Mobile/vehicle mounted antennas

[robertham]

Presently have an outdoor install which includes a large number of semi-trucks.

Have a touch screen PC inside each truck which has two antenna leads.. Gentleman before me opt'd to go with a rubber duck antenna on one lead and the other being a cheak $4 omni on the top of the cab. Utilizing a cisco 350 mini-pci client adapter.

With diversity turned on I am not surprised that the trucks are seeing less than "peak" performance.. Any suggestions on an external vehicle mounted 2.4ghz antenna which can survive the eliments? Im in ohio so we get a little bit of everything.

[dennischolmes]

First of all remember that diversity depends on the two antennae being the same. Also bear in mind that if you use cheap antennae cables that experience high signal loss you will also be seeing signal degradation. Call a local partner to assist you in locating a good 2.4 for external.

[robertham]

Yes and along same lines the RF environment should not be so radically different between those two antennas.

So back to the original question... Anyone have any experience with external antennas atop of moving vehicle.

[dennischolmes]

Check with your local partner or Gigawave. They sell several different flavors of 2.4 antennae for vehicle mounting.

[bcolvin]

Dennis is right contact you local partner for cables and antennas. another thought is with trucks outdoors multi path is not usually present and a single antenna will work as diversity is primarrly for mutipath. I would try configuring the radio to just use use the external antenna.

[robertham]

The trucks sit lower than the containers they are hauling around the lots. The lots are filled with containers, think two walmart parking lots just filled with trailers. Not only are 75% of the containers metal (think of those containers they put on ships and railroad), the ones which are not are filled to the rim with metal parts.

Again let me explain... I can call my primary var and if i tell them they will start holding a large quantity in stock for my facilities... Im not looking for a sales pitch nor am i looking for someone to point me to an antenna which they have never used nor supported.

What i am looking for is someone who has experience actually workign with the solution dealing with the headaches. Who found an antenna which they like and not one who looks at the radiation patterns and says ooh this looks good, this should work well.

If rob huffman looks at this, you better know that my bluejackets will beat your team! ;) Couldnt transfer my old netpro account when i left my last company.

[dennischolmes]

TESSCO!!!! These guys make their living off of antennae. 800-508-5444. They have several vehicle mounted antennae. If I was throwing you a sales pitch I would have given you my inside sales number here at IE. Unlike some partners, I will not do that. This is not the place for sales.