Mar. 14, 2006 - Welcome to the third article in BWE’s series of "How-To" articles that focus
on how to build broadband wireless networks in areas that desperately need
high-speed Internet connections.
Once you have selected the geographical area that you want to serve with
high-speed wireless Internet service and have done the research to ensure
that there are sufficient potential subscribers in a given area, the next
step is to select a site to host your broadband wireless antennas and radios,
which will broadcast your wireless Internet signal to your subscribers.
Most beginners seek out the highest tower in town and try to build the
biggest wireless cell possible. While this seems to be a good strategy,
it is also the most expensive method as well as the most harmful for exposing
your future system to unnecessary noise from other operators and obstructions
that will prevent your signal from reaching customers.
A better strategy is to start with a topographic map of the city. Use the map to
note, not just where the highest points in the area are, but also where
secondary high-spots might be located. Sometimes, secondary high points nearest
to your potential customer base is the wisest way to start the antenna site
selection process.
Next, physically drive these areas with a Global Positioning System (GPS)
and survey the area for all tall structures, which can include: water towers,
cell towers, electrical towers, grain silos, hotels, business buildings,
and other tall structures.
As you drive, mark each location with GPS unit to record the longitude,
the latitude and the elevation of each site in a log book. Also note
whether or not you see any other antennas already installed in each location.
In the logbook, also record the number of homes and businesses in the area
that might be potential customers and designate which direction they are
located from the possible cell site.
Once your log book is complete, begin contacting the landlords and
management companies of the structures to see what requirements, contracts,
insurance and fees are required to install equipment on their premises.
The easiest way to eliminate cell sites is by the amount of money site
owners want to charge for antenna rental space.
Once you have a good list of possible cell sites, it is time to hire
an engineering team, like the team managed by Michwave Technolgies, armed
with a spectrum analyzer to conduct a wireless site survey of each location.
Make sure the engineering team conducts a spectrum analysis of 900 MHz,
2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, plus any other frequencies that might be available.
Make sure they test for horizontal, vertical and a 45-degree angle polarizations
for each frequency. This will give you a good idea of what type of interference
you might have to deal with at each site.
It is always a good idea to ride with the team when performing the analysis.
They can teach you a lot about how radio frequencies (RF) work and what to look
for in future sites.
If access is available, climb to the roof of each location. Use a pair of
binoculars to count roof tops. This will give you a really good idea of how
many customers you can reach from each location.
Please join us next week to learn, "How Much Internet Bandwidth Does a Town Really Need?"
If you would like to read other articles in this series or an
expanded version of this article you can read them online at:
www.bbwexchange.com/howto/
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