Kathrein Features

Relevant antenna characteristics

for Xpol antennas
Electrical and mechanical benefits
and design criterias
of
KATHREIN antennas
1

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
Downtilt

Adjustable Electrical

The heart of antennas with adjustable electrical downtilt is the phase

shifting element

Kathreins sophisticated phase

shifters

provide a continuous downtilt

angle adjustment (not in steps)

avoid any metal parts being

shifted across, but use
capacitive coupling (no risk of
intermodulation, no limitation of
lifetime)

(1st generation)

ensure that the defined

specifications apply to the whole
downtilt range

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Antenna Basics / Antenna Gain

to concentrate the radiated power

into the area around the horizon, half
wave dipoles are arranged vertically
and combined in phase

with every doubling of the dipoles

number
- the half power beam width approx.
halves
- the gain increases by 3 dB in the
main direction
Power increase

factor

3 dB

6 dB

9 dB

10 dB

10

20 dB

100

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

Antenna Basics / Panel Construction Horizontal

Beamwidth

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

Xpol Design / Construction

100% symmetrical
construction

90 beam width
rotating the single dipole
+/- 45
X shape

65 beam width
rotating the pair of dipole
+/- 45
rhomb or
square shape

65

739 622

half power beam width

90

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

Kathrein Features
isolation

High

High isolation
required because both terminations of a Xpol
antenna are used for Rx and Tx

Due to patented decoupling elements Kathrein antennas

provide an isolation of > 30 dB between
- the different polarizations
- the frequency bands
Examples :
742 212 (1710-2170 MHz / variable downtilt)
739 638 ( 824-960 MHz / variable downtilt)

-45

+45

Isolation
(Decoupling)
Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
Downtilt

Adjustable Electrical

Double phase shifter

dipoles

= 0
= 0
= 0
= 0
= 0
7

connector
Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
Downtilt

Adjustable Electrical

Double phase shifter

dipoles

= + 140
= + 70
shorter path

= 0
Longer path

= - 70
= -140
8

connector
Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
Downtilt

Adjustable Electrical

Accuracy of the adjustable electrical tilt mechanism - e.g. 800 10621

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Important electrical values for dual-polarized

Base Station Antennas

Which values are the indicator for the electrical performance of antennas for
mobile communication besides the values given in the data sheets like
VSWR,
F-t-B, IM, gain or decoupling?

Which values are also absolutely important for all Operators regarding the
quality and reliable performance of their network, like coverage, diversity,
signal strength, avoidance of interference, avoidance of drop-calls and
defined hand-over-scenarios?

Squint

Tracking
CrossPolarRatio

Especially Squint and Tracking are more or less related to each other and should not
be seen as independent performance values. But to show the basic design criteria, we
want to have a look on both seperately.

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

10

Kathrein Features

High CPR

Cross polar ratio (+/- 45 polarization)

Cross polar ratio describes the correlation between two orthogonal
polarizations measured in the farfield (accurate +/- 45)

Ratio between the co-polar and the cross-polar signal

(identical compared to opposite polarization)

orthogonal polarizations
high cross polar ratio
excellent diversity
performance

Excellent cross-polar ratio

(CPR) values for the complete
sector, performed by a complete
new dipole element (patent
pending)

CPR

11

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
High CPR

recommended values: main direction >20 dB

sector +/- 60 degree >10 dB

measured CPR values of Kathrein antennas :

