How to choose and install a Marine Antenna
We recently talked about how to install a 4G antenna. In this post we will explain the factors to take into account when choosing and installing a marine antenna.
The challenges for mariners, in terms of modern “ship-to-shore” communications, also known as “near-shore” communications using LTE, 4G and 5G technology, are mainly related to the ability to receive a good enough signal from land-based base stations. In this post, we have considered that ‘Marine/Marine’ is not a term we only use for ‘trans-oceanic vessels’, but all vessels using the sea, ocean, inland waterways or vessels moored in a port or other protected area.
Most ships today have an active Internet connection, whether for leisure, navigation or other data such as logistics or other applications. Satellite communications, particularly for recreational vessels, are generally too expensive.
Let’s first look at what happens with the “ocean” ships.
One thing to consider is how pitch and roll affect seagoing vessels. Of course, for today’s larger seagoing vessels, being able to communicate with servers, whether company databases, email and/or cloud servers, navigation systems, etc., using ground-based radio frequency bases has become normal.
Mobile Internet service providers have realized the opportunity to not only serve coastal communities, coastal cities and ports, but also to extend these capabilities to vessels traversing waters, seas and oceans that are within range of ground stations, commonly referred to as, as we have mentioned before, ‘near shore’ communication systems.
This is great for boat owners, but it also creates a certain dependency on being able to receive a signal in adverse weather conditions, such as rough seas.
Boat pitch and roll: antenna elevation
The main consideration for rough seas is, of course, the pitch and roll of the vessel. This places a demand on the “lift” or “vertical aperture” of the antennas installed on the vessel.
Figure 1. Shows the relevance of pitch and roll in rough sea situations to the elevation (vertical aperture) of the antenna. So no matter how rough the seas get, we’ll keep you connected.
Figure 1
However, the “elevation” of the antenna remains equally relevant when the ship is moored in a harbour or other protected location where the base stations are at higher locations above the mooring position.
Figure 2, describes the challenge of base stations with higher locations around moorings.
Figure 2
Many waterways, such as the Rhine River waterway, have very high banks which require base stations to be erected above the waterway. Similarly, this imposes a need for a large elevation aperture for the antenna.
Figure 3 illustrates such a scenario.
Figure 3
Tips for installing a marine antenna.
Look for a marine antenna with a good vertical (elevation) reception angle.
At TITAN, we make every effort to ensure that adequate elevation (or “vertical spread”) of antennas is maintained in all frequency bands used by modern data communications systems.
All our documentation shows the REAL results of our Antennas.
TITAN antennas, manufactured by Poynting, feature a best-in-class radiation pattern to ensure that any vessel can have the best possible connection no matter what situation it finds itself in.
If the vessel travels offshore or far from base stations, Spatial Diversity in the Vertical Plane must be considered.
In summary:
Elevation: Check your marine antenna’s ability to receive a good “vertical” signal to optimize reception performance when:
- In turbulent seas your boat pitches and rolls.
- In a port or at a mooring, base stations are located at a higher altitude.
- When you are traveling in calm waters but the base stations are located higher than the boat.
The ability of your marine antenna to receive a good signal from ANY direction, also known as the antennas azimuth.
Selection criteria for installing marine antennas: Good horizontal reception angle (azimuth, 360°)
A moving vessel presents a challenge for the receiving antenna. The azimuth of an antenna is the horizontal radiation pattern that refers to the antennas ability to pick up a good signal from any direction, i.e. it allows the reception of signals 360° around the vessel.
Imagine approaching a port and relying on the signal from a 4G, 5G tower on your port side, for example, 38° and suddenly, due to an irregularity in the antenna’s ability to pick up signals from that direction, you lose approach information for the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
ABOUT SPATIAL DIVERSITY:
- If space on the mast allows, it would be good to install two antennas, spatially diverse in the vertical (elevation) plane.
- If spatial diversity can be achieved in the horizontal plane since we have space on the mast, that would be an additional advantage.
Spatial diversity in the horizontal plane should be considered if the vessel frequently travels in areas such as ports and/or coastal coves or river banks where the probability of reflections in the horizontal plane is quite high due to port buildings, high banks, etc.
Figure 4. Good horizontal (azimuth) reception will ensure good reception regardless of the direction of travel.
Poynting antennas are tested using an anechoic chamber ( a room designed to fully absorb reflections produced by acoustic or electromagnetic waves on any of its surfaces) to provide the best possible “end-to-end” connectivity over longer distances from shore and in all directions.
So, no matter where you are headed, TITAN antennas will keep you connected over longer distances over any waterway, whether it is the ocean, a lake or a river with communication towers high up on the embankment, we have you covered.
Figure 5. Multiple base stations are often located around ports. A suitable horizontal radiation pattern will ensure the best possible reception when moored or travelling in ports or in protected waters near coastal cities.
Figure 6. Even when crossing inland waterways, several base stations are deployed along the river banks. It is important that the navigation system, cloud servers and on-board music are not interrupted at any time ?
Durability of 4G antennas for boats (it must be a product designed for marine use).
One of the most frustrating scenarios when you’re on the water is a disruption in communications due to a broken or faulty antenna.
All Poynting marine antennas have at least an IP65 rating, meaning they can withstand ample marine and ocean wear and tear, giving you peace of mind that the chances of your antenna failing due to physical damage is extremely low.
Choosing marine antennas: a product for today and tomorrow.
Base station deployment is a very dynamic process. This means that mobile network operators and Internet service providers are continually updating their services and one of those aspects is the frequency bands for new services.
This could mean that the antenna you buy today may not be able to receive the new services deployed due to the limited coverage of the future frequency bands chosen by the service operator. At TITAN we use the best antennas, designed by Poynting, which are ready to cover all possible frequency bands that will be used in the future.
At TITAN we understand the need to be able to use a good quality antenna that adequately covers ALL frequency bands with good performance across the entire radio frequency spectrum, protecting your investment for years.
When installing a marine antenna: cable losses must be considered.
Keeping cable losses to a minimum is extremely important when installing a marine antenna. At TITAN, we provide you with all the necessary “know-how” regarding antenna mounting and how to ensure your antenna performs at its best.
Spatial diversity, as mentioned above, is another installation consideration where the location and distance between the router and the antenna must be considered.