Huawei RTN Microwave Link Troubleshooting Guide

Routine Maintenance Common Location Methods Categories of Microwave Link Faults Troubleshooting a Microwave Link Fault
Perform these operations on a regular basis to discover and
eliminate network risks as well as to quickly locate faults. Alarm analysis Categories of
Start
Understanding network information Microwave Link Faults
Application: Alarms are the clearest indicators of fault information. The first thing to do
- Network topology diagram
when a fault occurs is to check the alarms reported by possibly faulty equipment. Propagation
- Service configuration
Basic method: Checking current and historical alarms, fault symptoms, and time of fault
- DCN subnet topology
helps narrow down the most likely cause and pinpoints a hop, site, or module. Yes
- NE name/ID/IP address
Points to note: Handle alarms in sequence according to alarm severity and type: Interference Fading Line of Sight Misoperation? Rollback
Monitoring device status 1. Hardware alarms, such as HARD_BAD, BD_STATUS, VOLT_LOS, and IF_CABLE_OPEN
- Timely alarm and fault processing 2. Link alarms, such as MW_LOF, RADIO_RSL_LOW, R_LOC, R_LOF, and R_LOS External
Rain fading Link blocking
- Link performance monitoring (RSL/SNR/RMON...) 3. Service alarms, such as TU_AIS, FLOW_OVER, and MPLS_TUNNEL_LOCV interference No
- Protection group status checks 4. Protection alarms, such as HSB_INDI, RPS_INDI, XCP_INDI, and APS_INDI Near-field
Over-reach Multipath fading interference
Maintaining spare parts and backing up data interference Yes
A hardware fault Rectify the
- Regular backups of NE databases Reflection hardware fault
- NE and NMS account maintenance Receive and transmit power analysis alarm is reported?
- Component inventory maintenance Engineering
Application: This analysis quickly determines the type of microwave link fault. No
Basic method: Analyze the transmit and receive power of the microwave link both
during the fault and historically. Possible fault types include LOS, multipath
Operator Requirements fading, ODU faults, etc.
Antenna installation Cable installation
Is an IF or RF Yes
Points to note: Regularly monitor ODU transmit and receive power, SNR, and other alarm generated?
Antennas not aligned Unreliable grounding
- Mastery of basic principles of the microwave system. link performance indicators. Regularly review historical records. Pay special attention
- Familiarity with the RTN product system and hardware. to the links with transmit power more than 3 dB from the designed value. Antennas loosened or offset Unreliable waterproofing
No Co-channel or adjacent-
- Knowledge of common alarm processing. Yes channel interference.
Loopback analysis Damaged appearance
Is the RSL greater
- Knowledge of database backup and restoration. than sensitivity? Multipath reflection
Application: Check the condition of each network segment one at a time to isolate a Equipment
- Mastery of basic operations on common instruments. with long delay
fault to a specific site and board. Process as
Basic method: Perform this check at different loopback points and then perform service No
non-microwave
tests to narrow down the checking range. IDU fault The link is blocked
link fault
Points to note: Analyze service signal flows and perform loopback, testing, and
Fault Location Principles verification segment by segment. ODU fault
Is the RSL
always lower than
Yes
Antenna offsets
Example of loopback analysis Passive planned?
Collect and save site data prior to any processing of a fault.
component fault Fault of a passive
Accurate location of the fault point to a specific site is critical. Device (board) No component
Test meter Power
Networking and supply fault
loopback points B A
External causes before internal causes Was there Yes
rain when the fault Rain fading
Rule out faulty power supply, water-damaged components, Test result ERR occurred?
cable damage, interconnected equipment, or other possible
external causes. OK Troubleshooting Propagation Issues No

