WiFi using Alfa APA-L2414 Panel Antenna with AWUS036H adapter and R36 Router

For our on board WiFi we have, for several years, used the Alfa AWUS036H  1 watt Long Range USB adapter with 9dBi  antenna connected via a 5 to 10 meter long USB2.0 booster cable to our Laptop PC

 Hung in the rigging inside a plastic bag inside a waterproof bag, this has proved to be reasonably good for enhancing weak WiFi signals

 With the acquistion of an IPad, however, another solution had to be found as there is no USB 2 connection on the IPad. As is usual these days, if one Googles the problem, one will find that somebody somewhere will have had the same problem and most likely somebody will have produced a solution. In this case , the solution came in the form of the Alfa R36 3G Mobile Router (white box in below photo).

 The USB cable from the AWUS036H connects to the base of the R36 and the R36 retransmits the received but amplified WiFi signal as one's own WiFi network which can be received by any WiFi device. Instead of connecting the USB AWUS36H , one can connect a 3G modem and also create one's own WiFi network.

Also, one can connect the R36 directly to a PC via an Ethernet cable for quicker data trasnsfer speeds.

The WiFi signal we were receiving in Las Palmas Marina was very weak and unreliable. So I investigated a better WiFi antena and came up with the ALFA  APA-L2414 directional Panel Antenna - shown below hanging in the rigging

 The ALFA  APA-L2414 antenna connects to the AWUS 036H adapter using the same connection as the 9dBi antenna. For weather proofing, I have installed this in a plastic junction box. The AWUS 36H is connected to the R36 as before.

 Below , the ALFA  APA-L2414 antenna / AWUS 36H adapter combination in suspended in the rigging

Suspended in another position when the WiFi transmiter was more from the stern of the boat

 So far, as long as the boat is not swinging eg. at anchor, the ALFA  APA-L2414 antenna / AWUS 36H adapter combination has proved to be far superior to the AWUS 36H adapter with just the 9dBi antenna. In Las Palmas marina we manged to finally have very acceptable WiFi - we managed to pick up the LPGC signal instead of the Marina WiFi , which proved to be very good.

All the above equipment is available in Las Palmas at VIRATEL which is located at Juan Rejón, 49 

Las Palmas Feb / March 2012

We apologise to all our readers for the lack of Blog updates - we found it difficult to find time when back in northern Europe and, believe it or not, we have been very busy working on the boat since we returned to Las Palmas. I have posted dummy blogs for the missing blogs with the intention of completing them in the next few days (weeks??).

Just before leaving Dutch Link last December, our printer broke down. Spent a couple of days trying to find a replacement which would fit in the small space available above the Navigation area . The smallest I could find was the WiFi 3-in-one HP 5514 - but this required quite some work to install, involving lowering the original shelf.

The next exercise was to find a flat screen TV with USB input. We chose the LG 22LV2500 and spent several days making a shelf for it to sit on with a screw clamp system to secure the DVD player and external Hard Drive. Now, at the press of a button we can watch TV, play movies from the external hard drive or from the DVD player - what luxury - if we have 220volts !

Modified a wall clamp so that the TV stays in place when sailing.

Amazingly this small sail-like antenna placed in the cockpit gives us good TV reception

 Next job was to replace the inspection hatches on the water tank which had started to leak when the tank was full

 Then replaced the corroded alloy engine air intake and circulation cowls with new SS cowls - the builders had not used Duralac on the SS bolts so most of the old bolts broke off in the Aluminium plate - just to make a simple task that more difficult.

 The diesel generator has been starting with difficulty and I had diagnosed, last December, that the likely cause was a faulty electronic fuel booster pump ( pump required as the diesel tank is in the stern and the generator in the front of the boat so the diesel supply line is very long). So I replced the pump with an identical pump from the UK - and much to my relief, the generator started first time after not being used for 4 months.

 

The job I've just finished is the replacement of  the Volvo Penta gearbox oil cooler. This is necessary as the bronze drain plug had corroded and has been leaking seawater into the bilge for some time.

The old oil cooler

On trying to unscew the drain plug, the plug broke in two.

Below is the new and old plug

As I do not trust the oil cooler thread any more I am replacing the unit

 The new oil cooler installed - completion was delayed as the new Volvo Penta bolts were too
long and had to wait for shorter bolts. Fortunately the engine now runs without leaking seawater.
 

Jeannette received an IPAD for Xmas. Unfortunately it is not possible to plug a USB WiFi external antenna into an Ipad - very necessary for us on board as the WiFi signal in the boat is usually very weak.
So I searched the web and found the Alfa Awus R36 mobile router.
Our external Alfa AWUS036H antenna plugs into a USB port on this magic box.
The box then broadcasts our own  amplified WiFi signal throughout the boat allowing us to have internet on as many PCs and Ipads as we wish - even in bed - a great find.
It is also possible to provide internet to the R36 via either a 3G USB modem or to plug in the ether net cable from a WLAN line - whatever the source of internet one can rebroadcast it as WiFi. Also it is possible to connect direct to a PC via ethernet cable instead of WiFi.
All-in -all a very handy magic box.

