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Helium Outdoor Antennas FAQ

1. What is an omni-directional antenna?
   • a omni-directional antenna is an antenna that radiates in every direction.
2. What characteristics does a good helium omni antenna need?
   • A good outdoor helium omni antenna needs to combine effective RF performance with excellent build quality. Reliable gain figures are important for planning your deployment and the use of quality materials such as fibreglass tubes to ensure longevity when exposed long term to UV from sunlight and the weather.
3. What mounting options are possible?
   • A good helium antenna will offer multiple mounting possibilities. Limiting the mounting to only pole mount or only wall-mount is restrictive therefore an antenna that offers both mounting options is preferred.
4. Is the choice of RF cable important for Helium deployments?
   • The selection of quality RF cable is important for Helium antenna deployments especially for longer cable runs where it is critical to minimize signal losses (attenuation) over the length of the cable. For 10M or 20M cables, look towards 240 or 400 type cables respectively to mitigate signal losses.
5. Is a surge arrestor required for Helium installs?
   • This is really a question for the installer. In the UK lightning strikes are very rare, so typically surge protectors are not used as the chance of a strike is so low. However, a “belt-and-braces” approach might be considered where a surge protector is used.
6. What the best advice for choosing a Helium outdoor antenna?
   • Use a quality antenna from a reputable manufacturer where you can be sure that the specifications published match the performance of the antenna. Ensuring that the antenna is made of quality materials means that the antenna is unlikely to fail with a few weeks of installation. Select high quality low loss cables that mean you do not lose all the gain offered by the antenna over the cable run.

We hope this short Helium Outdoor Antennas FAQ has been useful. Check out the Helium antennas at our web shop.

The Trooper II Six Port 5G antenna from PCTEL has been introduced. This antenna is compatible with the leading 5G OEM routers, featuring six high-efficiency 5G FR1 antenna elements that deliver fast and reliable connectivity for voice, video, and data transmissions. It also contains PCTEL’s proprietary high-rejection, multi-constellation GNSS L1 L2 L5technology for high precision location tracking

With excellent RF performance, low profile form factor and slim footprint, it is ideal for industrial IoT, intelligent transportation, public safety and enterprise applications.

Check out the Trooper II product page here.

For more information on the Trooper II Six Port 5G antenna, pricing and availability, please contact us.

The Helium network offering low power coverage across the world is rapidly growing in popularity. Across the world, as Helium miners are being deployed, people are looking at outdoor omni-directional antennas to optimise coverage from each miner installed.

This brief comment is going to focus on build quality.

There are quite a few outdoor antennas on the market, but selecting one with build quality good enough to be permanently installed outdoors without falling apart is critical.

Many low (and very low) cost antennas are available from online market places. Ignoring poor RF performance for now, many of these low cost antennas suffer from poor build quality or inferior materials and are unlikely to survive one average winter outdoors.

Our suggestion is to look for European-manufactured Helium outdoor antennas that tend to focus on quality materials and not solely on price. One particular area to focus on is the sheath or tube as poor materials weather and crack very rapidly leading to unit failure. A proven, durable option is an antenna with a fibreglass tube which will withstand many winter’s deployment without suffering weather or UV-degradation.

Also check the brackets/clamps that come with antenna. Are they fit for purpose? Is the antenna secure enough when mounted?

There is nothing worse than having to replace the antenna you took the trouble to install three months ago due poor survivability of the materials.

Just in case you’re interested, here is a link where you can purchase quality fibreglass tube 868 MHz antennas.

RF400 offers LMR400 alternative for very low loss cable runs to complement 4G and 5G router installations. It is quality 50 Ohm coaxial cable manufactured in Europe and directly comparable to LMR400.

For custom cable runs beyond 10m, RF400 is a cost-effective and high performing cable solution. Here at EAD, we measure and the cut the RF400 cable to your desired length and terminate with your choice of connector. We typically terminate with N-Type, SMA, TNC, RP-SMA, RP-TNC or BNC.

For finished RF400 custom cables, we offer competitive pricing and rapid turnaround from point of order. Ideally suited to complement high gain outdoor antennas, either directional or omni-directional, using RF400 enables you to install the antenna further away from the router.

RF400 is not only used for 4G / 5G installations. RF400 offers LMR400 alternative for LoRa at 868 MHz or 915 MHz, for GNSS or UHF applications.

For specific requirements, please contact us. Alternatively, you can order selected RF400 cables online here.

Please note we do not supply bulk cable, only finished and terminated custom cable assemblies.

For smaller diameter cables, check out RF195 or RF240.

