Atoll User GuideBefore Using Atoll We need some preparation before using Atoll to do the planning or simulation, as listed below: Digital map data; including DTM, clutter, vector data, road map, etc Site information data; which is including the site name, longitude, latitude, antenna height, antenna azimuth (bearing), frequency and BSIC for GSM simulation, antenna tilt etc Antenna data; this includes the vertical/horizontal polarization, gain, and beamwidth. We can download this data from the antenna manufacturer website. Equipment data; such as feeder length, feeder loss, equipment (BTS) transmit power, etc, which is needed to do link budget simulation. Atoll Installation 1. Start Atoll installation by running the Atoll.us.2.8.0.2808.exe and follow the instructions. You must restart your computer after the installation. 2. Copy Sx32w.dll into C:\Program Files\Forsk\Atoll after you restart the computer. 3. Atoll should be working now. Starting Atoll Project – GSM/GPRS This guide will cover how to start GSM project. Below is detailed explanation: Start Atoll and choose File -> New -> From a Document Template. Choose one of the Project Templates according to your project. In this case we will use GSM GPRS EGPRS template. Before we start importing such as digital map or site info data we have to set the coordinate and its format. Go to Tools -> Options. The Options dialogue box will appear. For Projection and Display coordinate system you must refer to the README file of the map you’re using. Practically. They usually provide the coordinate system in that file (for example: WGS50 North hemisphere). . you might need to do some experiment with some projection until you find the correct one (in case the map don’t provide you with this. We must choose the right Projection and Display (coordinate system) in order to get the correct position of the map and the sites. Importing Digital Map Data We assume in this case we have three digital map. Locate the DTM. clutter. In the File of type choose Planet ® Database. and Vector. which are: Clutter. The Planet data to be imported will appear. and vector index files and make sure it use the correct projection. Go to File -> Import to open the digital map file. the file will be listed in the Geo tab in the Explorer window. After succesful imports. Height. . For Kathrein. . you need to specify the Antenna type for each site by make sure they exist in the cell file. It’s basically a text document and you can open it by Excel. we must specify the equipment that would be used with the network. For Andrew antennas you can go to http://www. One of the equipment is the antenna. horizontal/vertical beamwidth. gain. operating frequency.php. The type of the antenna.com/library/rplib/index. In this file. right click in the Antenna in the Explorer bar and select New. Below is the step of how to import the antenna: First. we can find the manufacturer.html. The easiest way is to download the Planet format. and the radiation power for each angle (vertical & horizontal).com/andrew/eng/index. will affect the simulation in radio environment. From the cell file we can go to the manufacturer website to download the antenna radiation pattern. you can find them in http://www.Importing Antenna Data Before we can work with the sites or do the simulation. To import or create the antenna in Atoll.kathrein-scala. the manufacturer. the gain.commscope. The antenna names will then appear in the Antennas data tab. After that confirm it by clicking OK. Paste the 360 degree pattern into Co-Polar Section according to the Angle and Att.360˚) from downloaded antenna file. Be careful with the Gain value.15. Make sure the value in the file is already in dBi. fill it according to the value from antenna file (such as 65 or 90 deg). We can check it by double-clicking the Antenna name. To fill the Horizontal Pattern. For the beamwidth in the Other Properties. first we have to copy the radiation pattern (0 . Creating new antenna and Antenna Properties Antenna properties dialogue box will appear. below is the example (65 deg Andrew antenna) : . if it is not then convert it by dBi = dBd + 2. Please make sure you click in the red square before paste. fill it according to the downloaded antenna pattern files. Copy from antenna file Click in the red rectangle and paste The Vertical Pattern is the same with the horizontal. The easiest way is to save the site info in TXT or CSV format so Atoll can read it. Right click in the window that appear and choose Import. . Make sure all the important parameters are included in the file. Atoll will not import those ignored column. Locate the TXT files containing the site info and open it. Do some correction in the Field Mapping box by checking the Source and Destination. whether it’s needed or whether it’s being mapped to the correct column. Prepare your site info data (XLS) and save it into TXT or CSV. We can ignore the other unused column. Go to the Data tab in the Explorer window and right click in the Sites. while the rest can be ignored. Please note.Importing Site Info Data We can use the existing site info data to be imported in Atoll. Choose Open Table. The Import dialogue box