The Poynting antenna discussion thread

[jcheek]

Hi All

Howdy and welcome!

I have been reading this thread like crazy but still have some unanswered questions, hopefully someone can help

First off, well done!. It's clear that you've already done quite a bit of background homework.
Whilst MyBB is a great resource, the sad truth is that while so many questions have already been raised (and usually answered) somewhere in the forums, most folks don't take the trouble to search for them. (In truth, MyBB's "search" functionality is not the best and doesn't help the situation much). This results in the wheel being re-invented many times over.
So kudos to you for doing some MyBB research first!

I fall outside of LTE range at my house and I'm thinking of getting an antenna and a router to try and alleviate the problem.

A few points here:

• You don't mention which network operator(s) you want to use for LTE access (Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C) ? This has a bearing on your choice of modem/router and also your choice of antenna system. Which network(s) are you "out of range" of ?
• The coverage maps are drawn up for "typical" situations, usually with the LTE modem indoors and using only built-in antennas. The situation up on a rooftop is usually a lot better.
• If the device's own antennas don't get you enough signal strength to ensure a good, stable LTE connection, then some form of external antenna is a must, yes. These could be indoor external or outdoor external, but the latter will usually give the best results.
• Regardless of which "router" you get, it will usually be a 4-in-1 device (3G/LTE modem, router, switch, Wireless Access Point (WAP) ). The "modem" part is obviously crucial for LTE access. The rest are add-ons that may or may not work well in a specific device. The add-on functions in integrated 4-in-1 devices are often not great, typical shortcomings being in the functionality of the "router" part, or the performance of the WAP.

For a router, will either of these work fine with external antennas?
Huawei b593 - I believe it must be the "601" version. Where does one find one of these?
TP-Link MR200 - http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-4691_Archer-MR200.html

Both can be used with external antennas, yes. Both come with "flat whip" indoor external antennas.
Which one will "work" for you depends on which network(s) you want to use as the different SA networks operate on different LTE systems and frequencies.

The B593s-601 is possibly the best "all-rounder" of the Huawei B593 series, in the sense that it works with most SA network operators' LTE systems : Vodacom, MTN, Neotel (1800MHz, FDD) and Telkom (2300MHz, TDD). It is not compatible with Cell C LTE as it doesn't support operation in the 2100MHz band.
The B593 series is (perhaps) being displaced by the newer B315s, though you will still find the B593 on many shelves and in the second-hand market. You can find much more information here.

Many folks have wished for an alternative to the Huawei LTE devices, primarily because they have somewhat cr**py firmware, a so-so WAP and limited router functionality.

On paper at least, the TP-Link Archer MR200 seems like a very capable device :

• Built in 3G/4G modem with mini-SIM card slot.
• Dual connectors (almost certainly SMA) for use with external antennas. Supplied with two flat whip antennas.
• 4G LTE modem with support for FDD-LTE at 1800MHz (MTN, Vodacom, Neotel) and 2100MHz (Cell C); as well as TDD-LTE at 2300MHz (Telkom).
• 3G modem with support for DC-HSPA+, HSPA+, HSPA/UMTS on 900/2100MHz.
• 2G modem with support for EDGE/GPRS/GSM on 850/900/1800/1900MHz.
• Support for 802.11 a, b, g, n and the newest ac wireless (Wi-Fi) standards.
• Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi at up to 300Mbps on 2.4GHz and 433Mbps on 5GHz.
• 4-port 10/100Mbps ethernet switch with one port re-configurable as a WAN port (eg for an FTTH modem).

About the only downside seems to be that the LAN ports are not Gigabit, only 100Mbps.

The main question mark would be compatibility with the SA cellular operators' network equipment, ie does it really work reliably ?
Fortunately, someone else has already done some testing : there is already a MyBB thread on the device here.
For those folks interested, a full datasheet can be found here and one is also attached to this post.

And for an antenna there are two options that stand out:
A-XPOL-0002-V2
LPDA-0092-LTE
What is the difference between the two? Would they both do a good job of brining me a good LTE signal even though I am out of range? Is it simply a case that the LPDA is stronger than the XPOL? Or are there specific scenarios in which you would use each of them.

