AI3050S Sargas AEI Reader
9
March 25, 2018
Figure 8 - QT50R Presence Radar
5. Antenna and M-GAGE (Q7LMEB) Installation
The two external antennas should be mounted on poles on opposite sides of the track. They
should be mounted across from each other (+/- 5 feet) and 11 feet from the center of the rail.
The center of each reader antenna should be 3 ½ feet above the top of the rail. The
antennas should be pointing toward the track.
Please note for train speeds less than 25 mph there is a great deal of tolerance in the
placement of the antennas. They can be mounted vertically from one foot to 6 feet above the
top of the rail and can be positioned 8 to 12 feet from the center of the rail.
A minimum of a 1 inch diameter conduit should be placed under the rail for the coaxial cable
running from the controller to the antenna on the opposite side of the track.
Please note that the tags and antennas are linear polarized in the horizontal plane. The
“HOR UP” on the back of the antenna must be pointed at the sky (see Figure 9). If not the
system will not be able to read the AEI tags.
One of the antennas has an M-Gage magnetic field sensor which is used to detect train
presence (see Figure 10). This antenna should be mounted closest to the enclosure and is
connected to the Antenna 1 connector (see Figure 2). The M-Gage must be initialized when
there a no railcars are present. Softrail will send a signal to initialize the M-Gage detector. If
the antenna is ever moved, Softrail will have to re-initialize the sensor.
Mounting
Bracket
Dipswitches
Tool for opening
the back
