Please Step into my Office

Hi all! I've got an exciting development in the technological side of things- my trailer is now my home office! Well, almost. But I do own an internets!

Since I depend on the interwebs for my work, internet is not optional. I also go through data like it's going out of style, so depending solely on a cellular network (AKA hotspot from my phone AKA wireless tethering) would be outrageously expensive for me. The challenge arises when the lovely aluminum shell turns into a wall that blocks wifi signal from outside sources. There are many options on the market, and I went with the JefaTech antenna and repeater to pick up the wifi signal, amplify it, and rebroadcast it on my own password-protected wifi network. This relies on an existing wifi network, so out in the boonies it will have no wifi signal to pick up and therefore no connection and no lolcats. Backup plans are needed (like a friend's house, library, coffee shop, or cellular data assuming there is signal) but that's part of life in a mobile home/office.

The trick with this setup is getting the antenna in a good place for optimal signal strength. It is designed to point straight up and down and be in the "line of sight" of the wifi source. Many have mounted it on to their TV antenna with good results. My little Trouble doesn't have one anymore and I wasn't planning on adding another, since if anything I watch shows and movies on my computer. I was trying to figure a clever way to put it on the roof, but then I didn't feel comfortable with mounting it permanently in an upright position, and lowering and raising it presented other complications. After circling the trailer about 500 times in search of a good spot and at least two false starts, we came up with the best possible compromise. My engineering and machining skills are limited to napkin sketches, but Dad interpreted my jumbled idea into something that I think is really quite awesome. Behold:

It's really a lightsaber!

Venture a guess on what it is made out of! Any ideas? It's a BBQ grill handle! What will he think of next? The cable goes through the wall and pops into the interior using a rubber grommet to make a safe and sleek exit through the sheet metal. Next I hooked it up to my little repeater (Linksys router with special software) which is again hooked up to a power source. The standard is a 110v connection with a wall wart adapter or you can specify 12v pigtail connection. The actual set up of the wifi repeater took less than 5 minutes. Woohoo! When prepping for travel, just remove the top half and stow it.

The next chapter in my antenna quest was finding a solution for my AM/FM needs. I tried my best to find the hookups for this little antenna setup:

I'm missing the cable!

After it was made obvious that finding a cable that matches the size of this antenna was not going to happen, I went shopping and found a great replacement for less than $20. Since I had to make a little backing plate to make it sturdy and cover the old holes, I wanted a little more style than just a boring 'ol square shape. Then I had a brilliant idea- turn that boring 'ol square shape 45º and voilà! Instant diamond fanciness. 

Diamonds are for trailers.

ET phone home!

Now that Trouble is online and tuned in, I've got some more exciting updates for next time! See you then!