Specifications

9.2. RECOMMENDATIONS
9.2 Recommendations
Based on the aforementioned considerations, and the device specification as
outlined in Section 3, the following recommendations are made in respect of
device enclosures and antennae mounting methods:
• The circuit-boards and batteries should be mounted in watertight, AB S
plastic enclosures. Cables should enter the e nclosure through holes
cut just large enough for this purpose, and these should be sealed
with a waterproofing sealant such as silicone. It is imp ortant to keep
moisture and sea-air out of these enclosures as the copper PCB tracks
are prone to corrosion in exposed coastal environments. Ideally, the
uplink enclosure should have a clear window allowing the LCD display
to be read without opening the case. Holes should be made in the lid of
the enclosures to allow the plastic parts of the status LEDs to protrude.
These, too, should be sealed with silicone;
• The plastic enclosures should be a light colour to reflect sunlight and
should be placed in shady areas if possible. This will prevent high
temperatures in the sealed boxes;
• The antennae should be mounted on aluminium masts or sealed woode n
support struts. Iron or steel structures should be avoided at all costs.
Not only are they likely to corrode (rust) quickly, but they will interfere
with the tuning of the antennae;
• The uplink module’s enclosure should be kept above ground-level to
ensure go od GSM signal reception. It is suggested that the device be
mounted above an RFID antenna, on the same mast. Not only does this
ensure good GSM reception, but it will keep the interconnecting cables
between the RFID antenna, reader and co-ordinator short, saving space
and costs;
• RFID antenna mountings should not have any sharp edges to prevent
injuring the penguins as they walk through the gates, and these should
only be large enough to accommodate a single penguin at a time;
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