Carlson Wireless Technologies TB59 User Manual

Installation & User’s Manual

Trailblazer Digital Radio 2011

TB 5.9

Part Number 490-2000

Rev 1.03

Copyright 2011

ii

Trademark Information

Trailblazer, the Trailblazer logo, RuralConnect, and the RuralConnect logo are registered trademarks of
Carlson Wireless Technologies Inc. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Copyright

Copyright © 2002-2011 Carlson Wireless, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this manual may be
reproduced without permission from Carlson Wireless Technologies. The information contained in this
publication is the latest available; however, Carlson Wireless Technologies reserves the right to make
changes without notice.

US Headquarters:

1385 8th Street
Arcata, CA 95521 USA

Presales Inquires and Applications Support

Please contact your local distributor or the Carlson Wireless sales department. Purchasers of Carlson
Wireless Technologies products should make their own evaluations to determine the suitability of each
such product for their specific application. Carlson Wireless Technologies obligations regarding the use or
application of its products shall be limited to those commitments to the purchaser set forth in its Standard
Terms and Conditions of Sale for a delivered product. The use of this manual is also limited to the terms
and conditions stated in the contract between CWT and the purchaser.

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
URL: http://www.carlsonwireless.com

Repair and Return

Carlson Wireless will replace or repair this product within one year from the date of shipment if it does not
meet its published specification, or if it fails while in service. A return material authorization (RMA) is
required prior to returning equipment to CWT.

Customer Service

Technical support is available Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, PDT.
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
URL: http://www.carlsonwireless.com/support.html

Training

The Customer Service department offers training classes including overviews on: applications,
engineering, in-house testing, configuration, field testing and maintenance. Please contact our Customer
Service department for more specific details.

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SAFETY WARNING

Potentially hazardous voltages exist on TELCO lines and associated equipment. Always observe
standard safety precautions during installation, operation, and maintenance of these products. To avoid
the possibility of electric shock, be sure to disconnect the power from the remote power source before
you perform any line connections or repairs. Always disconnect all the cables connected to the system
before disconnecting the grounding connection. After disconnecting the power allow a few seconds for
the internal capacitances to discharge before accessing the boards.

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WARNING

The installation procedures described in this manual must be performed by qualified personnel aware of
the hazards involved. The personnel involved in equipment installation must be trained in the installation
of telephone equipment and associated power systems; these personnel must strictly observe all the
safety precautions related to the installation of communication equipment.
Never install, remove, or adjust equipment and associated cables. Do not work on roofs, masts, or
towers during a lightning storm.

ATTENTION! STATIC SENSITIVE DEVICES

PROPER HANDLING AND GROUNDING WARNING

Components within the Trailblazer system are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). To avoid and
prevent ESD damage and device failure maintain proper grounding during configuration, repair or
maintenance. This is achieved through the use of an antistatic wrist strap securely connected to chassis
ground. Do not use conductive tools for adjusting channel select switch.

UL INSTALLATION SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

 Never install telephone wiring during a lightning storm.
 Never install telephone jacks in a wet location unless the jack is specifically designed for wet

locations.

 Never touch telephone wires or terminals unless the telephone line has been disconnected at the

network interface.

 Use caution when installing or modifying telephone lines.

Connection to the Telephone Network

The equipment complies with Part 68 of the FCC rules. You will find the label located on the device. This
label contains the FCC Registration Number and the Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) for this
equipment. You must, upon request, provide this information to your telephone company. The REN is
used to determine the quantity of devices that may be connected to the telephone line and still have all of
those devices ring with an incoming call signal. In most areas the sum of the RENs of all devices
connected to one line should not exceed five (5.0). Confirm the number of devices possible on the
telephone line (in REN) by contacting the local telephone company who provides the service.

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FCC Reg No., Part 68

BMD8 USA – 27773-PT-E

FCC Reg No., Part 15

FCCID: OPA-TB59

Industry Canada CS-03

3448A-10241A

Industry Canada RSS-210

3448A-TB59

Incidence of Harm

If your telephone equipment causes harm to the telephone network, the telephone company may
disconnect your service temporarily. When possible, the telephone company will notify you in advance. If
advanced notice is not practical, you will be notified as soon as possible. You will also be informed of your
right to file a compliant with the FCC.

