster grid that contains height values
for specified distances at defined intervals from site A. Intermediate points along the
profile are calculated using a linear interpolation method.
You can create an AMSL layer using the User Profile Editor.
Figure 16.2: Link Editor showing profile source list where you can create layers
by clicking the hyperlinks.
AMSL data is adjusted to account for the earth curvature where the radius
equals 637km.This radius is modified to take into account propagation with a k
factor set, by default, to 1.33. The longer the microwave link, the more
pronounced the earth curvature will appear in the Link Editor path profile
display.
NOTE: The AMSLdata is automatically adjusted to account for the earth
curvature.
Chapter 16
AGL layers
The AGL (Above Ground Level) layer is a raster grid. There are three types of AGL
layers:
n
AGL Layer consists of an above ground level raster layer that

contains the terrain slope. It is comprised of an obstacle list
including the distance from the first link site, the height, and the
length of the profile
Classified AGL Layerconsists of points where each point of the
layer is associated to a value that belongs to a defined set of values.
User Obstaclesconsists of user-defined obstacles. You can
define five types of obstacles:
n
n
n
n
n
Treea green layer displays on the profile

Buildinga gray layer displays on the profile
Water towera dark gray layer displays on the profile
Milla dark red layer displays on the profile
Mixeda black layer displays the profile
You can create AGL layers in the Link Editor using raster data such as clutter heights
or a vector layer that consists of obstacle outlines associated along with the
associated height.
Figure 16.3: Profile with obstacles
Link clearance
Display colors provide a quick visual summary of the clearance conditions
between two sites.
n
Greenindicates that line-of-sight and clearance conditions

between the two sites are met
Yellowindicates that the two sites are in line-of-sight but
that the clearance conditions are not met
Redindicates that the two sites are obstructed
You can display profile clearances for all available antenna configurations.
Antennas
You can display link profiles and clearance ellipsoids for each antenna
configuration and use the buttons on each side of the profile view to display
the profile ellipsoids. To display the clearance ellipsoid between two selected
antennas, enable the antenna buttons.
For each microwave link, radio diversity is configured and diversity antennas
installed on both sites. On site A, the main antenna is on one tower and the
diversity antenna is on another one. On Site B, the main antenna and the
diversity antenna are installed on the same tower.
You can view various profiles using the buttons on either side of the display
window in the Link Editor. For example, you can display a profile between the
main antenna A and the main antenna B or a profile between the main antenna
A and the main antenna B alongside the diversity antenna A and the main
antenna B.
Chapter 16

After you create a link between two points, you need to configure link parameters in
order to model real-world conditions as close as possible. You do this in the Link
Editor.
To create a microwave link

n

n
In the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, Ctrl+click to

select the sites at the start and end of the microwave link.
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, rightclick the Links node and choose New From Map
Coordinates, define the longitude and latitude for Site A and
Site B, or get the coordinates from the map, and then click
OK.
Right-click the Links node and choose New, then select the
sites at the start and end of the microwave link and click OK.
The link is added to the Project Explorer beneath the Links node.
To configure microwave link parameters

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, expand the

Links node and double-click the microwave link for which you want to
define parameters.
In the Link Editor, define link parameters as required on the following

tabs:
n
Sitesdefine site parameters including name, elevation, location as

well as details about the tower such as name, antenna, height,
longitude offset. Parameters for both site A and site B are contained
on the Sites tab.
Descriptiondefine the antenna system at each site including
antenna type, height, azimuth, tilt, and radome loss
Repeateradd a repeater and define the repeater type and
associated parameters.
Channelsdefine radio parameters.
Resultsreview link budget results.

Profilespecify microwave link geodata and profile sources,
or generate AMSL, AGL AGL classified, user obstacles, or
ground type layers.
Settingsspecify user-defined project settings including
calculation parameters and link display settings.
Reflectionspecify reflection analysis settings and generate
the analysis .
Miscspecify additional link profile path details.
To modify antenna heights in order to achieve clearance, click the

Optimize The Antenna Heights button on the Microwave
toolbar.
To re-position antennas so they are directly facing each other,

click the Antennas Alignment button on the Microwave
toolbar.
NOTE: Parameters defined in the Link Editor are link specific and override
parameters defined in the Microwave Settings dialog box.
Chapter 16

Data associated with each microwave link is saved in a Link (.mlink) file. Once you
have defined the parameters associated with a microwave link, you can export link
data to a .mlink file. You can export link data from a Mentum Ellipse project or from a
Mentum Planet project. Then, to save time, you can import the .mlink file into
Mentum Planet.
To import microwave links

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, right-click the

Links node and choose Import.
In the Import Microwave Link dialog box, click the Select

Microwave Links button and navigate to the .mlinks file you want to
import, and click Open.
Click Import.
To export microwave links

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, expand the

Links node and double-click the link for which you want to export data.
In the Link Editor, click the Export Microwave Link button on the
Microwave toolbar.
In the Export Link To File dialog box, specify a name and location and
click Save.

In microwave link planning, you want line of sight between two points. In order
to assess the quality of the line of sight and determine the impact of reflections
on the link path, you can create a reflection plane analysis.
To create reflection plane analysis

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwave category, expand

the Links node, and double-click the link for which you want to
create a reflection plane analysis.
The Frequency Plan Editor opens.
Click the Reflection tab.
Enable the Use Reflection Plane check box and define

reflection analysis settings.
Click the Reflective Plane Analysis button on the Microwave

toolbar.
Chapter 16
Click OK.

There are many statistics available to help you better understand microwave
link performance.
NOTE: The details generated for microwave links are intended to provide you
with information you can use to better understand how the microwave element
of the network behaves. Microwave links are not considered in network
analysis or Monte Carlo simulation results.
To analyze link profiles

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Microwavecategory, do one of

the following:
n
Right-click the link you want to analyze and choose Analyze.

Ctrl+click to select more than one link, right-click and choose
Analyze.
The Link Analysis Results dialog box opens.
Chapter 16
In the tree view, click the node to view details in the right-hand panel.
To export result data to PDF, click Export To PDF.
To save report information, click Save.

The analysis results are added beneath the Analyses node.
Chapter 17 Using The Extension Manager

You can extend the Mentum Planet feature set by adding tools and links. This
chapter describes how to to do this using the Extension Manager. For detailed
examples, see the Customizing Mentum Planet Using the Extension Manager
Application Note.
Customizing Mentum Planet using the Extension Manager 375
Chapter 17
Customizing Mentum Planet using the Extension Manager

You can use the Extension Manager to add tools or links to Mentum Planet.
When you install a Mentum Planet (.pex) extension, it is copied to the Documents
and Settings folder. A .pex file is a compressed file that contains at a minimum an
.xml file with the necessary instructions and structure.
The Customizing Mentum Planet Using Extensions Application Note details how to
create .pex files for various applications. You can find this document in the Help
folder.
NOTE: You can download additional extensions from mentum.com/extensions.
CAUTION: The compressed .pex file cannot be a .rar archive file. It must be a
compressed zip file or folder.
To add an extension
1
Choose Tools
Extension Manager.
The Extension Manager opens.
Click the Install button.
Using The Extension Manager
Navigate to where the Mentum Planet (.pex) extension file is

saved and click Open.
The extension is added to the tree view.
To uninstall an extension
1
In the tree view, select an extension and click the Uninstall

button.
Read the confirmation message and click Yes.

All files associated with the extension will be deleted when Mentum
Planet is re-opened.
To save the extension

1
In the tree view, select an extension and click the Save button.
In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want
to save the .pex file and click Save.
To enable or disable an extension

1
In the tree view, do one of the following:

n
To disable an extension, clear the check box next to the

extension or extension component.
No files are deleted.
To enable an extension, enable the check box next to the
extension or extension component.
Click Close.
Tools menu
TIP: Use the Tool Manager command accessible from the GIS
to add the Sync Windows functionality to Mentum Planet. Using the Sync
Windows feature enables you to easily compare layers in separate windows.
Chapter 18 Working With Grids

Gridding is the basic mapping technique used in Mentum Planet. The Grid
Manager is the central dialog box from which you can open, sort, view, and
manipulate grids. Mentum Planet also has tools that enable you to retrieve
information from grids and perform basic topological analysis.
379
Contouring a grid
383
387
393
395
398
Chapter 18

You can use the following tools to retrieve grid information:
n
Grid Legenddisplays the color scheme and value ranges used for
the map display.
Grid Manager Info Functionprovides information about the
grid, including metadata.
Grid Info Toolreturns information about the selected
geographical location from all grids currently open in the Grid
Manager. The grid files being inspected do not have to be layers in
the current Map window.
Region Info Tooldisplays a statistical summary of the data
within a selected region for all active grids in the Grid Manager.
Line Info Tooldisplays a statistical summary of the data along a
selected line for the grid highlighted in the Grid Manager.
Find Maximum Point Toolfinds the highest point in a region.
This is an aid to finding good locations for sites. For more
information, see Using sector placement tools.
Grid Query Toolbuilds new grids from existing grids where the
new grid values are derived according to whether specific queries
imposed on the existing grid files have been met. For more
information, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
Grid Calculator Toolcreates mathematical expressions using an
unlimited number of grids. For more information, see the Grid
Analysis User Guide.
NOTE: To get additional information on analysis files, you can use the Layer
Statistics tool. For more information, see the appropriate technology-specific User
Guide.
To view a grid legend