Both are excellent multi-band antennas that will work at all frequencies currently in use by SA network operators for 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE.
Both will provide huge signal gain : x8 in the case of the XPOL-0002-V2 (9dBi) and x16 in the case of a pair of LPDA-0092's (12dBi). From your description, the XPOL-0002-V2 may be more than sufficient.
The main difference is probably in the aesthetics : the XPOL-0002-V2 is a compact, self-contained antenna with dual internal elements.
A twin LPDA-0092 setup is much more "industrial" : much bigger and less sightly.
Lightning and surge protection is a consideration for any external outdoor antenna, but much more so for a twin-LPDA setup.

Note : Both the above antenna options are multi-band setups that can be used with any SA network operator and on both 3G and 4G. If you only plan to use your setup with one network operator and/or on one system, then other antenna choices are possible. As an example, for Telkom-only use, you could consider the XPOL-0006 which is more compact than the XPOL-0002-V2 and provides almost as much gain (11dBi) as a twin-LPDA-0092 setup. However it is band-specific and would only work on Telkom 4G, which has both upsides and downsides.

I'm not terribly far out of range, all the coverage maps shows that I literally sit in a little dead spot between all the towers. I reckon I would get LTE about 500m-1km away from my house.

Your situation's actually fairly typical.
As mentioned before, the signal landscape is usually more favourable from up on your roof, especially (but not exclusively) if have line-of-sight to one or more base stations.
Before splurging on any external antenna system (which is a significant cost), my advice would be to decide on the modem/router device you want, and then use it to first assess the signal strength and connection performance. You can do this both inside the house and from your rooftop before taking the next step and selecting an antenna system.
It also helps immensely to establish where your local cellular base stations are, and which operators' equipment is on them.

Thanks for any help!

Also have a look at this thread for help with selecting and setting up antenna systems.

 

[Craigt]

Wow dude, thanks for the in depth advice.

Howdy and welcome!
A few points here:

• You don't mention which network operator(s) you want to use for LTE access (Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C) ? This has a bearing on your choice of modem/router and also your choice of antenna system. Which network(s) are you "out of range" of ?
• The coverage maps are drawn up for "typical" situations, usually with the LTE modem indoors and using only built-in antennas. The situation up on a rooftop is usually a lot better.
• If the device's own antennas don't get you enough signal strength to ensure a good, stable LTE connection, then some form of external antenna is a must, yes. These could be indoor external or outdoor external, but the latter will usually give the best results.
• Regardless of which "router" you get, it will usually be a 4-in-1 device (3G/LTE modem, router, switch, Wireless Access Point (WAP) ). The "modem" part is obviously crucial for LTE access. The rest are add-ons that may or may not work well in a specific device. The add-on functions in integrated 4-in-1 devices are often not great, typical shortcomings being in the functionality of the "router" part, or the performance of the WAP.

1. I would like to remain as flexible as possible. But for starters I'm going to try Telkom LTE.
2. I need to get on the roof soon anyways, so I will test it out.
3. -
4. I will only use the modem part. I will plug the device directly into my home network.

... On paper at least, the TP-Link Archer MR200 seems like a very capable device :

• Built in 3G/4G modem with mini-SIM card slot.
• Dual connectors (almost certainly SMA) for use with external antennas. Supplied with two flat whip antennas.
• 4G LTE modem with support for FDD-LTE at 1800MHz (MTN, Vodacom, Neotel) and 2100MHz (Cell C); as well as TDD-LTE at 2300MHz (Telkom).
• 3G modem with support for DC-HSPA+, HSPA+, HSPA/UMTS on 900/2100MHz.
• 2G modem with support for EDGE/GPRS/GSM on 850/900/1800/1900MHz.
• Support for 802.11 a, b, g, n and the newest ac wireless (Wi-Fi) standards.
• Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi at up to 300Mbps on 2.4GHz and 433Mbps on 5GHz.
• 4-port 10/100Mbps ethernet switch with one port re-configurable as a WAN port (eg for an FTTH modem).

About the only downside seems to be that the LAN ports are not Gigabit, only 100Mbps.

The main question mark would be compatibility with the SA cellular operators' network equipment, ie does it really work reliably ?
Fortunately, someone else has already done some testing : there is already a MyBB thread on the device here.
For those folks interested, a full datasheet can be found here and one is also attached to this post.

I have bought this. Will check out the signal with standard antennas over the week end. Will also read the link now.

