Ever since I mounted my system using steel straps http://discuss.outernet.is/t/installation-pictures/2955/36?u=mtnman, I have been getting fantastic SNR values. While the values do fluctuate during the day, they almost never fall below 10.0 and most are higher. I suspect the steel strapping is somehow helping the reception although I have zero idea how.
The absolute highest value I have seen was 17.3, but I was too slow to capture that image.
This is cartoon-level crazy. I have some 25mm ceramic patches. Are you interested in fabricating a small ground plane and seeing how you do with them?
I thought it was a tad high myself especially after reading the forums from front to back. Honestly I have no idea why it is so high. Granted I took some extreme care when doing my aiming and I do have a basically unobstructed southern sky, but dang, that’s some high SNR!
I would be interested in experimenting with your ground plane idea and will happily follow your instructions to the 12th decimal point.
Lead on and I will follow 
What an SNR! The SAT for the US seems to be really strong in comparision to Alphasat for europe.
regards,
Manuel
I did a quick shell script to record SNR last night. Here are the results. I can’t explain them except to say that they have been like this ever since I completed my mounting project. As you can see they do vary, however in the early evenings, they are at the peak and will run 14-16+. The only other difference is that the CHIP is in a plastic case held together with four metal screws.
Thu Mar 23 05:34:18 2017: 10.32
Thu Mar 23 05:35:18 2017: 11.27
Thu Mar 23 05:36:19 2017: 11.48
Thu Mar 23 05:37:19 2017: 11.38
Thu Mar 23 05:38:19 2017: 11.44
Thu Mar 23 05:39:19 2017: 12.24
Thu Mar 23 05:40:20 2017: 12.2
Thu Mar 23 05:41:20 2017: 10.94
Thu Mar 23 05:42:20 2017: 12.28
Thu Mar 23 05:43:20 2017: 10.98
Thu Mar 23 05:44:21 2017: 11.84
Thu Mar 23 05:45:22 2017: 11.97
Thu Mar 23 05:46:23 2017: 12.74
Thu Mar 23 05:47:24 2017: 12.34
Thu Mar 23 05:48:24 2017: 12.94
Thu Mar 23 05:49:25 2017: 12.33
Thu Mar 23 05:50:25 2017: 12.98
Thu Mar 23 05:51:25 2017: 12.63
Thu Mar 23 05:52:25 2017: 13.14
Thu Mar 23 05:53:25 2017: 12.29
Thu Mar 23 05:54:26 2017: 12.57
Thu Mar 23 05:55:27 2017: 13.16
Thu Mar 23 05:56:27 2017: 12.24
Thu Mar 23 05:57:27 2017: 12.66
Thu Mar 23 05:58:27 2017: 12.53
Thu Mar 23 05:59:27 2017: 12.19
Thu Mar 23 06:00:27 2017: 11.79
Thu Mar 23 06:01:27 2017: 12.34
Thu Mar 23 06:02:27 2017: 12.75
Thu Mar 23 06:03:28 2017: 13.28
Thu Mar 23 06:04:28 2017: 12.94
Thu Mar 23 06:05:28 2017: 12.71
Thu Mar 23 06:06:28 2017: 13.66
Thu Mar 23 06:07:28 2017: 13.21
Thu Mar 23 06:08:29 2017: 13.13
Thu Mar 23 06:09:29 2017: 13.2
Thu Mar 23 06:10:29 2017: 13.35
Thu Mar 23 06:11:29 2017: 13.09
Thu Mar 23 06:12:29 2017: 12.41
Thu Mar 23 06:13:30 2017: 13.58
Thu Mar 23 06:14:30 2017: 12.79
Thu Mar 23 06:15:30 2017: 13.04
Thu Mar 23 06:16:30 2017: 12.6
Thu Mar 23 06:17:30 2017: 12.57
Thu Mar 23 06:18:30 2017: 12.99
Thu Mar 23 06:19:30 2017: 13.09
Thu Mar 23 06:20:30 2017: 13.22
Thu Mar 23 06:21:31 2017: 13.39
Thu Mar 23 06:22:31 2017: 14.3
Thu Mar 23 06:23:31 2017: 11.96
Thu Mar 23 06:24:31 2017: 13.61
Thu Mar 23 06:25:31 2017: 13.37