Rights of the Telephone Company

Your telephone company may make changes in its facilities, equipment, operations or procedures that
could affect the proper functioning of your equipment. In this case, you will be notified in advance to give
you an opportunity to maintain uninterrupted telephone service.

Coin Service or Party Use Line

This equipment may not be used on the coin service provided by the telephone company. Connection to
party lines is subject to state tariffs.

Compliance and US Regulatory Information

Model TB 5.9

Compliance Classification

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment
in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to
correct the interference at his own expense.

Radio Interference: Carlson Wireless USA Model TB59

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation. Changes of modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for

compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

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Declaration of Conformity

Manufacturer’s Name: Carlson Wireless Technologies Inc.
Manufacturer’s Address: 1385 8th Street

Arcata, CA 95521
USA

Declares that the product:
Product Name: Trailblazer TB59

Conforms to the following standard(s) or other normative document(s):
EMC:

FCC Part 90

Supplementary Information:

Published Specifications

Chris Spoerle
Director of Quality Management
1385 8th Street
Arcata, CA
Jan 2011

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Table of Contents

_____________________________________________________________________________

1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Scope of Manual ..................................................................................... 1

1.2 Functional Overview and Applications .................................................... 1

1.2.1 Main Features and Advantages ....................................................... 1

1.2.2 General Specifications ..................................................................... 3

2 Pretest and System Planning ..................................................................... 3

2.1 Site Requirements and System Planning ............................................... 4

2.1.1 Grounding ........................................................................................ 4

2.1.2 Lightning Protection ......................................................................... 4

2.1.3 Line of Sight: Is it enough? .............................................................. 4

2.1.4 Fresnel Zone: What it is in plain English! ......................................... 5

2.1.5 Path Loss ........................................................................................ 6

2.1.6 RF Cable Sizing and Recommendations ......................................... 6

2.1.7 Data Cable Recommendations ........................................................ 7

2.1.8 General Tools .................................................................................. 7

2.2 Unpacking ............................................................................................... 8

2.3 Bench Testing Instructions ..................................................................... 9

2.3.1 Setting up Your Trailblazer on the Bench ........................................ 9

2.3.2 Powering the Trailblazer .................................................................. 9

2.3.3 Connecting the POTS Lines .......................................................... 11

2.3.4 Connecting the Leased Lines ........................................................ 12

3 Operation .................................................................................................... 15

3.1 Configuring and Accessing the Trailblazer Unit .................................... 15

3.1.1 Connecting the Serial Cable .......................................................... 15

3.1.2 Installing the CWT GUI on Your PC .............................................. 15

3.1.3 Using the GUI ................................................................................ 15

3.1.4 Software Downloads Using the GUI .............................................. 16

3.2 Accessing the Trailblazer using HyperTerminal™ ................................ 18

3.2.1 Windows™ HyperTerminal™ Software ......................................... 18

3.3 Setting the Radio Frequency and Scrambling Code ............................. 18

3.3.1 Selecting the CPE Time Slot ......................................................... 19

3.4 Allocating Bandwidth to Voice and/or Data ........................................... 19

4 Field Installation Options .......................................................................... 23

4.1 Mounting the Enclosure ........................................................................ 23

4.2 External Antennas ................................................................................ 24

4.2.1 Marketing and Sales Channels ...................................................... 25

4.2.2 Calculating the EIRP of an External Antenna ................................ 25

4.2.3 RF Safety Hazard Warning ............................................................ 26

4.3 16dBi 5.8 - 5.9 GHz Sector Base-Station Antenna ............................... 27

4.3.1 Product Overview .......................................................................... 27

4.3.2 Unpacking ..................................................................................... 27

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4.3.3 Mounting ........................................................................................ 27

