Community Forums

Jim A · 04-22-2018, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garyre

What is the Hersey Bar Inside antenna? Is it a Wilson electronics product?
Let me know the part number if you have it...
thanks very much..

Sorry! I have heard it referred to as a Hershey bar antenna due to its size and shape. It is a Wilson 301152 low profile omnidirectional antenna. I got it from Amazon.

Jim A · 04-22-2018, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rvlegaleagle

I also asked about the candy bar inside antenna (which doesn't come with the RV model) because I wanted to place it in the AV cabinet along side and next to a mounted jet pack for cellular signal. (I too am going with Davids system for a wifi booster and router) and the tech said the candy bar will not work with the RV model. Seems like from some of the comments above the tech was wrong in this regard.

The manual for the Drive 4G-X model for a car, which is the exact same booster as the RV version with different antennas, says it ships with the 301152 antenna. Not sure why the tech would say it does not work with the RV model! I bought it because I found it listed in the other manual.

FWIW, I used about 18' of RG6 coax already in place between the roof antenna and the booster inside the coach. There is an adapter between the F type connection on the coax to the SMA connection on the booster. I also have less than the 15 foot of separation between the inside antenna and the outside antenna. That is why I went with the other inside antenna, which has a shorter range, to minimize the chance for feedback.

I did place a 1' square steel sheet under the roof antenna, even though it supposedly does not need a ground plane. That was my method for mounting the antenna.

I get 25db of boost and no feedback issues. Maybe not optimum, but good enough.

Rvlegaleagle · 04-22-2018, 05:33 PM

Not sure why he said that but am glad to hear you can use the candy bar as I call it. Didn't like the inside RV antenna because it was larger and had a connector on the wire from the unit to the antenna.

I looked back at my January 2018 comment to another post on this general subject and the upgrade wire the tech suggested was "RG11". Apparently you can get a 50ft role, no connectors and the resistance over that long of a run won't be a problem.

Since my run of wire will be longer that their longest wire I would have had to use a connector to connect them together and even then there would be additional resistance over the RG5 wire that comes with the unit over that long of a run which would further effect the quality of the signal.

Hope this helps

GilTphoto · 04-22-2018, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfishidaho

Are you upset with the installer or the booster... I'm not sure. I agree that it is not a POS, it is working great for me. I'm currently out boondocking at the Chief Mountain South campground near Caliente Nevada and it's working good enough that I am streaming with it. IN the past when I have stayed here I had no signal or a marginal 1 bar 1x signal. Now I have a 3 bar 3G signal and I have not bothered to hook up my directional antenna. Remember you cannot boost what is not there.

AS far as the install goes, who installed it? I would go back and make them figure out how to get it installed where you want it. Yes it is difficult to install across the slide, but it can be done. Sounds like you found a lazy installer that didn't know what he was doing. I am curious who you had install it.

I don't know your coach layout so it is hard for me to suggest how to fix it. Where are you located Gil?

I'm more upset at the installer. He also installed the Winegard Trav'Ler for DirecTV and hookups for 3 TV's. He's an independent mobile RV. repair guy who comes to you. He is the only one to install satellite dishes in S FL.
He showed up at 5PM and was done with both jobs at 930PM

GilTphoto · 04-23-2018, 04:27 AM

Here is the layout.
WeBoost inside antenna was installed on right side of bed. The wall blocks the signal to the front of RV. Had wanted it installed near the sink / dining room table.
The entire driver side is the slide.
The installer never asked me where I wanted it installed. Now, screwing up the bedroom outlet by routing the wire from behind it. Wire is only 1 inch long coming out of the outlet.

flyfishidaho · 04-23-2018, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilTphoto

Here is the layout.
WeBoost inside antenna was installed on right side of bed. The wall blocks the signal to the front of RV. Had wanted it installed near the sink / dining room table.
The entire driver side is the slide.
The installer never asked me where I wanted it installed. Now, screwing up the bedroom outlet by routing the wire from behind it. Wire is only 1 inch long coming out of the outlet.

Ugh... That's a drag and you're too far away for me to pop over and help you out. Where did he route the wires in from the Winegard Antenna?

timjet · 04-26-2018, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim A

I bought the "Hershey bar" inside antenna, and it works much better than the included inside antenna. I can place my mifi device close to it, and get a good boost and no feedback issues. The Hershey bar antenna is cheap, and might be worth a try if it suits your planned use.

But my experience is still limited. Happy so far!

Jim, why does the Hershey bar antenna work better than the supplied one? I'm not looking for a technical answer just wondering how you determined it works better.

I've used my weBoost very little and the times I've used it, it seems to work OK. We're headed out west this summer and may need all the boost we can get. So is the hershey bar antenna something I should consider. Wondering why weBoost didn't include it.

