Where are Radio Based Stations located?

The life of an RF Field Engineer is very interesting, as you not only have the opportunity of travelling throughout the city but you will also encounter interesting obstacles and issues to troubleshoot. I have been doing mentorship as an RF Field Engineer for T-Mobile since the summer and what an RF Field Engineer does, is if there is an issue with the cellular network in an area they must troubleshoot the problem. Usually the problem comes from the Radio Based Stations (RBS), which transmits and receives cellular data such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and LTE. And these RBSs' are scattered throughout the city, most of which are hidden.

Here are some of the areas that me and my mentor found the Radio Based Stations to be located:

This RBS was located on top of a McDonald's rooftop.

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This RBS was located right behind the LA County Fair back in September. 

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This RBS was located at a giant Garden in Pomona. 

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This RBS was located inside a Catholic Church, and the antennae was cupola. 

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This RBS was located in a dark alley in Pomona.

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Someone ran over this power meter for the RBS in Compton.

There were hot wires on the floor from the power meter with 200 Volts of electricity.

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Those are some of the areas of which I have been to fix issues with the Radio Based Stations. As you can tell some of these areas don't seem safe at all, but the Radio Based Stations can be located anywhere, even places you wouldn't expect.

4G Explained

So what is 4G anyway, I mean we have seen it on carrier branding or commercials but there's no widely excepted definition of 4G or LTE. So let's try to explain that.

So as far as the name goes "4G" the "G" stands for a generation of mobile technology. With each new generation you get a significantly faster data speed but it becomes incompatible with the previous generation. In other words, you will never see a 3G phone working on a 4G network, but their are carriers that have both 3G and 4G networks (Verizon).

1G was the first Analog system and has the slowest data speed possible but at the point it was the only network available.

2G moves to digital but it's still very slow, somewhere around 10-200 kbps. Fun Fact: The first iPhone was 2G.

3G is a much faster digital and goes up to 384 kbps.

4G systems like LTE claim to initially start out at 5 Mbps, which is the highest network at the point. But 4G isn't just faster than all the other previous generations, it also has much more capacity, and their is alot less bandwidth caps

The complications that has people wondering what really is 4G is the fact that their are some really modern 3G networks that are actually faster than the beginnings of the 4G networks. For example, HSPA+  which is modernized 3G but the speed of this network can go up to 7 Mbps, because it's been evolved for so long. T-Mobile runs an HSPA+ network, and they plan to evolve it up to 30 Mbps.

The video showed you a comparison of 4G and 3G on 3 separate iPhones. Now you can actually see how fast 4G truly is when compared to other generation networks.

EQ

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2. Review the following EQs

A. What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

This essential question does tie into all three of the criteria's.

- Does this question provide a "framework for studies?"

The word, "factor" has a major part as to why it is not just a yes or no question and why it can have alot of research. Not only can you provide an opinion toward what the most important factor is but also source statistical evidence that supports a factor. Sure the answer can be straight to the point, but finding that point will require tons of research and knowledge towards your topic.

 - Does this question "take a stance?"

The word "factor" allows for a specific argument as to what they believe (based upon their research) is the best way possible to lose weight. This could be confused with a fact but instead it's an opinion that can lead towards an argument as to what the most important factor is. 

- Does this question provide a clear format?

Yes it does, because it states what the speaker is going to talk about, gives the audience an idea as to what their topic might be, and how this question can be answered. 

B. What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

Wow, talk about grammar issues, so I fixed it for you: 

"What is the most important factor towards securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?"

- Does this question provide a "framework for studies?"

Yes it can provide alot of research towards criminal investigation but looking at what the question is asking, the author of the EQ doesn't really know what he will research about in criminal investigation. It isn't a yes or no question but it is still unclear as to what the author will be discussing.

 - Does this question "take a stance?"

No it does not because how can you bring up an argument when the EQ has not been completed. In other words, the words, "most important" is incomplete; most important what?

- Does this question provide a clear format?
Of course not, because the formatting is not specific in defining or answering the EQ. Instead you can add the word "factor" or "component" to have a clearer format. 

C. What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

- Does this question provide a "framework for studies?"

This can provide alot of research due to the answer being an opinion, not a fact. Everyone is different, and not everyone is going to have the same satisfactions. But providing a clue as to what a customer might like will require research and data.

 - Does this question "take a stance?"

If the answer is an opinion, then of course their are going to be arguments. So yes it does take a stance.

- Does this question provide a clear format?

Yes. It provides a factor to be answered and clear argument as to what will satisfy a customer. 

D. How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

- Does this question provide a "framework for studies?"

This question does offer a wide variety of studies on how to treat chronic pain, thus the author providing a scientific fact as to why that factor is the best treatment.

- Does this question "take a stance?"