4.4 Weatherproofing RF Connections ........................................................ 30

4.5 Antenna Alignment ............................................................................... 30

4.6 Interference Solutions ........................................................................... 30

4.7 Lightning Protection .............................................................................. 31

4.7.1 Antenna Port Protection ................................................................ 31

4.7.2 Telephone Line Port/ Subscriber Premises Protection .................. 34

5 Test & Maintenance ................................................................................... 36

5.1 Diagnostics ........................................................................................... 36

5.1.1 LED Function ................................................................................. 36

5.2 Maintenance ......................................................................................... 37

5.2.1 Installation of Software/Firmware Upgrades .................................. 37

6 Appendix .................................................................................................... 38

6.1 About Carlson Wireless ........................................................................ 38

6.1.1 Mission .......................................................................................... 38

6.1.2 History ........................................................................................... 38

6.1.3 Summary ....................................................................................... 38

6.2 System Specifications........................................................................... 39

6.2.1 Block Diagram ............................................................................... 40

6.3 Cable Pin outs ...................................................................................... 41

6.3.1 Configuration Port Pinout .............................................................. 41

6.4 Advanced Programming and Diagnostics ............................................. 43

6.4.1 Configuring the Serial Port Parameters ......................................... 43

6.4.2 Setting the V35 enable and port location ....................................... 44

6.4.3 Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) .................................... 44

6.4.4 Air Link Quality .............................................................................. 45

6.4.5 Installation of Software/Firmware Upgrades .................................. 45

6.5 Antenna Patterns and Specifications .................................................... 47

6.5.1 16dBi Directional Panel Plots and Specs ...................................... 47

6.6 Warranty ............................................................................................... 48

6.7 Acronyms/Abbreviations ....................................................................... 49

6.8 Glossary ............................................................................................... 50

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List of Figures

_____________________________________________________________________________

Figure 1: Line of Sight is clear, the first Fresnel Zone is NOT clear. ..................... 5

Figure 2: Base Unit Power Connections ............................................................. 10

Figure 3: Connecting the Serial Cable ................................................................ 15

Figure 4: Rotary Switch and Reset Button .......................................................... 18

Figure 5: CPE Time Slot Selection Switch .......................................................... 19

Figure 6: Wall mounting the Trailblazer enclosure .............................................. 23

Figure 7: Pole mounting the Trailblazer enclosure .............................................. 24

Figure 8: Surge Protection, RF ........................................................................... 32

Figure 9: Antenna Port Lightning Protector, VSWR and Insertion Loss .............. 33

Figure 10: Primary Telephone Line Transient Protection .................................... 34

Figure 11: Trailblazer Radio Card LEDs ............................................................. 36

Figure 12: Block Diagram of Radio Card ............................................................ 40

Figure 13: Serial Data Cable Pinout (PCB View) ................................................ 41

Figure 14: Serial Data Cable Schematic ............................................................. 42

List of Tables

_____________________________________________________________________________

Table 1: Fresnel Zone Chart ................................................................................. 5

Table 2: Fade Margin Chart .................................................................................. 6

Table 3: Coax Cable Loss Table ........................................................................... 7

Table 4: Feed Cable Sizing and Distance for the Traiblazer ............................... 11

Table 10: Commands and switches for bandwidth.............................................. 20

Table 11: Example configuration scripts ............................................................. 22

Table 12: RF Lightning Protection ....................................................................... 32

Table 13: Subscriber side protection ................................................................... 35

Table 14: System Status LED Information Table ................................................ 36

Table 15: Configuration Port Cable Construction Table ...................................... 41

Table 16: Serial Data Cable Pinout ..................................................................... 42

Table 17: 16dBi Directional Panel Specifications ................................................ 47

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1 Introduction

1.1 Scope of Manual

The purpose of this manual is to provide planning and installation personnel with the
appropriate procedures to plan and install the 2011 Trailblazer Digital Microwave Radio
and accessory equipments. In order to avoid harm to persons or damage to the product,
please ensure that you have read and understand the safety, unpacking, and
installation sections before proceeding.

