Electrical Mounting an external antenna

[Maho]

Hi Guys,

Ive recently bought a Telstra 4GX wi fi advanced 2 unit. I would like to add in the external arial so we can get better signal when we are travelling for the kids school work.

I am will probably buy this- https://www.telcoantennas.com.au/site/telco-xomni-mimo-3g-4g-4gx-antenna-700-2700mhz
and the patch leads to suit.

Question is, how have other people mounted an external arial, and run the cables through the roof for it, specifically on a pop top (we have a 14.44-4)

I have checked out where jayco have run the antenna/solar cables up from the overhead cupboard and into the roof space. The jayco cables then run horizontally in the roof cavity across to the other side of the van. I can mount the Telstra unit near where the jayco cables run up to the roof, and then conceal them in this flexy tube, but how have others got them out of the roof and sealed them, and did you just run the cables across the top of the roof?

Thanks in advance.

Matt

 

[Dobbie]

This is probably not all that hepful but we put a small bracket on the road side wall and ran the cable on the ground under the van to the modem so we could access wifi either in the van or, more often, outside.

I didn't want a permanent mount so we just clipped it into the bracket when we needed to....

Good luck with it.

 

[dagree]

Hi @Maho Pages 24 and 25 of "My Jayco" show how I fitted our wifi aerial to the wineguard antennae and ran the cables through. If you have the winguard already fitted be prepared to clean off kilo's of sikaflex during the mod.. And make sure you have kilo's of it to reseal everything!

The TV cable and the wifi cable managed to fit through without any issues on ours.

 

[bigcol]

do you have a roof top ariel for your TV
I think a few have put the antenna on top f that, and ran the wiring with the TV wire

 

[Maho]

Hi @Maho Pages 24 and 25 of "My Jayco" show how I fitted our wifi aerial to the wineguard antennae and ran the cables through. If you have the winguard already fitted be prepared to clean off kilo's of sikaflex during the mod.. And make sure you have kilo's of it to reseal everything!

The TV cable and the wifi cable managed to fit through without any issues on ours.

Thanks Dagree, I see in your thread, the antenna was 175mm away from the cable entry to the roof. On my van they are on opposite sides, 2m away! I'm not sure how I will go getting the cable though the roof

 

[bigcol]

Thanks Dagree, I see in your thread, the antenna was 175mm away from the cable entry to the roof. On my van they are on opposite sides, 2m away! I'm not sure how I will go getting the cable though the roof

if it was me, I would try

1) tie a piece of speaker wire to the TV aerial cable, and gently pull it through
1a) if the TV aerial wont come through neatly - you can always pull the speaker wire back and try again
2) once you have it through attach another piece of speaker wire to it, and gently pull it back through
2a) you will then have the TV aerial & another piece of speaker wire through,
3) attach the cable for your WiFi aerial to the second speaker wire and pull that through

long an laborious, but slow and steady and you should be on a winner

unless they have stapled the cable somewhere along the length

 

[bigcol]

BTW - not crappy small speaker wire
decent stuff, as you need 2 people, with even sort of pressure on both ends, so it wont snap

 

[dagree]

Thanks Dagree, I see in your thread, the antenna was 175mm away from the cable entry to the roof. On my van they are on opposite sides, 2m away! I'm not sure how I will go getting the cable though the roof

@bigcol covered one option to try @Maho ... Another would be to run the cables across the roof as you suggested (Make sure they are sikaflexed or stuck down properly tho) and enter the roof where the TV aerial cable goes through.

If I am on the wrong track post a pic of your current aerial entry point and one of us might put more light on the situation to help!

 

[Maho]

Thanks for the advice @dagree and @bigcol , I will give it a go