Hey Jimmy! Thanks for all you do. I was hoping if you could answer a question regarding the second antenna! It links to an 3dBi and was wondering what you would recommend for an short 8dBi?
As a community of helium miners, I think we have a lot to learn about the way antennas work. There is no "umbrella" affect where radio waves travel up and then fall back down. At 915MHz the ionosphere won't even reflect them back to Earth. Vertical antennas are omnidirectional. Radio waves travel in straight lines from the antenna in all directions. It's more likely that, since LoRaWAN is designed for relatively short range (compared to other communications protocols) and very low power, too much gain overloads the front end on the receivers, distorting the data. I would guess 3-5dBi to be the sweet spot for populated areas, with higher gain being more useful in rural areas.
Hey Jimmy, sorry mate I don't agree with your suggestion of the 8dBi if you are on prime real estate in a city, you mention if you are up high. If you are up high and use an 8 dBi antenna the signal is amplified in a vert tight narrow band that would likely pass over the units close by. If the intent is to hit a region that is a long way off then you are correct, if it is to maximize rewards in a city setting then I believe you are incorrect. 8dBi is best served for flat rural areas where most hot spots are on a vertical plain. My recommendation is to use the 5.8 dBi as the maximum gain antenna in the city area. I have a channel aimed at the Australian market and I have a few videos that show my potential set up, I will be creating a video that has a focus on this content as soon as my first Hot Spot arrives and I can do some testing with the Discovery mode. I really do totally appreciate all the work and great quality content in your videos.
Truth is, a direct lightning strike will fry everything. A lightning protection ground protects you against the static buildup from lightning in the air and even dry wind that blows over the antenna and feedline. Have to discharge the static so it doesn’t go into the miner
Love your vids.. but there's a few things. I personally designed the UK first major national IoT network, and have to say few things on antenna. The full wavelength one of 1.3m odd does give more power. We used procom 8dbi colinear omni. They are fine for rural and urban use. Real life the smaller the antenna the lower the gain. Add to that lots of yours came with super poor cables. The signal loss of those will offset the antenna gain. My advice.. get the highest gain antenna with lmr240 or ideally lmr400 cable. And not cheap ones from China, as what they advertise is often not the reality
@@StudioMickee check my vids to explain why not, but basically due to propagation effects, minimum path loss requirements and stuff you'd have no probs. If you were getting enough HNT you could also invest in a high gain antenna with electrical tilt. Also, a high gain antenna will increase your uplink sensitivity and uplink has greater coverage and so will witness more beacons
Choosing the right quality of antenna cable is also important. The longer the cable the more dB loss. RG-58U is absolutely horrible and loses something like 3dB (half) in about 50' of length. If you can't get better grade cable than you're better keeping your miner closer to your Antenna. LMR-400 can go almost 150' (depending on frequency) before suffering the same signal loss. I can't stress this enough for outdoor installations.
totally agree, but would not recommend going more than 50 ft with LMR 400. Especially if you have any lightning suppression inline. Every connection has loss associated with it as well
@@Dasshniplle no, that is just plain wrong. Antennas are not what determines output or input frequencies. The transceiver modules in this case, is what generates the frequency
Jimmy please do some research on antenna gain, how can a 30cm antenna be the same gain as a 2m long antenna, physics states that they can’t. Manufacturers and resellers overstating the claimed gain on there antennas is one of the biggest cons in this industry.
What about trees? I live in rural area however there are trees that are all around. Do the trees obstruct the signal? Should I use 5.8 dbi or 8? And if it is 8 do I need to attach it high up on a tree?
I'm debating the same situation. I'm thinking of getting a 5.8 or 8. Probably will lean towards 5.8 first. I want to get it up higher on my roof with a telescoping pole and put the miner in my attic.
If you're mounting on top of a tall building in a city and trying to reach nearby hotspots that may be much lower, you would need a low gain not high gain antenna. The pictures you used were correct, but your explanation contradicted them. 3 dbi's do not go up then out, they have a wide dispersion angle from the antenna (both up and down). Flat terrain would be ideal for high gain.
What do you recommend for a house in a suburb with houses very close to each other? The antenna will be on the side of the roof, I have a window in my attic. The town is on the higher elevation compared to surrounding towns.
@@chrisvldz I went with the 12 dbi signal plus antenna on Amazon since I'm only dealing with elevation changes of a few hundred feet around me. If you have drastic elevation changes then you will want to go with the 5dbi version. Mount the antenna as high as you can, that will make a bigger difference than anything else. Good luck!
