Radome Paint on 5GHz antennas

[Mike Outmesguine]

Hi.

I have a couple links that are in remote areas and I'd like to paint the shiny white panel antennas to blend more into the background.

I know there's paint that can be used for radomes on airplanes, but haven't seen anything specifically for 2.4, 4.9 or 5.7 GHz.

Does anyone here have experience with painting antennas without reducing link performance?

Thanks!
-Mike
http://twitter.com/mikeout

[Mike Burgess]

This group has been quiet for a while, and I've had an application come up.

I need to create a relay station for a campground, to get the main wi-fi signal over a hill to the "way out back".

I'm thinking some solar panels and batteries for power (power is a consideration, as 24/7 use will be a pretty hefty drain, even at just 15 watts for the router)

A couple of dish 2.4GHz antennas for the goes-into & goes-outta, and a router that can handle Tomato firmware. Is there any thing I've overlooked or forgotten? I think Tomato can do what I'm asking, just act as a relay from a AP about 1/3 mile away to a camping area (RV's)another 1/2 mile away?

I don't need to have a lot of bandwidth, the RV's will police themselves as to not hogging with Hulu or something. I have road access to the site, and
can drive up in a truck for install and any maintainance.

Am I right thinking I can do this with the above listed gear?

Suggestions, pointers?

Mike

[Mike O]

You can do this with a crossover cable, no router needed. You are on
the right track otherwise. Find out your amps per hour usage for the
radios, and have enough battery to run them (ie 18 a/hr batt will run
for 18 hours with a 1 amp drain)

Make sure your solar panels can recharge your batteries at least 100%
during daylight.


--
Mike O
http://twitter.com/mikeout

[Israel Lopez-LISTS]

You can definitely do it.

I would use two Ubiquiti BULLET2s with a switch, directional antennas
(seems like you dont need much for that distance), and configure them
for WDS bridging. Also for the distance, why dont you just run some
ethernet/fiber too?

-Israel

[Mike Burgess]

--- On Sat, 9/5/09, Mike O <m...@transstellar.com> wrote:

> You can do this with a crossover cable, no router needed.

This is not going to have a computer sitting on the hilltop. I was
thinking a router (linksys linux base w/Tomato) would be both
the radio(s) and the smarts.

What I'm saying is I don't know what I'd connect the crossover cable to?

[Larry Feige]

Mike,

For the solar application, you don't mention where this will
be (how much sun the area gets) and the amount of time you
want to have as a back up (cloudy days).

If/When you get the wattages down, give me a call/email and
will have our solar guy do a calculation for you to size the
system.

Larry (lfe...@talleycom.com)

[Mike O]

What I mean is, if you use 2 point-to-point radios, you can link them
with a coupler or crossover cable. 1 radio pointing to the RV park,
the other pointing to the Internet uplink. Instead of routing, just
push all the traffic over the hill.


-Mike O