1

A PROJECT REPORT
ON
“THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANTENNA
BOOSTER”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIALLY FULFILLMENT OF THE DEGREE

OF BACHALOR OF SCIENCE
6thSEMESTER 2020-2021

MAHARAJA SRIRAM CHANDRA BHANJA DEO UNIVERSITY

SRIRAM CHANDRA VIHAR, TAKATPUR, BARIPADA

Submitted by
Name:- TRAILAKYA SAMAL
Exam Roll Number:-5751M18017
Registation Number:-22013/18

UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF

Mr. MADAN MOHAN SAHOO

Department of physics
Mayurbhanj College of Accountancy
& Management
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project report entitled “DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANTENNA BOOSTER” Submitted by Trailakya
Samal, for the award of the Degree of bachelor of science from
Mayurbhanj College of Accountancy &
Management, Maharajpur, Baripada, Odisha, is a bona
fide record of work carried outby him under the guidance.

Signature of the guide/supervisor

Department of Physics
MCAM, Baripada

Total Marks =100

Full Marks External Internal Average Mark Obtained

1. Report 60
2. Presentation 20
3. Viva voice 20

Total=

Signeture of the External Signeture of the Internal

Date:-
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express that my deepest gratitude to my esteem teacher Mr.
Madan Mohan Sahoo, whose valuable guidance and encouragement were
enable me to create project on “Design and Construction of an Anteena
Booster” in the department of physics. Also special thank to Jagannath sir
for help and advice. I express my heartfull thank to our principal, MCAM,
Baripada, for his overall guidance for providing all facilities to complete this
piece of work.

I am also thankful to my colleague for their associate to complete this

project. Lastly but not the least, I have my heartiest gratitude to my parents,
family members and relatives for their constant inspiration, which is
necessary completion of this project.

Date:-

Signeture of the student:-

Place:-
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DECLARATION
I hereby Trailakya Samal, University Roll Number
5751M18017, declare that I have done my project on the topic “DESIGN
AND CONSTUCTION OF AN ANTEENA BOOSTER” Which is submitted as
partial fulfilment for the requirement of the degree course. The data
presented in the project is pure. The assistance and help
that received during the course of this
investigation has been duly acknowledged. I further declare that is has an
original piece of work done by me and the same has not been submitted
elsewhere for any other academic degree or diploma college/University.

Signature of the student

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 01-06

1.1. Introduction to signal boosters.

1.1.1. Applications of an antenna booster.
1.1.2. Why are boosters needed?
1.2. Aims and objectives of project study.
1.3. Significance of study.
1.4. Scope of the project study.
1.5. Limitations of project study.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 07-14

2.1. History of antenna boosters to present date.

2.2. Types of antenna boosters
2.2.1 Mobile phone booster
2.2.2 UHF/VHF antenna booster
2.2.3 Wi-Fi antenna boosters

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 15-26

3.1. Equipments and materials

3.2. System block diagram

3.3. Design method.

3.4. Construction of the circuit

3.4.1 Designing the schematic and layout diagram

3.4.2 Making of the printed circuit board using Press-n-Peel Transfer Film
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3.4.3 Soldering components to the circuit board

CHAPTER 4: Testing and Operation 27-31

4.1 Testing

4.2 Assembling

CHAPTER 5: 32-33

5.1 Conclusion

5.2 Problems encountered during construction

5.3 Recommendation

Reference 34
List of Figures
Fig. 1.1 Cell phone antenna boosters that work - - - -

Fig. 1.2 Examples of effective Wi-Fi signal boosters - - - -

Fig. 2.1 Above is a picture of a GSM signal Network Booster for all Networks in

Nigeria. (Office and home use) - - - - - -

Fig. 2.2 A UHF/VHF booster - - - - - - - -

Fig. 2.3 A TV (VHF/UHF) antenna with a built-in-booster - - - -

Fig. 2.4 Available off-the-shelf Wi-Fi boosters - - - - -

Fig. 3.1 The booster system block diagram - - - - - -

Fig. 3.2 The biquad antenna - - - - - - - -

Fig. 3.3 A picture showing the how to straighten the wire - - -

Fig. 3.4 A picture showing how the wire is bent at the 30.5mm mark - -

Fig. 3.5 The biquad final look - - - - - - - -

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Fig. 3.6 The finished biquad soldered to a PCB - - - - -

