1. What kind of radio networks does ASTRIX support ?

ASTRIX supports planning of all kind of radio networks such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE, TETRA, NMT, AMPS, Fixed Wireless Access(FWA), UMTS, VHF and UHF(TV). In addition, ASTRIX contains a radio relay tool (microwave networks) and a satellite shadowing tool.

2. What do I need in ASTRIX to start 3G calculations ?

You need an UMTS license to use the 3G functionality in ASTRIX. The UMTS functionality is described in the Astrix user manual. It is not necessary with specific maps or other upgrades or changes.

3. I have an existing site list, how can I get it into ASTRIX ?

You can use the “new cell” feature in the File>Import/Export tool to import sites and cells into the RPS. The file should be in ascii format with columns separated by semicolon or comma. Columns from the import file can be dynamically mapped to ASTRIX cell parameters. Make sure that your columns do not contain any separators. The position has to be either geo degrees as a decimal number, geo arc-seconds as a decimal number, geo degrees, minutes and seconds (dddmmss,ss), or UTM.

4. Does ASTRIX support high resolution maps ?

ASTRIX supports maps with pixelsize 1 meters or less. It is also possible to use maps with different resolution in one prediction, i.e. you can have maps with high resolution in one area and maps with low resolution in another.

5. I already have maps, can they be used in ASTRIX ?

Yes, most map formats (raster or vectors) can be converted to ASTRIX map format.
ASTRIX uses a geographical coordinate system, which avoids the need for different map zones in a single planning area. However, all positions can be viewed in alternative coordinate systems and with alternative datum formats (WGS-84, ED-50).

6. I have a coverage file, how do I distribute it to other radio planners ?

If you make the coverage file official, it will automatically be stored in an official coverage file path and available for other ASTRIX users. You can still have your own local coverage files to compare different predictions. It is recommended to delete coverage files if they are not needed anymore.

7. Is it possible for more than one radio planner to work on the same geographical area ?

Yes, each user can import the appropriate sites/cells from the database and do a consistency check before saving to the database again. Also, it is possible to work offline for a period and then synchronize with the database later.

8. I have some drive test measurements, can they be viewed in ASTRIX ?

There are two tools handling measurements in ASTRIX. The measurement analyses tool which displays and analysis GSM and UMTS mobile logging data. In addition, there are a measurement tuning tool containing both survey measurements from spectrum analysis systems and predicted levels from internal calculations. The measurement tuning tool is therefore well suited for tuning of propagation models and it also has the possibility of automatic tuning of model coefficients.