PANORAMA ANTENNAS FINB Series Antenna Base Installation Guide
- June 3, 2024
- Panorama Antennas
Table of Contents
PANORAMA ANTENNAS FINB Series Antenna Base
Introduction
The FINB series is a high performance OEM style shark fin panel mount base suitable for discrete installations and can be fitted with a variety of whips for use in the range of 136-960MHz.
Mounting Requirements and Selecting Location
This antenna must be fitted on a conductive ground plane of minimum ½
wavelength diameter at the lowest frequency of operation; to calculate see
below:
150 / frequency in MHz = 1⁄2 wavelength (m)
Examples: 150MHz =100cm (39.4”); 400MHz = 38cm (15”); 900MHz =16cms
(6.3”).
When fitting on a non-metallic panel, a ground plane plate of suitable size
should be fabricated and fitted under the mounting panel. The securing washer
and nut must make a low resistance electrical contact (< 0.2Ω) with the ground
plane. Select a mounting location, ensuring that there is adequate under panel
clearance and that there is no double skin panel or cross brace present.
Measure to check for central position if applicable.
Prepare and Make Hole
Mask panel area around hole position to protect paintwork and headliner. Drill
a pilot hole, and then increase to 19mm (3/4”), ensuring that drill/cutter bit
does not contact headliner. Clean area around the hole, carefully removing all
burrs and swarf.
Remove paint and primer from under panel surface to ensure adequate earth
contact by washer and nut. Apply some petroleum jelly or paint around the hole
to prevent corrosion.
Fitting the Antenna
Remove protective backing from underside of antenna, feed coaxial cable through panel. Position the antenna over the hole ensuring correct orientation and stick to panel by applying firm downward pressure. Assemble nut from underside and tighten. Remove blanking cap and screw comms antenna whip securely to mounting stud.
Routing and Terminating the Coaxial Cable
Route the coaxial cable to the equipment, taking care to avoid running adjacent to existing vehicle wiring or fouling any moving vehicle component. The cable must not be routed in front of any airbag device. Fit correct coaxial connector or adapter to cables as required.
Commission and Test
Check comms cable(s)
- Earth continuity: connector body to vehicle ground should measure <0.2Ω;
- Connector body to centre pin should measure open circuit.
- Carry out VSWR check – for expected value, refer to antenna data sheet.
Notices
Waste electrical products should not be disposed of with household waste. All electronic products with the WEEE logo must be collected and sent to approved operators for safe disposal or recycling. Please recycle where facilities exist. Many electrical/electronic equipment retailers facilitate “Distributor Take-Back scheme”for household WEEE. Check with your Local Authority or electronic retailers for designated collection facilities where WEEE can be disposed of for free.
RF Safety Note This antenna should be mounted in such a way that no person is within 20cm (8”) of the antenna during use.
RoHS 2: EU RoHS compliance is declared per Directive 2011/65/EU and its subsequent amendments. Homogeneous materials composing parts that are compliant with this legislation have less than 0.1% by weight each of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, and PBDE, and 0.01% by weight of cadmium. In situations where an exemption applies, the preceding limits, cor- responding to the exempted substance(s), may be higher.
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