Fig. 3.7 Picture showing the layout printed on the Print-n-Peel Film - -

Fig. 3.8 Picture showing the ironing process - - - - - -

Fig. 3.8 Picture showing how etching is done - - - - -

Fig. 3.9 Booster circuit - - - - - - - - -

Fig. 3.10a The USB connector schematic - - - - - -

Fig. 3.10b The USB connector PCB layout - - - - - -

Fig. 4.1 Diagram of required antenna measurement equipment - -

Fig. 4.2 Diagram showing different polarizations of the biquad - -

Fig. 4.3 Picture of assembled Wi-Fi booster - - - - -

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ABSTRACT
Wi-Fi signals are susceptible to signal loss as they travel hence Wi-Fi users
are rarely completely satisfied with the signal strength offered by the off-the-shelf
Wi-Fi cards, routers and access points. This project research intends to introduce
a device which can provide Wi-Fi users with high signal strength and at a lower
cost in order to enable them have a seamless, uninterrupted and reliable
communication. This project includes the steps for Biquad antenna construction,
steps for the construction of a Wi-Fi booster circuit and the working of the Wi-Fi
booster system as a whole.

This project includes in its beginning chapter an introduction into what an

antenna booster is and its applications. Also the aims and objectives of the
project and the scope of the project are discussed in this chapter. The succeeding
chapter looks at the history of Wi-Fi antenna boosters and their various types.
Chapter three of this project describes the equipments and software used for the
construction process of both the biquad and the booster circuit. Chapter four of
this project describes the testing and operation of the system as a whole. The last
chapter of this project gives a conclusion of the research carried out, problems
encountered and recommendation.
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

An antenna booster is a device which is designed to amplify reception or received
signals so that a marginal signal can be utilized. The way the antenna booster works
is that it expands the area of the antenna, allowing it to pick up more of a weak
signal and then translate it into a stronger signal for the device that the antenna is
attached to. Antenna boosters can be used to improve radio signals in any
frequency band be it the Very Low Frequency (VLF) band or the Extremely High
Frequency (ELF) band.

There are a number of products on the market which claim to be able to improve
signal quality by acting as an antenna booster. Some of these products actually
work but others do not. Anybody interested in buying an antenna booster should
do a research or read the reviews of various products online before buying.

Fig. 1.1Cell phone antenna boosters that work (captured above).

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Fig. 1.2 Examples of effective Wi-Fi signal boosters (captured above).

The pictures shown above will guide anyone interested in buying commercially
produced antenna boosters be it for Wi-Fi or cell phone boosters.

The simplest form of an antenna booster is simply a length of wire attached to the
antenna to increase the length of the antenna. Other methods may be the use of
reflectors; which are designed to concentrate the signals and bounce it onto the
antenna so that a stronger signal is received. Alternatively, an amplifier can be used
to amplify the signals received by the antenna; this method is most effective and
useful and will be used in this project.
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1.1.1 APPLICATIONS OF AN ANTENNA BOOSTER

An antenna booster can be used for a variety of purposes. One of which is in cell
phones, areas which have poor network coverage require a signal booster (also
called an antenna booster or an antenna amplify). Although it is difficult to attach
an antenna booster to a cell phone without making the phone hard to use, an
antenna booster works effectively for cell phones.

Also our television sets also require an antenna booster for us to be able to receive
a variety of channels. Depending on the kind of television, the dipole or half-dipole
(also known as rabbit ears antenna) which comes with the television is often not
used these days by consumers of electronic products. Consumers generally buy an
outdoor antenna or subscribe to a satellite television company for better reception.
These external antennas always come with a booster, which amplifies the signals
received by the outdoor antenna before sending it to the television set.

