Fastcomm Patch antenna

I haven't done that myself, but it should work. For those interested, the gain in dB of a typical 60 cm DSTV dish at 2.4 GHz is around 20 dB. The 90 cm ones have about 5dB more. The LNB's are usually directive antennas (horn antennas) that only "look" back at the dish, but if you put the modem with its omnidirectional antenna in place of the LNB it should give you a much better signal!

Should be an interesting experiment, I'd sacrifice my DSTV anytime!

Ajax
 
With these lights and signal strength spoken of all the time on the forums, does it mean signal from the modem to the tower?

I mean you can be 10km from the tower and GET good signal but that helps nothing..

Are you guys speaking of signal TO the tower from the modem?
 
Flashvc,

Just remember your DSTV dish has to point very accurately to the satellite. They normally recommend using a professional technician to install them, so if you are gonna turn the dish to a Sentech tower, you might have difficulty getting your original DSTV signal back. Maybe check your signal on your DSTV decoder (under advanced settings, pin code 9949) before you mess around with your dish. Afterwards you will at least know what signal you had on DSTV so that you can perhaps try and align the dish back to the satellite yourself.
See if you can borrow one from a Multichoice agent, rather.

But hey, if you are desperate...
I was once quite desperate to "hack" my cell phone, so I desoldered one of the surface mount chips and reprogrammed it myself! [}:)]

Desperate times calls for desperate measures! [:)]

Ajax
 
hehe, nah..not touching the DSTV dish, but it's easy to realign it anyways.
I've got a 24dbi 802.11b grid antenna that's sitting there gathering dust atm, just gonna use the grid

--
 
http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

Theres a link that might help the poorer wireless users.

[:D]
 
[:p]wanna build my own as well, but im still BIG n00b as far as all this is concerned. From what I have read so far, I know what cable to buy what connector to use with the can but from what I gather we are still waiting for connectors to the MyWireless modem to arrive at fastcomm.

This true? or is there an alternative out we can use?
 
hey

im not to sure about any other alternatives but the connecters that you should use are comming out on the 18 March (so fastcomm say). i really want a antenna hehehe

Dr4k out
 
Does anyone have a decent antenna sitting around and willing to charge me to pop to Jukskei Park (Olivedale) with it to come see if i get signal at all?

According to the Sentech site I am supposed to have partial coverage - my neighbour across the road has GOOD - not picking up any signal anywhere :[:(]

Even if I get in my car and drive 2 blocks further I don't get any signal [:(]

I walked all over my garden with the notebook and ProASM's mysignal application - not a sniff of anything

Works brilliantly at the office in Craighall - but I did not get it for the office!

Sentech call centre can give me no info on what tower I am supposed to be using, I saw in other posts a mention of Bryanston CC? That will probably end up being my tower (if it is live - I hold thumbs that it is not!)

I REALLY REALLY want this modem to work here

Please contact me if you can provide any assistance

DH
[email protected]
 
Have you tried Proasm's Tea Tray idea?
I think Olivedale should connect to Randburg, cause Sentech Fourways is too far from there. Try using a tray and reflect the signal towards Randburg.

Once I've tested the parabolic reflector idea, I'll post my results here.

--
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by DarkHelmet</i>
<br />Does anyone have a decent antenna sitting around and willing to charge me to pop to Jukskei Park (Olivedale) with it to come see if i get signal at all?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I'm in Olivedale, near Sharonlea (opp PO Boxes) and I get 3 or 4 LED's of signal on my windowsill. Hooked up ProASM's app the other day and was only showing 14% signal though.

Roll on the antennae!
 
I have tried the tray, a big metal bowl, I have been on top of my roof with the modem and a notebook!!!

Will be getting a DSTV dish off a friend this evening and I will "aim" it in the general direction of Randburg. I have more or less an idea of the angle how to point the dish, just not exactly where to point it at!
 
hehe think everybody here is waiting for the antenna, Is there any site on the net we can check where the nearest tower is so we can check in what direction to actually point it when we get/build it?

Must think happy thoughts about the antenna then it can not fail!
 
[quote
Must think happy thoughts about the antenna then it can not fail!
[/quote]

HAPPY THOUGHTS
HAPPY THOUGHTS
 
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Must think happy thoughts about the antenna then it can not fail!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

HAPPY THOUGHTS
HAPPY THOUGHTS

ProASM - any news on the Bryanston CC tower? I hope this will solve my lack of signal.
 
You realise ofcourse that happy thoughts alone won't do it.
(In my best hippie voice) "You need to cleanse your aura... harness good and block bad... must project low ping times... think low ping times... now exhale..." [:D]
 
Greeting Earthlings.

Since everybody's talking about pointing towards the "Randburg Tower" I might throw in my 2 cents worth...

According to ProASM's list of towers (http://www.unrealza.co.za/proasm/wireless/towers.html)
number 12 (one of three) is at the "Council Mineral Tech". I've done a bit of research and believe that the tower has to be on top of the Mintek building (obviously - Council for Mineral Technology next to the Randburg Testing Station, near the corners of Hans Strijdom and Hill... almost opposite Virgin Active).[8D]

For those of you who'd like to measure the distance from your location to the tower - Do a suburb search for "Malanshof" on
Sentech's Broadband Zone locator site. The tower should be in the vicinity of the blue star next to the words "Randburg Testing Station".

I happen to be just over a kilometer away... with a constant 26% signal strength.[:D]

Considering climbing onto my roof with my notebook to try true line of sight... thunderstorm brewing though... maybe another day. *Grin*
 
All I want to know is if tower 116 (Bryanston CC) is active

I hope it is still offline, else i am a bit skrewt!

I am sort of in the middle from Fourways(Sentech HQ), Mintek and tower 116
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X