ActixAnalyzerGSMTrainingManualSVS1_3

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Analyzer Training Course

Introduction to SVS for GSM 1.3

Actix Training Services

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All contents of this document are the property of Actix and are provided for information purposes only. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Actix will not be held liable for technical or editorial omissions made herein, and will not be held liable for incidental, consequential or other similar damages resulting from the use of its products.

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Introduction

Scope of the Course

Introduction to Analyzer for Network Optimization provides a

comprehensive overview of Actix Analyzer – Service Verification Solution (‘Analyzer’). Our goal is to give new users an understanding of what Analyzer can do and how it can help them improve the quality of service for their network subscribers. This course is led by experienced

instructors. These instructors are experts in using Analyzer to increase productivity and are familiar with the challenges faced by engineers working in cellular/PCS environments.

Class size is limited to ensure that everyone receives extensive one on one instruction. Participants are given ample opportunity to ask questions relevant to their particular optimization needs. Upon completing the course, participants will be able to put what they learned in the class to work to identify and solve real network problems.

Introduction to Analyzer for Network Optimization begins with a high-level

presentation of the Analyzer interface and its capabilities. We will then cover how Analyzer can be customized to tailor existing optimization processes to the specific needs of the participants.

Who Should Attend Analyzer Training?

• Engineers responsible for enhancing cellular performance and implementing wireless system optimization

• System Performance Engineers responsible for measuring and

quantifying network quality relative to competitors and/or established benchmarks

• Engineers looking to further understand the application of drive test, call trace and protocol data in optimizing networks

• Experienced technicians involved in field optimization

• Anyone looking to maximize the return on their investment in Actix Analyzer

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Prerequisites

• Familiarity with network infrastructure and operation of the air interface

• A general understanding of drive test and call trace collection and post-processing methodology and advantages and limitations of each dataset

• Access to Actix Analyzer software

• Basic computer literacy, including familiarity with Windows and MS Office applications

• A machine meeting recommended, or at least minimum requirements:

Recommended: Processor – Pentium III 700 MHz

Operating System – Windows 2000 Professional Memory (RAM) – 512 Megabytes

Available Hard Disk Space – 15 Gigabytes

Minimum: Processor – Pentium II 333 MHz

Operating System – Windows 95 or NT SP3 I

Professional

Memory (RAM) – 128 Megabytes

Available Hard Disk Space – 1 Gigabyte

In addition to the hardware requirements listed above, Analyzer performs best when the Windows Virtual Memory Paging size is set to between 1000 and 1500 MB. The method for setting this parameter varies by operating system. Please consult your operating system help for specific instructions regarding this parameter.

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Topics to Be Covered

• Configuring your Analyzer workspace including map, cell site, and parameter configuration in order to display your geographic area and network cell plan.

• Viewing data in a variety of ways to gain insight into possible network problems.

• Diagnosing and solving quality of service problems with drive test and switch data.

• Using pre-defined and custom analyses to analyze data and devise tailored optimization solutions.

• Identifying the impact of wide area network optimization changes in terms of quality of service using advanced features that allow Analyzer to be tailored to integrate seamlessly into developed optimization processes and procedures.

• Using some of the latest task-oriented application packages and their supporting engineering notes, which highlight how Analyzer can be used to fine-tune network performance and further enhance quality of service.

• Using the Help options and maximizing the benefit of technical support.

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Introduction to Actix Analyzer

Mobile phone network operators strive to maximize the capacity and quality of their networks in order to ensure customer satisfaction and increase revenues. The collection and analysis of network performance metrics forms a large part of this effort. There are many sources of

performance data available, including field-test equipment, scanners, and call traces.

Actix Analyzer provides the ideal solution for your network optimization problems. It supports a wide range of file formats and provides you with a straightforward user interface.

Actix Analyzer is a post-processing tool for the top-down optimization of wireless networks. Actix supports a wide variety of collection file formats, including:

• Drive Test Collection Tools, including Ericsson TEMS, Nemo TOM, Comarco Baseline, and Ascom Q-voice

• Switch (Mobile Traffic Records) Traces, including Ericsson MTR, and Nokia Online

• Protocol Analyzers on the A, Abis, and Gb interfaces for GSM/GPRS networks including Tektronix K1205, Ocean, and Nethawk.

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Analyzer’s Key Features

• Supports most of the industry standard file formats for drive-test, OMC-R traces, and A, Gb, and Abis traces.

• Easy-to-understand Windows user interface means information can be interpreted quickly.

• Data may be queried on user-defined criteria and filtered accordingly.

• Access to high-level statistical information and detailed engineering parameters.

• Analyses may be run quickly using pre-defined report templates.

• The most commonly requested analyses and calculations are carried out automatically.

• Drive test and call trace files may be combined to link forward and reverse link data.

• Interface with Excel allows detailed statistical and mathematical analysis of any data set.

• The Network Image feature enables aggregation of large volumes of drive test data into one file, including only key parameters, resulting in a much smaller file.

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What’s New in SVS Version 1.3

Technology Enhancements

AMR Measurements – Adaptive multi-rate (AMR) parameters available

for analysis include Setup Parameters and Frame Measurements. AMR measurements are currently available for the TEMS, Invex 3G and XTel data collection formats.

GPRS and EDGE Protocols - A-SVS supports the analysis of GPRS and

EDGE networks. GPRS parameters are available for all major collection vendors. EDGE support is currently available for Nemo, and will soon be available for TEMS and XTel. Data testing measurements provide

technology independent data protocol metrics provided by wireless data collection equipment.

Data Visualization

Preconfigured StateForms - A number of preconfigured GSM and GPRS

StateForms enable the user to quickly identify and troubleshoot important network events.

Protocol Stack Browser – The Protocol Stack Browser allows the user to

quickly browse through messages by examining the header only. Once a message of interest is identified in the top pane of the Protocol Stack Browser, the details of the message can be examined in the bottom pane.

Cell Site Configuration – The Network Explorer has been updated to

ease the cell site configuration process. The Auto Import feature is available to automatically update the cellrefs file with changes to network data. The Display Cell Data view provides easy access to network data details within the workspace.

Licensing

Several licensing options are available to meet the varied needs of different customers.

