Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA)

Subhash Yadav
RAN-SME NOKIA-OPTUS
 Overview of Connection with TMA

• Installed on the tower top, a TMA is a device for amplifying uplink signals.
As an optional component of the antenna system, the TMA compensates
for the feeder loss caused by a long feeder to improve the uplink
sensitivity and converge. In SRAN5.0, both NodeBs and BTSs support TMA
and smart TMA (STMA). An STMA has a built-in Smart Bias Tee (SBT) in
comparison to a TMA. The power supply switch and attenuation factor
need to be set for both TMA and STMA.
• In a network whose uplink coverage is limited, the TMA can be installed to
improve the RX sensitivity and expand the cell radius, thus reducing the
number of BTSs and minimizing investments. Users need to determine
whether to install the TMA according to the actual project requirements.
• BTSs power and control the TMA. Huawei BTS provides the TMA with 10 -
13 V output voltage. When a major alarm related to the TMA is reported,
the BTS automatically sets the attenuation value of the RX channel to 0.
After the alarm is cleared, the BTS automatically restores the attenuation
value of the RX channel to the configured value.
• The RET control signals, power supply, and RF signals of the TMA
are transmitted through the feeder. This facilitates operation and
maintenance. The SBT powers the TMA through the feeder and
provides the RCU with control signals.
• Huawei BTS also supports dual-TMA. Dual-TMA indicates that each
TMA contains two pairs of RX/TX branches. Each sector needs to be
configured with only one TMA. Each TMA also contains a low noise
amplifier (LNA) for monitoring alarms.
• The functions of the two pairs of RX/TX branches of a TMA are the
same. The RX channel has two RX filters and one LNA. When the
input DC is faulty, the LNA is automatically ignored. The Bias Tee is
configured on the BTS side of the TMA. The Bias Tee of a smart TMA
(STMA) is referred to as an SBT. The Bias Tee can distinguish the
combined signals of RF signals and DC signals, power the LNA, and
provide the RCU with RET control signals. The TX channel contains a
TX filte
 RF Receiver Channel Attenuation

• The TMA can improve both the uplink RX gain and the RX sensitivity. When
the BTS measures the uplink RX level, the measurement result must
reflect the actual radio environment. Therefore, the TMA gain must be
compensated reversely on the RF RX channel to ensure that the RX quality
is improved and the RX level reflects the actual radio environment when
the BTS measures the uplink RX level.
• When the TMA is configured, users need to set the RF RX channel
attenuation of the RF antenna interface and the RX channel corresponding
to the TRX to obtain the TMA gain according to the actual requirement.

• For the NodeB, you can run the MML command ADD ALD to add the TMA
for the antenna line device (ALD), run the MML command SET
TMAMODE to set the work mode of the TMA, run the MML command
SET TMAGAIN to set the gain of the TMA, and run the MML command
SET RXATTEN to set the attenuation of the RX channel.
 Power Supply for TMA
• The TMA needs to be powered by the BTS/NodeB through
the RF feeder:
• For the BTS, RXU board types such as the RRU3008,
RRU3908, GRFU, and MRFU can directly provide power for
the TMA. The DRFU, however, does not directly provide
power for the TMA. Instead, it needs to be installed with a
GATM board to provide power for the TMA. You can run the
MML command SET BTSRXUBP/SET BTSDATUBP to enable
the power switch.

• For the NodeB, the RF module provides power for the

TMA. You can run the MML command SET ALDPWRSW to
enable the power switch.
 Monitor TMA

• The working status of the TMA can be determined according to the

status of the feeding current on the TMA. The methods of reflecting
the working status of the TMA through the feeding current vary
according to TMAs. Users need to configure feeder boards for TMAs
according to the actual TMA feature configuration.
• There are three alarm modes: MODE1 has only one type of alarm
whose alarm severity is critical, and the alarm current threshold is
fixed and greater than the normal working current; MODE2 has two
types of alarms whose alarm severities are critical and warning, and
the alarm current is fixed and greater than the normal working
current; MODE 3 has two types of alarms whose alarm severities
are critical and warning, and the warning alarm current is periodical
pulse current, while the critical alarm current is fixed.
DBS Station connect the RET Antenna
together with STMA
When conect the RET together with STMA,
the process of RET antenna control is as
follows:

• 1. The M2000 or LMT issues the control

command to the BBU, and then the BBU sends
the command to the RRU.
• 2. The RRU modulates the control command into
OOK signals and then transmits the signals and
the DC power from the RF port to the STMA.
• 3. The STMA demodulates the OOK signals into
RS485 signals and then transmits the signals and
part of the DC power to the RCU.
BTS Station connect the RET Antenna
together with STMA
BTS Station connect the RET Antenna
via SBT
 When connect the RET via the SBT, the process
of RET antenna control is as follows:

• 1. The M2000 or LMT issues the control

command to the BBU, and then the BBU sends
the command to the RRU.
• 2. The RRU modulates the control command into
On-Off-Keying (OOK) signals and then transmits
the signals and the DC power from the RF port to
the SBT.
• 3. The SBT demodulates the OOK signals into
RS485 signals and then transmits the signals and
part of the DC power to the RCU.
Configuration of TMA
THANK YOU

SUBHASH YADAV
RAN-SME NOKIA_OPTUS PROJECT