08 March 2012

Last parts arrived

Finally got in the sma to rp-sma adapters i needed to connect the usb radios to the splitter. I guess they were on the slow boat from China. That's the last part that I was waiting for.

I decided to build RF shielding wrappers for each radio. The radios were the cheapest I could find and they have no shielding at all on the circuit board. There's solder pad and holes for shield tabs to be installed, but no shields.

I tried a few tests with shielding a 2.4gh antenna using anti-static bags, anti- static foam, and some other stuff I found. Aluminum foil actually worked the best, blocked out all signals I could see with the spectrum analyzer.

I decided to use aluminum flashing I already had around to make covers or wrappers for each usb radio. I did some cutting and bending and I have the dimensions all worked out, I just need to make 14 of them and figure out some way to mount everything together.

The usb radios have a short pigtail inside going tot he RP-SMA connecter mounted in the end of the stick. I drilled tiny holes in edge of the usb sticks and moved the pigtails so they hang out the edge and and can connect to the splitter. All the usb radio sticks can sit on edge on top of the splitter.

I'll have pictures later.

I haven't figured out what to replace my blown atom330 motherboard with yet so the first mobile test run will probably be using a core2 duo laptop. Assuming I can get it all together this weekend before I get a new atom box ordered in.

I've been busy and haven't had much time to work on it this week. Hopefully I'll have time Friday afternoon

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