Our finished product will include the electronics and horn antenna in a single, weatherproof enclosure. The enclosure will adjustments for azimuth, elevation, and skew angle. Although we can’t solve for all possible scenarios, we can definitely take everything into consideration. It would be good to know your thoughts on the following.
Where will you place the receiver?
Will it be mounted on or against anything?
How often do you expect to move it?
Will you travel with it (assuming global coverage)?
How far will the receiver typically be from your phone/tablet or wireless router?
I have done a good bit of traveling with the former L-band system and the current Ku-band system. I would like to offer the following ideas for all to thrash about:
I would place the receiver on the ground, a ledge, a terrace, or on a table top. Ideally, the unit will be indoors pointing thru an open window/door. I have often placed it in flower pots and window boxes to hide it for longer duration sessions when I did not control access.
The receiver should be stable and self supporting when pointed to the satellite without the need for additional support.
If operated in a space I control (and that has power), the receiver would be permanent for several days at a time. If my look angle requires the unit to be mounted in a public area, it will be moved quite often. When selecting good locations for satellite acquisition, available power becomes a large issue that I will address at the end of these suggestions.
I definitely will travel with the new terminal using it in a stationary mode. It should also be able to operate on moving platforms such as cars, airplanes, and ships. I’m not advocating automatic pointing (although would be the “cat’s meow”), but it should handle relative straight line motion keeping signal lock.
Hotspot and wifi range should be on the order of 30 feet and be able to connect thru at least one wall.
Additionally, two other concerns come to mind:
Placement of the touch screen (if you plan one) should be such that it is behind the terminal when pointed at the satellite. That way you don’t block reception when you view the touch screen to make adjustments during siting.
Power sources (which you didn’t mention) has been a large problem for me while traveling with my terminal. Practically, the terminal will have an external power source as the various LiPo solutions with standby chargers created issues of additional heat, weight, unreliable operation, etc. So that said, what are your plans? I use a portable EasyAcc 20,000 mAh power cell when local ac is not nearby, or a USB power cube plugged into the wall. My on/off switch is “yanking the plug” - - cumbersome buttons or switches are not needed. The EasyAcc 20,000 mAh runs my terminal for about 18 hours straight - - then I need to recharge. Ken
Ideal answers:
Two different use cases: (A): Interior fixed, or (B): moving, mobile
Case A: Interior fixed: Indoors on a window sill , self supported on a maximum 2 inch wide sill. Hopefully a window is oriented from 135 deg to 225 deg . So point angles would need +/- 45 adjustable. Possible suction cup attachment to the glass for stability. Near a 110v power source. Able to withstand full heating from the sun.
Case B: Mobility (considered temporary): If mobile… consider 12v power source, add a compass for pointing, stable base, consider bee’s, bug’s, rain, snow, wind. If self contained battery, assume 24hrs.
On/Off/charge switches. Lights / indicators are readable in full sun.
Other then the menu item to shift from wifi Host to wifi client, the LCD is not really needed/useful. A reset button of some type could do this, or just display the ip address
If the receiver is weather resistant, likely it would be placed on a patio support column, mounted if to be left permanently, or clamped somehow for temporary use, perhaps even a suction cup with ball mount base (would work inside/outside a window). It would be helpful if the case had loops or lugs of some kind that could accommodate bungee cords for securing it to another object. A self-contained stand such as @kenbarbi utilizes on his portable unit may be helpful. If in a permanent location, mine would not be moved at all after it was aimed and stabilized for position, but as a portable (I would definitely travel with it), it would be moved on a regular basis, perhaps several times in a day. Part of that question included [(assuming global coverage)], if I were moving about as several of my friends do, I am sure I would want to have it along. Typically, my receiver would be 40 to 60 feet from my phone/tablet/laptop/router. This seems to work successfully with the EDUP unit currently in use. I agree with @kenbarbi’s two concerns, and would add that @ac8dg Jim’s suggestions pertinent heat from the Sun and considering a “12v” power option are valid points.
Mini “tabletop” to normal tripods are an awesome option for mounting various things.
I use various customized tripod mounts for small and medium wireless point to point test setups. From small in the living room, to bigger test setups in the field with normal camera tripods. Easy to move, small to pack.
For casual use, on a table or on top of something like a car (while it’s stationary) would probably be typical. If I’m looking for a more permanent solution, it would most likely be mounted to a typical DBS pole outside on a house or business (I’ll definitely have one here at work).
If I would mount it on something, it would be a typical DBS dish mount/pole.
If permanently mounted, less than once a year. Portable or demo use, it would be constantly moved to new locations.
Yes, my wife and I do overlanding and this would be a cool way to keep receiving news and information when we have no cell phone or radio services available to us.
Less than 50 feet. If I put one on the roof where I work, it would be further away but line of sight of people outside or in neighboring apartments.
The features I would find useful:
Waterproof
Removable battery(s) (AA size?)
Compass and inclinometer
Small enough to fit in a bug-out bag (~10"x4"x2" not counting antenna)
Camera tripod mount for antenna
I would make the antenna/LNB separate from the board with tripod mounting. I didn’t think about elevation angles with a compass, I guess an inclinometer would be overkill.
Most of the requests seem to be for outdoor and portable use. I would like one for indoor use like this one on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3004833.
Right now I have the antenna mounted about eight feet away on the railing of my deck and the Dreamcatcher is inside, using the box it shipped to me in with appropriate access hole cut into it.
Perhaps you could offer more than one case for sale.