Lamiel
join:2008-04-05
Saint Johns, MI
| Wind
My neighbor two houses to the east finally got fed up with WildBlow and decided to ditch them for Millenicom on my recommendation. He ordered a parabolic grid antenna from L-Com, along with all the fixings, and the Simple Mobility router from M-Com. I won't go into all the trouble we had getting the router online, but it was a big pain - I'm glad I bought a Cradlepoint! Anyway,we finally got that sorted, so the next step was to dial in his antenna. I went over there this morning to help him - he went up on the roof to do the pointing, while I sat at the computer monitoring the signal strength and doing speed tests... We had a BIG wind come through last night and it was still blowing hard when we started dialing in the antenna. I was having connectivity problems all last night and when I got online early this morning - I'd be surfing along just fine, and then all of a sudden I'd lose it. But I didn't put two and two together until I got over to the neighbor's. I pulled the modem out of the SM router and plugged it directly into the computer to do the signal tests, and the Mobile Broadband app kept disconnecting every minute or two. I was scratching my head over it until my neighbor commented on how hard the wind was blowing (we were talking on our cells during the testing). The light went on in my head and I realized the problem. It was confirmed when the wind died completely for about 5-10 minutes and the signal shot up to full bars, the RSSI dropped to -75 and the speed tests jumped way up. We locked it down, but once the wind picked back up we lost connectivity again. I went outside to take a look and the antenna was wobbling back and forth at least an inch to the left and right. So... After all this long-windedness I'll get to my point - would it be okay to brace the antenna by attaching a metal arm on each side of the grid, bolted down to the roof? Would that affect the performance of the antenna in any way? If so, perhaps some sort of plastic arm instead? I can't really think of any reason why this would be a problem, but I wanted to be sure before I recommended he try it. Any opinions?
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Core2Quad Q9450 @ 3.4GHz, XFX 780i SLI mobo, 2x MSI 8800GT OC in SLI, 4GB Patriot Viper DDR2-1066, Samsung 20x optical, Samsung F1 750GB HDD, Antec TP3 650 watt PSU, CoolerMaster Centurion 5 case, Vista Home Premium 64 bit... |
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Kevin_H
join:2009-08-06
Suffolk, VA
 ·Millenicom
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
| i have my parabolic grid antenna on a thin metal pole and it wobbles when the wind blows and i found out that if you leave the modem plugged into the router and not directly into the computer it holds the connection alot better. but im not sure about the mounts, i think that as long as you dont mount it to the actual grid part of the antenna you'll be fine. Tell me how it works if you do! |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Millenicom
| reply to Lamiel
Making the mast stable by any means is a good idea. Keep in mind, when the wind blows its not only putting force on the antenna it is also moving tree limbs and leaves in and out of the signal path. That can affect how the signal propagates to your antenna.
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Lamiel
join:2008-04-05
Saint Johns, MI
| said by Jim_in_VA  :Making the mast stable by any means is a good idea. Keep in mind, when the wind blows its not only putting force on the antenna it is also moving tree limbs and leaves in and out of the signal path. That can affect how the signal propagates to your antenna. So, Jim, what's your opinion on using braces of some sort? Would it be unwise to attach directly to the grid? As for the mast, it's as stable as it could be. The guy welded a pipe to his WildBlow tripod, and it doesn't budge at all - it's just the antenna itself that wobbles...
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Core2Quad Q9450 @ 3.4GHz, XFX 780i SLI mobo, 2x MSI 8800GT OC in SLI, 4GB Patriot Viper DDR2-1066, Samsung 20x optical, Samsung F1 750GB HDD, Antec TP3 650 watt PSU, CoolerMaster Centurion 5 case, Vista Home Premium 64 bit... |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Millenicom
| I think non-metal bracing would be ok. Unless the wind is so severe and constant that the feed arm has significant movement by 2+ degrees, I wouldn't be concerned.
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... need help? »evdo-tips.com/ |
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Lamiel
join:2008-04-05
Saint Johns, MI
| said by Jim_in_VA :I think non-metal bracing would be ok. Unless the wind is so severe and constant that the feed arm has significant movement by 2+ degrees, I wouldn't be concerned. Thanks, Jim!