Another application of antenna boosters is in the boosting of Wi-Fi (Wireless

Fidelity) signals. According to Wikipedia, in her publication about Wi-Fi, defines Wi-
Fi as a popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data
wirelessly (using radio waves) over a computer network, including high-speed
Internet connections. For instance devices such as a personal computer, video
game console, smart phone, tablet, or digital audio player some of which do not
have an Ethernet port. Most of the times the signals present are not strong enough,
in such cases an antenna booster will do. These boosters can either be attached to
the router to increase the transmit power or attached to the device itself to
increase its reception (i.e. desktops, laptops or notebooks) via USB port.

Boosters are also used in satellite communication in form of Low Noise Amplifiers
(LNA). Here an LNA having a very low noise figure is required.
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1.1.2 WHY ARE BOOSTERS NEEDED?

Boosters are needed because wireless signals are susceptible to a lot of data loss.
This is due to the fact that wireless signals can be affected by topography; tall trees,
tall buildings, weather, etc. Also the wireless network cards that come inbuilt in
computer systems and other wireless devices have limited power and range.
Furthermore, the built in antenna for television sets and cell phones have limited
power and range. Even the transmitters of some television, network operators or
internet service providers may not be strong enough in a particular rural area.
Therefore if it happens that you find yourself in such a place and require a good
reception then an antenna booster would be the right choice.

The fact being that no broadcast station, network provider or internet service
provider would want to waste funds and infrastructure on an area in which it would
not stand to benefit much from financially. Hence the only option left for a person
in such a situation will be to use an antenna booster.

Also, a work situation in which one cannot access an access point (this is simply a
device that provides internet access to wireless users) due to the fact that the
position of the router is far from one’s reach or obstructed by walls, a Wi-Fi antenna
booster can be a solution in such a situation.
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1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT STUDY

AIMS:

1. To construct a Wi-Fi antenna booster which enhances the signal strength

(increases it by 24dBi) and extends the range of Wi-Fi signals (by 200 metres).
2. This Wi-Fi antenna booster would be constructed out of components which
are relatively lower in cost than their off-the-shelf counterparts.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To enable the user of this device enjoy a seamless, uninterrupted and reliable
communication.
2. To enable the user of this device to trap wireless signals that is beyond the
reach of their inbuilt wireless card.
3. To enable the user of this device obtain/enjoy stronger signal strengths
across longer ranges.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT STUDY

This project is a research to design and construct a device which will trap and boost
received wireless signals. It is known that wireless devices that receive and transmit
wireless signals such as wireless cards, routers, access points etc already exists. In
fact Wi-Fi antenna boosters also exist. These devices often have their limitations,
for instance, the wireless signal antennas in a laptop computer are enclosed in the
laptop case. This enclosure leads to a bad reception. Also the wireless network
cards that come inbuilt in laptops, routers, or access points have limited power and
range. The solution then lies in getting a wireless card with higher power or
attaching an antenna booster to the computer.

Hence the significance of this project is that a method of constructing an affordable

Wi-Fi booster will be introduced, discussed and implemented. This will include the
circuit design, materials and tools required, the test results and the actual
construction of the circuit.
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1.4 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT STUDY

This project focuses on designing and constructing an amplifier which will act as a
Wi-Fi booster and constructing a biquad antenna attached to it. The whole setup
will consist of a Wi-Fi USB adapter (for converting the signals from the coaxial cable
into a USB adaptable form), the amplifier (booster) and an antenna. The antenna
will trap the signal which is sent to the booster, the booster then amplifies the
signal and sends it to the USB adapter which is connected to the system then sends
the amplified signal to the system.

Alternatively, it will be note worthy to mention that this same device (the Wi-Fi
booster) can be connected to a router and the biquad antenna then serves as a
transmitting antenna. This aspect is beyond the scope of this project.

1.5 LIMITATIONS OF PROJECT STUDY

The limitations of this project study will likely be; acquiring test equipments and
adapting the signals from the coaxial cable to a USB connector.

