KVH Industries FB250 User manual

TracPhone FB250 & FB500 Installation Guide
TracPhone FleetBroadband
FB250 & FB500
TPFB250_500_Thrane_IG_Cvr_10.09.indd 1 10/15/09 9:10:23 AM

TracPhone FB250 & FB500
Installation Guide
The KVH®Industries’ TracPhone®FB250/FB500 system, manufactured by
Thrane & Thrane, delivers high-speed data and voice communications via
satellite through Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN). This
installation guide provides all of the information you need to install or
service the system. For detailed operation information, please refer to the
User’s Guides.
Please direct technical questions to:
North/South America, Australia: Europe, Middle East, Asia:
KVH Industries, Inc. KVH Europe A/S
50 Enterprise Center Kokkedal Industripark 2B
Middletown, RI 02842-5279 USA 2980 Kokkedal, Denmark
Tel: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.kvh.com Internet: www.kvh.com
If you have any comments regarding this manual, please e-mail them to
[email protected]. Your input is greatly appreciated!
KVH Part # 34-125646-F
© 2008-2010, KVH Industries, Inc., All rights reserved.
IG_Welcome_Page.fm Page 1 Thursday, August 12, 2010 9:28 AM

Trademark Information
TracPhone, KVH, and the unique light-colored dome with dark contrasting
baseplate are registered trademarks of KVH Industries.
Thrane & Thrane is a registered trademark of Thrane & Thrane A/S in the
European Union and the United States.
Windows and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in
the United States and other countries.
Inmarsat is a registered trademark of International Maritime Satellite
Organisation (IMSO) and is licensed by IMSO to Inmarsat Limited and
Inmarsat Ventures plc.
Inmarsat’s product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Inmarsat.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure the correctness and completeness of the
material in this document. No company shall be liable for errors contained
herein. The information in this document is subject to change without notice.
No warranty of any kind is made with regard to this material, including, but
not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose.
IG_Welcome_Page.fm Page 2 Thursday, August 12, 2010 9:28 AM

iii
Safety summary 1
The following general safety precautions must be observed during all
phases of operation, service and repair of this equipment. Failure to comply
with these precautions or with specific warnings elsewhere in this manual
violates safety standards of design, manufacture and intended use of the
equipment. KVH Industries assumes no liability for the customer's failure to
comply with these requirements.
Observe marked areas
Under extreme heat conditions do not touch
areas of the terminal or antenna that are
marked with this symbol, as it may result in
injury.
Microwave radiation hazards
During transmission the antenna in this system radiates Microwave
Power.This radiation may be hazardous to humans close to the antenna.
During transmission, make sure that nobody gets closer than the
recommended minimum safety distance.
On the TracPhone FB500, the minimum safety
distance to the antenna panel on the focal line
is 1.3 m, based on a radiation level of 10 W/m2.
The radiation level is 100 W/m2at a distance of
0.4 m from the antenna panel. Refer to the
drawing on the next page.
On the TracPhone FB250, the minimum safety
distance to the antenna panel on the focal line
is 0.6 m, based on a radiation level of 10 W/m2.
The radiation level is 100 W/m2at a distance of
0.2 m from the antenna panel. Refer to the
drawing on the next page.

iv
Distance to other equipment
Do not move the antenna closer to radars than the minimum safe distance
specified in the installation manual - it may cause damage to the antenna.
Compass Safe Distance:
TracPhone Terminal: min. 0.3 m.
TracPhone FB500 antenna: min. 1.0 m
TracPhone FB250 antenna: min. 1.1 m
Service
User access to the interior of the terminal is prohibited. Only a technician
authorized by KVH Industries may perform service - failure to comply with
this rule will void the warranty. Access to the interior of the antenna is
allowed, but only for replacement of certain modules - as described in the
Installation manual. General service may only be performed by a technician
authorized by KVH Industries.
FB500:
MICROWAVE RADIATION
No personnel within safety distance
25for FB500
60for FB250
Safety distance:
(0.4 m, 100 W/m2)
1.3 m, 10 W/m2
FB250:
(0.2 m, 100 W/m2)
0.6 m, 10 W/m2

v
Do not service or adjust alone
Do not attempt internal service or adjustments unless another person,
capable of rendering first aid resuscitation, is present.
Grounding, cables and connections
To minimize shock hazard, the equipment chassis and cabinet must be
connected to an electrical ground. The terminal must be grounded to the
ship. For further grounding information refer to the Installation manual.
Do not extend the cables beyond the lengths specified for the equipment.
The cable between the terminal and antenna can be extended if it complies
with the specified data concerning cable losses etc.
All cables for the TracPhone system are shielded and should not be affected
by magnetic fields. However, try to avoid running cables parallel to AC
wiring as it might cause malfunction of the equipment.
Power supply
The voltage range is 10.5 - 32 V DC; 14 A - 5.5 A. It is recommended that the
voltage is provided by the 24 V DC bus on the ship. Be aware of high start-up
peak current: 20 A@24 V, 5 ms.
If a 24 V DC power bus is not available, an external 115/230 VAC to 24 V DC
power supply can be used.
Do not operate in an explosive atmosphere
Do not operate the equipment in the presence of flammable gases or fumes.
Operation of any electrical equipment in such an environment constitutes a
definite safety hazard.
Keep away from live circuits
Operating personnel must not remove equipment covers. Component
replacement and internal adjustment must be made by qualified
maintenance personnel. Do not replace components with the power cable
connected. Under certain conditions, dangerous voltages may exist even
with the power cable removed. To avoid injuries, always disconnect power
and discharge circuits before touching them.
Failure to comply with the rules above will void the warranty!