A legend displays map information such as the color scheme used for the map
display. You can quickly view legends in order to improve the readability of a map.
Choose View
Grid Legend.
Working With Grids
In the Grid Legend dialog box, choose the grid file for which you
want to see the legend.
Only grid files that are currently open appear in the list.
Choose Options
Color Tool to view the Dictionary Editor (for
.grc files) or the Grid Color Tool (for .grd files) and modify the
appearance of the legend.
For more information on modifying legends, see Creating and printing
legends.
To use the Grid Manager Info function

1
If the Grid Manager is not visible, choose View

Manager.
In the Grid Manager, choose a grid from the list, and click the
Info button.
Grid
The Grid Manager lists only grids that are currently open in the project.
You can open other grids as needed from the Grid Manager.
For more information about the types of information available using the Grid
Manager Info function, see Chapter 5, Working with the Grid Manager, in the
Grid Analysis User Guide.
To use the Grid Info tool

1
On the Analysis toolbar, click the Grid Info button.
Click in the Map window.

The Grid Info dialog box opens, listing the value of each open grid at the
cursor location. You can click the Map to view information for other
locations. The Cursor Tracking option provides a continuous display of
data as you change the cursor position. The Capture Data option
captures data to a table. For more information, see Using the Grid Info
tool in Chapter5 of the Grid Analysis User Guide.
Chapter 18
TIP: You can specify Grid Info options in the Preferences dialog box accessible by
choosing GIS
Grid Analysis
Preferences.
TIP: If you need to inspect a large number of predefined points, you can use the
Point Inspection function. For more information, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
To use the Region Info tool

1
Choose View
In the Toolbar Options dialog box, enable the Grid Analysis check
box, and click OK.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the Region Info button.
Select a region in the Map window.
Toolbars.
The Volume calculation is the sum of all the values found in the region multiplied by
the bin dimensions. This value is only meaningful when the z-unit is a linear
measurement. The % null value indicates how much of the enclosed area contains
null values.
TIP: To view statistical information for a large number of regions contained in the
same table, use the Region Inspection function. For more information about region
inspection, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
To use the Line Info tool

1
Choose View
In the Toolbar Options dialog box, enable the Grid Analysis check
box, and click OK.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the Line Info button.
Click on a line in the Map window.
Toolbars.
Working With Grids
NOTE: The number of samples taken along the line is determined by the
Cross Section: No. of Samples parameter in the Preferences settings. The
default is 100. To change this value, choose GIS Grid Analysis Preferences
and enter a new number in the No. of Samples box. For more information about
preferences, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
NOTE: You can choose whether or not values are interpolated within bins by
enabling or clearing the Use Closest Node Values check box on the z-units tab
in the Grid Manager Info function.
NOTE: To view information for a large number of lines contained in the same
table, use the Line Inspection function. For more information about line
inspection, see the Grid Analysis User Guide.
Chapter 18
Contouring a grid
Mentum Planet provides tools to convert grids to attribute-coded vector files using
processes that thread isolines, or contours, through the grid network (Figure 18.1).
Contour lines are paths of constant values. Mentum Planet computes contour lines as
separate polylines or closed complex regions where holes or islands have been
knocked-out. This is important in the GIS environment because the contour
regions can immediately be used for analysis.
Figure 18.1: Lines are threaded through bins at defined values.
Creating contours for a numeric grid

A standard contour line map can be generated from within Mentum Planet using a
process that threads polylines through an existing grid file. You can define a number
of settings including the range of grid values to be contoured, the contour interval,
and the color and style of individual contour lines. These settings can be saved in a
configuration file and applied to other grid files.
You can also generate contours as topologically built regions using a process similar
to the polyline threader. Contour region intervals are user-defined with the additional
option of applying a custom gradient color ramp to assign incremental colors to the
contour regions.
For contour regions, you can define the Greater than or Equal to Lower Value
(>=Value) and the Less than Upper Value (<Value). These values define each
contour region based on Contour settings. Each contour represents the lower value
Working With Grids
of the interval. For example, the 200 contour region encloses all values 200
and <250.
To define contour polylines or regions

1

Manager.
In the Grid Manager, click the Contour button.
In the Contour dialog box, choose the appropriate grid file from
the Grid list, and click Polylines if you want to create polyline
contours or Regions if you want to create region contours.
Click Intervals.
In the Intervals dialog box, do any of the following:

n
Grid
In the Minimum box, set the minimum value, defined as the

lowest grid value that will be examined during the threading
process.
In the Maximum box, set the maximum value, defined as the
highest value that will be examined during the threading
process.
In the Method section, choose one of the following options:
Intervaldefines the range of values that each class will
encompass. The default setting is calculated by dividing the
range between the minimum and maximum values into 10
classes. Use the Value box to define the interval.
Numberenables you to specify the number of classes that
will be created based upon the Minimum, Maximum, and
Interval settings. The default is 10 classes. Use the Value box
to define the number.
Click OK to close the Intervals dialog box.
To save contour profile settings, click Save As.

Profiles are saved as text files with a .pfc extension.
Chapter 18
To save the contour map, click Browse, navigate to where you want to
save the contour map, type a name or accept the default, and then click
Save.
Click OK to create contours.
NOTE: The default setting in the Minimum box is the lowest value encountered in
the grid file and may need to be changed for the contouring process.
NOTE: To modify the interval values manually, double-click in any Value field in the
Interval List and type a value.
NOTE: If you want to maintain consistency in contour intervals throughout a series

of grid files, you can save the settings for the contour plot in a profile.
Creating contours for a classified grid

Just as region contours are created from numeric grids, they can also be created
from classified grids. In this case, a simplified threading process is used to trace line
work along the bin boundaries between different classes and convert each unique
classified group of bins into a single region. The value of each classified group is
attached as an entry to the region table in a column labeled Class.
To create contours for a classified grid

1
In the Grid Manager, highlight a classified grid file in the list of open
grids and click the Contour button.
In the Save Contours As dialog box, type a name in the File Name
box and click Save.
Grid Manager.
The contouring function automatically completes and draws the region table
into a new Map window.
Working With Grids
The new regions are an exact reproduction of the classified grid (.grc)
regions but are in vector format with an attached column entry
representing the contour class name.
Figure 18.2: A contour map created from a classified grid.
Chapter 18

Mentum Planet includes many different conversion tools that enable you to generate
the output format you require. One of these tools is the Smooth Contour Tool which
creates generalized polygon data from large Mentum Planet numeric grid output
files.This can be useful when you need to convert numeric grid data to a vector
format. For example, if you are using a web-based mapping tool and require a
network-wide best server signal strength polygon file, you can use the Smooth
Contour Tool to convert the numeric grid output to a vector format.
When you create grid contours using standard contouring tools, contour lines are
threaded through bins at defined intervals. If you are contouring a complex grid with
many isolated bins, holes, or islands, the resulting grid may be too visually crowded
to be meaningful. The contouring process will also be very time consuming. Using the
Smooth Contour tool, you can reduce the size and complexity of the grid before
generating contours. As a result, the time required to contour a complex grid
decreases and the resulting grid is simpler and more meaningful.
How smooth grid contours are created

Creating smooth grid contours encompasses several phases as illustrated in
Working With Grids
Figure 18.3: Phase 1 of the Smooth Contouring process where the grid is
resized and the new bin values are calculated.
Phase 1
In the first phase, the grid is resized and bin values recalculated based on one
of five methods.
n
Averagebin values within the smoothing window are

averaged and applied to the output
Minimumthe minimum bin value within the smoothing
window is applied to the output
Maximumthe maximum bin value within the smoothing
window is applied to the output
Medianthe median bin value within the smoothing window is
is applied to the output
Chapter 18
Gaussiana Gaussian curve is applied to bin values within the

smoothing window and a weighted value applied to each point. The
weighted points are then averaged as shown in Figure12.4.
Figure 18.4: Using the Gaussian filter method, a Gaussian curve is applied to all the
points in the Smoothing window and a weighted value is assigned to each point. The
weighted values are then averaged to produce a value for the bin (i.e. the point at
the top of the curve).
While the calculations used to determine the bin value are different, the method
used to calculate the value is the same. Using the averaging method, for example,
given an original bin size of 180m, an output bin size of 540m, and smoothing window
of 3780 m, the Smooth Contour tool takes the bin values within the 3780m
smoothing window, averages them and then applies this new value to the output
bins.
Working With Grids
Figure 18.5: The Smooth Contour Tool uses all the values in the smoothing
window to calculate the new bin value.
Phase 2
In the second phase, contours are applied to the newly processed grid.
Figure 18.6: Original map and the resulting smooth contours.
To create smooth grid contours

