INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS ON THE TERRAIN

After the creation and the loading of a project, elements may be installed.

For Transmitter/Receiver and Direction finder types, 2 groups are offered, A or B, allowing the user to
differentiate according to need, the element icons by a different colour : group A icons are green; group B
icons are blue. In this way, the user may, for example, indicate the existing elements of a network in green
and indicate the new elements under study by a blue colour. Aside from the differentiation in colour, both
element groups are treated in the same manner.
ICS Telecom offers a default icon codification (colour, shapes and classification), and also allows the user to
create or import 16-colours icons in a Icon database (Icon command of the Com parameters box). The element
may be then identified by a user-defined icon.

A mobile element may be also installed. It is represented by a path trajectory drawn on the terrain. A Path
trajectory is composed of segments separated by nodes called Way Points. The user may trace a Path on the
terrain containing up to a maximum of 49 nodes. Only one Path trajectory can be drawn on the terrain.
The trajectory can represent either the movement of a mobile com element (Tx/Rx A or B, DF A or B, Radar).
The Command POINT is the installation tool used for fixed elements (Tx/Rx, DF and Radars), while the
Command M-W is dedicated to install Microwave links on the terrain, and the Command PATH is used to
draw the path trajectory of the mobile.
For fixed element, the installation of elements is done at the location designated by the cursor. The location
may be indicated in visual using the mouse or the cursor keys ; or the user may enter manually X, Y and Z
coordinates.
Once the location of the element is designated, the parametering of the element must be done.

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

In ICS Telecom different types of fixed elements may be installed :

- Transmitter / Receiver (Tx/Rx)
- Direction Finder (DF)
- Radar
- Microwave links (MW)
- Satellite Transmitter / Receiver station (Satellite) : a specific setting is dedicated to this type of object. The
satellite is treated like a Tx/Rx element
- Subscriber : this element is treated like a Tx/Rx element

1. COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS : THE POINT COMMAND

1/ Keep the Soton Project loaded. The Image file is displayed on screen
2/ Activate (8 left button) the POINT command
3/ Position the cursor on the terrain at the site where installation of the element is desired
4/ Validate the position of the cursor on the terrain (8 left button)
5/ From the floating menu, choose (8 left button) the Add TX/RX option
6/ The Com Parameters box will be open ; choose the type of element to be installed (Tx/Rx A or B, DF A or
B, Radar), enter the technical characteristics and administrative information , and define antenna diagrams
7/ Validate the parameters and close the Com Parameters box via the Close button (8 left button)
8/ Upon closing the box, the element icon will appear on the terrain

1.2 INSTALLATION OF AN ELEMENT BY ENTERING MANUALLY THE COORDINATES

1/ Keep the Soton Project loaded. The Image file is displayed on screen
2/ Activate (8 left button) the POINT command
3/ Position the cursor on the terrain at any point
4/ Press P key (small caps) ; The Site coordinates box is open
5/ Enter the coordinates X and Y in the corresponding fields ;
for our example, type for X : 447700 and for Y : 110900
Click (8 left button) over the Preview button ; the Image at the (X,Y) point is displayed in a vignette. The
user may verify the altitude found by the system according to the coordinates.
6/ Validate the coordinates and close the Site coordinates box via the OK button
7/ The Com Parameters box will be open ; choose the type of element to be installed (Tx/Rx A or B, DF A or
B, Radar), enter the technical characteristics and administrative information , and define antenna diagrams
8/ Validate the parameters and close the Com Parameters box via the Close button (8 left button)
9/ Upon closing the box, the element icon will appear on the terrain at the precise location

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

1.1 INSTALLATION OF AN ELEMENT BY USING THE MOUSE

2. MICROWAVE LINKS ELEMENTS : THE M-W COMMAND

The Microwave links element installed via the M-W command is made up of two sites (Site A and Site B) and
a connection that linked the two sites.
To install Microwave links, the user have to designate the Site A and the Site B on the terrain.

