EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT
FOR LEAKAGE MEASUREMENT
IN CATV NETWORKS
KABEL OM
®
EQUIPMENT FOR LEAKAGE MEASUREMENT
IN CATV NETWORKS
Leakage from CATV networks is an undesirable phenomenon, because it can interfere with terrestrial radio
communication systems. It can even be dangerous when interfering with aircraft communication and navigation
systems (e.g. ILS). If a CATV network has strong leakage sources, it is also susceptible to ingress which causes
quality deterioration of the services transmitted in the forward and return paths. The EMC Directive 2004/108/EC
imposes an obligation on CATV network operators to measure leakage. The leakage level must be periodically
controlled and all leakage sources with intensity higher than the limit defined in the EN 50083-8 norm should be
identified and fixed. Leakage monitoring substantially improves the quality of CATV network services.
KABELKOM has been dealing with the leakage measurements and control for 15 years. In 2003 we developed
the Automatic Leakage Measurement System (ALMS) in order to simplify the work of technicians and engineers responsible for CATV network maintenance. ALMS is designed for pedestrian/mobile leakage measurements
and complies with the EMC Directive and EN 50083-8. The system was presented many times during International
Broadcast Convention (IBC) Exhibition in Amsterdam and ANGA Cable in Cologne. The leakage measurement with
ALMS is simple and intuitive due to advanced technologies. The system consists of the following parts:
- a leakage meter with an antenna which can measure the leakage absolute magnitude
- a GPS receiver
- a signal tagger
- a computer with the ALMS software for processing and visualization of measurement results.
The system has been continuously improved. The first version used laptops or notebooks and stand-alone
GPS receivers. Currently, the software is installed in PDA or a mobile phone with a built-in GPS receiver. The
managing software has been also continuously modified. At the beginning the system used paper maps, currently one can use electronic maps (GIS, AutoCAD) and the satellite GoogleEarth maps. The new functions have
been implemented. The functions make the work of the system easier and substantially increase its usefulness.
ALMS complies with the ISO 17025 norm and can be used by accredited testing laboratories.
ALMS has currently two versions:
• ALMS Professional – the software manages the meter and the GPS receiver, saves the acquired data
in the internal memory of the device and automatically sends the acquired data to an office. The data
is sent after encryption (SSL3, TLS1, the key length min. 128). Any car navigation application can work
simultaneously with AMS in a GSM phone/PDA. The navigation makes possible to use POL – Point Of
Leakage (POL = POI – Point of Interest). In this case the data is sent to the ALMS Server – the person
using a GSM phone/PDA will obtain in response an e-mail with POL and the files which can be viewed in
Google Earth, the navigation system or in the GoogleMaps PDA application.
• ALMS Server – the software receiving the data from portable devices; the server processes the data,
generates reports, sends the POL points for navigation to chosen users or devices. The data is also added to the global data base – the interface for result viewing by the client applications or a WWW browser.
The data is sent to the server through the Internet or Intranet. Depending on interfaces, one can use WiFi,
GSM (GPRS, HSDPA), UMTS networks or an USB port. The data can be sent automatically or at the
request of the system operator. The ALMS software works in Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows
Vista, Windows Server 2000, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2003/2008 operating systems (32-bit
versions and 64-bit version - 32-bit emulation).
Based on the multi-year and rich experience in the area of leakage monitoring and control, KABELKOM
has developed the new leakage meter for HFC networks - AMS2010. The meter has been developed
www.kabelkom.pl
by people who have been, by themselves, detecting leakage sources in cable networks for many years.
A compromise has been reached among the meter dimensions (60x180x40 mm), weight (500g) and measurement/detection accuracy. The screen and keyboard have a light source to improve visibility in darkness and the
comfort of operation. The unit is compatible with the EN 50083-8 standard as well as with the FCC standards
concerning leakage control. It has been designed to be time and labor effective, with an economic price (versions
can be tailored to customer’s needs and requirements) and as a technologically sophisticated device for a quick
detection of common and problematic leakage problems. The meter is portable and easy for handling.
The basic advantage is the sensitivity of the meter. AMS2010 detects the signals at the level of 0,5-1 μV. The broad range of input
frequencies allows for easy choice of the test frequency from 80 up
to 160 MHz. The meter has three basic versions:
• AMS2010 HFC – the basic version (detector) with a standard
1700 mAh battery
• AMS2010 HFC GPS – with a built-in GPS receiver, Point of
Interest (POI) function, saving the measurement points with
GPS coordinates and a 3800 mAh battery
• AMS2010
HFC
GPS
GoogleEarth
(measurements saved automaticlly in GoogleEarth file
format - “KML”) – with GPS functionality, high measurement accuracy and a 3800 mAh battery,.
