First use feedback

[OutThere]

So I bought the DIY kit and brought it with me on my holiday to Norway. I had no internet access so this was the perfect use case for this box.

Connecting and to the C.H.I.P was not problem and I found the PDF describing the setup. It took quite some time
to understand in what direction to point the antenna to (A little help would be nice here) e.g. a hint on the azimuth in general. I had DroidSat installed but was not able to find what satellite to select.

so after some messing around I finally started getting something

My setup that first day.

I was quite happy and I was a magic moment I won’t forget so thank you!.

The bad side:
-The LNA looked different from what I saw online (missing the shielding)
-The LNA led light does not light up (I tried enabling power using rlt_bias but that also did not work) (is there a QA issue here?
-The setup and idea are really nice but it was quite impractical to leave the setup outside for the night for some data to happen (I really hoped for weather information)
-The WIFI antenna is not good/(non existing?) I wat not able to access the setup from the house (2 meters away)

anyway thank you so much for the experience

[Syed]

Thanks for the very solid, constructive feedback.

• We should have a note that states individual LNAs purchased are the NooElec models. The ones in the kits are the Outernet models, which have no shielding. The design of the two is very similar, as we were involved with both.

• If the light does not come on, but you are receiving packets, then you have a faulty LNA. We can provide a replacement. Can you please contact us through the website?

• We are hoping to have a plastic enclosure in the coming weeks. You are right, it is impractical to leave a cardboard box outside over night in the wet cold.

• We are actively working on a replacement for that particular wifi module.

[OutThere]

Thank you @Syed

I did some additional measurement (to see if the problem was the dongle or the LNA). I can say that
I get 4.3 volts bias to the LNA.

[zoltan]

Can you please send a close up picture of your LNA component side?

Thanks

[dans34]

@OutThere , what two pins are you measuring there , just so I can rule out my LNA

[zoltan]

he is measuring the bias tee voltage on the input of the LNA SMA port

[OutThere]

@zoltan Here are some picture up the component side

[zoltan]

Thanks!

Hard to decide due to your cameras flashlight, but looks like you have a broken/missing inductor on L4 position, that would acting like an RF choke and supply current to the LED “vampire” the bias tee power.

[OutThere]

@zoltan I can confirm that the component is missing (broken off):

[demandzm]

It looks like R11 may be missing as well.

[OutThere]

R11 is working (1k)

[demandzm]

Ok, I didn’t have my LNA to compare it to. It just looked odd.

[zoltan]

Okay, thanks for checking! That’s the reason why the LED is not showing up…
The good thing that the LNA section would works perfect apart that the LED indication is not working (this L4 stand only for powering the LED part)

[OutThere]

@zoltan What value should the inductor have?

Greetings

[zoltan]

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/murata-electronics-north-america/LQW15ANR12J00D/490-4091-6-ND/1687458

[zoltan]

not just a value important but to have high impedance at 1545 MHz, this particular has.

[OutThere]

@zoltan,

It took some time before I was able to order a replacement inductor but today I was able to replace the faulty component.
The board did suffer a little but at least we have a bright led now.

[zoltan]

brilliant! ️
nice job thanks for sharing this

[CRCasey]

@zoltan

brilliant!

Yes I see what you did there.

[zoltan]

pardon me?