RE: Use a SMA to BNC adapter: I also have the Arrow 440-3 antenna.
While getting ready for LDRS-32 over this past weekend I discovered that (with the SMA to BNC adapter I got: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001T75RGK/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) The Teledongle *just* barely doesn't fit between to antenna's BNC connector and the rearward antenna element. I ended up scrambling around town looking for a short BNC cable. Fry's only had 100ft long cables. Radio Shack had a 6 footer and that was more reasonable. Just a "heads up". On Sun, Jul 14, 2013 at 5:14 PM, Bdale Garbee <[email protected]> wrote: > Xpert Grafix <[email protected]> writes: > > > I am about to use my Altus Mentrum for the first time this Saturday. I > > have bought the Arrow 440-3 antenna. Can you tell me the best way to > > hook it up. I'm not sure how long of an extension from the Teledongle > > I can use. I thought I read somewhere that the teledongle should be as > > close to the antenna as possible. But I can't find that now. Also, > > during the launch do you need to be pointing the antenna directly at > > the rocket or can you attach it to something and point it in the in a > > general direction of the launch. Any thoughts would be appreciated. > > My apologies for the delay in responding to your query, but I've been a > bit distracted lately. More details at http://gag.com... > > The short answer is that the shortest connection between the antenna and > the TeleDongle that you can achieve is best, because any signal lost > before the receiver input is bad. The ideal solution in my opinion is > to use an SMA to BNC adapter with the right genders to mount the > TeleDongle right at the antenna feedpoint. I was selling those through > my web store before the fire, and will have them in stock again soon. > > As for antenna pointing, the Arrow 3-element antenna isn't too "pointy", > so having it aimed anywhere in the generally right area of the sky will > work. Fixing it in a single direction isn't great, though... I've found > that deputizing a pre-teen on the flight line to "keep this pointed in > the general direction of the rocket" is a great solution to the problem! > > You can actually see the effect of off-pointing the antenna during > ground testing, as AltosUI displays the received signal strength for > every packet... just move the antenna around and see how the numbers > change... it'll help you figure out just how "twitchy" your particular > antenna setup is in a hurry! > > Regards, > > Bdale > > _______________________________________________ > altusmetrum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.gag.com/mailman/listinfo/altusmetrum > >
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