19 - Base station site management

Abstract

This chapter discusses the management of a base station site. The objective of a radio base station is to provide an adequate service over the whole of the desired service area in a well-defined manner. Special consideration must be given to those areas where, because of their location, weak signals or a high ambient electrical noise level might be expected. For radio equipment, safety is one of the first priorities and in addition to the electrical considerations, physical hazards must be avoided. Adequate working space must be provided around the equipment racks. Most of the equipments are at present wall-mounted but tall, floor-standing cabinets must be firmly bolted down to prevent toppling when units are partially withdrawn for servicing and cables need to be routed safely. Overhead cable trays are generally considered the most satisfactory method but, to avoid interaction, it is recommended that cables for the various functions be segregated to reduce cross-talk and interference.