Test equipments for this project are not readily available; hence this will be a
limitation. The testing of the circuits that will be built has to be done in another
way, almost like improvising. Another challenge in the construction of this project
would likely be the process of adapting the signals fed through the coaxial cable to
a USB connector which is needed for connection to the computer.
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 HISTORY OF ANTENNA BOOSTERS TO PRESENT DATE

The history of antenna boosters can be traced back to the 19th century when the
term "repeater" originated with telegraphy, and referred to an electromechanical
device used to regenerate telegraph signals (Loring, 1878). Use of the term has
continued in telephony and data communications.

In telecommunication, the term repeater has the following standardized meanings:

An analog device that amplifies an input signal regardless of its nature

(analog or digital),

A digital device that amplifies, reshapes, retimes, or performs a combination

of any of these functions on a digital input signal for retransmission. (Federal
Standard 1037C)

From the definitions above we can see that an antenna booster is very synonymous
to a repeater, they basically perform the same functions.

In computer networking, because repeaters work with the actual physical signal,
and do not attempt to interpret the data being transmitted, they operate on the
physical layer, the first layer of the OSI model.

Before the invention of electronic amplifiers, mechanically coupled carbon

microphones were used as amplifiers in telephone repeaters. After the turn of the
century it was found that negative resistance mercury lamps could amplify, and
they were used ( Sungook, 2001). In 1916 the audion tube repeater was invented
and this made transcontinental telephony practical. In the 1930s vacuum tube
repeaters using hybrid coils became commonplace, allowing the use of thinner
wires. In the 1950s negative impedance gain devices were more popular, and a
transistorized version called the E6 repeater was the final major type used in the
Bell System before the low cost of digital transmission made all voiceband
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repeaters obsolete. Frequency frogging repeaters were commonplace in

frequency-division multiplexing systems from the middle to late 20th century.

In 1985, the IEEE 802.11 technology originated, this was as a result of a ruling by
the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that released the Industrial
Scientific and Medical (ISM) band for unlicensed use (Encyclopedia Brittanica). In
1991, NCR, a computer company that had become a subsidiary of AT&T (former
American Telephone and Telegraph Company) invented the precursor to 802.11
intended for use in cashier systems. The first wireless products were under the
name WaveLAN.

Vic Hayes is known as the "father of Wi-Fi". He was involved in designing the initial
standards within the IEEE. (Chamy, 2002)

In 1999, the Wi-Fi Alliance was formed as a trade association to hold the Wi-Fi
trademark under which most products are sold. (Wi-Fi Alliance)

The term Wi-Fi, was first used commercially in August 1999, (US Patent and
Trademark Office) and was coined by a brand-consulting firm called Interbrand
Corporation.

Wi-Fi for the home began in earnest in 1999 with the release of routers, or wireless
access points, that used technology based on the first two commercial wireless
standards: 802.11a and 802.11b. Computer networking by wire was already
standardized under the code IEEE 802, so Wi-Fi as a subset of computer networking
became IEEE 802.11. Deciding to start at the beginning of the alphabet for naming
the first Wi-Fi protocol, the IEEE called the first commercial Wi-Fi protocol 802.11a.

There were two frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum that stood out
as having the most promise: the part of the electromagnetic spectrum around 2.4
GHz (2.412 Ghz to 2.484 Ghz) and the part around 5Ghz (5.18 Ghz to 5.825 Ghz,
with gaps in between several Wi-Fi “channels”). These spectrum ranges are
commonly referred to as 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz frequency bands.

802.11a (created in 1999) uses the 5 GHz frequency spectrum. It can operate at up
to 54Mbps, which is more than enough for most high speed internet, which
typically operates at up to 25Mbps today. However, unless you actually have line
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of sight to your 802.11a router, it probably won’t come anywhere near that speed.
5 Ghz waves don’t travel nearly as far as 2.4 GHz ones do, and have bigger issues
with going through walls than 2.4 Ghz waves do. It was found that 802.11a devices
worked great from a short distance to the wireless router, but at larger distances
or in a large home or office, it would lose the signal, or even if the signal reached
the speed would be greatly diminished. As the range limitations of 802.11a became
an issue for the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi devices that necessitated a second
Wi-Fi protocol, 802.11b.

