CalAmp 520006 Wireless Cable Modem Transceivers, 520006-1 & 5200 User Manual transceiver installation guide

CalAmp Corp. Wireless Cable Modem Transceivers, 520006-1 & 5200 transceiver installation guide

Contents

transceiver installation guide

P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A1C+A TRANSCEIVER INSTALLATION GUIDE____________________________________________________The installation of California Amplifier transceiver products should only be doneby qualified personnel, and should be under the direct guidelines of the systemoperator. These installation instructions apply to California Amplifier productsonly. Use of these instructions to install other manufacturer’s products mayresult in unknown hazards, damage and/or unacceptable performance.The information contained in this applications note is intended to assist theoperator in developing a set of installation guidelines and operating practices forthe field personnel skilled in installing roof top subscriber equipment.California Amplifier accepts no responsibility for claims of injury, death,destruction of property or loss of television service related to improperinstallation, or installation of equipment by staff not skilled in installing roof topcable television equipment.460 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, California 93012 USA PH: (805) 987-9000 Fax (805) 987-8359
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A2GENERAL INSTALLATIONINSTRUCTIONS FOR TRANSCEIVERNOTE to System Operator:California Amplifier family of Transceiver products has been designed forinstallation by a licensed or qualified installer with experience in installingwireless antennas.NOTE to INSTALLER:1. Installation and operation of this family of Transceiver products require fullcompliance with FCC-adopted radio frequency exposure limits. It is in theresponsibility of the installer to install these devices and their associatedantennas so that RF exposure does not exceed 1.0mW/cm2. The followingtable summarizes the minimum distance required to satisfy theserequirements.Limits, MinimumP/N Integrated Planar (17 dBi) Standalone (when used with 24 dBi)520005-1 N/A 26 in. (66 cm)520004-1 N/A 48 in. (122 cm)520006-1 N/A 26 in. (66 cm)520007-2 22 in. (55 cm) N/A520024-2 22 in. (55 cm) N/A520004-2 22 in. (55 cm) N/A520006-2 22 in. (55 cm) N/A2. When installing a standalone Transceiver, orient the FCC RF exposure labelis facing the front of the Antenna This is a mandatory requirement by theFCC to comply with RF exposure compliance requirements. The labelshould not be obstructed when installation is complete. This will allow thewarning label to be visible and readable. This is a mandatory requirementby the FCC to comply with RF exposure compliance requirements
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A3INSTALLATION PRACTICESIn a customer installation, there are several factors that must be considered before theinstallation can take place: Signal contour strength and direction of the transmittingsource, seasonal interference’s such as foliage and trees, aesthetics of the outdoorinstallation, system performance and overall customer satisfaction with the finalproduct.In each case the customer wants the very best signal quality with a minimum ofconstruction and aesthetic impact to their home or business. This will dictate the use ofa variety of antenna configurations in order to perform the task of providing adequatesignal strength while maintaining low visual impact. The order of visual impact followsthe height and size of the antenna. A wall or gutter mount will present a very low visualprofile. This if followed by a short roof or chimney mount. When higher gain or foliageclearance is needed, then a tree mount or mast mount should be considered.The following mounts are described and their general application:Wall or Standoff Mount: These are used in high signal density areas where antennaaesthetics is of concern. It offers great flexibility in mounting angles and locations. Thestand-off arms mount from the wall and or the eave and support the mast in the verticalposition. The mast may be short in length so as to place the antenna above the roofline or a telescoping mast may be used in conjunction with a ground plate to extend theantenna height to above the roof peak.Roof Mounts: The same basic hardware used for wall and eave mounts is used for aroof mount. This mounting bracket and pole is adjustable in the vertical plane and willraise the antenna about 24” above the mounting location. The bracket must besecured into a structural member, not simply into siding or shingles. All points ofattachment must be properly waterproofed.
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A4Chimney Mounts: Chimney mounts are one of the easiest types of mounts to install.In the application of brick-type chimneys, a dual band strap mount is best. The properstrap will securely fasten the mounting bracket and antenna. For wood over metalconstruction chimney, a version of the wall mount is best. Make sure the anchor boltsattach to a supporting stud member and not just the fascia board.
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A5Tripod Mount: The tripod mount offers ease of installation, stable mounting structure,and signal visibility. It is however, bulky and not very aesthetic. The tripod mountcomes in 3, 5, 10 and 15-foot sections. As with the roof mount installation, themounting bolts must always be attached to roof joists and be properly sealed.Tree Mounts: In regions of the country with heavy foliage, tree mounts are popular.This is a highly specialized installation and is beyond the scope of this installationguide. Specific instructions and practices can only be formatted by the individualoperator in their region (not pictured).Every installation must adhere to company policies, applicable specifications anddrawings of the system operator. This requirement includes: the choice of antennas,the weatherproofing of all connections, all penetrations into the building and allgrounding procedures, both at the antenna mount and at the point of drop entry intothe building.INSTALLATION PLANNINGIn addition to meeting the highest standards of quality and workmanship, another validgoal is to minimize the amount of time spent on a customer’s property, thus minimizingany disruption of a customer’s schedule. Good planning helps an installer to beefficient and productive on each installation.Site SurveyAlthough the general receive location may have been previously surveyed by a signalcrew, a detailed, on-site survey is usually required prior to beginning an install. Duringthis survey, signal readings must be recorded on the installation work order. The exact
