Chapter 4

Reduction of Co-channel Interference by Using Umbrella Pattern Effect

4.1 Introduction
The umbrella pattern can be applied to reduce co-channel interference just as the downward tilted directional antenna pattern is. The umbrella pattern can be used for an omni-directional pattern, but not for a directional antenna pattern. The tilted directional antenna pattern can create a notch after tilting 20 or more in front of the beam, but the umbrella pattern cannot. Of most concern for future cellular systems is the long-distance interference due to tropospheric propagation. In the future, one system may experience longdistance interference resulting from other systems located approximately 320 km (200 mi) away. Co-channel interference, especially cross talk, could be a severe problem. Therefore, the umbrella pattern might be recommended for every cell site where interference prevails

4.2 Umbrella-pattern Effect

In certain situations, umbrella-pattern antennas should be used for the cell-site antennas. The umbrella pattern can be achieved by use of a staggered discone (a bioconical antenna in which one of the cones is extended 180 to form a disk) antenna. Three types of umbrella-pattern antenna are available. Normal umbrella pattern antenna-For controlling the energy in a confined area, the umbrella-pattern antenna can be developed by using a monopole with a top disk as shown in Fig.4.1. The size of the disk determines the tilting angle of the pattern. The smaller the disk, the larger the tilting angle of the umbrella-pattern [1].

Figure 4.1 Vertical-plane patterns of quarter-wavelength stub antenna

on infinite ground plane (solid) and on finite ground planes several wavelengths in diameter (dashed line) and about one wavelength in diameter (dotted line) (after Kraus, Ref. 1).

Broadband umbrella-pattern antenna-The parameters of a discone antenna are shown in Fig.4.2.The diameter of the disk, the length of the cone, and the opening of the cone can be adjusted to create a Broadband umbrella-pattern [2].

Figure 4.2 Discone antenna (Single) High-gain broadband umbrella-pattern antenna- A high-gain antenna can be constructed by vertically stacking a number of umbrella-pattern antennas as shown in Fig 4.3.

Figure 4.3 An array of antennas

4.3 Elevation Angle of Long-distance Propagation The elevation of the tropospheric layer is 16 km (10 mi) and the propagation distance is about 320 km (200 mi) [3]; thus, the angle of the wave propagating through the tropospheric layers is (See Fig 4.4) roughly = tan-1 (10mi/100mi) = 5.7 It indicates that no strong power should be transmitted upward by 5 or more in order to avoid long-distance propagation. 4.4 Benefit of the Umbrella Pattern The umbrella pattern, in which energy is confined to the immediate area of the antenna, is effective in reducing both co-channel and long-distance interference. Also, in hilly terrain areas there are many holes (weak signal spots). With a normal antenna pattern, we cannot raise the antenna high enough to cover these holes and decrease co-channel interference at the same time. However, the advantage of the umbrella pattern is that we can increase the antenna height and still decrease cochannel interference.

Figure 4.4 Coverage with the tilted-beam pattern

The frequency-reuse distance can be shortened by use of the umbrella pattern. To demonstrate this fact, we first calculate the two angles, one from the cell-site antenna to the cell boundary and the other from the cell-site antenna to the cochannel cell (the two angles are shown in Fig. 4.4).

Antenna height, ft

Desired maximum beam angle at boundary of a 2-mi cell, degree 0.54 1.63 2.71

Angle toward co-channel co-channel cell at a distance of 4.6R (9.2 mi), degree 0.12 0.35 0.59

100 300 500

Suppose that we are using an umbrella-pattern antenna with 11-dB gain,* and that the half-power beam-width is above 5. A tower of 500 ft is also used to cover a 2mi cell. Then an approximate 3-dB difference due to the antenna pattern shown in Fig. 4.4 is obtained between the area at the maximum beam angle and the area at the angle reaching the co-channel cell.

where beam strengths in two regions are different by 3 dB. This demonstrates that the required frequency-reuse distance can be reduced. In other words, more protection against co-channel interference is possible with the use of an umbrella pattern than with an omni-directional beam pattern.

References

[21] [22] [23]

J. D. Kraus, Antennas,McGraw-Hill Book Co.,1950. A. G. Kandoian, The New Antenna Types and Their Applications, Proceedings of the IRE, Vol.34, February 1946. K. Bullington. Radio Propagation Fundamentals, Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 36, 1957.