No because the answer cannot be argued upon due to evidence and statistics backing up the authors answer. For example, you can only have a medicine that treats chronic pain in a much better manner and shows statistical evidence as to why it is used by most Anesthesiologists.

- Does this question provide a clear format?

Yes. It is clear and specific as to what the answer could be, which in this case it will be a fact.

3. What are the most important factors in troubleshooting cellular coverage in a city?

LTE Advanced

The next major network to increase data download and upload speeds is called, "LTE Advanced." LTE advanced will have the capacity of aggregating up to 5 carriers to increase data speeds, such as browsing the web, making a phone call, and even watching videos. Data speeds when aggregated or combined can

provide up to 1 Gbps but in the real world with everyone using it, you will most likely get around 150 Mbps which is still crazy fast.

LTE Advanced will also bring in a new type of Radio Based Station called, "Small Cells" which is optimized for much larger Range Expansions and still provide blazing fast speeds.

Another feature that will be provided in the future for cell phones will be Advanced Antenna Techniques, which can go up to 8x8 MIMO (Multiple-input and multiple-output, the use of multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance). Currently the MIMO for today is 2x2 so it could be a big leap but will bring most of the antenna gain to the cell phones

Check out the source to read more about LTE Advanced and get a more detailed look, or check out the 1 minute video and get a basic idea of what LTE Advanced is as well.

Source: 

Article: http://www.qualcomm.com/solutions/wireless-networks/technologies/lte-advanced

Research and Working EQ

1. What is your working EQ?

How can you troubleshoot cellular coverage in a city?

2. What is a possible answer to your working EQ?

Typically, when their is a problem in the mobile networks, it is most likely due to a Radio Based Station (RBS) experiencing failure in the software or hardware. An RF Field Engineer receives a ticket or e-mail from the Mobile Telephone Switching Office, which tells the employee what RBS it is and where it's located. 

To troubleshoot the cellular coverage, there are three possible solutions:

• First you need to check if the area has an Radio Based Station to transmit cellular data to cellphones. If there is no RBS in that area then you will have no service, and you won't have internet access or make phone calls. So to fix this problem the carriers need to install an RBS in that area. 
• If there is an RBS but there is still a problem in the network, then you will need to go operate and maintain the equipment and radios in the RBS.
• If all else fails, you will need to work with the performance of the sector, and checking the power antennae to up tilt it or replace the antennae for a better outreach.

3. What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

My summer mentorship and the mentorship that I am doing with my current mentor has helped me answer my essential question. There I have learned how to troubleshoot the cellular coverage in the best way possible.

4. Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

Oscar Holzmeister is my mentor and he is an RF Field Engineer for T-Mobile. We are going to Based Stations and troubleshooting all of them.

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

The topic that I have chosen is Radio Frequency Field Engineer, and I plan on completing my 30 hours with my mentor, Oscar Holzmeister. I will be accompanying him to Radio Based Stations so that I can learn more about the replacements of radios, the failures within the stations, the software that is used to operate an RBS, and the different types of networks that the sites manipulate.

Once my mentor has approved of my basic understanding over my course of learning, he will allow me to handle and troubleshoot Radio Based Stations on my own for several different cells. He will also make sure I complete the job correctly and that I understand what everything is and what it does.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

It is very difficult to show any physical evidence of what I have done because I can't really take anything with me from an Radio Based Stations, but that is what cameras are for. Like many others, I will provide photographs of what I am doing, and what I am trying fix in all of the stations that I visit with my mentor. I am still debating on whether or not to make a short little video on how to fix a specific site with a specific problem, to show more evidence. But I will definitely provide photographs for evidence.

3. And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth

Troubleshooting stations on my own will allow me not only help me understand my topic in much more debt and will definitely help me answer my EQ. It will help me answer my EQ, because my EQ is about troubleshooting cellular coverage and troubleshooting an RBS is the first steps in doing so.   

Choosing the Best Wireless Service

From the article titled, "What's the Best Wireless Carrier?" I have concluded that each carrier offers a variety of advantages, and disadvantages. The top mobile carriers as of 2013, are T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. All of these services are competing for who has the best reception, customer service satisfaction, and the data speed in a wide variety of regions. Choosing a wireless service is different for everyone and noone wants to get stuck in an expensive plan with a two year contract. So it is important that you first check what carrier has a decent plan that is affordable and adaptable to suit your needs. T-Mobile for example, has the most inexpensive plans and offers unlimited data for those who need it. While Sprint has the best plan for families so you get the most out of your minutes even in a big family.

Next you need to find the carrier that has good reception in your area. It doesn't matter if your carrier has the best reception in the country if you can't even use it most of the time. No one wants that carrier that never has service in their home and when they call they always lose connection when browsing the web or making a phone call. If you need help finding the best carrier  for your area every carrier has a map that shows their reception on their website. 

