For some reason I just couldn't believe that the focal point of the dish is not located where the receiver-thingy was mounted: on the end of the arm.
So I broke a tiny mirror and taped 8 pieces to the edge of the dish, then shone a light on it in a dark room, put my face to the end of the arm and tried to see the reflection of the lamp in every single piece of mirror. And would you believe it, I indeed saw the reflection of the lamp in every tiny single bit off mirror.
So I removed the usb-dongle from where it was and taped it to the end of the arm, using the plastic cover of the receiver-thingy as a base. To weather-proof it I put a clear freezer bag around it and taped it to the arm.
Still, so far I don't really see a lot improvement.
I have to think about it some more, and try more, but at the moment it's raining and very unpleasant outside, so I guess I'll do that tomorrow.
I also found out that my usb-dongle is so old, it doesn't even work with windows 7. (It turned out last night that a steady -85 connection is way better than a spiky -75 one, so I tried to hook up my new laptop. Well, I guess my old computer has the privilege of being online for now.)
As for using multiple usb cables, or shorter ones: I can't. Since I don't exactly live at the hub of civilization here, I have to work with what I got: 2 usb cables 3 meters each that get too long if I put them together, and a fucking old usb-dongle. Better than nothing though. Of course I could order things, but then I could also order and buy a brand new and stronger usb-dongle. But where's the challenge in that?
It only has to last until november, anyway. I actively and consciously choose to believe.
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2 comments:
some proposals from 'one-the-it-know-must':
1. maybe you find something else additionally to the dish, that can strengthen the signal at the focal point, for instance another dish, to be installed right next to the first one with the end of the arm close to the dongle.
expected effect: 1 dish + extra-dish = double receiving
2. or you try to enlarge the radius of the first dish artificially with Alufolie or something.
expected effect: 1 dish + a lot of Alufolie around it to double the radius = double receiving
3. or you cut a little hole in the bottles at the place between dongle and dish
expected effect: original-signal-strength + signal that gets lost at bottle edge = DOUBLE RECEIVING!
generally i think you can just try to strengthen the signal at the focal point somehow.
greetz from Kinderzimmer
Bob the Build-master
greetings to you, bob.
1. good idea. but I think the second dish couldn't be directed at the source of the signal - so I'd loose a lot of gain.
2. I'm sceptical about that. then again, I might do it just for the fun of it. maybe it actually works.
3. a thin wall of plastic bottle shouldn't interfere with the signal. also my current design doesn't use bottles anymore.
what I think I am gonna try is building another cantenna, and then put it at the focal point of the dish. if I do it right I might get a gain of ten out of that.
I am also gonna try to briefly move the dongle back to the bottle-design, just to see if that spot is a better "focal point".
thing is I have an active construction site in the middle, and things change all the time, so it's hard to tell what's influencing the signal.
what do you think, bob?
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