will appear. that in this step the most important things is the SiteName (Name) and the Longitude/Latitude column (they must be exist). Simply right click in the Sites in the Explorer bar and choose Properties. The rest parameter such as antenna. The Import dialogue box will appear. etc in the Display tab. After check all the column. frequency plan. You can (optionally) do some configuration with the appearances of the sites. Go to the Data tab and right click at the Transmitters. whether it’s needed or whether it’s being mapped to the correct column. Locate your TXT/CSV file and open it. choose Open Table. azimuth. Then you can modify the font. importing Site is just importing the site location or position. symbol. The sites should be plotted correctly in place. If it’s not. click Import. Right click in the new window and choose Import. Do some correction in the Field Mapping box by checking the Source and Destination. Importing the Transmitter Data In Atoll. . then make a check at the Coordinate System setting. etc must be imported into the Transmitters. You can also find the explanation. Go to the Display tab in the Transmitters properties dialogue box. 161001_1 Active On air status Antenna type. must be listed in the Antenna Antenna data tab Height (m) Antenna height Azimuth (deg) Azimuth or bearing Mechanical Downtilt (deg) MDT Additional Electrical Downtilt (deg) EDT EIRP (dBm) Antenna EIRP Power (dBm) BCCH power Losses (dB) Leave this blank.g. But. Choose Automatic in Display type and we can change the transmitter display by clicking in the cells that contains arrow image.g. One case if your cell info data contain BCCH power or BTS power. Below is the most important column that is needed for simulation in Atoll. if the power not appears after importing . we can make some adjustment to the sites appearance by right click at Transmitters and choose Properties. then this column must be mapped into the Power (dBm) in Atoll. Make sure these columns exist in your cell info. Column Explanation Site The site name e.g. calculated later Feeder Equipment Feeder diameter e. 161001 Transmitter CellName or sector e. 7/8" Transmission Feeder Length (m) Height + 5 (m) BCCH BCCH ARFCN BSIC BSIC=NCC+BCC After the entire Transmitter is correctly imported. Right click in the Transmitter and select Equipment -> Recalculate Losses. We can check the Propagation Model This guide assumes that the propagation model is uniform in the entire network. we must calculate the Losses. Propagation Model drop-down list. import the BCCH power from the cell file as EIRP (dBm). Then click in the EIRP (dBm) column header and Ctrl+C. suburban. Copy data from EIRP (dBm) and paste in Power (dBm) After the import success. The commonly used propagation model is Okumura – Hata. select Okumura-Hata in the Main Matrix. Second. Right click in the Transmitter and select Properties. click Power (dBm) column header and Ctrl + V. However in the real case the propagation model should be different according to the clutter type: urban. or rural. First. . then we should do this. In the Propagation tab. Below is how to set Okumura-Hata as the propagation model. Select Properties. and right click in Predictions. Confirm it by clicking OK. Data tab. Choose the Default Propagation Model and Default Resolution. COVERAGE AND INTERFERENCE SIMULATION Go to the Explorer bar. Change the Radius or Resolution depends on the simulation and digital map resolution. Right-click in the Predictions and select New. . . In the General tab fill the Name and Resolution according to your previous setting. The new dialogue box will appear. Select Coverage by Signal Level in Study Types then confirm it by OK. Atoll should be starting to calculate and might take several minutes to complete. Right-click in the new prediction and select Calculate. The new prediction should appear under the Predictions. . Confirm by OK. We can modify the range and color using the Actions button to match with the operator needs. In the Condition tab. 85% other o Reception from Subcells : BCCH In the Display tab choose Display Type: Value intervals and Field: Signal Level (dBm). set the parameter as below: o Server : Best Signal Level o Shadowing taken into account : checked o With a margin : 4 dB or own setting o Indoor Coverage : checked in the urban/suburban simulation o Cell Edge Prob : 90% for dense city. Coverage simulation Interference Simulation (C/I) Right click in the Predictions and select New. . In the Study Types dialogue box select Coverage by C/I Level. . Fill the Name and Resolution according to your previous setting. In the Condition tab. set the parameter as below: o Server : Best Signal Level o Shadowing taken into account : checked o With a margin : 4 dB or own setting o Indoor Coverage : checked in the urban/suburban simulation o Cell Edge Prob : 90% for dense city. 85% other o Interfered Subcells : BCCH . . Atoll should be starting to calculate and might take several minutes to complete. Right-click in the new prediction and select Calculate. The new prediction should appear under the Predictions. Display tab: we can adjust it according to the operator needs. Interference simulation .