Lastly, you have to consider customer service, because if your phone isn't working or you cracked your screen, its always a good idea to have a backup plan. The number one carrier with customer satisfaction is Verizon, with T-Mobile and AT&T coming in second. Personally, I would go with T-Mobile as they can replace your broken phone and you don't have to pay any fees.

There are many other ways to find a suitable carrier, such as phone choices, free in-networking calling and perks but the topics that were discussed are most definitely the top choices to consider when getting a new phone. Thank you for reading!

Sources: 

1. http://lifehacker.com/5939237/whats-the-best-wireless-carrier

2. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405596,00.asp

Second Interview Questions

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?

Oscar Holzmeister is my mentor for my senior project and he works as a Radio Frequency Field Engineer for T-Mobile.

2. What five questions will ask them about their background?

1. How long have you been doing this job and how has the job changed overtime? 
2. What is the biggest struggle you have faced in the field? 
3. Can you give me an example of where you had to fix a problem in an RBS and what you did to fix the problem? 
4. What did you do when you first started this career?
5. What do you do if you cannot solve an RBS ticket?

Blog 5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

Positive Statement

What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?

During my summer mentorship, I have learned how a radio based station (RBS) works and how it benefits others. To me, radio frequency has taught me how to be much more organized and how communication is a huge benefit when troubleshooting sites. For example, when my mentor needed to communicate anything to another individual or group he would have to call several people so they would know, what he is about to do is correct. Then he would have to use a scanner to scan the entire RBS to let the whole network know that the site is updated. With this I now have a better feel of how to stay organized and how to communicate to others in the best way possible.

EQ Content
Pick a piece of research or your interview. How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?

Title of the article: How Cell Phones Work"
Link: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm

This article justified not only the basis of how a cellular device transfers phone calls but has given a very simplistic overview of how radio frequencies plays a big role in our lives. Knowing how a cell phone works, fascinates me of how much is put towards making a simple phone call or even turning on a cellular device. Not only that, but this has helped me understand the frequencies of a cell phone, the different channels, the cell phone codes,digital cellphones and the cell phone network.


What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
As of right, the interview with my mentor and the mentorship hours has taught me so much and given me a head start of how I might present my two hour presentation. The interview has allowed me to get a feel of what it is like to work as a radio frequency engineer in a carrier network such as T-mobile and has given me more ideas on what to research and look up to learn more about my topic.


What hasn't worked so far?


So far, the only thing that hasn't worked for me is simply finding good research for my topic because most articles simply explain what radio frequency is all about, but they all have the same concept behind them.


Finding Value
What is a potential question you would like to study this year?


What is the most important factor to consider when troubleshooting radio based stations in the USA?


What do you plan to do for mentorship?

For mentorship I plan to do this with my current mentor which is my father, because so far he is an expert in this type of field and has been doing this type of work for over 20 years. We usually go to radio based stations to fix the T-Mobile networks all around his area which is Pasadena.

Network Analogy

So my mentor came up with a useful analogy to explain a cellular network in a very simple way. He first compared a cellular network to the roads so that way anyone can understand. The first thing that you need to know about a road is that it can be narrow or wide. Some roads have two lanes and are easily clogged with traffic. While other roads, have 4 or 8 lanes and can handle a lot more traffic. On the mobile communication highway, the lanes are called spectrum and some networks have more lanes or spectrum than others.

Roads also have different surfaces, some are covered in dirt, some in concrete and others by smooth asphalt. The surface of the road determines how fast you can go. 2G is like a one lane dirt road, you can't go very fast, it is very bumpy and it can't handle much traffic. 3G is like driving on a two way concrete city street, its alot smoother but you cannot go very fast due to stoplights, and speed limits. 4G is like driving on an eight lane highway, it's fast, smooth, and there is plenty of room for everybody. And finally their is 4G LTE which is like the carpool lane in a highway where their is almost never traffic.

Finally the cars on the highways are like phones, some are basic sadans, while others are hot sports cars with the latest bells and whistles. Regardless, all cell phones are limited by too much traffic. It doesn't matter how fast your car (phone) is, if there is too much traffic in that road you'll slow down.

Lastly, the data on your phone is like gasoline, because if you don't have enough gas, you'll run out and your vehicle will stop, it's no different than a phone.

This is how my mentor explained Network Technology to me and I thought it was such a good explanation I decided to draw it out on my poster on Friday.

Oscar Holzmeister (Radio Frequency Engineer)

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

Who do you plan to interview? Why?

Oscar Holzmeister

He is an engineer who specializes in Radio Frequency for T-Mobile. Since Radio Communication is my senior project, interviewing an engineer in this particular field will not only help me in my senior project but it will also allow me to get an idea of what it is like to work in this career choice.

You have to ask 5 questions. What additional questions do you plan to ask?

