Chapter 5

Antenna placement: is higher always better?
Not always. Usually cellular signal is better at higher elevations than near the ground however that is not always the case especially in areas where signal is obstructed, reflecting or fading. The most important consideration when placing an antenna at a higher elevation is cable length. Co-ax antenna cables have loss and cable loss increases with cable length. A calculation must be made to assess the increased level of signal at a given elevation from which the cable losses must be subtracted. If the (signal) measured at the phone end of the co-ax cable is a better number than the signal present in the air at the same location, then higher antenna location is better, if the signal at the phone end of the co-ax cable is lower, then higher antenna placement is not better. It is possible to calculate the effect of antenna placement by measuring the signal level at the phone location and the signal level at the proposed external antenna position and subtracting the loss of a known length of cable with a known loss per foot. One can measure signal level at virtually any location by using an ordinary cellular phone and setting it to "test mode". To learn about "test mode" click here.