Operating the meter is easy due to the simple and intuitive menu as well as the alphanumeric keyboard
with backlight (similar to a GSM phone keyboard). The AMS meter - depending on the version - has at least
2GB memory for data storage. USB interface allows to charge meter in the slow (450mA) or fast (900mA,
also available on some PC) mode . To view measurements, just connect the meter to your PC and open files
in Google Earth (depending on the meter version).
The meter cooperates with the DS docking station and can be mounted in a vehicle. The DS station together
with AMS2010 can transmit the data about found leak sources via GSM or HFC networks. The DS station is
backward compatible with the CLI950/1450/1750 meters from JDSU (former Acterna, WWG, Wavetek).
The complementing device of the AMS series is the AMS 2010 Antenna Analyzer which can:
• measure and verify the antennas and cables used for leakage/ingress detection, the Analyzer covers the
0-200 MHz band
• use the built-in generator as an artificial leak source for calibration of vehicle antennas and built-in
antennas of the meters.
The Antenna Analyzer is highly recommended especially for the verification of CB vehicle antennas used for
leakage/ingress detection. They are often not properly matched to a transmission line and a CB transceiver.
The AMS series can work with any operating system like Linux, MacOS, Microsoft Windows. One should only
have the GoogleEarth licence.
Comparison of the AMS system meters:
Meter/detector
AMS2010
HFC
AMS2010
HFC GPS
AMS2010
HFC GPS
GoogleEarth
AMS2010 DSL
AMS2010
GPS
Ethernet GPS
GoogleEarth
GoogleEarth
Detector
Meter
Meter
Meter
Meter
80-160 MHz
80-160 MHz
80-160 MHz
0-80MHz
0-200MHz
0,5-1 uV
0,5-1 uV
0,5-1 uV
0,5-1 uV
0,5-1 uV
0 GB
2GB
4GB or more
4GB or more
4GB or more
AMS2010
Anntena
Analyser
Proffessional
measurement filter
Operational
frequency
Sensitivity
0-200MHz
E field measurement
with detection
Detection of the
network segment
Spectrum analyzer
function
Internal GPS
receiver
File saving option in
GooglEarth format
Memory space
available for user
USB port for
charging and data
transmission
Cooperation with
Microsoft Windows
Cooperation with
MacOS
4GB or more
www.kabelkom.pl
AMS2010
HFC
AMS2010
HFC GPS
AMS2010
HFC GPS
GoogleEarth
AMS2010 DSL
AMS2010
GPS
Ethernet GPS
GoogleEarth
GoogleEarth
AMS2010
Anntena
Analyser
Cooperation with
Linux
Built-in
measurement
antenna
Cooperation with
external antennas
Cooperation with
docking station Charging only
Protective cover
Charging and
active system
support
Option
Point Of Interest
saving option
Polymer battery
3800mAh battery
1700mAh
Leakage generator
Upgrade
To GPS or
GPS+GE
version
To GPS+
GoogleEarth
version
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
Backlight of LCD/
keyboard
LCD screen
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
160 x 160
5cm x 5cm
AMS2010
HFC
AMS2010
HFC GPS
AMS2010
HFC GPS
GoogleEarth
AMS2010 DSL
AMS2010
GPS
Ethernet GPS
GoogleEarth
GoogleEarth
AMS2010
Anntena
Analyser
Replaceable RF
connector
Factory calibration
Calibration
according to ISO
17025 (on request,
price after contact)
Test/calibration of
AMS meters
The device detects the tagged signals and works together with AM taggers (e.g. JDSU Acterna LT-1000
or KABELKOM AM2(TM)). The AM2(tm) technology uses additional RF carriers modulated in amplitude (AM) for
additional protection against erroneous detection. The main advantage of AM2(tm) is compatibility with DVB,
DOCSIS and EuroDOCSIS carriers. The carrier of the AM2(tm) tagger works in the DVB or EuroDOCSIS channel
bandwidth – it does not interfere with digital transmission and allows for leakage detection. Both tagging method
and the AMS meter are covered with the patent protection.
The AMS meters should be calibrated every year in order to maintain measurement accuracy. During calibration the battery of the meter is replaced with a new one.
EuroDOCSIS QAM256 carrier with
and without AM2(tm) carrier, test
performed with DSAM 6000.
www.kabelkom.pl
DSAM 6000 in spectrum
analyzer function during
EuroDOCSIS and AM2(tm) tests.
The AMS tagger can work in the mode which can identify the part of the network (sub-network) responsible
for a detected leak source. In such a case the AMS2010 HFC GPS measures various tagging frequencies and
saves the results. It is possible to find the leak origin sub-networks, for example:
• trunk vs.building network
• building vs. customer (home) network
• detection of the leakage on a particular floor of a building (requires proper network architecture).
The greater number of tagging signals gives better detection accuracy and reduces the likelihood of detecting
external interfering signals as leakage sources.
