Files saved in this version of LINKPlanner can be opened in earlier versions but the predictions may be incorrect. You must set the prediction model to “ITU-R” or “Vigants-Barnett”. If you attempt to save in the earlier version without setting the prediction model then you will get an error.
Key Features in v5.4.0
60 GHz cnWave
Added a preliminary version of V1000, V3000 and V5000 to PTP side of LINKPlanner with the following options:
- V5000 to V1000, V3000 or V5000
- V3000 to V3000
Configuring a link for 60 GHz follows all the normal steps for configuring other equipment in LINKPlanner. The Golay code is similar to a color code on other products and doesn’t affect the performance calculations.
At 60 GHz the performance is very dependent on the channel being used due to the variation in Gaseous Absorption loss across the band, so please configure the Tx Frequency before reviewing the performance results.
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The Interference is not yet being reflected in the availability calculations. This will be added in the next release.
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The Installation Report is still being defined to align with the product radio commissioning parameters.
PTP 700
Updates to support Rel 700-03-10 and 700-03-11
Added Asymmetry to synchronized links
In this release PTP 700 products can support asymmetric burst durations. More information on this feature is available in the Configuring TDD Sync for Asymmetry Knowledge Base article, which is available at:
Split the TDD Sync calculations to separate 4.4 to 6 GHz from 7 to 8.5 GHz
The TDD Sync pane is now split with separate tabs for the two different frequency bands, as links in one band will not interfere with links in the other band. Select the appropriate band to configure the parameters for the links in that band.
Added Spatial Diversity to PTP 700 1+1 and 2+0 link types
To activate Spatial Diversity on these link types change the Antenna Configuration setting at the required end of the link to Spatial Diversity.
The antenna heights are set individually on each of the two child links (either Primary and Secondary for 1+1 or Link A and Link B for 2+0). The Diversity spacing is then shown below the Antenna Height. If diversity is being used to protect against reflections then select the Reflection Mitigation box, which will apply the same functionality as for a 1+0 link.
Added an Internal Sync option to PTP 700 1+1 and 2+0 link types
1+1 and 2+0 links need to have the two paths synchronised, however if the link is isolated then the radio can maintain synchronization using an Internal sync pulse. To configure this set the Sync option to Internal and then select either Symmetric or Adaptive (to give Asymmetric – this will be changed to Asymmetric instead of Adaptive in the next release).
Instead of using the separate TDD Sync pane the Burst and Frame Duration choices can now be configured on the link in the TDD synchronization section, with the same rules and restrictions for Asymmetry noted in the Knowledge Base article referenced earlier.
Added cnPulse as a Sync option
cnPulse can now be selected as a synchronization source.
cnPilot
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Modified the BOM Estimator to support the unbundling of the Enterprise radio kits
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Added e425H to the BOM Estimator
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Added XV3-8 to the BOM Estimator
The Enterprise radios and new XV and XH series radios are all now configured in the same way with an initial choice of a limited number of countries to select the radio according to regulatory requirement and then a choice to select whether to add a PoE injector. When a PoE injector is added to the BOM there may be a further choice to select the correct country power cord option.
General
ITU-R P.530 V17 propagation model
Added the ITU-R P.530 V17 propagation model, including updates to the other ITU-R recommendations referenced from P.530 and added a new Vigants-Barnett model using the P.530-17 rain model.
To select the Propagation model to use choose from the options in the Project Properties just above the map view:
If working at 60 or 80 GHz or on very short links (< 1 km) then it is recommended to use the new P.530-17 based models.
This includes updates to the following:
- P.453, which provides the radio refractivity (dN1), has been updated from V9 to V14, where V9 was using data from two years (1992 to 1993) and V14 is using data from 1979 to 2012 and has an increased resolution from 1.5° to 0.75° intervals.
- Standard Deviation of Terrain Heights – updated to use the ITU provided file at 0.5° resolution.
- The changes in these two parameters together with a change in the P.530-17 algorithm mean that the Geoclimatic Factor (K) will be different using the new model.
