Installation Manual

Installing External Fixed Wireless Terminal Antenna

4/98

2-15

Fixed Wireless Terminal Description and Installation

Introduction

Check local codes for external grounding requirements.

Do not install the antenna above the rooftop.

WARNING

When an external antenna is required, first determine the general

direction of the cell site with which the FWT will communicate. This

will define which exterior wall is better exposed to the RF signals.

Figure 12 illustrates typical planning considerations concerning the

relationship between the cell site and external antenna.

Figure 12: External antenna planning considerations

IN THIS CONFIGURATION,

EITHER THE FRONT OF THE

HOUSE (A) OR SIDE (B) MAY BE

ADEQUATELY EXPOSED TO THE

SIGNAL. EXPERIMENT WITH

THE ANTENNA TO FIND THE

STRONGER SIGNAL.

IN THIS CONFIGURATION, THE FRONT OF THE

HOUSE (A) IS MORE DIRECTIONALLY EXPOSED

TO THE SIGNAL. HOWEVER, SIGNALS

REFLECTED OFF NEARBY STRUCTURES MAY

IN FACT PRODUCE A PREFERRED SIGNAL ON

ANOTHER WALL, ESPECIALLY IF THE RF

SIGNAL’S LINE– OF–SIGHT IS OTHERWISE

OBSTRUCTED. EXPERIMENT WITH THE

ANTENNA TO LOCATE THE STRONGER SIGNAL.

Procedure

Table 6: Installing an external antenna

n Step Action

NOTE

The FWT antenna should NOT be installed where it would be within a few

inches of a location where people normally stand, sit, or rest.

1 Connect the cable to the FWT and route the cable to the planned outdoor

location. Do not drill the hole through the outside wall at this time, rather

route the cable through an open window, if possible.

2 Two people may be required to locate the preferred signal strength; one to

experiment with the antenna outside; the other to monitor the signal strength

on the FWT indoors.

3 Connect the cable to the antenna. Refer to the signal strength testing

procedure on page 2-7 and, by moving the antenna around instead of the

FWT, monitor the LED to determine the preferred mounting location.

. . . continued on next page