ALMS in the most advanced version can work together with the complementary ingress reception system
(active leakage control – Active ALMS). During leakage measurements the system simultaneously radiates
a signal in the return path band (CB transmitter). The signal can be received in a receiver installed in the headend
or the network node. If the transmitted signal is detected (which means that the signal has entered the network),
the information about the measurement vehicle position and the leakage level is sent to the ALMS Server which,
in turn, generates an alarm. The system can display:
• current vehicle position,
• leakage level, provided from AMS 2010 or CLI-950/1450/1750,
• identification number of the vehicle.
The alarms can generate SNMP traps.
The Active ALMS (A-ALMS) can detect cable damages directly in the return path band. Very positive results have been obtained especially for multi-storey buildings (above the 5th floor). The test signal is transmitted
in the return path band (the power and modulation depend on the local regulations in each country). The A-ALMS
consists of:
• LT-1 leakage transmitter working in the return path band,
• docking station AMS2010, elements of dock:
leakage modulator,
GPS controller,
GSM unit,
Bluetooth interface – for CLI compatibility.
• Optional leakage meter AMS2010 or CLI,
• leakage receiver receiving the test signal transmitted by the LT-1 – build in tagger AM2,
• A(L)MS Server for result visualization and alarm generation.
The numerous cable TV companies working with ALMS (from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria,
France, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Norway, Lithuania and Latvia) have a very
good opinion about it and confirm high efficiency of our solution and profitability of the AMLS investment.
The main advantages of ALMS in comparison with other solutions are as follows:
• the AMS or CLI meters can work as a leakage detector
• the AMS or CLI meters has a very high dynamic range
• ALMS with the AMS meter can work in the networks where all channels are digital (does not
require a separate unused or analog channel for leakage measurement) – a unique feature (patent protection)
• the system can generate automatic logs - the measurement data is automatically uploaded to the server
and resend to the authorized personnel, all the data are encrypted by the encryption method allowed in
the EU countries
• annual calibration keeps the technical parameters within the range specified by the manufacturer and
cancels the negative effects connected with aging, bad environmental conditions, etc. (good measurement accuracy is required by EN 50083-8 for absolute measurement of the leakage value), moreover,
calibration prolongs the meter lifetime
• possibility of implementation of any antenna (depending on the required application or local regulator
requirements) which can be calibrated by a user
• faster data acquisition by the ALMS, increasing detection possibility of leakage sources
• possibility of the system enhancement to the full version of the EN 50083 - 8 norm (up to 3 GHz; it requires
a special equipment)
• possibility of simultaneous work of ALMS and a navigation system, ALMS is delivered with such a system
for the EU countries (for PCs, PDAs, smarthphones and tablets)
• the CLI meters can be serviced and calibrated in several countries in Europe
• A-AMS together with the AMS meter increases the probability of leakage source detection even when
there is a strong interference from competitive CATV networks
• the system has been developed and is manufactured in the EU
• the system can be used for pedestrian and mobile patrols and does not require a special vehicle (mobile
antenna calibration for any car)
• the system is inexpensive, effective, easy in use and substantially improves the network quality saving
a lot of time, money and human resources
• KABELKOM ensures comprehensive training for technicians in the field
• The KABELKOM’s research and development team is open to customer’s suggestions and requests.
KABELKOM
ACCREDITED TESTING LABORATORY
ISO 17025
AB 1149
The KABELKOM’s Testing Laboratory is accredited by the Polish Center for Accreditation (www.pca.gov.pl,
accreditation No. AB 1149). The scope of our accreditation is unique in Europe. It comprises:
• leakage measurements of cable TV networks required by the EMC Directive 2004/108/EC according
to EN 50083-8
• stationary/mobile propagation measurements (E field intensity, MER, BER, etc. according
to ITU-R SM.378-7, ITU-R SM.1708, CEPT/ERC/REC (00)08) of radio transmitters for various radio communication systems (e.g. DVB-T/H, DAB, FM radio, TETRA, P.25).
We can gather and process (the Lee method) the data for propagation model tuning. As a part of mobile
measurements we perform outdoor and indoor pedestrian measurements (e.g. for DVB-T/H). The Laboratory
can prepare and perform any experimental measurement campaign or tests of new radio communication systems. We offer the interpretation of the results leading to the improvement of network coverage/service quality.
The measurement results are visualized on maps (satellite, paper tourist maps, GIS systems) in the formats
required by a customer.
The Laboratory cooperates with technical universities and research institutes. Our staff is well-qualified and
experienced in measurements, design and deployment of radio communication and cable TV systems. We have
modern equipment and two specialized measurement vehicles with 10 m masts and automatic measurement
systems for mobile leakage and propagation measurements.
The Laboratory has done propagation and leakage measurements for many companies (e.g. MOTOROLA
or UPC) in the following countries: Austria, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Ireland, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Holland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
GoogleEarth is a registered trademark of Google, Inc.
KABEL OM
®
KABELKOM Sp. z o.o.
ul. Bukowa 3
43-300 Bielsko-Biała, Poland
www.kabelkom.pl