5GHz Wireless Bridge Panel Antenna | 18dBi Gain With Aluminum Enclosure

An 18 dBi 5 GHz panel supplied with a die-cast aluminium enclosure rather than a bare ABS radome, for wireless bridge installations that have to survive long term outdoor exposure. The antenna itself is a 305 x 305 x 25 mm plate weighing 2.0 kg, and the enclosure adds a 220 x 220 x 60 mm housing at 1.5 kg. The beam is 30 degrees by 20 degrees and the output is a single SMA connector.

The enclosure is the product

Most of the panels in this range are sealed ABS radomes that mount directly on a pole. This one is supplied with a cast aluminium housing that takes the antenna inside, which changes the installation in three ways: the cable enters the housing through a gland rather than a connector on the radome, the antenna can be removed for service without disturbing the mounting, and the metal body provides mechanical protection against impact and rodent damage.

The trade is weight. The assembly is 3.5 kg rather than 2.0 kg, and the housing adds wind area. On a lightweight pole or a wall bracket, check the load against the fixing capacity before specifying this version.

Thirty degrees for a bridge link

An 18 dBi panel with a 30 degree horizontal beam sits between the 20 dBi narrow panel and the 14 dBi wide panel in the same family. For a bridge link of 1 to 3 km, 30 degrees is a comfortable tolerance: at 1 km the beam covers about 536 m of width, so the two ends can be aligned without a survey-grade bearing.

The 20 degree vertical beam also allows a useful downtilt without losing the path. On a link between a rooftop and a mast at different heights, that vertical tolerance is often more valuable than extra horizontal gain.

SMA output and cable choice

The SMA connector is smaller than the N-Type used on the other panels and is intended for a short jumper inside or just outside the enclosure rather than for a long feeder. On a bridge installation where the radio is mounted at the antenna, this is the right interface: a short low-loss jumper of 0.5 to 1 m keeps the loss below 0.5 dB at 5.8 GHz.

Where the radio is at the base of the mast, an SMA-to-N jumper plus a long N-Type feeder adds two connectors and roughly 0.2 dB of extra loss. In that case the N-Type panels in the range are the better match, and the aluminium enclosure advantage has to be weighed against the extra interface.

Mounting and weather

The housing fixes to a pole with the bracket supplied. Keep the cable entry gland at the bottom of the enclosure so that water runs away from the seal, and form a drip loop before the cable enters. Cast aluminium does not degrade in ultraviolet light, but the powder coat can be damaged during installation, and a bare aluminium spot will corrode in a coastal atmosphere.

At 5.8 GHz, keep the front face at least 200 mm from the pole. The enclosure itself is metal, so the antenna inside is already shielded from the rear; the clearance requirement applies to the aperture side, where a mast or a guy wire will still disturb the pattern.

Ordering

One SMA connector is standard, with enclosure finish and packing quantity confirmed at order. Samples in 3-5 days, production in 15-25 days.

Where the radio is at the mast base and an N-Type interface is preferred, the 20 dBi 5 GHz panel antenna uses the same 305 mm plate with an N-Type female output. For a sector covering multiple clients rather than a single bridge, the 15 dBi 5 GHz MIMO sector antenna covers 90 degrees with two polarisations.

Send the link length, whether the radio is at the antenna or at the base, and the mounting surface. The radio position decides the connector type, and that is the detail that cannot be changed after the enclosure is ordered.