Stand-alone Configurations – Users from the same customer will be

able to readily interchange hardware keys without the inconvenience of having to move, copy, or replace license files.

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Getting Started With Analyzer

Starting Analyzer

As with any Windows application, you can start Analyzer in several ways. When you install Analyzer, a folder is created from the Start button that contains a shortcut for Analyzer.

To use this shortcut to start Analyzer, select Start → Programs → Actix → Analyzer.

Note: If you would like to add an Analyzer shortcut to your desktop, right-click on the Analyzer item on the start menu and choose Create Shortcut. It will appear on the desktop.

Figure 1 - Starting Analyzer Using the Shortcut on the Start Menu

Actix Folder Analyzer Shortcut

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After starting Analyzer, the splash screen is displayed while the application loads. A blank Analyzer workspace then opens:

Figure 2 - An Empty Workspace in Analyzer Status Bar

Workspace

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Configuring Analyzer

Before you can begin analyzing data, there are a few configuration matters to attend to. In order to obtain some geographical reference points for your log files, you will need to load some MapInfo maps and point Analyzer to a valid, applicable cell site database, known in Analyzer as a “cellrefs” file.

Setting up Maps

This section shows you how to load MapInfo tabular (.tab) data to present data analyses on map backdrops.

1. Open a new map by selecting View → Display new Map.

2. Click on the Maximize icon to maximize the Map window. 3. In the Map Window, click on the Layers icon: . The Layer

Control Dialog will open:

Figure 3 - The Layer Control Dialog

4. In the Layer Control dialog, click Add to open the Open Layer dialog. 5. Select or type in the name of a MapInfo Map (*.tab) file, then click

Open. In class, the map file we will open is Maesseh.tab, which can

be found in:

C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\MapFiles\Maesse

MapInfo layers are named according to the geographic location of the data (usually abbreviated US state name and county name), and by the

Current Layers

Layer Options

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type of data contained in the file. The following table lists some of the common abbreviations used for MapInfo data types:

Suffix Layer Type Y1 RtHwy010_Top Y2 RtHwy010_Bot X1 IntShld010 X2 IntShld1040 Pc Cultural Points Pn Natural Points Pm Municipal Points R Railroads H Highways S Streets Wr Water (rivers)

Wb Water (bodies of water) Lm Landmarks

Cb City Boundary Mc Minor Civic Division Cy County

Other MapInfo layers: Voting District, Native American Lands, Sub-MCD, State level tables (school districts and elevation contours)

For example, the MapInfo layer named Maesseh.tab contains highway-level data for Essex County, Massachusetts.

6. You may want to modify the layer properties by selecting the layer and choosing the various options within the Layer Control Dialog:

A. Properties → Labels: Use the Label Properties dialog to show, hide, or modify map labels.

§ To turn off labels (recommended to improve map load time), uncheck both the Display within range box. § Check boxes also are also available to Allow Overlapped

Text and Allow Duplicated Text.

§ The label font can be controlled through the Label Style button.

§ The label position and label offset can be modified at the bottom right corner of the dialog.

§ Select OK to exit the Label Properties dialog.

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§ Select OK to exit the Display Properties dialog.

C. Reorder → Up and Reorder → Down: Use the Reorder buttons to change the ordering of the layers.

§ Moving map layers toward the bottom layer is

recommended to set them as a backdrop for displaying cell site data and logfile parameters.

§ Layer Accessibility: To display a layer, check the box next to the layer name under the eye icon . To make a layer selectable, check the box next to the layer name under the arrow icon . To make a layer writeable, check the box next to the layer name under the pencil icon . § Layers → Remove: Use the Remove button to remove a

map layer from the workspace.

7. In addition to the Essex County highway layer, open the Middlesex and Suffolk County highway layers and modify their labels and visibility as in Step 7.

8. After modifying any desired layer properties, close the Layer Control dialog with the Close button and changes will take effect.

Figure 4 - MapInfo Layer for Essex County Highways Displayed on a Map Map Toolbar

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9. Pan the map viewing area to the new map by right-clicking in the map area, then choosing Zoom → Go to Layer and selecting the map layer

you just added.

10.Reorder the map layers using the Up and Down buttons on the Map

Layer dialog to improve the appearance of the map

11.Right-click on the map and choose Zoom → Zoom In from the

pop-up menu or click on the Zoom In button on the Map toolbar. 12.Click and drag a rectangle around a small area of interest on the

map. Return the cursor to the passive mode by clicking on the

Select button.

13.To return to the previous view, right-click on the map and choose

Zoom →Previous View.

14. For some detailed layers, like the street layers, you can control at what degree of magnification they become visible. This helps to eliminate cluttered map displays.

In the case of the highway layer, you can control the point at which the highway names and highway numbers become visible on the map. In the Map Layers, select the highway layer, and use the Properties

Display dialog to set the Display within Zoom levels 0-10 miles. For

the highway numbers, use the Properties Labels to set the visible range to 0-3 miles. Investigate the impact of your changes.

More Pan and Zoom Options

The pop-up menu in the Map window offers a variety of convenient pan and zoom options.

Previous View – Right-click in the map and select Zoom → Previous View. Returns to the last zoom setting by undoing the last zoom

operation.

View Entire Map – Right-click in the map and select Zoom → View Entire Map. Zooms out to show the entire map area you have defined. Panning – Right-click in the map and select Tool → Pan. The cursor will

change to a hand symbol. Click and drag to move the map in the viewing pane.

Centering – Right-click in the map and select Tool → Center, then click

on a point in the map window. The map will pan with the point you selected as the center.

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point. Notice that the distance is displayed next to the cursor and is

continuously updated as you drag. The units are not displayed, so if you are not sure what the current units setting is, check under Map Units → Distance, changing the unit type if appropriate.

Other Mapping Options

Copy to Clipboard allows the current map to be pasted into other MS

applications for reporting and presentation.

Export Map - allows the map to be saved to many common graphical

formats for viewing outside Analyzer.

Zoom to Map Scale - permits the user to display the map based on

common map scales. This may be useful if it is desired to overlay printed maps from Analyzer over other maps or coverage predictions.

New Raster - allows the importation of raster images for use as

backdrops. One application of this would be to bring in raster maps of coverage predictions from a planning tool for visual inspection of predicted against measured coverage.

