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Signal strength musings

JeffCS

Regular Member
As per a previous thread, I lost my Mikrotik LHG LTE antenna in Storm Eunice on Friday. Out of curiousity (and to get back online), I hung the receiver part of the antenna out of a window and pointed it in the rough direction of the antenna. Bear in mind, there's no dish left, just the centre receiver.

Interestingly, I'm getting a lower RSRP, but the SINR is much better. Net result is a pretty good mobile broadband service which I wasn't expecting.

This got me thinking. Is it possible to overamplify a poor signal? And in turn, an antenna with lower gain could actually provide a better service?
 
After all my attempts to position antenna and get a better signal all I can say is anything is possible. I am sure my best signal from 1 mast is to point the directional antenna at the roof so it gets a reflected signal, put it higher and the signal drops which is the opposite of what you expect. Plus signal strength and downloads do not always go hand in hand, sometimes when you get a really good signal and upload speed its better to turn it away to improve the download at the expense of signal and upload speed.
 
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If you are rural, best bet is to point the antenna at the mast high as possible and as direct as possible with as high gain antennas as possible. That'll reduce any interference, maximise received power and minimise noise from other towers.


If your urban, there's many towers nearby and so more noise (remember many of these towers broadcast on the same frequency)

In that respect, using geography to block unwanted signals (buildings, roofs, walls etc) and maximise wanted signals at the same time is your best bet.

That's why sometimes you'll find that pointing to the building behind you, or a tin roof at an angle out something like that will result in good signal despite not pointing directly at the tower.
 
It's very much a rural deployment and with the Mikrotik, I took exactly that strategy mounting it on a dedicated pole, away from the house with few obstructions in the direction of a tower.

Sadly nothing else seems close to fit the bill and the only website of the only place that seemed to have stock has disappeared. Other distributors are saying April - July for UK availability.
 
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