Hello, can i use the AF‑5G34‑S45 dish with a Cambium PTP 550 unit? this is a slant 45 antenna, would it impact the performance of the 550?
Hi Interdigita,
We recommend use our own antenna RDH4505 (34.8 dBi) which we have tested and have guaranteed performance and antenna pattern of which are accessible from LINKPlanner.
Q: Can we can gurantee performance with PTP 550 and AF-5G34-S45.
A: No, we cannot gurantee link performance, because if the antenna are lower grade , the PTP 550 cannot perform at the peak performance
Q: Will AF-5G34-S45 work with PTP 550
A: Yes , but you will need to add of different type of convertors and mounting brackets solution
Please let me know if you have any further questions
Thanks
Sagar
While you could certainly use the Ubiquiti antenna with the PTP550... you get what you pay for. We've found Ubiquiti antennas to be inexpensive, but not as high performing as Cambium's OEM antennas or some 3rd party antennas made by RF Elements, KP Performance, RadioWaves, etc. If you're on a tight budget, and the link conditions are good... e.g. low noise floor, great fresnal zone, short distance, etc... then a UBNT radio would probably be fine. If your conditions are more demanding, then I suggest you look into better quality antennas.
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IF you are in the USA, then see my thread below about this. Cambium crippled the FCC approval for the PTP550 so that it is a rule violation to use any antenna with more than 23 dB bain with a PTP550. I suppose some Suit thought that this would help them sell the overpriced PTP650, but it's driving me back to Mimosa.
Outside of the US it's probably fine to use a big dish.
For all Cambium products you have a country selection as well as product code selection that follows regulation law. It's about the product you choose and country you select. Rules have to respected anyhow.
Using anything beyond what is allowed goes under responsibility of customer using the product with desired antenna.
For PTP670 platform same rules apply.
That product line is extremely unique on the market with basically no competition and is preferred in most challenging situations on RF where highest link quality is needed. It's FPGA platform with years of Cambium development vs enterprise WiFi chipset. Thats why it has higher cost.
It's the same for other vendors who have FPGA platforms, they are higher priced than equipment based on wifi chipset.
I'll clarify (and repeat) the show-stopper issue for the 550 in the US:
Ubiquiti chose to only have it type approved with low-gain antennas. That limits the gain that can leagally be used on any antenna. They could have filed a test with a 30 dB or more antenna, but chose not to. The FCC rules allow unlimited antenna gain; on 5.8 GHz, only out of band emission is limited, not in-band EIRP. So Ubiquiti cripped the radio.
Of course FPGA radios cost more. But charging for every little speed step, encryption, etc., as the 650/670 line does, puts it into a different category. It's sold to customers who are absolutely insensitive to price. I've seen a lot in public sector applications.
Agreed, @fgoldstein.
Disappoint state of affairs with this.