Note: When you are finished panning and zooming, and have the map showing the area you are interested in, remember to return the cursor to the passive mode by clicking on the Select button on the map toolbar.

Loading Cell Site Data

In order to display cell sites in Analyzer, and integrate cell site data with real-time measurements, a formatted database must exist containing location and configuration data for each cell site. In Analyzer, we refer to this file as the ‘cellrefs’ file, although it can have any name.

Later in the course, we will show you how to format your own data for recognition by Analyzer. For now, we will point Analyzer to a pre-formatted cellrefs file, and then display the sites on the map. 1. From the main menu, select Tools → Preferences.

2. In the Change Preferences dialog, on the File Location line, double-click on the name of the current cellrefs file.

3. In the Open dialog, navigate to the cellrefs file you would like to use and select Open. In class the file we will use is called ‘Training GSM

Cellrefs.txt’ which has been installed in the following location:

C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\Bin\Cellrefs

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5. A message box will be displayed saying that the new cellrefs file takes effect when a new workspace is loaded. Click OK to close the message box. Analyzer loads cells upon opening Analyzer or starting a new workspace. From the Main Menu, choose File → New Workspace to

create a new workspace. At this point, there is no need to save the current workspace.

6. In the new workspace, click View →Display New Map.

By default the cell sites are now visible:

Figure 5 - Map with Cell Sites Displayed

Displaying Site Labels

Labels may be displayed on the map to show identifying information for each cell site. Site labels are displayed independently of cell labels, enabling the display of Site Name or Site ID, in addition to BCCH,

Azimuth, or Beamwidth. In Analyzer, “sectors” are called “cells” based on the European terminology. The following instructions specify first site labeling, then cell labeling:

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3. The MapInfo-style Label Properties box will appear. Verify that each of the following options is checked:

o Show

o Allow overlapped text (recommended) o Hide adjacent duplicate text (optional)

4. In the Label Properties box, use the drop down Data Field menu to determine the label format to display. Currently, there are two label formats from which to choose:

o The Site_Name (default) shows only the site name. o The Key Field label shows only the site ID.

5. If you wish to offset the label from the cell site symbol, use the options in the Position box in the Label Properties dialog. 6. If you wish to change the font of the labels, use the Label Style

button in the Properties dialog.

7. Select OK to exit the Label Properties dialog.

The Site Labels have been formatted. Next, format the Cell Labels: 8. In the Layer Control dialog box, select the cell layer, which is named

GSM_Cell-BCCH-Beamwidth

9. Under the Properties heading in the Layer Control dialog, press the

Labels button

10.The MapInfo-style Label Properties box will appear. Verify that each of the following boxes is checked:

o Show

o Allow overlapped text (recommended) o Hide adjacent duplicate text (optional)

11.In the Label Properties box, use the drop down Data Field menu to determine the label format to display. All GSM_Cell parameters are available as options for labeling. BCCH is a popular labeling option, as it allows you to quickly identify the BCCH frequency on each sector. 12.If you want to offset the label from the cell site symbol, use the

options in the Position box in the Label Properties dialog. 13.If you want to change the font of the labels, use the Label Style

button in the Properties dialog.

14.Click OK in the Label Properties dialog, and then OK in the Layers dialog to apply the labels.

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Figure 6 - Formatted Cell and Site Labels

Viewing Cell Site Information

A cell’s Azimuth, Beamwidth and Sector ID can be obtained by running the mouse over a sector on the map. To obtain more detailed information on each site or sector:

1. Display site data of interest on the map.

2. From the main menu, select View ? Display Cell Data. 3. From the main menu, select Window ? Tile Horizontally or

Window ? Tile Vertically.

4. Click on a sector wedge or site dot on the map. Details about that sector or site will appear in the Display Cell Data window.

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Data Aggregation (Binning)

Analyzer aggregates data into groups called bins in order to provide a reasonable number of data points from a computing and analysis

perspective. The aggregation method used to create one bin from many data points depends on the type of parameter. For example measurement parameters, such as RxLev and RxQual, are binned by averaging all

component measurements into one data point. For network state parameters, such as ServBSIC and ServBCCH, a bin is given the most frequently occurring value in the component measurements. Events, such as dropped calls and handoffs, are binned by the number of events

occurring within the component measurements.

Analyzer has four modes for determining how to divide data into bins: message binning, time binning, distance binning, and location binning.

• Message binning places a user-specified number of messages into each

bin for averaging. If you set the number of messages to average equal to 1, each message is placed into its own bin thus the net result is no averaging of the data.

• Time binning combines data in the time domain using a user-specified

duration for the bin. Time binning of 1000 ms is the default binning in Analyzer.

• Distance binning combines data into bins corresponding to the distance

travelled by the test mobile. This mode is commonly used for drive test analyses. Use distance binning when road conditions, like traffic lights or congestion, require multiple stops and data from the same area may be consolidated.

• Location binning is analogous to overlaying a spatial grid on top of the

data with a user-defined granularity. This can be used when examining several drive files crossing over the same geographic area. Use

location binning when multiple drive test teams are collecting data in the same area and composite analysis using all the drives is required.

1. In the Tools → Preferences dialog, click on the ‘+’ next to Binning

to expand it.

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Viewing Data in Analyzer

Loading Files

Now that you are more familiar with the Analyzer environment, we will move on to some of the basic viewing options for drive test data.

1. Load the following drive test files by selecting File → Open Logfile or

by clicking the Open Logfile icon: . These files are located in the C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\DataFiles directory:

o Nemo Drive Test 1.dt1 o TEMS Investigation 1.log

2. Expand the file tree in the workspace and select the NemoGSM (0) stream from the Nemo Drive Test 1 file.

3. Expand the layers under the NemoGSM (0) stream, then expand the GSM node and examine each data group and parameter, as shown in Figure 7.

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Upon loading a GSM data file, note that several data groups are created for each device contained in the file. To see these data groups, open any log file contained in the training package.

The following data groups are created under the GSM node:

• Statistics Data – Information about handover interval and duration

• Serving Cell Parameters – Information about the serving cell

identity, serving BCCH, and BSIC.

• Target Cell Info – Information about the target cell for a handoff

including BCCH and BSIC.

• Dedicated Radio Link – Once a call has been established,

parameters that are associated with the cell serving the call are contained here.

