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Cell antenna mount

Yahoo Message Number: 30036
I purchased a SmoothTalker RF cell phone booster. I am planning on connecting it to a WiFi router and using Verizon's Broadband for internet service. The folks at SmoothTalker say the best reception is with a magnetic mount antenna, mounted on a 14 inch by 14 inch piece of sheet metal, which is glued to the roof.

Has anyone mounted an antenna to their roof? If so, where is it placed?

I have considered three places:
1. On the passenger side, near the front of the coach. The problem is the cable would need to be run between the roof and the ceiling to the back of the TV. Not sure how to do that.

2. In the cabinet under the bedroom TV. I think I can go straight down through the roof into the TV enclosure. I am a little worried about how to be sure I am avoiding the Air Conditioning duct. I can get 12 volt power from the wires leading from my solar charge controller to the batteries.

3. In the cabinet above the sink. Lots of room way in the back for
the SmoothTalker and router. Could again go straight down with the cable from the antenna. Nervous about AC duct again. 12 volts could be patched into from the light above the sink.

I would appreciate any insights from any that may have done this.
Drilling a hole in my roof is something I want to do only once!

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

Re: Cell antenna mount

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30038
I mounted a Wilson antenna and brought the coax straight down thru the first cabinet on the passenger side. There is some roof structure there so you need to use a stud finder to see where it is.
In an area where the normal signal is zero to one bar, by using the Wilson Trucker, I can go to three to four bars. The Wilson Trucker has its own ground plane and doesn't need the sheet metal.

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427

Quote from: Allan Colby
I purchased a SmoothTalker RF cell phone booster. I am planning on > connecting it to a WiFi router and using Verizon's Broadband for > internet service. The folks at SmoothTalker say the best reception

is

Quote
with a magnetic mount antenna, mounted on a 14 inch by 14 inch

piece

Quote
of sheet metal, which is glued to the roof.

Has anyone mounted an antenna to their roof? If so, where is it > placed?

I have considered three places:

1. On the passenger side, near the front of the coach. The problem

is

Quote
the cable would need to be run between the roof and the ceiling to > the back of the TV. Not sure how to do that.

2. In the cabinet under the bedroom TV. I think I can go straight > down through the roof into the TV enclosure. I am a little worried > about how to be sure I am avoiding the Air Conditioning duct. I

can

Quote
get 12 volt power from the wires leading from my solar charge > controller to the batteries.

3. In the cabinet above the sink. Lots of room way in the back for > the SmoothTalker and router. Could again go straight down with the > cable from the antenna. Nervous about AC duct again. 12 volts

could
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: Cell antenna mount

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30043
I agree that the Wilson Trucker is a great antenna and does not require a metal plate for a ground plane. I mounted my Wilson to the batwing antenna so that when I crank it up, the Wilson goes up with it and when I crank the batwing down, the Wilson stows flat to my roof. In the up position, my Wilson is nearly 20 feet off the ground! When it stows, the Wilson does not get hit by the trees when we are driving through campgrounds.

Bob Kumza

Quote from: Allan Colby
I purchased a SmoothTalker RF cell phone booster. I am planning on > connecting it to a WiFi router and using Verizon's Broadband for > internet service. The folks at SmoothTalker say the best reception

is

Quote
with a magnetic mount antenna, mounted on a 14 inch by 14 inch

piece

Quote
of sheet metal, which is glued to the roof.

Has anyone mounted an antenna to their roof? If so, where is it > placed?

I have considered three places:

1. On the passenger side, near the front of the coach. The problem

is

Re: Cell antenna mount

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30047
Allen,

There are 2 places that have metal under the fiberglass roof from the factory, not counting where the ladder could go on the rear of the coach.
1 under the TV antenna

2 under the satellite dish.

You may try mounting it close to the 2 locations, the problem is the metal under the roof fiberglass is aluminum.
As far as a point of entry, there is an easy area to get to where the satellite receiver wires enter the coach. Inside the coach you may have to remove the TV. There will be about a 4 by 5 inch area of Styrofoam insulation already removed. Drill a new hole in the roof and route the wires.
Or come down the refer roof vent.

After you get everything working, let me know how well this system works with the verizon card. I am thinking of the same thing, I have never heard from anyone actually trying the antenna booster. Earlier this month I tried the verizon phone internet system, my phone is to old to use the broadband system , it is 6 months old! . I was getting 100kbs. I discontinued the service.

Re: Cell antenna mount

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30048
Al,

Why not check out running the cables down the refrigerator vent. CC has probably already run wires in there for the solar panels. Then you could run the cables through your cabinets, rather than drilling a hole in the roof (something I wouldn't do).

Brad Ward

2000 Magna 5916

Quote from: Allan Colby
I purchased a SmoothTalker RF cell phone booster. I am planning on > connecting it to a WiFi router and using Verizon's Broadband for > internet service. The folks at SmoothTalker say the best reception

is

Quote
with a magnetic mount antenna, mounted on a 14 inch by 14 inch

piece

Quote
of sheet metal, which is glued to the roof.

Has anyone mounted an antenna to their roof? If so, where is it > placed?

I have considered three places:

1. On the passenger side, near the front of the coach. The problem

is