12. Facility Recommendations
12.1. Building Recommendations
The quality of the building is of great importance if you are to expect long life and continued performance
from the power amplifier or transmitter. The building must be clean, dry, temperature controlled and
secure. Don’t forget to allow space in the building for any additional racks to house test equipment, a
workbench area, line regulating transformers, ladders, equipment and parts storage, first aid kit,
emergency generator if used, as well as heating and cooling devices that may be unique to your
installation. A sloping roof will tend to develop leaks less rapidly. The building should be well roofed with
good material. The cooling load will be lowered with reflective or light colored roofing material.
12.2. Electrical Service Recommendations
Technalogix recommends that a qualified, licensed local electrician be consulted for the required
electrical service. We suggest local electricians because:
• The personnel know the local codes
• The personnel can be on site readily
• You are apt to get better overall support if you cultivate business relationships with local suppliers
Technalogix recommends that proper AC line conditioning and surge suppression be provided on the
primary AC input to the power amplifier or transmitter. If DC is used as a source, a DC-DC converter is
recommended to provide isolation between the supply and the load. All electrical service should be
installed with your national electrical code in your area, any applicable provincial or state codes, and
good engineering practice. Special consideration should be given to lightning protection of all systems in
view of the vulnerability of many sites to lightning. Lightning arrestors are recommended in the service
entrance. Gas Discharge Tubes (GDT) may help in preventing lightning, which was forecast for another
day, from creating a bad day. Straight and short grounds are recommended. The electrical serviced must
be well grounded. Do not connect the unit to an open delta primary power supply, as voltage fluctuations
could harm the unit. Branch your circuits. Do not allow your lights, your workbench plugs, and your
transmitting or translating equipment to operate on one circuit breaker. Each amplifier or transmitter
should have its own circuit breaker, so a failure in one does not shut off the whole installation.
12.3. Antenna and Tower Recommendations
Your preliminary engineering workgroup should establish your antenna and tower requirements, if
applicable, both for receiving and transmitting antennas. Construction of sturdy, high quality
antenna/tower systems will pay off in terms of coverage of your service area, the overall quality and sale-
ability of your radiated signal, and reduced maintenance expenses. Technalogix provides complete
turnkey antenna systems if needed. If your site is serving as a translator, your receiving antenna should
be in line of sight to the originating station all year round. The foliage will change with season.
Transmitting antennas can enhance or seriously impair the amplifier or transmitter output.
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