@@BrianNadeau2 I live in OKC suburban area, very flat region. Very sparse tree cover at 40+ feet. I live in a 2 story house and was thinking mounting in my attic which is the highest point (40 ft ish)inside or outside (without mounting into shingles that is). I was looking a the 12 dbi, do you think that would be a good option?
I came here to learn how to invest after listening to a guy on radio talk about the importance of investing and how he made $460,000 in 4 months from $160k, somehow this video has helped shed light on some things, but I'm still confused, I'm a newbie and I'm open to ideas.
@Robin Vanessa That's impressive. Are you giving her your money or the money stays in your trading account? What's really the idea behind copying trades.
Hey man! Great content. Thanks for that. SO we can have them inside instead of outside? And what would be better: Having it a bit higher bit close to the wall, or a bit lower but in a more open space. Both in the same area of vuildings. Thanks
Lower dbi on a dipole antenna is more spherical but will not reach far distances. Higer dbi dipole will pick up farther... what you need is a few 915 mhz crosshair antennas. 4.. one facing north, one south, east and west. 115 degree beam@ 10dBic x 4 and you will be money, literally and be able to reach out 20 miles easy.
Just a point of information, the fiberglass is just the outside structure of the antenna. The antenna is generally just a wire that is inside the fiberglass. The fiberglass is RF (radio frequency) transparent. In the eyes of the antenna inside it thinks it is just floating in mid air. A fiberglass antenna mounted onto a fiberglass push up mast from mgs4u.com with a coax run of LMR-400 from the miner to the antenna would get someone up to a height of 38-50 feet high and blast that signal out. Good luck everyone on getting those HNTs!
@@jimmyispromo Hey man so I've already ordered 2 bobcats through the link and was wondering if the antennas are waterproof? Or do I gotta find a waterproof one specifically or if I get the 5.8dbi you have listed will I need to waterproof it myself?
Great and very helpful explanation of these antennas, thank you. Do you need to have an extra power supply (signal amplifier) or can they be powered directly by a Nebra unit?
Thanks your video answered most of my questions. The 3dbi works like an umbrella but does anyone know the estimated hight that the signal pushes upwards for 3db and 5.8dbi?
The "short 8 dBi" is actually a 3 dBi antenna. Antenna gain is proportional to its length. So don't trust if someone claims certain gain with an antenna significantly shorter than other antennas with similar gain.
Thanks for the helpful vid. My miner is on the way and I am building an antenna rig. I am in an almost ideal situation at the edge of city, fairly high. I'll be the bridge between two congested areas. I have high hopes....thankz for your help.
Great video! Very informative. I was looking to buy the third antenna RAK 5.8 but when I went to purchase it asked me what connector type I need. I am not sure what I need. I live in California and have the bobcat. So what connector type should I select? Thank you!
Your channel is great but fiberglass Antenna has nothing to do with better performance. The fiberglass provides better outdoor protection from corrosion of inner metallic cable and UV damage that plastic just can't measure up. Size is a factor up to a certain degree but it's mostly because of the antenna designed (or tuned) for the operating frequency. As far as price, I personally think it's just shipping costs built into price, only so much room in a shipping container after all. Otherwise I find the info spot on!
Great video. I just ordered the 4th one from RAK. I'm leery of going with the stuff on Amazon...at least with RAK I know its legit even if I pay more. I want to buy once / cry once and be done with it.
Not quite sure if I agree with your statements about the certain heights of a building depicting which Gain/dBi to use. My rule of thumb is always stick with a 3 dBi even on top of a tall building. This would only increase your chances of Line of Sight. Where as an 8dBi on top of a tall building would literally overshoot all potential witnesses in the close proximity. Also remember folks higher gain/dBi never means further coverage it only is a measure of strength that within those higher levels of gain you will be able to penetrate through more things like clutter/buildings. The only time I would use an 8dBi is in a preferably flat rural setting where I would need to possibly penetrate large forest areas.
Enjoyed your video. Do you think you can do. A video on the differences between using ethernet connection and Wi-Fi connection while using the bobcat miner?
Make that 3 of us because that would be awesome that way you have the benefits of each antenna. I am going to guess no though because I think Jimmy would have suggested that in the video.
That sounds totally logical. Otherwise buying several antennas that have different range and radius. Would be cheaper and easier then getting multiple miners.
Very informative video. I had a question regarding extending the antenna. I want to place the antenna on my roof, are there specs and specifics I need to look at for the wire to get more length so I can place the antenna on the roof while having the miner inside?
I noticed the 5.8dbi antenna from RAK has different connector types. Can somebody tell me which connector type is correct for use with a Bobcat Miner 300?
Thank you for this video. You did a really great job explaining all the antennas. I am looking into purchasing a new antenna, do you have any recommendations based on changes over the past six months?
