Atoll 3.1.2 General Features Radio

7/22/2019 Atoll 3.1.2 General Features Radio

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ATOLL GENERAL RADIO FEATURES


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Training Programme

1. Atoll General Concepts

2. Atoll Working Environment

3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions

6. Prediction Analysis, Reports and Exports

Forsk 2012 ConfidentialDo not share without prior permission Slide 2 of 95


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Atoll General Concepts (1/2)

Multi-Technology Tool

Several technologies modelled:

2G (GSM/GPRS/EDGE),

3G (UMTS/HSPA, CDMA2000 1xRTT 1xEV-DO, TD-SCDMA),

4G (LTE),

Wi-Fi (802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac),

WiMAX (802.16e), Microwave radio links

3GPP Multi-RAT document available

Possibility to model GSM, UMTS and LTE in the same Atoll document

Open, Scalable and Flexible Architecture

Core structure + Technology modules (32-bit and 64-bit editions)

API available (Application Programming Interface)

Allows to create Add-ins and Macros

Allows third-parties to develop tools that will be compatible with Atoll (such as ACPs, AFPs,

Propagation models, etc.)



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Atoll General Concepts (2/2)

Ergonomic and User-friendly GUI

Windows-based tool

Easy copy-paste and import-export of data from-into standard applications

Flexibility in Data Management

Possibility to choose what to display, what to filter, etc.

Possibility to add user-defined columns in the tables

Forsk 2012 Slide 4 of 95ConfidentialDo not share without prior permission


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Training Programme



3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions




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How to Create a New Atoll Document

Atoll General GUI

Tabs of the Menu Bar

Toolbars and Explorer

Workspace

Open and Save an Atoll Document

Archive and Refresh in Multi-User Mode



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Supported formats

Available Templates

File New

2 Ways of Creating a New Atoll Document

From a document Template

From an existing Database

How to Create a New Atoll Document (1/2)



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How to Create a New Atoll Document (2/2)

Atoll documents / ATL Files

Data are saved in an Atoll document , which is a file with an ATL extension

ATL files can contain one or several technologies

ATL files can be duplicated, opened under any workstation and can only be read by Atoll

Working Modes

2 working modes with Atoll:

Stand-alone: or Multi-user:

Document created from a template => Stand-alone document

Document created from an existing database => Multi-user document


.atl

.atl

Refresh

.atl

.atl

Archive

User 1

User 2

User i

Database


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Atoll General GUI


Documents technologies Documents name

Menu bar

Toolbars

Explorer

(Network / Geo

/ Parameters)

Other windows

(Legend /

Panoramic)

Status bar

Event viewer

Workspace

(Maps / Tables

/ Reports)

Site

Configuration

Window

Point AnalysisTools


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Tabs of the Menu Bar (1/4)

File and Edit tabs


Create a new document

Open an existing / recent document

Close the active document

Save the active document

Save an area of the map as a

graphic image

Import data in the active

document

Printing functionalities

Quit Atoll

Undo / Redo last actions

Cut / Copy / Paste data

into / from the tables


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View and Document tabs


Reload map and folders

Select elements on the map

Zoom functionalities

Explorer

(Network/Geo/Parameters)

Move the map

Show the workspace on full

screen

Event viewer

Other windows

(Panoramic/Legend/Site

Configuration)

List of toolbars

Information about elements on

the map

Display or hide the status bar

Measure distances on the map

Display or hide the coordinates

rulers/scale on the map

Calculate predictions

Database functionalitiesfor the multi-user

documents

Audit tools

XML import / export

Co-planning

functionalities for Single-RAT documents

Properties of the active

document


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Tools tab


Profile between two points on the map

Point Analysis tool

Interactive Frequency Planning tool

GSM Interference tool

CW Measurement analysis tool

Drive tests analysis tool

Microwave link analysis tool

Tool for 360view (MW only)

Load / Save user configuration files

Configure distributed calculations

List of available Add-ins and Macros

Configure backups of active document

Locate an element on the map

Site Configuration tool


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Window and Help tabs


Atoll Help topics

Atoll informationand version

number

Open a new map window for

the active document

Rest default layout

Switch between all windowsopened in the workspace


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Toolbars and Explorer

Toolbars

Network / Geo / Parameters Explorer

Made of Folders and Visibility boxes

Order between folders can be changed

Context menus available on each folder

Properties Tables

Additional functionalities


Standard toolbar

Windows toolbar

Addins toolbarMap toolbar

Vector Editor toolbar

Radio Planning toolbar

Microwave Link Planning toolbar


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Workspace (1/3)


