ESE ES-102, Operation And Maintenance Manual, Page: 8 / 22

Page 8
ANTENNA CABLE TESTS & ALTERNATIVES
The antenna supplied with the ES-102 is designed to provide excellent reception under a variety of conditions. For
best results, the top of the antenna should have at least a partial view (unobstructed line of sight) of the sky. However,
the view of the sky may be through a window and the antenna may be mounted indoors if the roof or upper floors do
not shield the signal. Bench testing is recommended before the permanent location for the antenna is decided.
One of the main concerns when using a GPS receiver (Master Clock) is the distance between the antenna and the
receiver. The ES-102 Antenna is supplied with 16’ 5” of RG-58 coax cable which can be connected directly to the
clock. If more cable is required an in-line amplifier may be required.
When extra cable is required, several options exist. The most simple and least expensive methods are discussed
below. It is, however, the ultimate responsibility of the end-user to decide which method will best satisfy the specific
situation. Please feel free to contact the ESE factory for assistance.
Also... please read the section below which discusses the tests performed at ESE.
CABLING SUGGESTIONS / ALTERNATIVES
Method 1 (low loss cable)
Several types of "low loss" coax cable are available including RG-8 and RG-213. Using any of these types of cable
"may" allow up to 300' of additional cable to be added to the 16’ 5” supplied with the antenna. Both RG-8 and RG-213
are expensive (relative to RG-58) and are cumbersome to work with due to their larger diameter.
Method 2 (in-line amplifier)
The use of an in-line amplifier such as the LA-12F (manufactured by Raven and available from ESE) may be more
convenient than low loss cable. Installing one of these amps "may" allow up to 150' of RG-58 (or 300' of RG-8/RG-
213) to be added to the 16’ 5” supplied. The LA-12FN has 'N' connectors which allow for convenient interconnections
with RG-8 and RG-213 cable. See Figure 2 on page 6.
Method 3 (in-line amplifiers with power divider)
Due to the power limitations of the ES-102's receiver and antenna, only one in-line amplifier can be used. However, if
a power divider such as the ES-AB1A is used, up to five (5) in-line amplifiers may be added. The more amplifiers
used, the shorter the cable run between amps. See Figure 3 on page 6.