Hey Jimmy! Thank you very much for this video. I would like to ask your thoughts about down below: We will soon receive our Bobcat indoor miner, and my friend is planning to upgrade our antenna to 20dBi (outdoor, fiberglass of course). We have contacted a local company who is producing a lot of different antennas, and they told us that they can develop it under 2-3 weeks and if it will succeed, they will start mass produce it (the price would be around $60 each, and we will be the first testers, and if it will work as planned, they will charge others of course more money for it except us). Just a few details about the surroundings: My house is about 6m (20 feet) tall, and we have a 16.5m (54 feet) tall steel pipe tower (pole) with lots of wireless antennas on top (we are running a small local intranet network), and we have plenty of space to put it on (according to the manufacturer, the 20dBi antenna would be around 2m/ 6.5 feet long). We live in plain terrain, the city centre is about 4km/2.5 miles away, around us there are 2-3 tall buildings and quite a lot of forest trees. What do you think about this? Will we witnessing a lot of other miners (depending how many will appear around us) and what would be the range of it? Also, do you think it is a bit overkill to go with 20dBi antenna? Thank you in advance!
Horribly bad idea and unnecessary. Laws of physics dictate it is going to be directional. Are hotspots all in same direction? If not go with a decent 5.8 that is going to be omnidirectional and save the money. Your height already gives you a fantastic advantage. If you did do the 20db, post name of the hotspot, I'm curious
@@dlethe Thank you very much for your reply. At the moment we are still waiting for the miners, and the antenna company won't start the producing because of the local law (it can't be more than a specific dBi or something like that), so we will use a MikroTik LoRa Antenna kit (TOF-0809-7V-S1) instead. The spread will be even around the city and the smaller local villages, once we will get them I'll post them here to check out.
something to note.. over distance you actually loose antenna "power" so you want highly shielded cables.. with the shortest run to get it to the highest point in your house.. honestly drill a small hole in your bedroom cealing and put it in your attic right up against the vent.. or even better put it right out side the vent. but yea those super small wires will loose gain by not being shielded, I dont know the exact math on that. but there is some calculations you can do.
Hi Jimmy, Thanks for this video, I have a question. I have bought a Bobcat miner 300. I finally received this after 5 months of waiting, but now I am dissatisfied with the range of the supplied antenna, this is 4 dbi and I bought another antenna yesterday through amazon, namely the :868 MHz (824MHz - 960MHz) Fiber LoRa Antenna 12dBi 86 inch for HNT Bobcat Miner, RAK2 Nebra Bobcat EasyLinkIn Syncrob, LMR400 40", RP-SMA Adapter, Omni-Directional. I myself live in Europe in the Netherlands, the houses are made of concrete with 3 double glazing and the landscape is flat in a large city of Rotterdam. My question is: did I do the right thing to buy this antenna and can I also put it inside my room? I live on three floors and have the option to place it on the roof. I also have to say that I don't know much about this either. That's why my question and maybe you have a better view. With kind regards,
Hello, thank you on great video. Still have the dilemma about antenna type. Facts: 6km away from the city 80m elevation higher than the city with clear line of sight and mountain behind me. Should I buy omni or directional? Which gain? In case of omni, I am afraid that I will skip the city because of elevation difference and wandering if maybe to put it under some small vertical angle? Thank you in advance.
Hey, first of all thanks for the awesome content you are creating and than to my question... i am from europe do i have to be aware of any frequency differences when i purchase an antenna ?
Great info. Thanks for this. Question: You mention "up" a few times for a few of the antennas, but does that apply for "down" as well? I live on a hill, but only about half way up. There is a hotspot below me about a mile a way as well as another above me about the same distance. Would an 8dbi work in this situation or should I stick with 5? Also, maybe its me but I don't see your description or links.
According to that image around 2:53 spot, the higher DBI means more focused and straight signal line. Lower DBI the wider it gets. So for your situation somewhere in that 3-5 DBI is good and the signal does Go up and down a little bit. Check that image he put to see.
Avoid window set ups, windows are extremely dense and refract signals much more than a brick wall will, your antenna should be placed as high and as central in your house as possible
Hey @Jimmy Promo...if you're going to offer your links for the different antennas that you're obviously making affiliate commissions on, then you should also explain the different frequency and connector options. This can be very confusing for people that are new to mining. I just ordered the Rak 5.8 from your link and luckily the company notice my address in the U.S. and sent me an email stating that the frequency I ordered was not correct for the U.S. They also realized that I didn't order the correct connector type. Things that you should've have taken the time to explain. Just a suggestion.
