Grounding

Grounding
Practices

1
 4 Simple Rules for INU Grounding

• Each INU / IDU is required to be grounded

separately to the rack ground bar.
• The INU / IDU ground wire needs to be a
minimum of 4mm sq.
• The ground should be a green, PVC insulated,
copper stranded wire.
• Grounds secured to indoor equipment and rack
ground bar with correct size ring terminals

2
 Incorrect IDU Grounds

• The INU grounds shown here

are daisy-chained and do not
meet Stratex requirements
• Grounds need to be
individually routed to the
rack ground bar

3
 Correct IDU Grounds

4
 Correct Indoor Equipment Grounding

• Each INU / IDU is individually

Rack Gnd Bar

grounded to the rack ground bar

• Ground wire 4mm sq. or greater
IDU
• Grounds run neatly up the side
Protect
Switch of the rack, tie-wrapped every
IDU 0.3m

IDU

IDU

Simplified Block Diagram

Indoor Equipment Grounding

5
 ODU Grounding

• Ground lead must be at least 16mm sq.

• Follow reference manuals to determine ODU
attachment point
• ODU ground lead connected to tower ground
bar or tower steel
• Ground wire should not be looped or spiraled
• Scrape paint or oxidation from tower to install
ODU ground using a clamp.

6
 Incorrect ODU Grounds

• The ODU grounds shown

here are daisy-chained
(green wire between
ODU’s)
• Grounds need to be
individually routed to the
rack ground bar.

7
 Correct ODU Grounds

Each ODU is grounded separately – do not

daisy-chain ODU grounds

8
 ODU Ground Lead

• Incorrect ODU ground

• Ground lead should
always angle
downward without
being coiled
• This ground is looped
before going back up
to the ground clamp

9
 Correct ODU Ground Lead

• Ground lead runs

downward toward
tower ground
point

Service loop

10
 Rack & Equipment Grounding

• Each chassis is grounded to the rack in which it is

located. Most racks are either painted or power coated.
Paint and power coating is an insulator and will insulate
the various metal components of the rack and cabinets.
A copper grounding bar should be located on the rack.
All chassis within the rack to be connected to the
copper bar with a minimum 4mm green wire. The
station ground is also connected to the copper bar with
a 16mm green cable.
* On sites that have more then one rack, each rack or cabinet
should have its own copper grounding bar The copper ground
bars must be connected together with a 16mm cable. Even if
the racks and cabinets are bolted together.

11
 Rack Ground

• Rack ground must be at least 16mm, green PVC

insulated, copper stranded wire
• Route rack ground from rack ground bar to
station Master Ground Bar
• If cable entryway is high, ground the rack high
• If entryway is low, ground the rack low
• Place insulating mat or kit under rack if
mounted to a concrete floor

12
 High Entryway (1)

• Incorrect
• Grounding at
the bottom of
the rack will
create a path
for surge
current,
Rack Ground possibly
damaging or
destroying the
equipment.

13
 High Entryway (2)

• Correct
• Grounding at
Rack Ground the top of the
rack will
minimize the
risk of
damaging
current going
through the
rack.

14
 Best Practices

Cable Grounding
• At a minimum, the indoor to outdoor cable is required to be
grounded at the top and bottom of the vertical cable run, as well
as the cable entryway to the equipment room.
• All cable ground wires need to be angled downward as much
as possible.
• Cable runs over 50m in vertical height require additional
cable grounds.

15
 Ground Conductors

• Cable grounds at
bottom of cable run
• Note that the ground
wires go straight
downward toward the
tower ground bar
• Never exceed an 8
inch bend radius on
ground conductors

16
 Coax Cable Grounding

• All transmission lines must be grounded to the tower at its

uppermost point and lower most point if the tower is less than 150
feet (45.72m) tall.

• If the tower is taller than 150 feet (45.72m), then the grounding
must be at the uppermost point and at intervals of no more than
75 feet (22.86m) until the bottom 150 feet (45.72m) section is
reached.

• Coax and waveguide lines must use grounding kits designed

for grounding the shield. All grounding kits must be properly
weatherized to prevent bond deterioration.

17
 Cable Ground Locations for Lightning Protection

Time equates to distance,

the further the shelter is from Ground at top of cable
run, should be placed
the tower, the more time the about 1 m below bend
in cable
grounding system has to
disperse the strike energy
before reaching the
equipment.
Ground at bottom of
cable run should be
placed about 1m above
bend in cable

Ground at cable entryway should be connected

to the ground bar usually located beneath the
entryway

18
 Cable Ground Locations

Picture of transmission line grounds positioned about 1m

above the bend where the coax goes from a vertical to a
horizontal orientation.