1/ Keep the Soton Project loaded. The Image file is displayed on screen
2/ Activate (8 left button) the M-W command
3/ Click (8 left button) over the point on the terrain where the Site A of the link is to be
4/ Click (8 left button) over the point on the terrain where the Site B of the link is to be
5/ The Microwave link box will appear on screen. In this box, the user may input either technical information
or purely administrative information, the user may also model the transmitter and receiver antenna-ray diagrams
and determine if the connection is unidirectional or bidirectional.
6/ After the input of data, validate and close the Microwave link box via the Close command (8 left button)
7/ The Site A, the Site B, and the connection are installed and displayed on the terrain
8/ Other connections may be installed on the terrain following the above steps

2.2 INSTALLATION OF A MICROWAVE LINK BY ENTERING MANUALLY THE COORDINATES

OF THE TWO SITES
1/ Keep the Soton Project loaded. The Image file is displayed on screen
2/ Activate (8 left button) the M-W command
3/ Position the cursor on the terrain at any point
4/ Press P key (small caps)
5/ The Microwave link box will appear on screen.
In this box, click (8 left button) over the Coordinates button of Site A:
The Site Coordinates box is open. Enter X and Y coordinates and altitude if needed of Site A, and control the
location via the Preview command.
Close the Site coordinates box via the OK button.
Click (8 left button) over the Coordinates button of Site B. Enter in the Site coordinates box the X and Y
coordinates and altitude if needed of Site B, and control the location via the Preview command
Close the Site coordinates box via the OK button.
Input either technical information or purely administrative information, model the transmitter and receiver
antenna-ray diagrams and determine if the connection is unidirectional or bidirectional.
6/ Validate the coordinates and close the Microwave link box via the Close button
7/ Upon closing the box, the microwave link will appear on the terrain at the precise locations

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

2.1 INSTALLATION OF A MICROWAVE LINKS BY USING THE MOUSE

3. MOBILE ELEMENT : THE PATH COMMAND

3.1 CREATING A PATH

3.2 PARAMETERING OF THE MOBILE ALONG THE PATH TRAJECTORY

1/ The PATH command must be activated (8 left button)
2/ Click (8 left button) over Way Point 0 of the Path
3/ The Mobile report box is open. Select (8 left button) the Parameters command
4/ The element's Com Parameters box is opened. Choose the type of element to be simulated (element:
Tx/Rx, DF and its group: A or B, or Radar) and input the different data linked to each element: technical
characteristics, administrative information, antenna diagrams
5/ If necessary, define variable power and altitude values for the mobile element:
a. Variable Power
A different power intensity can be defined for each nodal point
a1. Select (8 left button) the option variable power of the Com Parameters box
A graph is drawn along the Path length

Shown on this graph are: terrain relief in white, the different nodal points that make up the trajectory in
yellow, and an indication of their respective power. The position of the cursor is indicated in red.
a2. Use the keys to position the cursor on the nodal point whose power is to be modified
a3. Use the +- keys to increase or decrease power intensity (in increments of 5 Watts)
a4. Validate the modification by pressing the key
The i key prints the graph (Print setup box).
The s key saves the graph and all its characteristics in a .trk file
a5. Close the graph by pressing the key
b. Variable Altitude
A different altitude can be defined for each nodal point along the trajectory
b1. Select (8 left button) the Elevation variable option of the Com Parameters box
A graph is drawn along the Path length

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

1/ Activate the PATH command (8 left button)

2/ Choose a point of origin for the trajectory; click over this point with the mouse. This point is node 0
Note: Way Point 0 is meant only as a reference point for the element trajectory. It does not figure into
simulation calculations.
3/ Release the mouse button and click (8 left button) at the desired site for the 1st nodal point or Way point.
This point is node 1
4/ Repeat steps 2 and 3 to place other Way points and to construct the trajectory
5/ The path trajectory is created. Now the user has to input the parameters of the mobile

INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

Shown on this graph are: terrain relief in white, the different nodal points that make up the trajectory in
yellow, and an indication of their respective altitude. The height is equal to the antenna height + the
terrain altitude adjusted by 30 m to avoid obstacles encountered between two nodal points. The position
of the cursor is indicated in red
b2. Use the keys to position the cursor on the nodal point whose altitude is to be modified
b3. Use the +- keys to increase or decrease altitude (in increments of 5 metres)
b4. Validate the modification by pressing the key
The i key prints the graph (Print setup box)
The s key saves the graph and all its characteristics in a .trk file.
b5. Close the graph by pressing the key
6/ Validate the element parameters via the Close command of the Com Parameters box. The parameters can
be modified at any time if necessary.

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ELEMENTS MANAGEMENT
Up to 500 fixed elements and a Path trajectory of maximum 49 Way Points, may be installed on the terrain.
The number of fixed elements includes the communications elements installed using the POINT command +
the microwave links installed using the M-W command.
Note :
In this calculation, the system considers that 1 element ' M-W' is equivalent to 2 elements of communication.