Thu Mar 23 06:26:31 2017: 13.5
Thu Mar 23 06:27:31 2017: 14.01
Thu Mar 23 06:28:31 2017: 12.29
Thu Mar 23 06:29:32 2017: 12.97
Thu Mar 23 06:30:32 2017: 14.03
Thu Mar 23 06:31:32 2017: 12.5
Thu Mar 23 06:32:32 2017: 13.13
Thu Mar 23 06:33:32 2017: 13.77
Thu Mar 23 06:34:32 2017: 14.04
Thu Mar 23 06:35:32 2017: 12.52
Thu Mar 23 06:36:33 2017: 12.92
Thu Mar 23 06:37:33 2017: 13.21
Thu Mar 23 06:38:33 2017: 13.34
Thu Mar 23 06:39:33 2017: 13.88
Thu Mar 23 06:40:33 2017: 14.28
Thu Mar 23 06:41:33 2017: 14.43
Thu Mar 23 06:42:33 2017: 14.07
Thu Mar 23 06:43:33 2017: 13.72
Thu Mar 23 06:44:34 2017: 14.31
Thu Mar 23 06:45:34 2017: 13.68
Thu Mar 23 06:46:34 2017: 13.75
Thu Mar 23 06:47:34 2017: 13.91
Thu Mar 23 06:48:34 2017: 14.42
Thu Mar 23 06:49:34 2017: 13.53
Thu Mar 23 06:50:34 2017: 13.69
Thu Mar 23 06:51:35 2017: 13.94
Thu Mar 23 06:52:35 2017: 14.43
Thu Mar 23 06:53:35 2017: 14.65
Thu Mar 23 06:54:35 2017: 13.96
Thu Mar 23 06:55:35 2017: 14.49
Thu Mar 23 06:56:35 2017: 13.79
Thu Mar 23 06:57:36 2017: 14.4
Thu Mar 23 06:58:36 2017: 14.02
Thu Mar 23 06:59:36 2017: 14.29
Thu Mar 23 07:00:36 2017: 13.57
Thu Mar 23 07:01:36 2017: 12.5
Thu Mar 23 07:02:36 2017: 14.3
Thu Mar 23 07:03:36 2017: 14.21
Thu Mar 23 07:04:37 2017: 14.27
Thu Mar 23 07:05:37 2017: 14.43
Thu Mar 23 07:06:37 2017: 14.54
Thu Mar 23 07:07:37 2017: 13.79
Thu Mar 23 07:08:37 2017: 14.45
Thu Mar 23 07:09:37 2017: 14.27
Thu Mar 23 07:10:37 2017: 13.73
Thu Mar 23 07:11:37 2017: 14.48
Thu Mar 23 07:12:38 2017: 14.61
Thu Mar 23 07:13:38 2017: 13.37
Thu Mar 23 07:14:38 2017: 13.59
Thu Mar 23 07:15:38 2017: 13.67
Thu Mar 23 07:16:38 2017: 14.3
Thu Mar 23 07:17:38 2017: 14.68
Thu Mar 23 07:18:38 2017: 12.52
Thu Mar 23 07:19:39 2017: 14.24
Thu Mar 23 07:20:39 2017: 14.1
Thu Mar 23 07:21:39 2017: 12.98
Thu Mar 23 07:22:39 2017: 14.01
Thu Mar 23 07:23:39 2017: 13.85
Thu Mar 23 07:24:39 2017: 13.79
Thu Mar 23 07:25:39 2017: 13.7
Thu Mar 23 07:26:40 2017: 14.29
Thu Mar 23 07:27:40 2017: 14.06
Thu Mar 23 07:28:40 2017: 14.33
Thu Mar 23 07:29:40 2017: 15.11
Thu Mar 23 07:30:40 2017: 14.11
Thu Mar 23 07:31:40 2017: 14.39
Thu Mar 23 07:32:40 2017: 13.94
Thu Mar 23 07:33:40 2017: 13.83
Thu Mar 23 07:34:41 2017: 14.09
Thu Mar 23 07:35:41 2017: 13.7
Thu Mar 23 07:36:41 2017: 14.44
Thu Mar 23 07:37:41 2017: 14.26
Thu Mar 23 07:38:41 2017: 14
Thu Mar 23 07:39:41 2017: 14.18
Thu Mar 23 07:40:42 2017: 14.1
Thu Mar 23 07:41:42 2017: 13.9
Thu Mar 23 07:42:42 2017: 14.31
Thu Mar 23 07:43:42 2017: 14.14
Thu Mar 23 07:44:42 2017: 14.18
Thu Mar 23 07:45:42 2017: 14.2
Thu Mar 23 07:46:42 2017: 13.01
Thu Mar 23 07:47:43 2017: 14.26
Thu Mar 23 07:48:43 2017: 14.55
Thu Mar 23 07:49:43 2017: 14.63
Thu Mar 23 07:50:43 2017: 13.65
Thu Mar 23 07:51:43 2017: 14.28
Thu Mar 23 07:52:43 2017: 14.29
Thu Mar 23 07:53:43 2017: 14.21
Thu Mar 23 07:54:44 2017: 13.98
Thu Mar 23 07:55:44 2017: 14.21
Thu Mar 23 07:56:44 2017: 14.06
Thu Mar 23 07:57:44 2017: 13.62
Thu Mar 23 07:58:44 2017: 14.09
Thu Mar 23 07:59:44 2017: 14.01
Thu Mar 23 08:00:44 2017: 13.36
Thu Mar 23 08:01:45 2017: 13.2
Thu Mar 23 08:02:45 2017: 13.36
Thu Mar 23 08:03:45 2017: 13.74
Thu Mar 23 08:04:45 2017: 14.07
Thu Mar 23 08:05:45 2017: 14.1
Thu Mar 23 08:06:45 2017: 12.35
