KVH Industries M9 User Manual

TracVision M9 Installation Guide

TracVision M9

Standard Configuration

TracVision M9 Installation Guide

Standard Configuration with Master Control Unit (MCU)

These instructions explain how to install the TracVision M9 satellite TV antenna system on a
vessel. Complete instructions on how to use the system are provided in the User’s Guide.

Installation Steps

1. Inspect Parts and Get Tools...3

2. Plan the Antenna Installation...4

3. Plan the MCU Installation...5

4. Prepare the Antenna Site...6

5. Wire the Antenna...7

6. Mount the Antenna...8

7. Remove the Restraints...9

8. Wire the Receiver(s) and MCU...10

9. Connect Power...11

10. Mount the MCU...12

11. Select Satellites...13

12. Calibrate the Internal Sensor...14

13. Educate the Customer...16

Who Should Install the System?

To ensure a safe and effective installation, KVH recommends that a KVH-authorized marine
technician install the TracVision antenna. KVH-authorized technicians have the tools and
electronics expertise necessary to install the system. To find a technician near you, visit

www.kvh.com/wheretogetservice.

Antenna LNB Types

The installation process differs slightly depending on the type of LNB (low noise block) that is
installed in the antenna (circular or linear). These differences are noted throughout this manual.
Appendix C on page 25 notes the type of LNB required for each region and satellite.

Technical Support

If you need technical assistance, please contact KVH Technical Support:

North/South America, Australia:

Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

KVH, TracVision, and the unique light-colored dome with contrasting baseplate are registered trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc.

All other trademarks are property of their respective companies. The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

No company shall be liable for errors contained herein. © 2007 KVH Industries, Inc., All rights reserved. 54-0418 Rev. C

Europe, Middle East, Asia:

Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

1

1

Inspect Parts and Get Tools

Before you begin, follow these steps to make sure
you have everything you need to complete the
installation.

a. Unpack the box and ensure it contains

everything shown on the Kitpack Contents
List. Save the packaging for future use.

IMPORTANT!

Always lift the antenna by the baseplate and
never by the radome or any portion of the
internal antenna assembly (see Figure 1).

b. Carefully examine all of the supplied parts to

ensure nothing was damaged in shipment.

c. Gather all of the tools and materials listed

below. You will need these items to complete
the installation.

• Flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers

• Electric drill and 1/2" (13 mm) and #29
drill bits

•17 mm socket wrench

Figure 1: TracVision M9 System Components

Antenna

Radome

Baseplate
Connectors

(w/Logo Plate)

MCU (Master Control Unit)

Display
Buttons

• 9/16" open-end wrench

• Light hammer and center punch

•Adhesive tape

• Scriber or pencil

• Wire strippers

• 15-amp quick-tripping circuit breaker

• RG-6 or RG-11 RF coax cable(s) with
Snap-N-Seal
connecting the antenna to the receiver(s)
(see Step 4e on page 6 to determine the
number and type of cables required)

• Connector installation tool (Augat IT1000

- KVH part #19-0242)

• Power cable for connecting vessel power
to the MCU (see Figure 2)

• Satellite TV receiver and TV

®

F-connectors for

Figure 2: Power Cable Guidelines

Cable Length Use Cable Gauge

< 40 ft (12 m)

40-70 ft (12-21 m)

12AWG (4mm

10AWG (6mm

2

)

2

)

3

2

Plan the Antenna Installation

Before you begin, consider the following antenna
installation guidelines:

• Minimize blockage. The antenna requires a
clear view of the sky to receive satellite TV
(see Figure 3). The fewer obstructions, the
better the system will perform.

• Make sure the mounting surface is wide
enough to accommodate the antenna’s base
(see Figure 4). Also make sure it is flat, level,
strong enough to support the antenna’s
weight (85 lbs, 38.6 kg), and rigid enough to
withstand vibration.

• Be sure to preserve enough free space outside
the access hatch to allow a technician to
remove the hatch and perform maintenance.

• Select a location that is as close as possible to
the intersection of the vessel’s fore-and-aft
centerline and midships.

• Select a location that is not too high above the
waterline. Limit the height above the
waterline to less than 1/2 the vessel’s length.

Figure 3: Blockage from Obstruction

Blocked!