• Device Info – Information about the specifications of the mobile

making the call.

• Downlink Measurements – Serving RxLev and RxQual

measurements made by the mobile, which are also broken out by ARFCN.

• Neighbor Cell Info – BCCH, BSIC, and RxLev for each neighbor. In

addition, all neighbor measurements are broken out by channel number.

• Event Data – Call events triggered by Layer 3 messaging or

registered by the drive test vendor’s equipment. If an event is not present in the tree, it did not occur in the file.

• GPRS Measurements – Metrics associated with GPRS data calls,

including throughput, coding scheme, channel usage, TBF information and events can be found here.

• AMR Measurements – Call setup and inband signaling measurements

extracted from AMR-enabled handsets are contained in this group.

• Vendor Specific – Measurements that are specific to the particular

collection device used. Specific events registered by the T+M vendors’ hardware not derived from layer 3 messaging by Analyzer are included here.

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The Data Testing node in a GPRS or EDGE handset stream provides data parameters that are not specific to the air interface. Under the Data

Testing node, the following groups may be found:

• Application Measurements – Find instantaneous application layer

throughput here. This is the value that most closely approximates the end user’s experience.

• Protocol Measurements – This group contains throughput values for

each layer in the IP stack. This group contains statistics for the IP, PPP, TCP, ICMP and RLP2 layers.

• IP (Internet Protocol) provides a connectionless

addressing scheme of packets, or datagrams, to be delivered in a packet-switched data network.

• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) establishes a

virtual connection between a source and a destination in a data network.

• PPP (Point to Point Protocol) serves primarily to

provide some security to datagrams in the IP network.

• ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) supports

error, control and informational messages within the data network.

• Task Settings – This group contains task identifiers including

Task_Id, Task_Name and Task_Key.

• Task Summary – This group contains application level parameters

summarizing the entire task.

• Ping Statistics – This group contains metrics for any ping session

within the logfile.

• Application Statistics – This group contains the number of bytes

transmitted by the data application.

• Connection – This group contains details for data connections

activated within the logfile.

• HTTP Statistics – This group contains metrics for any HTTP session

within the logfile.

Right-click on several of the parameters under each group and note that they can be displayed on tables, maps, charts, and in workbooks.

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Viewing Scanner Data in Analyzer

Analyzer supports the GSM scanners including the TEMS scanner, Nemo Seegull, Comarco baseline, and XK series scanner devices.

To better understand the Scanner data that is presented, open logfile Grayson CW Scan.LOG and expand the stream Spectrum Tracker (0):

Figure 9 - Scanner Stream Expanded to Show Its Contents

Note that under the Scanner data group, several groups have been created to help you easily drill down into the data.

Independent Node Data in Analyzer

The Independent data node in Analyzer includes measurements that are technology and T+M vendor independent. This includes GPS information,

Site Data Node information and Message Type information.

Information for the site data node parameters will be generated if a valid cellrefs file is loaded in the Analyzer when a logfile is loaded. The site data node contains information resulting from the integration of the cell plan information and drive test data. This information can be displayed on maps, charts, tables, and workbooks like all regular drive test

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Figure 10 - Expanded Site Data Node in the Workspace

The Site Data Node contains the parameters listed below:

• ServingCellDistance – The distance between each point on the drive

and the current serving cellsite

• ServingCellLat – The latitude of the serving cellsite at each point

along the drive route

• ServingCellLon – The longitude of the serving cellsite at each point

along the drive route

• ServingCellID/SectorID – The alphanumeric identity from the

cellrefs file of the serving site name and sector name. This data can be viewed on a table synchronized to a map to eliminate the need to look up channel/color code information to determine the serving cell at each point on the drive

• NeighborCellDistance/Lat/Long/CellID/SectorID - The same

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The Favorites Group

You may find that having access to all of the parameters within the log file in the Workspace is not necessary, and that it may make finding key parameters more difficult. Analyzer allows you to identify the subset of parameters you need quick access to and place them in the Favorites Group. This group can be viewed by clicking on the Favorites tab in the workspace.

1. In the workspace, click to select the ServRxLevSub parameter from the Downlink Measurements group, then right-click on it and choose

Add to Favorites from the pop-up menu.

2. Under Downlink Measurements, find ServRxQualSub and add it to Favorites.

3. Under Events, find CallDropped and HandoverOK and add them to Favorites.

4. Under Serving Cell Parameters, find ServBCCH and add it to Favorites. 5. In the Workspace, click on the Favorites tab . A tree

view of the items you added is displayed. You can easily move between All and Favorites as necessary.

Figure 11 - Workspace Showing the Favorites Parameters Displayed Favorites Tab

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Viewing Data on Maps

You can use Analyzer to create maps to display your data.

1. Display the serving cell signal level for the handset stream NemoGSM (0) on the map from the file Nemo Drive Test 1. First, select

Downlink Measurements → ServRxLevSub. Then right-click and select Display on Map.

Notice that the legend appears to the left of the map. The count for each range is in parentheses to the right of the range.

Figure 12 - RxLevSub Displayed On a Map

2. If you would like to display a second parameter, you have two options: o You can add the second parameter to the same map as the first

by clicking on the second parameter in the Workspace Browser and dragging it onto the original map.

o You can display each parameter on a separate map by right-clicking on the second parameter in the Workspace Browser and choosing Display on Map.

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Modifying Legend Ranges

1. Select the ServRxLevSub stream in the Map Legend window and right-click on it. Choose the Modify ranges option to change the number of legend ranges and some of the range boundaries.

Figure 13 - Modify Ranges Dialog For RxLevSub

2. Delete ranges you don’t need by selecting them one at a time and pressing the Remove button.

3. To edit an existing range to match your network thresholds, select and type in the new maximum or minimum and click on the Update button to register the changes.

4. To add a new range, type the maximum and minimum in the spaces provided and click on the Add button.

5. If at any time you want to back out of all of the changes you have made, click on the Cancel button.

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6. Modify the colors of each range to match your network schema from within the Modify Ranges dialog by selecting the range, clicking on the

Selected button in the Set Colors box, and picking a new color from

the palette.

Note: These changes to the ranges are saved automatically. One file is created for each parameter range. These files are located in C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\Bin\FormatGroups\UserSettings. This file can be copied and shared with other members of your team.