Possibility to create different tab groups


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Workspace (2/3)

Possibility to place your active window anywhere in the workspace



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Workspace (3/3)

Auto-Hide functionality on the Tools


Auto-Hide


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Open and Save an Atoll Document

Open an existing Atoll document

Possibility to open several ATL files in

the same Atoll platform

Save the active Atoll document



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Archive and Refresh in Multi-User Mode (1/2)

The Atoll document is not connected all the time to the database

Modifications made in the document are not saved in real time in the database

Need to Archive your modifications to the database

Need to Refresh your Atoll document to get the databases latest modifications

Archive command



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Archive and Refresh in Multi-User Mode (2/2)

Refresh command


Options if you refresh

while still having some

pending changes not

archived


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Training Programme



3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions




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3. Geographic Data

Coordinate Systems and Units

Geographic Data Types

Import a Raster-format Geographic Data File

Import a Vector-format Geographic Data File

Resolution Management

Geographic Data Properties

User Configuration File



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Coordinate Systems and Units

Document Properties...

The Projection System

You need to define in Atoll which Map

Projection System has been used to

obtain your geographic maps

The Display System

You also need to define which

Coordinate System you prefer to use

for the Display in Atoll (used for the

Sites coordinates, position of a point

on the map (in status bar), rulers, etc.)

The Units System

You then need to define which Units will

be used for the Distances (m, km,

miles), the Heights and the Offsets (m,

feet) in Atoll


Access to

Coordinate

Systems

catalogue


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Geographic Data Types

Several Different Geographic Data types are used in an Atoll Document

Example of Geographic Data

Digital Terrain Model

Clutter Classes Used in Propagation calculation

Clutter Heights

Traffic Maps Used in Dimensioning

Population Maps Used in Statistics

Scanned Maps

Contours, lines and points representing Roads, Railways or Regions

Etc.

Atoll supports Geographic Data files of 2 formats

Raster format

Clutter classes and heights, DTM, images, some traffic and population maps

Vector format

Polygons, lines and points for display, filtering + some traffic and population maps


Used for Display

purposes


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The Raster-format Geographic Data files you want to import must be represented in

the same Projection Coordinate System as the one defined in your Atoll document

File Import

Import a Raster-format Geographic Data File


Choose

Altitudes for a DTM file

Clutter Classes for a Clutter Classes fileClutter Heights for a Clutter Heights file

Image or Scan for a scanned Image

Etc.


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Import a Vector-format Geographic Data File

When you import a Vector-format Geographic Data file, its coordinate system can be

converted to the one used in your Atoll document

File Import


You need to specify what you will use

your Vector file for:

a simple layer in the Geo tab

a Computation Zone

a Focus Zone

a Population map

Etc.

Coordinate

Systemconversion

Used whenimporting a

Population

vector file


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Resolution Management

Multi-Layer Management

Each Geographic Data file becomes one layer in the Geo tab

Display order of each layer can be changed

If for a specific map type (Clutter Classes, DTM, etc.) you have several files with different

resolutions, you will need to put the one with the highest resolution on top for Atoll to take it

into account in the calculations

Properties of each Geographic Data is accessible from its context menu

(Right-click Properties)



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Tables of Vector maps

Possibility to edit your vector directly from Atoll through its table

Geographic Data Properties (1/5)



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Properties of Vector maps



3 types of display


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Properties of DTM Maps



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Properties of Clutter Classes Maps



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Properties of Clutter Heights Maps



Clutter Height information provided in the

status bar


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User Configuration

Possibility to Import/Export the complete Geographic Data Set from/into a User Configuration

file (.geo)



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Training Programme



3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions




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4. Radio Data

Radio Data Overview

How to Create a Station (Drag and Drop / Duplicate / Import)

Create Repeaters and Remote Antennas

Sites Properties

Transmitters Properties

Radio Network Equipment

Geographic Profile

Filtering and Grouping Data



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Radio Data Overview

For Any Technology

Site

Geographical location where Transmitters are installed

Transmitter

Radio interface built on a Site and using antennas and equipment such as TMA and feeder cables

Station

One or several Transmitters sharing the same Site

Repeater

Device which receives, amplifies and re-transmit the signal from a donor Transmitter

