Force5™ 2.0 Industrial Cellular Signal Booster for voice and 4G data with BuiltIn Sentry Monitoring User Guide WARNING This is NOT a CONSUMER device. It is designed for installation by FCC LICENSEES and QUALIFIED INSTALLERS. You MUST have an FCC LICENSE or the express consent of an FCC Licensee to operate this device. Unauthorized use may result in significant forfeiture penalties, including penalties in excess of $100,000 for each continuing violation.
Table of Contents CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction............................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Package Contents......................................................................................................................................................................................3 1.2 Features & Benefits...........................................................................
Introduction CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introducing SureCall’s Force5 2.0 Industrial Booster. Please read this entire manual before proceeding. 1.1 Package Contents Your booster box contains the following items: • (1) Force5 2.0 Industrial Booster and mounting kit • (8) SC-222W Dome Antennas • (1) 75 ft. Length of SC-400 Low Loss Cable • (2) SC-WS-4 four-way splitters • (1) SC-WS-2 two-way splitter • (26) NC Connectors • (1) Lightning protector (SC-LP) 1.
Safety 1.4 How Cellular Signal Boosters Work The Force5 2.0 booster amplifies cellular signals from the nearest tower to phones in a building and from those phones back to the tower to compensate for weak reception caused by distance, topography, building structure, among other reasons. The booster receives the signal from an outside antenna, amplifies that signal and rebroadcasts it indoors via the interior antenna(s) where it is received by cellular devices.
Safety • ome components may be heavy and/or bulky. Always use proper lifting and carrying techniques when S handling components, especially when working on a ladder, roof, or other area with a fall hazard. • The exterior antenna must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna. • Always use a properly installed SureCall lightning protector between the exterior antenna and the booster.
Planning CHAPTER 3: PLANNING THE INSTALLATION 3.1 Installation Overview Typically, a BDA installation follows these steps: 1. Decide what type of exterior antenna to use, and where to mount it. You will use either an omnidirectional antenna, mounted vertically, or a directional Yagi antenna, pointed directly at the radio tower (line of sight). The antenna will normally be mounted on the roof of the building or wall with the strongest signal.
Planning • Allow at least 24 inches (60cm) of separation between interior antennas and humans or animals. • Allow at least 24 inches (60cm) of separation between exterior antennas and all persons. • Comply with all antenna separation requirements to prevent signal oscillation. CAUTION: SIGNAL OSCILLATION CAN CAUSE RADIO INTERFERENCE WITH RADIO TOWERS AND RESULT IN CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 3.
Planning 3.3 Interior Antennas You may use any combination of omnidirectional (dome) and/or directional (flat panel) interior antennas to obtain balanced signal strength throughout the structure. Dome antennas provide 360-degree hemispherical coverage suitable for mostly square areas, while flat panel antennas provide a focused zone of coverage suitable for long narrow areas.
Planning Note: You may not need antennas on every floor of a multistory building, depending on factors such as building material, BDA gain, etc. 3.4 Antenna Separation Proper antenna separation prevents signal oscillation (feedback) that can interfere with the radio tower. Separation is measured in a straight line from the exterior antenna to the closest interior antenna. The closest allowable distance depends on a number of factors, such as BDA gain level, building material, etc.
Planning Antenna Safety Precautions: You can mix and match dome and directional antennas as needed to obtain proper coverage throughout the building or area where you need to boost the signal. If you use a Yagi exterior antenna, you should normally aim it away from all interior antennas, regardless of separation, to prevent oscillation. Antenna Aiming CAUTION: SIGNAL OSCILLATION CAN CAUSE RADIO INTERFERENCE WITH RADIO TOWERS AND RESULT IN CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 3.
Planning • Inside antenna gain (IAG): This is the signal boost provided by an interior antenna and is always a positive number with SureCall antennas. IAG Gain SC-222W omni dome • Cable loss (CL): This is the signal loss caused by the cable and is always a negative number. CL 20 ft. SC-400 30 ft. SC-400 50 ft. SC-400 100 ft.
Planning 3.6 Booster Location Select an indoor location for the BDA that meets the following criteria: • Wall or ceiling mounts are both acceptable. • Near a properly grounded 110VAC outlet. • Avoid in a tightly enclosed or overly hot spaces. • All power and warning lights are easily visible. • You can use the shortest cables to connect all antennas. 3.7 Accessories The final step in the planning process is to make sure you have all of the necessary accessories to complete the installation.