1.2 Functional Overview and Applications

Using state-of-the-art digital electronics, the Trailblazer provides 512kbps of high­quality, reliable, wireless voice and/or high-speed data connection over distances of up
to 32mi/ 50 km or more in repeated applications. This radio integrates seamlessly with
POTS voice cards and Leased Line cards, V.35 protocol or standard 10baseT Ethernet
devices. CWT provides competitive price and performance solutions for many of the
world’s telecommunication needs in both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint
applications. Applications include:

 Security Monitoring Cameras
 Public Safety Data Links
 Internet Cafés and Telephone Calling Centers
 Point-to-Point Commercial Data Links
 Cellular Backhaul Data Needs
 Permanent or Temporary Telephone Service
 Temporary or Emergency Restoration of Service
 Public Calling Phones
 Retrofit for Exhausted Wire line Systems
 Islands and other Isolated Areas
 Inaccessible, Environmentally Sensitive and Historic Areas
 Harsh Climates and Geologically Adverse Environments

1.2.1 Main Features and Advantages

Advantages Over Wire Line

The Trailblazer’s wireless link eliminates the expense of right-of-way and wire line costs,
provides solutions for areas where adverse geology, climate or inaccessibility exclude
the installation of wire lines, and preserves the beauty and integrity of sensitive
environments and historic structures.

Wire Line Quality Voice and Data
You can configure your Trailblazer for data speeds up to 512 kbps or designate part of
your bandwidth to POTS lines, as the Trailblazer seamlessly integrates our 64kbps full

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bandwidth PCM POTS or Leased Line cards for high quality, uncompressed audio with
an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.

Easy Installation

The units mount on a 1.5"- 3" pipe or pole or to any vertical surface, use an external
antenna, and have their own power supply (optional) or operate on 12-24 VDC, easily
powered by solar.

Low Power Draw: Ideal for Solar Applications

The low power consumption of 2 Watts makes the units very energy efficient. They
accept any DC voltage from 12V to 24V and are thus easily powered by solar. CWT
solar powering kits are available with up to 7 days of back-up power.

Flexible & Programmable

All Trailblazer models are bench or field programmable. Using the GUI (Graphical User
Interface) application with a Windows PC and serial COM port, you can configure the
amount of bandwidth, allocate voice and data channels, select different frequencies and
CDMA codes, use antenna alignment aids and other diagnostic tools, as well as
upgrade software and firmware. The Trailblazer models support all CLASS features,
fax, and V.90 dial-up modems.

Rugged & Weatherproof

All components, including the digital radio cards, multiplexer, power supplies & CPU,
are fully integrated into the 8lb/ 3kg waterproof enclosure. The units are housed in a
NEMA 4X waterproof enclosure, built to last in tough climates. The lockable
polycarbonate enclosure with a neoprene gasket will protect against wind, rain, and ice
ensuring years of service.

License Required for the 5.9 MHz

The Trailblazer TB 5.9 uses the, in most countries, the license 5.9 GHz frequency
bands, while fully encrypted spread-spectrum CDMA modulations, proprietary framing
structure and packet size assure complete privacy and security.

Standard ISO 2593 V.35 DTE port

Because the Trailblazer models feature a standard ISO 2593 V.35 DTE port, most other
V.35 devices plug right into the Trailblazer Phone Extender.

Repeater Mode

This product can be used as a digital repeater by simply connecting two units via the
V.35 data port and optional repeater cable.

Expandable

Starting with only one link, you can add CPE units, gaining the features of a point-to­multipoint topology for your current and future growing needs without loosing any of
your original investment.

10BaseT On-Board Ethernet Port

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On-board Ethernet satisfies simultaneous LAN / IP data and PCM voice needs with an
Industry Standard RJ45 10BaseT connection. Some of its advanced features include

802.3 Ethernet supported by Transparent LAN bridging and Automatic LAN MAC
address filtering at the MAC level, making it transparent to higher level protocols such
as TCP/IP, DECnet, NETBIOS, and IPX network protocols. Broadcast, multicast, or
frames set up for peered LAN are forwarded while reserving maximum RF bandwidth.

