KVH Industries TracVisionM5 User Manual

TracVision M5 Installation Guide

TracVision M5

Control Panel Configuration

TracVision M5 Installation Guide

MultiSat Control Panel (MCP) Configuration

These instructions explain how to install the TracVision M5 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 Belowdecks Installation, 5

4. Prepare the Belowdecks Sites, 6

5. Prepare the Antenna Site, 7

6. Remove the Restraints, 8

7. Wire the Antenna, 9

8. Mount the Antenna, 10

9. Modify the Switchplate (Optional), 11

10. Wire the Switchplate, 12

11. Wire the MCP and Receivers, 13

12. Connect Power, 14

13. Mount the Switchplate & MCP, 15

14. Enter Your Latitude & Longitude, 16

15. Select Satellites, 17

16. Get the LNB Skew Angle (Linear only), 18

17. Set the LNB Skew Angle (Linear only), 19

18. Educate the Customer, 20

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.

Linear vs. Circular Systems

The installation process differs slightly depending on the type of LNB (low noise block) that is
installed in the antenna (linear or circular). These differences are noted throughout this manual.
Appendix D on page 30 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. 54-0416-02 Rev. A

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 3/8" (10 mm), 5/32"
(4 mm), 3/32" (2.25 mm), and #29 bits

Figure 1: TracVision M5 System Components

Antenna

Radome

Baseplate

Switchplate

• 3" (80 mm) hole saw

• Socket wrenches

• 7/16" open-end wrench

• Light hammer and center punch

•Adhesive tape

• Scriber or pencil

• Wire strippers and terminal lug crimper

• RG-6 or RG-11 RF coax cable(s) with
Snap-N-Seal® F-connectors for
connecting the antenna to the receiver(s)
(see Step 7a on page 9 to determine the
number and type of cables required)

• Connector installation tool (Augat IT1000

- KVH part #19-0242)

• Power cables for connecting power to the
switchplate and MCP (see Figure 2)

MCP (MultiSat Control Panel)

Figure 2: Guidelines for Power Cables

Cable Length Use Cable Gauge

< 40 ft (12 m)

40-70 ft (12-21 m)

14AWG (2.5mm

12AWG (4mm

2

)

2

)

• Satellite TV receiver and TV

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 (30 lbs, 13.6 kg), and rigid enough to
withstand vibration.

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

• 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.

Figure 3: Blockage from Obstruction

Blocked!

Look Angle

TracVision Antenna

Mast

Vessel Platform

Figure 4: Antenna Dimensions

Side View

(54 cm)

21"

19.3"

(49 cm)

9"

(22.9 cm)

4.5"

(11.4 cm)

Bottom View

4.5"

(11.4 cm)

9"

(23 cm)

4 x 5/16"

19.3"

(49 cm)

4

( 8 mm)

3

Plan the Belowdecks Installation

Before you begin, consider the following
installation guidelines for the belowdecks
equipment.

Switchplate

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

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

• Since the supplied data cable is 50 ft (15 m)
long, the switchplate must be located within
50 ft (15 m) of the antenna.

• The switchplate mounting template at the
end of this manual shows the size of the hole
required for a flush-mount installation.

MCP

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

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

Figure 5: Switchplate Dimensions

4.39"

(111.5 mm)

Figure 6: MCP Dimensions

Top View

2.96"

(75.2 mm)

0.66"

(16.7 mm)

3.17"

(80.6 mm)

• Be sure to leave enough room at the MCP’s
rear panel for connecting the cables (see
Figure 6 for MCP dimensions).

• Since the supplied main control cable and RF
control cable are both 25 ft (7.6 m) long, the
MCP must be located within 25 ft (7.6 m) of
the switchplate. Later, you will connect the
MCP to the switchplate using these special
cables.

• The kitpack contains parts for mounting the
MCP either to a horizontal surface (using
Velcro) or to a vertical surface (using the
supplied flush mount bracket). The MCP
mounting template at the end of this manual
shows the size of the hole required for a
flush-mount installation.

