Attachment F (Communication Site Antenna and Tower Mounted Equipment Installation Standards).pdf

Oregon Department of Transportation Wireless Communications Section - Communication Site Antenna and Tower Mounted equipment Installation Standards

The purpose of this document is to adopt standards for the installation of antennas or other equipment on Communication site towers and facilities. All ODOT and OSP equipment is required to be installed to this standard. Any other agency, cooperator, or tenant that has equipment installed at an ODOT owned communications facility is also required to meet this standard.

For the purposes of this document, “approved” means reviewed and confirmed as acceptable by an authorized member of the ODOT/OSP Wireless Communications Section.

Coordination of Installations:

- Installations will be scheduled with the Wireless Area Radio Specialist and coordinated through the ODOT/OSP Wireless Work Order Desk.

- All tower work will be coordinated with the Wireless Area Radio Specialist and the Wireless Work Order Desk, at least 2 regular business days prior to the scheduled work, to allow for proper notification of radio system users that could be affected by the work.

- Emergency work requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

- A Wireless Area Radio Specialist will be assigned as a Project Liaison and Quality Control point for a specific installation location.

- Installs requiring antenna or coax replacements that will disrupt functionality or operations of a state-owned radio system will require a developed work plan prior to beginning work, to minimize the out of service time for the affected radio system. The Wireless Section will participate in developing the work plan.

- Installs requiring antenna or coax replacements that will disrupt functionality or operations of a state-owned radio system will require coordination with ODOT Wireless, at least two regular business days prior to work beginning, to allow for notification to system users.

Land Mobile Radio:

Antenna and Equipment Mounting:

- Antenna(s) and mounts shall be installed per manufacturer instructions using the manufacturer’s recommended brackets.

- Re-use of old mounting hardware is not allowed.

- All mounts, brackets, hardware, and braces shall be hot galvanized, stainless steel, or other approved rust resistant materials.

- All antennas will be mounted in the vertical polarity unless otherwise stated and will be plumb in all planes.

- Excluding top mounted antennas, any antenna exceeding fifteen feet in length shall have an RF-transparent top brace (such as CommScope DB5004s-MTD) installed, unless antenna manufacturer indicates use of top support is unnecessary. Sites with extreme weather conditions may require top bracing of antennas, regardless of manufacturer’s recommendation.

These sites will be identified as such in the Statement of Work.

- Omni directional antennas mounted below the top of a tower shall be mounted on a minimum 3’ standoff mount with stiff-arm attachment. All standoff mounts shall be rated to exceed the antenna weight, wind, and ice load ratings of the antenna(s) being installed.

- Antennas located on a sloping leg shall be installed with a tapered pipe mount to allow for vertical mounting.

- All hardware shall be tightened to manufacturers torque specifications.

- All antennas, brackets, and mounting hardware shall be mounted in a manner that ice or wind loading will not twist the mounting system.

- If ice shields are required, then manufacturer specifications for installation are to be adhered to.

Coaxial Cable support and grounding:

- All exterior coaxial cable shall be 100% shielded construction such as Andrew Heliax or approved equivalent.

- RF connectors will be DIN type unless specified otherwise by ODOT Wireless.

- All coaxes will be supported by rubber cushions using proper hardware (i.e. Valmont cushions with stainless steel hose clamps and hardware).

- Round (i.e., stainless steel hose clamps), angle clamps, or other required adapters will be used where cables cannot be routed on the cable ladder.

- Maximum distance between hangers shall be 4 feet. Shorter spacing may be required for smaller coax to prevent drooping or sagging.

- All vertical runs of coax on the tower will be on cable ladder, unless specified by Wireless

Section.

- The portion of coax runs not on a cable ladder shall be located on the underside of tower members, or in a manner to provide maximum protection from icefall, falling items, being stepped on, abrasions, and other hazards.

- All coaxes shall be hoisted with the use of a cable hoist grip or similar method. In no event shall a coax be hoisted by a connector.