- P.837 which provides the 0.01% Rain Rate map has been updated from V5 to V7 with an increase in resolution from 1.125° to 0.125° and more recent data added to the data set. This has resulted in many locations seeing a reduction in rain rate as well as some seeing an increase.
- P.676 has been updated from V7 to V12 with changes in the tables of values for Oxygen and Water Vapour, which affect the calculation of Gaseous Absorption. There is a minor update in P.835, which has been updated from V4 to V6, in the calculation of absolute humidity in the mid latitudes.
- P.530 has been updated from V12 to V17 with numerous changes to the algorithms, including Geoclimatic Factor, tropospheric availability, effective path length for rain and the calculation of Rain Availability as well as the Diversity Improvement factor.
- All of these changes mean that the availability predictions using V17 are likely to be different to those using V12 and therefore LINKPlanner maintains the V12 model for reference and backwards compatibility.
To support the variation in Gaseous Absorption loss in the 60 GHz band LINKPlanner now uses the actual transmit frequency configured on a link rather than the center frequency for a band, which may make small changes in the performance even when using the V12 based models.
If you are using your own Project Templates then these will continue to use the old model you had previously configured. To update to one of the new models then please save a new template with the new model.
If you normally use one of the inbuilt LINKPlanner templates, then please update your settings as the template names have changed and LINKPlanner will default to not using a template and the new ITU-R P530-17 model.
Increased the SM Range resolution to 1m to support short range products
The SM Range minimum value has been reduced to 15 m and the resolution increased in preparation for 60 GHz products which operate on much shorter ranges.
Updated Radiowaves 5 GHz antennas
Many of the RDH45xx series of antennas have been replaced with a new wider frequency range antenna which is now designed to support 4.9 to 6 GHz. The old antennas are maintained in LINKPlanner using the suffix B at the end of the part number with the new antennas now shown with a suffix C at the end of the part number.
Bug Fixes
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Fixed issue when running calculations with channels assignments using non-default colors.
This was causing errors when running the Calc Tilt function.
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Ensure user clutter changes are passed to new links as well as updating existing links.
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Updated power supply and surge suppressor on PMP 450 MicroPop
The PMP 450 MicroPop requires a 56 V supply and has been changed to N000900L017 with an associated change to use a Gigabit Surge Suppressor (C000000L033)
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Updated power supply on PTP 820C
Changed the default power supply to N000082L164 as N000065L001 does not have enough power to support all PTP 820C configurations, however it is still valid for many configurations and is still available through optional extras.
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Prevent warnings when opening a project using valid rules with custom fields
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Prevent errors in the online map if try to create a PTP link from an AP
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Ensure that secondary link fields are saved correctly in BOM Estimator on complex link types
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Corrected PTP 500/550E to only support long Guard Interval – note that this will reduce the throughput shown compared to earlier versions
The PTP 550/550E products do not support the short Guard Interval (which is a PMP feature), so the option has been removed from LINKPlanner. As the default Guard Interval was previously set to Short this may result in a warning being displayed when opening old projects to say that the Short Guard Interval is no longer valid. It will be automatically updated to use the Long Guard Interval, which will reduce the throughput.
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Prevented throughput restrictions from being applied to PTP 550/550E 2+0 unless both paths are on 80 MHz bandwidth
There is an overall throughput limit for the radio which limits the total throughput when both paths are running 80 MHz in 75:25 or 30:70 DL/UL ratios. In previous releases this restriction was being applied to the 80 MHz path even when the second path was not running 80 MHz. This has been corrected so that the limit is only now applied when both paths are 80 MHz bandwidth.
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Added the ability to select the fixed cable RDN5785 in the BOM Estimator on PTP 670 and 700 products.
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Prevent PTP 700 1+1 Link Type if the Regulation is using a DFS band.
Long Frame Duration and Asymmetry are not supported on the product in DFS bands. As 1+1 HSB requires Long Frame Duration to be enabled this link type cannot be supported if the regulation requires DFS.