Set Questions

1. What are your responsibilities when working as an engineer for T-Mobile?
2. How would you describe a typical week/day in this position?
3. Why did you choose Radio Frequency?
4. What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job and why?
5. Are their any sources you would recommend I should check out for my research in this topic?

Additional Questions

1. What are the pros and cons of working in this particular field?
2. What type of education do you need?
3. How do you find and fix a problem in an RBS?
4. How would you describe your working conditions?
5. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now (Career Wise?)

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

1. Radio Communication Field Engineer
2. First off, I would like to clarify that I will definitely not become a perfect example of what an ESLR student should be because I will probably fail instantly. I will not intentionally try to fail but instead try to force myself to try to be like a perfect ESLR student and act like one. To accomplish this goal, I have to look at my pros and cons and try to work on the cons that are holding me back. Some of the big issues that I will have when becoming an effective ESLR student is seeking for assistance in accessing appropriate resources in any subject, communicating with my group in a clear and detailed way, and effectively using class time. For example, in my sophomore year, I had to do a flag component, and I would have a hard time communicating with my group in the type of fabrics they had to buy, how much they had to buy, what color should the fabric be, and where to buy the fabric. To resolve these type of issues, I try be more organized, have a basic knowledge of what everyone is assigned to do and communicate with my group in a much more detailed manner.  When it comes down to accessing appropriate resources in any subject, I tend to find sources that are not very helpful because I don't read the sources thoroughly. If I want to become an effective learner I need to get into the habit of reading the whole source and not just scanning through the article and using it. The last thing that's holding me back from being an effective ESLR student is that I do not use class time effectively to complete any work that needs to be done. Instead I do something that will inevitably waste my time, and to resolve this con, I force myself to put anything that might be a distraction into my backpack and complete the assignments that need to be finished asap. These three categories hold me back from being an ESLR student and I try to force myself to getting into the habit of stopping these bad habits. This year I will try to communicate with my mentors in a much more effective way, I will use class time effectively and try not to get distracted, and I will obtain detailed and helpful resources for my senior project.

Effective Learner: This year I will not only come to class prepared but I will also help those who didn't come to class prepared by handing them what they need. Doing so, my fellow classmates will see that I am serious about school and I am very responsible. Another subject that I had problems with last year was procrastination, and to be honest it would get to the point where it was 7:30 AM and I would just barely begin my homework.

Effective Communicator: This section to me is very hard, like I said before I will try to listen more to the people who speak to me, but I will also be more clearer in the way talk and my pronunciation. If necessary I will take tons of notes when any authority is teaching me something or even telling something to do. For example, when my mentor is fixing a problem in his workplace I will take notes and try to learn from his mistakes and failures. 

Effective User of Technology: When using the technology I will try my hardest to find articles that will not only benefit my senior topic but also give me lots of information and examples on what the topic is about and how you can approach it. I will also use different search engines as well like ask.com, yahoo search, and Google. 

Effective I-Poly Citizen: This year I will try to become an effective citizen at I-poly by coming in on time everyday, help out any teachers that are in need of help, and get more involved in any clubs or study sessions if their are any available.

2-Hour Senior Presentation Reflections of 2013

1. The Presentations I attended were:

• BobbieR* Marathon Running 
• DanielleC Horticulture 
• LucasA Designing Haunted Attraction 
• GawenG Criminal Investigation 
• IvyJ Art Curating 
• AristaD Fashion 
• VictoriaY Foster Care 
• SaulA Firefighting 
• EricR Marine Conservation Bio 
• JoseC Music Journalism 
• LaurenD Homelessness 
• HannahS Theoretical Physics 
• AmberM Equine Assisted Therapy 

2. I have no specific questions towards any presentations I attended. The only question that I don't know the answer to is Can Senior presentations be about anything, not a specific career path?

3. The most important part of the senior project is obviously the EQ. The whole presentation is just you trying to answer the EQ in the best way possible.

4. I am not sure of the topic I am going to do yet but I am looking towards Film editing or Making money off the web.

Summer Mentorship Component

Due Date: Monday, August 19th by 8AM (school starts August 20th)

Content:

Literal: 

1. Mentorship Log (click here)

2. Mentor: Oscar Holzmeister     (951) 552-3043

3. What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience? List them.

• What would you do if an RBS is infested with rats, snakes or bees?
• What do you do if you cannot solve the problem as to why the RBS won't work?

Interpretive

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing that I gained from these experiences would have to be what a Radio Based Station (RBS) is, what is does, and how it works. The reason for this is because the RBS is the main element that a Field Engineer in Radio Frequency needs to maintain and operate. Without an RBS I realized that their wouldn't be any coverage for cellular devices and individuals wouldn't be able to transmit or receive calls. 

Applied

  

5. How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

I love technology especially when it comes to smartphones. Since Radio Frequency is related to cellular devices I chose this as my topic. These experiences will later benefit me in the future because I will pursue a related career.