TRACER 6000 Series Split System Manual
Section 2 Microwave Path Engineering Basics
612806320L1-1B
Copyright © 2005 ADTRAN, Inc.
19
Transmitted Power (P
T
)
The FCC specifies the maximum transmitter power used for antennae of a given gain. FCC Rules (Part 15,
Subpart 247) allow for a maximum transmit power of 1 Watt (30 dBm). Since the TRACER 6320
maximum transmit power is 100 milliwatts, there is no reduction in transmitter output power required.
Carrier Wavelength (
λ
)
The carrier wavelength is the physical wavelength of the main RF carrier being used for communication,
and is usually approximated at the center frequency of the band (which is 5787.5 MHz for the
TRACER 6320). The carrier wavelength calculations follow.
λ
= c / f (meters)
where
c = speed of light (in meters)
f = frequency (in Hz)
resulting in the following carrier wavelength
λ
= 3.00 x 10
8
/ 5787.5 x 10
5
= 0.0518 m or 5.18 cm
Path Distance (d)
The path distance is the physical distance between the transmit and receive antennas. For the TRACER
6320, these distances can range up to 30 miles (48.27 meters).
System Losses (L)
System losses are defined by RF coaxial cable loss, connector losses, and losses added from any additional
lightning protection devices for the power budget analysis. Coaxial cable is required to attach the
TRACER 6320 to the antenna (for all systems without the integrated antenna). The length of the cable
varies from a few feet to hundreds of feet, depending upon your application and the proximity of the
TRACER 6320 to the antenna. Various grades of coaxial cable will work sufficiently for connecting the
TRACER 6320 unit to the antenna. A low-loss coaxial cable will minimize cable losses.
One end of the coaxial cable requires an N-type male connector (plug) to mate with the TRACER 6320
unit. The other end of the coaxial cable requires a connector compatible with the antenna chosen for the
installation (usually an N-type male connector). Additionally, ADTRAN recommends that the outdoor
Table 2. Antenna Gain for Given Dish Diameters (Metric)
Dish Diameter
(in meters)
Gain at 5.8 GHz
(in dBi)
0.6
28.5
0.8
31.1
1.0
33.0
1.2
33.0
1.5
34.6
1.8
37.9
2.0
39.0
