Well, my point wasn't to do an exhaustive engineering analysis, just point out what may be an overlooked solution. Putting stuff on the tower may be difficult with permits, permission, rent and liability if something flies off in a wind. Securing permits to erect a 200' tower may be interesting also, which was another option he mentioned. Given the distance involved and the antenna gain stated it seems possible. Kinda depends on what kind of link reliability they require too. Just suggesting to try the easy stuff first. Bob Chuck Cole wrote: > >>-----Original Message----- >>From: tcwug-list-admin at tcwug.org [mailto:tcwug-list-admin at tcwug.org]On >>Behalf Of Bob Gilbertson >> >>Depending on the angles involved to the tower, and the tower >>shape you may >>be able to just bounce the signal off the tower itself. >>Wouldn't take much >>to try it. 21 dB over isotropic is aiming quite a bit of >>signal in the >>desired direction. Same concentrating effect is seen on the >>receive side. >>If you're driving, say, 100mW into the antenna this would >>give about 10 Watts >>ERP, which is a robust signal at 2.4 Ghz. > > > > Those numbers don't go together to make a path estimate. ERP doesn't affect > actual watts per square meter field strength at the tower: it's only saying > that a bigger transmitter on a dipole would do the same as the 100mW on a > parabolic. The tower is probably cylindrical which is dispersive and thus a > lossy reflector at best, and its vertical angle isn't good for a bounce > either. The receiving antenna's area is the only concentrating effect > there: square meters for an incoming wavefront of some watts per square > meter power density, so the result is some microwatts down the coax pipe. > > > Might work, but looks feeble. > > > Chuck