Installation CHAPTER 4. INSTALLATION 4.1 Soft Installation Perform a “soft” installation of all components to test signal coverage and oscillation before making the installation permanent. Avoid making holes or other permanent attachments during this phase. Refer to Chapter 5 for configuration and testing instructions. Proceed with final installation once configuration and testing are complete. 4.2 Exterior Antenna Mount the exterior antenna in the location you selected during the planning process.
Installation 4.3 Interior Antennas Mount the interior antenna(s) in the location(s) you selected when planning. Follow all instructions included with the antenna(s) to ensure the installation(s) are implemented properly. Here are a few reminders and essential steps: • Dome antennas are mounted on the ceiling as close to the center of the desired coverage area as possible, domed (convex) side pointing down.
Installation 4.4 Mounting the BDA Mount the booster as follows: • Verify that the selected location meets all criteria described in the previous chapter. • Attach the included mounting kit to the booster using the screws provided. Tighten the screws by hand with a screwdriver until tight plus 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Do not over-tighten. • Mount a 24 inch x 24 inch x 3⁄4 inch thick sheet of plywood on top of sheetrock, secured into wall studs where the booster is to be placed.
Installation CHAPTER 5: CONFIGURATION & TESTING 5.1 Powering on the BDA To power on the booster: 1. Make sure that exterior and interior antenna cables are firmly connected to the proper ports on the booster. 2. Plug a surge suppressor into a grounded 110 VAC wall outlet. 3. Plug the AC end of the supplied power adapter into the surge suppressor. 4. Plug the DC end of the power adapter into the Power port on the booster. 5. Verify that the green Power light is illuminated. 6.
Configuration and Testing 5.3. DIP Switch organization 1. LTE-UL AT&T (707 MHz) DIP switches control LTE uplink (switch 1-5) 2. LTE-DL (728-757 MHz) DIP switches control LTE downlink (switch 1-5) 3. LTE-UL Verizon (781 MHz) DIP switches control LTE uplink (switch 1-5) 4. CELLULAR-UL (800 MHz) DIP switches control Cellular uplink (switch 1-5) 5. CELLULAR-DL (800 MHz) DIP switches control Cellular downlink (switch 1-5) 6. PCS-UL (1900 MHz) DIP switches control PCS uplink (switch 1-5) 7.
Configuration and Testing A few practical examples: • Turning all switches OFF = 0 dB attenuation (booster is at full gain). • Turning ON switch #1 in a bank = 1 dB attenuation (booster maximum gain is reduced by 1 dB). • Turning ON switches #1, 3, and 5 in a bank = 1+4+16 dB attenuation = 21 dB attenuation. For example, in an 80 dB booster, the selected channel is reduced to 59 dB (80 dB -21 dB). • Turning ON all switches in a bank = 1+2+4+8+16 dB attenuation = 31 dB attenuation.
Configuration and Testing LED INDICATIONS LED Color LED Condition Resolution Yellow Solid The frequency band is not in use. Eventually, the band will enter sleep mode. When the light is off, it means things are normal, and that the band is active. Yellow Flashing The Automatic Gain Control (AGC) is self-adjusting. This occurs during normal operation. Red Flashing The booster is receiving too much signal. Can cause the affected band to automatically turn off. If this happens: 1.
Sentry Configuration & Monitoring CHAPTER 6: SENTRY CONFIGURATION Sentry Software Introduction SureCall’s Sentry is a revolutionary advancement in signal-booster management. It aids in the installation, optimization, and ongoing management of your Force5 2.0 BDA. It provides installers with tools for seamless system configurations, and it helps pinpoint malfunctions due to unforeseen changes in the amplifier landscape, such as new towers or repeater systems.
Configuration and Testing • Connect an Ethernet cable to the booster's WAN port and connect the other end to your router. • Once the connections are made, power on the Force5 2.0 BDA. • Start the Sentry client application software. You will see the screens below: 6.3 User Registration You’ll need to register an account. Connect your computer to the network. A secure LAN connection is important because it will allow the computer to “see” the device on the network.