- Radius bends exceeding manufactures specifications, kinks, dents, and compromised coax jacketing are not acceptable.

- Cushions that support multiple runs of coax are recommended for all installs.

- Coax shall be grounded near the antenna, where the line sweeps to the horizontal at the base of the tower, and at the building entry port.

- If the vertical run of coax is longer than seventy feet, additional ground kits shall be installed at regular intervals. Maximum distance between grounds is 70 feet.

- The coax ground kit at the antenna and any mid-point of the coax run shall be connected to the tower by a stainless steel or galvanized angle adapter.

- The coax ground kit at the tower base will be connected to a copper bus bar if equipped or by a stainless steel or galvanized angle adapter.

- The ground kits at the building entry port will be connected to the copper entry port ground bus.

- All ground bus wiring shall be routed towards the ground (downwards) with no sharp corners, bends, or loops.

- All coax between the tower and the building will be routed under and protected by an ice bridge.

- Any site where the tower is bolted to or directly adjacent to the building without an ice bridge will have a “Drip Loop” to allow moisture to drain before the entry port.

- Any threaded rod, bolts, or strut material (uni-strut) used shall be galvanized or stainless steel.

All associated hardware will be stainless steel, nylon, aluminum, or hot-dip galvanized steel.

- All transmission line and antenna grounding shall be in compliance with the Harris Site Grounding and Lightning Protection Guidelines.

- All ground kits on the building entry port will use 3/8” two-hole lugs with no-ox compound between the lug and copper bus bar. Polyolefin heat-shrink tubing will be installed over the crimp area and extend one inch past exposed wire onto the insulation.

- All ground kits on the tower will have single-hole 3/8 lug with polyolefin heat-shrink tubing over the crimp area extending one inch over the insulated wire.

- All lugs used on ground kits will be tin-plated copper.

- Ground kits shall be Andrew CSG78-12B2U or CSG12-12B2U, or approved equivalent.

- Any vertical wraps of electrical tape should be applied so the final outer layer covers the entire area, starting from the bottom and ending at the top.

- Cable ties, or Ty-Raps, are only approved for securing jumper cables from antennas to the main coax. All cable ties shall be UV rated, and have a minimum breaking strength of 150 lbs.

Microwave Antenna Systems:

Antenna and Equipment Mounting:

- Microwave dishes shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

- Hurricane brace/stiff arm mounted in a horizontal plane will be installed on all dish antennas.

Large antennas may require additional bracing.

- All microwave antenna bracing shall be connected to a horizontal girt or opposing tower leg. If a horizontal girt is not available, a girt shall be added. Diagonal tower members shall not be used for microwave antenna bracing.

- Re-use of old mounting hardware is not allowed.

- All mounts, brackets, hardware, and braces shall be hot galvanized, stainless steel, or other approved rust resistant materials.

- All antenna feedhorns shall be mounted in the specified polarity, ensuring the feedhorn is level.

- Antennas located on a tapered leg shall be installed with a tapered pipe mount to create a plumb antenna mounting pipe.

- All hardware shall be tightened to manufacturers torque specifications.

- All antennas, brackets, and mounting hardware shall be mounted in a manner that ice or wind loading will not twist the mounting system.

- Microwave antenna ice shields, when specified, shall be assembled, and installed, to ice shield manufacturer’s specifications.

- Ice shield cabling shall be installed in a manner that prevents ice shield rotation and/or excessive rotational stress on the mount or tower leg.

- Upper ice shield cables shall be attached to appropriate leg anchors and/or horizontal girts to provide a minimum 45-degree cable angle for support.

Waveguide support and grounding:

- All Waveguide shall be jacketed.

- Waveguide shall be supported using Valmont Structures P\N: SREW63-K, UPC: 888063450525 waveguide cushions (6GHz) or specific Valmont waveguide cushions for other frequency waveguides (11 GHz, 18 GHz, etc.). No clips or snap-ins allowed.