Remote Antenna

Shifted antenna using the resources of a donor Transmitter

For GSM Documents

Subcell

Set of TRXs of a same type (BCCH, TCH, TCH inner, TCH GPRS) in a Transmitter

For UMTS, CDMA, LTE, WiMAX and TD-SCDMA Documents

Cell

Specifications of a Carrier in a Transmitter



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How to Create a Station

A Station is a Site which has one to several Transmitters

Mains Ways of Creating a Station

Drag and Drop a station template

Duplicate an existing station

Import your lists of Sites / Transmitters / Cells in the corresponding tables



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Create a Station by Drag and Drop (1/2)

Station Templates Properties

Available in the Parameters Explorer

Templates for each technology


Station Templates in a MultiRAT GSM/UMTS/LTE document Station Templates in a document containing only one technology

In a WiMAX document

In a CDMA2000 document


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Create a Station by Drag and Drop (2/2)

Drag and Drop a Station Template


1. Choose a StationTemplate from the list

2. Click on the icon New Transmitter or Station

3. Drag and Drop on the Map


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Create a Station by Duplicate

Possibility to Create a new Station by Duplicating an Existing one on the Map


Duplicate of Site BRU070


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Create a Station by Import

Import your Lists of Sites / Transmitters / Cells in the corresponding Tables

Sites list in the Sites table

Transmitters list in the Transmitters table

Cells list in the Cells table

Right-click inside of the table Import

Will add new records and update existing ones

Requirements

Can import *.TXT and *.CSV files

Need to respect the following order

2G : sitestransmitters

3G, 4G and WiMAX : sitestransmitterscells



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Create Repeaters and Remote Antennas

Create a Repeater or a Remote Antenna

1. Click on the Transmitter that will be the Donor Transmitter for the Repeater / Remote

Antenna

2. Click on the right part of the icon New Repeater or Remote Antenna to choose what youwant to create

3. Click on the left part of the icon New Repeater or Remote Antenna and then Drag and

Drop on the Map


Repeater Remote

Antenna


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Sites Properties (1/4)

Sites Properties

The properties dialogue of each Site contain several tabs


User-defined fields (all technologies)

MW-specific fields

UMTS-specific fields

Name of the site

Position and

Altitude of the site

You can enter

comments in

this field


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Sites Table

Access all the parameters of all the Sites through the Table


Import/Export

Properties of the

selected Site

Centre on the

map the

selected Site

Columns

functionalities

Filtering

functionalities

Sorting

functionalities

Statistics

Fill down/up

and Select all

Align left/centre/right,

Bold and Italic


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Sites Display options

Can be set for all the Sites or on a per Site basis

Three display types available:

Unique - the same symbol will be used for all the Sites

Discrete values - the display of each Site will be according to the value of a selected field

Value intervals - the display of each Site will be according to set ranges of the value of a selected field



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Sites Display options

Example of the Unique and Discrete values display types



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Transmitters Properties (1/8)


In the General tab you can setup the name of your transmitter, the site it belongs to, apossible shift in its antenna position, a comment, etc.



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Example: General tab of a GSM Transmitter


Name of the transmitter

You can enter an ID for the

transmitter

Site on which the transmitter

is located

This flag is used to identify the

transmitters of different

technologies, located at thesame site, that share antennas

You can modify the

position of the antenna.

Relative to Site: select

this option if you want to

enter the antenna

position as an offset with

respect to the sitelocation

Coordinates: select this

option if you want to

enter the exact

coordinates of the

antenna

You can enter comments inthis field


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In the Transmitter tab you can setup the activity flag of your transmitter, its type, the powerand losses, the settings of the main and secondary antennas, etc.



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Example: Transmitter tab of a GSM Transmitter


Activity flag (only active

transmitters are taken

into consideration during

calculations)

Intra-Network (Server and

Interferer) = Atoll will considerthe transmitter as a potential

server as well as an interferer

Extra-Network (Interferer

Only) = Atoll will consider thetransmitter as an interferer

onlyPower and Losses definition

(Losses can be either user-defined or calculated by

Atoll according to the

equipment specified in the

Equipment box)Settings for the main antenna

and the optional secondaryantennas


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Transmitters Table

Access all the parameters of all the Transmitters through the Table


Import/Export

Properties of the

selected Transmitter

Centre on the

map the selected

Transmitter

Columns

functionalities

Filtering

functionalities

Sorting

functionalities

Statistics

Fill down/up

and Select all

Align left/centre/right,

Bold and Italic


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Transmitters Display options

Can be set for all the Transmitters or on a per Transmitter basis

Four display types available:

Unique - the same symbol will be used for all the Transmitters

Discrete values - the display of each Transmitter will be according to the value of a selected field

Value intervals - the display of each Transmitter will be according to set ranges of the value of a

selected field

Automatic - Atoll will automatically assign a colour to each Transmitter, ensuring that each Transmitter

has a different colour than the Transmitters surrounding it.