A:

B:

satellite :

subscriber :

INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

One location site of the terrain may lodge several elements of any types.
By default, the elements are represented differently according to their type and their status.
The shape and colour of the icon indicates the type and group of the communications element:
POINT Elements
Transmitter/Receiver (Tx/Rx)
Deactivate (dormant) :

Direction Finder (DF)

A:

B:

Deactivate (dormant) :

Radar
Deactivate (dormant) :

M-W Elements
: unidirectional

:Site 1 is deactivate

: bidirectional

Mobile Elements

Mobile Transmitter Receiver (Tx/Rx A)

Mobile Direction finder (DF A)

Mobile Radar
One element installed may be moved of place, deactivate and reactivate, isolate, delete, its parameters may
be modified. Several options and procedure may be used according to the type of elements and the commands
used.

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1. FIXED COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS

1.1 MANAGING ELEMENTS VIA THE ELEMENTS TABLE

In this table, all elements present on the terrain are represented, whether active or dormant (coloured icon:
active element, black icon: dormant element).
The user may alter the state of an element through this table.
Click left mouse button : activates or deactivates the selected element (in the above table, element n1 is
deactivated)
Click right mouse button : opens the Parameters box linked to the selected element. The user may modify
any of the parameters.
The key closes the table and returns to the main screen.
1.2 MANAGING ELEMENTS VIA THE DATA-BASES
All elements installed on the terrain are automatically stored in an internal data-bank.
ICS Telecom offers two different internal data-banks .
One data-bank stores each fixed elements (Tx/Rx, DF, Radar, Microwave sites) and is accessible via the
Command,
The other data-bank stores the microwave links installed and is accessible via the

Command.

These commands open a list (the Station list and the Microwave list boxes) enumerating the elements or
microwave links, and offered different managing options via a floating menu :

Parameters : access to the selected element Parameters box for modification....

Duplicate : creates a new element from the selected element
Activate : reactivates the selected element from a dormant state
Deactivate : lays the selected element from an active state
Isolate : isolates the selected element, all other elements on the terrain are laid dormant
Delete : definitively deletes the element
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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

All fixed elements present on the terrain are grouped together in table accessible by pressing the TAB key :

 Continue : closes the floating menu

1/ From the list, select and click (8 right button) over the element that is concerned
2/ The floating menu will appear on the screen
3/ Choose (8 left button) one option of the floating menu
4/ According to the option chosen, the Parameters box appears, or the element is deactivate, reactivate,
isolate, or delete.
5/ Close the list and return to the main screen via the QUIT command (8 left button)

The principle of the RECT and POLY toolS is to draw a rectangular or a polygonal zone on the cartographic
file displayed, including a certain number of elements, and to apply managing options to these elements. In
particular, the elements selected may be moved, deactivated, reactivated, isolated or delete.
To draw a rectangular zone on the terrain and to access the managing options
1/ Select and activate the RECT tool
2/ With the mouse, trace out the zone that is to be cut over the displayed cartographic file:
a

b
a. Click (8 left button) over the top left corner (a) of the Rectangular zone that is to be defined.
b. Release the mouse button.
c. Click (8 left button) over the bottom right corner (b) of the Rectangular zone that is to be defined.
d. Release the mouse button.
3/ The floating menu will appear on screen.
The following options of the floating menu concern the management of elements :
Generate site : allows to create new elements in the defined area. The number of element, the azimuth
spacing between elements, the spacing in X and Y between site, and the settings of the new elements are
defined by the user.
Deactivate site: deactivate all elements included in the rectangular zone. All the icons are coloured in black
Activate : reactivates the selected elements from a dormant state
Isolate : isolates the selected elements, all other elements on the terrain are laid dormant
Delete : definitively deletes the elements contained in the rectangular zone
Move Tx/Rx site(s): moves all the elements included in the rectangular zone to another and single location
site
4/ Select (8 left button) one option of the floating menu and follow the procedure, or close the floating menu
by pressing the Esc key or by selecting the Continue option.
To draw a polygonal zone on the terrain and to access the managing options
1/ Select and activate the POLY tool
2/ Click (8 left button) over any point on the terrain
3/ A first floating menu will appear and propose various options:

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

1.3 MANAGING ELEMENTS BY USING THE SELECT TOOLS

4
3
a. Click (8 left button) on the first point of the polygon on the terrain (1)
b. Release the mouse button
c. Click (8 left button) on the second point of the polygon on the terrain (2)
d. Proceed in the same manner for all other points of the Polygon (3, 4 and 5)
e. To indicate the end of the zone, click (8 right button) over any point on terrain
f. The system automatically closes the shape. The zone is drawn and coloured in the defined Color
tool.
5/ A second floating menu will appear on the screen:

Option Add mask allows to draw another shape on the terrain. For this choice, draw the polygonal shape in
the same manner as indicated above.
Option Save mask allows to save the drawn shape in a .plg file. In the Files box that appears, indicate the
name and file path of the .plg file that is to be saved
Option Continue allows to continue the procedure
6/ The last floating menu will appear on screen containing the element managing options.
These options are identical to those offered by the RECT tool.
7/ Select (8 left button) one option of the floating menu and follow the procedure, or close the floating menu
by pressing the Esc key or by selecting the Continue option.

1.4 MANAGING ELEMENTS BY USING THE POINT COMMAND :

The POINT command not only enables the user to install elements on the terrain, but offers also various
options to manage the elements.
Selecting the elements installed on the terrain using the mouse, allows the access to a floating menu containing
various options.
According to the element selected, different floating menus appear on screen :

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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

Choose option Draw mask to define the Polygonal zone on the terrain
Choose option Load mask to load a Polygonal zone previously created and saved in a .plg file. In the Files
box that appears, indicate the name and file path of the .plg file that is to be loaded
Option Continue cancels this procedure
4/ If option Draw mask has been selected, draw the Polygon on the terrain:
1
2
5

D.F

Radar

Microwave

Options are available or masked depending of the type of element selected.

Move : to move the selected element to another site
Parameter : to open the Com Parameters box of the selected element
Constraints : to parameter the constraints area of the selected element
De-activate / activate : to deactivate or activate the selected element
Isolate : to isolate the selected element from the other elements
Add TX/RX: to add a new element on the site designated by the cursor
Duplicate : to create an element identical to the selected element
Database search : to verify the presence of the selected element in the Site database
Database export : to export the selected element into the Site database
Bearing : to parameter and add a bearing to the selected direction finder
Obstacles : to assign to the element a .hor obstacles file to be taken into account in calculation
Add Coverage: to associate the coverage present in memory to the selected element
Profile to : to calculate the profile from the selected element to another element present on the terrain
Profile from : to calculate the profile to the selected element from another element present on the terrain
Report : Horizon tour and Effective height reports established for the selected element
Point to point : point to point calculation options : Threshold impairment, I/N, Receiving, Signal from and
to mobile.
Coverage : Interference and assignment calculation options
Delete : to definitively delete the selected element
1/ Activate (8 left button) the POINT command
2/ Select the icon of the element concerned with the mouse ; the cursor will become a hand
3/ In the floating menu that appears, designate (8 left button) the element concerned
4/ Select (8 left button) one option of the floating menu and follow the procedure, or close the floating menu
by pressing the Esc key

1.5 MANAGING ELEMENTS BY USING THE FUNCTION NETWORK / OBJECT MANAGEMENT:

The Object menu offers various managing options :
Delete : allows the deletion of objects (i.e. elements).
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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

Tx/Rx - Subscriber - Satellite

1.6 SAVING ELEMENTS

All elements present on the terrain may be saved in a .ewf object file.
1/ Select (8 left button) function Files / Save / Save .ewf file
2/ Select a name and disk file path in the .ewf Files box for the current object file
3/ The object file having been saved may be viewed again superimposed over the cartographic file via the
Files / Load / Load .EWF file option
The objects file may also be integrated into the Project via the Project manager box : enter the name of the
.ewf file in the Objects space in the box and then save the modified Project via option SAVE or SAVE AS.