Both will provide huge signal gain : x8 in the case of the XPOL-0002-V2 (9dBi) and x16 in the case of a pair of LPDA-0092's (12dBi). From your description, the XPOL-0002-V2 may be more than sufficient.
The main difference is probably in the aesthetics : the XPOL-0002-V2 is a compact, self-contained antenna with dual internal elements.
A twin LPDA-0092 setup is much more "industrial" : much bigger and less sightly.
Lightning and surge protection is a consideration for any external outdoor antenna, but much more so for a twin-LPDA setup.

Note : Both the above antenna options are multi-band setups that can be used with any SA network operator and on both 3G and 4G. If you only plan to use your setup with one network operator and/or on one system, then other antenna choices are possible. As an example, for Telkom-only use, you could consider the XPOL-0006 which is more compact than the XPOL-0002-V2 and provides almost as much gain (11dBi) as a twin-LPDA-0092 setup. However it is band-specific and would only work on Telkom 4G, which has both upsides and downsides.



Your situation's actually fairly typical.
As mentioned before, the signal landscape is usually more favourable from up on your roof, especially (but not exclusively) if have line-of-sight to one or more base stations.
Before splurging on any external antenna system (which is a significant cost), my advice would be to decide on the modem/router device you want, and then use it to first assess the signal strength and connection performance. You can do this both inside the house and from your rooftop before taking the next step and selecting an antenna system.
It also helps immensely to establish where your local cellular base stations are, and which operators' equipment is on them.

I think I will take your advice, test out the built in antennas, if thats not sufficient then I will try out the XPOL.

Thanks again for your help/guidance/feedback. At least I'm on the right track and not buying stuff that wont even work for me

 

[jcheek]

Wow dude, thanks for the in depth advice.

Pleasure!

1. I would like to remain as flexible as possible. But for starters I'm going to try Telkom LTE.
2. I need to get on the roof soon anyways, so I will test it out.
3. -

Good approach and initial choice.

4. I will only use the modem part. I will plug the device directly into my home network.

Bear in mind that there has to be at least one router device to route traffic between your WAN-side IP address (which is on the LTE side) and your local network. Most folks use the router inside the 4-in-1 device as the "main router", but some (myself included) use the LTE device as a "plain modem", with a more capable router/WAP somewhere downstream. If you already have a full-featured router in your home network, you would be in the latter category and it would've made sense to get the cheapest, simplest LTE modem you could find (B593 or B315 being good choices in that role).
But with the MR200 being so capable (and quite pricey), I guess you would be planning to use the router and WAP features ?

I have bought this. Will check out the signal with standard antennas over the week end. Will also read the link now.

Let us know on that thread how you get on with it !

I think I will take your advice, test out the built in antennas, if that's not sufficient then I will try out the XPOL.

From what I can make out in the MR200's user manual, it doesn't seem to have any built-in patch antennas for 2G/3G/LTE, only the two flat whips.
This is unlike the Huawei B593s-601 which has a built-in, fully internal pair of patch antennas in addition to the external antenna connectors and flat whips.
If this is truly the case, it actually makes life simpler in that the MR200 doesn't have to figure out if there are external antennas connected or not - it is always expecting external antennas.

Thanks again for your help/guidance/feedback. At least I'm on the right track and not buying stuff that wont even work for me

Good luck!
Subscribe to the appropriate thread(s) and let us know there how you do.

 

[Craigt]

Hi All,

Is there a site where I can see where the Telkom towers are? I'm not sure in which direction to point the antenna? This router also doesn't seem to give details signal information. It just says 75%. Is there another way that I can measure the strength of the signal?

I guess I could then just point it around in all directions and see where I get the best signal.

 

[Snyper564]

Try an app called open signal will show the Telkom Towers.

Hi All,

Is there a site where I can see where the Telkom towers are? I'm not sure in which direction to point the antenna? This router also doesn't seem to give details signal information. It just says 75%. Is there another way that I can measure the strength of the signal?

I guess I could then just point it around in all directions and see where I get the best signal.

 

[Boom3laar]

Try an app called open signal will show the Telkom Towers.

tried that app its very cool, but i cant find the telkom tower my router is connecting to the cellID does not seem to exist

 

[jcheek]

This router also doesn't seem to give details signal information. It just says 75%. Is there another way that I can measure the strength of the signal?

Yeah, that seems to be one of the MR200's downsides.
The Huawei's give "proper" signal stats (RSSI/RSRP/RSRQ etc), some directly on the GUI (B593 series), and some buried inside the API (B315, E5186).
But hey, percentage is better than nothing!