7. To accept the changes you have made to the legend settings, click OK. 8. After clicking OK, you will be presented with the Selected Legend box.

To overwrite the existing default legend range settings with your new settings, click OK.

9. To keep your default legend range settings as they are and add your new legend settings as an alternate set of legend ranges, type in a name for the new set of ranges, then click OK.

The Map Offset Tool

1. To add the RxQual from the handset to the current map, select

Downlink Measurements → ServRxQualSub. Drag the selected

parameter onto the map. The RxQual is drawn directly on top of the RxLev trail.

2. Click on the Layers button on the map to open the layers dialog.

3. Select the ServRxQualSub layer and click on the Offset button. You can use the Offset box to enter an amount to move the RxQual in the x and y directions.

If you prefer, you can use the Offset Tool instead of entering specific x and y offsets.

a. To use the Offset Tool to offset RxQual from RxLev, click on the Layers button to get into the Layer Control Dialog.

b. Click on the Offset Tool button. Your cursor will change from an arrow to a ‘+’.

c. Click any where on the map. Your cursor will stay at ‘+’ and will now have a dotted line connecting it to the point you just clicked.

d. The dotted line indicated by how much the ServRxQualSub layer will be shifted. Click on a second point to complete the offset.

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4. You can return a layer to its original position by manually setting the x and y offsets to zero or by clicking on the Reset button in the Map Offset Tool.

Figure 14 - Map of RxLev and RxQual Data

5. Turn layer visibility on and off by clicking the layer’s checkbox in the legend.

Creating a Multi-Dimensional Map Stream

You can create a two-dimensional map by dragging two parameters onto a map, then dragging one on top of the other in the legend. This will replace the two data streams with one composite stream. The color of the points in the resulting stream will be determined by the value of the stream that was dragged and the size of the points is determined by the value of the other stream.

1. Close the current map.

2. Display ServRxLevSub and ServRxQualSub on a map.

3. In the legend, drag the RxLev layer on top of the RxQual layer in the legend. The points will be colored by RxLev with their size

determined by RxQual.

RxQual Stream

1.1.1.1.1.1 R

Visibility Check Boxes

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Figure 15 - Multi-Dimensional Map Trail

4. A third dimension can be added to the plot. You can set the symbol type to denote the value of the third parameter.

5. Drag the ServBCCH from the Serving Cell Parameters group onto the map.

6. In the legend, drag ServBCCH on top of the ServRxLev and

ServRxQual multi-dimensional stream. Note that the new plot shows color corresponding to RxLev, symbol size based on RxQual and symbol type denoting serving BCCH. The legend information is automatically updated when multi-dimensional plots are created. 7. Remove the multi-dimensional layer through the Layers dialog by

selecting it and clicking the Delete button.

Note: Separate legend ranges exist for each parameter for the size, symbol, and color ranges. For example, you may choose to display ServRSSISub divided into five ranges when it is viewed by color, and only two ranges when viewing it by size.

Lines to Cells and Cell History

With a cell plan loaded, lines from each location on the drive route to their corresponding serving cell and neighbor cells will be drawn. Set the map cursor in the Select mode and click on any point on the drive route.

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Figure 16 - Map Showing Lines to Cells

You can view the serving or neighbor cells for more than one point on the map by clicking on the Area Select button on the map toolbar and

choosing one of the options now available on the toolbar, either Select

Box, Select Radius, or Polygon Select.

In addition to viewing serving and neighbor cells for an individual point data point or a subset of the data, a Cell History plot can be drawn. This plot shows the line to the serving cell for each point on the drive route. 1. To create this type of plot, click on the Layers button on the map

toolbar.

2. Select the Lines to Serving Cells layer

Lines to Neighbor Cells Line to Serving Cell

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3. Click on the Lines button to access the dialog below:

Figure 17 - Line Layer Properties Dialog

4. Select the All datapoints option for the Lines draw mode. 5. For the Technology, choose GSM from the drop-down list. 6. For the Color lines with, choose ServBCCH.

7. For Label lines with, choose None.

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Displaying Data Values as Text on Maps

The values for one or more parameters can be displayed as text on the map. This can be used to display the serving cell number value or serving site identity name adjacent to the drive route. All the options are

controlled through the Label Properties dialog accessed from the Map Layers for the layer under observation.

1. Drag RxLevSub, RxQualSub, and BCCH onto the map.

2. Move BCCH below the RxLev and RxQual layers in the Map Layer dialog.

3. Move the RxLev layer between the RxQual and BCCH layers. 4. With the BCCH layer selected, click on the Label button to see the

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The settings on this dialog are as follows:

Data

Data Field – Select this option to display the parameter value next to the

data point.

Formatted Field – Select this option to display the parameter name and

value next to the data point.

Visibility

Show – Controls whether or not the labels appear on the map.

Allow Overlapped Text – Use this option to draw all labels, even if they

overlap partially or fully.

Hide adjacent duplicate text – Controls whether each adjacent bin with

the same data value has a label displayed. Disable this feature for parameters like Serving Channel Number or Site ID where the point of interest is where a change occurred.

Display within range – Use this option for layers like maps or cell sites

when you would like to see the values when zoomed in close to the area but the labels clutter then viewing area when zoomed farther out.

Styles

Label style – This button opens the Text Style box. From this box you

can modify the font face, size, background color, and text effects for the label text.

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Position

Across the line – Used with Lines to Cells layers, choose this option to

have the labels drawn in the direction of the line to cell.

Along the line – Used with Lines to Cells layers, choose this option to

have the labels drawn horizontally, across the line to cell.

Vertical – Draws label from left to right. Horizontal – Rotates the label 90 degrees. Alignment – Choose Left, Center, or Right.

Label X offset – Set the vertical distance from the label to its data point. Label Y offset – Set the horizontal distance from the label to its data

point.

5. For the ServBCCH layer, Data Field. For visibility, check Show and Allow overlapped text. For the position, set Label X offset to -10 and Label Y offset to 5.

6. In the Layer Control dialog, select the RxLev. Select the Data Field option. For visibility, check Show and Allow overlapped text. For the position, set Label X offset to 10 and Label Y offset to -15.

