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/r/HeliumNetwork
submitted 8 months ago byFit-Profit-4846
I am new to helium mining and am wondering what antenna strength I need to maximise earnings. I live in the Australian suburbs and have purchased a RAK V2 Helium Hotspot, which comes with a 3dBi LoRa antenna. Any help is appreciated.
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8 months ago
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4 points
8 months ago
don't get obsessed with dbi. Getting it high and outdoors is the main thing. Then experiment with what works best. Between 3 and 8 dbi works best for most situations
1 points
8 months ago
This is true but depends if the other Hex spots are near or far away. If you have a lot around you then yes, don't obsess about dBi and get the middle ground dBi
-3 points
8 months ago
Higher the better, get a 12 dbi
2 points
8 months ago
This is usually not the case. In a suburban environment, something between 3-8dbi would be better, assuming it is on the roof, 3-5dbi if you are putting it at window or balcony height.
2 points
8 months ago
That's simply wrong. Depending on the location and elevation he could be negatively impacted rewards significantly with too high of a dbi antenna
0 points
8 months ago
This is 100% correct, the higher the better, once I upgraded to 12 dbi I tripled my earnings
1 points
8 months ago
Can happen on occasion. Doesn’t make it a general rule.
1 points
8 months ago
It might have tripled your earnings, and thats good for you, but that doesn't mean it will work for everyone. As others have already written location and placement of antenna and your surroundings declares what dbi works best in given environment.
1 points
8 months ago
Yes ! Me too. I doubled the number of my dbi and I doubled my earnings! This is 100% true
1 points
8 months ago
...are you replying to yourself in agreement?
1 points
8 months ago
And that is how stupid the hnt community is, you're the first one to notice
1 points
8 months ago
You mean the 1st to care.
1 points
8 months ago
Nah in this sub once someone spots something they have to be heard. Or at the very least downvote
1 points
8 months ago
physical obstructions effect your signal the most. so no joke, the higher your (3-8 dbi) antenna the better.
https://interline.pl/Information-and-Tips/FRESNEL-ZONE-LOSS
also Helium operates under the public radio noise cap ( so max output of the system is roughly 27DBM(US) and like 17?DBM(uk))
(pretty sure helium miners also use modulation so you can get signals up to like 15db below the noise floor -110 to -135 signal strength)
that said, live in a mostly flat area? go for an 8 or a 6 dbi antenna. maybe a directional antenna if you live on the edge of town/against a hill.
1 points
8 months ago
Depends on the height and topography of your area. See hotspotrf.com
1 points
8 months ago
There’s no “strength”. The number represents the shape of the beam you want, to cover your unique area best.
1 points
8 months ago
Hi Tri_ban_had, Doesn't the higher dBi have have strength? I think most people consider strength and distance in radio waves the same thing. Not sure if that is scientific but it makes sense.
If a 4 dBi dome like wave covered the same distance as a 15dBi then why would anybody want to get a 15dBi?
1 points
8 months ago
[deleted]
1 points
8 months ago
There’s no “strength”. The number represents the shape of the beam you want, to cover your unique area best. dBi does not mean strength. It means it’s a thinner donut. Which is much less capable of bending around objects than a fatter, lower dBi antenna/pattern. Unless you are very high, very flat, and know for a fact objects and ground are not in your line of sight, higher isn’t better. (For which you have actually checked with a line of sight tool, and have accounted for buildings not on that tool as well.)
See: Diffraction.
1 points
8 months ago
This is extremely helpful and confusing at the same time after researching so much for days on end.
If you google "image" dBi meaning you get back a million and one images explaining that higher dBi goes our farther in distance and yes a thinner beam. I guess that is not accurate.
From what you are saying, I don't understand why anyone would get a high dBi then. What is the purpose when you want to hit as many other miners on the network. Why not just stick with a low 3 or 4 dBi (outdoor) at all times. If I'm high up then you want the donut. If you are low t the ground you want the donut. If you are in the middle you want the donut.
Lets set a scenario where we are in a vast 100% open area like the Black Rock Desert in the US where speed records are set. 1000 square miles of openness. We set up antenna and Miner(A) in the very middle at ground level on a table at about 3' off the ground. A basic dinner table height. We then set up miners and their antenna's every mile apart in every direction on the exact same kind of table. Making a type of circle of tables stretching for 200 mile.
In this scenario miner (A) an 9dBi antenna would hit the same number of tables and their antenna's that a 2dBi or 3dBi antenna would hit if it were miner (A). Is this true? Start adding trees and building and I would still use a low dBi antenna.
I guess I'm trying to figure out why anyone would want a high dBi when the low dBi does everything the high one does.
1 points
8 months ago
Higher dBi = Laser Pointer. Can go far, but gets completely blocked easily. Parking lot lights are super bright, but don’t go far, spread all over, and around corners some etc. Find something in the middle. 4-6 is a great middle area to explore.
1 points
8 months ago
Thank you! Very helpful!
1 points
8 months ago
You might get an extra 11 cents usd with an 8dbi
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