Before you use the Smooth Contour tool, you must create and save an interval
(.pfc) file that specifies the contouring intervals and colors. See To define
contour polylines or regions. Alternately, you can use one of the .pfc files
located in the <Mentum Planet>\global\Profiles folder.
Choose Tools
Smooth Contouring.
The Smooth Contour Tool dialog box opens.
Chapter 18
From the Grid list, choose the grid you want to contour.
In the Resize Options section, from the Filter Method list, choose
one of the following methods:
n
Averagebin values within the smoothing window are averaged

and applied to the output
Minimumthe minimum bin value within the smoothing window is
used in the output
Maximumthe maximum bin value within the smoothing window is
used in the output
Medianthe median bin value within the smoothing window is used
in the output
Gaussiana Gaussian curve is applied to bin values within the
smoothing window and a weighted value given to each point. The
weighted values are then averaged to determine the bin value.
From the Interim Bin Size list, choose the bin size you want to use
during phase 1 of the contouring process.
From the Smoothing Window list, choose the area you want included
in contouring calculations.
Working With Grids
To save the interim grid, enable the Preserve Interim Grid check
box, click the Browse button, navigate to the folder where you
want the file saved.
In the File Name box, type a name for the grid, and click Save.
In the Contour Options section, click Browse, navigate to the

interval (.plc) file, and click Open.
To save the new contour file, click the Browse button, navigate
to the folder where you want the file saved.
10
In the File Name box, type a name for the grid, and click Save.
11
Click OK.
Chapter 18

As it applies to grid geometry, slope is a measurement of the steepness of a bin in
three-dimensional space and is therefore most applicable to elevation surfaces. In
Mentum Planet, slope is calculated by averaging the slopes of the eight triangle faces
that are formed from the surrounding nodes.
Aspect measures the direction that each bin faces in three-dimensional space and is
recorded in azimuth degrees relative to either true north or the top of the map. In
Mentum Planet, aspect is calculated by averaging the aspects of the eight triangle
faces that are formed from the surrounding nodes.
Figure 18.7: The eight triangles are created to determine the slope at nodeA.
To create a slope and aspect grid

1
In the Grid Manager, click the Analysis button and choose

CreateSlope&Aspect.
In the Slope And Aspect dialog box, choose a grid from the Grid list.
Grid Manager.
The z-unit of the grid must be a linear unit of distance, such as meters or feet.
If this is not the case, you must reproject the grid.
To create a slope grid, enable the Create Slope Grid check box.
Enable the Calculate As % Grade check box to calculate the slope as

a percent grade.
Working With Grids
When you clear this check box, the slope is calculated in degrees.
To create an aspect grid, enable the Create Aspect Grid check

box.
In the Aspect Parameters section, choose one of the following

options:
n
Calculate Aspect Relative To True North optionsets

north to zero degrees azimuth and allows values to progress
in a clockwise direction.
Calculate Aspect Relative To Y-axis optionsets Y at
the top of the map.
In the Description boxes, enter a description.

The description will be carried as a header in the new grid file.
9
10
In the File Name boxes, enter a file name for each grid to be
created.
Click OK.
The new grids open, each in its own Map window.
Grid Legends in the

NOTE: To view slope and aspect values, choose Tools
Grid Manager, and then choose the grid from the list in the GridLegend dialog
box.
Chapter 18

Area grids are classified grids that represent MapInfo region objects. Area grids
enable you to define a working area, so that only pixels inside the area will be
considered when performing calculations. Area grids are also used with some thirdparty products.
Using the Area node in the Project Data category of the Project Explorer, you can
create area grids using MapInfo tables that contain region objects, or you can use
the drawing tools to create vector objects, and then generate an area grid based on
the vector objects. You can also add existing area grids to your project.
The resolution of area grids is, by default, the same as the project elevation file, but
you can define the resolution based on a number of preset values if required. For
example, if you are defining a very small area, you may want to use a higher
resolution.
To create an area grid

If you are creating an area grid using vector objects, use the MapInfo drawing tools
to create a vector object and then select it in the Map window before you create the
grid. For information on creating vector objects, see the MapInfo Professional User
Guide or the MapInfo online Help.

Areas node and choose Create.
The Area Generator dialog box opens.
On the Data Source tab, do one of the following:

n
If you want to create an area grid using vector objects, choose

Selection. This option is only available if you selected the vector
objects in the Map window.
If you want to create an area grid using a MapInfo file, choose File,
click Browse, choose a .tab file that is associated with a MapInfo
file that contains region objects, and then click Open.
Click the Resolution tab and do one of the following:
Working With Grids
If you want to use the same resolution as the project

elevation file, choose Optimal.
If you want to define the grid resolution, choose User
Defined, and then choose a value from the Resolution list.
Click Generate.
When the generation is complete, click Close.

The area grid is saved in the Areas folder within your project folder and
is listed in the Project Explorer under the Areas node in the Project Data
category.
To add an area grid

n

right-click the Areas node and choose Add, then choose an
area grid file, and click Open.
The area grid is copied to the Areas folder within your project folder and
is listed in the Project Explorer under the Areas node in the Project Data
category.
To rename an area grid

l
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click an area

grid under the Areas node, choose Rename and then type a new name for the
grid.
To view an area grid

n

right-click an area grid under the Areas node and choose
View.
The area grid is displayed as a layer in the Map window.
Chapter 18
To delete an area grid

1
In the Project Explorer, in the Project Data category, right-click an

area grid under the Areas node and choose Delete.

The area grid is removed from the Project Explorer and the files are deleted
from the project folder.
Working With Grids

You can perform two types of visibility analysis:
n
Point-to-Point Visibilitydetermine whether there is a

line-of-sight path between two points on the grid
Viewshed Analysisidentify all locations on a grid that are
visible from one or more viewpoints
Point-to-Point Visibility function

Using the Point-to-Point Visibility function, you can either select a path from an
existing line object in a Map window or draw the path in the Map window. The
result is a graph like that shown in Figure 18.8 .
Figure 18.8: Point-to-Point Visibility graph. The red line depicts the surface,
the green line depicts what you can see.
You can use the point-to-point visibility function only on a numeric grid that
has a z-unit type of feet or meters.
To determine point-to-point visibility

1

Manager.
Grid
Chapter 18
In the Grid Manager, choose the grid on which you want to analyze
point-to-point visibility.
In Mentum Planet, choose View
Enable the Grid Analysis check box and click OK.
On the GridAnalysis toolbar, click the Point-to-Point Visibility

button.
With the left mouse button held down, draw the path in the Map window
of the open elevation grid file, where the line direction corresponds to
the direction of sight, i.e., the looking from position is the start of the
line.
Toolbars.
If you want to draw the path starting at a site location and snap the cursor to
the nearest point, press the S key to activate the Snap tool.
In the Point-to-Point Visibility dialog box, choose the grid file on

which you want to use the Point-to-Point Visibility function from the
Grid list.
In the Viewing Parameters section, choose all of the parameters that

will be calculated for each region.
Enable the Plot On Map check box if you want view a line plot in the
Map window after clicking Solve.
The line plot traces the extent of the line of sight and indicates, using color,
the intervals between the endpoints that are visible (green) and obstructed
(red) relative to the direction of sight. Line plots are saved as individual .tab
files using default file names (subdirVMLineX.tab). As subsequent lines are
chosen and solved, new files are saved with incremental numbers in the file
name.
10 Enable the Create Results Table check box if you want to create a
table of results.
11 Click Solve.
The results appear in the Point-to-Point Solution dialog box.
Working With Grids
You can customize the appearance of the point-to-point solution graph using
the shortcut menu. To access it, right-click in the graph window and choose
one of the available commands. You can also zoom in and zoom out of the
graph by clicking in the graph window and dragging the cursor over the area
you want to view.
Viewshed function
Viewshed is defined as a delineation process identifying all locations on a grid
that are visually connected (visible in a direct line-of-sight) to a single
observation point.
The Viewshed function computes visibility between one or more observation
points (the viewpoints) and each of the bins in an elevation grid file (the
destination bins) in one of two ways:
n
simple visible/invisible answer for each of the destination bins

computed value representing the height that each destination
bin should be raised or lowered to make it just visible from the
viewpoint.
In other words, if a destination bin is not visible from the viewpoint, then a
negative value is returned specifying the height below the line of sight. To
become just visible, this height has to be added to the destination bin. For
example, if the number returned is -98 meters, then the destination bin must
be raised 98 meters in order to be visible.
If the destination bin is visible, then a positive value is returned specifying the
height above the line of sight. In this case, the viewpoint can be lowered by
this height and remain just visible. For example, if the number returned is
55meters, then the viewpoint can be lowered 55meters and still be visible.
You use the Viewpoint Pick tool found on the Grid Analysis toolbar to identify
the view point from which intervisibility for an entire elevation grid file is
calculated or you can use it to select an existing point in the Map window.
The Viewshed function is appropriate only for use on a grid file that has a unit
of elevation (feet or meters) as its z-value.
Chapter 18
To perform a single-point viewshed analysis

