wireless gizmo hunt

HI!

I have a friend with a problem. They work on a boat, and they need
to get weather reports via wireless broadband. The harbor where their
steel hull boat is docked is surrounded by steel-frame skyscrapers and
steel hulled boats. Consequently, signal in this harbor is spotty and
highly directional. Same goes for cellular.

I have determined that a pringles can yagi antenna would solve his
problem, and the only obstacle is that I can't find the little miniature
coax jack/plug thing that connects the antenna to the wireless card
anywhere. I've taken the card to radio shack, and various electronics
vendors and no one has it or knows what it's called. It's the same jack
as on the buffalo pcmcia card and the old orinoco cards, and all the
other cards I've seen. Can anyone tell me who makes this and what it's
called and where I could mail order it? thanks a million. I've had a
number of people in similar situations with the same bottle neck. You'll
not only be helping me and my friend, but oodles of them, too.

Thanks!

Joshua

Joshua Whalen wrote:
> HI!
>
> I have a friend with a problem. They work on a boat, and they need
> to get weather reports via wireless broadband. The harbor where their
> steel hull boat is docked is surrounded by steel-frame skyscrapers and
> steel hulled boats. Consequently, signal in this harbor is spotty and
> highly directional. Same goes for cellular.
>
> I have determined that a pringles can yagi antenna would solve his
> problem, and the only obstacle is that I can't find the little miniature
> coax jack/plug thing that connects the antenna to the wireless card
> anywhere. I've taken the card to radio shack, and various electronics
> vendors and no one has it or knows what it's called. It's the same jack
> as on the buffalo pcmcia card and the old orinoco cards, and all the
> other cards I've seen. Can anyone tell me who makes this and what it's
> called and where I could mail order it? thanks a million. I've had a
> number of people in similar situations with the same bottle neck. You'll
> not only be helping me and my friend, but oodles of them, too.

The word you're looking for is "pigtail". Though you have to
be careful to select the right one, as there are a number of
almost-similar-looking small coax connectors out there.
If I recall correctly, the plug of choice for the orinoco
was the MC-Card plug. Though you better check before buying,
as MCX and MMCX don't look that much different.

The fat end of the pigtail can also be one of a few different
models. Standard WLAN antennas usually use the RP-SMA format,
but standard "N" connectors or RP-TNC have also been spotted.

Shops for those would be e.g.
http://www.jefatech.com/
http://metrix.net/
and finally one that caters especially to pringles enthusiasts:
http://www.hdcom.com/pringle.html

HTH
-Chris

In article <4682c051$0$6402$(E-Mail Removed)>,
Christian Winter <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> http://www.hdcom.com/pringle.html

thank you, from the bottom of my pringles can.

Joshua