Front View

2.52"

(64.1 mm)

8.1"

(205.7 mm)

5

4

Prepare the Belowdecks Sites

Once you have identified suitable mounting sites
for the switchplate and MCP, follow these steps
to prepare the sites for installation.

Switchplate

a. Using the switchplate mounting template

provided at the end of this manual, mark and
cut out a hole in the mounting surface to
accommodate the switchplate (see Figure 7).

b. Using the same template, mark the locations

for the four switchplate mounting holes.

c. Drill a 3/32" (2.25 mm) hole at the four

mounting hole locations. Later, you will
mount the switchplate using four #6 screws.

MCP (Flush Mount only)

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

a. Attach the supplied flush mount bracket to

the MCP now, before you connect any cables.
Simply slide the bracket onto the MCP from
behind and position the front edge of the
bracket over the seam line between the front
bezel and the chassis. Secure the bracket in
place using two #6-32 screws and washers
(see Figure 8).

b. Using the MCP 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 9).

c. Using the same template, mark the locations

for the four MCP mounting holes.

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

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

Figure 7: Switchplate Mounting Holes Layout

3.82"

(97 mm)

.32" (8 mm)

2.36"

(60 mm)

.16" (4 mm)

Figure 8: MCP Flush Mount Bracket

Figure 9: MCP Mounting Holes Layout

(16 mm)

3.08"

(78 mm)

(46 mm)

.63"

1.83"

Panel Cutout

3.19"

(81 mm)

7.62"

(194 mm)

3/32" ( 2.25 mm)
Mounting Hole (x4)

2.05"

(52 mm)

#6-32 x 1/2" Screw
and Washer (x2)

8.87"

(225 mm)

.63"

(16 mm)

6

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

5

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 10).

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 and cable access hole on
the mounting surface.

c. Drill a 3/8" (10 mm) hole at the four

mounting hole locations you marked in
Step 5b. Later, you will insert four 1/4"-20
bolts through these holes to secure the
antenna to the mounting surface.

d. Cut out the 3" (80 mm) cable access hole in

the location you marked in Step 5b. Smooth
the edges of the hole to protect the cables.
Later, you will route the data, power, and RF
cables through this hole and into the vessel.

Figure 10: Antenna Mounting Holes Layout

FWD

3" ( 80 mm)

Cable Access Hole

9"

(229 mm)

3/8" ( 10 mm)

Mounting Hole (x4)

Figure 11: Foam Seal

Bow

Align with

Cable Access Hole

9"

(229 mm)

e. Clean and dry the antenna mounting surface.

f. Peel off the paper backing from the supplied

foam seal to expose the adhesive. Then press
the foam seal down firmly onto the mounting
surface, ensuring the narrow end points
toward the bow and the hole in the foam seal
aligns with the cable access hole in the
mounting surface (see Figure 11).

7

6

Remove the Restraints

Inside the antenna, a foam block and two bolts
prevent the antenna assembly from moving
during shipment. Follow these steps to remove
these shipping restraints.

a. Remove the three #10-24 Phillips screws

securing the radome to the baseplate.
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. Remove the foam block that is wedged

beneath the antenna’s reflector (see
Figure 12). Save this restraint for future use;
the customer will need to reinstall it if he/she
needs to relocate or reship the antenna.

c. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, remove the

two bolts, washers, and spacers securing the
antenna assembly to the baseplate (see
Figure 13 and Figure 14). Save these restraints
for future use.

Figure 12: Foam Block Shipping Restraint

Foam Block

Shipping Restraint

Figure 13: Shipping Restraint Hardware

Bolt

Washer

Spacer

IMPORTANT!

Once you have removed the restraints,
handle the antenna very carefully. With the
restraints removed, the internal antenna
assembly rotates freely and, if not handled
properly, can damage the limit switch.

