Why did I do that?
Well, it was a necessary step towards re-building my usb-dish construction once again. I just didn't feel that a signal hovering around -90 was the best thing. Plus I had still doubts about the focal point.
I brought the whole thing back inside and re-did the whole mirror-pieces procedure again, but this time I fixed the top-bit of a paper-coffee-cup to it, basically as a ring-to-look-through in order to see the lamp's reflection in the mirror pieces. Doing this showed me that the focal point was a bit higher up and a little further out, so I had to construct something to make the arm longer. The focal point is now about 56 centimeters out, which matches my calculations about a dish like this.
So I brought home a wooden board from work (one of those I'm collecting to build a dog house) and used that to build a new base for my new receptor. I bought two cans of Puritan Beef Stew (on sale, 2 for 5), emptied one can (I'm gonna eat it later) and used it to make my new cantenna.
This is what it looks like.
Yesterday I also found another old chair outside, quite weather-worn but still sturdy. I thought it might come in handy to get the whole construction a bit higher up, so I used cable binders to attach my half-chair to it.
It looks a bit adventurous, but it's quite stable. We had rain and very windy weather all day today, and it didn't tip over.
Let's cut to the chase: Was it worth it? Did the signal strength improve?
Yes, it did.
A nice gain of about 10, as you can see the area north of -80 gets visited quite frequently. So, compared to just the usb-dongle outside by itself, which clocked in at less than -90, and considering that I have still trees and a building in the way, the result is quite ok, I think.
If anybody has any idea how to improve it even more, let me know.
I'm gonna eat that beef stew now.
5 comments:
hey dude,
i took up the challenge - do they say that in canaria? - and informed myself on wikipedia.
to enhance the signal you have, in my opinion two options:
1. keep the parabolic reflector (dish) dry, without using Klebefolien and Kunstharzlacke; do it just manually.
2. enlarge the dish (see last comment), the receiving energy rises in squares (hehe) with the diameter of the dish; according to wikipedia you have twice as much reception with a 85cm (diametral) dish as with a 60cm dish. if you use Alufolie, direct the beamless side towards the dongle.
good work so far anyway!
bob
I like the picture that identifies the components (particularly the part that says 'Puritan beef stew' in paranthesis).
-Anne
you want me to go and wipe the rain off every half hour? :)
luckily it doesn't get wet, I placed it under an outside roof.
about the tin foil... can't do it, I think. The larger dish wouldn't fit where I placed it now, and if I put it somewhere else it would get wet from the rain, or blown over by the wind, especially if I make it larger. so I guess this will have to do for now.
I'm impressed - good job!!! You're just jealous of my potato cannon!! HaHa Good Luck
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