Now that you've completed your "Site Survey" and determined that you need an antenna for your 3G device or phone, the next step is to select the appropriate antenna.
3Gstore sells quite a few antennas, and it is important that you choose the one that is right for YOU and your needs. There is no one "best" antenna - your antenna choice should be made on your application. To help make the selection process easier, 3Gstore has put together this guide, which explains the differences between the antennas, their pro's and con's, and who they are typically best for:
Price: $47.95, includes 3' cable and adapter cable Height: 6" tall Ground Plane: The Booster Antenna has a built in ground plane. Weatherproof?: No, this antenna is designed for inside use only. Cable Length and Type: The Booster Antenna comes with 3ft of RG174 cable. 5ft extensions are available. Mounting requirements: The Booster Antenna requires NO permanent mounting. It comes with a stand as well as suction cups to attach it to a window (a Clip Pack is also available for more mounting options) Portability: The Booster Antenna is extremely portable due to its compact size. It can easily fit in your briefcase, laptop bag or purse. It is designed to be able to be used in your vehicle, on your desk, attached to a window - anywhere else you have room for it. There is an available Clip Pack Kit which will allow you to put it on the top of your laptop as well as in the A/C vent of your vehicle. Pros: Most affordable antenna, compact, portable, adaptable to many situations, includes suction cups for window/glass mounting. Cons: Not weather resistant, cable may be too short for some applications This antenna is best for: Travelers and folks who do not have the option of mounting an external antenna. RVers who prefer not to drill holes for externally mounted antenna. The Booster Antenna is designed to be portable and it truly excels at that. Perfect for a business trip to complement reception in a hotel room, or to improve signal when driving down the highway. Just pack the Booster Antenna in your backpack or laptop bag and you can boost signal to your device anywhere!
Price: $52.95, includes 10' cable and adapter cable Height: 12" tall Ground Plane: This antenna MUST be connected to a metal surface for proper grounding. If a metal surface with at least 8" diameter is not available, you can use the Wilson Suction Cup Mount Mount. The Mag Mount antenna will NOT be effective if not properly grounded. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna can be used outdoors and is made for use on a vehicle's metal/magnetic rooftop.
Cable Length and Type: The Magnetic Mount antenna comes with 10' of RG174 cable attached; 5ft extensions are available. Mounting requirements: This antenna must be attached to a metal surface but does not require permanent mounting (i.e., no drilling, screwing, hardware, etc is required). The Wilson Suction Cup Mount Mount is available for using the Mag Mount antenna indoors or where a metal ground plane is not available. Portability: The Magnetic Mount antenna is portable but does require a metal ground plane to function. You must attach the mag mount antenna to either an 8+ inch metal ground plane or the Wilson Suction Cup Mount Mount, reducing its portability slightly. Pros: Great for cars and trucks, easy installation, cable is thin which allows for routing under a door/window seal. Cons: The need for a ground plane can be a problem in non-vehicular applications, the low grade of cable limits your choice of extension cable lengths if you need more (due to the signal loss). This antenna is best for: This antenna works in many different situations, but really shines as a vehicular antenna. Car travelers, RVers and truckers will love the Mag Mount, as well as security and law enforcement personnel.
Price: $82.95, includes 12' cable, adapter cable and 3-way mount Height: 32" tall Ground Plane: The Omni Trucker uses included radials as a built-in ground plane. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna is designed for exterior use.
Price: $92.95, includes 13.5' cable, adapter cable and 3-way mount Height: 21" tall Ground Plane: The Omni RV Antenna uses included radials as a built-in ground plane. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna is designed for exterior use.
Cable Length and Type: 13.5 ft of RG-58 cable hardwired into the antenna. Extension cables available. Mounting requirements: The antenna can be installed in a standard 3/8" * 24 threaded "CB" mount OR you can use the included 3 Way Mount to mount the antenna to:
Price: $82.95, includes 13.5' cable, adapter cable and mounting hardware Height: 18" tall Ground Plane: The Shorty Antenna uses included radials as a built-in ground plane. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna is designed for exterior use.
Cable Length and Type: 13.5ft of RG-58 cable hardwired into the antenna. Extension cables available. Mounting requirements: The Shorty RV antenna requires that you drill a hole in the top of your RV/bus/coach to install it. All mounting hardware is included. Pros: Easy to get the coax cable into the RV (through the same hole that the antenna is mounted), spring base prevents damage if the antenna strikes a low bridge or tree limb, easy installation (just drill one hole), can be mounted anywhere on the RV roof, 13.5' cable is typically adequate for most users. Cons: Requires drilling a hole through your RV, not portable, no option to adjust the height (such as putting it on an antenna pole for added height). This antenna is best for: DIY RV-ers who don't mind drilling a hole in their roof.
Price: $174.95, our price bundles a 20' cable, adapter cable and mounting hardware Height: 18" tall Ground Plane: The Marine Antenna has a built-in ground plane. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna is designed for salt water use and handles the rigorous weather that comes with being on a boat.
Cable Length and Type: This antenna is bundled with a 20ft section of RG-58 cable (no cable is hard-wired to the antenna). Mounting requirements: The Marine Antenna includes a stainless steel L-Bracket and hardware for mounting to a wall or pole (U-Bolts). Portability: This antenna is not portable - it is designed to be mounted to a boat in a fixed location, but can also be implemented in a system for a house or other building. Pros: Easy to install, attractive/inconspicuous, lack of a hard-wired cable and a type N connector make it the ideal antenna for ultra low loss antenna systems. Cons: Pricier than other antennas, uses a type N connector which is different than the other antennas. This antenna is best for: Certainly anyone with a boat stands to benefit greatly from this antenna. Additionally, on dry land this antenna is the perfect first piece of an ultra low loss system due to its type N connector.
Price: $117.95, includes 25' cable, adapter cable and mounting brackets Height: 18" tall Ground Plane: The Building Omni uses included radials as a built-in ground plane. Weatherproof?: Yes, this antenna is designed for exterior use.
Cable Length and Type: Our 25' LMR240 low-loss cable extension is included with this antenna bundle. Mounting requirements: All mounting hardware is included to mount to any pole up to 1-3/4" in diameter or to flat surface. Pros: longer cable length than Omni Trucker; if antenna needs to be replaced, you don't have to replace cable in walls; omni directional (no need to know where the tower is); easy installation (all mounting hardware included); multi-purpose - easy to use indoors, outdoors or on vehicle, and easy to switch between applications Cons: No spring base (important for mobile users), not very portable. This antenna is best for: Stationary home/office/building users who need more cable length than the 12.5' that comes with the Omni Trucker. Since the Building Omni antenna only has 14-inches of RG58 cable pre-attached to it, you can use a longer cable (like the 25' LMR240 cable we bundle it with) and end up with more effective gain than you'd see if you added a 15ft RG58 extension cable to the Omni Trucker. This antenna can also be used in an RV/Truck/Car, but remember that the lack of a spring base increases the potential of damage if it hits anything on the road!
Directional antennas like the Yagi are great when used in certain situations, but won't work for everybody. The main benefit to using a directional antenna is its ability to focus its signal in one direction leading to the greater gain figures. If directional antennas are not correctly aimed, they will lose their effectiveness.
An ideal situation for using a Yagi/Directional Antenna would be:
Still have questions? Let the experts at 3Gstore help! Send an email to sales@3gstore.com or call us at 866-3GSTORE (Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm CST) and we will be happy to assist.
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