User Manual

Table Of Contents

TRACER 4205 System Manual Section 6, Troubleshooting Guide

system, and also to diagnose a previously installed system. Please contact Adtran Technical support at any

stage during installation and/or troubleshooting if you require assistance.

5. INSTALLING/TROUBLESHOOTING THE TRACER HARDWARE

1. Perform a detailed path profile for each TRACER 4205 microwave link. A thorough path study

can be used to estimate signal power budgets, fade margins at each receiver, identity potential

line-of-site obstacles, properly size antenna dishes, and determine minimum antenna dish heights

above the earth.

2. Setup all of the TRACER hardware on a work bench. It is also recommended that the actual cables

to be used in the permanent installation be used in the work bench setup. A rigorous work bench

"simulation" of the link will help you alleviate and avoid time-consuming errors.

3. Examine the PLAN A and PLAN Blights on the front panel of each unit. These LEDs indicate the

frequency plan for each TRACER 4205 unit. The frequency plan (PLAN A, PLAN B) LED should

be the opposite on both TRACER 4205 units.

4. Attach the RF coaxial cables to be used in the permanent installation to the N-type connectors on

the base of the TRACER 4205 unit. Attach the other end of the coaxial cable(s) to an RF power

meter or spectrum analyzer if either is available. The power measured by the meter/analyzer will

be the RF power available at the input of the antenna. The TRACER 4205 unit is programmed at

the factory to output approximately 100 mW (20 dBm) of 5.8 GHz RF power. The actual power

level measured by the meter/analyzer will be less than 100 mW due to RF losses through the

coaxial cable, and is a function of cable type and length of cable being used. In any event, the

power level at the output of the coaxial cable should be a significant fraction of 100 mW. A power

meter/analyzer reading that is not on the order of at least tens-of-milliwatts could be an indication

of any combination of either unsuitable RF, faulty, or unreasonably long coaxial cable.

5. Resolve all RF coaxial cabling errors before proceeding.

6. Attach the RF coaxial cables to a 5.8 GHz attenuator, if possible. If you do not have an attenuator,

attach the coaxial cables to the antennas to be used in the permanent installation. If the installation

antennas are not available, small, inexpensive dipole or patch antennas can be used for verification

purposes. If an adjustable attenuator is being used, dial in the amount of attenuation that

corresponds to the path loss value expected for the microwave link in which the TRACER

hardware will be installed. The path loss value can be calculated from a knowledge of the path

length, or provided by a path study. Remember to subtract both antenna gain values from the

attenuator level if these values have not already be accounted for.

7. After setting up the RF pieces, examine the

RF DOWN LED on the front panel of each TRACER

4205 unit. If the RF DOWN LED is illuminated (red), the corresponding TRACER 4205 is not

receiving a suitable RF signal from the other TRACER 4205 unit. In this case, the receiving

TRACER 4205 is either receiving a very weak signal, or no signal at all. If the RF DOWN LED is

not illuminated, then the TRACER 4205 units are receiving a suitable RF signal. Suitable RF

power levels for low error rate communication will range from -30 dBm to -78 dBm measured at

the N-type connector input on the TRACER 4205 unit.

8. Resolve any signal level issues before proceeding.