Mast

Figure 4: Antenna Dimensions

38.86"

(98.7 cm)

Look angle

Antenna

Vessel Platform

Side View

• Do not mount the antenna at the same level
as the radar because the radar’s energy might
overload the antenna. Ideally, you should
mount the antenna 4 ft (1.2 m) above and 4 ft
(1.2 m) away from the radar.

• Select a location that is at least 4 ft (1.2 m)
away from any magnetized materials, large
ferrous masses, cranes, engines, derricks,
other antennas, devices with DC motors,
electric winches, high-amperage cables, or
battery banks. The antenna’s internal
compass sensor performs best in a benign
magnetic environment.

• If you are mounting the antenna on a steel
vessel, use an aluminum, brass, plastic, or
wood platform (NOT steel or iron) to position
the antenna at least 4 ft (1.2 m) above and 6 ft
(1.8 m) away from the steel surface.

4x ø.50"

(4x ø13 mm)

17"

(43.2 cm)

ø35"

(ø88.9 cm)

12"

(30.5 cm)

Access Hatch

Bottom View

6"

(15.2 cm)

6"

(15.2 cm)

12"

(30.5 cm)

FWD

4

3

Plan the MCU Installation

Before you begin, consider the following MCU
installation guidelines:

• Select an MCU mounting location in a dry,
well-ventilated area belowdecks away from
any heat sources or salt spray.

• Be sure the MCU’s front panel will be easily
accessible to the user. The owner will use the
MCU’s buttons to control the antenna.

• Be sure to leave enough room at the MCU’s
rear panel for connecting the cables (see
Figure 5 for MCU dimensions).

• Since the supplied data/power cable is 100 ft
(30 m) long, the MCU should be located
within 100 ft (30 m) of the antenna.

• The kitpack contains parts for mounting the
MCU either to a horizontal surface (using
Velcro) or to a vertical surface (using the
supplied flush mount bracket).

Figure 5: MCU Dimensions

Top View

Front View

0.66"

(16.7 mm)

9.18"

(233.2 mm)

Prepare the MCU Mounting Site
(Flush Mount only)

NOTE: Skip this step if you plan to mount the MCU
to a horizontal surface instead.

a. Using the MCU flush mounting template

provided at the end of this manual, mark and
cut out a hole in the mounting surface to
accommodate the flush mount bracket (see
Figure 6).

b. Using the same template, mark the locations

for the four MCU mounting holes.

c. Using a #29 drill bit, drill a 0.136" (3.45 mm)

hole at the four mounting hole locations.
Later, you will mount the MCU using four #8
screws.

8.1"

(205.7 mm)

Figure 6: MCU Mounting Holes Layout

7.62"

(194 mm)

.136" ( 3.45 mm)
Mounting Hole (x4)

3.08"

(78 mm)

.63"

(16 mm)

1.83"

(46 mm)

.63"

(16 mm)

2.52"

(64.1 mm)

8.87"

(225 mm)

5

4

Prepare the Antenna Site

Once you have identified a suitable antenna
mounting site, according to the guidelines
provided in Step 2, follow these steps to drill the
mounting holes and cable access hole to prepare
the site for installation.

a. Unfold the antenna mounting template

(supplied in the Customer Welcome Kit) and
place it onto the mounting surface. Make sure
the “FWD” (forward) arrow points toward
the bow and is parallel to the vessel’s
centerline (see Figure 7).

NOTE: You don’t need to mount the antenna
exactly on the vessel’s centerline, but the
antenna’s forward arrow must be parallel to it.

b. Use the template to mark the locations for the

four mounting holes on the mounting
surface.

c. Drill a 1/2" (13 mm) hole at the four

mounting hole locations you marked in
Step 4b. Later, you will insert four M10 bolts
from below to secure the antenna to the
mounting surface.

Figure 7: Antenna Mounting Holes Layout

Figure 8: Number of RF Coax Cables Required

Connecting to: # RF Cables

System with Dual LNB

d. Mark a location for the cable access hole,

either in the center of the antenna mounting
hole pattern or in an area aft of the antenna.
Later, you will route the data/power and RF
cables through this hole and into the vessel.

IMPORTANT!