Figure 14: Removing the Shipping Restraint Bolts

8

7

Wire the Antenna

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

a. First determine the number of RF coax cables

required for your particular installation. If
you wish to connect just one satellite TV
receiver to the TracVision system, only one
RF cable is required. If you wish to connect
two or more receivers to the system, you
need two RF cables. (See Figure 15 to
determine the type of cable required.)

b. Route the data, power, and RF cables

belowdecks through the 3" (80 mm) 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 and power cables to the
switchplate and the RF cable(s) to the
receiver(s).

c. Connect the data cable to the “Data” jack on

the bottom of the antenna (see Figure 16 and
Figure 17). Hand-tighten until the connector
locks in place; do not use excessive force.

Figure 15: RF Cable Guidelines

Cable Length Use Cable Type

<= 75 ft (23 m) RG-6

> 75 ft (23 m) RG-11

Figure 16: Connectors on Bottom of Antenna

d. Connect the power cable to the “Power” jack

on the bottom of the antenna. Hand-tighten
until the connector locks in place; do not use
excessive force.

e. Connect an RF coax cable to the “RF1” jack on

the bottom of the antenna. Hand-tighten,
then tighten with a 7/16" wrench for 1/4 turn
to ensure an electrical and weather-proof
connection.

f. If you wish to connect two or more receivers,

connect a second RF coax cable to the “RF2”
jack on the bottom of the antenna. Label both
RF cables to match the antenna connectors so
that you can easily identify the cables later.

Figure 17: Antenna Cable Connections

Single Receiver

Installation

RF1

RF2

Second Receiver

Installation

Power

Data

9

8

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. Ensure the
“Forward” arrow inside the baseplate points
toward the bow and is parallel to the vessel’s
centerline (see Figure 18).

b. Make sure the four holes in the baseplate line

up with the four holes in the mounting
surface.

IMPORTANT!

You will need to rotate the antenna assembly
by hand to see all four mounting holes. Rotate
the antenna assembly slowly. If it hits a
mechanical stop with excessive force, the
limit switch might become damaged.

c. At each of the four baseplate mounting holes,

place a 1/4" flat washer on a 1/4"-20 bolt and
insert the bolt into the hole from above (see
Figure 19).

d. Secure each mounting bolt to the mounting

surface using a 1/4" flat washer and a
1/4"-20 lock nut from below. Tighten all four
bolts until the four rubber feet are bottomed
against the mounting surface and the foam
seal is fully compressed.

TIP: If you are installing a linear system, you may
wish to keep the radome off for now. Later, you will
need to adjust the skew angle of the antenna’s LNB.

Figure 18: “Forward” Arrow in Antenna Baseplate

Figure 19: Mounting the Antenna (Side View)

1/4"-20 x 3" Bolt (x4)

1/4" Flat Washer (x4)

Antenna Base

Foam Seal

Mounting Surface

1/4" Flat Washer (x4)

1/4"-20 Lock Nut (x4)

Figure 20: Installing the Radome

e. Reinstall the radome onto the antenna. Secure

in place with the three #10-24 screws you
removed in Step 6a (see Figure 20).

f. Install a protective plastic screw cap

(supplied in the kitpack) over each radome
screw.

10

#10-24 Screws (x3)

9

Modify the Switchplate (Optional)

The switchplate comes preconfigured for a
standard TracVision installation without an
MCP. To configure the switchplate for an MCP
installation, follow these steps to replace the
maintenance port assembly in the switchplate
with the MCP-ready maintenance port assembly
supplied in the kitpack.

NOTE: The MCP-ready maintenance port assembly
moves the DB9 maintenance port to the back of the
switchplate. This allows you to later connect the main
control cable to the back of the switchplate, hidden
from view. However, if you wish, you may skip this
step and simply connect the main control cable to the
DB9 maintenance port on the front of the unmodified
switchplate.

a. Remove and discard the two jack screws

securing the standard maintenance port
assembly to the switchplate (see Figure 21).
Remove and save the standard maintenance
port assembly (see Figure 22).

