Helium hotspots are great as everyone can get one and join the People’s Network. With a Helium hotspot you can expand the network and also earn some HNT cryptocurrency in the process. There are a lot of factors that go into getting the best possible earnings.
One of them is the hotspot antenna. The better the antenna – the bigger the earnings, right? Well, yes, and no. It depends. If you have a superb antenna and hotspot device, but a poor location – it won’t matter much. And if you have a great location, then a good antenna can indeed make a difference. Let’s check out the various viewpoints and a few tips on how to actually improve your Helium hotspot antenna performance.
The King says
If you are new to Helium, you probably don’t know who Nik Hawks is. He is known as The Gristle King and is one of the most knowledgeable and popular Helium personalities. His input is valued by a lot of people and organizations and they consult with him about their Helium projects.
So, he says that “hotspot placement optimization is FAR more important than what antenna you use”. This means you have to consider factors like hotspot density around the area, what “view” will the antenna have and so on.
In fact, Hawks recommends NOT to buy an additional antenna for you hotspot, at least initially. He says it’s more important for users to first sort out their placement and then choose a suitable antenna to maximize performance. So, this would mean to use the antenna which comes along with each hotspot at least initially.
Which antenna to pick
If we assume you’ve done that, then we can focus on the antennas for now. Hawks says that at first you should choose an antenna which is suitable for the topography, elevation and lines of sight.
You also know about antenna gain. There are plenty of options and it’s important to get this right. The higher the gain, the more narrow is the vertical path, i.e. the angle for transmission. So antennas with high gain will be suitable mostly for areas where you need to focus the signal, i.e. to get it to a specific blind spot for example. This signal though will travel at a further distance.
An antenna with lower DBI (gain) will cover more area around it, but at a lesser distance. In most cases, especially for cities, antennas with gain of 4dbi to about 8dbi would be most suitable. High-gain antennas should be used for places where there is a direct line of sight between them and the devices. And for indoor or close outdoor environments, you can consider a low-gain antenna
Some antennas could also be directional (working in one direction only) or omnidirectional – working in several directions. The initial assumption is to go for an omni antenna, but that is not always needed. For example, if you want to beam the signal to a specific place or if you simply are going to place the antenna next to an area where for whatever reason you don’t want it to beam signal to. Also, directional antennas tend to offer longer distance for their signal.
Also, keep in mind the location specifics. Hills, lots of trees, buildings, etc. will all have a negative effect on the signal coverage. And don’t forget local regulations. If you buy antennas from local stores, you will be within regulations. If you don’t, do note the specifications and whether they are suitable for the UK, US, EU or other regions depending on your location. And yes, opt for reputable stores and manufacturers as many cheap deals are far from honest about their quality.
Antenna placement
The way and location you are going to mount and place your antenna is also important. Do find a way to mount your antenna outdoors. If it’s inside, it will significantly hamper its performance, HNT News notes.
Also, height is important. The higher you can position the antenna, the better the coverage, that is depending on its gain. If possible, keep it above the roofline and with as clear line of sight as possible.
Height is important but it won’t solve everything. If the location is ideal, along with the height, you can get away with a lower DBI antenna. If you can’t get high enough, then medium gain would be better. Remember: antennas don’t like buildings. They “won’t blast through much more than 2 buildings”, Hawks says. Also, the goal of Helium is to build a community and make the network decentralized. So, the goal is to have hotspots closer to each other. Optimize your antenna for hotspots within 10 km, says Hawks, i.e. high gain antennas are for specific needs and not for most users.
Also, the further the obstacles are from the antenna, the more “ways” there are for the radio waves to bounce around them. If they are too close, then the signal will just get blocked and coverage will suffer significantly. As you can see, considering the placement and location of the antenna is far more important than the antenna itself.
Don’t forget the cables
Finally, the cables are also very important for your antenna performance. The longer the cable, the more DB loss. Cable shielding is also key as the less signal interference, the better. It’s best to keep the hotspot and antenna as close as possible, but that’s not always possible.
Aim for cables with an LMR or equivalent of 400 or more. These cables can be expensive, but will pay off in the long run. Cheap cables can reduce performance significantly. It’s an often cited issue with people who have a great hotspot, quality antenna, good location and yet not getting the maximum earnings they expect. Often the reason is because they neglected the cable between the antenna and hotspot.