1
In the Grid Manager, choose the grid on which you want to perform
the viewshed analysis.
Choose View
Enable the Grid Analysis check box and click OK.
On the Grid Analysis toolbar, click the Viewpoint Pick button.
Using the left mouse button, choose a point in the Map window of the
open elevation grid file that represents the point of origin for the
viewshed calculation.
In the Viewshed dialog box, choose one of the following options in the
Viewshed Methods section:
n
Grid Manager.
Toolbars.
Simple Calculationenables you to create a classified grid file and

assigns the category Visible or Invisible to each bin, depending
on whether it is visible or invisible from the viewpoint.
Complex Calculationreturns a value measured in grid z-units.
The value represents either the height the bin should be raised to
make it just visible from the viewpoint (a negative value because it
lies below the site line), or the height that the bin could be lowered
in order to become just visible (a positive value because it lies
above the site line).
In the Viewing Parameters section, define the following settings:

n
Viewpoint Heighttype the height in meters above the ground for

the viewpoint. This could be the height of a tower, for example.
Viewshed Offsettype the height in meters above the ground for
the destination bins. This compensates for the height of the object
being viewed.
Viewing Radiustype the maximum radius in meters around the
viewpoint to calculate Viewshed.
Working With Grids
9
10
Earth Curvaturechoose the earth curvature model to use:

None, Normal, or 4/3 Earth Correction.
In the Description box, type a description for the viewshed grid.

Click OK.
The Viewshed map opens in a new Map window.
Grid Legends in the Grid

TIP: To view visibility values, choose Tools
Manager, and then choose the grid from the list in the GridLegend dialog box.
You can also access the Viewshed tool from the Grid Manager. Click the
Analysis button, and choose the Viewshed Analysis command.
To perform a multi-point viewshed analysis

Grid Manager.
In the Grid Manager, choose the DEM grid.
In the Map window, using any of the Select tools on the Main
toolbar, select point objects representing the locations you want
to perform the analysis on.
In the Grid Manager, click the Analysis button, and choose

ViewshedAnalysis.
In the Viewshed dialog box, choose the grid you want to analyze
from the Grid list.
In the Viewshed Method section, choose one of the following:

n
Simple Calculationcreates a classified grid that shows

each destination bin as either visible or invisible from the
viewpoint.
Complex Calculationcreates a numeric grid that indicates
how much each destination bin would have to be raised
(negative value) or lowered (positive value) to be just visible
from the viewpoint.
Chapter 18
In the Viewing Parameters section, define the following settings:

n
Viewpoint Heighttype the height in meters above the ground for

the viewpoint. This could be the height of a tower, for example.
Viewshed Offsettype the height in meters above the ground for
the destination bins. This compensates for the height of the object
being viewed.
Viewing Radiustype the maximum radius in meters around the
viewpoint to calculate Viewshed.
Earth Curvaturechoose the earth curvature model to use: None,
Normal, or 4/3 Earth Correction.
In the Description box, type a description for the viewshed grid.
Click OK.
Chapter 19 Generating Coverage Reports

You can create a variety of reports in Mentum Planet. Coverage map reports
present analyses, and can include legends and graphics. A site table report
exports the information from your site table to a tab-delimited or commadelimited text file. An FCC report provides coverage and interference plots
required by FCC regulations.
405
408
410
Chapter 19

Mentum Planet enables you to produce many different types of maps, including
coverage maps. For example, you can generate the following output grids:
n
forward-link analysis
reverse-link analysis
combined analysis
throughput analysis
gain analysis
Once you have generated output grids, you can organize the grids in a report, which
you can print. You do this using the Layout functionality, which enables you to
customize a layout to your specific requirements. You can create a template that you
can use to create all your reports. For more information on creating layouts, see
Working with Layouts in Chapter 12 of the MapInfo Professional User Guide.
TIP: To include elements such as company logos or other graphics and legends in
your reports, you must first display them in Map windows. For more information on
opening graphic files, see To open a graphic file.
To create a print layout

1
Open each file that you want to include in the layout in the Map window.
Choose Window
In the New Window Layout dialog box, choose one of the frame
options, and click OK.
In the Layout window, you can do any of the following:

n
New Layout Window.
Move and resize frames by selecting a frame using the Select tool
on the Main toolbar, and then resizing or repositioning the frame on
the layout page. Using the Shift key when resizing will maintain the
aspect ratio of the window.
Generating Coverage Reports
Delete frames by selecting a frame using the Select tool, and

then pressing the DELETE key.
Align objects by selecting a group of objects using the Select
tool, choose Layout Align Objects, choose the horizontal
and vertical alignment options, and then click OK.
Add text by clicking the Text button on the Drawing toolbar
and adding text to the layout window.
Create a drop shadow by clicking a frame, then right-clicking
and choosing Create Drop Shadows.
If you want to save the workspace immediately, choose File

Save Workspace and save the layout as a .wor file.
This step is optional. Mentum Planet automatically saves the workspace
when you close the project.
TIP: Choose Layout

appear when printed.
View Actual Size to view the layout window as it will
To add a frame
1
On the Drawing toolbar, click the Frame button.
Draw a frame in the layout window.
In the Frame Object dialog box, choose the window you want to
include in the layout, and adjust the placement and the size as
required.
Click OK.
NOTE: If you want to change the window displayed in the frame, click the
Select button from the Main toolbar, double-click on the frame, select a new
window from the Window list, and click OK.
Chapter 19
To change the border of a frame

1
On the Main toolbar, click the Select button.
Choose an object.
Choose GIS
In the Border section, choose the options you want for the border.
Click OK.
Options
Region Style.
To open a graphic file

To add a company logo or other graphic file to your layout you must first open it in its
own Map window.
Choose GIS
From the Files Of Type list, choose Raster Image.
Choose the graphic file you want to include.
From the Preferred View list, choose New Mapper.
In the Open Table dialog box, click Open.
In the message dialog box, click Display.
Open Table.

A legend explains the meaning of visual elements in the map. This section
describes how to create and print a legend of a grid or a thematic map that you
can include in reports.
To create and print a grid legend

1

Manager.
In the Grid Manager, choose the grid for which you want to
create a legend.
Click the Color button.
Show Grid
If you chose a numeric grid, the Grid Color Tool opens. If you chose a
classified grid, the Dictionary Editor opens.
Click Legend.
In the Legend Generator, define the range, text, and format

settings.
If you want to save the legend configuration as a .vml file, click

Save.
After you have saved a .vml file, you can use the same color
configuration for other legends.
Click OK to view the legend in a new Map window.
If you want to print the legend, choose File
In the Print dialog box, specify the printer, page size, source,
and orientation, and click OK.
Print.
CloseTable
NOTE: If some of the text in your legend overlaps, choose File
and close the legend file. Reopen the Legend Generator, and use the Range,
Text, and Format tabs to adjust the number and position of range values. A
Chapter 19
common cause of overlap is the alignment of value and percentile labels when both
Show Value and Show Pct are enabled on the Range tab.
Grid Legend. You

TIP: You can also view a legend of a grid by choosing View
cannot print the legend using this method. For more information, see the appropriate
User Guide for the technology you are using.
To create and print a thematic map legend

1
Create a thematic map.

For general information about creating a thematic map, see the MapInfo
Professional User Guide.
Choose Map
In the Create Legend dialog box, ensure that the thematic map layer
is the only layer listed in the Legend Frames section, and click Next.
Define the legend properties as required, and click Finish.
Click Finish to view the legend in a new Map window.
Create Legend.
For more information on the Create Legend dialog box, see the MapInfo
Professional User Guide.
To print the legend, choose File
In the Print dialog box, specify the printer, page size, source, and
orientation, and click OK.
Print.
NOTE: You can modify the properties of the thematic map before creating the
legend by choosing Map Modify Thematic Map. For more information, see the
MapInfo Professional User Guide.
Grid
NOTE: You can also view a legend of a thematic map by choosing View
Legend. You cannot print the legend using this method. For more information, see
the Grid Analysis User Guide.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires operators in the
United States to submit coverage and interference plots as well as associated
contour calculations when erecting new towers or amending existing ones.
Service providers are licensed to serve a specific geographic area, and a
variety of rules and restrictions apply for different systems and services. The
rules are based upon a series of formulas defined by the FCC that rely on
determining certain signal strengths at a given distance from the sector with
regard to the power in ERP (Watts). An FCC contour is often referred to as a
Service Area Boundary (SAB).
For VHF and UHF services, Planetcreates the area where an operator can
provide a service without causing interference with any neighboring carrier. In
addition, it generates the interference contour for both VHF and UHF services,
thereby helping you establish the interfering contour overlap and determining
how it may affect a protected co-channel sector controlled by a carrier other
than the applicant.
You can choose from six FCC contour options:
n
32 DBuCellular systems 32 dBu contour. The Cellular

