GSM @ Camp 2011 preparations

Hi Peter and others, it seems like the situation regarding the GSM network at the Camp is starting to become clearer every day. I am still arguing that two relatively large BTS with circular antennas are a good idea. Therefore, I have now applied for a test license with the regulatory authority with the following parameters: * six GSM 1800 ARFCN * two antennas, circular, 18 meters above ground * 5W output power on each ARFCN. I know one of my customers in Germany has once managed to get a license for 5W, so I thought it is a good bet we should get the same. It should be more than sufficient to cover the camp. * from August 2nd through August 15th, i.e. we have time for build-up and can also run it one more day during shutdown of the camp I should be receiving "Motorola Horizon Macro" BTSs with 3 to 6 TRX each soon. They are able to drive something like >= 20W output power, way more than we need. The only problem with those BTS is: We will need to add the Motorola A-bis dialect to OpenBSC before the Camp, which could be a tough task depending on how far they are off the standard A-bis as specified in 08.58 and 12.21. If we cannot make those BTS work, our options are somewhat limited. 1) nanoBTS based The nanoBTS are 200mW only, so we would need a booster. Those cost about 1000 EUR for 6W downlink power + 18dB uplink LNA. Who is going to fund that? Also, we would need a combiner/splitter to run something like a 3-TRX setup. 2) Ericsson RBS I should have two RBS 2308 (4TRX each) soon, but both of them are GSM 1900. It is unlikely that we ge a license, and a lot of phones probably don't support it. So unless they can somehow be converted to 1800 MHz units, they are not a good fit either :/ 3) Siemens BS-11 All of them are GSM 900. No way to get a license in Germany, sorry. So we basically _have to_ make the Motorola Horizon work... Regards, Harald -- - Harald Welte <laforge(a)gnumonks.org> http://laforge.gnumonks.org/ ============================================================================ "Privacy in residential applications is a desirable marketing option." (ETSI EN 300 175-7 Ch. A6)