Antenna Installer Course

Lesson 1 • Signal Interference and Noise

Identifies sources of RF interference and noise that degrade signal quality. Prepares learners to diagnose reception problems during installations.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to RF Signals

Covers frequency, wavelength, and signal propagation basics. Establishes the physics foundation needed for all subsequent antenna work.

Lesson 3 • Industry Standards and Terminology

Introduces broadcast, satellite, and cellular industry terminology and regulatory frameworks. Ensures learners communicate accurately with clients and inspectors.

Lesson 4 • Key Antenna Performance Metrics

Defines gain, beamwidth, polarisation, and impedance. Students use these metrics to evaluate antenna suitability for specific installations.

Lesson 1 • Electrical Safety and Grounding

Addresses shock hazards, lockout procedures, and proper grounding of antenna systems. Grounding knowledge directly prevents equipment damage and injury.

Lesson 2 • Personal Protective Equipment

Details PPE requirements for rooftop, tower, and confined-space work. Correct PPE selection prevents the most common installation injuries.

Lesson 3 • Working at Heights Safely

Covers ladder safety, roof access, and fall-protection systems. Learners apply height-safety rules before ascending any structure.

Lesson 4 • Hand Tools for Antenna Work

Covers drills, crimpers, cable strippers, and fastening tools. Proper tool selection reduces installation errors and speeds up job completion.

Lesson 1 • Weatherproofing Cable Connections

Details self-amalgamating tape, boot seals, and drip loops for outdoor connections. Weatherproofing extends system life and prevents moisture-related failures.

Lesson 2 • Coaxial Cable Construction and Types

Explains conductor, dielectric, shield, and jacket layers across common cable grades. Cable selection directly affects signal loss and system performance.

Lesson 3 • Cable Loss and Signal Budgeting

Teaches attenuation calculations and signal budget planning for cable runs. Learners size cable correctly to maintain adequate signal at the endpoint.

Lesson 4 • Connector Types and Selection

Surveys F, N, BNC, and SMA connectors and their appropriate applications. Correct connector choice ensures impedance continuity and weatherproof sealing.

Lesson 1 • Roof and Surface Assessment

Teaches inspection of roof materials, load-bearing capacity, and penetration risks. Surface assessment prevents structural damage and warranty violations.

Lesson 2 • Mast and Pole Installation

Details mast sizing, plumb alignment, and guying requirements for taller installations. Proper mast setup maintains antenna orientation under wind loading.

Lesson 3 • Mounting Hardware Overview

Surveys J-mounts, chimney straps, wall brackets, and pole mounts. Hardware selection depends on antenna weight, wind load, and surface material.

Lesson 4 • Fastener Selection and Installation

Covers lag screws, masonry anchors, and stainless hardware for corrosion resistance. Correct fastener torque and depth ensure long-term mount integrity.

Lesson 1 • Signal Peaking Procedures

Details the sweep-and-peak method using a signal meter for fine alignment. Learners achieve maximum signal strength before securing the final mount position.

Lesson 2 • Elevation and Tilt Adjustment

Explains elevation angle calculation for satellite dishes and tilted arrays. Correct elevation setting is critical for geostationary satellite acquisition.

Lesson 3 • Compass and Azimuth Techniques

Teaches magnetic declination correction, compass use, and azimuth plotting. Accurate azimuth setting reduces alignment time and signal search effort.

Lesson 4 • Identifying Signal Sources

Covers locating broadcast towers, satellite orbital positions, and cell sites. Accurate source identification is the first step in any alignment procedure.

Lesson 1 • Distribution Amplifiers

Covers preamplifiers, distribution amps, and gain settings for multi-outlet systems. Amplifier selection prevents over-driving and noise figure degradation.

Lesson 2 • System Testing and Balancing

Teaches end-to-end signal level testing and balancing across all outlets. Learners adjust splitter configurations to equalise signal distribution throughout the system.

Lesson 3 • Passive Splitters and Combiners

Explains signal splitting loss, splitter types, and combiner applications. Learners calculate how many splits a signal budget can support without amplification.

Lesson 4 • Cable Routing and Management

Details interior cable routing, stapling, conduit use, and bend radius limits. Neat routing protects cable integrity and satisfies inspection requirements.

Lesson 1 • Satellite System Components

Identifies dish reflectors, LNBs, switches, and receivers in a complete system. Component knowledge enables accurate fault isolation and equipment selection.

Lesson 2 • Dish Mounting and Cabling

Details dish assembly, mount installation, and coaxial cable routing to the receiver. Correct cable management prevents moisture ingress and signal loss.

Lesson 3 • Multi-Satellite and VSAT Systems

Introduces multi-LNB setups, motorised dishes, and VSAT data installations. Learners configure DiSEqC commands and verify multi-satellite channel access.

Lesson 4 • Dish Alignment and Signal Lock

Teaches azimuth, elevation, and skew adjustment to acquire satellite signal lock. Learners use a signal meter and on-screen display to confirm lock quality.

Lesson 1 • Antenna and Mount Inspection

Details physical inspection of antenna elements, mounts, and alignment drift. Mechanical degradation is a leading cause of long-term signal decline.

Lesson 2 • Structured Fault Diagnosis

Introduces a systematic divide-and-conquer approach to isolating faults. A structured method reduces diagnostic time and prevents misdiagnosis.

Lesson 3 • Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Establishes inspection intervals, maintenance checklists, and service records for antenna systems. Regular maintenance extends system life and reduces emergency call-outs.

Lesson 4 • Cable and Connector Fault Testing

Covers continuity testing, TDR use, and visual inspection of cable and connectors. Most signal faults originate in the cable plant and are found here.