External antenna

[kimpeck]

Are there any particular restrictions in regards to height and postion. 

I just wanted to ask before I have an external antenna fitted.

Thank you in advance.

(Location, Midlands, UK)

[Peter45]

Hi Kimpeck,
Put up your antenne as high as possibele.
The signals are following a line of sight so I hope for you there are not high buildings in your neigbourhood.
And, after all, use a good quality coax cable , for example, Aircell-7.
Succes,

Peter

[Pinza]

Just turned midnight - so must a-bed before committing to my weekend project of installing external antenna.

Have a grossly underestimated length (10 metres when I need at least 15m) Westflex 103 cable assembly with N-type connectors at each end and a MoonRaker Radar Rama antenna ready to go.

Supervisor at work has given me an unwanted 9" stand off bracket - which I intend to use to connect antenna to directly, rather than source an additional pole.

Maintenance engineers at work have lent me a DeWalt cordless SDC drill and bits (worth over £500!!) for the weekend - so really must use it!

They gave me a useful tip: ie route the cable in a groundwards (U-bend type) loop before going up to the roof. This should help prevent rain running down the cable and into my living room via my soon-to-be-drilled hole!

Kit came with various sizes of scary-looking bits - they told me to start with the smallest and work up.

I also asked whether I should drill from inside to out or vice versa.

I've forgotten their advice - any ideas before I wreck my brickwork in the morning would be gratefully received!

Chris

[RodBearden]

I'm not much of a D-I-Y-er myself, but in my experience, drilling OUT from a wall pushes lots of brick/plaster with it. If you can drill IN from both sides and meet in the middle, that's the best plan.

Watch out for mains cables and gas pipes - good luck!

Rod

[Pinza]

Whoops! Ever started a project when you're tired and possibly had a couple of pints too many to celebrate the end of a harsh week at work - and then regretted it...???

Well that's me - alienated upstairs neighbour by starting drilling after midnight.

Now have larger than intended hole in living room wall. Thankfully, first battery died before destroying outer brickwork too!

Met in the middle going out - just need to find out how to change battery and drill inwards in the morning to meet half way (once fully sober...)

Nice to have the loan of such a drill from work - may have been better to have the job done professionally - rather than my inept DIY skills...!

Chris

At least, I missed the electric, gas and phone cables Rod!

[Southwest]

Well that's me - alienated upstairs neighbour by starting drilling after midnight.

Yikes, would hate to have you as my next door neighbour lol.

[Pinza]

Well that's me - alienated upstairs neighbour by starting drilling after midnight.

Yikes, would hate to have you as my next door neighbour lol.

Whoops! Mandi (my upstairs neighbour) evidently concurred with 'Southwest's' thoughts...

Rudely awoken this morning by said neighbour banging on door and having a 'mini-riot' with me over my middle-of-the-night drilling activities.

Had to grovel and offer my sincere apologies....

External antenna project on hold until she goes to work on Monday (and I'm off).

Also probably need to ask her permission to erect aerial on her property (upstairs flat) - but today wasn't the day... Will let her calm down first!

Nightmare - not helped by the fact that drill work lent me was possibly 'overkill' for the job and I have a stupidly large hole in my living room wall!

[CoastGuardJon]

Hmmmmmmm, sounds like a big box of Thorntons could be called for, her heart will melt!

[neroon79]

I got a similar Problem when I put my "little" hole for the Ecoflex15 cable through a 20cm Wall of armoured concrete. I live in a row house, and as I was doing the job the neighbour four entries away came and asked what the h**** I'm doing here. And, if I can by any chance let the house stand where it is...

[palnecrazyuk]

Just added a  HBA-1090 External Aerial complete with 10m of Westflex 103 Low Loss co-axial cable and if you have a Radar Box this is a must have!!! Cost £110.00 fro Airband on line and worth every penny
http://www.airbandonline.co.uk/kapl_sbs1_aerial.htm
Try this its great, mounted on a pole from a well known DIY chain aprox 2m above roof line.

[Neilman2424]

i would highly recomend the external antenna from DPD it works great without the need for a pre-amp.
2nd if your going to put a bend in your coax cable i wouldnt bend it to tight or you may damage the air-spaced dielectric thats in westflex cable make shure its not kinked.