Cross Country Wireless, 7 Thirlmere Grove, BOLTON, BL4 0QB, UK

Email chrism@crosscountrywireless.net
Web page http://www.crosscountrywireless.net
Telephone +44 (0) !04 40"!"
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HF Active Antenna
Operating Manual
version 1.0
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Contents
+ntro,uction
! Theory o- operation
) .ac/age contents
4 0ssembly
( 1E2s
" Ethernet cable
' %uggestions -or installation
8 Installation a case study

1 Introduction
Than/ you -or buying a 3ross 3ountry Wireless 45 0cti6e 0ntenna.
+t was originally ,esigne, -or use as a sensiti6e re-erence antenna -or use with
the %entinel %27 45 noise measurement recei6er.
+t is a wi,eban, acti6e antenna with e8cellent per-ormance ,esigne, an, built
with high 9uality materials to last -or years.
2 Theory of operation
The 0cti6e 0ntenna uses a short balance, ,ipole to sense the electric
component o- the electromagnetic -iel,. The pattern an, polarity o- the antenna
are similar to a hal- wa6e ,ipole with a sharp null in line with each antenna
element.
:nli/e a hal- wa6e ,ipole that has a low -ee, impe,ance at a speci-ic resonant
-re9uency the short elements use, in the 0cti6e 0ntenna ha6e a 6ery high
impe,ance with a capacitance o- '.( p5 o6er a wi,e ban,wi,th.
+n the hea, unit a balance, ;5ET ampli-ier is use, to match the high impe,ance
o- the antenna elements with ,io,e limiters an, high 6oltage ceramic capacitors
pro6i,ing protection -rom local high 75 -iel,s an, static electricity -rom -alling rain
an, snow.
0n E<.4E#T ,e6ice is then use, as a ,ri6er ampli-ier to -ee, an isolation
trans-ormer matche, to the 00 ohm balance, loa, o- the ethernet cable
connecting the hea, an, base units.
0t the base unit another isolation trans-ormer is use, to match the 00 ohm
balance, loa, o- the ethernet cable.
0ny 75 signal or noise in,uce, in the ethernet cable as a common mo,e signal
is re=ecte, by both trans-ormers.
The 75 signal is then -e, through an >wen splitter. This re,uces the signal by
0 ,? an, splits the signal to two separate ?@3 soc/ets. 2io,e limiters pro6i,e
protection -rom e8cess 75 6oltages to recei6ers connecte, to the ?@3
connectors. +solation between the two ?@3 soc/ets is !0 ,?.
23 power is -e, -rom the base unit to the hea, unit 6ia a current sensing circuit
in,icating the remote connection o- the hea, unit with the illumination o- a re,
1E2. ?alance, -ilter networ/s at each en, isolate common mo,e 75 signals an,
noise -rom the hea, unit ampli-ier.

The ampli-ier gain an, splitter loss as been e9ualise, so that with the stan,ar,
!0m ethernet cable supplie, with the antenna the o6erall gain with '.( p5
capacitance antenna elements is -lat +/< ,? between ) an, )0 #4A.
The -re9uency response at the lower en, is limite, to (0 /4A by the trans-ormers
an, coupling capacitors.
The ampli-ier is -lat within <",? up to (0 #4A but the elements change their
electrical characteristics at higher -re9uencies so the wor/ing upper limit is
aroun, 0* #4A.
3 Package contents
! Whip elements
! Whip tips
0llen /ey
0cti6e 0ntenna hea, unit
0cti6e 0ntenna base unit
!.(mm 23 power connector
!0m Ethernet cable with two nitrile rubber slee6es

4 Assembly
'ea$ unit
+nstall the whip elements in the antenna mounts using the allen /ey. #a/e sure
that the elements are securely -astene, especially i- the antenna is going to be
mounte, so that the elements are 6ertical.
The hea, unit can be mounte, using the two #" stainless steel threa,e, ro,s.
The spacing between the ro,s is 4( mm.
2o not loosen the two nuts -astening the ro,s to the polycarbonate bo8 as
,amage may occur to the internal .3? i- these are remo6e,.
7emo6e the bo8 li, with a .hillips or -lat bla,e, screw,ri6er.
1oosen the cable glan, to allow the 7;<4( connector to go through the glan,.
3are-ully connect the 7;<4( connector to the soc/et.
%li,e the nitrile rubber slee6e into the cable glan, an, tighten the glan, so that
the slee6e is securely grippe, by the cable glan,. There is no nee, to o6er<
tighten the glan, to ma/e a secure watertight seal.
Base unit
7emo6e the bo8 li, with a .hillips or -lat bla,e, screw,ri6er.
1oosen the cable glan, to allow the 7;<4( connector to go through the glan,.
3are-ully connect the 7;<4( connector to the soc/et.
%li,e the nitrile rubber slee6e into the cable glan, an, tighten the glan, so that
the slee6e is securely grippe, by the cable glan,. There is no nee, to o6er<
tighten the glan, to ma/e a secure watertight seal.
3onnect a ! to ( B supply to the !.(mm 23 power connector. The centre pin
is positi6e polarity.
The green 1E2 shoul, illuminate when power is applie,. +- the hea, unit is
connecte, to the -ar en, o- the cable the re, 1E2 will also illuminate.

