Impact of Recommendation G.826 on the system design of radio relay systems

The paper first discusses the development of the new ITU-TSS (CCITT) error performance Recommendation G.826 and the subsequent development by ITU-RS (CCIR) Study Group 9 of a preliminary draft new Recommendation aligned to G.826. The paper then considers the stringency and impact of the new SG9 Recommendation on the system design of digital radio-relay systems (DRS) and the complexity and cost for DRS to deliver similar error performance to that of fibre optic transmission systems (FOTS). The preliminary conclusions from current TELSTRA SDH-DRS field trials and the aims and configuration of a new trial are also briefly summarised