Thu Mar 23 08:07:45 2017: 12.75
Thu Mar 23 08:08:46 2017: 13.88
Thu Mar 23 08:09:46 2017: 13.33
Thu Mar 23 08:10:46 2017: 13.04
Thu Mar 23 08:11:46 2017: 13.4
Thu Mar 23 08:12:46 2017: 12.96
Thu Mar 23 08:13:46 2017: 13.76
Thu Mar 23 08:14:46 2017: 13.39
Thu Mar 23 08:15:47 2017: 13.35
Thu Mar 23 08:16:47 2017: 13.6
Thu Mar 23 08:17:47 2017: 12.78
Thu Mar 23 08:18:47 2017: 12.98
Thu Mar 23 08:19:47 2017: 12.19
Thu Mar 23 08:20:47 2017: 13.32
Thu Mar 23 08:21:47 2017: 12.77
Thu Mar 23 08:22:48 2017: 12.14
Thu Mar 23 08:23:48 2017: 13.4
Thu Mar 23 08:24:48 2017: 13.35
Thu Mar 23 08:25:48 2017: 12.71
Thu Mar 23 08:26:48 2017: 12.45
Thu Mar 23 08:27:48 2017: 12.8
Thu Mar 23 08:28:49 2017: 12.37
Thu Mar 23 08:29:49 2017: 13.51
Thu Mar 23 08:30:49 2017: 12.75
Thu Mar 23 08:31:49 2017: 11.8
Thu Mar 23 08:32:49 2017: 13.72
Thu Mar 23 08:33:49 2017: 12.23
Thu Mar 23 08:34:49 2017: 12.52
Thu Mar 23 08:35:50 2017: 13.02
Thu Mar 23 08:36:50 2017: 12.89
Thu Mar 23 08:37:50 2017: 12.86
Thu Mar 23 08:38:50 2017: 12.37
Thu Mar 23 08:39:50 2017: 12.48
Thu Mar 23 08:40:50 2017: 12.83
Thu Mar 23 08:41:51 2017: 11.6
Thu Mar 23 08:42:51 2017: 12.17
Thu Mar 23 08:43:51 2017: 12.51
Thu Mar 23 08:44:51 2017: 12.54
Thu Mar 23 08:45:51 2017: 12.36
Thu Mar 23 08:46:51 2017: 12.23
Thu Mar 23 08:47:51 2017: 12.67
Thu Mar 23 08:48:51 2017: 12.18
Thu Mar 23 08:49:52 2017: 11.51
Thu Mar 23 08:50:52 2017: 11.85
Thu Mar 23 08:51:52 2017: 12.08
Thu Mar 23 08:52:52 2017: 11.9
Thu Mar 23 08:53:52 2017: 11.28
Thu Mar 23 08:54:52 2017: 10.79
Thu Mar 23 08:55:53 2017: 11.85
Thu Mar 23 08:56:53 2017: 11.71
Thu Mar 23 08:57:53 2017: 11.71
Thu Mar 23 08:58:53 2017: 11.24
Thu Mar 23 08:59:53 2017: 10.53
yeah, possibly the steel strapping helps fine tuning the antenna. amazing! 
I’m getting 10 and 11 dB SDR with the regular stock square outernet antenna here in chicago.
Here are some photos of the installation. The gimbol was fabricated from 1" steel strap and consists of two “L” shaped brackets attached together and to the outside of the house. A “U” shaped bracket holds a plastic box and allows accurate antenna aiming. Wing nuts are used to make fast and secure adjustments.
looks DIY as hell 
nice, great work!
I have my Receiver indoors on a Mount out of a big PVC pipe, a empty filament spool and some tape.
regards,
Manuel
That is an exceptionally high RSSI. Would be curious to know your LAT/LON and if that window screen above the patch is metal screen or if the window has any sort of metallized coating.
Location: 35.20N 85.52 W
The screen is not metal but some sort of fabric (perhaps nylon?) and the window frame is plastic, so the only metal nearby is the mount. I used extra long nylon screws and nuts to mount the actual antenna to the lid of the box.
I took great pains to aim the antenna as perfectly as I could and then locked the wing nuts down tight. I have a completely clear view of the southern sky.
We have all seen it before…that unique combination of components that results in exceptional performance. Certainly I cannot take credit for the performance since I simply snapped the pieces together and then brainstormed a method of mounting the contraption.
I’d rather be lucky than good
