AntennamountingandEMEexposure
EnsurethatyourVHFantennaisconnectedtotheradiobeforetransmission.
Raymarine®declaresaMaximumPermissibleExposure(MPE)radiusof1.8meters(5.9ft.)forthis
system,assuming25wattsoutputtoanomnidirectionalantennaof3dBigainorless.
Forwatercraftwithsuitablestructures,theantennabasemustbeatleast3.8meters(12.5ft)above
themaindecktomeettheMPEforpersonsupto2metres(6.6ft)tall.Forwatercraftwithoutsuch
structures,theantennamustbemountedsothatitsbaseisaminimumof1.8meters(5.9ft.)vertically
fromheadsofallpersons.
Theantennamustbeisolatedfromthevessel’smetalworkusinganinsulated(e.g.plastic)mounting
bracket.
Wirelessproductlocationrequirements
Theoptionalwirelesshub,handsetandactivespeakersrequirefurtherconsiderationswhen
selectingamountinglocation
Wirelesslocationrequirements
Anumberoffactorscaninfluencewirelessperformance,itisimportanttoensureyoutestthe
connectionperformance,atthedesiredlocationbeforeinstallingwirelessenabledproducts.
Distanceandsignalstrength
Thedistancebetweenwirelessproductsshouldalwaysbekepttoaminimum.Donotexceedthe
maximumstatedrangeofyourwirelessproduct(Maximumrangewillvaryforeachdevice).
Wirelessperformancedegradesoverdistance,soproductsfartherawaywillreceivelessnetwork
bandwidth.Productsinstalledclosetotheirmaximumwirelessrangemayexperienceslow
connectionspeeds,signaldropoutsornotbeingabletoconnectatall.
Lineofsightandobstacles
Forbestresultsthewirelessproductshouldhaveaclear,directlineofsighttotheproductitwillbe
connectedto.Anyphysicalobstructionscandegradeorevenblockthewirelesssignal.
Theconstructionofyourvesselcanalsohaveanimpactonwirelessperformance.Forexample,
metalstructuralbulkheadsandroofingwillreduceandincertainsituations,blockthewirelesssignal.
Ifthewirelesssignalpassesthroughabulkheadcontainingpowercablesthiscanalsodegrade
wirelessperformance.
Reflectivesurfacessuchasmetalsurfaces,sometypesofglassandevenmirrorscandrastically
effectperformanceorevenblockthewirelesssignal.
Interferenceandotherequipment
Wirelessproductsshouldbeinstalledatleast1m(3ft)awayfrom:
•Otherwirelessenabledproducts.
•Transmittingproductsthatsendwirelesssignalsinthesamefrequencyrange.
•Otherelectrical,electronicorelectromagneticequipmentthatmaygenerateinterference.
Interferencefromotherpeopleswirelessproductscanalsocauseinterferencewithyourproducts.
Y oucanuseawirelessanalyzertooltoassessthebestwirelesschannel(channelnotinuseor
usedbyleastamountofdevices)foryoutouse.
Installation29