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4G Fiberglass Antenna Upgrades and Replacements

2025-07-11

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  Upgrade and Replacement of 4G Glass Fiber Antennas

  Necessity of Upgrade

  With the evolution of 4G networks and the increase in user demand, the upgrade of glass fiber antennas is imperative. The growth of users in rural and remote areas has made the original antenna coverage insufficient. The introduction of high-frequency bands (such as 2.6GHz) requires antennas to support wider frequency bands; equipment aging leads to performance degradation. The gain of antennas that have been in service for more than 5 years may drop by 1-2dBi, and the standing wave ratio exceeds the standard (>2.3), affecting the communication quality; new applications (such as IoT terminal access) require antennas to have lower latency and higher stability, all of which drive antenna upgrades.

  Key Technical Directions of Upgrade

  Wideband Adaptation

  The new generation of 4G glass fiber antennas needs to cover the full frequency band of 698-2690MHz. By optimizing the radiation unit structure (such as loading a gradient impedance matching network), the standing wave ratio of each frequency band is < 1.8. Tests show that when the antenna using this design switches between the 700MHz and 2600MHz frequency bands, the signal interruption time is < 5ms, meeting the requirements of seamless switching between multiple frequency bands.

  Gain and beam optimization

  For wide-area coverage, the antenna gain is increased from 8dBi to 12dBi by increasing the number of radiation units (such as 4×4 array); at the same time, the horizontal beam width is optimized to 65° and the vertical downtilt angle is 3°-6°, so that the coverage radius is expanded by 20% while the signal strength in the edge area is increased by 10dB.

  Enhanced anti-interference

  Introducing dual-polarization isolation technology (isolation ≥30dB) to reduce co-channel interference; integrating notch filters to attenuate 1.8GHz radio and television signals by ≥40dB, ensuring stable operation in complex electromagnetic environments.

  Replacement process and technical specifications

  Preliminary evaluation

  Use spectrum analyzer to detect the current antenna working status, record gain, standing wave ratio, isolation and other parameters; combine the user distribution and terrain in the coverage area to determine the new antenna model and installation location (if the original location is severely blocked by the signal, it is necessary to re-select the site).

  Installation points

  Mechanical installation: Use stainless steel bracket to fix, ensure that the vertical deviation of the antenna is < 1°, and the wind resistance level is ≥12 (wind speed 32.7m/s).

  Electrical connection: Use low-loss RG-6 coaxial cable (length ≤10m), and the connector uses N-type gold-plated connector. After installation, test the connection impedance (50Ω±2Ω).

  Waterproof treatment: Wrap three layers of waterproof tape + one layer of heat shrink tube around the joint, and reserve a drainage slope at the bottom (≥5°).

  Debugging and acceptance

  After installation, calibrate the antenna direction through the frequency sweeper to align the main beam with the target coverage area; conduct continuous 48-hour testing, requiring the signal connection rate ≥ 99.9% and the call drop rate < 0.1%. Acceptance can only be made after all indicators meet the standards.

  Replacement precautions

  Compatibility: The new antenna needs to match the base station RF module (such as supporting 2×2 MIMO or 4×4 MIMO configuration) to avoid performance limitations due to interface incompatibility.

  Cost control: Modular design antennas are preferred, and the radiation unit can be replaced separately instead of as a whole, reducing maintenance costs by more than 30%.

  Safety regulations: High-altitude operations must comply with the "Standards for High-altitude Operations in Communication Engineering", use insulating tools, and suspend construction in thunderstorms.

  Application effects and maintenance suggestions

  After replacing the upgraded antenna, in typical rural scenarios, the number of users covered by a single base station increased from 500 to 800 households, and the download rate increased by an average of 15Mbps. In daily maintenance, the bracket tightness and waterproof condition need to be checked every quarter, and full-band performance test is carried out once a year to ensure long-term stable operation.

  The upgrade and replacement of 4G fiberglass antennas is a key link in improving the quality of rural communications. It is necessary to strictly follow technical specifications, take into account performance improvement and cost-effectiveness, and lay the foundation for the smooth transition of 4G networks to 5G.


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SHENZHEN VLG WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD