Planning Efficient Microwave Link for EBC (Main Studio)
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Date
2018-06
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Publisher
AAU
Abstract
Microwave links play an important role in the broadcasting industry by linking main radio and
television studios with remote transmitter stations. With the currently increasing number of
locally and internationally broadcasted television and radio stations the need for such links is
expected to increase significantly. Furthermore, the expected links are also required to overcome
the dynamic nature of the country’s main cities. To emphasize on the matter, the country’s main
broadcasting corporation, i.e., Ethiopian broadcasting corporation (EBC), can be taken as an
example. The corporation currently utilizes microwave links for transmission of programs from
production studios to transmitter station and also from the temporary outside broadcast (OB)
studios to main head office studios. But due to topological nature of Addis Ababa and intensive
constructions of new tall buildings microwave links have become one of the many reasons for
most live television broadcasting failures.
Overcoming the stated problem on locally existing microwave links requires a careful planning
and analysis that are in phase with the dynamics of the cities. This thesis thus provides a solution
for improving the quality of microwave links that are currently utilized by Ethiopian
Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). To accomplish the task, three frequently utilized microwave
link sites, located at Addis Ababa stadium, Janmeda, and Millennium hall, are selected.
Afterwards, planning and antenna height selection for repeater stations were performed. Based
on the planning ten repeater sites are found to be in line of sight to the temporary stations.
Finally, the quality of established link between the repeaters and temporary studios were
analyzed using a simulation software namely Radio Mobile. The analysis has shown that, as
compared to existing microwave links the proposed solution improved field strength by 61.66%
and fading margin by 64.44%. Furthermore, out of selected repeater sites Gomakuteba is found
to be the best links for Janmeda & Milinim Hall whereas Legehar for Stadium. In general, the
thesis has set preliminary results that are found to be promising.
Description
Keywords
Microwave link, Radio Mobile software tools, Field strength, Total Propagation loss, fade margin