Celona AP25-48 Installation Guide

Celona recommends that installation personnel review this entire installation guide prior to beginning the installation. Please note that installing the AP on a cell tower, building, or other structure may require at least two people or a qualified tower crew. Installation personnel must follow standard safety precautions concerning height, electricity, and other regulations.

Each cell site may be unique in terms of the type and number of components to install, the coverage area, the user requirements, and so forth. Identify the structure on which the AP equipment will be installed, the intended height where the antenna and AP will be attached, the degree of antenna down tilt, and other necessary specifications that may impact the success of the installation. AP 25 is operating in single carrier mode and uses ANT1 and ANT2.

The table that follows describes the materials required during the installation. The antenna elements chosen must support the channel of operation. The total output EIRP (Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power) for AP25-48 is governed by Part 96 regulations of FCC and hence power is automatically calculated and regulated by Celona software.

Table below shows the interfaces on AP 25.

AP 25 can be installed on a pole or a wall. For the best signal coverage, place the AP 25 in an unobstructed location. In addition to network planning, when determining where to place the AP 25, you need to consider factors such as climate, hydrology, geology, the possibility of earthquakes, reliable electric power, and transportation access. Avoid locating the AP 25 in areas with extreme temperatures, harmful gases, unstable voltages, volatile vibrations, loud noises, flames, explosives, or electromagnetic interference (e.g., large radar stations, transformer substations). Avoid areas prone to impounded water, soaking, leakage, or condensation. The AP is certified for Class 1, Div. 2 HAZLOC installation.

Grounding and Lightning Protection

You should protect the AP 25, antenna, and GPS against lightning. Following are guidelines concerning grounding.

The yellow-green ground wire must be at least 6 AWG (10 mm²) in diameter.

Always place the grounding as near as possible to the equipment. Connect to a reliable outdoor grounding point (earth) using one ground screw. The connection of the grounding points and ground bar needs to be tight and reliable. Rustproofing the terminals, e.g., with antioxidant coating or grease, is required. Some cell site structures may have existing frameworks for attaching the AP and antenna. For purposes of explaining the installation procedure, this section assumes the AP will be installed on a support pole or on a wall.

Figure below provides an overview of the installation process.

To protect the connection points from weather and climate, clean each connection point before installing cold shrink tubes, per the following. Insert the cable into the cold shrink tube. Tighten the connector. Push the cold shrink tube to the top joint and pull out the strip. Ensure the cold shrink tube is tightly fitted with the connection.

Read the following requirements before installing the GPS antenna on the AP.

GPS works best when line of sight exists with the sky. Ensure no major blockage from buildings in the vicinity. Ensure the space atop is at least 45 degrees unblocked by any buildings.

If possible, avoid installing the GPS antenna in the vicinity of any other transmitting and receiving devices, to avoid interference. The GPS antenna should be installed within 45 degrees to the lightning rod.

The GPS antenna system is assembled in manufacturing before packing. The only installation step is to fix the GPS mounting bracket on the AP 25 with the M4*14 screws, as shown in Figure below.

Ensure the pole's diameter is in the range of 1.6 in–3.9 in (40 mm–100 mm). The position of the AP 25 on the pole should be at least 47 inches (120 cm) in height.

Diameter and Height Requirements

The AP 25 mounting bracket is assembled before packing and includes two components: the pre-assembled bracket on the back of the device and the pole or wall mounting bracket.

Prepare the components – Identify the front and rear fixed frames, threaded rods, washers, and nuts.

Insert the threaded rods through the holes in the front fixed frame and secure them with washers and nuts. Attach the rear fixed frame to the opposite end of each rod and tighten loosely to allow adjustment. Ensure both frames are aligned, and rods are evenly extended to match the pole diameter.

Once aligned, tighten all nuts securely.

The schematic on the right illustrates the completed bracket assembly mounted around the pole, showing the correct alignment of the front and rear frames.

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Hold the AP 25 vertically and align the two pins on the AP 25 bracket with the pin holes on the pole mounting bracket. Push the AP 25 down until the hooks are firmly attached to the corresponding slots on the pole mounting bracket.

Tighten the bolt and screw on the top of the AP 25 with a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Once the installation is complete, proceed to connect cables.

Ensure the wall can bear at least four times the weight of the AP 25.

The wall mounting bracket is shown below.

Assemble the wall-mount brackets on both sides of the access point using the provided screws and washers. Ensure all brackets are securely fastened and aligned evenly. Hold the access point against the wall in the desired installation position.

Mark the drilling locations on the wall through the bracket holes to ensure accurate placement. Remove the access point and drill holes at the marked points before proceeding with final mounting.

General requirements:

Bending radius of antenna feeder cable: 7/8” > 250mm, 4/5” > 380mm

Bending radius of jumper cable: 1/4” > 35mm, 1/2” (super soft) > 50mm, 1/2” (ordinary)>127

Bending radius of power cable and grounding cable: > triple the diameter of the cable. The minimum bending radius of the optical fiber is 20 times the diameter of the optical fiber. Bind the cables according to the type of cable; intertwining and crossing are performance-impacting and hence forbidden. An identification label should be attached after the cable is laid for cataloguing and referencing.

Avoid circling and twisting.

Avoid binding on a turn.

Avoid pulling and weighing down the optical fiber.

Grounding cable requirement:

Insert the GPS jumper into a cold shrink tube. Connect one end of the GPS jumper to the GPS antenna. Push the cold shrink tube to the top joint and pull out the strip.

Connect the other end of the GPS jumper to the GPS interface on the AP, which also needs weatherproof protection.

Mount above roofline with 180°+ clear sky; avoid ledges, ducts, beams.

Keep 30–50 cm horizontal offset from antennas, poles, or large metal.

