Earthing-Grounding, cont’d.
B.i.
an ohmmeter. In accordance with Panorama’s recommendations above it is important that appropriate corrosion
resistant mounting hardware is utilised for installation with washers and other ancillaries sufficient to provide and
maintain the required level of contact. Where the antenna is to be fitted to a non-conductive panel an appropri-
ate conductive mounting plate and earthing cable or similar apparatus should be employed in order to provide
adequate earthing contact.
The installer should take all necessary steps to ensure that the antenna installation and mounting
hardware are fully compliant with applicable regulations and industry best practice with respect to
conductivity and earthing.
Sealing
B.ii.
The antenna is supplied with a closed cell silicone rubber sealing pad which requires a totally flat, clean and clear
mounting surface of sufficient strength and a significant amount of compression in order to provide an adequate
seal to the vehicle roof. These factors should be taken into account when planning the installation or alternative
sealing measures should be adopted as appropriate. If mounted using the recommended fixings, then the sup-
plied M12 bonded seal (Dowty) washers should be used. If additional sealant is used, then care should be taken
to select the correct type to meet environmental durability, adequate adhesion and in particular, compatibility
with the antenna component material.
It is extremely important that any measures taken to seal the mounting bolts do not impact upon the
earthing contact they provide between the vehicle body and the antenna.
Other Safety Considerations
B
.iii.
SW3-679
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.panorama-antennas.com
The installation should always be planned to take account of any other applicable safety concerns. These should
be established through an appropriate risk assessment exercise. Other factors which may need to be consid-
ered are the strength of the mounting panel and hardware in event of impact, the position of the antenna, which
should be adequately protected from any impact which may damage the antenna and installation location, and
the height of the installation which should be compliant with the relevant regulations. The antenna install location
should be safely accessible by installation personnel.
Planning & Preparation
C.
Select an installation location, with the antenna sited a minimum of 1m (3’) away from existing roof structures.
Check clearance under the panel, considering the depth required for mating connector(s).The antenna should be
fitted in the centre of a metallic (conductive) ground plane of minimum size 250mmx250mm (10”x10”).If fitting
to a non-conductive panel, a ground plane plate of above minimum dimension should be fitted to the underside
of the panel. In both these cases, the antenna must make low resistance contact with this plate (<0.1Ω) using
the mounting bolts and washers. In some cases, it may be better to mount the antenna on a separate flange with
integrated mounting bolts, which is then welded to the roof panel.
Drilling Holes
D.
Drill mounting and connector holes as appropriate. The supplied drilling template (SW3-306) can be utilised as a
guide if required. NOTE: Do NOT use a photocopy of the template as it may not be 1:1 scaled! Clearance holes
for the connectors should not exceed 24mm diameter to avoid encroaching on the sealing area. Clean the area
around the holes, removing all burrs and swarf. Apply a conductive corrosion resistant coating or paint to bare
metal surfaces to prevent corrosion.
Fitting
E.
Ensure that the mounting panel is clean and flat within the antenna base footprint area.Place the antenna in po-
sition, check that the mounting holes are aligned, check that the connectors have adequate clearance through
the holes and are accessible from the underside. Fit the bolts with washers and lightly tighten, checking that the
sealing pad is compressing evenly. Finally tighten all bolts to the recommended torque setting.
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