vi
About the manual 2
Intended readers
This is an installation manual for the TracPhone FB500 and the
TracPhone FB250 systems, intended for installers of the system
and service personnel. Personnel installing or servicing the system
must be properly trained and authorized by KVH Industries. It is
important that you observe all safety requirements listed in the
beginning of this manual, and install the system according to the
guidelines in this manual.
Manual overview
Note that this manual does not cover general use of the system nor
does it cover how to use the IP handset that comes with the
system. For this information, refer to the user manual for this
system and the user manual for the IP handset, both listed in the
next section.
This manual has the following chapters:
•System units contains a short description of each main unit in
the system.
•Installing the system describes where to place the system units,
how to mount them, special considerations for grounding,
distance to other equipment etc.
•Connecting power explains how to connect the terminal to
power and gives recommendations for cables.
•Hardware interfaces describes each interface on the terminal
and shows pin-out for the connectors.
•Starting up the system explains how to insert the SIM card,
power up the system and enter the PIN. It also gives a short
overview of how to use the system.
•Service and repair describes how to replace modules for
service.

vii
•Troubleshooting describes the function of the Reset button and
the light indicators on the terminal. It also describes event
messages that may appear in the web interface.
This manual may not always reflect the latest software
functionality of your transceiver. To obtain the latest version of the
manual, please visit www.kvh.com and download the latest
version from the FB250 or FB500 product page.
Related documents
The below list shows the documents related to this manual and to
the TracPhone FB500 and TracPhone FB250 systems.
Title and description Document
number
TracPhone FB250 & FB500
User’s Guide
Explains how to set up and use the TracPhone
systems.
34-125645
TracPhone FB250 & FB500
Quick Reference Guide
A short guide to the most important functions
of the TracPhone systems.
54-0554
TracPhone IP Handset User’s Guide
Explains the features and functions of the IP
Handset. The IP handset works as a standard
IP handset, but also serves as a user interface
for the TracPhone systems.
34-126059

viii
Typography
In this manual, typography is used as indicated below:
Bold is used for the following purposes:
• To emphasize words.
Example: “Do not touch the antenna”.
• To indicate what the user should select in the user interface.
Example: “Select SETTINGS > LAN”.
Italic is used to emphasize the paragraph title in cross-references.
Example: “For further information, see Connecting Cables on
page...”.

ix
Table of contents
Chapter 1 System units
1.1 Introduction ............................................................... 1
1.2 Terminal .................................................................... 1
1.3 TracPhone FB500 antenna .........................................3
1.4 TracPhone FB250 antenna .........................................4
1.5 TracPhone IP Handset & Cradle .................................5
Chapter 2 Installing the system
2.1 Unpacking .................................................................7
2.2 Placing the antenna ...................................................8
2.3 Assembling the FB250 in the 19" (48 cm) Dome ........19
2.4 Installing the antenna ..............................................22
2.5 Placing the terminal ................................................36
2.6 Installing the TracPhone terminal ............................39
2.7 Installing the 19” Rack Terminal ...............................48
Chapter 3 Connecting power
3.1 Power source ...........................................................53
3.2 Power cable selection ..............................................54
3.3 Connecting power ....................................................60
Chapter 4 Hardware interfaces
4.1 The connector panel ................................................65
4.2 Antenna interface on terminal .................................66
4.3 DC power input ........................................................67

Table of contents
x
4.4 Ground stud ............................................................ 69
4.5 19” rack version only: Terminal block .......................70
4.6 Analog Phone/Fax interface ..................................... 71
4.7 ISDN interface ..........................................................72
4.8 LAN interface ...........................................................74
4.9 Discrete I/O interface ................................................77
4.10 L-Band interface ......................................................82
Chapter 5 Starting up the system
5.1 Using the SIM card ...................................................83
5.2 Powering the system ............................................... 85
5.3 Entering the SIM PIN for the terminal ..................... 89
5.4 Operating the system ............................................... 91
Chapter 6 Service and repair
6.1 Introduction .............................................................93
6.2 Replacing modules in 34-3052A antenna .................93
6.3 Replacing modules in 34-3052B antenna ............... 103
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting
7.1 Reset button ........................................................... 117
7.2 Status signaling ..................................................... 120
7.3 Logging of events ................................................... 125
App. A Part numbers
A.1 System units ...........................................................127
A.2 Spare parts ............................................................ 128