- Round (i.e., stainless steel hose clamps), angle clamps, or other required adapters shall be used where waveguides cannot be routed on the cable ladder.

- Maximum distance between hangers shall be 4 feet for waveguide.

- All vertical runs of Waveguide on the tower shall be on cable ladder, unless specified by Wireless

Section.

- The portion of waveguide runs not on a cable ladder shall be located on the underside of tower members, or in a manner to provide maximum protection from icefall, falling items, being stepped on, abrasions, and other hazards.

- The portion of waveguide extending from the tower leg to the antenna feedhorn shall be protected from icefall damage by installing shielding above waveguide.

- All Waveguide shall be hoisted with the use of a cable hoist grip or similar method. In no event shall a waveguide be hoisted by a connector.

- Radius bends exceeding manufactures specifications, kinks, dents, and compromised Waveguide jacketing are not acceptable.

- Cushions that support multiple runs of Waveguide are recommended for all installs.

- Waveguide shall be grounded near the antenna, where the line sweeps to horizontal at the base of the tower, and at the building entry port.

- If the vertical run of coax is longer than seventy feet, additional ground kits shall be installed at regular intervals. Maximum distance between grounds is 70 feet.

- The waveguide ground kit at the antenna and any mid-point of the waveguide run shall be connected to the tower by a stainless steel or galvanized angle adapter.

- The waveguide ground kit at the tower base will be connected to a copper bus bar if equipped or by a stainless steel or galvanized angle adapter.

- The ground kits at the building entry port will be connected to the copper entry port ground bus.

- All ground bus wiring shall be routed towards the ground (downwards) with no sharp corners, bends, or loops. Any threaded rod, bolts, or strut material (uni-strut) used shall be galvanized or stainless steel. All associated hardware will be stainless steel, nylon, aluminum, or hot-dip galvanized steel.

- All ground kits on the building entry port will use 3/8” two-hole lugs with no-ox compound between the lug and copper bus bar. Polyolefin heat-shrink tubing will be installed over the crimp area and extend one inch past exposed wire onto the insulation.

- All ground kits on the tower will have single-hole 3/8 lug with polyolefin heat-shrink tubing over the crimp area extending one inch over the insulated wire.

- All lugs used on ground kits will be tin-plated copper.

- All waveguide between the tower and the building shall be routed under and protected by an ice bridge.

Other Tower mounted equipment:

Equipment Mounting:

- Equipment shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

- Re-use of old mounting brackets is not allowed.

- All mounts, brackets, hardware, and braces shall be hot galvanized, stainless steel, or other approved rust resistant materials.

Miscellaneous Cabling support and grounding:

- All exterior cabling (Ethernet, POE, Power, fiber, etc.) shall be rated for exposed outdoor environmental conditions. For special installations, the Wireless Section will provide additional specifications.

- Shielded cable is recommended where practical.

- All cable will be supported by rubber cushions using proper hardware.

- Maximum distance between hangers shall be 4 feet. Shorter spacing may be required for smaller coax to prevent drooping or sagging.

- All vertical runs of cable on the tower shall be on cable ladder, unless specified by Wireless

Section.

- The portion of coax runs not on a cable ladder shall be located on the underside of tower members, or in a manner to provide maximum protection from icefall, falling items, being stepped on, abrasions, and other hazards.

- All cable shall be hoisted with the use of a cable hoist grip or manufacturer approved method.

In no event shall a cable be hoisted by a connector.

- Radius bends exceeding manufactures specifications, kinks, dents, and compromised cable jacketing are not acceptable.

- Shielded cabling will be grounded near the device connection, where the cable sweeps to the horizontal at the base of the tower, and at the building entry port.

- AC cabling over 75 volts shall be run in metal conduit and supported by proper mounts.

- Electrical tape, ty-raps, and hose clamps are NOT allowed for securing cable to towers.