Firetide Instant Mesh Networks
9
Mounting Outdoor Antennas
Once you determine which RF band to use, you can order spectrum-
specific high-gain antennas from Firetide or another supplier.
Note: The indoor antennas supplied by Firetide are not weather-
proof, and are for staging use only. After initial configuration, they
should be replaced with suitable weatherproof antennas.
The following material provides some general guidelines for mount-
ing antennas. Refer to the information which came with your an-
tenna for detailed mounting instructions.
Many installers prefer to mount the HotPort node and its associated
antennas to a short bar, typically about 2 meters long. This entire
bar assembly is them mounted horizontally to the vertical mast of
the main antenna structure.
Figure 8 shows a typical installation on a horizontal sub-mast. This
particular configuration, with both antennas parallel, will work well
if the two radios are on different bands. For same-band use, it would
be better to invert one antenna, and ideally to place the two anten-
nas in a coaxial configuration, that is, one below the other. Refer to
the previous page for a complete discussion of antenna placement.
Figure 8. Typical Installation with Horizontal Pole Subassembly
Mounting Guidelines
For best results, the mounting location should be selected to en-
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able maximum performance of the antennas. Generally speak-
ing, a higher antenna will have better overall range and cover-
age.
Large or heavy antennas must be mounted to a pole or other se-
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cure structure.
The antennas should not be within 1 meter (~3 ft.) of any metal
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bar or structure, and ideally not within 1 meter (~3 ft.) of any
concrete or stone structure. In general, try to locate the anten-
nas as far from such objects as practicable.
Shorter antenna cables give better performance. Plan your in-
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stallation to minimize antenna cable length. However, do not
attempt to splice or shorten the antenna cable.
If a longer coax cable is required, the system requires a high-
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quality, low-loss 50 ohm cable. Contact your local distributor to
obtain a 50 ohm cable with the correct connectors. Firetide rec-
ommends LMR400 cable or better.
In order to maintain proper system operations, there should
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be less than 3 dB of insertion loss between the HotPort node
and the antenna. Insertion loss is defined as the loss of signal
strength when a cable is inserted between the transmitter and
the receiver, and is measured in dB.
Minimize use of connectors and adapters.
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Once you’ve verified that everything is working, waterproof all
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connections!
Do not mount the antenna pole near power lines.
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When mounting next to an access point, mount the access point
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lower on the pole and at least 1 meter (~3 ft.) from the anten-
nas. You can also mount the access point on a horizontal bar to
achieve the required separation.
Wall Mounting
Position the antennas above or to the side of the HotPort enclo-
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sure to permit easy attachment of the antenna to the connector
at the bottom of the enclosure.
RF signals can be attenuated by a wall or the composition of a
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building. When utilizing omnidirectional antennas, connecting
the antennas to a wall may limit the amount of coverage.
January 2009