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Map Scale and Coordinates

By default, the map scale will appear in the lower left corner of the map window. In addition, the latitude and longitude coordinates of the cursor can be displayed.

• To turn on or off the scale, right-click on the map area and click to check or uncheck Show Scale.

• To show or hide the cursor coordinates, right-click on the map area and click to check or uncheck Show Lat/Lon.

Figure 22 - Map Scale and Coordinates Displayed Map Scale and Coordinates

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Viewing Data on Charts

Analyzer can create a variety of charts for the analysis and inspection of data.

1. With the Nemo Drive Test 1 file open in the Workspace, expand

Downlink Measurements and select ServRxLevSub.

2. Right-click on ServRxLevSub and choose Display on Chart from the pop-up menu. Your chart should look like this:

Figure 23 - RxLev Displayed On a Chart

3. Click on the Histogram button to view the data as a distribution.

4. Click on the Series button to return the chart to a time series chart.

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6. From the Neighbor Cell Info node, expand the NborRxLev node, and drag and drop NborRxLev_0 onto the chart. Your chart should look like the figure below.

Figure 24 - RxLev, RxQual And Strongest Neighbor RxLev displayed On a Chart

Note that RxQual appears on a separate axis from the RxLev values. Multiple values can be dragged onto a single chart. When parameters are expressed in different units they will appear on separate y axes.

7. Drag and drop a few events onto this chart. The events will appear on the chart as vertical lines.

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You can zoom in on a section of interest, such as a dropped call, by dragging a rectangle from upper-left to lower-right. You can return to the original view by clicking and dragging a rectangle from lower-right to upper-left.

8. Drag and drop the dropped call event onto the chart you currently have open.

9. Click and drag a rectangle from upper-left to lower-right on the chart around the second dropped call.

Figure 25 - Chart Zoomed In On a Dropped Call

Modifying Chart Properties

1. Many chart properties can be customized through the Properties dialog. Right-click on the chart and choose Chart Properties from the menu.

2. Use the Axis dialog to increase the RxLev max value to -15 dBm. 3. Reposition the Properties Dialog so that you can see the chart with

the dialog open. As you change the properties of the chart, the chart is automatically updated.

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5. Still on the Chart Series page, use the up and down arrows to change the order in which the parameters are plotted.

6. On the Chart Legend page, modify the fonts and colors.

7. On the Chart Axis page, redefine the style for the axis, labels, and ticks.

8. Create a three-dimensional chart using the options on the Chart → 3D page.

9. Click on the Copy icon to place a copy of your chart on the clipboard. 10.In Word or PowerPoint, click Edit → Paste to paste your chart into

that application.

11.In Analyzer, with the chart still open, create a map displaying the same data. Click to select data on either the map or the chart and notice that the views are synchronized.

12.If you want to select a point on the map, click the Select button to activate the selection cursor.

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Viewing Data in the Message Browser

Analyzer provides the Message Browser to allow you to analyze all the messaging seen from the phone. The browser also includes events derived from the Layer 3 messaging, searching, and filtering operations on the data.

To open the browser right-click on the stream name NemoGSM (0) in the workspace and choose Display Message Browser from the pop-up menu.

Figure 26 - Messaging Displayed in the Message Browser

1. Click on an event in the Event Panel. Watch as the Messaging

Window synchronizes to display the messaging information

corresponding to the event you selected.

2. In the Search box, type ‘drop’, then click the Find Next button to find the next occurrence of this text string in the file.

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4. Open Word and click Edit → Paste to paste the text into the current

document.

5. In Analyzer, click on the Properties button then on the Message

Format tab, and investigate the results of checking some of the

options.

6. In the Properties dialog, click on the Message Format tab and modify the Font for the Message Browser.

7. Investigate the use of bookmarks by selecting a subset of messages and marking them with the Toggle button and then using the adjacent Next and Previous Toggle buttons to step through them.

As with the maps and charts, the message browser synchs with other Analyzer data views. To try this out, display a parameter, such as

ServRxLev or ServRxQual, on a map or chart. Click on a point on the map or chart, and watch as the message browser scrolls to highlight the

messaging corresponding to that point in time. If you click to synch the message browser with an event, it will point to the message whose receipt triggers that event.

Viewing Data in the Protocol Stack Browser

The Protocol Stack Browser is a view that allows you to quickly browse through messages by examining the header only. Once a message of interest is identified in the top pane of the Protocol Stack Browser, the details of the message can be examined in the bottom pane. The following Protocol Stack Browser views are available for GSM and GPRS drive test data:

• Layer 3 – Message pane displays GSM Layer 3 messages and

message direction

• Layer 3 Signaling – Message pane displays GSM Layer 3 messages

only

• All – Message pane displays all GSM Layer 3 and handset-specific

messages

• GPRS Events – Message pane displays messages signifying GPRS

events

• GPRS RLC / MAC – Message pane displays GSM Layer 3, and GPRS

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Figure 27 - GSM Layer 3 Protocol Stack Browser

Open the Layer 3 Protocol Stack Browser view for the Nemo Drive Test 1 sample file:

1. Right-click on the NemoGSM (0) stream in the workspace and choose

Protocol Stack Browser ? Layer 3 from the pop-up menu.

2. Click on a message header from the series in the top portion of the

Browser Window and notice the complete message displayed in the

bottom pane for the message you selected.

3. In the Search box, type ‘CC Release’, then click the Find Next

button to find the next occurrence of this text string in the file. Continue the search by clicking the Find Next icon to find each subsequent occurrence of the string.

4. Select the All Rows button at the top of the Protocol Stack Browser to view all messages including Layer 3 and handset-specific messages.

As with the maps and charts, the Protocol Stack Browser synchronizes with other data views. To try this out, display a parameter, such as

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Viewing Data in Tables

Tables provide a quick and simple view of numeric data for a selected attribute. You can look at statistics, such as mean, minimum, and maximum, histogram distribution information, and the time series data for the parameter displayed the a table.

1. Display ServRxQualSub from the Nemo Drive Test 1 handset on a table. To do this, select Downlink Measurements →

ServRxQualSub, then right-click and select Display on Table.

Figure 28 - RxQual Series Data Displayed in a Table

2. Click on the Histogram tab to see the ranges and their counts. The ranges on the Histogram tab are determined by the ranges set in the map legend.