The magic R36 box is the white box between the yellow Epirb and the black portable VHF in front of the grey autopilot remote control box - if you can follow all that!

 Below is an Alfa AWUS036H antenna

 which we hang in plastic bags, for weather proofing, in the rigging

 We have not been working quite all the time since we have been back on Dutch Link. Most mornings we have our walk to the S Korean Church on the hilltop overlooking the marina. There are often semisubmersible drilling rigs moored to the outer breakwater for maintenance -on his occassion there were two in port, clearly visible from our hilltop.

During the weekends we have had some wonderful long walks - the subject of the next blogs. We have been fortunate that there are several boats here which we know from other islands and we are having a very sociable time together.

Sail Nassau to George Town 5 to 12 March 2010

Stayed longer in Nassau than planned due to the frontal weather systems with which we have been plagued this year. Two of the days were luckily good kite surfing conditions - so Richard could show us his skills (see separate Blog for photos of some of his spectacular jumps - a crazy sport for those needing an adreneline kick).






On Friday 5 March the weather moderated so we left Nassau and motor sailed to Allens Cay - the closest island in the Exuma chain. Anchoring there is not easy as the anchorage is quite narrow, the holding very variable (have to place the anchor in a sand patch) and there are very strong currents.



We ended up with having to lay the Fortress anchor by dinghy 180 degrees to the CQR (24deg 45.09N 076deg 50.26W in 2.4 meters).


Dinghied over to beach to see the Iguanas which come out of the vegitation to greet one.

In the morning it was an interesting exercise raising the anchors as we were lying to the Fortess in a 20 kt NEerly.







Had a good fast downwind sail on the Genny on 6 March over the turquoise waters to Warderi
ck Wells at the heart of the Exuma National Park. Picked up a mooring close to Emerald Rock.







After Richard had had a kite surfing session we dinghied ashore to the Park Headquarters to pay our 20 dollar mooring fee and have a walk along the Nature Trails. Made contact with S/V SeaWalk, a Dutch family whose blog we have been following with interest.

Next day 7 March we had a super fast reach with one reef in Main and Genny to Big Major Spot.







There we anchored off (24deg 11.02N 076deg 27.50W in 2.6 meters - excellent holding in sand). Rich Kite surfed but the conditions were marginal and had to be rescued by dinghy - apparently if the wind gets too light, it is impossible to stay upwind which is why kite surfers are always looking for a beach with an onshore wind. In this case the only beach was upwind so one needs a rescue boot if the wind drops.


Launching from this beach has an additional hazard - the local wild pigs that roam the island and are quite a tourist attraction as they swim out to greet any dinghies approaching the beach were very interested in the kite that Richard was preparing on the beach and had to be shooed off before they could find out if it was edible.





Later we dinghied over to Staniel's Cay via the Cave where the James Bond Thunderball movie was shot, and had a walk on the island.




We had planned to spend another day on one of other the Exuma Cays but the weather forecast was for the wind to turn SEerly and strengthen so we made a long but fast close reach motor sail the 60 miles to George Town in an ENE 3/4 Bft wind, entering the Exuma Sound at the Galliot Cut. Arrived in Elizabeth Harbour by 1700 hrs 8 March and anchored in 1.8 meters in sand close to a sand spit near Monument Beach ( 23deg 31.96N 075deg 46.40W) - excellent holding and plenty of space.





9 March there was a good Easterly 4/5 Bft blow and Richard had a great kite surf off the sand spit with the wind strong enough to perform countless trick jumps. Later in the day we motored over and anchored in Kidds cove close to George Town (23deg 30.19N 075deg 45.79W ) in 1.4 meters at LW in excellent holding sand - (very good as we expect squall of 40 kts tonight 12 March).

10 March dinghied ashore - very good free floating dinghy dock in Lake Victoria in the centre of the town which is accessed under a small bridge - there is free drinking water on the pontoon.



Around the local supermarket area there is free Wifi - signal requires some ingenuity / luck to get good reception.







Hired a car for a day (77 dollars including full insurance from a company opposite the supermarket. Drove up to Barraterre at the northern end of the Great Exuma Island - not terribly interesting other thean the occassional glimpses of the beaches.

11 March up at 0445 and ashhore by 0530 to drive Richard to the airport by 0600hrs for his flight back to the UK.



Later we drove down to the southern tip of the island and had a pleasant lunch at D's Santana's Grill on the beach in Williams Town.