MST Impact NS5001, User Manual

Page: 21 / 118

Description Illustration Antenna Type
A lower gain antenna that radiates equally in all
directions. It provides direct coverage in an open area. Omnidirectional
5.5 dBi rubber
whips
A panel antenna is a directional antenna, with a wide
horizontal beamwidth and narrower vertical Panel antenna
beamwidth. They are suited for covering an open area
in one direction.
A diversity panel antenna contains two panel antennas
in one housing with a 90° rotation between them. It Diversity panel
antenna
is used for providing better signal reception in
difficult areas, and more accurate AeroScout tag
location when Wi-Fi tracking is implemented.
Diversity antennas use both antenna connections on
a WAC.
A Yagi antenna is high gain directional antenna. They
are ideally suited for line of sight tunnel Yagi directional
antenna
communications. Yagi antennas need to be aimed
accurately and avoid obstacles in their RF beam path.
2.4 Placement of NS50 Units
A site inspection will determine the best positioning of cables, NS50 units and antennas prior to installation.
NS50 units with antennas directly attached should be mounted in an elevated position, within line-of-sight
of mobile devices. Ideally this would be situated high up on a tunnel ceiling or on the rock wall face. The
mounting location should be free from debris, and avoid obstruction to vehicles, equipment/machinery,
vent tubing and cables.
NS50 units should not be installed in cut-out areas such as safety bays and remuck bays, due to signal
confinement. In such instances, a WAP is more suitable, connected to the nearest NS50. For details on
common NS50 mounting scenarios, see
NS50 Mounting Options on page 26.
2.5 Placement of Antennas
Antennas are usually mounted separately from each NS50 to optimise transmission and avoid any
obstructions in a tunnel. They are connected by coaxial cable. The coaxial connection should be kept as
short as possible to minimise signal attenuation. Larger antennas / longer cable feeds can require line
amplifiers, and possibly bi-directional splitter / combiners for dual antenna systems.
Antenna placement is dependent on the surrounding geology, tunnel topology and stratum type. The
recommended placement of antennas is as follows:
Tip 1: Directionality
Antennas should be mounted and angled to give optimum transmission along curves and dips.
NS50 User Guide 21 Revision C
Network System Design