If you wish to route the cables through the
bottom of the antenna’s baseplate, rather than
connecting at the side, you will need to
modify the antenna’s baseplate. See
Appendix A on page 19 for details.

e. Drill the cable access hole in the location you

marked in Step 4d. Be sure to size the hole
appropriately to accommodate the data/
power cable and all required RF cables (see
Figure 8 and Figure 9 to determine the
number and type of RF cables required).
Smooth the edges of the hole to protect the
cables.

1 receiver 1

2 or more receivers 2*

System with Quad LNB (Europe Only)

1 receiver 1

2 receivers 2

3 receivers 3

4 or more receivers 4**

* Multiswitch required for 3 or more receivers.
** Multiswitch required for 5 or more receivers.
See Appendix B on page 23 for details.

Figure 9: RF Cable Guidelines

Cable Length Use Cable Type

≤ 75 ft (23 m) RG-6

> 75 ft (23 m) RG-11

6

5

Wire the Antenna

Follow these steps to connect the data/power
and RF cables to the antenna.

IMPORTANT!

If you wish to route the cables through the
bottom of the antenna’s baseplate, rather than
connecting at the side, see Appendix A on
page 19 for supplemental instructions.

a. Route the data/power and RF cables

belowdecks through the cable access hole.
Leave an adequate service loop,
approximately 8" (20 cm) of slack, in the
cables for easy serviceability. Later, you will
connect the data/power cable to the MCU
and the RF cable(s) to the receiver(s).

b. Position the antenna in place over the

mounting holes with the baseplate’s
connectors (see Figure 10) facing the stern.

c. Connect the data/power cable to the antenna

(see Figure 11 and Figure 12); hand-tighten.

IMPORTANT!

Figure 10: Antenna Connectors

Connectors

Figure 11: Data/Power Cable Connections

MCU Antenna

F-type Connector N-type Connector

Figure 12: Antenna Baseplate Cable Connections

Data/

RF3 RF1 RF2 RF4

Power

Be sure to properly align the data/power
cable with the antenna’s baseplate connector
before tightening. Connecting the cable at an
angle may damage the cable’s center tines.

d. Using a 9/16" wrench, connect the RF cable(s)

to the antenna. If you need to connect only
one RF cable, connect the cable to the
antenna’s RF1 connector (see Figure 12).
Connect any additional RF cables to the RF2,
RF3, and RF4 connectors.

TIP: If you connect two or more RF cables, label
both ends of each cable to match the connector.
This will make it easier to identify the cables later.

e. Place the rear logo plate over the cables, so

each cable exits the proper opening (see
Figure 13). Using six M4 screws, attach the
logo plate to the baseplate.

Figure 13: Rear Logo Plate Installed

M4 Screw (x6)

RF1 Cable Data/Power Cable

7

6

Mount the Antenna

Follow these steps to mount the antenna to the
mounting surface.

a. Place the antenna baseplate over the holes

drilled in the mounting surface.

b. Make sure the four holes in the baseplate line

up with the four holes in the mounting
surface. Also make sure the connectors face
the stern.

c. At each of the four baseplate mounting holes,

place an M10 lock washer and flat washer on
an M10 bolt and insert the bolt into the hole
from below (see Figure 14).

IMPORTANT!

Make sure the mounting screws do not
extend further than 0.4" (10 mm) into the
antenna’s baseplate. Inserting the screws any
further will damage the antenna.

d. Tighten all four bolts until the four rubber

feet are bottomed against the mounting
surface.

Figure 14: Mounting the Antenna (Side View)

10 mm max.

Antenna Base

Mount Surface

M10 Flat Washer (x4)

M10 Lock Washer (x4)

M10 x 50 mm Bolt (x4)

IMPORTANT!

Do not block the four small drain holes in the
bottom of the antenna. These drain holes
ensure that any moisture within the antenna
will be able to escape.

8

7

Remove the Restraints

Inside the antenna, three heavy-duty tie-wraps
prevent the antenna assembly from moving
during shipment. Follow these steps to remove
these shipping restraints.

a. Remove the eight #10-32 Phillips-head screws

securing the radome to the baseplate (see
Figure 15). Carefully lift the radome straight
up until clear of the antenna assembly and set
it aside in a safe place.

TIP: If you keep the radome topside, secure it with
a lanyard to prevent it from falling overboard.

b. Unfasten the two tie-wraps securing the

reflector to the antenna frame (see Figure 16).
To unfasten the tie-wraps, release the tab
with a flat-head screwdriver.

c. Unfasten the tie-wrap securing the antenna

frame to the sensor bracket (see Figure 17).

d. Save the tie-wraps for future use; the

customer will need to reinstall them if he/she
needs to relocate or reship the antenna.