1.2.2 General Specifications

Note: More technical details are found in the Appendix of this manual

Product Description Digital Microwave Radio with POTS, Leased
Lines and 10BaseT / V.35 port

Data Interfaces

Primary Serial Data Port (1) RJ45 port providing 10BaseT
Data Rate and Type 256/512 kbps, synchronous
Serial Command Port RS 232, 57.6 kbps, N, 8, 1, No flow, Echo on
Latency < 4.4ms depending on speed selected

Power Requirements

Input Voltage 12 to 24 VDC or 100-260 VAC with AC power supply

(optional)
Power Consumption 2 Watts (not including add-on cards)
Battery Backup (optional) Up to 8 hours with a 2.2mAh SLA battery.

RF Specifications

RF Frequency Range 5.865 to 5.885Ghz, 5.895 to 5915Ghz
Modulation Type BPSK (256) or QPSK (512kbs) DSSS
Transmitter Output Power +20dBm max, auto set for CDMA operation
Receiver Sensitivity (10

Operating Temp -30 to +60 Degrees C with solar shielding,

Physical Characteristics

Enclosure Dimensions 13 x 11 x 6 in / 33 x 28 x 15 cm
Unit Weight 8 lbs / 3.7kg
Enclosure Specifications NEMA 4X, rain, wind and ice protected GE

Mounting 1”-2.25” or 2.5cm-5.7cm pipe/pole

-6

BER) -93dBm @ 256 kbps, -90dBm @ 512 kbps

0-90% Non-Condensing

Valox99® polycarbonate w/ neoprene gasket

2 Pretest and System Planning

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2.1 Site Requirements and System Planning

2.1.1 Grounding

A ground is a low impedance electrical connection to earth that is used to dissipate
energy. Grounding your Trailblazer is very important for safety reasons as well as to
protect your system from damage due to lightning and static charge build up. Since
lightning strikes and surges follow the path of least resistance, all ground wires must be
as short and straight as possible and not be coiled or looped. Choose the largest
diameter ground wire your ground connectors will accept for good electrical
conductivity.

Recommended grounds are: the utility company ground, a ground rod, well casings,
and cold water pipes that are of continuous metal. A note of caution: sometimes the
metal-cold water pipes are repaired and/or extended with PVC piping hidden behind
drywall. The introduction of PVC material disrupts the material’s conductivity and thus
renders it unacceptable as a ground.

Unacceptable grounds are: sprinkler pipes, PVC pipes, conduit, buried wire, and any
ground that cannot be verified.

2.1.2 Lightning Protection

Lightning protection with a poor ground is the same as having no protection at

all!

Lightning is one of the most dangerous and unfortunately most frequently encountered
natural hazards to your Trailblazer. Ensure that your system is adequately protected. A
good connection to ground is indispensable for your lightning protection to work
correctly and thus preventing lighting and surge damage to your Trailblazer. The
Trailblazer system is equipped with on-board secondary active lightning protection
only. The lightning protection is only effective when the system is powered up. If you
power down your Trailblazer, disconnect the antennas and phone lines to prevent
damage from lightning strikes. Install primary lightning protection with a good ground
on all RF, data/voice line connections that have even a moderate outdoor line build out.
A good rule of thumb is that all lines entering or exiting a building need protection. Both
ends of the cables between buildings must be protected! See section 5.2 for detailed
specifications and usage information on primary lightning protection available from
Carlson Wireless.

2.1.3 Line of Sight: Is it enough?

Visual line of sight (LOS) is the straight, unobstructed line between the Base unit’s
antenna and the CPE’s antenna. In other words, when you stand next to one antenna,
you can see the other one. Because RF waves spread out three dimensionally rather
than in a straight line, LOS is important in microwave transmission but not adequate.
As the waves travel out from the transmitting antenna, the signal density decreases and
more three dimensional space around the visual LOS is necessary to be able to receive

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a reasonable signal at the receiving antenna. This three dimensional space is called

Fresnel Zone

Line of Sight

Zone

Frequency

(MHz)

Wavelength

(feet)

Distance to

start

(miles) (km)

Distance to

end

(miles) (km)

Fresnel Radius

(feet) (m)

60% of Zone

(feet) (m)

