Weboost install

[Rocinante]

We resolved this by mounting the exterior SureCall antenna on the roof over the bedroom (the front of our 27FB trailer) and the interior WeBoost panel antenna on the ceiling over the dinette (in the back of our 27FB trailer). We used velcro strips to mount the interior antenna so we can put it away when traveling. The assumption we made is that if we really need connectivity we'll probably be sitting in the wakey wakey end of the trailer, vs. the sleeping end. Not sure that is the best possible interior placement, electromagnetically, but so far it seems to work fine.

[larry9000]

I'm curious if anyone has used one of these systems for 16' Bambis. It seems that this would make 20' of antenna separation problematic. Wilson sells the RV kit which has a directional antenna that is placed on the outside of the trailer. They claim 60 db gain, while the 4G-X claims 50db. However, I see most choosing the 4G-X with the Sure Call Omni. Right now I'm leaning towards the 4G-X, Sure Call Omni, and the indoor panel, but perhaps an exterior directional antenna may deliver more separation, and more gain.

[Rocinante]

We have all of the above, though our trailer is 28' long.

Our best results usually come from hoisting up a directional Wilson Yagi on our old-style TV antenna, aiming it at the nearest tower, and connecting the incoming antenna wire directly to our router (e.g. no boosting at all). So if your cellular reception device has an antenna connector, you may see similar results.

Failing that, in a protracted windstorm where we literally feared the wind would rip our TV/Yagi antenna off the roof, we got decent results by feeding our Omnicall antenna into a 4G-X booster and then broadcasting that signal inside the trailer via a Wilson panel antenna. In that scenario we put internal antennas on our router so it could receive the boosted signal. Not quite as good, but it definitely did the job.

For us, the key difference when boosting is bandwidth. If we boost when it isn't absolutely necessary to do so, we don't get the same speeds as with a signal fed directly into the router from an external antenna. So we don't boost unless we have to. With a good antenna configuration and a MiFi / LTE Router that lets you connect antennas directly to the device, you will find it is not necessary to boost the signal as often as you might think.

[Pickles]

Larry9000,
Curious to see how you solve this as it does not work in our 19'. Our next move is to call the support phone #.

[larry9000]

Rocinante, thanks for your input. Perhaps the amplifier adds enough distortion that the RF modem can't use the complex modulation of the highest speed protocols, though it helps a lot in low signal situations. In my situation, I'm not using a RF modem, just an iPhone that I could turn into a hotspot. You have the advantage that you can connect directly to the RF modem without the over-the-air attenuation. Also, you may preclude getting an oscillation by not having the amplified signal broadcasted.

Pickles, I'm interested in what configuration your using and the distance between your external and internal antennas. I'm assuming that when you say it doesn't work, that you are getting an oscillation due to the feedback. A directional antenna may be enough to prevent this, though it is still problematic if it is pointed in the direction of the internal antenna.

I've also considered just mounting the external antenna on a pole on a tripod, but that brings its own logistical problems.

[Rocinante]

Good luck, folks, I hope you work this out and eliminate the oscillation problem.

One other thought: If the external antenna is directional (Wilson Yagi) and the internal antenna is a Wilson panel slapped on the ceiling (e.g. the boosted signal points "down" from the ceiling), you may have a workable solution. If you have a mushroom antenna for TV vs. the old crank-up variety, perhaps once you are camped you can mount the Yagi on a pole of some kind and then strap that pole to the tongue of your trailer. It'll be a bit jury-rigged, but that also means it's a cheap experiment until you find a good configuration. Oh, and the free OpenSignal app on iPhone seems to do a pretty good job of helping me find and aim at the nearest antenna for my cell provider.

[larry9000]

Thanks for the tip Rocinante. I just downloaded open signal. What a great app. I didn't find a signal strength meter on it (yet), but the 3 cell towers near me showed up. I'll have to remember to use the app while having a good enough signal to use the app! Ha!

[larry9000]

Well, this past Monday we became Airstream owners! We purchased a nicely pampered 2006 16' Bambi. We dry camped two nights on the way home in Vedauwoo recreation area, Wyoming. I had a deadline for a technical column I contribute to, so I needed a good internet connection. What a great excuse to see how my combination of 4G-X, directional Yagi, and desktop antenna worked!

So, I ran the amplifier off of a 12V accessory socket, and placed the desktop antenna on the dinette. Then I ran a cable to the external yagi I had. I had it mounted on a 6' pole, held vertical by my portable bike rack. Maybe 10 feet from the trailer. I pointed the antenna in the direction of the cell tower, and it worked well. I went from one bar LTE to 3-4 bars. The signal strength went from -121dbm to -92dbm- nearly 30db! I couldn't run a speed test without the amplifier- the signal was too lousy to use. But once I turned the amplifier on, I had 7Mb/s download speed and between 1 and 2 Mb/s upload. It was a very solid connection with the boost.