Geographic Service Area (CGSA) of a cellular system is the
geographic area considered by the FCC to be served by the
cellular provider under license. The CGSA is important
because it defines the area in which the cellular operator has
regulatory protection from the adverse effects of interference.
VHF ServiceVHF paging systems with frequencies 36-36,
36-43, and 43-44 MHz
VHF InterferenceVHF paging systems with frequencies
35-36, 36-43, and 43-44 MHz
UHF ServiceUHF paging systems with frequency 931-932
MHz. The FCC contour is a circle centered on the transmitting
antenna.
UHF InterferenceUHF paging systems with frequency
931-932 MHz. The FCC contour is a circle centered on the
transmitting antenna.
Chapter 19
Narrowband PCSThe FCC requires narrowband PCS providers not

to exceed the 47dBuV/m contour outside their service areas.
Service Area Boundary (SAB) formula

The FCC contour formula for calculating the distance to the Service Area Boundary is
as follows:
Where:
are coefficients that are dependent on the type of service
D is the distance to the SAB
H is the antenna height (m) above the average terrain (AHAAT)
E is the radial Effective Radiated Power (W)
Understanding FCC table formats

When the FCC contours are generated, Planetcreates a table set comprising the
FCC_Points, FCC_Regions, and FCC_Combine tables. The format of each table is
described below.
The FCC_Points table represents the radial points generated for each of the eight
radials per sector that make up the FCC contour. Click on an FCC radial point using
the Info tool to view this information. The table includes
n
Radial
HAAT
Site_Id
Distance_Km
ERP_Watts
AHAAT (Antenna Height Above Average Terrain)
The FCC_Regions table provides information for each individual contour region
that has been generated for each sector. Click on an FCC region using the Info
tool to view this information. The table includes
n
Site_Id
Max_Power
Elevation (m)
Radials
Height (m)
AHAAT
Site_LocX
Site_LocY
Antenna File
Antenna Properties (Azimuth, Tilt, Twist, and Gain)
Gulf Area
Contour type
Frequency
Rx_Height
DEM
DEM bin size
HAAT
The FCC_Combine table contains the same column headings as the FCC_
Regions table. When you generate a combined region for all the FCC contours,
this table is not updated with any database information. The reason for this is
that in order to support a spatial region, Planetmust create a corresponding
database table in order to view it in the map window.
To create FCC contours

1
If you want to generate a contour for a single site or sector,

select it in the Map window.
Chapter 19
Choose Tools
FCCContourGenerator or click the
FCCContourGenerator button on the RF Tools toolbar.
In the Sector Selection dialog box, specify the sectors for which you
want to generate FCC contours by choosing one of the following options
in the Selection Options section:
n
All Sectors to generate analyses for all sectors in the project.

window.
The sectors that will be included in the FCC generation are displayed in the
Click OK.
In the FCC Contour Generator, click the Settings tab and choose the
contour type you want to generate from the Contour Type list.
In the Number Of Radials box, type the number of radials you

require.
The default number of radials is eight as required by FCC regulations.
Planetgives you the option to build a contour using a user-defined number of
radials should greater accuracy be required.
If you chose VHF, UHF, or narrowband PCS contour types, from the
Frequency list, choose the frequency range.
The frequency range is applicable to both service and interference contours.
Enable any of the following check boxes:
Draw Radialsdisplays all the radials for the FCC contour

calculation.
Combine Regionsgenerates the composite contour
belonging to your group of sectors.
Use Network Informationcalculates FCC contours using
values in the site table. If you clear this check box, you can
choose any location or point on the Height to generate the
appropriate FCC contour. If this option is not enabled, you
cannot combine regions. To override values for 32 dBu
services, you must enable this check box. For more
information, see To define override values for 32 dBu
services.
Keep Previous Curvesenables you to preserve the
contours that you previously generated. If you clear this
check box, only one generated contour is displayed, and the
previous contours are overwritten.
10 If you want to define distance, ERP/EiRP, or HAAT overrides for

32dBuservices, click the Override button.
You can only override the service when it is defined along eight radials
(as required by the FCC). See To define override values for 32 dBu
services.
11 If you decide that the overrides are not needed, clear the Use
Overrides check box.
12 To to calculate the EIRP or ERP based on the power for all

selected sectors (regardless of technology), enable the Use PA
Power check box.
13 Click Generate.
Your Map window refreshes to view the FCC contours. Dashed red lines
highlight the composite region contour, and solid black lines indicate the
individual sector contour regions.
To define override values for 32 dBu services

You can only override values for 32 dBu services defined along 8 radials.
Override values are saved in the FCC_Overrides.ini file located in the project
Chapter 19
folder.
Overriding values for 32 dBu services is not a practise that is endorsed by the FCC.
If you want to override distance, ERP/EiRP, or HAAT values for all

sectors listed on the tabs in the 32 DBu Overrides dialog box, enable
any of the following check boxes in the OverrideOptions section:
n
Distanceenables you to define the distance from the sector to the

contour for each radial. If you enable this check box, only the
distance value is used in the generation of contours. However, all
values (distance, the ERP/EiRP, and HAAT values) are output to the
FCC report.
ERPenables you to define a ERP value for each radial.
HAATenables you to define a HAAT for each radial.
If you want to use the same value for all sectors, enable the Override
By Sector check box.
If you enabled the Distance (km) check box, click the Override
Distance Values tab and do the following:
Enable the check box next to a sector to use the distance values.
Click in the field for each radial and enter a value.
If you enabled the Elevation (m) check box, click the Override
Elevation Values tab and do the following:
n
Enable the Use Elevation check box next to a sector to override

the DEM value or the surveyed value (depending on the setting
specified in the Ground Elevation section on the Advanced tab of the
FCC Contour Generator dialog box).
Click in the associated Value field for each sector and enter a value.
If you enabled the ERP/EiRP (dBm) check box, click the Override
ERP Values tab and do the following:
n
Enable the check box next to a sector to use the ERP values.
If you enabled the HAAT (m) check box, click the Override
HAAT Values tab and do the following:
n
Enable the check box next to a sector to use the HAAT values.
Click OK.
NOTE: You can filter what is displayed on the tabs in the 32 dBu Overrides
dialog box by clicking the down arrow next to the column title and making a
selection. If you choose Custom, the Custom AutoFilter dialog box opens
where you can create a custom display filter.
To use the FCC Point tool

You can generate an FCC contour for a potential sector location anywhere
within the spatial extents of your project using the FCC Point tool. The FCC
Point tool enables you to choose any point on the digital elevation model to
generate an FCC contour.
In the FCC Contour Generator dialog box, clear the Use

Network Information check box on the Settings tab.
The Point Options tab displays.
Click in the Map window at any location within the elevation grid
to automatically generate an FCC service contour.
If you want to change the antenna pattern, on the Point Options

tab, choose an antenna from the Antenna Pattern list.
Adjust other parameters including Azimuth, Power (ERP),

Height, Tilt, and Twist as required.
Click the Advanced tab and define any of the following settings:
n
Receiver Heightdefines the height of the typical receiver

above ground. This is usually set to 1.5 meters, the height of
the average mobile phone user.
Chapter 19
Smoothing Typecreates a spline or linear interpolation of radials

when deriving FCC contours when the Apply Smoothing check box
on the Settings tab is enabled.
n
A spline interpolation will be smoother than a linear

interpolation. By increasing the curve resolution, you can
improve the smoothness of the contours.
A linear interpolation is based on degrees. The value you
specify in the Smoothing Interval box controls the level of
smoothing applied. For example, if the radius at 0 degree is
20km, and radius at 45 degree is 30 km, then the radius at 5
degree will be 20 + (30-20) * 5/(45-0) = 21.1 km.
Curve Resolutionsets the number of points required when

generating the spline contour when using the Apply Smoothing
option on the Settings tab. By increasing the curve resolution value
you can improve the smoothness of the contour.
Figure 19.1: The impact of curve smoothingin the output on the right, curve
smoothing has been applied
n
Zone Of Inactivityapplies only in the context of the 32dBu

contours used by cellular operators. FCC regulations require
operators to consider whether a sector is located in a served or
unserved area. The unserved contour will be larger because it is
assumed that no other providers are in the area.
Service Areaapplies only in the context of the 32dBu contours
used by cellular operators. It makes adjustments to the service

contour based on whether the sector is located in the United
States or the Gulf of Mexico area. This is required by FCC
regulations.
n
Ground Elevationthis section determines the source of

elevation information. By default, the T_Elevation column
provides elevation data. To use an alternative column, clear
the Use Project Setting check box and choose a column
from the Surveyed Column list.
Use Project DEMby default, FCC contours are generated
using the elevation grid file specified in the Project Settings
dialog box. To use a different elevation grid, clear the Use
Project DEM check box and specify another file in the DEM
box. The alternative elevation grid must cover the same
geographical area as the project DEM. In most cases, a 500meter resolution is required.
Click Generate.
To save FCC contour tables