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Example of the Unique display type


Change the colour, type and

size of your symbols


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Example of the Automatic display type



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Radio Network Equipment

In the Parameters Explorer



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Geographic Profile

Display the Geographic profile from a selected transmitter

You need to select Profile and Geographic in the Point Analysis tool


Profile and

Geographic

selected

Selected Transmitter

Fil i d G i D (1/4)


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Filtering and GroupingData (1/4)

Filtering

Anything outside a Filter will not be taken into account during the Calculations

Filtering applies to

Data in tables

Records filtered out are hidden from the tables

Map

Records filtered out are hidden from the displayExplorer window

Records filtered out are hidden from the Explorer display

Specific filter symbol on folders on which a filter is applied


Filt i d G i D t (2/4)


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Types of Filters

Graphical filter (Filtering Zone)

Filter according to Object Attributes (from the Properties or the Tables)


Graphical Filter (Filtering Zone)Filter according to Object

Attributes (from the Properties)

Filter according to Object

Attributes (from the Tables)



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Grouping

No effect on computations

Applies to Explorer window

Generate subfolders for each grouping field

o Creation of a manageable table per subfolder

Specific commands for each subfolder

o Calculations of predictions, neighbours, transmitter activation, frequency planning, etc.


Subfolders



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Types of Groups

Possibility to group data according to a field First level grouping from the folder context menu

Advanced grouping in the general tab of the folder properties dialogue

Possibility to group folder according to the Focus or Computation zones


First level grouping according to any field in this list

Grouping according to a zone

T i i P


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Training Programme



3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions



5 P di ti


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5. Predictions

How to Create a Prediction

Standard Predictions

Predictions Settings

Computation Zone

Transmitters Propagation Parameters

Path Loss Matrices Storage

Standard Predictions Properties

Calculation Process

Prediction Lists and Templates


H t C t P di ti (1/2)


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How to Create a Prediction (1/2)

Prediction -> New...


Predictions groupedby technology



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Definition of a Prediction


To group, sort and filter the

results of the prediction

To calculate the prediction

Standard Predictions (1/2)


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Coverage by Transmitter

Need to choose the Automatic display type for the Transmitters




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Coverage by Signal Level




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Workflow:

(1) Create a Computation Zone

(2) Define the Transmitters propagation settings

(3) Define the Path Loss matrices storage directories

(4) Define the parameters in the Conditions tab of the predictions properties

(5) Define the parameters in the Display tab of the predictions properties

(6) Calculate the prediction

(7) Display the prediction


Computation Zone (1/2)


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Use of the Computation Zone

Define which Transmitters have to be taken into account in the calculationDefine in which area the prediction plot will be displayed

Create a Computation Zone

Draw it on the map

Import specific coordinates in the Computation Zones properties

Use an existing polygon as the Computation Zone




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Create a Computation Zone


Transmitters Propagation Parameters (1/2)


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Powers / Antennas / Activity parameters

Example for a GSM Transmitter:


If not active, thetransmitter will not be

taken into account in

the predictionPower definition

Antennas definition



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Propagation Model / Calculation Radius / Grid Resolution

Example for a GSM Transmitter:


List of propagation models

available in your document

Extended path loss

matrix if you want to use

different propagation

models/calculation

radius and gridresolutions close and far

from the transmitter

Calculation radius of the

transmitters path loss

matrix

Grid resolution of the

transmitters path loss

matrix



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Path Loss Matrices Storage Directories


Directory where will

be stored the path

loss matrices you

generate

If you are loading

path loss matricesfrom the shared

directory, any path

loss matrix that

needs to be

recalculated will be

saved in the Private

directoryUsed in Multi-user mode. Directory

where the common path loss matrices

are stored and accessible to all users.