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A6components that were used as well as the mast height should be noted at this time.You should also create a simple drawing of the antenna installation, includingstructural supports and ground system relative to the layout of the house, generallydrawn on the back of the work order.Testing for Signal Strength with a Site Survey RigThe first step of the site survey is to verify where the best signal reception isaccommodated on the customer’s home. Most installers are provided with a test kit thatincludes a lightweight, telescoping, fiberglass push-up mast with attached antenna.The antenna gain should be specified by the system engineering staff.The most satisfactory method to ensure clear and adequate system performance is toachieve a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of at least 30 dB. This ratio is measured using asignal level meter/QAM analyzer and may be calculated for California Amplifiertransceivers with reasonable accuracy, using the formula below:S/N = 25 + Transceiver IF Output Level (in dBmv)TECHNICAL TIP: When reading signal levels, an installer must always be aware ofphysical factors that can affect system performance. Microwave signals are highlysusceptible to absorption by trees and other foliage. A wireless antenna thus cannotview the transmitter from behind a tree. Distant trees can also cause receptionproblems. While they may not be visible to an installer, they may still lie in thetransmission path. Signal fluctuations exceeding 2 dB during a survey may be anindication of distant foliage problems.Foliage from winter to summer will affect the strength of the received signal. Trees thatare barren in the winter present very little signal attenuation. In the summer when thetrees are full of foliage the attenuation can be as high as 10 dB per tree in the line sightpath. NEVER attempt to receive a signal through a barren or partially barren tree.Of course, hills and large buildings can completely obscure or deflect microwave signs.Still other interesting problems can result when the microwave beam grazes the top ofa hill or building, partially deflecting the beam, or when reflective surfaces (bodies ofwater, buildings, etc.) cause multiple signal paths from the transmitter into the receiveantenna, a problem known as “multi-path” can occur.Never use a signal received from a reflection as its reception characteristics can changedrastically over time. Only line-of-sight signals should be used.
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A7GENERAL INSTALLATION GUIDELINESCAUTION - EXTREME DANGER - OVERHEAD WIRESWhen installing any outside antenna, be very aware of all overhead electrical wireand service feeds. Contact with power lines could be catastrophic and INJURY orDEATH may result. When faced with a difficult antenna installation location, donot proceed - contact your supervisor at once.The following sections list installation procedures for various types of mountingschemes. The order of preference is as listed in these instructions. In other words, walland eave mounts are preferable over roof mounts, and so on for aesthetic reasons.Note that you will need to evaluate various of the installation and mounting procedureslisted in this guide in order to determine the one which provides the best aesthetics andstill provides adequate signal quality for proper reception of signals.SAFETY NOTE: Aluminum ladders are not to be used for field installation orrepair service. Only ladders that have fiberglass rails may be used because of thepossibility of contact with electrical wires or other energized conductors.Ladders should be checked weekly to make sure that they are in good repair andsafe working order.Instructions:1. Determine the location of antenna. Choose a location and height for the antennasso that the radio frequency propagation path is not obstructed by tall trees,buildings, freeway overpasses, or any other large obstacle that may interfere ordisperse the radio frequency signal. Refer to the network operator’s coverageguidelines to determine coverage range where this product may be used. 2. Install a tripod or mast to the structure on which the antenna will be mounted. Referto operator guidelines on allowable mount types and criteria to determine which isappropriate. 3. Mount the planar antenna to the mast using the mounting hardware provided. Besure to observe the polarity indicating arrow cast into the antenna radome to ensure
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A8correct antenna polarization. Do not over-tighten the antenna mounting hardwareas damage to the antenna may result.4. Connect the transceiver to a signal level meter and apply power to the unit (throughthe signal level meter internal power source). Align the antenna by peaking thesignal level reading measured on the meter. If available, a QAM analyzer should beused to record the signal level, signal to noise ratio and the Bit Error Rate (BER).Always record these values on the work order.5. Run a cable from the transceiver into the customer premises. Note: There are anumber of established methods of running cables from outdoor installations toindoor locations while eliminating the potential for moisture ingress. It is beyond thescope of these instructions to recommend a method. Please check with the systemoperator’s installation guidelines for recommended procedures. 6. Once inside the customer premises, the cable must be run to the location of thecable modem. At this location, add powering by connecting the cable to the powerpassing side of the power inserter and plug in the power supply into an appropriateoutlet. Note: It may be advisable to use an uninterruptable power supply or surgesuppressor to power the transceiver, to minimize power supply transients affectingthe performance of the desired link. 7. The cable modem then is connected to the other end of the power inserter, the sidethat does not pass DC. Important: do not apply DC power to the cable modem.Refer to the system operators’ instructions or cable modem supplier’s instructionson proper operation and verification of cable modem functionality.See attached diagram for connection configuration.
P/N: 131908/ARevised: 9/1/00C+A9TransceiverPlanar ArrayAntennaCable Modem

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