I’ve been a CLEAR (wire) customer since 2007. Have lived in 2 locations, both have had marginal reception…..so dodgey that Clear reps suggested that I quit their service! Currently the signal from the tower travels 4.6 miles across the water (actual distance over water is 4.0 miles), over an 80 foot bluff, through trees and between houses to the Series M modem sitting in a 16” stainless bowl at a 45 deg angle atop the 4runner in my carport. On a day that’s calm and clear it gets 4 bars (lights) at best, but usually 3 bars. The problem is when its windy or raining or both there is enough interference from waves , wet flailing evergreen trees and falling rain that the signal becomes too weak or completely lost. The rumors are true, it rains a lot in the northwest! Tonight wind from S at 25 - 35mph, no rain, Series ‘M’ modem at 2 - 3 bars, RSSI = -77 to -87dBm, CINR = 7 dB to 17 dB.
Later on a nice, clear day …. Wind from NW at 5 mph, modem at 4 bars, CINR = 17 to 20dB, RSSI = -78 dBm.
Now I’m ready to move beyond salad bowl technology and install real antennas. I’m getting a Clear Series G modem WIXB-175 that will be hooked up with two antennas to take advantage of MIMO capability. The Primary will be up a large cedar tree, with LOS, aimed at the tower (panel, yagi or parabolic, Or? ) on a 30 or 40 ft LMR400 cable. The Secondary antenna (omni-directional?) will be under the carport eave (Not LOS) on a 10 ft cable. Will an omni antenna work well if installed horizontally?
Are the internal wires from the antennas, the pigtails, shielded? Would you advise male N connectors on the cable ends since the pigtails and antennas seem to be female N’s ? Lightning protection sounds like a good idea… gas charged, 6Ghz? Which antenna(s) is best for “scattered” signal situation as in rain and water wave action? What CINR dB will CLEAR Wimax allow their customers to have? Or is it the FCC? Is there a way to add a switch or limiter to a cable to detune the system during nice weather? At what dB does my system start robbing signal from my neighbors? Is there a way to find out where the nearest CLEAR customers are?
Please advise on which antennas to use. Thanks.
Later on a nice, clear day …. Wind from NW at 5 mph, modem at 4 bars, CINR = 17 to 20dB, RSSI = -78 dBm.
Now I’m ready to move beyond salad bowl technology and install real antennas. I’m getting a Clear Series G modem WIXB-175 that will be hooked up with two antennas to take advantage of MIMO capability. The Primary will be up a large cedar tree, with LOS, aimed at the tower (panel, yagi or parabolic, Or? ) on a 30 or 40 ft LMR400 cable. The Secondary antenna (omni-directional?) will be under the carport eave (Not LOS) on a 10 ft cable. Will an omni antenna work well if installed horizontally?
Are the internal wires from the antennas, the pigtails, shielded? Would you advise male N connectors on the cable ends since the pigtails and antennas seem to be female N’s ? Lightning protection sounds like a good idea… gas charged, 6Ghz? Which antenna(s) is best for “scattered” signal situation as in rain and water wave action? What CINR dB will CLEAR Wimax allow their customers to have? Or is it the FCC? Is there a way to add a switch or limiter to a cable to detune the system during nice weather? At what dB does my system start robbing signal from my neighbors? Is there a way to find out where the nearest CLEAR customers are?
Please advise on which antennas to use. Thanks.
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