1

2400

0.41

2.0

3.2

2.0

3.2

46.53

14.18

27.92

8.51

2

2400

0.41

2.0

3.2

2.0

3.2

65.80

20.06

39.48

12.03 1 2400

0.41

1.5

2.4

4.5

7.2

49.35

15.04

29.61

9.03

1

2400

0.41

3.0

4.8

3.0

4.8

56.98

17.37

34.19

10.42

1

2400

0.41

4.0

6.4

10.0

16.0

78.65

23.97

47.19

14.38 1 2400

0.41

6.0

9.6

6.0

9.6

80.59

24.56

48.35

14.74

1

2400

0.41

12.0

19.2

12.0

19.2

113.97

34.74

68.38

20.84

the RF LOS or Fresnel zone for the French physicist who first discovered its
importance.

2.1.4 Fresnel Zone: What it is in plain English!

The Fresnel zone is the tree dimensional cone around the line-of-sight that radio waves
spread out into after they leave the antenna. The cross section of the first Fresnel zone
is circular; subsequent zones’ cross sections are annular. The signal strength is
strongest in zone 1 and decreases in each successive zone.

Not only trees, buildings and mountains can occupy a Fresnel Zone, the curvature of
the earth, even for some short paths, also has to be taken into consideration. A rule of
thumb is that 60% of the first Fresnel zone must be free of any obstructions for

tolerable attenuation of the signal.

In addition to absorbing the RF signal, objects in the RF path can also reflect it, making
the signal out of phase with the original signal, and effectively causing signal
cancellation. In zone 1 the signal will be 0 to 90o out of phase in zone 2, 90 to 270o in
zone 3, 270 to 450o and so on. Even numbered zones have the maximum phase
canceling effect and in odd numbered zones the reflected waves will add to the signal.

Figure 1: Line of Sight is clear, the first Fresnel Zone is NOT clear.

Table 1: Fresnel Zone Chart

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Some examples are given in the table above. On the software CD that comes with each

Distance
in miles

Distance

in km

Ant Gain

in dBi

Ext RF

Cable(s)

Path Loss

in dB

RF power

in dBm

ERP

in dBm

Link Margin

in dB

1.5

2.4

14.0

0.0

108

17

31

28.0

2.0

3.2

14.0

0.0

110

17

31

25.5

5.0

8.0

14.0

0.0

118

17

31

17.6

8.0

12.9

14.0

0.0

122

17

31

13.5

10.0

16.1

14.0

0.0

124

17

31

11.5

12.0

19.3

14.0

0.0

126

17

31

10.0

14.0

22.5

14.0

0.0

127

17

31

8.6

20.0

32.2

24.0

1.4

130

17

41

24.1

35.0

56.3

24.0

1.4

135

17

41

19.3

50.0

80.5

24.0

1.4

138

17

41

16.2

system there is a folder called “Calculators”. In that folder you will find an excel

spreadsheet called fresnel zone calculator.xls you can use to calculate your own
path.
Set the Fresnel zone to even numbered values when plotting a profile to see potential
areas of phase canceling present in the path. You can improve your path by optimizing
the height of antennas so that the first Fresnel zone is clear.

2.1.5 Path Loss

After confirming line of sight and adequate Fresnel zone clearance, add the Free Space
Loss of the radio signal, RF cable losses, and antenna gains to determine your system’s
remaining signal, i.e. fade margin. The chart below shows various antenna and distance
combinations.

Table 2: Fade Margin Chart

You can also calculate your own path loss using the integrated radio link margin
calculator included on the CWT product CD in a folder called “Calculators”.

Video Transmitters

These devices use analog radios which are usually fixed in frequency, utilize 6 to 10
MHz of bandwidth and are low power with an ERP of less then +10dBm.

2.1.6 RF Cable Sizing and Recommendations

Before making any decisions as to which cable to use, first consider several factors; the
final length of the cable, the amount of power you want the cable to tolerate, the loss
factor of the cable at your chosen frequency and the outdoor climate conditions the
cable will be exposed to. For most general installations, LMR400 will work fine. Heliax™

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is recommended for any cable runs over 100 feet. The chart below provides the loss

Coax Cable Attenuation (dB per 100 feet)

Cable Type

at 2.5 GHz

at 5.8 GHz

LMR 400

6.8 dB

10.8 dB

LMR 500

5.5 dB

8.9 dB

LMR 600

4.4 dB

7.3 dB

1/2 inch LDF Heliax™

3.9 dB

7.0 dB

LMR 900

3.0 dB

4.9 dB

7/8 inch LDF Heliax™

2.3 dB

3.7 dB

factor for several popular cable sizes.