Table of contents
xi
App. B Technical specifications
B.1 Overview .................................................................129
B.2 FB500 antenna .......................................................130
B.3 FB250 antenna .......................................................136
B.4 Minimum distance to transmitters ...........................142
B.5 TracPhone terminal ................................................143
App. C Grounding and RF protection
C.1 Why is grounding required? ....................................153
C.2 About marine DC systems .......................................154
C.3 About marine grounding ........................................156
C.4 Grounding Recommendations .................................157
C.5 Alternative grounding for steel hulls .......................159
C.6 Alternative grounding for aluminum hulls .............. 161
C.7 Alternative grounding for fiberglass hulls ...............163
C.8 Alternative grounding for timber hulls ....................165
C.9 Separate ground cable ............................................167
C.10 RF interference .......................................................170
C.11 Electrostatic Discharge ............................................170
App. D Attaching a TNC or N Connector to RG214 Cable
Glossary ........................................................................................179
Index ........................................................................................185

Table of contents
xii

1
Chapter 1
1111
System units
System units 1
1.1 Introduction
The basic system consists of three units: The terminal, the antenna and the IP
handset with cradle.
There are different types of antennas, depending on whether you have a
TracPhone FB500 system or a TracPhone FB250 system.
1.2 Terminal
The terminal is the central unit in the system. It contains all user interfaces
and handles all communication between the BGAN antenna and the local
communication units (phones, computers etc.).
The terminal comes in two versions, one designed for wall or desktop
installation, and one designed for installation in a 19” rack.
Below is the terminal for wall or desktop installation.

Chapter 1: System units
2Terminal
Below is the 19” rack version of the terminal.
The terminal supplies 18-29 V DC to the antenna through a single coaxial
cable.
The DC input for the terminal is designed for both 24 V DC and 12 V DC power
supply.

Chapter 1: System units
TracPhone FB500 antenna 3
1111
System units
1.3 TracPhone FB500 antenna
The TracPhone FB500 antenna is a mechanical tracking antenna, consisting of
a stabilized antenna with RF-unit, antenna control unit and GPS antenna. The
antenna is dedicated to the Inmarsat BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network)
system. All communication between the antenna and terminal passes through
a single coaxial cable. The antenna unit is protected by a fiberglass radome.
The TracPhone FB500 is housed in either a 26" (66 cm) dome, which matches
the TracVision M7 satellite TV antenna, or a 35" (89 cm) dome, which matches
the TracVision M9 satellite TV antenna.

Chapter 1: System units
4 TracPhone FB250 antenna
1.4 TracPhone FB250 antenna
The TracPhone FB250 antenna is a BGAN mechanical tracking antenna. All
communication between the antenna and terminal passes through a single
coaxial cable. The antenna unit is protected by a thermo-plastic radome.
The TracPhone FB250 is housed in either a 10.8" (27.6 cm) compact dome or a
19" (48 cm) dome, which matches the TracVision M5 satellite TV antenna.

Chapter 1: System units
TracPhone IP Handset & Cradle 5
1111
System units
1.5 TracPhone IP Handset & Cradle
1.5.1 IP Handset
Besides the normal functions of an IP handset, the TracPhone FleetBroadband
IP handset also provides a user interface for the TracPhone system. The IP
handset connects to the LAN interface of the terminal, and is power supplied
with Power over Ethernet (PoE) through the LAN interface.
For further information on the IP handset, refer to the user manual for the IP
Handset.

Chapter 1: System units
6 TracPhone IP Handset & Cradle
1.5.2 IP Cradle
The IP cradle serves as a holder for the IP handset. It is power supplied from
the terminal using Power over Ethernet (PoE). The cradle connects to the
handset with a coil cord and to the terminal with a standard LAN cable.

7
Chapter 2
2222
Installing the system
Installing the system 2
2.1 Unpacking
Unpack your TracPhone system and check that the following items are
present:
• TracPhone terminal or TracPhone 19" Rack Terminal
• TracPhone FB500 antenna orTracPhone FB250 antenna
• IP Handset & Cradle, wired
• Basic cable support kit including an I/O connector, or
for 19” rack version: Strain Relief Bracket
•Powercable
• Antenna cable
•LANcable
•Usermanual
• Installation manual (this manual)
• Customer Welcome Kit
Inspect all units and parts for possible transport damage.
Note
For information on how to install the IP handset and cradle, refer to
the user manual for the handset.
Important
Upon installing the TracPhone system, make sure the terminal
and IP handset have the latest software installed. The latest
software versions are available to KVH dealers and distributors
on the KVH Partner Portal. The latest version of terminal
software can also be downloaded over the satellite link (see the
User’s Guide for details). Refer to the User’s Guide and IP
Handset User’s Guide for complete instructions on uploading
new software versions to the units.