Sentry Configuration & Operation 6.4 Device Registration Connect the device to the networked client computer with a USB cable as described in the previous section. Make sure the server is also linked to the computer. Select a serial port and click Open, as shown in the Add Booster screen below.
Column Definitions: • Attenuation: Manually adjusted attenuation via software. • Manual Attenuation: Manually adjusted attenuation using controls on the device. • Automatic Gain Control: Automatically adjusted attenuation from excessive signal or close indoor/outdoor antenna proximity • Gain: Current gain. • Output Power: Current power. • Outside Signal Strength: Strength of input signal. • Uplink/Downlink Status: RF band status: Sleep, Active, OFF.
Sentry Operation Modify Booster Information. To modify the booster information, right click to access a pop-up menu with the following additional options. Select Edit Booster Info to proceed. Delete Booster. To delete a booster, right click on the summary screen again to access a pop-up menu with additional options, and then select Delete Booster. You will see a confirmation screen as shown below. Click Yes to proceed.
Sentry Operation To modify your password, type in the requested information shown below and click on Modify. To change the e-mail address where alerts go, enter a new e-mail as shown above and click on Modify. NOTE: IF YOU FORGET YOUR PASSWORD, CLICK FORGOT MY PASSWORD ON THE LOGIN PAGE. THE PASSWORD WILL BE SENT TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS. 6.
Sentry Operation This tool will identify the optimum location for the outdoor antenna. To test for the best location, the booster and outside antenna must be connected by coax cable. Place the antenna in a position you’d like to test and click on the measure button. The “Position” fields will automatically populate with the dB measurement from various locations by clicking on the measure button at each possible location. You can test up to 5 positions.
Sentry Operation Sentry Dashboard From the dashboard above you can manually adjust the attenuation dB to resolve problems with oscillation and overpowering issues. You can also turn off individual bands. ATTENUATION CAN BE LOWERED TO A MAXIMUM OF 30 OR 31 DB, DEPENDING ON THE BOOSTER MODEL AND A MAX OF 25 DB THROUGH SENTRY SOFTWARE.
Specifications CHAPTER 7: SPECIFICATIONS Force5 2.0 Industrial Specifications 28 Uplink Frequency Range (MHz): 698–716 / 776–787 / 824–849 / 1850–1915 / 1710–1755 (G Block Included) Downlink Frequency Range (MHz): 728–746 / 746–757 / 869–894 / 1930–1995 / 2110–2155 (G Block Included) Supported Standards: CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, EDGE, HSPA+, EVDO, LTE and all cellular standards Input / Output Impedance: 50 Ω Maximum Gain: 80 dB Noise Figure: 5 dB VSWR: ≤2.
Kitting Information Kitting Information Component Product Number / Description / Note Gain / Loss LTE-A LTE-V Cellular 800 MHz PCS AWS 1900 MHz 1700 / 2100 MHz Outdoor Antenna SC-288W: Omni / N connector 3 dBi 3 dBi 3 dBi 4 dBi 4 / 4 dBi SC-230W: Yagi / N connector 10 dBi 10 dBi 10 dBi 10 dBi 10 / 10 dBi Outdoor Cable SC-400-30 NN, 30 ft / Use 30 ft or longer 2.05 dB 2.05 dB 2.12 dB 2.83 dB 2.68 / 2.
Warranty CHAPTER 8: WARRANTY Activate your product warranty at www.surecall.com For questions regarding your warranty, contact a SureCall representative at 1-888-365-6283 or email support@surecall.com. 8.1 Warranty Periods Your warranty includes the following periods: • Three-Year Product Warranty: SureCall products are covered under a three-year product warranty from the date of purchase. This protects the customer from any defects or problems the product may have that are solely the fault of SureCall.
Warranty The Buyer will pay the cost of inspecting and testing any goods returned under the warranty or otherwise, which are found to meet the applicable specifications or which are not defective or not covered by this warranty. Products sold by SureCall shall not be considered defective or non-conforming to the Buyer’s order if they satisfactorily fulfill the performance requirements that were published in the product specification literature, or in accordance with samples provided by SureCall.
SureCall, Inc 48346 Milmont Drive Fremont, California 94538, USA 888.365.6283 | www.surecall.