Use mast/pole extensions to clear obstructions; mount rigidly (no tilt/vibration).

Open the dust caps of the ANT1, ANT2 interfaces. Insert the RF cables into cold shrink tubes.

Default: 3-ft GPS cable. Use LMR400 cables for outdoor, high-wind, and chemically exposed environments. Extensions (supported up to 150 ft): use LMR-400 or equivalent low-loss coax; match terminations (N-male ↔ N-male unless otherwise specified).

Keep protective caps on until connecting; if moisture is present, dry or replace any damp/ corroded parts. Hand-tighten connectors until fully seated; avoid tools that can over-tighten. Leave modest service slack; no sharp bends (respect min bend radius); add strain relief. After connection, seal every connector/lead with cold shrink plus self-fusing tape. The grounding cable must connect to the grounding point.

The grounding cable must be separated from the signal cables with sufficient distance to avoid signal interference. Connect one end of the RF cables to the ANT1, ANT2 interfaces on the AP and tighten them with a wrench.

Push the cold shrink tube to the top joint and pull out the strip.

Connect the other end of the RF cables to the external antennas, which also need weatherproof protection.

Since the length of cable needed for power varies from site to site, the two ends of the power adaptor are bare terminal ends. The installer would need to make the power cable according to the actual measurements of the installation site and assemble the power plug and power terminal on the two ends of the power adaptor.

Strip 0.47in/12mm of the insulating layer with a wire stripper which is then used for connecting to the connector. The power cord length is ideally kept below 330 ft/100m.

The connection steps for the power cable are as follows.

Assemble the power plug. The power plug will be installed on the end of the input direction. Refer to the labels on the power plug for connecting the live wire and ground wire to the corresponding terminals separately and tighten the screws. Assemble the power terminal. The power terminal will be installed on the end of the output direction. Refer to the figure below to connect the live wire and neutral wire.

Connect the power cable to the DCIN interface in the wiring cavity. The power cable lays along the lint slot and stretches out the wiring cavity from the DCIN port.

The input of the power adaptor connects to the outlet. If the outlet is outdoors, place the power adaptor Outdoors. If the outlet is outdoors, place the power adaptor in a waterproof box. After the cable connection is complete in the wiring cavity, tighten the screws on the cover to close the wiring cavity using an M4 cross screwdriver.

Prepare the grounding cable according to the actual measurements and requirements of the specific installation site. The AP 25 has two grounding screws located on the bottom of the unit as shown below.

Unscrew one grounding screw, connect one end of the ground cable to the grounding screw, and fasten it again. The other end of the ground cable needs to connect to a good grounding point.

There are two kinds of outdoor antennas, omni-directional and directional.

Adhere to the following guidelines when installing an omni-directional antenna. The diameter of the pole should be 1.4in/35mm to 2in/50mm. A typical case is to use the 50mm-diameter round-steel-made pole (with details depending on the specific antenna type). Make sure that the top of pole and the clamp beneath the antenna are at the same level after installing the omni-directional antenna on the pole. Make sure the antenna is high enough to meet the coverage requirements, and that the antenna top falls within the 45 degrees safety angle towards an independent lightning rod. Refer to Figure: Omni antenna installation.

In case it is impossible to install an independent lightning rod due to environmental limitations, the installation method shown in Figure: Alternative omni antenna installation can be used. Be aware that the pole supporting the lightning rod should be kept at least 1m away from the omnidirectional outdoor antennas.

Omni antenna installation Alternative omni antenna installation

Assemble the directional antenna as demonstrated below.

To install the antenna on a tower or other structure, use a pulley to transport the antenna assembly to the platform, as shown below. Follow standard safety rules when working at these heights.

Fix the pole vertically to the ground, or to concrete pillars on a rooftop, using expansion screws. Fasten the pole with steel wires. Then, mount the directional outdoor antenna onto the pole using the installation rack as shown below.

When the AP has been installed in a proper position, connect all the cables and wires. Seal and weatherproof all the connections after the testing have been successfully completed.

Use for sector antennas from one AP to extend directional coverage. Budget insertion loss (~3 dB per leg for 2-way) plus cable loss when setting EIRP; adjust AP power and verify cell-edge levels. Weather-seal all ports/ connectors with butyl + cold-shrink/self-fusing tape.

Power on the AP and check that the LED indicators are lighting as expected. Refer to the LED descriptions detailed in earlier sections of this document.

The Celona AP 25 is designed to be plug-and-play, and therefore arrive pre-configured. The status is inferred by the LEDs and subsequently by connecting a mobile device to the Celona AP. A properly connected AP will show the Celona logo as the operator on the mobile’s screen.

The Celona AP 25 is a Class-B, FCC Part 96 certified device. Class-B devices are required to be professionally installed by a Certified Professional Installer (CPI). A CPI is an FCC approved person that has the legal authority to validate and confirm the installation with a digital signature. The following information must be entered for each AP 25 by the CPI and the information must be signed off by a CPI with current standing.

GPS coordinates: Latitude, Longitude, Height, Height Type ("above sea level” or "above ground level”). Antenna details: Antenna Azimuth, AntennaDowntilt, AntennaGain, EirpCapability (Conductive power), AntennaBeamwidth, AntennaModel The CPI information detailed above is packaged alongside the AP’s FCC ID, the operator’s ID (user ID) and signed with CPI’s private key. The CPI ensures the above values are verified for each AP and signs off the CPI data with the CPI Identification, CPI Name and Certified Installation time. The CPI information is securely uploaded per AP to the Celona Orchestrator over an HTTPs interface. Celona Edge uses the information for each AP when it registers the APs with the Spectrum Manager.

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. Any Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful

interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

Warning: This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 12 inches (30 cm) between the radiator & your body.