Antenna, amp, cable, connector, & mounting hardware foru

[ibholst]

How about a forum regarding antennas, amps, etc. I'd like to discuss what we're using and our experience, and get some feedback from others for better solutions.

Also share contacts of good vendors and prices we have discovered.

Ira

[lonnie]

You just started one. It is that easy.

[georgew]

From a previous thread...

I've purchased a number of things from Hyperlink... So far everything has worked as it should... but then they are mainly a reseller.

I buy my cable parts from www.fab-corp.com, and on FAB's Ebay store they have good buy-now deals on things like amps and pigtails.

I'm told that most of the pigtails are coming from overseas where labor to
assemble them is less expensive. I assemble my own so I can always get the exact specs I want, keeping them as short as the particular application warrants. Soldering is easy, dip a toothpick in a high quality no-wash flux and dab the solder joint prior to applying a soldering iron tip that has a small amount of solder already in it. I'm far sighted, so this is all done under a cheap three armed "helper" that has two articulating alligator clips and a magnifying glass. I haven't had a bad pigtail yet using this method.

I've not had a problem with purchased pigtails, but purchased LMR400 assemblies have given me a lot of trouble, so I make all my own cables too. I use LMR400 and RF industries connectors.

I have tested a lot of antennas, and my best results in a compact package have been the panel antennas from Superpass.com. They have a 13db 4" by 10" vertically polarized panel that has a 60 degree vertical by 20 degree horizontal pattern, and by reorienting the mounting hardware I turn them into horizontally polarized 60 degree sector antennas. These cost $28 in quanity 10, so it is a sweet-spot price. The same antenna that is sold as a horizontally polarized unit costs twice as much, the only difference being the N connector is in a different location. Since I'm competing with people that give set-ups away for free, saving money on things like antennas is important. I try to use these same antennas for CPE, as customers really like the panels as they don't have very much visible profile. I've gotten a 5 mile un-amped link going with a pair of these, so they seem to work well, and they have a generous, easy to aim pattern, they are light, and there is little to assemble.


George