The MiniBlade wideband compact WiFi blade antenna from Smarteq is a new release covering 2.4 GHz to 6 GHz. It is an adhesive mounted omni-directional ultra-wideband antenna. Ideal for applications such as indoor WiFi coverage, internet onboard buses and Wifi zones, it can be easily installed on on glass or other non-conductive surface.

With compact dimensions of 55.6 x 23.6 x 6.6mm, the MiniBlade offers gain ranging from 3.8 dBi at 2400 MHz to 7 dBi in the 5 GHz band. It’s flexible and slim construction makes mounting straightforward, even on curved surfaces.

For more information and pricing on the MiniBlade Wideband compact antenna and other Smarteq products, please contact us.

Check out other Smarteq antennas like the AllDisc and the SmartDisc.

The 5G AllDisc High Performance low profile antenna is in stock. Manufactured by Smarteq, this antenna is best in class for its gain vs. size raito. Measuring 138mm in diameter and 55mm in height, the AllDisc offers peak gain, when mounted on a groundplan, from 3.5 dbi to 7 dBi.

This antenna covers 4G, 5G as well as 2G and 3G frequencies from 690 MHz to 3800 MHz. It is ideal for applications where a permanently mounted antenna is required. It is especially suited to kioks, outdoor enclosures, wireless CCTV and security delpoments. If you are looking for a low profile antenna with optimal gain, then look no further. When mounted correctly, the IP rating of the antenna is IP6K9K class.

The standard model we are stocking has a 2.5M RG316 cable and SMA-Male connector.

For quoations on the 5G AllDisc High Performance low profile antenna, please contact us. Small quantities can be ordered via the Connex webshop.

For a smaller 4G antenna, check out the SmartDisc.

The WVV-0.7T2.7G-2WS01 from Wevercomm is a 2-way power splitter designed for the frequency range of 700-2700 MHz. Fitted with SMA-Female connectors, this 2-Way splitter offers robust build quality combined with reliable RF performance.

Ideal for 4G applications, this 2-Way power splitter offers effective isolation figures and minimal insertion losses.

Wevercomm has a range of power dividers / power splitters for various frequencies with a number of coaxial connector options. Please contact us for details and availability.

For small quantities, you can order this 2-way power splitter via the Connex webshop.

The WVV-0.7T2.7G-4WS01 from Wevercomm is a 4-way power splitter designed for the frequency range of 700-2700 MHz. Fitted with SMA-Female connectors, this 4-Way splitter offers robust build quality combined with reliable RF performance.

Ideal for 4G applications, this 4-Way power splitter offers effective isolation figures and minimal insertion losses.

Wevercomm has a range of power dividers / power splitters for various frequencies with a number of coaxial connector options. Please contact us for details and availability.

For small quantities, you can order this 4-way splitter via the Connex webshop.

A Compact 5G outdoor omni 4 port MIMO antenna has been introduced by EAD. The LPO6938-4P antenna offers an innovative solution for 5G/4G access where a discreet, but high performing antenna is required.

Populated with four wideband 698-3800 MHz antenna elements, the antenna is housed in our popular LPO radome and is mounted on a very durable 316 Stainless Steel bracket for pole- or wall-mounting. Fed by 4 SMA pigtail cables, the antenna can be combined with RF195, RF240 and RF400 low loss cable assemblies according to the requirements of the installation.

Ideal for bonded applications, broadband access requiring multiple antenna ports and high bandwidth applications, the LPO6938-4P packs a punch despite its compact measurements. This 5G compact outdoor omni reduces the requirements for antennas enabling 4 port routers to use one antenna instead of two 2 port antennas.

For pricing and availability on the LPO6938-4P antenna, please contact us.

For a dual polarised MIMO Omni covering 698-3800 MHz, check out our LMO6138 antenna which is also available from our webshop.

EAD’s popular LMO 4G/5G MIMO antennas are now available from Unitronic, our distribution partner for these antennas in Germany.

The LMO product line from EAD encompasses the LMO7270 antenna, the LMO6138 antenna – the 4G/5G version, a LMO7270/G with an integrated active GNSS antenna and the LMO4547 antenna for LTE450 applications.

The LMO 4G/5G MIMO antennas are ideal for 4G / 5G access applications, wireless CCTV and security, bonded 4G deployments, lesiure marine and fixed or mobile broadband services. With a variety of mounting options including pole, wall and 1″ 14 marine mounts, the LMO antennas are robust, compact and offer consistent RF performance.

Unitronic can be found at www.unitronic.de, telephone +49 (0)211 95 11-0 and via e-mail info@unitronic.de.