Is there a site where I can see where the Telkom towers are? I'm not sure in which direction to point the antenna?
I guess I could then just point it around in all directions and see where I get the best signal.

The pages describing Telkom's "uncapped broadband" LTE deal include a coverage map that shows you where the uncapped LTE stations are. That can give some of the station locations, but it's not a complete list of all LTE stations. More background on that here. That whole thread may be of some interest to you.

IMO, the best method remains to physically look for the stations in your area, either by driving around with one eye on the skyline, or by doing a survey from your rooftop and then driving out to verify. "Open-source" resources like opensignal and opencellid can help, but use the info with care as its often not 100% accurate. Always verify the info you get by driving out to the alleged station and having a look whose equipment is there. It's a schlepp the first time, but once done it's a good investment as these stations obviously don't move and tend to just get new infrastructure added to them.

 

[Craigt]

Ok so I'm all set up. Have the Antenna mounted up on the roof and its made a huge difference in speed. The max speed test I have had is about 25mbps.

Two huge problems:

It is almost impossible to set the antenna up in any meaningful way by only using signal indicators of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. With the antenna up and pointed in the general direction of the tower the router would always show 75%. But shifting the antenna around in this range would have a majoy effect on speedtest results. At worst I was getting about 12mbps and at best about 25mbps. I need something that can report proper signal information.

How precise do you have to be when setting up the XPOL antenna?

The second problem. My speeds are extremely temperamental. If I run speed test over and over, Sometimes I get 20mbps, then I start getting 6mbps for a couple of runs, then I will get +- 20 again and then I will see a spike up to 30. The down to 5 again. Any ideas what could cause this? Or is this just the way that LTE rolls?

 

[cpbotha]

Last night I mounted the new Poynting XPOL-0006 I ordered from Takealot and mounted it, pointing towards what I believe to be the Telkom LTE tower about 1.25 km away.

Before connecting the antenna, stats on the Huawei 5186 looked like this (router on TV stand, part of a wall between it and sliding door on LTE tower side):

<rsrq>-3dB</rsrq>
<rsrp>-93dBm</rsrp>
<rssi>-69dBm</rssi>
<sinr>26dB</sinr>

After connecting the antenna to the balcony right above the sliding door, facing the LTE tower (or where it probably is), stats looked like this:

<rsrq>-3dB</rsrq>
<rsrp>-74dBm</rsrp>
<rssi>-53dBm</rssi>
<sinr>&gt;=30dB</sinr>

That's a significant improvement in RSRP, RSSI and SINR. However, during speedtests last night, this had some effect on my upstream (3 to about 6 Mbit/s), but not that much effect on my downstream (30 - 50Mbit/s without antenna to 40 to sometimes 60 Mbit/s with the antenna. Interestingly, with my LG G3, held up in the air at just under where the antenna is now mounted, I get 70Mbit/s and more.

I'm super happy with this connection (coming from a 5 km 5 GHz wifi connection varying between 2 to 8Mbit/s because there are so many bad APs jumping up everywhere in Somerset West), but I was wondering if people had any thoughts on the relatively small effect such a signal level improvement has on the effective download?

 

[sajunky]

That's a significant improvement in RSRP, RSSI and SINR. However, during speedtests last night, this had some effect on my upstream (3 to about 6 Mbit/s), but not that much effect on my downstream (30 - 50Mbit/s without antenna to 40 to sometimes 60 Mbit/s with the antenna. Interestingly, with my LG G3, held up in the air at just under where the antenna is now mounted, I get 70Mbit/s and more.

It is significant improvement in uploads which is for me an indication of the quality connection. Give it a time and try speedtest again, it might be even better, as tower is automatically tuning up to the new conditions.

As for LG, I thnk it tuned up to the electromagnetic field created by the antenna when you put phone in close proximity.

 

[Aluroth]

Hey guys,

Quick question: I have the A-XPOL-0006 that comes with the Telkom unlimited deal. If I want to mount it on a 3m pole above the roof (previously used for Bitco), do I need to earth it? If yes, how would I do so or is this setup not recommended at all?

 

[Geoff.D]

Hey guys,

Quick question: I have the A-XPOL-0006 that comes with the Telkom unlimited deal. If I want to mount it on a 3m pole above the roof (previously used for Bitco), do I need to earth it? If yes, how would I do so or is this setup not recommended at all?

Suggest you read the first post in this thread. The answer to your query is there together with where you can get more help.