802.11b (created in year 2000) supported only a maximum data transfer rate of
11 Megabits per second (Mbps), though in practice it could achieve about 7Mbps
(Wikipedia 5 June 2013). Importantly, Wi-Fi 802.11b operated in the 2.4 GHz
frequency spectrum, and it retained its signal much better over longer distances
and through walls than 5 GHz did. Also, back in 2000, the slower speed of 802.11b
wasn’t that big of an issue because “high speed” internet at the time was often
running at a more modest 4 to 6 Mbps. If you wanted to transfer large files from
within a network, say at an office, it was much faster to actually plug into the
network using an Ethernet cable. But for Wi-Fi’s primary purpose – connecting to
the internet and transferring small bits of data – 802.11b was more than enough
for most people when it was released.

In 2003, a new wireless standard became operative. Combining some of the

algorithms used in 802.11a to achieve faster data speeds, but built upon the
existing 2.4 Ghz 802.11b standard, Wi-Fi 802.11g was able to achieve up to the
same 54Mbps speed as 802.11a, but travel the same distances as 802.11b. It was,
essentially, the best of both worlds.

Router manufacturers made routers that were 802.11b/g capable, so older devices
that didn’t support the new Wi-Fi standard could still work on new routers. At this
point Wi-Fi antenna boosters started emerging too.

Although not clearly or significantly noted, in 2004 when Wi-Fi became popular, Wi-
Fi antenna boosters began to be used. This was when Mysore became India's first
Wi-Fi-enabled city and second in the world after Jerusalem. A company called Wi-
FiyNet has set up hotspots in Mysore, covering the complete city and a few nearby
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villages (The Telegraph - Say hello to India's first wirefree city), it is believed that
routers, wireless repeaters and Wi-Fi antenna boosters were in use.

Manufacturers, till date have continued to improve on antenna booster products;

including Wi-Fi antenna boosters, Antenna amplifiers, Mobile phone boosters,
UHF/VHF antenna boosters.

“Antenna booster products” is a term used to refer both to antennas themselves

as well as to accessory devices that are essential, important, or useful in operating
an antenna.

2.2 TYPES OF ANTENNA BOOSTERS

Antenna boosters can be classified by the frequency spectrum in which they

operate.

 Mobile phone booster

 UHF/VHF antenna booster
 Wi-Fi antenna boosters

2.2.1 MOBILE PHONE BOOSTER

One of the most popular applications of the antenna booster is in mobile phones.
A mobile phone booster is also known as a cell phone booster or a cell phone
amplifier and is an electronic device that has been designed to increase the signal
strength for a cell phone. In areas with poor coverage, such as rural areas and
buildings with thick walls which block signals, antenna boosters are used to help
people avoid dropping calls. They are also useful for those people who live or work
outside the range of cell phone tower, or for people who travel a lot.

The difference lies in the size of the antenna and the strength of the signal boosting
power. There are cell phone antennas available to connect directly to a cell phone.
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A physical connection of some sort, typically coaxial cable, is then used to connect
each antenna to a signal booster. Together, the components that make up a cellular
repeater are known as a bi-directional amplifier (BDA).

A good cell phone booster needs to have a high frequency level to ensure that you
are able to capture even the weakest of signals. The most common frequencies are
824–849MHz and 1850–1910MHz, which is the standard for most boosters on the
market. The average gain for a good mobile phone booster is no less than 25dB to
ensure that your antenna is able to capture the incoming radio waves and turn
them into a stronger signal. The ideal boosters on the market are wireless and
provide signal boosting to everyone within range of the antenna.

These boosters are used by many network carriers in the US (AT&T, Verizon and
Sprint) and also in Nigeria by all network carriers.