Table 3: Coax Cable Loss Table

2.1.7 Data Cable Recommendations

The new design of the Trailblazer replaces proprietary cables with standard CAT5
Ethernet cables terminated with RJ45 connectors for the sync and repeater functions.
NOTE: Feed the cable through the weatherproof cord grip before terminating it. The
cord grip is too small to accept an RJ45 connector especially while occupied by other
cables!

2.1.8 General Tools

 ESD Gear
 Desktop PC or Laptop Computer with Windows™
 Wrench Set
 Socket Set
 Screwdriver Set
 Multi Meter
 Butt-set or Test Telephone with bare wire connection
 Wire Cutters
 Wire Strippers
 Vapor Wrap
 Electrical Tape
 Small Non-Conductive adjustment tool
 Safety Gear

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2.2 Unpacking

NOTE: Always observe ESD precautions when handling circuit boards!

Before opening inspect the shipping box(es) and report any damage to the shipping
carrier. Unpack and compare the contents against the packing slip and inspect for
damage. Report any damage to the units or missing components to your CWT sales
representative.

Included in your purchase is:

 The Quick Start Guide to help you become familiar with your system
 The CWT Product CD (contains the user manuals, back up configuration

software, and other needed items!)

 (2) Test Antennas for bench testing
 One Serial Interface Cable to connect to the GUI
 Mounting Hardware (optional)
 Power Supplies (optional) will be pre-installed in the enclosures

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2.3 Bench Testing Instructions

Test Antennas

Before going into the field set up the units on your bench to become familiar with their
set up, operation, configuration, and verify their functionality. Each system is shipped
with a handy, full-color “Quick Start Guide” for simplified step-by-step instructions for
bench testing. The following section will provide you with the same information in
greater detail.

2.3.1 Setting up Your Trailblazer on the Bench

Set your units next to each other and attach the included test antennas to the N female
connectors on the enclosures as shown. The units may not achieve an RF connection
without these little antennas.

2.3.2 Powering the Trailblazer

The Trailblazer units accept 12 -24VDC negative ground. There are special provisions
for using a positive ground, please contact your CWT sales representative for more
information. If your system is equipped with a battery backup, verify that the battery
output is 12VDC or more. If the battery output is less than 12VDC, disconnect the power

supply’s black and red power cables, connected to the terminal block, from your unit,

and simply connect the power supply’s terminated red (+) and black (-) power cables to
their respective terminals on the battery. Plug the AC power supply cable into an AC
source to charge the battery, and verify that the battery is charging. Ensure that the
battery is fully charged before proceeding into the field. When the battery is fully
charged, verify that the unit powers up by noting that the LEDs are lit.

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Positive

12 to 24 VDC

Negative

(Normally earth ground)

Terminal Block

Figure 2: Base Unit Power Connections

If you are not using the CWT power supply, size your power supply adequately using
Ohm’s law. For example, if you provide 12VDC you consume 2/12 A or about 167mA. If
you provide 24VDC you use about half of that or 85mA. CWT recommends providing at
least 4 times the power consumption. The Trailblazer consumes 2 Watts. CWT’s power
supply with battery backup supplies 13.8VDC @ 1 A or 14 Watts.

You can also power your Trailblazer by using several of the unused voice/data pairs in a
standard 6 pair telephone cable. Don’t forget to allow for additional current if add-on
card options are selected.

The standard 6 pair telephone cable is made of 22 AWG size copper. This means that
both legs will have 3.2 ohms of resistance per 100 feet. The table below shows the
distance at which you have a 5% maximum recommended voltage drop using 2 pairs of
wires paralleled together.

Trailblazer Installation and User Manual version 1.03