Approach Poynting directly for advice.

As far as the regulations are concerned, the relevant SABS specs are listed below.

First a few comments.

(a) Lightning protection of a structure is NOT mandatory, except for Thatch roofed structures.
(b) Lightning protection of antennas and masts is mandatory if the mast ends up being the highest point on a structure.
(c) If an antenna is installed in such a way that is not at the highest point ( say under the eaves of a house, then lightning protection is not mandatory.
(d) If a mast is installed and has it own lightning protection, it should be installed by a professional in the business.
(e) There is much argument all over the place about bonding the mast earth to the electric earth. If you do this, it should NEVER be done via a simple socket earth, but rather should be done outside and underground. Whatever people say, it is mandatory to bond the LPS to the electrical earth, ( SANS 10142-1).
(f) Surge protection requires a common earth point under the Wiring of premises regulations. The earth point is supposed to be clearly visible on the outside of a home for instance.
(g) Surge protection is NOT mandatory in South Africa precisely because there are areas such as in the Cape where lightning hardly ever occurs. BUT, with the increasing amount of sophisticated equipment (costly) installed in a home these days, it is important that it should be done.
(h) There are 3 levels of surge protection that should be done. For the best protection all should be implemented. Level 1 (and this is my own terminology), should be done on the incoming electrical supply, preferably outside at the meter box. BUT we do not have access to that meter box, so the next best place is in the main DB board. (level 2). level 3 is direct protection of electronic equipment with surge protection devices. This setup will pretty much reduce the risk of equipment damage to the lowest possible. Note, there is NO system yet invented that will provide a 100% guarantee that no damage will ever occur.
(i) I have my own personal rule from years of experience with this issue, and that is:

No earth is better than a bad earth! So if you do decide to provide lightning protection, including bonding it to the mains earth, get a reputable professional company in to do it for you. It WILL cost!. They will know what all the regulations are and what the local by laws are and will hopefully provide the best possible advice.

A badly designed and installed setup can and does attract lightning strikes, direct, indirect or induced.

The SABS specs for Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) are aimed in the first instance at Life Hazard protection and Physical damage to structures protection, NOT protection of electronic equipment.

The main SANS spec is 10313 as amended. I think the latest version is dated 2010.
This spec also provides the flash density figures for most areas in SA, but specific figures can be obtained from SA Weather Services. Eg. CT is 0,3; most of Gauteng is between 7.0 and 8.0, and the highest I could find is for Giants Castle which is 13.0.

This spec must be read in conjunction with the SANS 62305 series of specs, as well as Act 1977 (National Building Regulations), and, the OHSA Act (85 of 1993) as amended from time to time.

The other specs of importance are:

SANS 1063: Earth Rods, couplers and connections
SANS 10142-1: Wiring of premises part 1 low voltage installations.
SANS 10199: Design of earth electrodes. All free standing Masts shall be earthed in accordance with SANS 10199 and comply with SANS 62305-3.
SANS 10225: Design of Lightning mast and construction thereof. ( Note, a mast put up for an antenna is a Lightning Mast, even if the intention is not for it to be one. In high lightning areas (such as the West Rand Ridge) great care has to be taken.
SANS 62305 -1,2,3,4. These deal with General principles, Risk Management, Damage to structures and life hazard, and , lastly, -4 deals with equipment protection. -3 specifies what is required for Internal LPS. ( Lightning Protection System). -3 covers surge arrestors and how they should be installed.
SANS 61643-1, -12, deals with surge protection devices, how to select apply and install. It is the go to reference before spending money on that el cheapo surge plug on offer at some or other obscure Internet shop.

 

[nicklear]

I'm considering buying the A-XPOL-0001 to use initially with Afrihost (MTN 1800 MHz) and then later with Telkom on 2300.

I have the B593-s601. With MTN I'm right on the edge of LTE coverage with 0-1 bars. For some reason 3G doesn't work at all even though 5 bars. Telkom is better with 3 bars (I don't have the proper stats on me).

My question is how good is the A-XPOL-0001 at the 1800 MHz? It's much more in our budget than the 0002.

 

[jcheek]

My question is how good is the A-XPOL-0001 at the 1800 MHz? It's much more in our budget than the 0002.

