Where to I find an External Antenna for XDA II?

[olliesshop]

Since I'm not an expert on antennas I've had a hard time finding an Antenna for the XDA II. I'm actually looking for an antenna I can use in my home to get better reception. Does anyone know where I can buy one that plugs into the back of the device? I've already noticed much better reception with my XDA II over the XDA I ... with an external antenna it should be awesome. Thanks.

[TDIPower]

The connector was a standard unit used in the old 'carphones' I used to have loads of them, I worked on them from 89 to 96. I cant remember the name for them, they should be quite available, try www.cpc.co.uk they might have them.

[watchdogsdg]

I would love to find an external antenna also for the same purpose - stationary at home for better reception. Thanks for any help

Steve

[watchdogsdg]

I would love to find an external antenna also for the same purpose - stationary at home for better reception. Thanks for any help

Steve

[olliesshop]

I found out the specifications of the external antenna "receptacle" from the i-Mate folks (shown below). I've attached the PDF he sent. Now I have to find an appropriate antenna. I'm also thinking about getting a repeater, but I've heard they're expensive ($500-1000).


Thank you for the enquiry! Well, regarding your question; I am sending you a file (as an attachment) that should give you all the specifications of the external antenna. For any further enquiries, please contact us, we will be glad to assist you!

Regards,

Srushti Ghisad - Technical Operations Engineer - i-mate™ from Carrier Devices
Office No. 207-213 - Building 11 - P O Box 500085 - Dubai Internet City - Dubai, UAE

[gratefuled]

I cannot seem to open your attachment.

[dadarkmcse]

Bought my external at Radio Shack. The external unit cost $29, and the adapter was $10. Be careful with the adapters. Have the guy open it and make sure it fits right. Mine was for a motorola, and didn't have a black bushing around the base that others on the same rack did. The others didn't fit, but the one minus bushing did.

[olliesshop]

Sorry about the file. It's my first try to upload to the XDA Site. Here's the file from one of my websites.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/olliesshop/XDAStuff/RFConnector.pdf

Also, Thanks for the input about Radio Shack. I went there earlier and they said they didn't have anything. But it probably was the lack of knowledge of the salesman. I'll go to a different store and be more persistant. Thanks.

[Rudegar]

i had no problems saving the pdf file to my disk and opening it using acrobat reader

from the first uploading that is

[BRosenow]

Hey dadarkmcse - since you purchased one at Radio Shack that actually works . . . what's the part number? Might take a bit of the guess work out of it for the rest of us!

Thanks! :D

[dadarkmcse]

Hey dadarkmcse - since you purchased one at Radio Shack that actually works . . . what's the part number? Might take a bit of the guess work out of it for the rest of us!

Thanks! :D


I knew you would ask that... and being me... i threw out the packaging. Let me swing by Radio Shack's site and see if i can find it...

17-345 is the base unit, and it was either 17-346 or 17-348 that was the cable for the unit. Try to find both at your radio snack and have the sales man open the package and plug it into the phone. The guy at the radioshack I went to was more than happy to do this, even though he had never seen my xda ii.

Good thing too - i HATE when they look at the thing and salivate all over it... quite annoying :wink:

[BRosenow]

Yea . . . I HATE when that happens. I just carry around a plastic bag to slip my i-mate into before I let anyone hold it. That way, it's 'drool proof'! :lol:

[Jim Ill]

can you take some photos it?

[BRosenow]

What . . . you mean pictures of my i-mate in a plastic bag? :wink:

Oh . . . OK - I'd like to see pictures of the antenna and cable too!

Thanks dadarkmcse

[olliesshop]

I went by another Radio Shack on the way home tonight and they gave me that "Deer in the Headlight" look. They suggested going to AT&T ... arghhhh!!! I'm going to look at Radio Shack on-line and see if I can find something.

[olliesshop]

I finally found out the connector/adapter we need. I was told by my local Electronics Store / Experts that if I can get it to an SMA connector I'm all set. So after many phone calls and a few weeks of searching ... I finally found, I believe the only U.S. source for the adaptor.

This is the link to the page of the catalog http://dkc3.digikey.com/pdf/T041/0248.pdf. I ordered, from the top part of the page:
Switching Connector - #5
SMA Adaptor to Male
H2807-ND
MS-145-HRMP-A
www.digikey.com Toll-Free: 1-800-344-4539 • Phone: 218-681-6674 • Fax: 218-681-3380

I hope this works, since it cost $30.80 with postage. Now I need to go get an actual antenna that connects to SMA.

[Jim Ill]

Thats the adapter, right? So what else do you need to make an antena, just coax cable?

:?

[olliesshop]

I haven't bought it yet, but my understanding is I need a Coaxial Cable with an SMA connector on one end and an antenna that attaches to the other end. I plan on buying a normal "glass mounted" type antenna, like they put on car windows and enough cable I can run it from my desk outside the window. The store I go to has a few different Car Kits that include the cable and antenna. We'll see how it goes.

[Jim Ill]

Sorry to be boring, have you got a website for the type of antenna? Its just I guess????? in the UK i should be able to get the connector type from somewhere? RS or Farnells, or maybe maplins (there a bit like your Radio Shack) but the antenna I am not sure,

thanks in advance

Jim

[TDIPower]

as said up top www.cpc.co.uk they have loads of aerials, glass mount etc. click http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CPC+Catalogue&product%5Fid=267273 for a page i found. I couldn't find the MS-147 on their site though.

Pete

[Jim Ill]

What does SMA stand for? I can by a sma to bnc converter easily but is this different to FME connector.

[Rudegar]

http://www.amphenolrf.com/products/sma.asp
from the first hit google gave

[Jim Ill]

Rudegar,

Any ideas about the Sma to BNC/FME? are they the same, what does google bring up for that?

[olliesshop]

The best explanation I've found is on http://www.alternativewireless.com/, they also had a description of the types at http://www.alternativewireless.com/cellular-antennas/connectors.html.

I finally got my adaptor yesterday and hope to go to the store today to purchase the antenna setup. Also, it looks like SMA stand for Subminiature-A, but I'm not sure.

I also heard (I think in this forum) that the XDAII connector is a common connector for Europe, like SMA is for the US.

I'll let you know how this works out.

[Rudegar]

well once long agoe i took one of those HAM radio licenses
(never really used it because i dident know what i should talk with strangers about apart from the weather and that had to get old fast :P )

but anyway an antenna is just a metal rod
which have to be 1/2 the wavelength it have to recieve
or 1/4 if you make it dipol

so as i see it BNC and SMA and .... are just connectors
sure some better then others but if the ground and the feed are connected then you got a converter

of cause maybe there are some magic that eluded me back then :)

[olliesshop]

BTW ... I got the antenna setup, which was a Magnetic Mount for the Car. The store was able to take the SMA Connector and convert it over the TNC? connector on the Antenna. It really helps the reception, taking it from almost NO signal to 50-60% ... COOL !!! and that's with the Antenna inside the window. I'm thinking about mounting it outside somehow to make the reception even better, but that mean's drilling a hole through my Brick Wall. :D

[watchdogsdg]

17-348 is the correct adapter for the XDA II. I am using it now and it fits perfectly.

Steve