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2.4GHz Amp for Zax IFB100 Troubleshooting


Jan McL

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The connector at the Nomad/IFB100 is NOT reverse polarity. What Billie is saying is to watch out for consumer focused products that use a reverse polarity sma (rpsma) connector because they will NOT work.

Rado, I'm using a 4' RG174 to go from my nomad to the bias-t, then 2' rg58 cables to the amp and antenna.

Unless you have custome cables made up that mate the reverse polarity jacks on the amp to normal polarity jacks on the ifb and antenna

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And Jeff, I like how your antenna cables are banded together. Did you have that done or is it just shrink wrap at the antenna end?

3 separate cables just wrapped with wire loom wrapping (you know the kind that is slit and can be wrapped around a bundle of cables). It looks neater in the picture than it is in person (but it does keep the cables all together when raising the mast with the 3 antennas and the amp).

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  • 1 month later...

The connector at the Nomad/IFB100 is NOT reverse polarity. What Billie is saying is to watch out for consumer focused products that use a reverse polarity sma (rpsma) connector because they will NOT work.

Rado, I'm using a 4' RG174 to go from my nomad to the bias-t, then 2' rg58 cables to the amp and antenna.

Thanks

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  • 2 months later...

Going back through all this again tonight... I'm curious on the antenna selection.  Jan posted that she's using this : http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=34767&eventPage=1

 

However, I'm curious if this antenna is of the same type (besides it not saying "corner reflector") http://www.l-com.com/wireless-antenna-24-ghz-9-dbi-radome-enclosed-high-gain-yagi-antennas

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This continues to be an interesting thread, even to non Zaxnet users.

 

I have a question for Jeff, Billy, Jan..  Why did you all choose the "corner reflector" antenna design?  I suppose this gives you a significant increase in range when pointed the right direction.  My first thought regarding that antenna is how much do you have to manage the direction of the antenna throughout your working day?  In theory it requires you to be on one edge of the set, but commonly you'll have a need for IFBs to be in range of you in all directions.  I mean, the actors are generally going to be in a predictable spot (at least in scripted work!) but folks using your IFBs are harder to pin down.

 

I guess an omnidirectional antenna seems like the logical choice to me and I'm just curious about how this works out for you guys in practice.

 

Thanks!  -Derek

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This continues to be an interesting thread, even to non Zaxnet users.

 

I have a question for Jeff, Billy, Jan..  Why did you all choose the "corner reflector" antenna design?  I suppose this gives you a significant increase in range when pointed the right direction.  My first thought regarding that antenna is how much do you have to manage the direction of the antenna throughout your working day?  In theory it requires you to be on one edge of the set, but commonly you'll have a need for IFBs to be in range of you in all directions.  I mean, the actors are generally going to be in a predictable spot (at least in scripted work!) but folks using your IFBs are harder to pin down.

 

I guess an omnidirectional antenna seems like the logical choice to me and I'm just curious about how this works out for you guys in practice.

 

Thanks!  -Derek

 

Hi, Derek,

 

Since my crew and I are so excellent at picking cart spots good for entire scenes (or days), I generally point it in the right direction when we land and sometimes re-point if at the stage and the action moves to a different area. Dunno if I have to since I rarely note any problems getting there. Furthermore, I'm typically far away from the action, and directionally speaking, guess that gives me a wider cone of 2.4Ghz influence.

 

I use legacy Comtek and Lectro IFB's so reaching the village is not at issue with the 2.5Ghz antenna. Fact is, sometimes (rarely)  the 2.4 will interfere with Comtek reception in line-of-sight and I'll need to re-aim it so it's not pointing directly at the village if it's close.

 

When I've used the ERX's they've mostly been to jam camera and then go away, or for when extra-extra additional guests show up for IFB. No complaints, but then, extra-extra guests probably assume it would be in bad form to bitch.

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I know Billy Sarokin and I discussed with Glen Sanders when the Zaxcom IFB (2.4 GHz) items were first developed because we had not had much experience with any 2.4GHz monitoring systems (nobody else had them and most of us were used to either Lectro IFB in the UHF range or Comteks, 72 mhz or the newer 216s). It was clear that an omni antenna would be best to have coverage everywhere, to the set, to Video Village, to our own crew wherever they might be (on set, off the set, out in the truck, etc.). A directional antenna would be much better, aimed roughly in the direction of the set to cover Zaxnet control over talent transmitters and IFB for boom operator(s) working the set. I think ultimately we discovered that by the very nature of 2.4 GHz, Utility people (our own crew) going off the set or off the stage, the 2.4 GHz was not going to really cut it even with an omni antenna system. So, we all went with directional antenna and as Jan has pointed out there has almost never been a need to really do anything more than point it towards the set.

