Tips for installing cameras on business UHF/VHF radio tower?

[Tailbone215 0]

I never tackled anything like this before. Are there any procedures or special enclosures needed for the application to prevent RF from interfering with the cam's image or the possibility of ruining the cam over time? This will be on a business band tower where the antennas are high enough above the cam, but the coax will be withing inches of the cam cables.

 

Thanks.

[shoreviewsecurity 0]

The antennas that will be transmitting the signal are omni directional in that they transmit 360 degrees. Most of the energy will propagate out and very little will propagate down towards the base of the tower. In other words, I really do not see a problem. Regardless, the RF energy will not create a problem. As far as the cables being in close proximity I would use coax and not cat 5. Also, depending upon who owns the tower, you may need permission to mount these cams. A good practice is to NOT fasten your cable to any other cable run down the tower. It is considered being a good tower neighbor. The radio cables are shielded as well so the chance of interference is a non-issue.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project

 

Mike

[Tailbone215 0]

The antennas that will be transmitting the signal are omni directional in that they transmit 360 degrees. Most of the energy will propagate out and very little will propagate down towards the base of the tower. In other words, I really do not see a problem. Regardless, the RF energy will not create a problem. As far as the cables being in close proximity I would use coax and not cat 5. Also, depending upon who owns the tower, you may need permission to mount these cams. A good practice is to NOT fasten your cable to any other cable run down the tower. It is considered being a good tower neighbor. The radio cables are shielded as well so the chance of interference is a non-issue.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck with your project

 

Mike

 

Thanks Mike. I really appreciate the advice. This is good news. I will be adding a run of Liquid-Tight flexible conduit to pull my cabling through so this will add another layer of protection against RF as the conduit is made of corrugated metal inner jacket, which will be grounded. This will add more expense, but should yield a more solid installation.

 

I was planning on CAT-5e so that I could stay totally digital. Going coax will drop me back to analog. I have to think about this some more.

 

Thanks again for the tips.

[Privatteer 0]

Done a couple on that sort of towers, analogue cameras. Pay attention to the earthing and not had a problem.

 

Just started using the Bosch I500's so its too early to tell long term stuff..

However they seem to be built well, and getting a lot less image shake when mounted in areas that are windy compared to a pelco spectra unit on the same light pole.

 

Worse problem I have had is getting their propriety codec to install properly so I could view the mpeg4 stream on laptop. Xp machine is fine but the vista one is still a no go.

[Tailbone215 0]

Done a couple on that sort of towers, analogue cameras. Pay attention to the earthing and not had a problem.

 

Just started using the Bosch I500's so its too early to tell long term stuff..

However they seem to be built well, and getting a lot less image shake when mounted in areas that are windy compared to a pelco spectra unit on the same light pole.

 

Worse problem I have had is getting their propriety codec to install properly so I could view the mpeg4 stream on laptop. Xp machine is fine but the vista one is still a no go.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Soundy 1]

Thanks Mike. I really appreciate the advice. This is good news. I will be adding a run of Liquid-Tight flexible conduit to pull my cabling through so this will add another layer of protection against RF as the conduit is made of corrugated metal inner jacket, which will be grounded. This will add more expense, but should yield a more solid installation.

 

I was planning on CAT-5e so that I could stay totally digital. Going coax will drop me back to analog. I have to think about this some more.

 

Thanks again for the tips.

 

You have a couple options for "going digital"... you could pull coax AND Cat5 and have the Cat5 there for future use. Or if it's analog now, you can use HighWires in the future to run ethernet over coax.

 

However, good-quality baluns should work fine with the Cat5; the whole balanced-line concept inherently "cancels" any induced noise in the line.

[Tailbone215 0]

You have a couple options for "going digital"... you could pull coax AND Cat5 and have the Cat5 there for future use. Or if it's analog now, you can use HighWires in the future to run ethernet over coax.

 

However, good-quality baluns should work fine with the Cat5; the whole balanced-line concept inherently "cancels" any induced noise in the line.

 

I'm not familiar with HighWires, but I just looked them up and they seem like a good idea. I do have a box full of Pelco baluns so that is also an option.

[Soundy 1]

I've used HighWires several times, and they work great. We service a couple of Canada's larger gas station chains, and we're finding as they move to IP, they want megapixel cameras at the pumps, which currently only have analog cameras over coax. The conduit for the wiring is all sealed before the site goes online, so pulling new wire is next to impossible... the HighWires MAKE it possible

[jeromephone 6]

We installed some wireless base station and backhaul radios and were required to post warning signs about the dangers of RF. I don't know if you will

be exposed but we had to post the area even though one area was a watertower and the other was a rooftop. I don't know what damage RF can do but I would check to see if you are going to get any direct hit from the antennas already on site.

[Squiffy 0]

Sometimes it's not the RF that directly causes a problem but (with digital systems) the switching transients. For example, the familiar noise if you place a mobile phone too near most audio equipment during 'handshaking'.

 

Systems like TETRA also have LF components which may again cause problems. But with adequate camera and cable screening, all should be fine.

 

Some additional ferrite beads/rings on the supply lines may also help if you do encounter problems.