Figure 21: Detaching the Standard Maintenance Port Assembly

Remove

Jack Screws

Front View

Figure 22: Standard Maintenance Port Assembly

Standard

Maintenance Port Assembly

b. Attach the MCP-ready maintenance port

assembly to the switchplate using two #4-24
screws (see Figure 23). These screws simply
replace the jack screws you removed in
Step 9a.

Rear View

Figure 23: MCP-Ready Maintenance Port Assembly

MCP-ready

Maintenance Port Assembly

Rear View

11

10

Wire the Switchplate

Follow these steps to connect the switchplate to
the antenna.

NOTE: System wiring diagrams are provided in
Appendix F on page 35.

a. First dress the data and power cables from

the antenna. Strip back the insulation of each
wire approximately 1/4" (6 mm) and gently
twist each wire to ensure a good electrical
connection.

b. Connect the data cable from the antenna to

the terminal board on the switchplate’s
maintenance port assembly (see Figure 24).
Be sure to match the wire colors with the
terminal board label.

Tighten the terminal

screws to secure all wires in place.

IMPORTANT!

The diagram refers to wires by body color/
stripe color. For example, “Brown/White”

means the brown wire with the white stripe.

IMPORTANT!

Do not connect the data cable’s drain wire
(shield) to anything. You can simply snip it
from the cable.

Figure 24: Switchplate Wiring - Antenna Data Cable

YELLOW Not Used

GREEN Not Used

BRN/WHT PC GND

WHT/BRN PC TXD

ORG/WHT PC RXD

WHT/ORG RF GND

GRY/WHT RF TXD

WHT/GRY RF RXD

BLACK Not Used

NOT USED Not Used

Data Cable
to Antenna

c. Connect the power cable from the antenna to

the switchplate’s power output terminals (see
Figure 25). Later, you will also connect a
power cable from these terminals to the MCP.

12

Figure 25: Switchplate Wiring - Antenna Power Cable

To Antenna

and MCP

Ground (Black)

+12 VDC (Red)

–

+

SATELLITE IN

SATELLITE IN

11

Wire the MCP and Receivers

Follow these steps to connect the switchplate to
the MCP and the antenna to the receivers.

a. Connect the main control cable (DB9-male to

DB9-male) from the DB9 maintenance port
jack on the switchplate to the “Antenna Unit”
jack on the MCP (see Figure 26).

b. Connect the RF control cable (RJ11 to

DB9-female) from the RJ11 jack on the
switchplate to the “RF Port” jack on the MCP.

c. Using a P-clip, stain-relieve all wires at the

switchplate by securing them to the bottom
screw of the maintenance port assembly.

IMPORTANT!

If you are installing a DIRECTV HDTV
system configuration, see Appendix A on
page 23 for special wiring instructions.

IMPORTANT!

If you wish to connect three or more receivers
to the antenna, see Appendix B on page 28.

Figure 26: MCP and Receiver Wiring

Antenna

Switchplate

Main Control

MCP

RF Control

Power

Data

Attach P-clip
for strain relief

d. 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.

e. Connect the RF1 cable from the antenna to

the “Satellite In” jack on the primary receiver.

f. 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. If the
receiver has a 2-prong power plug, run a
ground wire from the receiver’s chassis to a
suitable ground point. If a potential exists
between AC and DC grounds, connect the
wire to the switchplate’s DC return instead.

RF1

RF2

HDTV

ANTENNA UNIT RF PORT TONE

CONTROL

Primary Receiver

SATELLITE IN

TV ANT/CABLE IN

OUT TO TV

DETECT

RL

AUDIO VIDEO S-VIDEO PHONE JACK

This receiver controls
satellite selection

Secondary Receiver - Optional

TV ANT/CABLE IN

RL

OUT TO TV

SATELLITE IN

AUDIO VIDEO S-VIDEO PHONE JACK

FUSE POWER IN

+ / –

13