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Hardware choice

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Sat, 07/20/2024 - 22:46
#1
k3la
Hardware choice
I have a chance to put new node or nodes on a local 200  foot tower to encourage local activity. Currently there is a bullet on 2.4 with an omni antenna. Tower work is being done which would allow new an additional nodes, possible 5 ghz to be installed. Currently no local activity but some interest. What hardware would be a good choice to install? Barney K3LA
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Sun, 07/21/2024 - 16:04
nc8q
nc8q's picture
no local activity but some interest.
Have the folks with 'some interest' purchase both
  • the equipment for the tower site to reach their home site and
  • the equipment for their home site to reach the tower site.
73, Chuck


 
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Sun, 07/21/2024 - 17:56
w6bi
w6bi's picture
Hardware
Bruce, without knowing the local layout, generally a 5.8 GHz 120 degree sector antenna pointing at your population center, with a 5.8 GHz radio, is best.  If you have two population centers at widely different bearings from the tower, you'll need two antennas and two radios, joined via Ethernet.
Ubiqiti has a good choice of sector antennas, and their Rocket r5 ac lite is the radio of choice for them.
Home folks will have a variety of choices for AREDN gear at their QTH, depending on distance from the tower.   Try to encourage purchase of 802.11ac devices.  They're a newer generation of hardware, and will be available longer as manufacturers phase out the older 802.11n gear.

Hope this helps.

73
Orv W6BI
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Sun, 07/21/2024 - 22:10
(Reply to #3)
k3la
more questions
Can the rocket use two antennas or do panal antennas have two feeds. If we wanted to use an omni antenna how would deal with two ports? My past experience has been using the older bullet with one antenna port. I will ask about installing panel antennas. Barney
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Mon, 07/22/2024 - 03:58
(Reply to #4)
nc8q
nc8q's picture
Ubiquiti Rockets and antennas
The Ubiquiti Rocket has 2 antenna connectors and is to be connected
to an antenna with 2 connectors, one vertically polarized and one horizontally.
There are Ubiquiti sector and omni antennas with 2 polarizations that can be used with the Rocket.
The older Bullet was a single polarization radio and used a single polarization antenna.
Please do not add a bullet or any single polarization device to a network.
Networks using omni-directional antennas do not scale well.
Please endeavor to avoid omni-directional antennas.
As Orv suggested,
1 to 3 Rocket 5ac devices coupled to 120 degrees sector antennas
each covering the areas of 'some interest' or 'the metropolitan area' or 'population center'.
I hope this helps, Chuck

 
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Tue, 07/30/2024 - 17:06
(Reply to #5)
k3la
Explanation
Thanks for the explanation that makes sense. I guess that I will replace the bullet that is currently up there. Barney
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Tue, 07/30/2024 - 22:02
(Reply to #6)
k3la
additional questions
Until there is more interest I cannot see spending the money for three units and sector antennas. Mounting may be an issue based on the design of the tower. But I guess sector antennas could be mounted on a side rather than on the top. What problems arise when using omni antennas other than less gain? We have a local climber so going back up is not a real issue. Is there any activity on 2.4 or are most people using 5g? Barney
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Tue, 07/30/2024 - 23:23
(Reply to #7)
nc8q
nc8q's picture
What problems arise when using omni antennas other than less gai
What problems arise when using omni antennas other than less gain?

Hi, Barney:

More likely to have a network with hidden nodes.
The higher above ground, the more likely to be an exposed node.

73, Chuck
 
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Wed, 07/31/2024 - 10:33
K7EOK
Stick with the 5.8 gear.  The
Stick with the 5.8 gear.  The 2.4 propogation advantage is theoretical but not true in the real world.

The tower you say is 200 feet.  The sectors do not need to be at the tippy top.  Better to put at a level where you can access them for service and aiming.  It's all relative to the surrounding topography so the true answer is ... it depends.  Do some computer modeling using tools like heywhatsthat to see signal paths from proposed elevations on the tower.  Most likely lower on your lower will be ok, to a point.  Avoid trees however, they kill the signal.  If you do have access to the very top levels of the tower that is where you would put a powerful narrow beam to connect long distance to another tall building or tower 20m away.

Ed
 
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