A GNSS anti-jamming antenna or terminal is part of a larger signal, receiver and platform boundary. The product label alone cannot confirm that a configuration is appropriate for a particular installation. Before an engineering discussion, the project team should make the proposed mounting position, signal path, power arrangement and downstream interface visible in a short, traceable documentation package.
This checklist is written for commercial and industrial platform teams. Use the mounting and interface sections to define the installation, and the energy-reserve example to decide whether a GNSS upgrade also needs a larger power source or a revised supply path. It does not certify an installation, predict field performance or replace receiver, platform and environmental validation.
1. Identify the platform and the navigation role
Start with a concise description of the platform rather than a generic request for the highest specification. Record the platform type, the navigation task, the intended operating context and the organisation responsible for the mechanical drawing, receiver configuration and control-system interface.
The purpose is to give the review team enough context to distinguish documented requirements from information that still needs confirmation. A vehicle, a commercial marine platform, an industrial installation and a mobile mapping workflow can all use GNSS, but the installation boundary and evidence package may be different.
For application context, review the ResiNav Applications hub before choosing a candidate product family.
2. Document the proposed mounting boundary
Provide a drawing or annotated image showing the proposed antenna or terminal location. Include the available mounting surface, orientation assumptions, nearby structures, service access and the relevant physical clearance. If the location is still being selected, show the alternatives rather than presenting an assumption as a final design.
- Platform drawing or clear installation photograph.
- Proposed equipment position and mounting interface.
- Nearby structures, housings, antennas or radio equipment.
- Access needed for installation and service.
- Known environmental or mechanical constraints relevant to the project.
This record does not establish final suitability. It makes the physical boundary reviewable.
When comparing mounting options, decide whether the selected antenna needs an external ground plane and whether that item belongs in the equipment order.
3. Map the RF and cable route
The cable route is an engineering input, not a finishing detail. Record the anticipated route from the antenna or terminal to the receiver, including approximate length, connector interfaces, penetrations, protection points and nearby equipment. Keep observed facts separate from assumptions that require confirmation.
Where multiple cable paths are possible, identify the preferred route and the reason it was selected. This helps a review cover the entire path rather than only the end devices.
For a broader signal-environment checklist, see GNSS Interference Environment: What to Document Before Integration.
If one antenna will feed more than one receiver, review splitter selection and antenna power routing before finalising the common cable and receiver branches.
4. Check interface compatibility and the energy reserve
The receiver model, required constellations and bands, RF interfaces and navigation outputs still determine which candidate can connect to the system. A low-power unit is not a substitute for the required signal coverage. Once that shortlist exists, check whether the present power system can support the added load for the required operating period.
Decide whether the order needs only a terminal or also a power-system upgrade. A supply’s watt rating tells you about load capability; a battery’s watt-hour capacity describes stored energy. Neither number alone proves a complete installation will run for a required shift or backup interval. Input voltage, startup demand, conversion losses and the energy available under the intended conditions are separate constraints.
Illustrative six-hour purchase decision — not a tested ResiNav installation. Assume a 96 Wh battery, with 80% of that energy available after the chosen reserve and capacity allowances, and a common conversion path that delivers 90% of the available energy to the loads. Assume the existing receiver, logger and communications loads together draw a constant 4 W, and allow another constant 6 W for the proposed terminal. These are planning assumptions, not battery or converter recommendations.
- Energy reaching the loads: 96 Wh × 0.80 × 0.90 = 69.12 Wh.
- Total assumed load: 4 W + 6 W = 10 W.
- Six-hour requirement: 10 W × 6 h = 60 Wh. The 96 Wh scenario passes this arithmetic screen, with 9.12 Wh left after the stated allowances.
- A 60 Wh battery under the same assumptions delivers only 43.2 Wh; it does not pass the six-hour screen. Calculated runtime would be 4.32 h.
For these assumptions, the battery energy needed before those allowances is 60 Wh ÷ (0.80 × 0.90) = 83.33 Wh, rounded. Do not treat that result as a product rating or an approved minimum: use the actual capacity conditions, converter behaviour and operating load profile before choosing hardware. If the supplier already states usable energy at the load output, do not apply the same allowances a second time.
The RN-S65-4CH-SNB product provides a real starting point for a conditional screen: its English datasheet, Rev. 0.1, page 3, specifies power consumption of ≤6 W at normal temperature. Page 2 lists GPS L1 and BDS B1. This supports considering that model when those published signals fit the requirement; it does not establish battery compatibility, an input-voltage range, startup current or consumption throughout a different temperature range. The example above uses a 6 W allowance, not a promise of six-hour RN-S65 operation.
Keep average consumption and supply sizing separate. NovAtel’s PwrPak7 electrical specification distinguishes typical consumption, feature conditions and inrush current. Septentrio’s mosaic Hardware Manual, section 3.5, distinguishes average operating consumption from peak-current supply capability. These examples show why a receiver’s low average figure is not the whole supply specification; their numerical limits and settings do not apply to ResiNav equipment.
If usable energy is insufficient, compare a larger energy source, an available continuous supply or a lower-consumption candidate that still meets the signal and integration requirements. If energy is sufficient but the voltage range or startup capability is not, a larger battery capacity alone is not the remedy: the supply or conversion path belongs in the purchase scope. Do not assume that switching a terminal off periodically is acceptable where continuous reception is required, or that an undocumented low-power mode exists.
Put the agreed operating duration and complete load boundary next to the power drawing. Include grounding, connectors and the team that consumes the navigation data; then identify which power or conversion items are included in the quotation. Use the Antenna–Receiver–Platform Integration Guide for the wider integration boundary.
5. Keep product information and project constraints distinct
Product data should come from verified records. Project requirements come from the receiver, the platform, the installation and the intended workflow. Keep those two groups separate in the documentation package. If a product parameter, interface or delivery item is not publicly documented, flag it for engineering confirmation instead of filling the gap with an assumption.
The Product Catalogue is the appropriate starting point for reviewing the published product families. Element count and channel count should be used as part of a larger requirement set, not as standalone proof that a configuration will meet an operational need.
6. Assemble a concise review package
For the subsequent engineering discussion, assemble the following material as it becomes available. This is a working checklist, not a requirement to complete every item before first contact:
- Platform description and navigation role.
- Receiver model, required constellations/bands and documented interfaces.
- Mounting drawing or annotated image.
- Proposed cable route, connector notes and available installation space.
- Power, grounding and downstream data-interface information.
- Quantity, project timing and unresolved questions for the review.
The package helps later discussions focus on documented integration constraints and the evidence still needed for a candidate configuration. Keep known information separate from items marked “to be confirmed”.
Request an engineering review
You can use the Request a Quote form with the model or application, estimated quantity and requirements you already know, even if drawings or receiver details are not yet available. Mark unresolved items as “to be confirmed”; configuration, interfaces and detailed engineering documents can be reviewed during subsequent quotation discussions. Final configuration remains subject to engineering review.
FAQ
Does this checklist approve a GNSS installation?
No. It organises the information required for a technical review; it is not a certification or a performance guarantee.
Should a product be chosen before the installation drawing is available?
A preliminary product family can be discussed, but a documented mounting, receiver and interface boundary is needed before a candidate configuration can be reviewed responsibly.
Are cable length and connector details important at the RFQ stage?
They are useful review inputs. Record known information and identify anything that still needs confirmation.
NEXT STEP
Turn available platform information into an engineering review.
Use the Technology centre to frame the discussion, review relevant application scenarios, then send the available platform and receiver details for confirmation.