Apart from installing higher gain antennae on each unit, there is nothing
you can do.
The steel frame will act like a Faraday shield.
How far do you want the phone to work?
John
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I have a 5.8GHz digital cordless phone system (two handsets and base
station) that has reasonable range. It works fine inside the house and
within about 30-50m of the house outside. The house is steel frame clad
with cementitious planking and plasterboard lining, and has a steel roof.

Is it possible to improve the range of the handsets outside the house
using simple supplementary aerials or by relocating the base station? If
so where might I find design details?

I am competent with tools (I built the house) but don't know much about
radio.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I have a 5.8GHz digital cordless phone system (two handsets and base
station) that has reasonable range. It works fine inside the house
and within about 30-50m of the house outside. The house is steel
frame clad with cementitious planking and plasterboard lining, and
has a steel roof.

Is it possible to improve the range of the handsets outside the house
using simple supplementary aerials or by relocating the base
station? If so where might I find design details?

I am competent with tools (I built the house) but don't know much
about radio.

David

VK2KC wrote:
Apart from installing higher gain antennae on each unit, there is
nothing you can do.
The steel frame will act like a Faraday shield.
How far do you want the phone to work?
John

150m would be nice if it can be done without too much trouble.

David

Mount the base unit outside the house, high and clear with good LOS to
wherever you want to use it? You may need another unit on the other side
of the house.... grin

Height and removal of path obstructions all help.

Also think about mounting it behind a window. There will be some loss
but it might be better than the walls. Experiment!

Cheers Bob VK2YQA

David Hare-Scott wrote:


150m would be nice if it can be done without too much trouble.

David

In article
,
"VK2KC" wrote:

Apart from installing higher gain antennae on each unit, there is nothing
you can do.
The steel frame will act like a Faraday shield.
How far do you want the phone to work?
John
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I have a 5.8GHz digital cordless phone system (two handsets and base
station) that has reasonable range. It works fine inside the house and
within about 30-50m of the house outside. The house is steel frame clad
with cementitious planking and plasterboard lining, and has a steel roof.

Is it possible to improve the range of the handsets outside the house
using simple supplementary aerials or by relocating the base station? If
so where might I find design details?

I am competent with tools (I built the house) but don't know much about
radio.

David


Not at 5.8 Ghz it won't. It will not even be seen at that frequency. Now
if the guys house was stucco/chicken wire with holes smaller that 1/4"
then maybe, but Steel Frame Members are why to long to be a worry, at
these frequencies.....

You wrote:
In article
,
"VK2KC" wrote:

Apart from installing higher gain antennae on each unit, there is
nothing you can do.
The steel frame will act like a Faraday shield.
How far do you want the phone to work?
John
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I have a 5.8GHz digital cordless phone system (two handsets and base
station) that has reasonable range. It works fine inside the
house and within about 30-50m of the house outside. The house is
steel frame clad with cementitious planking and plasterboard
lining, and has a steel roof.

Is it possible to improve the range of the handsets outside the
house using simple supplementary aerials or by relocating the base
station? If so where might I find design details?

I am competent with tools (I built the house) but don't know much
about radio.

David


Not at 5.8 Ghz it won't. It will not even be seen at that frequency.
Now if the guys house was stucco/chicken wire with holes smaller that
1/4" then maybe, but Steel Frame Members are why to long to be a
worry, at these frequencies.....

The apetures in the frame are mostly about 1200mm by 600m and the members
are 38mmx75mm. I expected that the signal would go right through with
little interferance but I wanted check with the experts. If that is the
case it seems to me that moving the base station outside the frame a bit
which does little to alter the line of sight to handsets 50m away will not
do very much good. Would you agree?

David