Antenna 800 10304 : Xpol Panel 806-960 65 16.3 dBi 0- 10 T

DT
Tilt 0
Tilt 2
Tilt 4
Tilt 6
Tilt 8
Tilt 10

-60
23,4
19,8
17
15,4
14,3
11,5

-50
23,1
22,9
21
19,4
18,2
15,1

-40
21,8
23,3
23,5
22,9
22
19,2

-30
21
22,6
23,7
24,3
24,4
24,1

-20
21
22,4
23,5
24,2
24,6
28,4

-10
21,3
22,4
23
23,4
23,6
26,4

0
22
22,5
22,5
22,5
22,2
22,7

10
23
22,8
22,1
21,5
20,9
19,6

20
24,7
23,3
21,7
20,7
19,7
17,3

30
27,1
23,7
21,3
19,9
18,8
15,4

40
28,9
24
21
19,4
18,1
13,8

50
26,1
23,7
20,8
19,2
17,7
12,5

60
21,2
22,2
20,8
19,3
17,7
11,6

Antenna 742 215 : Xpol Panel 1710-2170 65 18 dBi 0- 10 T

DT
Tilt 0
Tilt 2
Tilt 4
Tilt 6
Tilt 8
Tilt 10

-60
14,6
14,4
13,9
11,7
12,4
11,0

-50
18,1
18,1
17,8
15,1
15,3
13,4

-40
20,8
21,4
21,3
18,2
17,3
15,2

-30
22,6
23,7
24,1
20,8
19,1
17,0

-20
23,5
24,5
25,3
22,7
20,7
18,9

-10
23,6
24,2
24,9
23,0
22,1
20,7

0
23,1
23,3
23,5
22,0
22,8
21,9

10
22,0
21,8
21,6
20,3
21,9
21,3

20
20,4
20,0
19,6
18,4
19,9
19,4

30
18,7
17,9
17,4
16,3
17,5
17,1

40
16,8
15,8
15,2
14,1
15,5
15,1

50
15,0
13,9
13,1
12,1
13,8
13,6

60
13,4
12,1
11,2
10,3
12,8
12,7

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

12

CPR Relevance
Example of competitor antenna with bad CPR behavior

Not only the

main direction
BUT especially
sector borders
are from great
interest
regarding CPR!
The CPR-value
at + /- 60 from
the main
direction should
not be worse
than ~10dB!

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

CPR Relevance

CPR performance of a competitor

antenna
Polarization: - 45

Frequency: 2170.0 MHz

Co-Pol

Polarization: + 45

Cr-Pol (CC 21.0/ 33.3/ 4.5 dB)

345

Co-Pol
345

30

315

60

75

-10

dB

255

240

120

135
210

150
195

180

165

45

60

285

90

105

225

30

300

285

-20

15

315

300

-30

330
45

270

Cr-Pol (CC 7.7/ 31.7/ 26.6 dB)

15

330

Frequency: 2170.0 MHz

75

270

-30

-20

-10

dB

255

90

105

240

120

225

135
210

150
195

180

165

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

CPR Relevance
Impact of wrongly designed CPR antennas for the network
performance:
Decreased Diversity Gain having massively bad influences on Ec/Io results

KATHREIN

Competitor

Calculation based on -86dBm minimum coverage at least -10 dB signal to noise ratio (Ec/Io)
Prediction with Symena Antenna Demonstrator 2.1

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

Kathrein Features

Minimum Tracking

Minimum tracking
Symmetry between the +45 and the -45 polarized horizontal pattern,
measured at +/- 60 from the direction orthogonal to the reflector screen, at
same frequency and same downtilt angle

tracking compensation reduces

the difference to 2 dB

Antenna 742 215

2140 MHz / 8 DT
+ 45 pattern
- 45 pattern

16

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein antenna 742 351(X-Pol F-Panel 1710-2170MHz 33 21dBi

0-8 tilt)
Not only our 65 X-Pol antennas are designed with regard to this high level specifications, but also our 33- or 90antennas!
0

330

30

3 3 0

300

60

270

- dB

25

20

10

6 5

10

30

30 0

60

90

<d B
2 7 0

-60

-4 5

-30

-1 5

90

20
30
40
50

240

120

60
1 2 0

24 0

70
80

210

90
%

180

150
Copy right Kathrein Werke KG

2 1 0

150

180

Copyright Kathrein Werk e KG

Polarlogarithmic

Polar-linear

2140 MHz; 8 electrical tilt; +45 / -45

pol

17

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Xpol Antennas / Squint

Squint
Deviation of the main direction of the horizontal pattern compared to the
direction orthogonal to the reflector screen, measured over the frequency
range

Definition of main direction :

bisector of the angle
between the -3 dB
points of the pattern
Target value :
+/- 5% of half power
beam width

Antenna 742 212

1710 MHz / 0DT / -45
2110 MHz / 0DT / -45

18

Kathrein/Scholz 07/04

Kathrein antenna 742 215 (X-Pol F-Panel

1710 - 2000MHz 18dBi 0-10T)

0
0

330

30
33 0

300

60

270

- dB

25

20

10

6 5 4

30

30 0

90

60

<d B
27 0

-6 0

-4 5

-3 0

-15

90

10
20
30
40
50

240

120

12 0

24 0

60
70
80

210

90
%

180

Polar-linear

150
Copyright Kathrein Werke KG

1750MHz / 2140MHz -45 10

electrical tilt

21 0

15 0

180

Copyright Kathrein Werke KG

Polar-logarithmic

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

19

Kathrein Features
Environment

Constant electrical performance under environmental conditions

Kathrein antennas :
Sun, rain, snow, ice do
not
significantly
effect the
electrical
parameters
Not every other
manufacturer develops
like Kathrein

20

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

Kathrein Features
performance

Mechanical

Excellent mechanical performance

Closed construction :

completely closed radome made of

an extruded fiberglass profile
separated electrical and mechanical
components
reduced sealing procedure by top
and bottom caps

Other construction :

aluminum body and fiberglass half radome have very similar temperature
coefficients (no cracks due to temperature changes)
Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08

22

Kathrein Features

Thank you very much for your

attention!
Any questions?

23

Kathrein MS Lautner 06-08