1.7 EXPORT / IMPORT OF ELEMENTS IN THE DATA BASES

In ICS Telecom, the Site database and the Link database are used to store up to 32 000 elements each. The
elements inserted may be generated by ICS Telecom (POINT or M-W elements), or may come from other
ODBC link compatible data bases (EXCEL, ACCESS, ORACLE...).
An unlimited number of data bases may be created on the disk.
The Site database stores fixed communication elements (Tx/Rx, DF, Radar, Microwave base), while the Link
database stores complete microwave links.
Elements inserted in these data bases may be managed (delete, sorted according to various criteria).
The Menu Database offers various function to exchange elements between ICS Telecom data bases and other
compatible data bases :
- Option Database / Site Database / Export Activated Elements allows to insert the elements present and
active into the Site database
- Options Database / Site Database / Import / ... allow the insertion of elements that are stored in .txt ascii files
into the Site database
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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

Different choices are offered :

- Deletion of all types of objects
- Deletion of one type of object (path, Tx/Rx, links, icons, or deactivate objects)
Note on the deletion of objects:
All objects that the user has installed on the terrain may be deleted. The deletion of an object by the options
described below are irreversible and may not be cancelled. In case of error, the user must reinstall the
deleted objects. The objects deleted from the screen and from the current memory do not affect the .ewf
Objects files. If the user has saved the objects configuration in .ewf Objects file, the user may reload this file
(Files Menu, Load Function, Option Load .ewf file).
Activate: allows to activate the laid dormant (deactivated) elements (Tx/Rx, D.F, Radar and Microwave).
Different choices are offered :
- All : Activation of all elements present on the terrain
- Select : Activation of elements according to precise sort criteria defined by the user. The sort criteria
concern the frequency (minimum and maximum) and the effective radiated power (ERP) (minimum and
maximum). The elements corresponding to the defined sort criteria are activated. The elements not
corresponding to these criteria are deactivated and will be ignored for future simulations
Mask: this option masks the com elements (Tx/Rx, D.F, Radar and Microwave) present and active according
to precise sort criteria defined by the user. The sort criteria concern the frequency (minimum and maximum)
and the effective radiated power (ERP) (minimum and maximum). The elements corresponding to the defined
sort criteria are masked, that is to say, they have been deactivated and will not be considered in future
simulations. The elements not corresponding to these criteria will not be modified.
Isolate : contrary to the Mask option, this option activates the fixed elements corresponding to the criteria
defined by the user. The criteria are defined through the Selection box and concern the radiated power, the
frequency, the type of object, the call sign, the database keys, the Address and Info 1 text information, and the
presence or not of an associated coverage. The elements that do not correspond to the criteria are masked, i.e.
deactivated and ignored during calculations.

- Option Database / Microwave link Database / Export Activated Microwave links allows the insertion of the
activated microwave links present on the terrain into the Link database
- Function Database / ODBC offers various options to import or export elements using an ODBC link

INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

Into the Data bases boxes, the user will find also an ODBC command allowing connections with compatible
data bases.

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2. MOBILE ELEMENTS
The management of the mobile element trajectory is done via the PATH Command.

2.1 DISPLACING A WAY POINT (OR NODAL POINT) OF A PATH

1/ Activate (8 left button) the PATH command
2/ Click over the Way Point in question (8 right button)
3/ Click over the new site (8 right button)
4/ The Way Point is moved

1/ Activate (8 left button) the PATH command

2/ Click over the unwanted Way Point (8 left button)
3/ The Way Point is definitively deleted. The numbering of the other nodal points are automatically modified

2.3 ADDITION OF WAY POINTS ON A PATH

1/ Activate (8 left button) the PATH command
2/ On the terrain, click (8 left button) over the sites where Way Points are desired
3/ The Way Point is added and takes the next sequential number available

2.4 COMPLETELY DELETING THE PATH

1/ Activate (8 left button) the PATH command
2/ Click over Way Point 0 of the Path (8 left button)
3/ In the floating menu, choose (8 left button) option Delete Path
4/ The system deletes the Path from the terrain
The suppression of a path trajectory may be also done using the option Objects / Delete / Path.

2.5 SAVING THE PATH

The path trajectory is saved in a .ewf object file.
1/ Select (8 left button) function Files / Save / Save .ewf file
2/ Select a name and disk file path in the .ewf Files box for the current object file
3/ The object file having been saved may be viewed again superimposed over the cartographic file via the
Files / Load / Load .EWF file option
The objects file may also be integrated into the Project via the Project manager box : enter the name of the
.ewf file in the Objects space in the box and then save the modified Project via commands SAVE or SAVE AS.

2.6 DIRECT ACCESS TO THE PARAMETERS OF THE PATH

The

command give direct access to the Mobile report box containing the settings of the path and

of the mobile.
1/ Select (8 left button) command Path
2/ The Mobile report box is open. The user may proceed to modifications of parameters.
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INSTALLATION OF ELEMENTS

2.2 DELETING A WAY POINT OF A PATH