External antenna port

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oakwhiz

New member
May 5, 2011
2
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Some of you may not know that there is a hidden external antenna port on the GT540. It it located under the rear cover, near the microphone of the device. It is covered by a tiny grey sticker which you can just peel off. The connector appears to be a Hirose U.FL connector (a common surface-mount RF connector.) To use this, you can build or buy an antenna tuned to your favorite GSM band (e.g. 1.9 GHz) and plug it in to get better reception and improved directionality. If you know exactly where the cellular base station tower is, you can just point a yagi antenna at it to get an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. You can also attach a bidirectional amplifier to your phone to boost the power output, but only if the laws in your country allow you to use an amplifier.

Most phones have an external RF connector for some reason. I don't know why the manufacturers even bother populating the connector on the PCB, because most consumers won't even use it, and the connectors must cost them something. But whatever, at least this benefits everyone here at XDA.

What I want to know is: Does the Bluetooth/WiFi radio connect to this antenna port as well as the GSM radio, or is it just the GSM radio?

I currently do not have the connectors to test this, but if the internal antenna is multiplexed between the GSM and WiFi radios, I suspect that the external antenna port will be multiplexed as well. This would mean that you could use the external antenna port to snipe WiFi access points.

I just need to get an RP-SMA Male to U.FL Male adapter so I can test the phone with a yagi antenna cut for WiFi.

So, does anybody already use the external port on their GT540?
 
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pRo_lama

Senior Member
May 10, 2008
1,407
346
Prague
oakwhiz said:
Some of you may not know that there is a hidden external antenna port on the GT540. It it located under the rear cover, near the microphone of the device. It is covered by a tiny grey sticker which you can just peel off. The connector appears to be a Hirose U.FL connector (a common surface-mount RF connector.) To use this, you can build or buy an antenna tuned to your favorite GSM band (e.g. 1.9 GHz) and plug it in to get better reception and improved directionality. If you know exactly where the cellular base station tower is, you can just point a yagi antenna at it to get an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. You can also attach a bidirectional amplifier to your phone to boost the power output, but only if the laws in your country allow you to use an amplifier.

Most phones have an external RF connector for some reason. I don't know why the manufacturers even bother populating the connector on the PCB, because most consumers won't even use it, and the connectors must cost them something. But whatever, at least this benefits everyone here at XDA.

What I want to know is: Does the Bluetooth/WiFi radio connect to this antenna port as well as the GSM radio, or is it just the GSM radio?

I currently do not have the connectors to test this, but if the internal antenna is multiplexed between the GSM and WiFi radios, I suspect that the external antenna port will be multiplexed as well. This would mean that you could use the external antenna port to snipe WiFi access points.

I just need to get an RP-SMA Male to U.FL Male adapter so I can test the phone with a yagi antenna cut for WiFi.

So, does anybody already use the external port on their GT540?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Please could you exactly post links what I will need to buy. :)
 
S

simon194

Member
Apr 1, 2011
33
1
I might have a go at modifying the phone cradle in my car so I can use the external antenna that a previous owner had fitted. It even has the right connector on the end inside the car. :)
 
BLITZ_11

BLITZ_11

Member
Sep 12, 2011
9
0
I know you wanted links on what you need will try to find out but....
This is very interesting im off to do a bit of research ( I have one on my lg )
 
L

liamwli

Senior Member
Jan 31, 2011
486
180
26
Ilford, London
oakwhiz said:
Some of you may not know that there is a hidden external antenna port on the GT540. It it located under the rear cover, near the microphone of the device. It is covered by a tiny grey sticker which you can just peel off. The connector appears to be a Hirose U.FL connector (a common surface-mount RF connector.) To use this, you can build or buy an antenna tuned to your favorite GSM band (e.g. 1.9 GHz) and plug it in to get better reception and improved directionality. If you know exactly where the cellular base station tower is, you can just point a yagi antenna at it to get an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. You can also attach a bidirectional amplifier to your phone to boost the power output, but only if the laws in your country allow you to use an amplifier.

Most phones have an external RF connector for some reason. I don't know why the manufacturers even bother populating the connector on the PCB, because most consumers won't even use it, and the connectors must cost them something. But whatever, at least this benefits everyone here at XDA.

What I want to know is: Does the Bluetooth/WiFi radio connect to this antenna port as well as the GSM radio, or is it just the GSM radio?

I currently do not have the connectors to test this, but if the internal antenna is multiplexed between the GSM and WiFi radios, I suspect that the external antenna port will be multiplexed as well. This would mean that you could use the external antenna port to snipe WiFi access points.

I just need to get an RP-SMA Male to U.FL Male adapter so I can test the phone with a yagi antenna cut for WiFi.

So, does anybody already use the external port on their GT540?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Found it! It was under a black sticker. I'm in UK - any annoying laws?

Where can I get the things?

Sent from my LG GT540 with mur4ik's swift Droid 2, RC5.
 
O

oakwhiz

New member
May 5, 2011
2
1
liamwilli said:
Found it! It was under a black sticker. I'm in UK - any annoying laws?

Where can I get the things?

Sent from my LG GT540 with mur4ik's swift Droid 2, RC5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I'd just like to point out that it's illegal to attach external antennas to consumer radio transmitters in most countries unless you have a license from your local government. This port is likely there for engineering and quality control purposes - perhaps the phone is powered up in test mode at the factory while the RF output is connected to a vector analyzer to see if the output meets RF emission standards. I've also heard that the port itself is not rated for more than a few hundred insertion cycles, and that it can get stuck in the disconnected position.
 
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    oakwhiz
    Some of you may not know that there is a hidden external antenna port on the GT540. It it located under the rear cover, near the microphone of the device. It is covered by a tiny grey sticker which you can just peel off. The connector appears to be a Hirose U.FL connector (a common surface-mount RF connector.) To use this, you can build or buy an antenna tuned to your favorite GSM band (e.g. 1.9 GHz) and plug it in to get better reception and improved directionality. If you know exactly where the cellular base station tower is, you can just point a yagi antenna at it to get an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. You can also attach a bidirectional amplifier to your phone to boost the power output, but only if the laws in your country allow you to use an amplifier.

    Most phones have an external RF connector for some reason. I don't know why the manufacturers even bother populating the connector on the PCB, because most consumers won't even use it, and the connectors must cost them something. But whatever, at least this benefits everyone here at XDA.

    What I want to know is: Does the Bluetooth/WiFi radio connect to this antenna port as well as the GSM radio, or is it just the GSM radio?

    I currently do not have the connectors to test this, but if the internal antenna is multiplexed between the GSM and WiFi radios, I suspect that the external antenna port will be multiplexed as well. This would mean that you could use the external antenna port to snipe WiFi access points.

    I just need to get an RP-SMA Male to U.FL Male adapter so I can test the phone with a yagi antenna cut for WiFi.

    So, does anybody already use the external port on their GT540?
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