SMART Antenna

[jrprusak]

Does a SMART antenna use a standard coax cable and connectors or does is require new cable and connectors???

 

[navychop]

Same stuff. It needs a receiver that knows how to "handle" a smart antenna.

 

[jrprusak]

not sure if this pic will attach, but the smart antenna conection on the box does not look like coax...what ya think???

 

[Peter Parker]

You might wat to move this to the OTA forum

I belive that is the proprietary connector for the GE/JASCO SMART antenna. I have read that in the end it is a standard rf signal although he connector may have an advantage I am not aware of.

That looks like a digital to analog converter. Which brand is it?

 

[navychop]

Well, after a little bit of research, I see BNC, RJ-45 and other connectors being used. Might be that the connectors are not standardized. Looks like the RJ-45 is common. Could be they're using the RJ-45 for control signals, rather than the coax. Could be good reasons for that.

I'd call the seller and ask.

 

[truckracer]

It probably uses the RJ-45 for control signals to switch relays in the antenna assembly to get the desired gain in the desired direction.

If any of the old timers remember the "super scanner" antenna for Base station CB radios that had three elements and used a relay box to switch directions. The antenna did not phyically move like other directional "beam" antennas. The superscanner did not need a Rotator.