Surely Alan was writing in the context of having already said it was a 5.8GHz system pretty much as informative as saying 'a 40cm dish'. He didn't tell us the brand, but that wasn't really necessary in the context of a broad description of the system. Anyone familiar with the field would know a 20cm panel antenna at 5.8GHz would almost certainly be a nominal 14dBi without needing to know a brand or to look up a datasheet. Incidentally, saying it's a 40cm ubiquiti dish is barely any more informative, as without a model number it leaves out information on whether it's an integrated radio or separate, and whether you're using plane polarisation, dual pol or AC, and what channel bandwidth, all of which dramatically affect throughout and reliability. But as I said, I think Alan was just trying to give a general picture of the system, not a full tech specification! Alex On 5 Jun 2016 08:41, Ian Hickling wrote: > > Alan - thank you - but we do this all the time with professional-quality RF systems. > The point I was making - which seems to have eluded everyone - is that the phrase you used - "20cm patch antennas" - gives no indication as I said of the make, model, design, propagation characteristics or operating frequency of the system you are proposing - just the size and basic construction format. > We would describe the type of system we provide as "a 5,8 GHz two-way data link using IP-fed Ubiquity 40cm dishes" > Just a difference of philosophy maybe? > > Ian Hickling > > Partner > > Office: 016 3557 8435  (07h to 22h GTS) > > Car: 075 3098 0115 (only responds when driving) > > 6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS > > > > ________________________________ > Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2016 19:11:54 +0100 > From: alan.coote@5digital.co.uk > To: cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk > Subject: Re: [cma-l] Radio Link Transmission systems > > Alex,  > > Excellent information, very informative – thank you! > > Ian, if you would like to know more (although Alex clearly knows his stuff), then I’m more than happy to put you in touch with the MD of a company who have vast experience setting these systems up. > > Regards >   > > Alan > > > > From: on behalf of "tlr@gairloch.co.uk" > Reply-To: "cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk" > Date: Saturday, 4 June 2016 at 15:46 > To: "cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk" > Subject: [cma-l] [***SPAM***] Re: Radio Link Transmission systems > > Ah, I see, but he was just giving a broad description of the setup wasn't he? > > Of course if you know the frequency (5.8GHz in this case), you can make a pretty good assumption about the antenna gain, pattern etc,  especially if it's a simple old single polarisation model. > > Alex > > On 4 Jun 2016 14:08, Ian Hickling wrote: >> >> All accepted Alex - yes - this is my subject as you know and has been for well over 50 years >> I was simply pointing out to Alan that using the phrase "20cm patch antennas" in isolation conveys no useful information whatsoever. >> >> Ian Hickling >> >> Partner >> >> Office: 016 3557 8435  (07h to 22h GTS) >> >> Car: 075 3098 0115 (only responds when driving) >> >> 6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS >> >> >> >> ________________________________ >> From: tlr@gairloch.co.uk >> To: cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk >> Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2016 12:14:50 +0100 >> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Radio Link Transmission systems >> >> Just look up the datasheets for any of the antennas Ian – they give all the usual polar patterns, gain figures, FB ratios etc as you would get for any broadcast antenna. They’re much what you expect – the panel antennas are in simplest terms just a broadside phased array, just like you might construct with conventional metalwork antennas. >>   >> As with the more familiar dipoles and Yagis they can be scaled and optimized for gain, pattern and operating frequencies, but typically aren’t used below 300MHz. Gains typically range over 0-24dBi, for higher gains dishes tend to be more practical and better controlled patterns. Panels tend to have more sidelobes and poorer front-back ratios than end fire arrays like Yagis or dishes, but can be relatively easily screened at higher frequencies. >>   >> Eg for the Jaybeam 14dB 568000 one we use on our STL: >>   >> >>   >> For a typical 5.8GHz 21dBi w-fi panel: >>   >> >>   >> From: cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Ian Hickling >> Sent: 03 June 2016 22:45 >> To: The Community Media Association Discussion List >> Subject: [cma-l] Radio Link Transmission systems >>   >> I'm familiar with that general principle - very common in mobile phone base station panel construction - but as an antenna engineer I was more concerned with the operating frequency, forward gain and propagation pattern - which as yet are not clear from what I can read here. >> >> Ian Hickling >> >> Partner >> >> Office: 016 3557 8435  (07h to 22h GTS) >> >> Car: 075 3098 0115 (only responds when driving) >> >> 6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS >> >> >> Virus-free. www.avast.com >> >> _______________________________________________ Reply - cma-l@commedia.org.uk The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/ _______________________________________________ Mailing list guidelines: http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/ _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit: http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l > > _______________________________________________ Reply - cma-l@commedia.org.uk The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/ _______________________________________________ Mailing list guidelines: http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/ _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit: http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l > _______________________________________________ Reply - cma-l@commedia.org.uk The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/ _______________________________________________ Mailing list guidelines: http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/ _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit: http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l