The XPOL-0001 is an entry-level omnidirectional antenna that provides a modest amount of signal gain (2.5dBi) across all bands. If you use the full 5m of cable length, the signal loss incurred in the cable will mean that the combination is more or less "gain neutral". The main advantage of something like the XPOL-0001 is that it provides a practical way to put your antenna system where the best signal is, which is usually somewhere high up, outside. To illustrate, you could put your whole B593 up on the roof and probably achieve much the same signal performance using just the internal patch antennas - indeed, some folks have done exactly that. (see here for something similar).

The XPOL-0002-V2 is a whole lot more antenna, providing a lot more gain (9dBi versus 2.5dBi, which means over 4x as much signal power) while still supporting ALL 3G and 4G bands currently in use by ALL networks in SA - no mean feat. As a consequence, it is more expensive and also quite directional.

An important consideration is whether you want to retain support for all networks across all frequency bands and systems (2G/3G/4G). Retaining multi-band support makes the antenna more complex and expensive for the same gain performance. If you are happy to be locked in to Telkom 4G/LTE, you can scarcely get more bang for your antenna buck than with the narrowband, purpose-specific XPOL-0006 giving 11dBi gain at 2300MHz only.

My advice would be to shin up on the roof one day with laptop and B593 and see what sort of signal you get from your rooftop. The B593 makes a fairly decent wideband signal-prospecting tool, and the results you get with the internal patch antennas on the roof are a good indication of what you will get with an XPOL-0001 placed at the same spot with 5m of connecting cable. If the signal levels are such that connection performance is mediocre, then you would probably do well to look at something with more gain. On the other hand, if you're happy with the performance you get, you can stop at the XPOL-0001.

 

[nicklear]

Thank you, that's really helpful. I hadn't thought about the loss of the 5m cable. How does the 0010 fit into the equation for those on a budget? Presumably that has a shorter and lower loss cable.

 

[jcheek]

How does the 0010 fit into the equation for those on a budget? Presumably that has a shorter and lower loss cable.

Shorter, yes; but not necessarily lower loss.
The XPOL-0010 has thinner RG174 cables (about 2.5mm OD) which are very convenient for desktop handling, but unfortunately much lossier than the thicker HDF-195 used on the XPOL-0001. So even though the XPOL-0010's cables are only 2m long, at best it is probably also more or less "gain neutral". But again, the 2m cable may enable you to put it against a window or at a particular sweet spot. It is a "desktop" antenna after all !

 

[nicklear]

Regarding the recent interest in the Poynting XPOL-0010 desktop antenna, I received some material from Herbert Bauer, one of Poynting's associates in Europe.

<quote>

“Theses pics were taken while on a trip through Devils Garden in the middle of Arches National Park, near Moab in Utah. The Parks in the US pride themselves that there is no cell phone reception (“For a real nature experience”). This is true … but with a little help from the right technology, not necessarily so. We used a Huawei Mi-Fi device with an XPOL-0010.

The setup in action in Devil's Garden, Arches National Park :
View attachment 316871


With the XPOL-0010 :
View attachment 316875


With no antenna :
View attachment 316873


We used the setup quite a few times during the trip. Reception went from “No service” without the XPOL-A0010 to 3 bars and a 3G connection. Still not perfect, but much better than no service.
It really shows how well the XPOL-A0010 works and what it can do in areas where there is otherwise very little reception."

<unquote>

(All pictures and quoted content provided courtesy and copyright of Herbert Bauer, Poynting Europe)

Surely in this instance, it was not about a sweet spot?

 

[jcheek]

Surely in this instance, it was not about a sweet spot?

In a typical indoor urban environment, there is a mish-mash of direct and reflected signals and the "sweet spot" might be the one on the corner of the desk that provides the antenna's two elements with just the right combination of signals. Or it might be a particular spot near a window that just happens to have a glimpse of a base station.
In an outdoor, non-urban environment like the one Herbert Bauer described, there are typically fewer reflected signals and it is more about orienting the antenna so as to pick up a distant base-station optimally.

The antennas that are built into mobile devices can also range from very poor (as is typical inside smaller devices and USB sticks), to very good, as in full-size "fixed-wireless" modem-router devices like the B593 and its siblings. In Herbert's case the XPOL-0010 - even with its modest 2dBi gain - clearly out-performed the internal antennas in the Huawei Mi-Fi device.

 

[nicklear]

Thank you for taking the time to explain.

 

[jcheek]

Thank you for taking the time to explain.

No worries mate.
Do come back and let us know what setup you select and - later on - how you are doing with it !