Planetautomatically creates three temporary tables for the purpose of
generating an FCC contour: the FCC Points table, the FCC Region table, and the
FCC Combine table.
In the FCC Contour Generator dialog box, click Save To

Table.
In the Select FCC Output Table dialog box, choose <New

Table>, and click OK.
In the New MapInfo Table dialog box, type a file name and click
Save.
The new tables are saved to the chosen folder with the given file name added
as an extension. For example, if you save the file name as FCC_sample, the
new tables become FCCRegion_FCC_Sample.tab, FCCPoints_FCC_sample.tab,
and FCCCombine_FCC_sample.tab. You can add more FCC contour information
to these tables.
Chapter 19
You can generate an FCC combine table only if you have enabled the Combine
Regions check box and have generated a contour for a group of sectors. You can
combine regions only for Planetsite tables.
To export an FCC report

You can create a text document that summarizes the FCC contours you created.
In the FCC Contour Generator dialog box, click Export.
In the Select FCC Output Table dialog box, choose a valid FCC table
and click OK.
In general, you should choose either the FCC_Contours or the FCC_Points
table.
In the Text Output File dialog box, type the name of the text file that
will contain the FCC contour information and click Save.
TIP: Enable the View Export check box to automatically open the FCC contour
information in Notepad.
TIP: You can also use Crystal Reports, included with Mentum Planetto create
specialized reports from FCC tables. You can access Crystal Reports from the GIS
Tools menu.
Chapter 20 Working The Tabular Editor

A key stage of network planning resolves around the analysis of network data
and subsequent tweaks to network and site parameters that lead eventually to
a network model that you are satisfied with.
The Tabular Editor is a powerful tool that you can use to globally edit project
parameters.
421
Chapter 20

Using the Tabular Editor, you can quickly and easily modify project data. By freezing
panes, you can compare values and analyze results. Information is organized on
separate worksheets (see Figure 20.1). The worksheets and columns that the
Tabular Editor displays depends on how you open the dialog box. For example, you
can open the Tabular Editor from the Sites node in the Project Data category and
view all site, sector, and antenna information. Or, you can open it from the Link
Configuration node to view only the link configurations contained in your project.
If custom data columns have been created by the Data Manager Administrator,
these columns will be available on the Sites and/or Sectors worksheets in the
Tabular Editor after you have connected to Data Manager Server. You can add values
or edit existing custom column data using the Tabular Editor.
Figure 20.1: Tabular Editor displaying project worksheets

NOTE: If you want to globally edit network settings, you must use the
Import/Export Wizard. Network settings are not visible in the Tabular Editor.
To edit sites, flags, or link configurations using the Tabular Editor

1
In the Project Explorer, do any of the following:

n
To edit site parameters, in the Sites category, right-click the Sites

node and choose Tabular Editor.
Working The Tabular Editor
To edit link configurations, in the Project Data category,

right-click Link Configurations and choose Tabular Edit.
To modify data, in the Tabular Editor, do any of the following:

n
Double-click in a table cell and type a new value.
Click the down arrow in a table cell and choose a new value.
Enable or clear the check box for the chosen setting.
Right-click in a table cell to copy and paste data.
To edit Flags, in the Sites category, right-click the Sites

node and choose Tabular Editor.
Click the down arrow next to a table heading to display all the
data or a particular subset. When a filter has been applied, the
down arrow changes to the filter icon.
To change the Tabular Editor display, do any of the following:

n
Click the Change Options button to specify which

worksheets and columns to display in the Tabular Editor.
Click the Sort Ascending button to reorder the rows based on
the data in the selected column.
Click the Sort Descending button to reorder the rows based
on the data in the selected column.
Place the pointer between column headings to increase or
decrease the size of the column.
Enable the Freeze Panes check box to lock rows and
columns in one area so that they remain visible when you
scroll. This is useful, for example, if you want to freeze a
particular column and then scroll through subsequent columns
comparing the values.
To copy data to the clipboard, click the Copy To ClipboarD

button.
To paste from the clipboard, click the Paste From Clipboard

button.
Chapter 20
When you have finished modifying or examining the data, click Close.
NOTE: There are some columns that you cannot edit in the Tabular Editor. These
columns are grayed out.
TIP: To quickly copy a value across all rows in a column in the Tabular Editor, type
the new value in the first cell of the column, click the column header to select the
column, and press CTRL+D. Then, click outside the column to make the updates.
Click Apply to save your changes.
TIP: To update displayed information with current data, click the Refresh button.
This update may be longer than when you click Apply because all data is
recomputed.
Chapter 21 Importing And Exporting Data

You can import and export project data using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
(.xls) or comma separated value (.csv) files. This is useful when you want to
analyze data and, based on your analysis, edit site, sector, and network
parameters.
You can also import network data in order to better model the real-world
environment. And, if you have a Mentum CellPlanner project, you can import it
into Mentum Planet.
425
432
437
Chapter 21

Using the Import/Export Wizard, you can view project data in Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets (.xls or .xlsx) or comma separated value (.csv) files. When you export
data from your project to a spreadsheet, individual worksheets are created in the
.xls file or .xlsx for each category of project data. When you export project data to
.csv files, a folder is created containing individual .csv files for each project data
category. You can choose the types of project data that you want to import or
export. For example, you could import or export only site and sector location data,
but not the detailed sector settings. You can also import or export project data only
for specific sectors.
NOTE: You can use the Import/Export command-line utility (iecon.exe) to export
Mentum Planet data to an .xls file, .xlsx, .csv file, or database. You can then make
changes to the data and use iecon.exe again to import the data back into Mentum
Planet or Data Manager. The iecon.exe utility is useful if you want to automate the
import and export of data using scripts (e.g., if you want to make Mentum Planet
data accessible to other systems via a database or import updates to projects from
another source). See Appendix A: Import/Export Command-Line Utility in the Data
Manager Server Administrator Guide. When you use the iecon utility to import sites
and sectors, you must always include the Summary.csv file in the data import.
Preferences. In
TIP: To specify the Import/Export Excel file format, choose Edit
the User Preferences dialog box, in the tree view, choose Miscellaneous. In the
Import Export Settings section, choose the default Excel file extension (i.e., the
Excel 2007-2003 format (.xls) or the new Excel Workbook format (.xlsx)).
TIP: If your project is stored in Data Manager, and you export it and re-import it
using the Import/Export tool, Data Manager will treat it as a new project if you use
the Replace All Data option. In this case, if you want to continue using the existing
project, you must merge the new project into the existing project. See Chapter 2,
Using Data Manager in the Data Manager User Guide.
Importing And Exporting Data
Importing data
You can use .xls, .xlsx or .cvs files to add or remove sites, edit project
settings, and then import the new or updated data. Each worksheet in an .xls
file, .xlsx or each .csv file you use to import project data must contain the
required and mandatory columns, and must be formatted correctly for the type
of data in a column (i.e., text or numeric). Unless you specifically request that
data be replaced on import, data is never removed from a project when you
use the Import Wizard. For example, if the worksheet or .csv file from which
you are importing does not contain all of the sectors currently in your project,
only the sectors listed in the worksheet or .csv file are updated in the project.
The other sectors in your project are not affected by the Import Wizard. If you
are working with a large project and only want to update specific project data,
you can import individual worksheets or .csv files, and include only the sites or
sectors that require updating or are being added. For descriptions of
worksheets or .csv files and the columns they contain, valid values and
ranges, and an indication of required and mandatory columns, see the Import
Export Worksheet Parameters folder within theMentum Planet Help folder.
For information on how to import data, see To import project data.
TIP: To ensure the proper worksheet or .csv file format when importing, use
previously exported .xls, .xlsx or .csv files to edit or update project data.
Replacing data
When you import data, you can choose to replace specific data. This can be
useful, for example, if:
n
you want to delete sites from your project. When you delete a
site, however, you must delete the site from all dependent
worksheets.
you want to change the prefix used in the site IDs (e.g., from
Site to Ott). When you change site IDs, however, you
must change the site ID on all dependent worksheets.
you want to share and merge project data.
Chapter 21
Before you replace data, you can review the impact of those changes on project data
to ensure you are satisfied. This is important because once data has been replaced it
cannot be recovered.
Exporting data
When you export data to a spread sheet, individual worksheets are created in the
.xls or .xlsx file for each category of project data. When you export data to a .csv
file, a folder is created containing individual .csv files for each category of project
data. In addition, a Summary worksheet or .csv file is also created for the exported
project. For descriptions of the data types that can be exported, and the
corresponding location (dialog box) of the field in the Mentum Planet graphical user
interface, see theImport Export Worksheet Parameters folder within the Mentum
Planet Help folder.
By default, when you export data, the site coordinates are saved in the
Longitude/Latitude (WGS 84) projection and the sector coordinates are saved in the
projection specified when you originally created the project. If you import an
exported .xls file, .xlsx or .csv files, only the site and sector coordinate systems are
imported from the Summary worksheet or .csv file.
To export project data