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Core2Quad Q9450 @ 3.4GHz, XFX 780i SLI mobo, 2x MSI 8800GT OC in SLI, 4GB Patriot Viper DDR2-1066, Samsung 20x optical, Samsung F1 750GB HDD, Antec TP3 650 watt PSU, CoolerMaster Centurion 5 case, Vista Home Premium 64 bit... |
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jfd15
join:2008-01-07
West Sacramento, CA
·Millenicom
| reply to Lamiel
i just have the USB modem but i have noticed that wind does seem to cause signal problems....right now im surrounded by trees but i think it was a bit of an issue for me about 4-5 months ago also, when there werent any trees within a quarter mile from me....any chance that the wind can effect the actual radio(microwave?) signals on this stuff(MBB)?? |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA | google multipath |
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jfd15
join:2008-01-07
West Sacramento, CA | eh, its over my head...i didnt see anything about wind... |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Millenicom
| wind in itself has zero effect on RF energy. It does have an affect with anything movable in the signal path from the tower to your device. When trees sway, branches move, and leaves blow in and out of the signal path - that changes your RSSI. Normally not by much, if you have a strong signal to begin with. But, yeah, it can be a factor in a marginal area.
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video
Browsing Through Purgatory
Premium
join:2005-11-27
Newburg, MD | reply to Lamiel
I need a new Mast, currently using a 20+year old TV antenna mast, any recommendations where and what to buy?
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Franklin CDU-680, CradlePoint 350, DLink 655 router, HG2424G Grid antenna, Cyfre Amp. |
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xrayman
join:2008-12-09
Kansas City, MO
1 edit | reply to Lamiel
At onetime RatShack stores sold lightweight masts. I have not looked in the last couple of years, good to call store before making a trip. Some people use steel water pipe that can be easily be found at Home Depot and Lowes. Larger cites usually have stores that stock or will special order masts of any type. On line sources have the problem with shipping longer sections of masts by UPS, truck freight could be expense.
I know of one guy close to me that has put up 40 foot long 3/4 inch steel water pipe with a flat panel antenna on top. He only has used one set of guy wires at the 20 foot level. It all is perched on the ridge of the house using a tripod mount. Just looks like a disaster ready to happen when the wind blows hard. |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA | LOL. wow. 40' ... talk about a lightning rod.
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Jack_in_VA
Premium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA | I once had a tv antenna mounted on 20' of 1-1/2", 20' of 1" and 20' of 3/4".  |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA | eh? 60' of pipe swaying in the wind ...yikes!
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video
Browsing Through Purgatory
Premium
join:2005-11-27
Newburg, MD | reply to xrayman
Thanks for your reply, I don't need 60' but how is the guys signal? I'll give radio shack a try. Thanks again!
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Franklin CDU-680, CradlePoint 350, DLink 655 router, HG2424G Grid antenna, Cyfre Amp. |
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Jim_in_VA
join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
·Verizon Wireless B..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Millenicom
| You don't need to get all goofy with mounting a grid. Use a simple device like this: »www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=21603&cmp=ALSOS Put it on a highpoint of your roof, mount the antenna, and point toward best signal. Not rocket science here.
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xrayman
join:2008-12-09
Kansas City, MO
| reply to Jim_in_VA
said by Jim_in_VA :LOL. wow. 40' ... talk about a lightning rod. He needs the 55 feet elevation to make it above a ridge for LOS to the cell tower that is over seven miles away. The house is down in a hole with elevation gradually increasing to the ridge 1/2 mile away. I have no idea if the system has lightning protection. I know this is the second mast he has put up. I think a wind storm got the first one a couple of years back. |
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delmarvawifi
join:2008-07-15
| reply to Lamiel
Usually those satellite type arms can be had for either free or next to nothing. Just track down any direct tv or dish network van and ask. They will typically give them away or you can tip them $2 for one. They have excess to the point of selling them for scrap. |
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video
Browsing Through Purgatory
Premium
join:2005-11-27
Newburg, MD
·HughesNet Satellit..
| reply to Lamiel
We just went through a fairly bad nor'easter here in Maryland, I live on the water on the western shore and I have to say the grid antenna was bouncing around a great deal but we never missed a beat, always had internet with a good signal, thanks again Jim for all of you good advice!
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Franklin CDU-680, CradlePoint 350, DLink 655 router, HG2424G Grid antenna, Cyfre Amp. |
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