mount for 2" pvc enclosed wifi radio (ubiquiti Bullet)

Rodd

.
Jan 22, 2008
148
Pearson 424 East Hampton,NY
I have been using a wifi radio called the Bullet for about 4 years now with great success to capture a week ISP hotspot near my marina. I would like to mount the unit in a 2" diam PVC housing up on a spreader to gain extra signal strength. My question is what kind of hole should I drill in the bottom of the PVC (with a cap on ) to be able to thread onto a 1"-14 thread shakespeare 4" stainless"Deck Mount"? I will be running Cat6 from the unit down inside the mast to my router. So question is how to thread the PVC tube onto a 1"-14 mount.

Also, the 8dB gain omni antenna will stick out the top of the PVC and I will need to drill a hole in the top cap as well to accommodate this.
Probably drill some holes in the bottom cap for drainage of any condensation and also to allow some heat dissipation. The unit is supposed to be weatherproof for outdoor mounting, but I prefer to house it in a makeshift PVC tube. All ideas welcome! Thanks!
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,996
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@Rodd ir sounds like a reasonable idea. Figure your already out there on the experimental limb you might as well go for it.

Hole size would be big enough to stick the coax or antenna through. You might find some amalgam tale to seal up the holes and reduce water infiltration. Definitely holes to drain the water you know will find a way in. Perhaps screw type tops so you can remove and service the unit should the need occur.

Random off the cuff thoughts. Let us know how it turns out. And a picture or two would be icing on the cake.
 
Nov 14, 2013
200
Catalina 50 Seattle
This will be a lot of work for questionable gain (pardon the pun). Without knowing more, it's hard to say.

Are you using a Bullet or a Bullet Titanium? The latter needs no housing, it's plenty waterproof without any housing. Also, a 2.4GHz 8dB omni antenna typically has a +/- 10 degree elevation angle of acceptance. If the WiFi base station falls within that 20 degree range already, the additional height might not buy you much unless your line of sight to the transmitter is blocked and the added height will overcome the obstacle. If you have good line of sight already and the base station is up on a hill, you may get a big benefit just by tilting your existing setup so the antenna is pointing 90 degrees to a line drawn from it to the base station. Of course, this assumes you're at a dock and have a consistent orientation rather than clocking around on a mooring.

Many people assume that they have a signal strength problem when it's really a signal to noise ratio problem, with the noise typically caused by interference from a bunch of wifi systems on neighboring boats. This is particularly acute with 2.4GHz because even though there are 11 radio channels, only three of them don't overlap (1, 6, and 11). If this is the case in your situation, I'd suggest you get a more directional antenna pointed at the base station. The added gain will help your signal and the directionality will block a lot of noise from your neighbors.
 
Nov 14, 2013
200
Catalina 50 Seattle
FYI, here's my setup with a Bullet Ti connected to a very directional panel antenna pointed at the onshore station near my home marina. When I go cruising, I just uncap the 8dB omni pictured behind the radar pole and switch the Bullet over to it to pickup guest wifi at the marinas we hit.

LaSonadaAntennas.jpg
 
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Rodd

.
Jan 22, 2008
148
Pearson 424 East Hampton,NY
very clever iStream! only I don't have a mounting tube like that anywhere. I will be mounting on a spreader and can't change antennas.
 

Rodd

.
Jan 22, 2008
148
Pearson 424 East Hampton,NY
here is what I wound up with. I will mount on spreader and run Cat6 up and through a hole in bottom cap.
Thanks all for the help!
 

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Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
here is what I wound up with. I will mount on spreader and run Cat6 up and through a hole in bottom cap.
Thanks all for the help!
Looks good.. You can also get clear PVC so you can see the lights on the bullet...