19
 Grounding

• Integrated Ground
* Building Steel
* Air Conditioners
* Power
* Water Pipes
* Cable Trays

• Isolated Ground
* Equipment

20
 Ground Connections

• Only use correct ground lugs and terminals for

the required wire sizes
• Use the correct tools for each size crimp. Use
only die sizes called out by the manufacturer
• Perform correct # of crimps as needed for
different wire sizes
• Use an antioxidant grease on all outdoor
ground connections

21
 Common Ground Terminations

Blue Code Blue Code Brown

Code
Ring Term Single Lug
Single Lug
4mm Wire 16mm Wire
# 2 Wire
1 Crimp 2 or3
Crimp 3 Crimp

22
 Anti-corrosion Compounds

• Apply to all
outdoor ground
connections to
prevent corrosive
build up.

23
 Anti-corrosion Compounds

24
 Ground Measurements

• Specifications

• Locations

• Tools

25
 Ground Measurement Specifications

• Site/Tower Ground to Earth

* 5 ohms max
• Site Ground Continuity
* 1 ohm max

26
 Ground Measurements

• Ground
conductor
measurement
using an AEMC
clamp-on ground
tester

27
 Ground Measurement Locations

• IDU/INU Ground
• ODU Ground
• Switch Ground
• Rack Ground
• Master Ground Bar
• Cable Entryway Plate
• All Cable Grounds
• All Lightning Arrestor Grounds
• Antenna Tower Legs

28
 Ground Testers

Tests tower/site ground to

Planet Earth Clamp on tester
Tests continuity of site ground
conductors and bonds.

29
 Lightning Protection

30
 Lightning – What is it?

The Larger the Charge, the Larger the Step

Typical Step 50m. @ 50µS per Step

( 1µS jump, 49µS pause )

Step Leader
Distance

10kV/m to 30kV/m
E - Fields

31
 Lightning Protection

The 45 degree “Cone of Protection”

• We used to believe that a tall structure provided a 45º

cone of protection, but side-mounted antennas were
still hit by lightning.

• Any site with a tower over 50m tall should be

evaluated using the “Rolling Ball” theory

32
 Rolling Ball Theory

33
 Why is it important?

34
 ESD Prevention

• Use ESD strap provided in installation kit when

removing or installing INU / INUe modules

35
 Bend radius

36
 Lightning Protection Q & A

Lightning
Protection
Q&A

37
 Cable Preparation

Cable
Preparation

38
 Cable Preparations

• Use correct connector

* 50 ohm

* Crimp / Crimp

• Weatherproofing

39
 50 ohm N-Type Connector for IF Cable

40
 Cable Terminations

Wire Braid

Center Conductor

Outer Insulation Jacket

Dielectric

Foil

Ensure that only the layers specified in the manufacture’s

procedure are cut. Review the procedures before
performing the cable preparation.

41
 Crimp Tools

Standard Crimping Tool

42
 Weatherproofing

• Wrapping Guidelines
• 1. Ensure connectors are firmly hand-tightened, dry, and free from all
grease and dirt. If necessary clean with a rag lightly moistened with an
alcohol-based cleaner.
• 2. Apply the tape tensioned, using at least a 75% overlay. The
tensioning (slight stretching) of the tape is required to allow it to bind to
the host and to amalgamate the layers.
• 3. Where possible, apply the tape 25 mm past the ends of the connector
barrels to ensure the weatherproof bond extends beyond the areas
requiring protection. Regardless, the application of the tape must be
such that there is no doubt as to the effectiveness of the sealing
provided.
• 4. To avoid curl-back, do not stretch the tape too tightly at the end point
and never stretch it until it tears. Always cut the tape instead.
• 5. To provide UV protection, an additional double wrap using vinyl tape
must be applied using a 75% overlap.

43
 Cable Preparation Q & A

Cable
Preparation
Q&A

44
 Antenna Considerations

• Drain Hole
• Strut Requirement
• Hardware Tightening Values

45
 Antenna Drain Holes

When the antenna is installed, and you are sure that the
orientation is correct, be sure to remove the bottom drain hole.

Removing the top drain hole will allow water ingress into the
antenna which will greatly reduce the receive signal level.

46
 Strut Requirement

47
 Antenna Hardware Torque Values

Stainless Steel M5 M6 M8 M10 M12 M16 M20

N-m 4.5 7.7 18.7 39.2 65.1 161

lb-ft 3.3 5.7 13.8 28.9 48 118.7

Galvanized Steel

N-m 2.7 4.5 11.1 22 38 95 185

lb-ft 2.0 3.3 8.1 16.2 28 70.1 136

48
 Antenna
Considerations
Q&A

49
 Installation CIT

Installation Continuous
Improvement Program

What is it?

50
 Continuous Improvement Program

• Provides Feedback From Installers

• Difficult processes identified
* Recommended Improvements

• Easy processes identified

• Suggestions on alternative install materials
• Documentation Rating (scale of 1 – 10)
• Overall Rating (scale of 1 – 10)

51
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