Ericsson leads the way on wind load testing and reporting

One of the most fundamental questions to be answered when planning any antenna deployment can be summed up in one number – the wind load. The more accurately we can predict what the effect of the wind will be on an installation, the easier it will be to decide what to deploy and where, as well as making future antenna designs more suited to different conditions.

At test centers in Dresden, Germany and Vienna, Austria, Ericsson’s antennas are put through their paces by independent assessors, who comprehensively measure the effects of wind load on them to produce data sheets that leave nothing to chance.

The antennas are placed in wind tunnels and tested from every conceivable angle, with varying strengths and directions of wind to see how they react.

The result is antennas that adhere to and often exceed the BASTA 12 recommendations, a new standard set out for wind load measurement and performance which ensures that customers can make informed decisions when it comes to their investment.

In the past, there has been some difficulty in correctly estimating wind load, with a variety of different calculations, measurements and standards being used, as well as different methods of wind tunnel testing.

To ensure more accurate estimations and thus more cost-effective and secure deployments, Ericsson is adopting the recommendations unveiled in a white paper published by the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance.

In the NGM white paper “Recommendation on Standards for Passive Base Station Antennas v12”, the issue of performance criteria for passive base station antennas (BSAs) is addressed.

Published in April 2022, the paper makes recommendations on electrical and mechanical parameters standards and applying existing environmental and reliability standards. Additional guidance on measurements and calculation practices in performance validation are also described.

Ericsson antennas were first in the industry to improve wind load by up to 60%. A large part of this is achieved by vortex generator technology, which removes part of the slow-moving boundary layer of air when it comes into contact with the surface of the antenna. Improvements to the design, weight and other modifications to the cover have also contributed to this very good value. 

New antennas will have further wind load optimizations integrated in the radome, driven by state-of-the-art simulation methods including 360º wind load analysis. This enables Ericsson to achieve the best possible compromise between wind load, form factor and performance to help operators reduce their total cost of ownership (TCO).

The combination of radome shape and vortex generators leads to a major reduction in the wind load of Ericsson’s antennas, and with the new NGM standards in place, that makes it easier for operators to compare different antennas and calculate what is best for their locations and needs.

The adherence to the BASTA 12 measurement and reporting guidelines makes it easier to compare like with like, and makes it less likely that negative performances in wind tunnel testing can be played down in data reports.

This new, more transparent process and Ericsson’s continued commitment to developing and testing new antenna designs to reduce both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) enables operators to make more informed decisions.

Technology paper

We have recently published a technology paper that provides detailed insight into the determination of wind loads. It describes even more clearly the efforts made by our antennas to reduce the wind load in particular and thus minimize the above-mentioned expenses on the part of the operator.

Learn more

Do you want to know further cost-reductive and efficient improvements of our portfolio? Visit our efficiency page.

How is wind load impacting our sustainability strategy? Check the information on the sustainability page.