We need a forum for people to post on their rigs.

aFR, Did you ever get the Rigs forum set up, or are people going to just use this thread? Personally, my vote is for a new forum.
Cheers,
Thorn

Well, there is always:

http://wirelesstrader.net/bb/viewforum.php?forum=11&4

[aFR]

I just need to come up with a snazzy name for it then I will get it done.

Come up with one and ill be even happier. =)

-aFR

aFR,
Let's see, a couple off the top of my head:

"WiLD Rigs"
"Hot Gear" (sounds a little too Wired Mag.)
"Reader's Rigs"
"Stumble Bums"
"Console Cowboys' Consoles" or just "Cowboys' Consoles" (with respect to Mr. W. Gibson's Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa OverDriver, etc.)

And my favorite from groaner standpoint:
"A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The..." (Forum)
<snicker, snicker>, with apologies to Z. Mostel & co.

Thorn

[aFR]

Enjoy =)

-aFR

Kidding, of course. Thanks!

How about a "NetStumbler-XP" forum? LMAO

Tron Of BorgXP

I now have a BreezeCom FH card and on the way is a Proxim RangeLAN 2 card which is also FH.

I bought the Breezecom card for, I think, $60+/-$10 and I picked up the RangeLan card for $18.50 on EBay!

(For those that don't use a sniping program, I suggest you check out esnipe.com.)

I bought the BreezeCom card because I know a local BreezeCom WISP. I bought the RangeLan 2 card because I read that they have an AWESOME Site Survey tool. This tool shows the WHOLE 2.4GHz ISM spectrum as divided by the FH channels.

It shows you DH equipment, phones, microwaves, etc but doesn't tell that they are phones, etc. It just lets you see the freq and power of the sig.

I figure for NS usage, if an AP is on FH or has their AP setup as a closed system (not broadcasting beacons), I'll still find them and can then break out AeroPeek or something.

Here is a manual to a RangeLan card. Look on pages 68-75 for info on the survey software.

http://www.proxim.com/support/all/rangelan2/manuals/pdf/7400manf.pdf


Tron Of Borg

That is REALLY cool! I've worked with the Range2LAN stuff a but - in fact, I have an AP here in the basement. I also have access to an ISA card (which isn' terribly useful) but should be able to get a PCMCIA card in a couple weeks. Thanks for pointing out the 'interference monitoring' capabilities!

Tron Of Borg, You wouldn't happen to have more info on how you built that yagi out of PVC?

I built it using the "Pringles Can" plans.

I can't say that I used it all that much but here is what I used to make it.

1. Pringles Can <duh!>
2. PL259 connector from Radio Shack. Couldn't get a N(f) anywhere.
3. The long PVC tube is 1" ID (Inside Diameter) and it fit perfectly with the 1" washers. These two parts had a nice, tight fit - but wasn't too tight.
4. 1" washers that I had to drill out a little to pass down the all-thread.
5. 1" or was it 1.25" endcap for the exposed side of the long PVC pipe. NON-Threaded cap.
6. A series of bushings to take up the gap between OD (outer diameter) of the PVC pipe and the ID of the Pringles Can. I think I had to use 3 bushings total - maybe 2. This still left a bid of a gap between the largest bushing and the ID of the pringles can so I used Electrical Tape to make 2 bands around the bushing to fill in this gap.
7. Electrical Tape.
8. Hose Clamps to compress the pringles can to the bushings. Note: place the clamps over the electrical tape so you don't deform your pringles can.
9. 3/16" or 1/8" All-Thread (Sorry, forgot which. Match up to your washers if possible.)
10. Nylon Nuts
11. Nuts to fit your all-thread.
12. Some left-over Romex or other solid wire to make the antenna radiator out of.
13. Fingernail polish or glue or lok-tight to place on the nuts that hold the washers in place.

Ok. I decided to leave my all-thread its full length of 3'. I figured, more directional and I could always cut it down later. I followed the Pringles Can instructions. To get the washer spacing constant, I made a "jig" to place between washers. For tuning, I drilled a hole in the PVC cap and ran the all-thread through it. I held it in place by a nut and I could adjust how close to the antenna element the first washer was by this nut. All the PVC parts are non-threaded. However, I didn't find a reason for glueing anything either.

Tron Of Borg

So, the pringles can is inside?

Any chance you could take some pictures? I am looking to make an antenna and it needs to be protected. I haven't found any info anywhere that said it was ok to put the pringles yagi inside a pvc pipe that is capped on both ends.

Remember, practice Safe Yaggie!

You can enclose your antenna in ANYTHING that does not absorbe RF. Eg, put PVC in your microwave (along with a small glass of water to absorbe RF) and turn it on for a few secs. If your PVC gets warm/hot, it is absorbing the signal that would normally hit your antenna. IF it does not get warm/hot, then it would let the RF pass through it and it'd reach your antenna.

Tron Of Borg

Tron,

Where did you pick that up, and how well does it work when not mounted? I'd like to be able to 'wander' about a bit with mine, and that looked like a good size. Also, what card do you have it attached to, and how did you attach it? I have a dlink (prism2) and a orinoco silver (hermes), and wondered which I would want to use for this (and what add-on toys I'd need).

If there is enough interest, I'll order some. If I recall, the omni with an "L" mounting bracket is about $85.00. Without the bracket, $75.00. Of course, every time I've called, they've only had the unit with the brackets in stock.

For the antenna cable, I used a 60" patch from Antenna Systems at http://www.antennasystems.com/broadband.html#anchor37473 and look for part# 316B-NMWQ-RL-60.

The mount is some joist strapping I bought at Home Depot. I laminated 2 together and used a break to bend them.

Hope I got everything.

Tron Of Borg

I forgot part of your question.

I use the Orinoco Gold card so you should use your silver if you want to use NS. As for using the antenna without the ground-plane, I haven't.

I'm kind of particular about my van and I don't want to drill 3/4" holes to mount the antennas through the roof. So I think I'll be investing in some ladder racks and mount the antennas to them. My cable run will be out the 3rd light (top center brake light).

Tron Of Borg