 

I still use Comteks for Director, Script, etc., and for my own crew when having to be able to listen wherever they are.

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Hey Jan, any thoughts to the antenna I linked to earlier? I'm just curious what the 100$ one does better than the 40$ one?

 

I would like to know the differences too. That's quite a spread in price for the two antennas that looks very similar (and seem to spec out about the same). What are we missing?

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Zack, I've no idea. I use the one I use (with the 1W power injector) with great success. I got the referral from Billy. He later changed his antenna. I have not.

 

Did pick up a $33, flat form factor, 8.5"x8.5"x1" (+-) hypercardoid pattern 2.4GHz antenna that we ran through some tests for possible use in car-to-car work and only established that its pickup pattern is as advertised and yielded equivalent-to-extant-system stage range. Figure I can stick it either to a roof, trunk or side of a vehicle pretty easy.

 

From L-Com:

 

http://www.l-com.com/wireless-antenna-24-ghz-14-dbi-flat-panel-antenna-12in-n-female-connector

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  • 1 month later...

Hello, I am looking at changing the current IFB100 / Amplified 2.4Ghz setup we have at the moment and was wondering if anyone is running a similar setup.

I have a LCom HA2401GX-1000 Amplifier and a  2.4GHz 12dBi Directional Wifi antenna which I want to run 30 ft of CA-195 50 ohm Coaxial cable from the ifb100 to the LCom amplifier and from the amplifier plug directly to the 2.4ghz aerial (approx 1 ft)

The loss on the cable is approx 6db at that length.  Is anyone else running that sort of length from the IFB to the amplifier?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Steven

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  • 2 months later...

Got the proper amp and DC power injector in the mail today.

Thanks to Colleen & Glenn @ Zaxcom who expedited.

4786668867_c0aa900e47_d.jpg

4787310786_7d7734e2ef_d.jpg

While I've not yet made the proper-length / no-adapter cables, I fired this baby up and took a walk that added 50 more feet to the 992's IFB range - down the stairs, outside the building and across the street kinda 50 feet.

I've a house guest coming later this week that will allow me to keep my eyes on the meters while this happens, but I'm extremely optimistic.

I am a much happier person today than I was 2 weeks ago.

-- Jan

 

Question:

 

I've just received my amp , antenna and cables.

My first test ended up with Red light on Tx LED.

 

Meanwhile i've got decent range with my IFB , but not sure if the red light is good sign on my amp.

Any advice from users?

 

Devices : Zaxcom nomad - ZAXNET gain : 5

amp : l-com 2401G-100

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Red light is a good thing. I'm currently using all similar gear, nomad IFB feeding the amp (set to 5), however I'm getting a horrible grounding issue from the dc injector even with ferrite filters being used. I'm powering everything from a power star, dc injector has its own power from the power star.

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Red light is a good thing. I'm currently using all similar gear, nomad IFB feeding the amp (set to 5), however I'm getting a horrible grounding issue from the dc injector even with ferrite filters being used. I'm powering everything from a power star, dc injector has its own power from the power star.

Zack,

I have not any issues with the power injector powered from my bag or a separate source. Is your injector 12w?

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Red light is a good thing. I'm currently using all similar gear, nomad IFB feeding the amp (set to 5), however I'm getting a horrible grounding issue from the dc injector even with ferrite filters being used. I'm powering everything from a power star, dc injector has its own power from the power star.

I have the same issue and have to power my L-com amp from AC source as when it was powered off my Meon with everything else I get a ground loop noise through the system like you are describing. Would like to know why as it would be easier to power off DC power. I also got rid of the high freq squeal sometimes from the IFB100 by powering that off its own NP batt.

Tony

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I have the same issue and have to power my L-com amp from AC source as when it was powered off my Meon with everything else I get a ground loop noise through the system like you are describing. Would like to know why as it would be easier to power off DC power. I also got rid of the high freq squeal sometimes from the IFB100 by powering that off its own NP batt.

Tony

I got a tip from jan and will be my next try for a similar workaround. (Correct me if wrong Jan), taking a channel from the cart distro (in my case the power star), into a hotbox or something like it, then powering the dc injector from that hotbox.

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