Jim A · 04-26-2018, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timjet

Jim, why does the Hershey bar antenna work better than the supplied one? I'm not looking for a technical answer just wondering how you determined it works better.

When I installed my booster, I first connected the inside antenna that came with the unit. I used an app on my HTC android phone to show the cell signal strength in db. (As well as the bars on the phone.) I checked the signal strength on the phone before I turned on the booster, and then again after I turned it on. I had the phone about a foot away from the antenna, and got little improvement in the signal strength in db.

I then disconnected the included antenna and connected the Hershey bar antenna to the booster, and repeated the test. I got 20+ db (and 2 bars) improvement using this antenna. I then turned off the booster, and the signal strength went back to original levels without moving the phone.

My included antenna might have been defective, or the cable provided to connect to it. I don't know. I never investigated it. (I did try it again after I found the improvement using the other antenna, and it still didn't work.) My primary need is to improve the performance of my Mobley mifi hotspot, and the Hershey bar antenna suits that function perfectly. I can put the Mobley right next to the antenna. I really don't need to improve the cell signal throughout the coach, which the included antenna is supposed to provide. If I want to use my cell phone, I can sit close to the antenna and get some boost.

flyfishidaho · 04-27-2018, 05:56 AM

The inside antenna that is provided really doesn't provide whole RV coverage, it's only about 6 to 10 feet.

Jim, is the Hershey bar antenna you mention a Wilson product?

timjet, if you watch my Video the second half is all about testing.

Jim A · 04-27-2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfishidaho

The inside antenna that is provided really doesn't provide whole RV coverage, it's only about 6 to 10 feet.

Jim, is the Hershey bar antenna you mention a Wilson product?

timjet, if you watch my Video the second half is all about testing.

Yes, it is a Wilson product. I gave the Wilson name and part number in an earlier post.

timjet · 04-28-2018, 06:32 AM

Thanks Jim and Idaho Fisherman. I ordered the Hershey bar antenna.

I have the original outside antenna which is an omni-directional antenna which I have mounted on an 8' length of PVC pipe with suction cups that enable me to mount it to the side of a slide on my MH with the cable coming inside through a nearby window that I leave partially cracked open. This is not an ideal setup but is relatively easy to setup and take down. It gets the outside antenna about 3 ft above the MH roof. We're headed out west next month and this will be the first true test of my setup.

If I find the antenna is just not high enough I may try getting 3 or 4 sections of 5-6' outdoor OTA antenna pipes and figure out a way of attaching those to my ladder. I don't want to go to the expense just yet of getting a directional antenna but will if I have too. Your opinions on that??

Idaho Fisherman: Could you go into a little detail on how you used Google Earth to draw a line between two points and viewed the elevation map between them? Perhaps a video?

flyfishidaho · 04-29-2018, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timjet

Thanks Jim and Idaho Fisherman. I ordered the Hershey bar antenna.

I have the original outside antenna which is an omni-directional antenna which I have mounted on an 8' length of PVC pipe with suction cups that enable me to mount it to the side of a slide on my MH with the cable coming inside through a nearby window that I leave partially cracked open. This is not an ideal setup but is relatively easy to setup and take down. It gets the outside antenna about 3 ft above the MH roof. We're headed out west next month and this will be the first true test of my setup.

If I find the antenna is just not high enough I may try getting 3 or 4 sections of 5-6' outdoor OTA antenna pipes and figure out a way of attaching those to my ladder. I don't want to go to the expense just yet of getting a directional antenna but will if I have too. Your opinions on that??

Idaho Fisherman: Could you go into a little detail on how you used Google Earth to draw a line between two points and viewed the elevation map between them? Perhaps a video?

Hi Tim. Sure thing on the video. Give me a couple of days, I am in transit to Idaho and wont have time till next week to do one.

In my video I show a slicker way to make an extendable mast like your talking about. Connecting to the ladder just use hose clamps. If you do it correctly you wouldn't have to remove it when you move.
Where in the west are you heading?

timjet · 05-07-2018, 03:26 PM

Sorry it took so long to respond. We left Tampa last week and are now in Austin headed to Big Bend Nat Park. From there up to Utah and the big 5 parks for a month. Then on to WY, the Tetons, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore. After that who knows, we have to be back in Tampa mid September.

I'll look at the video again. I used my set up here in Austin and got better reception. I didn't see an improvement with the Hershey bar antenna vs the original but will have numerous other chances I'm sure.

timjet · 05-07-2018, 03:44 PM

Another option for the antenna mount is to use OTA antenna poles. They are 1.25" OD, come in 5 ft sections and are made to fit together. It would be easy to use 3 or 4 of these poles with the bottom one attached permanently to the ladder with hose clamps. The only problem I have is I would have to retreive the bottom portion of the ladder to get to the top portion, not something I would likely do on an overnight stop.