3. Click on the Statistics tab to view the automatically calculated statistics.

4. Add RxLev to the table by right-clicking on the RxLevSub parameter in the workspace and dragging it onto the table.

5. Display the dropped call event on a map. Click on the dropped calls to synch the map with the table.

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Viewing Data on Workbooks

The Workbook feature allows you to manipulate data within a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet environment, provided that you have Excel installed on your computer. You can display the data in charts, produce reports, and save and share your work. If you just want to browse numerical data, you may find Analyzer’s table feature easier to use. If you are looking to save your results or do more comprehensive formatting, a workbook is the best choice.

1. Select Downlink Measurements → ServRxQualSub, then right-click and select Display on Workbook.

Notice the series data being displayed in Excel with time, latitude, and longitude.

Figure 29 - RxQual Displayed in a Workbook

2. Click on the Histogram tab to view the ranges and counts. 3. Click on the Statistics tab to see the automatically calculated

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The Replay Tool

The replay tool allows you to sequentially view data points in the files you are analyzing. Resembling the controls of a VCR, you can move forward or backward, automatically or manually advancing through the data.

You can move through data displayed on a chart, map, or table. The stream selection box allows you to choose which stream to watch. It will display all open logfiles, whether or not you have a parameter from the stream displayed.

1. Display RxLev from NemoGSM (0) on a map, then drag the dropped

call event onto the same map.

2. Display the dropped call, RxQual, RxLev, and ServBCCH on a

table.

3. Use the Window menu to tile the map and table horizontally. 4. To access the replay tool, select Tools → Display Replay.

Figure 30 - The Replay Tool

5. Making sure that the NemoGSM (0) stream is selected in the replay tool, select a point on the map, near the beginning of the drive.

6. Click on the Step Forward button to move to the next point on the drive.

7. Notice that the selection box on the map moves to the next data point in the drive. The table has also updated by highlighting the relevant data.

8. Experiment with the remaining buttons to see how they interact with the rest of the views.

Play Forward Play Speed Stream Selection Step Forward Step Backward Play Backward Progress Bar

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Viewing Data on State Forms

Actix State Forms allow you to view multiple performance metrics simultaneously. Used in conjunction with the replay tool, maps, tables, and charts, you can quickly ascertain the values of several optimization parameters for problem identification.

Using Preconfigured StateForms

A number of preconfigured GSM StateForms enable the user to quickly identify and troubleshoot important network events. The preconfigured forms available for GSM drive test data are:

• GSM Call Events

• GSM Current Channel

• GSM CW Scan

• GSM Event Navigator

• GSM Neighbour Chart

• GSM RxLev Measurement Chart

• GSM Scan Chart

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The preconfigured forms available for GPRS drive test data are: • GPRS Data Session • GPRS Data Timeslots • GPRS Event Navigator • GPRS Throughput (DL) • GPRS Throughput (UL)

Figure 32 - GPRS Throughput Chart

View the GSM Current Channel form for the Nemo Drive Test 1 sample file:

1. Right-click on the stream name NemoGSM(0) in the workspace and choose Display Form ? GSM Current Channel. Forms can also be selected from the View ? Forms option on the main menu.

2. In general, when selecting a form, make sure that the form that you have selected applies to the type of data you want to analyze. For example, do not select the GSM CW Scan chart for a logfile containing handset data.

3. If the Stream Selector is not visible, right-click on the form and select Stream Selector. The Stream Selector drop-down will appear. Use the drop-down list to select the stream you wish to view data for. If you are not seeing information in the forms, verify that the right data stream is selected.

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Figure 33 - Select GSM Current Channel Form

4. Forms with measurement views like the GSM Current Channel form or the GSM Call Events form may be best viewed when docked with the replay tool at the side of the screen as seen in the figure below.

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5. To dock a form on the left side of the workspace, bring up the form and click the docking button (to the left of the minimize button). Click the gray horizontal line at the top of the form, drag over the bottom section of the Workspace Browser, and release. Once docked like in the view above, you can adjust the top and right-hand borders to allow for more viewing space in the platform.

6. Forms with chart views like the GSM Handoff Event Navigator or the GSM RxLev Measurement Chart may be best viewed when docked at the bottom of the screen as shown below.

Figure 35 - GSM Event Navigator Form Docked in Workspace

7. To dock a form at the bottom of the workspace, bring up the form and use the docking button (to the left of the minimize button) to dock it next the Workspace Browser. Then, making sure that the right border of the form does not stretch past the midpoint of the entire Analyzer viewing platform, drag the thin gray line of the form to the bottom right side of the screen so that it is completely on the left half of the viewing platform. Once docked like in the view above, you can adjust the top border to allow for more viewing space in the platform.

Preconfigured forms can be edited to meet your individual analysis needs. The following sections describe the modification of existing forms, and the creation of new forms from scratch using the State Forms Editor.

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Viewing Custom Forms with the StateForms Editor

The StateForms Editor allows you to view custom forms, modify existing forms, and build new forms from scratch. The components of the

StateForms Editor window are shown in the figure below.

Figure 36 - The StateForms Editor

1. From the Tools menu, select StateForms Editor.

Note: If the generic GSM handset form does not launch, right-click on the blank StateForms box and select Open File. Browse to the C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\State Forms directory and open the file called gsm handset.axl.

2. Once loaded, make sure the appropriate stream is selected in the StateForms stream selection box. In this case, with the Nemo Drive

Test 1.dt1 file open, select the NemoGSM(0) stream.

Note: If the stream selection box is not visible, right-click on the StateForms box and select Stream Selector. The stream selection box will appear.

3. The selected stream must correspond to data currently displayed on another Analyzer view (map, chart, table or message browser). In this case, display ServRxLevSub on a table.

4. Select any point on a map, chart, or table and notice that the contents of the form will update to reflect the state of the network at the point you selected. StateForms File Options Toolbar Parameter Values Stream Selection Box Bar

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Modifying an Existing StateForms File

You can use an existing StateForms file as it is, or you can make

modifications to it. Suppose the GSM handset file has almost everything you would like to see, but that you are also interested in the timing advance. To modify the StateForms display:

1. If you do not already have the StateForms file displayed, click Tools

StateForms Editor. Click Open File and choose the gsm handset.axw file.

