User's Manual

DragonWave Inc. 50
AirPair 100 UL 24 GHz Product Manual
6.5. Fine-adjust align the radios
Caution
Alignment of the radios requires power to be supplied to the
modem.
Caution
Proper alignment results in increased signal quality! Once
the radios have been visually aligned, fine adjust alignment
can begin. Pan across the entire beamwidth to ensure the
alignment corresponds to the Main Lobe and not to a Side
Lobe.
Caution
Transmission of radio signals results in a primary signal
(Main Lobe) and secondary signals (Side Lobes) being sent
towards the destination. During installation the Side Lobes
can be mistaken for the Main Lobe, resulting in a 20-30 dB
loss of signal strength. On a 12”/30 cm antenna, the entire
beamwidth typically lies within a 5 degree span so it is
critical to ensure alignment targets the Main Lobe and not
the Side Lobes. Larger antennas have a narrower beam. For
a 24”/60 cm antenna, the entire beamwidth lies within a 3
degree span.
Note: It is recommended that you use the DragonWave’s DragonPair PDA
software when aligning 24 GHz AirPair systems. DragonWave’s software runs on
a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with Palm OS V3.1 or higher. The software
provides an Antenna Alignment Indicator that shows relative signal strength. It
retains the peak value that was reached. This allows for multiple panning
attempts.