Fig. 2.1 Above is a picture of a GSM signal Network Booster for all Networks in Nigeria. (Office
and home use)
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2.2.2 UHF/VHF ANTENNA BOOSTER

A UHF/VHF booster is a device that is designed to boost the quality and clarity of
both UHF and VHF signals. The amplifier helps to buffer signals so they can be easily
identified and selected, while also helping to increase the stability of the signals for
transmission or receipt. One of the more common applications of this type of
technology is with the use of radio and television antennas that make it possible to
receive over the air broadcasts that are both stable and clear.

Antennas for the Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands
are similar in many ways to HF antennas. The main differences are that VHF/UHF
antennas are smaller and the losses are caused by poor feed lines and elevated
SWRs (or both) are more critical.

The main function of any UHF/VHF booster is to enhance the signal frequencies
that are within the range of the audio or visual equipment in use. Usually installed
either internally in the communication equipment or configured as an external
device that serves as an intermediary between an antenna and the equipment
itself, a solid state booster will make it possible to lock onto signals that may be
somewhat weak, increase the gain on that signal, and then deliver the clarified
signal to the receiving equipment. The end result is that the audio and visual
components of the transmission are enhanced, making it easier for the recipient to
make use of that transmission.

One of the easiest ways to understand how a UHF/VHF booster functions is to

consider the use of the device to pick up over the air television broadcasts. In order
to accomplish this task, the end user will attach an antenna with the capability of
picking up television broadcast signals originating within a certain geographical
range. By attaching the antenna to the UHF/VHF booster then connecting the
booster to the television set, it is possible to boost the strength of the signals. The
end result is that the images and sound received from the broadcast are more
stable and of greater quality than would be possible to achieve otherwise. In fact,
the booster may be able to strengthen weak signals that would not be picked up if
the booster were not in use.

Note: UHF ranges from 300 to 3000 VHF ranges from 30 to 300 MHz.
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Fig. 2.2

A UHF/VHF booster

Fig. 2.3 A TV (VHF/UHF) antenna with a built-in-booster.

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2.2.3 Wi-Fi ANTENNA BOOSTERS

This is the type of antenna booster that this project intends to design and construct.
A Wi-Fi booster operates at the 2.4 and 5 Ghz band of the frequency spectrum. The
term Wi-Fi booster can refer to a replacement antenna that produces a significant
signal gain. Antenna based boosters are typically designed to replace stock
antennas on wireless routers. These boosters typically require an external power
source to boost the signal although some could use the power from a USB port. Wi-
Fi boosters can also act as repeaters - devices that can be placed at the edge of a
wireless signal to rebroadcast it into a dead zone. Passive antenna modifications
often take the form of parabolic dishes. A picture of a Wi-Fi booster is captured
below;

Fig. 2.4 Available off-the-shelf Wi-Fi boosters

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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 EQUIPMENTS AND MATERIALS

The equipments, tools and software used for fabrication in this project
include;

 Vice
 Dip Trace PCB layout software
 Pliers
 Work station

The devices to be constructed in this project can be divided into

three main parts namely;

 The biquad antenna

 The booster circuit and
 The USB connector circuit

3.1.1 The Biquad Antenna

The materials required to build the biquad antenna include; 123 X 100
mm square section of PCB with the biquad design etched on it, short
length of CNT-400 or LMR-400 low loss coax (approximately 300 mm
long), 250 mm of 2.5 mm2 copper wire (approximately 1.5 mm
diameter), SMA connector. 3.1.2 The Booster Circuit
Components Value
Transistors C3355
Resistors 10K, 6K, 60, 22K, 120 and 33
Inductor 1nH and 2.2nH
Capacitor 10pF, 1pF and 10pF (variable),
 16

100pF, 100pF, 82pF

PCB
Table 1 Showing components for the booster

3.1.3 The USB Connector Circuit

The materials required for the circuit include, a male USB connector
cable, two female USB connectors, and a PCB board.

3.2 SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM

The block diagram is shown below;

ANTENNA
RF
BNC TWO- WAY USB
AMPLIFIER DONGLE COMPUTER
CONNECTOR

USB Power for amplifier

Fig. 3.1 The booster system block diagram

3.3 DESIGN METHOD

The method used here comprises of three transistors which basically amplifiers the
received signals.