Hey Jimmy! Love your content! Question: I have a Bobcat miner coming in soon, and the place I'm setting it up in only has a skylight (no windows - it's the second floor of a commercial unit in a city). What's the best indoor antenna to use? *I might be able to set one up on the roof... in that case, what would be the best outdoor antenna? Thanks so much!
hi, i am from philippines i would like to buy bobcat miner 300 and nebra outdoor but i don't know which site to buy legit units. also how do i know which model that is supported in our country. i hope you can help me. god bless!
just looked at my topography, idk why it took me so long but after watching your video.... everyone is between 190-200m, with one unit going up on the hill, 220m.
OK. I recently got my two bobcat miners. I placed one at home and the other at work which are about half a mile a part. Working space is on the 5th floor that would mean it will be great idea to upgrade the antenna to 5,8 dbi. My questions is what frequency should I choose for the antenna. Also which connector is for the bobcat miner. The other one is at ground level in a U shape building in the inside of that U. Should I stick with the stock one at 4 dbi or I should go for 3 and a little larger at size. Thanks Great videos!
Great video! Thank you! I just got my bobcat300 and looking for another attena. I live in suburban area with houses and trees but not a lot of tall buildings. What are your thoughts on the 12dbi or 16dbi from Amazon and eBay?
that totally depends on the antenna you buy, the bobcat has an rp sma female connector. so you need rp sma male to n type male, “if your antenna takes N type.
I just ordered the Rokland 5.8dbi for my MNTD goldspot, thinking I will put it up in my attic, i am in the suburbs. I really hope I choose the right antenna
I updated mine to 8 dbi and the height. There is a 50000 DC fee for updating, plus you lose your witness count. You will gain new witnesses shortly after if you have a proper setup.
That’s because the first antenna isn’t a true 12dbi antenna. Your 8dbi is over 36” yet the 12dbi, is only 12”?? L-com and a Laird are some of the best antenna manufacturers in the world and have been making antennas for 10x longer then Rak. You should test it, will work way better.
Everyone thinks higher dBi is better but what actually happens is to get more range (dBi) you are narrowing the field of view. I can only express it like zoom on a camera.
Is there some benefit to the long 8dbi vs the short 8dbi besides just getting the antenna up higher? I mean is it going to transmit/receive better the way a larger TV antenna would?
Hey Jimmy Thanks for the informative video. I just received my 4 * bobcat devices. I live Dubai Can you check my set-up and give me advice if this should work or if I can improve it? Device 1: My house "Main" (villa in the city, my room is in the ground floor). Here ill place a device near the widow. Device 2: 5 to 6 kms away from "Main" , 8th floor building. Device 3: 3 to 4 kms away from device 2 Also in building on the 6th floor. Device 4: also 3 to 4 km away from device 2 in villa ground floor. Note" All of the devices are like within a range of 3 to 4 km except "Main" is like 5 to 6 km . What do you recommend we do? Should we stick to bobcat stock Antennas? What advice would you give us? Thank you in advance!
hey bro one question: can you set up the miner with the stock antenna and then change to a bigger one ? or do you need to start the whole setup with the custom antenna ? thank you
Great informational video. I'm just getting into this of course I can't seem to find a helium minor at this point so if you have any connections please let me know. But my question to you is I live in a very far out remote area my town is 3,000 people not a big town anywhere close. So I was thinking of getting the 8dbi. But I live in a two-story house house going to put the antenna on the outside of the window on my second floor and run a extension cable from the antenna downstairs to the unit. Is that a problem how much of an antenna do I need or should I use or not use. Would I lose a lot the longer the cable?
Great video, thank you! What mounting equipment do you use for the 5.8dbi that you showed in the picture? I was thinking of doing the same. Do you get any signal loss since it's not directly in front of a window or does that matter?
I use a car mount for a phone. Also I've used a mop cling and it held well. I did bring my antenna down so the top is at the window not above it. And it picked up 1 additional witness.
Hi Jimmy, great video again. What antenna would you recommend, my hot-spot is going to be in a town (50m above sea level) with a handful of miners but there's a hilly area (150m above sea level) between my town and a city which has a lot of miners (city around sea level to 30m). The city is about 15 miles away. Would a lower 3 dbi be better in this case or a 6dbi, or will i not be able to hit the city? Whats your thoughts? Thank you
Jimmy love your videos,have syncrobit coming. I live in a flat city about 80,000 people. Going to put the miner on the roof,what do you recommend. There is no hills no huge buildings, 6 dbi you think
Great informative video Jimmy , so can you confirm that you can use a outdoor antenna indoors as long as it’s fixed to the window looking out. Also I love this size of your grey coloured 8dbi you purchased from Amazon do they make same for 868 MGH EURO ?any reply would be great 👍