1

n
If you want to export project data for all sites and sectors, choose
Data
Export.
If you want to export project data for individual sites, sectors, or
groups, in the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, choose one
or more groups, sites, or sectors, right-click and choose Export.
If you want to export repeater data, in the Project Explorer, in the
Sites category, right-click the Repeaters node, and choose
Export.
If you want to export project data based on enabled flag conditions,
in the Project Explorer, in the Sites category, right-click the
Flags node, and choose Export.
The Export Wizard opens.
On the Data Selection page, in the Tables list, enable the check
boxes for each of the tables that you want to export.
Each selected table is exported to an individual worksheet in an Excel
file or a single comma separated value file. For example, if you enable
only Sites and Sectors, then only the basic site and sector information
will be exported. When you enable the Sectors check box in the Tables
box, by default, the Bin File Name, the Bin Hash Code, the Signal
Strength File Name, and the Signal Strength Hash Code columns are not
enabled (i.e., they are cleared).
You can click Select All or Clear All to speed up the selection process.
In the Columns list, for each of the tables that you chose in Step
2, enable the check boxes for each of the columns that you want
to export.
Click Next.
On the File Location page, do one of the following:
Chapter 21
If you want to export project data to a folder of comma separated

text files, choose the Comma Separated Values Text Files
option.
Click Browse, and do one of the following:

n
If you want to export project data to an Excel file, choose the

Microsoft Excel option. If you want to automatically open the
exported Excel file, enable the Open The File In Microsoft Excel
After Export check box.
If you chose the Microsoft Excel option in Step 5, navigate to the

folder in which you want to save the Excel file, type a name in the
File Name box, and click Save.
If you chose the Comma Separated Values Text Files option in
Step 5, navigate to the folder in which you want to save the comma
separated text files, and click OK.
Click Finish.
The data types that you chose in Step 2 and Step 3 are exported to the type of
file you chose in Step 5. If you chose the Microsoft Excel option and enabled
the Open the File in Microsoft Excel After Export in Step 5, Microsoft Excel
opens automatically.
To import project data

When you import data, the coordinate systems (along with the distance and height
units) are imported from the Summary worksheet or .csv file and, if required, sites
and sectors are reprojected automatically. A list of supported projections is
contained in the mapinfo.prj file located in the <Mentum Planet installation
folder>\mapinfo folder. Additional information about projections can be found in
Appendix B, Elements of a Coordinate System in the MapInfo Professional User
Guide.
All values in the Excel file from which you are importing must use the default units
indicated in the worksheet column names, and the file must contain required and
mandatory columns.
If you want to import general site, sector and project data, choose
Data
Import
Project Data.
The Import Wizard opens.
On the Import Settings page, do one of the following:

n
If you chose the Microsoft Excel option in Step 2, navigate

to the .xls or .xlsx file containing the data you want to import,
and click Open.
If you chose the Comma Separated Values Text Files
option in Step 2, navigate to the folder containing the .csv files
you want to import, and click OK.
In the Import Mode section, choose one of the following

options:
n
If you want to import project data from a folder of .csv files,

choose the Comma Separated Values Text Files option.
Click Browse, and do one of the following:

n
If you want to import project data from an .xls or .xlsx file,

choose the Microsoft Excel option.
All Project Datachoose this option to replace data across

the entire project based on the selections you make.
Sector Selection Datachoose this option to replace data
for the selected sectors only based on the selections you
make.
Click Next.
Chapter 21
The Data Selection page lists the tables available to import and options for
replacing project data on import.
On the Data Selection page, enable the check boxes for each of the
tables that you want to import.
You can click Select All or Clear All to speed up the selection process.
If you want to overwrite existing data or remove data from a project,

enable any of the following check boxes.
n
All Datareplaces data in all categories listed in the Replace

section.
Groupsreplaces data listed in the Groups category.
Flagsreplaces data listed in the Flags category.
Site Datareplaces site data including data in the following

categories: Sites, Sectors, Antennas, etc. Frequency plans,
Configuration Links, and Neighbor Lists are also overwritten.
Link Configurationsreplaces data listed on the link budget
worksheet.
Neighbor Listsreplaces neighbor lists.
Network Settingsreplaces network setting parameters.
When you replace data, the selected data is first deleted from the project and
the new data is then imported into the project. Once data has been replaced,
the original data cannot be recovered.
To review the proposed changes, click Compare Data to compare the

original data to the proposed updated data.
Click Finish.
The project data you chose will be updated or added to your project. The Log
dialog box displays the status of the import operation.
NOTE: Status messages are displayed cumulatively in the Log dialog box. Click the
Export button to save the log messages to a text file. Click the Clear button to
remove all messages from the Log dialog box.
Network data is data collected from wireless network switching equipment. It

contains information about network configuration and performance. You use
the Network Data Import Wizard to bind network data to Mentum Planet data.
The bound network data can then be used in Mentum Planet in traffic maps,
interference matrices, neighbor lists, technology-specific features such as
Automatic Frequency Preamble and Perm Base Planning tool, and for display
purposes.
Your network data must be in an Excel spreadsheet or tab-delimited text file.
Binding network data

Binding network data means mapping columns in the network data to Mentum
Planet data columns. In the Network Data Import Wizard, you only need to
specify whether you want to bind data based both the site ID and the sector ID
or only on a sector property that contains unique values for each sector.
Viewing the results of data binding

Once you have mapped the network data to the Mentum Planet data, you can
review it in the Report Preview dialog box. You can then create a sector display
scheme for statistical data in order to view network data graphically on a map
of your networks coverage area. Any numeric metric, for example, dropped
calls or carried Erlangs, can be displayed.
To import network data

1

right-click Network Data and choose New.
The Network Data Import Wizard opens.
Chapter 21
Read the introduction and click Next.
On the Choose The Data File You Want To Use page, choose one of
the following options:
n
If you want to import network data from an Excel file, choose the
Microsoft Excel option.
If you want to import network data from a folder of comma
separated text files, choose the Comma Separated Values Text
Files option.
Click Browse and navigate to the folder where the network data is
saved and click Open.
Click Next.
On the Choose How You Want The Data Bound page, choose one of
the following options:
n
Bind To Site ID/Sector IDbinds the SiteID and the Sector ID to

columns in the network data file.
Bind To Unique Sector Propertybinds a sector property when it
contain unique values for each sector
Click in the header row and, from the list, choose the Mentum
Planet data to which to bind the network data.
A valid selection displays a green indicator.
Click Finish.
The Report Preview dialog box opens. The Mapping Status column
indicates whether the data is mapped or not in the project.
Chapter 21

n
10
To view site parameters, click the site name to open the Site
Editor.
To change the columns displayed in the dialog box, click the
Change Options button.
To sort the data in ascending order, click the Sort In Ascending
Order button.
To sort the data in descending order, click the Sort In Descending
Order Button.
If you mapped network data to a sector property, you can create a

sector display scheme to apply to network data by doing the following:
n
Choose the sector property for which you want to create a sector
display scheme.
Click the Generate Sector Display Scheme button.
11
In the New Sector Display Scheme dialog box, type a name for the
scheme and click OK.
12
In the Sector Display Scheme dialog box, define the parameters

upon which you want the scheme to be based.
For information on creating sector display schemes, see Working with

Sites and Sectors in the Mentum Planet User Guide or press the F1 key
for online Help.
13
14
15
To view the network data upon which the scheme is based, click
the Data button.
Review the data and click Close.
In the Sector Display Scheme dialog box, click one of the
following buttons:
n
16
OKsaves the sector display scheme.

Cancelcloses the dialog box without saving the sector
display scheme.
Applyapplies the sector display scheme to the current Map
window.
Click Close.
The network data is added to the Operational Data category in the
Project Explorer.
Chapter 21

You can import CellPlanner data into Mentum Planet. You must have migrated the
project geodata using the Geodata Converter, which is available from the Mentum
Planet download page.
From MentumCellPlanner, you must also have exported the CellPlanner project to an
XML format.
Geodata can be saved locally or remotely and can use the naming convention that
best suits your needs. The geodata folder must, however, contain a folder called
"Heights" that contains the elevation file and a folder called "Clutter". The Clutter
folder can be empty if you are not using clutter.
NOTE: You can only migrate LTE technology projects created with CellPlanner,
version 10.0.
CAUTION: Using geodata that has not been migrated using the Geodata Converter
may result in prediction differences (e.g., when the heights file covers a smaller
area).
To import a CellPlanner project

1
In Mentum Planet, ensure you have no projects open.
Choose Data
In the Geodata Selection dialog box, click Browse to locate the

Geodata folder.
From the Primary Heights File list, choose the project height file.
From the Primary Clutter File list, choose the project clutter file and
click OK.
Import
Cell Planner Project.
The Mentum Planet Migrator opens.
When project migration is complete, click OK.
Appendix A Survey To Numeric Grid

Calculations
When you compare a survey to a numeric grid, the following comparisons are
made for each clutter class.
This appendix covers the following topics:
439
Appendix A

