Redundant Versus Non-Redundant Operation; Antennas And Feedlines; Antennas; Feedlines - GE MDS Master Station Technical Manual

PulseNET remotely discovers and monitors Master Stations and other SD or x710 radios on the
network using DLINK. The locally connected radio may be a Master, Repeater, Polling Remote,
or Remote. This locally connected radio must be configured as the DLINK "root" radio. Down-
stream radios should be configured as "node". PulseNET uses passive polling to discover the
"root" radio and all of the "node" radios downstream. Passive polling allows monitoring without
interrupting payload data transmission.
In order for PulseNET to discover Master Stations in the network, DLINK must be enabled and
properly configured. Refer to the section "Dlink" on Page 50 for information on how to con-
figure DLINK.

3.3 Redundant versus Non-redundant Operation

A redundant configuration means that the Master Station has two complete transceiver boards
and power supplies installed in the enclosure. In the event of a failure in the primary equipment,
the controlling logic switches to the stand-by unit. The stand-by transceiver board is constantly
operating and its operational readiness is monitored. However, the power amplifier in the
stand-by board is not operating when it is in stand-by mode.
In a non-redundant configuration, there is only one transceiver board installed in the enclosure,
and back-up transceiver board operation is not possible.
Transceiver boards may be moved from one Master Station to another; however an additional
transceiver board cannot be added to a non-redundant Master Station. Redundant or
non-redundant operation is automatically detected by the platform manager, and the active
transceiver is automatically selected. Installing or replacing a transceiver board causes the board
to communicate briefly with the Platform Manager to establish which transceiver board will op-
erate as the active board and which operates as the stand-by. For more information, refer to sec-
tion 7.4 Replacing Modules on Page 93.

3.4 Antennas and Feedlines

Antennas

The Master Station may be used with a number of different antennas. The exact style and gain
factor depend on the physical size and layout of your system. Antennas of this type are available
from several manufacturers, including GE MDS. Contact your factory representative for details.
Connection is made to the station via N coaxial connectors at the rear panel.

Feedlines

The selection of an antenna feedline is very important. Poor quality cable should be avoided, as it
will result in power losses that may reduce the range and reliability of the radio system.
The tables that follow show the approximate losses that will occur when using various lengths
and types of coaxial cable in the 200, 400 and 900 MHz bands, respectively. Regardless of the
type used, the cable should be kept as short as possible to minimize signal loss.
20 MDS™ Master Station MDS 05-6399A01, Rev. E