Yes, I cheated by not mounting it onto the Bambi itself (yet), but I'm convinced that I have enough of a solution to use in a pinch. Since the amp uses battery power, I would do some work off-line, and then switch on the amp for a few minutes to sync up. During daytime I didn't worry about consumption too much, as the solar panel kept the battery charged. My next experiment is to have someone physically hold the antenna up near the Winegard rotating antenna location to test for oscillation. If I get none, I'm going ahead with the mounting of the Yagi onto the TV antenna. I will still need to drill hole to bring the cable in, though.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Always keep in mind that the separation numbers published for these gizmos make some assumptions. Running inside a double wall aluminum shield box is not one of those assumptions. With good shielding, a 6" separation between antennas (on opposite sides of the shield) should work fine. With high gain antennas on both sides of the setup, 30' is not enough if they point at each other...

Best way to go: Keep things away from the windows. That includes the cell phone you are boosting. If it can "see" both the inside and outside signals ... not good.

Bob

Bob

[Masondood]

My unit is installed rooftop and is installed at the leading edge of the roof. Works like a charm! 😊

[lewster]

I install a WeBoost system about every 2 weeks and unless you have adequate physical separation between the inside and outside antennas, the amplifier will go into a feedback situation and will not perform as it should.....or at all. Double wall aluminum or not, the separation IS required for maximum performance of the device.

On a typical Airstream installation for an FB model, the Sure Call Omni outside antenna is often located at the front, center of the roof with the Wilson plate indoor antenna in the dinette area on the ceiling.

This configuration gets reversed for rear bed models.

Works like a champ every time!

Do it RIGHT....do it ONCE!!!

[Masondood]

I think the reason they mounted the attenae where they did was because with two skylights, two AC units, tv attenae and solar panels that was the only space left on our roof! 😄

[Rocinante]

Yep, we have an FB model. I put the SureCall omni on the roof just aft of the forward skylight. The booster is in the cabinet just above the dinette in the rear, and I slap a Wilson panel antenna on the ceiling, aimed down at the dinette table. Works great.

I also put a Wilson Yagi on the crank-up TV antenna. However, once I aim that at a tower, the signal is usually good enough that I don't need to boost it. I will have to try boosting that input next time we are out to see whether we get oscillation (e.g. a dreaded red light on the booster).

[larry9000]

I'm deploying a Drive 4G-X system with substituted antennas. Without substitution, the system should work fine in an AS, as it is spec'd to work in a car. I think there are some limitations in inches of proximity, but not 20'.

So, what I don't understand is why submitting antennas increase the systems risk of oscillation. Presumably, two direction antennas would help the case more, as long as they aren't pointed at each other, since their energy is focused at the beams direction. Is it actually just the different antennas that mandate the 20' rule?

[OTRA15]

Thanks for this helpful comment on the other thread.

Originally Posted by munrokicker

. . .
- The best internet solution I could find is a directional or omnidirectional (Surecall) antenna to a Wilson 4G data only booster to a PepWave mobile router. It will receive data from both ATT and Verizon depending on who's the strongest or you can setup rules based on data limits, etc.. I'm shocked no one here recommended this setup when I was researching but it blows the doors off the frequently recommended weeboost system if you really need reliable internet.

[larry9000]

I freelance for EDN (previously Electronic Design News). Here's the article I wrote describing my experience setting up a weBoost system during the maiden voyage of our "new" 2006 Bambi.

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs...o-an-Airstream

[AIRHEDS]

Hi folks. I ordered parts from the 3Gstore based on Lew's advice somewhere in this or another related thread. I was pleasantly surprised to receive Wilson LMR400 cables (pre-terminated in the various lengths I ordered, with the intention of shortening the cables as needed). I also purchased extra connectors and their Cable Stripping and Crimping Tool Kit (DL-801GK) = $149.95. I'm just curious about your experienced with crimped connectors vs. soldered. I suppose I might be able to still solder the hot lead/connector. Regardless, does anyone have any experience with crimping and longevity?

P.S., Lew, I credited you for the referral.

Thanks,
Rich

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Properly done with the right tool, there is *nothing* wrong with crimped coax connectors. Yes, that also assumes the tool matches the connector and the connector matches the cable. "Done right" includes properly stripping the coax and not nicking the shield or center conductor. No rocket science involved

With any sort of coax connector, a bit of heat shrink tube at the connector is always a good idea. It keeps the "flex" away from the junction with the connector. Some connectors come with the tube, some don't. If yours didn't, it's worth scrounging around for a piece.

Bob

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by larry9000

I freelance for EDN (previously Electronic Design News). Here's the article I wrote describing my experience setting up a weBoost system during the maiden voyage of our "new" 2006 Bambi.

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs...o-an-Airstream

Thanks for a great article, Larry!

Peter

[Dennawayne]

Howdy,
My wife and I just started living in our 2015 30’ International Signature. I bought the 4gx with omnidirectional exterior antenna, how would you suggest mounting it. I was thinking directly to the top of the trailer or on top of a telescoping pole attached to the bumper. I would take it down when under way.I bought one amplifier for the TV that I would bring into the trailer once at a site and find a place to mount it and use theRV indoor antenna and hook it up to the exterior antenna. When it’s in the truck I use the candy bar and small magnetic exterior antennas.