Installation
Area of efficiency, installation locations and number of antennae
When choosing the wall for the FF-SIGNAL element, you should opt for locations with a broad view over the horizon whenever possible and avoid sides of the building that stand in the shadow of a high obstacle where an external mobile phone signal is already weak, for example. For optimal performance, install antenna elements on at least two walls facing different cardinal points to achieve the best possible coverage that supports as many different operators as possible.
The FF-SIGNAL amplifier elements should be installed in open spaces where mobile devices are used most frequently and from where the signals can spread freely into the building. Installing the elements directly into the corner of a room is not recommended. Signals struggle to penetrate separating walls made of concrete and this should be taken into account when placing the elements. In terms of dimensions, the rule of thumb is that a single FF-SIGNAL amplifier creates good coverage over an area of 30-40 square metres.
Examples of FF-SIGNAL installation targets at the construction site or house/element factory:
- Into a concrete wall under the reveal panel/window jamb/plastering
- Between frame posts in glass walls
- Between frame posts in wooden houses insulated with aluminium-coated insulation sheets
- Between window frames
- Between a window frame and a balcony door, with or without a support frame
The required number of FF-SIGNAL amplifiers depends on the desired effect and the size of the target. Below you will find examples of recommended minimum setups in different targets:
- A small studio/two-room flat that typically consists of an open living room and kitchen can be covered with a single FF-SIGNAL amplifier installed next to the balcony door or window
- For an apartment that extends through a block of flats we recommend FF-SIGNAL elements on both sides of the apartment
- A single floor of a large modern stone building can usually be covered with 3-4 elements that are placed on 2-3 sides of the building
- On the facade of an office building, the suitable installation interval for the elements is 3–5 metres
Installation method
To ensure that the FF-SIGNAL amplifier works flawlessly, it must be installed carefully and according to instructions. In order to work, the FF-SIGNAL requires metal-free areas on the exterior and interior surfaces of the wall.
The FF-SIGNAL is always installed in a vertical position into the external envelope of the building. The FF-SIGNAL amplifier must not be covered by metal on either side of the wall.
The edges of the FF-SIGNAL amplifier are always sealed with urethane foam. The interior surface and seams of the installation wall can be sealed with plastic steam stop tape or fabric-surfaced tape. However, the steam stop effect found in the insulation material used in the signal amplifier is significant in itself. The signal amplifier must not be covered with aluminium tape or other metals.
A cross-section of a wall structure. The top part of the picture shows the exterior space while the bottom part shows the interior of the room. The FF-SIGNAL amplifier must reach through the wall structure in its entirety so that it can create a pathway for the wireless signal.
Covering the FF-SIGNAL amplifier on an interior wall
On the interior wall, the FF-SIGNAL may be covered by any metal-free board. The list of suitable building boards includes plasterboard, chipboard and OSB, MDF and HDF boards. The use of steam stop plastic is allowed. The interior surface of the wall may also be painted using paint that does not contain iron, charcoal or graphite particles. The FF-SIGNAL must not be covered with aluminium-coated heat insulation.
Covering the FF-SIGNAL amplifier on an exterior wall
The exterior part of the FF-SIGNAL can be covered with any metal-free construction material suited for outdoor use. The list of suitable materials includes wood cladding, metal-free facade plates, high-pressure laminates, plastic-based surfaces and stone-based facade materials (stone and concrete-based facade plates must be relatively thin, 6-15 mm thick). A wind shield board can also be used to cover the FF-SIGNAL.
The external FF-SIGNAL surface can also be covered with a thin layer of plaster. The plastering net must be made of nylon or fibreglass; the FF-SIGNAL must not be covered by a plastering net made of steel. The exterior surface of the FF-SIGNAL must also not be covered with an aluminium-plastic composite.
The exterior surface of the wall may also be painted using paint that does not contain iron, charcoal or graphite particles.
The external cover plate is attached to the surrounding wall structure. If needed, the cover plate can also be glued directly to the signal amplifier using urethane foam, adhesive urethane foam, KiiltoFlex XPU glue mass or other such adhesive.
Cutting the FF-SIGNAL amplifier
The FF-SIGNAL can be cut into smaller pieces both horizontally and vertically as long as it is done so that the remainder still extends through the entire wall structure. The FF-SIGNAL brings the signal in for its entire height and the recommended minimum height is 800 mm.
The use of screws and nails and the cutting of FF-SIGNAL
The optimal way to incorporate the FF-SIGNAL amplifier into a wall is to glue it into place with urethane foam or glue foam so that you do not have to pierce it with additional screws. However, to make installation easier, a small number of screws that pierce the FF-SIGNAL may be used.
The core of the FF-SIGNAL contains an antenna foil that may be pierced with screws and nails in a controlled fashion. However, any nails or screws that pierce the antenna foil should be placed within max. 100 mm from the ends of the insulation.
The antenna foil of an uncut signal amplifier may also be pierced by a third screw from the middle section if it is required because of the window frame, for example. Primarily, if screws are to be used, they should pierce the end sections of the FF-SIGNAL amplifier.
If the FF-SIGNAL amplifier has been cut shorter than 900 mm, the antenna foil may only be pierced by a maximum of two screws placed at each end of the insulation. A shortened signal amplifier must not be pierced by three screws.
The permitted maximum amount of screws that pierce the antenna foil core of the FF-SIGNAL is 1 screw / 50 cm spacing.
To make installation easier, the FF-PIR insulating sheets on both sides of the antenna foil may be pierced from multiple points using various studs or screw studs as long as they do not pierce the antenna foil. The studs may be helpful in positioning the FF-SIGNAL onto a support frame or a wooden frame post before the urethane foam is applied, for example. Nails such as 35 x 1.7 mm wire nails or wire nails with countersunk heads are fit for this purpose. These kinds of nails or screws that do not penetrate the antenna foil may also be used in the lower section of a window's installation frame, for example, so that the FF-SIGNAL is pressed onto the nails before the urethane foam is applied.
