Campbell Scientific TurfWeather Weather Station User Manual

Page 37

TurfWeather Weather Station

A ground wire (00 gage) is supplied but it may not be long enough

for all installations. If a longer ground cable is required, purchase

a continuous length to meet the site requirement but always use

the minimum length necessary. Do not reduce the gage of this

wire if a longer length is required. An alternate method of earth

grounding may be employed but should be confirmed by a

qualified RF technician before use.

c. Mount the Polyphaser within 1.5 m (5 ft) of the location of the radio

base station on a ground plane, or ground buss bar, inside a

weatherproof enclosure or building. Mounting recommendations are

supplied with the Polyphaser.

The ground plane or buss bar will also be the connection point for

the earth ground cable to the exterior ground rod, or interior earth

ground connection.

d. Connect the heavy gage (00 gage) ground wire to the ground plane or

buss bar using a 00 bolted ring or spade lug connector (not supplied).

Connect the other end of the heavy gage ground wire to the ground

rod using the brass rod clamp supplied, or connect to the alternate

interior earth ground point.

e. Verify connection to the earth ground from the case of the Polyphaser.

2. Component Installation:

a. Mount the antenna in the proper orientation, with the connector at the

bottom.

b. Connect one end of the antenna cable to the antenna and install the

cable up to the location of the Polyphaser. Assure that a drip loop is

maintained in the cable at the base of the antenna, and at the point

where the cable will enter a weatherproof enclosure or building. The

drip loops will minimize the amount of rainwater that will run down

the cable to the enclosure or building.

The minimum bend radius of the antenna cable is 15 cm (6 in).

Tight bends in the antenna cable, or clamps that crush the cable,

will damage the internal insulation and compromise the cable.

Handle the antenna cable with care.

c. Connect the antenna cable to the Polyphaser module connector

marked

ANTENNA.

d. Connect one end of the short RPSMA Polyphaser-to-RF401 coaxial

cable to the

EQUIPMENT side of the Polyphaser module, and the

other end to the antenna connector on the RF401-series radio.

NOTE