I bought some aluminium tube to make antennas

[doug3030]

We are going camping with a group of friends over Easter, to a place we have been before and know that it is out of range for mobile phones and internet.

I decided that before we go, I would build a decent antenna or two so that we can get our internet to work so everyone can check their emails etc and make phone calls if needed without having to go for a 30 km round trip to get coverage. This is the antenna https://app.box.com/shared/oqvat83ixekcjskpc3ug (not my design).

Yesterday, I went to the Aluminium Trade Centre on Dandenong Rd, Clayton to get some 10mm aluminium tube to make the elements for the antenna. (I have no interest in this business other than being a very happy customer who will definitely go back nest time I want aluminium. I walked away with enough tube to make four antennas for just $15).

On their display racks they have clearly labelled sample pieces, as per the photo below


photo (23).jpg

Straight away I think, "What a vast improvement over this: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f43/co...19/index4.html This time around I didn't really care too much about the ID, but there it is. A commercial supplier who actually marks his display stock with ID's for his tube.

Initially I got a childish urge to post a line of ridiculous smilies in the post a bit like these:


but I decided not to do that because I am far to mature to do something like that, but I am sure that a lot of you will understand how tempting it was.

Cheers

Doug

[wheelinround]

Doug you poor man to think that you have to stay tied to the world with an antenna not to mother nature and the wonder she has to offer. I know you just can't bare to be without your daily WWF updates can you.

[rustynail]

Camping is not camping if there is any form of outside communication.
C.A.M.P = Cant Access My Phone.

[Master Splinter]

The only thing the real world has going for it is a better framerate and high polygon counts. The gameplay sucks.

[BobL]

These are the important pieces of metal we take camping.
Top can be removed to make an open fore drum or BBQ.
The whole thing comes apart and fits inside our van.

[doug3030]

Doug you poor man to think that you have to stay tied to the world with an antenna not to mother nature and the wonder she has to offer. I know you just can't bare to be without your daily WWF updates can you.

Camping is not camping if there is any form of outside communication.
C.A.M.P = Cant Access My Phone.

Guys seriously, making the antenna and trying to connect is a challenge I have taken on. Its not so much about actually connecting but the bragging rights you get if you achieve it. Several hundred people there last year and all everyone talked about was not being able to log on. On the mobile internet coverage maps, we aren't missing out by much, so if I make this antenna and mount it on the sand flag pole on the car and get it say 5 or 6 metres off the ground, 16.5db antenna, I am pretty confident I can get it to work.

Its a fairly cheap experiment:

Patch lead for mobile internet device: $16.50
coax connector: $3.95
Coaxial cable 15m: $18.00
Aluminium for elements: $15.00
boom (perspex sheet) $5.00

Finding TUBE sold by the inside diameter: PRICELESS

Cheers

Doug

[BobL]

Bragging rights if you can get it to work.

PRICELESS²

[artme]

Doug It May not work at all!!

After all it's only Claytons aluminium!!

[rustynail]

"Several hundred people" is not camping. Its an inter city relocation.

[rrich]

Save you money on the aluminum.

Use copper screen mesh and build a "Bow Tie" antenna. Mount it on a piece of plywood and broom stick. You'll be able to solder your coax cable to the cobber screen mesh. The broom stick will allow you to raise the antenna above the ground squelch (Noise) and with a connector on the other end of the coax you can connect to your devices.

Cut the copper mesh into equilateral triangles and when gluing the mesh down to the plywood try to get the points within a few MM of each other. Solder your coax to the points.

Now the stupid question:
Isn't the purpose of gong camping to get away from e-mail and phones in general?

[doug3030]

Now the stupid question:
Isn't the purpose of gong camping to get away from e-mail and phones in general?

No, the point is to be the only one there who can connect, and then tell everyone that you can connect but you don't want to "because we are camping".

Cheers

Doug

[FenceFurniture]

There are many tempting aspects here, such as it ain't tube - it's pipe because it has an ID, so it may not work at all. Or maybe it's tipe or pube. However, I shall resist any further.

I wouldn't be at all concerned about the cost of it, in fact you could spend hundreds and recoup it all on the first day. Can you imagine the queues there'll be?

"HEY! Internet and mobile access over here for a $1 per minute!".

[FenceFurniture]

That's a cracker Bob! I have the classic washing machine basket on a stand which is nowhere near as classy. There's camping, and then there's camping with style and associated bragging rights.

We once found an old road fence post about 250mm in diameter that the termites had turned into a tu...pi...pube...tupe - upended it on top of the coals in the basket - instant metre long chimney. After about 10 minutes there was a sudden BANG and associated sparkles as the inside ignited to much loud inebriated cheering.

Oh and while your there, make mine a family sized "Daves" with an extra shot of pepp. Hold the Coke. 45 minutes?

[artme]

Certainly hope they are not pubes FF.

Could be a hairy thing to work on.

[FenceFurniture]

Anyway, surely the whole point of the exercise is this: Doug has to make the antenna so that he can instantly post piccies of the queue of people waiting to get on-line. Or better still, Webcam the event.

How else could he do that?