5 LEDs
The base unit has two 1E2s. The green 1E2 is -or 23 power in,ication.
The re, 1E2 con-irms that 23 current is -lowing to the hea, unit.
The hea, unit has a single green 1E2 to con-irm 23 power ,uring
installation.

6 Ethernet cable
The ethernet cable supplie, with the 0cti6e 0ntenna has a small mo,i-ication to
the 7;<4( connectors to allow them to -it through the cable glan,.
This also acts as a sa-ety interloc/ -eature to stop normal 7;<4( cables carrying
,ata to be connecte, to the hea, or base units.
The base unit has 23 power connecte, to two o- the pairs in the cable an, this
may cause serious ,amage to computers or ,ata terminal e9uipment i-
connecte, to them.
The ,i--erence between a stan,ar, 7;<4( connector an, the mo,i-ie, connector
is shown below. +- you want to ma/e your own cables then a stan,ar, 7;<4(
connector can be mo,i-ie, by -iling the corners o-- the connector shell as shown.
The nitrile rubber slee6e use, to seal the cable in the cable glan, is :
%mooth nitrile -uel tubing hose Type 0 2+@ '))'& (.4mm +2 &.4mm >2
The cable wiring is straight through to the T<("*? colour co,e below.
5ollowing tests with ,i--erent types o- cable we ,onCt
recommen, the use o- shiel,e, cable as the e8tra
capacitance cause, e8tra losses at higher -re9uencies.

7 Suggestions for installation
The 0cti6e 0ntenna uses a balance, short ,ipole as a sensor -or the electric
portion o- the electromagnetic -iel,.
Deep any nearby metal wor/ as -ar away as possible.
+- the antenna is mounte, o-- a tower /eep the ,istance -rom the tower to the
antenna elements the same to ensure symmetry.
#ount the antenna as -ar away as possible -rom 75 noise sources i.e. switch
mo,e power suppliesE computersE phone chargersE electric -ences.
The mounting height isnCt too critical. +- you ha6e a choice o- locations go -or the
9uietest location -or 75 noise rather than the strongest signal.
+- mounting in a tree ,onCt let any lea6es or branches touch the antenna
elements. When they get wet they will unbalance the short ,ipole an, may
re,uce the antenna per-ormance.
4oriAontal mounting is i,eal -or the ban,s below 0 #4A as many signals come
in at high angles.
+- mounte, horiAontally the antenna can be aligne, to null out local inter-erence
sources.
Bertical mounting is better -or ban,s abo6e 0 #4A as low angle signals come in
-rom long ,istance stations.
2ue to the small siAe o- the antenna loo/ at possible locations as -ar away -rom
local 75 noise sources as possible.

8 Installation - a case study
The author o- this ,ocument li6es in the :D in the mi,,le o- a suburban housing
estate. 4is ne8t ,oor neighbour has a plasma TB set that can cause a large
increase in bac/groun, noise le6els in a 45 ,ipole an, 45 6ertical antenna
currently use,. The author also has a range o- computer e9uipmentE phone
chargers an, other e9uipment generating small amounts o- 75 noise in his
house.
Their are se6eral possible mounting points -or the antenna:
) the chimney
!) the gable en, at the opposite en, o- the house -rom the chimney
)) the lo-t space
4) a tree in the gar,en 0m -rom the house
The chimney woul, appear at -irst sight to be the i,eal spot. 4owe6er when the
0cti6e 0ntenna was mounte, there incoming signals were e8tremely strong but
there were also high le6els o- noise -rom the plasma TB as the neighbourCs TB
antenna was also on the same chimney an, the inter-erence was ra,iating -rom
the co<a8ial cable running -rom the TB antenna to the TB set.
The gable en, was -urther away -rom the TB antennas so the plasma TB noise
was re,uce, especially i- the antenna was mounte, horiAontally an, the antenna
null pointe, at the TB antenna but there was still some noise -rom other
electronic e9uipment insi,e the house.
The lo-t space was worse as the mains electrical wiring carrying the 75 noise
was -airly close to the antenna. The signal le6els were re,uce, by the roo-
especially when wet so it wasnCt i,eal but coul, be use, i- there was no
alternati6e.

The antenna was then mounte, about (m up in a tree 0m away -rom the
house. 0lthough lower in height than the other positions incoming signals were
still strong. The 75 noise -rom other e9uipment in the house ha, almost
,isappeare, an, best o- all the noise -rom the neighbourCs plasma TB coul, be
nulle, out so that it was barely noticeable.
+n comparison to the -ull siAe hal- wa6e ,ipole an, the 45 6ertical many more
wea/er stations coul, be hear, as the recei6er wasnCt limite, by the bac/groun,
inter-erence -rom local 75 noise sources any more.