To Omni or not to Omni ???

D

DarkWater

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Hi There

Ok...no...i don't have iburst.....ok..yes i'm posting on the iBurst forum. :rolleyes:

Here's the deal, i have been using GPRS @ Home and ADSL @ work (even though we have a 4meg line the browsing sucks...ja ja proxy blah blah).
Anyway the GPRS thing has come to a halt and i'm getting iBurst (I don't support Telscum and i'm renting resulting in no phone lines)

Well even though the coverage map of Cape Town states i'm in the extreme outdoor signal area my friend down the road gets very well speeds (lives on the top floor of the flats so there's no trees etc. blocking the signal :p )
Where as my spot is really covered ... so i was looking @ the pricing of the Omni Antenna (R499 :D )...so i've got no issue with that..but does it really make a improvement?? ... I tested his iburst connection at my place and only got 128-192 download speed on the speedtest....and downloaded @ an average of about 16kbps...

Thanks in advance for the response
 
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Darkwater,

My covarage was also extreme outdoor (lowest ranking on their map). I had a guy come out to do a signal test since it looks like a forest around me - The curse of PTA. He arrived with a laptop, UTC modem and a small pigtail type antenna.

After spending about 30 minutes on my roof. I found a spot which gives me 100% signal :D

Got the iBurst modem a few days later with an Omni Antenna. Stuck the omni to a 3m pole on the roof and set everything up. My signal is jumping between 70% & 90%.

I believe the reason for this is jumping between towers. Saw that i'm 4km away from at least two towers on uttracestar when we did the signal test. I can't prove this (Still struggling to get uttracestar running), but I believe that a omni, like in my case, could be worse. I would rather opt for a directional atenna.

I must just add that the atenna does make a signal improvement. I had zero signal in my home without the antenna :p

Hope this helps.
 
The solution is not to Omni...

Hi there DKWR & ESA

Don't Omni, this is the antenna iBurst suggests, however it will cause you endless headaches.

I tried the Omni and my connection was much worse as my UTD signal hops, picking-up all the towers from the CBD to Table View and the Omni increased the signal hopping as I live in T/kloof. I am now connecting to Gardens Centre, with a directional antenna.

The solution is a Yagi, on a short mast (Cape Town wind!) if you are going to use it outdoors. Indoors the Flat Panel (FP). The FP is also directional and will improve your signal significantly (highest gain), it will isolate the tower signal you wish to connect to. I wouldn’t suggest it for outdoor use as the slightest movement and your signal might start fluctuating.

Find your "sweet spot" - best reception area and direction (horizontal and vertical plane) with EyeBurst - easy to use and you don't have to install it on your PC, just delete the files after use.

PM me if you need any further assistance.
 
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Although the Iburst technology is supposed to make switching between towers seemless (ie good for an OMNI antenna), in practice it causes deterioration in performance and stability. It can also cause frequent disconnects.

Until Iburst release firmware that prevents random basestation hopping, a directional antenna is a far better choice.
 
A directional is only better because it is stronger in this case, if he lives in extreme coverage he isnt going to be base station hoping so no worries there guys.

If the omni is stronger/beter than a directional antenna for R350 from the GRES fellow, then maby omni is a better solution because he wont get BS hopping.
 
Maybe the best option for me would be to get them to do a Site Survey :confused:
 
Yep, that is always the best option. Tell them to bring along a few antenna for you to try out ;)

Make them work for your money.

btw, where about in Cape Town are you? I'm also in the extreme out door I think, or maby just on the edge of it.
 
My Area is:

Loumar
Stikland (Same Street as Stikland Station)
Bellville



P.S. Maybe get a Sticky about Indoor and Outdoor antenna opinions :rolleyes:
 
Okay, so im on the other end of Cape Town then, but Stikland is a pretty kick-ass name for a place to live. Probably doesnt help with iburst though :\

Get some reseller to come over to your house and find the optimum spot for an antenna, then test it out, if its not very good.. maby give it a miss. A bad iBurst is never fun.. but on a two story flat you should be able to get a pretty good connection, height is the most important thing when placing a modem.
 
:( My friend is in the 2 story flat...i live in a ground floor house...all hidden away
also planning on taking a month 2 month account...will they still do a site survey :confused:
 
Yep, i've just got the normal old school white brick type one from iburst.

A friend of mine also has his set up in his roof and gets an excellent signal, but he is in a bit better signal area than me..
 
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