On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 11:07:00 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

You can also screw things up by using an excessively high gain antenna
for the dish feed. Such antennas have a narrow illumination angle,
(...)

Putting a USB dongle at the focus of a dish reflector is the common
way to obtain some additional gain. Everything that hits the
(...)

Oops. I reversed the order of these two paragraphs. My rant makes
more sense in the proper order.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 14:11:42 -0400, rickman wrote:

On 3/27/2016 1:39 PM, John S wrote:
You could maybe try one of those very large metal salad bowls from
WalMart as sort of a dish reflector.. It helped me considerably in one
situation. Good luck.

I used a reflector from a work lite and it seemed to help. I was able
to pick up the signal from a restaurant across the street maybe 200 feet
away. One of these. I think it was under $10. Knowing how cheap I am,
it may have only been $5.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bayco-8.5-...Light/14003467

Good enough. I'm partial to misusing my Coleman lantern reflector:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/Misc/slides/lantern-reflector.html
However, using something that might be part of the evil petrochemical
conspiracy is politically incorrect in some circles. For a more
organic and sustainable reflector, I suggest a salad bowl:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/Salad-Dish/index.html
Instead of stuggling with the exact location of the USB dongle, you
just tune for maximum signal by sliding the dongle in and out of the
PVC tube.

Also, unless you have a properly matched feed and accurate parabolic
shape, a flat plate or corner reflector will have about equal gains.

Fullwave flat plate reflector at 2.4GHz:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/FullWavePlateReflector/index.html
8.3dBi gain

Same diameter parabolic dish:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/HawkDish08/index.html
7.7dBi gain

In other words, you can do as well (or theoretically better) with a
flat plat reflector, as with an approximated parabolic.

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On 3/27/2016 4:34 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 14:11:42 -0400, rickman wrote:

On 3/27/2016 1:39 PM, John S wrote:
You could maybe try one of those very large metal salad bowls from
WalMart as sort of a dish reflector.. It helped me considerably in one
situation. Good luck.

I used a reflector from a work lite and it seemed to help. I was able
to pick up the signal from a restaurant across the street maybe 200 feet
away. One of these. I think it was under $10. Knowing how cheap I am,
it may have only been $5.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bayco-8.5-...Light/14003467

Good enough. I'm partial to misusing my Coleman lantern reflector:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/Misc/slides/lantern-reflector.html
However, using something that might be part of the evil petrochemical
conspiracy is politically incorrect in some circles. For a more
organic and sustainable reflector, I suggest a salad bowl:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/Salad-Dish/index.html
Instead of stuggling with the exact location of the USB dongle, you
just tune for maximum signal by sliding the dongle in and out of the
PVC tube.

Also, unless you have a properly matched feed and accurate parabolic
shape, a flat plate or corner reflector will have about equal gains.

Fullwave flat plate reflector at 2.4GHz:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/FullWavePlateReflector/index.html
8.3dBi gain

Same diameter parabolic dish:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/antennas/HawkDish08/index.html
7.7dBi gain

In other words, you can do as well (or theoretically better) with a
flat plat reflector, as with an approximated parabolic.

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5? I don't care so
much about ugly, I care about easy. Heck, the shop lamp reflector gives
you a spare electric socket and includes a mounting clamp! Hard to beat...

--

Rick

On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:13:25 -0400, rickman wrote:

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5?

None of them. However, you can get something for that price at a
thrift shop or garage sale. If you want cheap, two pieces of box
cardboard and some aluminum foil to form a corner reflector.

I don't care so
much about ugly, I care about easy.

You're not qualified to determine if something is ugly. That's the
job of the wife or ladyfriend.

I don't know about easy. Everything I do seems to suddenly have
become difficult. Today is typical. To get on the internet, I had to
"borrow" the neighbors XfinityWiFi (Comcast) connection because mine
is down. My TurboTax won't install on XP. Etc. Nothing is easy.

Heck, the shop lamp reflector gives
you a spare electric socket and includes a mounting clamp! Hard to beat...

Actually, I have one just like that. The clamp and swivel joint both
slip. Any incandescent lamp over 60 watts burns up. CCFL lamps will
shatter when dropped.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On 3/27/2016 7:42 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:13:25 -0400, rickman wrote:

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5?

None of them. However, you can get something for that price at a
thrift shop or garage sale. If you want cheap, two pieces of box
cardboard and some aluminum foil to form a corner reflector.

I don't care so
much about ugly, I care about easy.

You're not qualified to determine if something is ugly. That's the
job of the wife or ladyfriend.

I don't know about easy. Everything I do seems to suddenly have
become difficult. Today is typical. To get on the internet, I had to
"borrow" the neighbors XfinityWiFi (Comcast) connection because mine
is down. My TurboTax won't install on XP. Etc. Nothing is easy.

Sorry to hear that.


Heck, the shop lamp reflector gives
you a spare electric socket and includes a mounting clamp! Hard to beat...

Actually, I have one just like that. The clamp and swivel joint both
slip. Any incandescent lamp over 60 watts burns up. CCFL lamps will
shatter when dropped.

I don't have any trouble with the joint slipping if the cord isn't
pulling on it. I run the cord through the holes in the clamps to remove
the moment of torque. I've had it at the top of a floor lamp for years.
If you are worried about the wattage, you must be using a very
different wi-fi adapter than I am.

--

Rick

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:13:25 -0400, rickman wrote:

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5?

None of them. However, you can get something for that price at a
thrift shop or garage sale. If you want cheap, two pieces of box
cardboard and some aluminum foil to form a corner reflector.

There are all sorts of heavy foil throw away cookware/servingware available
for well under $5.


--
Jim Pennino

On Mon, 28 Mar 2016 01:43:35 -0000, wrote:
Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:13:25 -0400, rickman wrote:

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5?

None of them. However, you can get something for that price at a
thrift shop or garage sale. If you want cheap, two pieces of box
cardboard and some aluminum foil to form a corner reflector.

There are all sorts of heavy foil throw away cookware/servingware available
for well under $5.

Then there's a wealth of sturdy aluminum kitchware at Goodwill,
ARC, or the Salvation Army thrift stores.

On 3/28/2016 9:56 AM, Allodoxaphobia wrote:
On Mon, 28 Mar 2016 01:43:35 -0000, wrote:
Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:13:25 -0400, rickman wrote:

More abominations:
http://www.freeantennas.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+wok+wifi+antenna&biw=1511&bih=859 &tbm=isch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WokFi
etc...

Remember: The uglier the antenna, the better it works.

Which of those can be bought off the shelf for ~$5?

None of them. However, you can get something for that price at a
thrift shop or garage sale. If you want cheap, two pieces of box
cardboard and some aluminum foil to form a corner reflector.

There are all sorts of heavy foil throw away cookware/servingware available
for well under $5.

Then there's a wealth of sturdy aluminum kitchware at Goodwill,
ARC, or the Salvation Army thrift stores.

All of that requires work in cutting a decent hole in the bottom (likely
the hardest part of re-purposing a metal kitchen utensil. It also
doesn't have a support which must be added.

The only down side of the lamp reflector is the aluminum construction
which is subject to denting very easily if abused.

I have a lighting project where I am looking for a $1 aluminum frying
pan to use as a heat sink, so I am certainly not against the idea of
repurposing kitchenware.

--

Rick