User Manual

Exalt Installation and Management Guide
ExtendAir (TDD) Series Digital Microwave Radios
203591-002 9
2009-12-18
Initial Configuration and Back-to-Back Bench Test
Every Exalt digital microwave radio goes through extensive quality testing and performance
evaluation over the full operating temperature range prior to shipment. However, before installation, it
is strongly advised to perform several tests and tasks that are much more difficult to perform once the
radio link endpoints are distant from one another. A back-to-back bench test and pre-configuration will
provide confidence that the radio link is operational and properly configured prior to installation, so
that if troubleshooting is necessary, the radio hardware and configuration settings are eliminated from
the troubleshooting process. Verify the following in the back-to-back testing:
• Confirm that the radio system is generally operational
– Radios power-up with planned power and wiring solutions
– Regulatory Domain Key (RDK) entry successful (versions requiring an RDK only)
– Radio firmware version matches on each terminal (and is ideally the latest version)
– Upgrade license key entry successful
– RF link connects in both directions
– Traffic passes across the link
– Configure connected equipment and cabling
– Test Ethernet (CAT5) cabling, and/or T1/E1 cabling, any auxiliary connector cabling and
configure all interfaces
– Configure IP settings for configuration and management
– Configure passwords and security modes
– Become familiar with the configuration and management interfaces through the Exalt GUI
interface
– Configure radio parameters
– Set transmitter output power to engineered or allowed level (see RF Output Power Setting
)
– Set operating center frequency
– Set link distance, occupied channel bandwidth, and frame length
• Make detailed radio performance measurements
– Measure transmitter output power
– Measure receiver threshold performance
Note: Exalt radios with the RDK function are DISABLED when initially shipped. To
ENABLE the radio, a valid RDK must be entered on the Administration Settings Page
of the
Exalt GUI. The RDK references the unit's serial number and is provided based on the country
and/or region where the radio system will be deployed. The RDK is obtained at
www.exaltcom.com/activate.htm
. First time user-account registration is required..
Note: Some countries require a function called Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), which
delays the transmitter turn-on time during the initial Channel Availability Check period of 1
minute. In accordance with these regulations, the radios boot up, and then wait for 1 minute
before linking.