2. Click on the Toggle Design Mode button on the StateForms File Options Toolbar.

Note: If the File Options Toolbar is not visible, right-click on the form area and choose Show Stream Selector.

3. The StateForms window now shows the design view: The attribute window will be displayed, showing all of the attributes that can be set for the selected object and the Design Mode toolbar will be displayed, showing all of the types of objects that can be added to a form along the options for manipulating objects already on the form.

Figure 37 - StateForms Window in Design Mode

The buttons on the StateForms toolbar are, from left to right, Delete, Cut, Copy, Paste, Toggle Design Mode, Select, Label, Attribute Value, Array Attribute Value, Line Chart, Scan Chart, and Group Box.

Delete – Removes an object from the form. Using the delete key on

your keyboard will not work.

Cut – Removes an object from the form and puts it on the clipboard. Copy – Copies an object to the clipboard.

StateForms Design ToolBar

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Paste – Places a copy of the object on the clipboard on the upper-left

corner of the form.

Toggle Design Mode – To exit the design mode and return to the

view mode, click the Toggle Design Mode button.

Select – To put the cursor into select mode to allow you to select an

object on the form.

Label – Click and drag a rectangle, then type your text into the

Caption field in the attribute window.

Attribute Value – Click and drag a rectangle then choose an attribute

from the list. The attribute value can be displayed as a text value or on a scale bar. In addition to being able to display parameter values, expression values can be shown.

Array Attribute Value – Click and drag to define a table. In the

attribute window, specify the number of rows and columns your table will have. For the attribute corresponding to this table, select a

parameter that is collected as an array, such as Neighbor Cell Info →

NborRxLev.

Time Chart – Click and drag to define the chart area. One or more

parameters can be displayed on a line chart to see how the values vary across the drive.

Scan Chart – Click and drag to define the chart area. This type of

chart is used to display information like signal levels from neighbor or scanner information in bar chart form.

Group Box – Used to visually group attributes on your form that

belong together, click and drag to define a rectangle.

On the GSM handset form currently open, we will add timing advance and serving cell distance, with serving cell distance displayed in miles instead of meters.

1. Click on the Toggle Design Mode button to open the StateForms file in design mode if you are not in design mode already.

2. Hold down the CTRL key and select the RxLev and RxQual meters, as well as the labels for those meters. With these items selected, click the

Delete button.

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4. Select the label object, and modify the Caption in the Attribute

Window to read ‘Timing Advance’. If all of the text does not fit in the label, expand the label object by dragging a corner handle.

5. For Auto Size Font, choose False.

6. To create the timing advance attribute, click the Attribute Value

button and drag a rectangle to the right of the timing advance label

object.

7. Select the timing advance attribute object and click on the box next to the Attribute field in the Attribute Window. Use the Attribute Picker to select GSM → Dedicated Radio Link →

ServTimingAdvanceActual.

8. For the Bar Color, choose the same color as the background of your

form.

9. For Use Value to Color, choose 0) None. 10.For Font Auto Size, choose False.

11.To add the information about serving cell distance, create a label whose caption is ‘Serving Cell Distance’. You can do this by creating a label from scratch or by copying and pasting an existing label. Note that pasted objects always appear in the upper-left corner of the form. 12.For the Bar Color, choose the same color as the background of your

form.

13.For Use Value to Color, choose 0) None. 14.For Font Auto Size, choose False.

15.For the Expression, enter ‘ServingCellDistance/1609.344’. 16.For the Expr. Decimals, enter 2.

17.Click on the Save button to save the changes you have made.

18.Click on the Toggle Design Mode button to return to the View Mode. Notice that the State Form now incorporates the changes that have been made.

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Figure 38 - StateForm Modified to Include Timing Advance Parameter

Creating Your Own StateForms File

Several sample StateForms are provided by Actix. You can also design your own forms from scratch, or modify an existing form to better meet your needs. You can start a new StateForms file or you can add a sheet to an existing file. We will create a new file for this example.

Our form will look like this:

Figure 39 - New StateForms File

1. If you do not have the StateForms window open, click Tools → StateForms Editor.

2. To start a new StateForms file, click the New File button .

New Timing Advance and Serving Cell Distance Parameters

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4. Add the RxLev label by clicking the Label button. Click and drag the rectangle.

5. Select the label object and make these modifications in Attribute Window:

o Caption: RxLev o Autosize Font: False o Font Height: 10

6. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for the RxQual label, setting the caption to

‘RxQual’.

7. To create the Attribute Bar for RxLev, click the Attribute Value

button and drag a rectangle to the right of the RxLev label object.

8. Select the RxLev Attribute Value object and make the following modifications in Attribute Window:

o Specify Min+Max: True o Bar Range Max: -50 o Bar Range Min: -100

o Bar Color: Use the pallet to pick blue o Show Min Text: True

o Show Max Text: True

o Use Value to Color: 3) Value Bar

o Attribute: GSM → Downlink Measurements → ServRxLevSub o Font Auto Size: False

o Font Height: 10 o Extent Right: True o Extent Bottom: True

9. For the RxQual attribute value, click the Attribute Bar button and drag a rectangle to the right of the RxQual Attribute object.

10.Select the RxQual Attribute Bar object and make the following changes in the Attribute Window:

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o Bar Range Max: 7 o Bar Range Min: 0

o Bar Color: Use the pallet to pick purple o Show Min Text: True

o Show Max Text: True

o Use Value to Color: 3) Value Bar

o Attribute: GSM → Downlink Measurements → ServRxQualSub o Font Auto Size: False

o Font Height: 10 o Extent Right: True o Extent Bottom: True

11.To add the Group Box object, click the Group Box button and click and drag a rectangle around the other objects on the form.

12.Select the Group Box object and make the following modifications in the Attribute Window:

o Caption: Network Parameters

o Text Color: Use the pallet to select dark blue o Font Auto Size: False

o Font Height: 12

o Font Use Default: False o Font Bold: True

13.Click the Save As button and save the StateForms file in the State Forms directory and call it Training StateForms.axl.

14.Return to the View Mode by clicking the Toggle Design View button. 15.Test your new StateForms file by displaying a parameter from the

NemoGSM(0) stream on a map, selecting that stream in the StateForms window, then selecting a point on the map.