? ERR
Yes Multipath fading
+ - Fault Type Typical Symptom Solution Does the fault
Analysis B
Faulty section
A
occur regularly?
- Increasing the path incline: Adjust the Terrain reflection
- The receive power fluctuates
Network before NE Multipath height of both ends of the antenna mount No
rapidly and significantly (more
Configuration data analysis fading than 10 dB within several to increase the difference between them.
Pinpoint the faulty site or devices on a hop from symptoms. - Decreasing the surface reflection: Adjust
seconds).
Application: Locate faults during deployment, capacity expansion, and link adjustment. the antenna so its reflection point is away Is the link Yes
- The receive power fluctuates interruption time
Basic method: Check for consistency of configurations at both ends of a link. periodically (especially during from strongly reflective areas, or make use Check the RF planning
Points to note: Check whether Tx high/low station, transmit and receive frequency, of the terrain to shield reflection. longer than
day/night transitions). planned?
channel spacing, modulation mode, AM mode, IF running mode, service mode, E1 - Reducing the path clearance: Lower
count, header compression, 1588 timeslots, and other configurations are consistent antenna mount heights as much as possible No
while maintaining LOS conditions.
at both ends of a link.
- Use space diversity or increase the Rectify the fault by analyzing data
Testing with Instruments and Tools fade margin.
configuration or replacing the
Application scenario: These tests locate both internal and external as well as - A link's receive power is greater - Replan or change the frequency, or change suspected faulty component.
High-severity alarms before low-severity alarms Interference than its receiver sensitivity, but it
interconnection faults, and also assess link performance. the polarization direction.
has interruptions or bit errors. - Proper planning of the Tx high and low
Analyze critical or major alarms before minor alarms or warnings. Basic method: Use a SDH analyzers, spectrum analyzer, or LOS tester. - The local receive power is greater stations: Use either the Tx high ODU or
Points to note: Learn how to use these instruments correctly. than -90 dBm after the opposite Yes
Tx low ODU at each station.
ODU is muted The fault is rectified? End
Network plan analysis - Interference signals are detected - Plan routes properly to avoid over-reach
using the frequency scan function interference.
Application scenario: This analysis is for link faults related to the network plan. or a spectrum analyzer.
Basic method: Check appropriateness of link plan and whether site deployment meets No
Critical Major Minor Warning - Check rainfall area parameters and
network planning requirements. Rain link fault occurred in poor weather
alarm alarm alarm alarm conditions (such as rainy, snowy, algorithm when network planning.
Points to note: Check that settings of the rainfall and refractivity gradient area as well fading - Increase the fade margin by high Tx power
as the network planning algorithm are correct. Check that the installation settings or foggy) and was rectified after
High-speed signals before low-speed signals the conditions disappeared ODU or a large-diameter antenna.
for frequency, power, antenna diameter, antenna height, and protection mode are - Use ODUs which frequency band lower than
Alarms from high-speed signals often trigger alarms from low-
correct. 10 GHz to reduce the impact of rain fading.
- Use vertical polarization to reduce the
Common Alarms on Microwave Links
speed signals. Therefore, resolve high-speed signal faults first. Component replacement impact of rain fading.
Master the handling methods of the following common alarms on microwave links.
Application scenario: Replacement locates passive fault points and analyzes difficult faults.
Basic method: Determine whether a suspected part is faulty by replacing it with a similar The receive power is always lower - If a link is blocked, adjust the antenna Alarm Name Description
functional one. Such parts include IF cables, optical fibers, network cables, boards, LOS
than planned. height or position to avoid obstacles.
Priority HARD_BAD Hardware fault
ODUs, hybrid couplers, waveguides, and antennas. - If the direction of an antenna has shifted,
Points to note: Pay attention to signal flow analysis while replacing components, and adjust and re-align the antenna. IF_CABLE_OPEN IF cables are disconnected
map out a plan before proceeding. IF_INPWR_ABN The power supplied by an IF board to an ODU is abnormal
IF_MODE_UNSUPPORTED The IF working mode is not supported

Reducing Multipath Fading MW_CFG_MISMATCH Microwave link configurations are inconsistent

MW_FEC_UNCOR FEC errors cannot be corrected
Adjust the height of both ends of the antenna mount Adjust the antenna positions Lower the antenna mount height Implement space diversity
MW_LOF Loss of microwave frames
to increase the path incline. to avoid strong reflection points. to decrease path clearance. to minimize effect of multipath fading.
RADIO_FADING_MARGIN_INSUFF Radio fading margin is insufficient
RADIO_MUTE The ODU transmitter is mute
RADIO_RSL_LOW The radio receive signal level is too low
RPS_INDI Radio protection switching indication
XPIC_LOS Loss of XPIC compensation signals

V1.1 (2016-05-30) Copyright © Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. 2016. All rights reserved.