Standard Predictions Properties (1/4)


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Conditions Tab




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Conditions Tab

Can choose upper and lower thresholds for the Signal level (or Path Loss/Total Losses)

for GSM, the lower threshold can either be user-defined (Global C threshold) or taken from the values

in the Subcell table (Subcell C threshold)

Different options to be considered as a Serving transmitter

possibility to add a margin to the Server condition (handover margin)


GSM-related

optionsHandover margin



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Conditions Tab

Possibility to model Shadowing and Indoor coverage Shadowing modelled by adding to the link budget an additional loss according to the cell -edge

coverage probability

Indoor coverage modelled by adding to the link budget an additional loss according to the clutter class




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Display tab


Default display type for theCoverage by Transmitter prediction

Default display type for theCoverage by Signal Level prediction

Three display types available:

UniqueDiscrete values

Value intervals

Possibility to use the Shading option to create

automatically a shading of colours from a Start colour

to an End colour

You can also use the Shading option to create the

different thresholds automatically with a regular interval

between them (First Break, Last Break and Interval)

Calculation Process


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Calculation Process

Requirements for a Transmitter to be taken into account in the calculation

ActiveFiltered (Transmitter or Site folder)

Calculation area intersecting the rectangle including the Computation Zone

Calculation process

1) Calculate the Path Loss matrices

Atoll will calculate the Path Loss matrices missing Atoll will recalculate an existing Path Loss matrix if one parameter related to the propagation has been

changed (parameters such as the antenna type / azimuth / height, the propagation model, the matrix

calculation radius, the computation zone, etc.)

2) Create the plot

3) Lock the plot After a prediction has been calculated, a lock symbol will appear on it

This lock symbol will prevent Atoll from recalculating the prediction if you press on the Calculate icon


Prediction Management (1/3)


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Possibility to save the definition of your predictions in a User Configuration file




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Customised Predictions

Possibility to save a prediction as a Template (=Customised Prediction)The list of templates will appear under the Customised Predictions folder




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Predictions Folder

Possibility to group predictions in subfoldersPredictions can be moved to folders using drag and drop


Training Programme


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Training Programme



3. Geographic Data

4. Radio Data

5. Predictions





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6 ed ct o a ys s, epo ts a d po ts

Point Analysis

Prediction Plot

Reports

Histogram

Exports

Printing Functionality


Point Analysis (1/2)


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y ( )

Profile Tab

In the Profile tab you have access to real-time calculations (Path Loss matrices not needed)


Real-time calculation

(Signal Level or

Path Loss or Total

Losses based on the

Result type chosen in

the Options dialogue)

Point Analysis (2/2)


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y ( )

Reception Tab

In the Reception tab you can see the signal levels received (Path Loss matrices needed)


Signal levels receivedat that location from

various Transmitters

Links between the

location and the

Transmitters received

Prediction Plot


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Tip Text and Legend

The Tip text and the Legend allow the visual analysis of the plot


Tip text

Reports (1/2)


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p ( )

Hierarchy between Zones

Reporting Priorities between Focus and Computation Zones

If a Focus Zone exists, the report will be based on the Focus ZoneIf there is no Focus Zone, but there is a Computation Zone, the report will be based on the

Computation Zone

If there is no Focus or Computation Zone, the report will be based on the covered area


Without any zone Filtering Zone Computation Zone Focus Zone

Reports (2/2)


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p ( )

Reporting Priorities between Focus and Computation Zones


Report based on the Focus Zone

Report based on the Computation Zone

Focus Zone (green)

and Computation

Zone (red) defined

Only Computation

Zone (red) defined

Histogram


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g

Histogram

The Histogram follows the same rule than the Report when it comes to the priorities betweenthe Focus and the Computation Zones

You can also display the CDF and the Inverse CDF

You can select and zoom on a specific histogram part


Exports (1/4)


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( )

Image Export

Copy-Pasting into another application a selected zone (Focus Zone, Computation Zone...)


Paste the

selected area

into another

application

Selected zone pasted into a Word document

Copy the selected zone

Exports (2/4)


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Image Export

Saving as an Image a selected zone from the map or the Geo tab


Available formats

Selected zone saved as a BMP file

Exports (3/4)


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Prediction Export

You can export one single prediction or several predictions simultaneously (from Predictionsfolder or any Predictions subfolder)


Export of several

predictions simultaneously

Available formats :

Export of one

single prediction

or If raster export not supported

Exports (4/4)


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Geographic Export Zone

You can define a zone that will be used to export a part of the map or a prediction in a raster-format


Export a prediction in a raster-format

and choose to only export the area

inside of the Geographic Export Zone

Save the area of the map which is

inside of the Geographic Export

Zone as an image

Printing Functionality (1/2)


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Define the Printing Zone


Printing Functionality (2/2)


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Print Setup and Preview



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THANK YOU!