Do I risk damage to this tiny 2.4ghz wireless modules, if I try swapping to different antenna's?
You have not provided any useful information about what equipment you have.
On the nRF24s that I have the antenna is part of the pcb.
...R
I thought they were mostly common cheap modules. The one with the external antenna I have looks like this:
Yes, there are probably variations of the model and specifics. It's my ignorance, I apologize - assuming they were all made the same if they looked like this. They're only like $3.00 each - but unfortunately, if I break it, I probably have no way of knowing if it's broke since I do not have test equipment to gauge the strength of signals, other than another module to receive the signal.
DocStein99:
Do I risk damage to this tiny 2.4ghz wireless modules, if I try swapping to different antenna's?
Not if you turn them off first. Why not Google search for a field strength meter and build one so you have some testing ability?
Paul
I do not know what I am looking for - signal strength meter. My searches so far have been confusing. I'd like to find a newbie starter gizmo, something I could use for 2.4ghz and 5.8ghz.
DocStein99:
I do not know what I am looking for - signal strength meter. My searches so far have been confusing. I'd like to find a newbie starter gizmo, something I could use for 2.4ghz and 5.8ghz.
this might work for you: http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Circuits/Testgear/fsm2g4.htm.
Note bottom of the article for other diodes.
Paul
DocStein99:
The one with the external antenna I have looks like this:
I still don't understand what you want to do with it.
My advice for experimenting is to have at least 4 of them - two un-tampered-with and proved to be working. Then you can tamper with the others and at any time test them against the good ones.
On a couple of mine with the PCB antenna I have sawed off the antenna (to make it fit in a smaller space) and soldered on a short piece of wire for an antenna with no obvious ill effects.
...R
Paul_KD7HB:
this might work for you: http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Circuits/Testgear/fsm2g4.htm.Note bottom of the article for other diodes.
Paul
That looks like a fun project. I can probably use the parts out of the 4 microwave ovens I trash picked in the corner, I use as cabinets.
Robin2:
I still don't understand what you want to do with it.Immediately - I need a wireless port for telemetry data from my Mule / lawnmower / snowblower robot. To send/receive sensor data, positioning, all that fun stuff to the ground station. I am working in about a 50' radius. In the future, I was planning to mount transceiver module to outside of the house, run cables to my office where I can plow / blow snow, while being inside the house (and have that done by the winter time if that's possible).
Robin2:
My advice for experimenting is to have at least 4 of them - two un-tampered-with and proved to be working. Then you can tamper with the others and at any time test them against the good ones.On a couple of mine with the PCB antenna I have sawed off the antenna (to make it fit in a smaller space) and soldered on a short piece of wire for an antenna with no obvious ill effects.
...R
This advice helps me - thank you. Sometimes the simple answers are not obvious to me.
I think I found an eBay Gizmo to start me off. It say 0-8 ghz:
It's a cheap tool to start me off, since I am not ready for a $8,000.00 piece of equiptment. I would like a portable readout on a frequency and strength.
For a 50 foot radius a pair of the nRf24s with the PCB antenna should be quite sufficient - I have had them working outdoors at 100 metres. Another option might be to use the high power version with external antenna for the base station and one with a PCB antenna for the mobile unit.
...R