Window tinting - metallic? January 30, 2019, 12:24:52 pm I'm starting to investigate antenna options for 4G/LTE on the rig. Long term, I plan something on the roof but that will be part of a much larger project. Removing the obsolete satellite dish, Eternabond, additional solar panels...all of that will likely take place this coming summer, and it makes sense to do it then.Shorter term, I'm looking at a couple options. The easiest would be picking up an internally mounted antenna like this, but being a directional antenna - I'll need flexibility on where to attach it inside. The windshield is the only non-tinted window, and if the tinting on the coach windows is metallic - it won't work on them.Anyone know, or even better - have any of you tried an antenna like this in your LD?
Re: Window tinting - metallic? Reply #1 – January 30, 2019, 01:20:53 pm Quote from: Will G - January 30, 2019, 12:24:52 pmorter term, I'm looking at a couple options. The easiest would be picking up an internally mounted antenna like this, but being a directional antenna - I'll need flexibility on where to attach it inside. The windshield is the only non-tinted window, and if the tinting on the coach windows is metallic - it won't work on them.A roof top antenna is going to have much better performance than any interior antenna. The aluminum covered exterior walls will block or attenuate the cell strength. You can demonstrate this yourself when in a low strength cell signal area. You will get more bars and a stronger signal outside, on your phone, than inside the rig.Raising the antenna above the roof provides a much stronger signal than a low mounted, window antenna.. Mounting a roof top antenna isn't a big deal, you can use the refrigerator vent to bring the antenna wire in or use a marine through fitting. Many of us have cellular amps and rooftop antennas.We use a Wilson (now WeBoost) cellular amplifier and rooftop antenna. If one bar of signal strength is available outside, the amplifier will boost it to 4 or 5 bars.Our 4G amplifier is obsolete and has been replaced with this model.https://www.weboost.com/products/drive-4gmFor an antenna, we either use an omnidirectional antenna or a directional antenna, used in low strength areas, that is rotated toward the signal, for a better signal.Omnidirectional antennaWilson 12" Magnet Mount Antenna 311125 | Free Shipping | 90 Day GuaranteeDirectional antenna, used on a telescoping pole and mounted on the rear ladder.Wilson Outside Yagi Directional Antenna (50 Ohm) | 314411Directional cellular antenna | FlickrLarry
Re: Window tinting - metallic? Reply #2 – January 30, 2019, 03:09:33 pm Understood, Larry - my permanent solution will definitely be roof mounted. I'm looking for something cheap and temporary I can use while on our trip for the next 4-6 weeks, and the antenna at the review I linked to wouldn't be significantly impacted by the aluminum chassis. It mounts to a window and is directional, getting the vast majority of its signal through the glass. If that works, part 2 of the plan is to pick up a Verizon Jetpack that connects directly to the antenna.However, many windows are tinted with metallic components which would prevent it from working. While the windshield is not, given the antenna is directional and needs to be pointed in the general direction of a cell tower - I don't want to limit myself to orienting the coach in any particular direction just because the other windows installed by LD have metallic tinting. I did reach out to Vince at the factory, and while he didn't think the coach windows had metallic tint - he wasn't certain.My longer term plan is similar to your idea, but I've thoughts about making it more immune to future technology changes. The now-obsolete satellite dish was an eye opener for me...I can't imagine how many thousands the original owner paid for that, only to have it useless 5 years later. I've already yanked the interior components, freeing up a bunch of cabinet space - but that useless chunk up top is just weight and a potential future leaking point now.Related to wireless/cellular Internet - the technology changes even more rapidly. Cables for antennas have changed in the last couple of years, and with 5g just around the corner - who knows what is coming next. For me, running a cable up top to a permanently mounted antenna is unwise. My plan is to keep this rig a looooong time, and I want to be able to stay on top of current technology without labor-intensive upgrades down the road.Your suggestion of using the fridge vent is clever, and the ladder would certainly be an easy mounting point - but for the equipment I'm looking at now, neither of those would be ideal. Not only would I like to keep antenna cables as short as possible for performance reasons, but the interior components for antennas are best located on the far end of the coach - directly beneath the existing satellite dish. As such, my current thought is to mount a sealed electric box in a portion of the space vacated by the obsolete satellite dish. I could drop a short section of conduit from the box right into the shelving behind the TV, likely enlarging one of the existing holes the satellite dish wiring comes through. For the cellular/wireless antenna itself - I'm considering repurposing the OTA TV antenna mechanism, as we never watch OTA TV. Attaching an antenna there would get me both height and rotation.Just thoughts in the noggin' right now - I'll have a much clearer picture later this year when I start tearing things out.
Re: Window tinting - metallic? Reply #3 – January 30, 2019, 04:24:08 pm I don't think the coach windows have a metallic tint, you should be able to move the interior antenna around as needed.While it's only antenna and not an amplifier, for only $60, it is a handy device for remote usage assuming you already use a "Jetpack, MiFi or hotspot device's TS-9 ports." .It will not work with your cell phone or most USB WiFI adapters, since it uses two separate antennas, requiring a dedicated MIMO device with two antenna inputs.From the website."This antenna is designed with two antennas inside its panel case, and then has two plugs that can go directly into a device with TS-9 ports (typically used on mobile hotspots like JetPacks and MiFis)."Larry
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