When you compare a survey to a numeric grid, the following comparisons are made
for each clutter class.
Mean
The mean indicates the mean difference between the survey and grid signal
strengths, and is calculated using the following formula.
Equation A.1 Survey to Grid mean

Where
x is the difference between the survey and grid signal strengths
n is the number of points
STD (standard deviation)

The standard deviation indicates the spread around the mean of the difference
between the survey and grid signal strengths and is calculated using the following
formula.
Equation A.2 Survey to Grid standard deviation

Where
Survey To Numeric Grid Calculations
RMS (root-mean-square)
The RMS indicates the spread around zero in the difference between the
survey and grid signal strengths, and is calculated using the following formula.
Equation A.3 Survey to Grid root-mean-square

Where
The RMS includes the effects of both the mean difference and the spread. It is
sometimes used to characterize the accuracy of a propagation model.
Alternatively, the mean and standard deviation can be used. If model tuning
has been performed, the mean should be close to zero and the standard
deviation can be used alone
Confidence Level
The confidence level equals the probability, in percent, that the true mean
error is within 1 dB of the calculated mean error, and is calculated using the
following formula. The confidence level indicates the statistical significance of
the survey to grid signal strengths and should generally be close to 100%. If,
for example, the confidence level is 95% and drive test samples are collected
from the same transmitter configuration and compared to the signal strengths,
there is 95% chance that the mean error will be within 1 dB of the results
obtained using the original drive test data.
Appendix A
Equation A.4 Survey to Grid confidence level
Where
a = 1 dB
g(y) is the standard normal distribution:
Q(z) is the integral of the standard normal distribution from z to infinity:
erfc is the complementary error function:
For example, assigning a the value 1 dB, produces the following result
Survey To Numeric Grid Calculations
The confidence level in percent is given by the following equation:
Correlation factor
The correlation factor indicates the correlation between the survey and grid
signal strengths, and is calculated using the following formula.
Equation A.5 Survey to Grid correlation factor

Where
x and y are the survey and grid signal strengths, respectively. The smaller the
standard deviation of x y, the higher the correlation factor; however, it
cannot exceed 1.0.
Appendix B Propagation Model Analysis

Equations
This appendix describes the equations used in propagation model analysis to
calculate analysis results.
This appendix covers the following topics:
445
Appendix B

The inputs to the analysis are the survey point value, and the prediction signal
strength value. This is the prediction signal strength value, at the bin, from the signal
strength file (without any interpolation).
The following values are used repeatedly in the various calculations for the Key
Performance Indicators (KPI).
The difference values, x , between the survey value and the prediction signal
i
strength value.
Difference= <Survey Value> - <Prediction value>
The number of pairs of values, n, this is the number of survey points.
The average value of all the differences which is:
Survey Mean Error from Prediction (dB)

The arithmetic mean value of all errors of survey points when compared to the
prediction.
This is the average value of all the differences.
Where:
n = the number of pairs of values
xi are the difference values
Survey RMS Error from Prediction
Propagation Model Analysis Equations
This is the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of the errors between survey point
value and the prediction value for the bin.
The Root Mean Squared Error is calculated as:
Where:
xi are the difference values
To calculate the RMS error, the difference between the prediction and survey
values is calculated at each survey point:
then,
the square of each of these difference values is calculated
all the squares of the difference values are added together (i.e., sum of
squares)
the result of the previous step is divided by the number of pairs of
values (or number of survey points)
the square root of the resulting value is calculated.
Standard Deviation of Errors

The standard deviation of errors is the standard deviation of the set of
differences between the survey points and the prediction value at the bin
calculated as:
Appendix B
Where:
x are the difference values and x is the mean of all the difference values.
i
then,
the difference between the prediction and survey value at each bin is
calculated by:
the average value of all the differences is calculated by:
For each difference value, the difference between that value and the average
value of all differences is calculated.
The square all these difference values is calculated.
The average of the squared differences is calculated. This is the variance .
Take the square root of the variance.
Correlation
This is the correlation coefficient of the survey points and predictions for this
category. The result is a value between -1 and 1 where 1 represents a perfect
positive correlation and -1 represents a perfect negative correlation.
The following equations are used to determine the correlation:
Where:
x are the survey values
y are the prediction signals strength values at the binheights
Simplified Pathloss
The simplified pathloss is calculated using the Free Space pathloss formula.
Thi formula allows you to determine the serving sectors during the assignment
of survey points to sectors where multiple servers with the same PN offset
may exist. The serving sector is determined using a calculation of simplified
pathloss.
The simplified pathloss is determined by calculating an unmasked pathloss
using the free space loss formula, and signal strength. With the result, you can
determine the Pilot EIRP of the sector, the azimuth and the horizontal pattern
of the antenna.
Free space pathloss

The free space pathloss formula is used to calculate the simplified pathloss and
to calculate the filtering based on free space pathloss.
Free space pathloss = 32.44 + 20 logf + 20 logd
Where:
Appendix B
f = frequency in MHz
D = distance in kilometers
Filtering based on free space pathloss:
<free space pathloss signal strength> = <Pilot EIRP> - <Antenna
discrimination loss> - <free space pathloss>
where:
<free space pathloss> is determined using the linear distance between the
sector and the survey points, and the centre frequency of the first carrier in
Planets Network settings.
<Antenna discrimination loss> is determined from the antenna horizontal and
vertical patterns, based on the angle of incidence at the serving sector of a
straight line from the survey point.
This is corrected to take into account the following:
Height of antenna at serving sector
Serving sector Azimuth
Serving sector Tilt
Serving sector Twist
Height of mobile (1.5m)
Quality (%)
An arithmetic measure of Quality based on RMS error and Correlation.
Quality = <Correlation> * (100 - <RMS Error>)
If the RMS error is low and correlation high, then the Quality value will tend towards
100%. Note that a negative correlation will result in the Quality value being
negative.
Reliability
Reliability is derived from a combination of the difference between the measured
data and the predictions as well as the number of samples (i.e. number of points for
that category).
The unreliable measurements are determined by assessing all difference

values from all survey points against the standard deviation of the differences
between survey and predictions. Any differences that fall outside three
standard deviations from the mean difference are identified as an unreliable
measurement.
The number of unreliable measurements is the number of difference values
that are:
less than the mean difference
or
greater than the mean difference
Good measurements = Number of survey points - Unreliable measurements
A low number of points will result in a low reliability value. A high proportion of
points analyzed where the difference between measured value and prediction
is greater than 3 standards deviations from the mean, is indicative of
unreliable data, so in this case the reliability value will also be low.
Confidence
The confidence value represents the probability, as a percentage, that the true
mean error is within 1 dB of the calculated mean error, and is calculated
using the following formula. The confidence indicates the statistical
significance of the survey to grid signal strengths and should generally be
close to 100%. If, for example, the confidence is 95% and drive test samples
are collected from the same transmitter configuration and compared to the
prediction, there is 95% chance that the mean error will be within 1 dB of the
results obtained using the original drive test data.
The confidence level indicates the statistical significance of the survey
compared to the prediction and should be close to 100%.
The confidence value in percent is given by the following equation:
Appendix B
Where:
is the standard deviation of the errors of the points
erfc is the complimentary error function

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>> Mentum Planet

Features of Mentum Planet

Traffic Map Generator

Interference Matrix Generator

Neighbor Plan Generator

Network Data Import Wizard

Survey Data tool

Using this documentation

User documentation updates

Organization of this user guide

Chapter 2 Creating Generic Projects

Understanding generic projects

Creating a generic project

To create a generic project

To view or edit project settings

Opening and closing projects

Mentum Planet User Guide i

Chapter 3 Working with Sites and Sectors

Displaying and formatting site labels

To display site labels

To hide site labels

To format site labels

To choose sites and sectors from the Project Explorer

To choose sites and sectors using the Select tools

To group sites by properties in the Project Explorer

To copy grouped sites in the Project Explorer

To ungroup sites in the Project Explorer

Finding and selecting sites and sectors in the Map window

To find a site in the Map window

To find a sector in the Map window

To find and display a site with user-selected zoom

To select a site or sector in the Map window

Using queries to identify sectors

To use queries to identify sectors

Working with sites

To display information about a site

To copy a site or sector into a group

ii Mentum Planet User Guide

To clone a sector at a site

To swap site and sector parameters

To refresh the sites list

To delete sites from the Project Explorer

To delete sites from the Map window

To change the antenna for a sector

Using sector placement tools

To use the Find Maximum Point tool

To use the Angle From Line tool

To use the Draw Angle tool

Working with sector groups

To create a sector group

To display a group in a Map window

Editing sector groups

To remove a site or sector from a group

To refresh the groups list

To edit groups from the Site Properties dialog box

Working with flags

To apply flag conditions to one or more sites

To display sectors based on flag conditions

Editing flags and conditions

Mentum Planet User Guide iii

To delete a flag or condition

To invert flag conditions

Modifying sector symbols for individual sites

To modify color and symbol settings for individual sites