antenna can

Without wishing to be flippant, for help, see above links that you provided! Part of the fun of what you'll do will be seeing which works best.

If you just want the *best* antenna for a given purpose, just buy one with a published set of specifications.

David.

I like the turnpoint calculator.

The testing is a little dicey. I think Jeff has pointed out that it probably suffers from ground reflections.

That's from 2001. I wouldn't bother with a pringle-yagi.

I am surprised at how undisciplined the testing is from a major publishing house.

I prefer to use the turnpoint calculator and a USB dongle in the can, instead of the problematic cabling, and comparative difficult in attaching an antenna feed to currently offered laptop cards.

Bob Alston's coffee can

Dold's coffee can used the turnpoint calculator to decide where to poke the hole. There are also many haphazard designs on the New Zealand page, using USB dongles.

"Paul Mars" hath wroth:

There's no one way to build a can antenna. Different size cans result in different dimensions. If you want something that's simply better than the insipid stock antennas, then any of the construction plans will work. If you want to squeeze that last few dB of gain out of the can, then some calcs and precision construction are needed.

Additional antenna designs including some more cans: |

don't like can antennas and prefer a biquad. This is one that looks easy to build: |

4NEC2 model of a typical can: | I tried to modify a spreadsheet for calculating can antennas: | The original is at: | haven't had much time to tinker with the spreadsheet. There seems to be a problem, but I can't find it. Try it anyway.

Contact SETI. You may have discovered intelligent life somewhere.

snipped-for-privacy@XReXXanten.usenet.us.com hath wroth:

Yep. |

range. Antennas mounted about 4ft off the ground. Punching

0.212 miles into: | Fresnel Zone at 2.4GHz is 10.7ft. 80% of that is 8.6ft. In order for the test to be valid, the antennas would need to be at least 8-10ft off the ground, even with no ground reflections. If you consider reflections, my guess is about 20-25ft off the ground. They should have used a ladder or pole.

My salad bowl USB antenna: |

Irrespective of whatever you eventually end up with, it's suggested that you START SIMPLY & get a feel for obstructions, reflections & signal sweet spots etc by wandering the location with a laptop running NetStumbler etc. I personally now prefer using a WiFi PDA & WiFiFoFum (WFFF) as laptops are too bulky & easily damaged when walking around. Yeah- someone might pinch your darling while your back is turned too, or the wind may blow it off a ledge.

Such real world site audits should be an essential first step, as best reception spots may NOT be where you think ( due to 2.4GHZ "noise", other APs, Fresnel zones etc). See a typical assessment ( LOS over just 1km but thru' trees etc) =>

DIY USB Wifi approaches at =>

are highly recommended, since you be able to rustle up a simple antenna in an hour or so ( or minutes => & => ) using parts often already to hand. WokFi " Gawd it works" success stories abound, a typical being =>

For those of you who just came in, this educational "Poorman's WiFi " project, hosted (free!) by ORCON in "down under" New Zealand, may sometimes be slow- a faster mirror is at =>

Stan. in sunny NZ