Figure 15: Removing the Radome

#10-32 Screw (x8)

Figure 16: Locations of Shipping Restraints

Tie-wrapTie-wrap

e. Reinstall the radome onto the antenna. Secure

in place with the eight #10-32 screws you
removed in Step 7a.

f. Install a protective plastic screw cap

(supplied in the kitpack) over each radome
screw.

Tie-wrap

Figure 17: Close-up of Antenna Frame Shipping Restraint

Tie-wrapSensor Bracket Frame

9

)

SATELLITE IN

SATELLITE IN

8

Wire the Receiver(s) and MCU

Follow these steps to connect the antenna to the
belowdecks equipment.

IMPORTANT!

If you wish to connect three or more receivers
to the antenna, see Appendix B on page 23.

NOTE: System wiring diagrams are provided in
Appendix F on page 31.

a. If you are connecting two receivers to the

TracVision system, decide which receiver
will be the primary receiver. The primary
receiver controls satellite selection.

NOTE: The secondary receiver will only be able to
select a channel carried on the satellite that is
currently selected on the primary receiver.

b. Connect the RF1 cable from the antenna to

the “Satellite In” jack on the primary receiver
(see Figure 18).

Figure 18: Receiver Wiring

Data/Power

Secondary Receiver - Optional

RF2

SATELLITE IN

Primary Receiver

Antenna

MCU

TV ANT/CABLE IN

RL

OUT TO TV

AUDIO VIDEO S-VIDEO PHONE JACK

Gnd To MCU

DC Return (-)

(controls satellite selection

c. If you are connecting two receivers, connect

the RF2 cable from the antenna to the
“Satellite In” jack on the secondary receiver.

IMPORTANT!

Be sure all receivers are grounded properly.
Connect a ground wire from the chassis of
each receiver to the MCU’s DC return. This
will ensure all system grounds are the same
potential.

d. Connect the receiver(s) to the customer’s

television(s). Follow the instructions in the
receiver’s manual.

e. Connect the data/power cable from the

antenna to the “Output to Antenna” jack on
the MCU (see Figure 19). Do not overtighten
the connection; finger-tight is sufficient.

RF1

SATELLITE IN

Figure 19: MCU Rear Panel

Output to Antenna

TV ANT/CABLE IN

OUT TO TV

RL

AUDIO VIDEO S-VIDEO PHONE JACK

Gnd To MCU

DC Return (-)

10

9

Connect Power

Follow these steps to connect power to the MCU.
The MCU supplies power to the antenna.

a. Before you begin, disconnect vessel power.

CAUTION

For your own safety, disconnect vessel power
and make sure the circuit is dead before you
connect any power wires.

b. Connect a power cable to 24 VDC (2.5 amps)

vessel power (for cable specifications, see
Figure 2 on page 3).
antenna MUST NOT fall below 18 VDC or
exceed 30 VDC.

NOTE: If a 24 VDC power supply is not available,
install an AC/DC converter that supplies 24 VDC
(KVH part #19-0488 or equivalent).

c. KVH recommends you install a 15-amp

circuit breaker between power and the MCU.
The MCU does not have an on/off switch.

Power supplied to the

Figure 20: Ferrite Coil Clamped onto Power Cable

Ferrite Coil

Figure 21: Power Plug

Terminal Screw (x2)

d. Install the ferrite coil, supplied in the kitpack,

onto your vessel power cable to help reduce
conducted emissions. Make two loops in the
cable and clamp the coil around the loops
(see Figure 20). This ferrite coil must be
installed to comply with the CE standard.

e. Find the plastic power plug supplied in the

kitpack (see Figure 21). Insert your vessel
power wires into the plug’s power (+) and
ground (-) terminals. Tighten the plug’s
terminal screws to secure the wires in place.

f. Plug the power connector plug into the

“Power In” jack on the MCU. Secure in place
with the two retaining screws.

g. Connect the MCU ground wire (see

Figure 22) to a suitable ground point.

Retaining Screw (x2)

GroundPower

Figure 22: MCU Power Connection

Power In

MCU Ground Wire

11