The various circuits are placed together in the same casing and a short coax cable
is used to interconnect the circuits to one another. The shorter the cable the better
since the power loss in the cable is not linear, so doubling the cable length means
that you are going to lose much more than twice the power. In the same way
reducing the cable length by half gives you more than twice the power at the
antenna. The best solution is to place the booster as close as possible to the
antenna hence it is housed in the same casing.
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The type of connector to be used in this project is the SMA connector. SMA is an
acronym for SubMiniature version A, and was developed in the 60s. SMA
connectors are precision, subminiature units that provide excellent electrical
performance up to 18 GHz. These high-performance connectors are compact in
size and mechanically have outstanding durability this is the reason it was chosen
for this project.

3.3.1 Antennas characteristics

The following characteristics of antennas were taken into consideration during the
construction of the antenna part of the circuit. They are;

Input Impedance

For an efficient transfer of energy, the impedance of the booster, antenna, and
transmission cable connecting them must be the same. Transceivers and their
transmission lines are typically designed for 50Ω impedance. If the antenna has an
impedance different than 50Ω, then there is a mismatch and an impedance
matching circuit is required. When any of these components are mismatched,
transmission efficiency suffers.

Gain

This is not a quantity which can be defined in terms of a physical quantity such as
the Watt or the Ohm, but it is a dimensionless ratio. Gain is given in reference to a
standard antenna. The two most common reference antennas are the isotropic
antenna and the resonant half-wave dipole antenna. The isotropic antenna radiates
equally well in all directions. Real isotropic antennas do not exist, but they provide
useful and simple theoretical antenna patterns with which to compare real
antennas. Any real antenna will radiate more energy in some directions than in
others. Since antennas cannot create energy, the total power radiated is the same
as an isotropic antenna. Any additional energy radiated in the directions it favors is
offset by equally less energy radiated in all other directions.
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3.4 CONSTRUCTION

The soldering iron is heated and all the components for the various units that
constitute the system are mounted on separate printed circuit boards. Before
mounting the components on the PCBs a check is done on the PCB for any possible
shorts or breaks between tracks. The diagram of Fig.3.7 and 3.8 was used as a guide
when mounting the components on the PCB and also to complete the wiring inside
the case. The resistors were first inserted followed by the inductors, and then the
capacitors and then the transistor making sure they were properly oriented.

After mounting and soldering all the components, the PCBs were inserted into the
case to mark out the mounting hole positions for the standoffs. Holes were drilled
on the four corners of the PCBs and on the parts of the Perspex as necessary. The
PCBs were attached to the casing using nylon standoffs and nylon M3 x 15mm
screws. Nylon screws are essential here, to avoid the possibility of arcing from the
PCB tracks to the mounting screws.

3.4.1 The Biquad Antenna Section

The Biquad antenna is simple to build and offers good directivity and gain for Point-
to-Point communications. It consists of two squares of the same size of 1⁄4
wavelength as a radiating element and of a metallic plate or grid as reflector- which
is optional. This antenna has a beamwidth of about 70 degrees and a gain in the
order of 10-12 dBi. It can be used as stand-alone antenna or as feeder for a
Parabolic Dish. The polarization is such that looking at the antenna from the front,
if the squares are placed side by side the polarization is vertical.
 19

Fig. 3.2 The biquad antenna

Procedure
1. Straighten the wire using a vice.

Fig. 3.3 A picture showing the how to straighten the wire

2. With a marker, draw a line at 30.5 mm starting from one end of the wire.
Continue marking until seven marks are made. On this line, bend the wire at
90 degrees with the help of two pliers as shown below.
 20

Fig. 3.4 A picture showing how the wire is bent at the 30.5mm mark

3. After bending the output should look like as shown below;

Fig 3.5 The biquad final look

The constructed biquad is soldered to a printed biquad on a PCB following the

printed outline. The outcome will be as shown below;

Fig. 3.6 The finished biquad soldered to a PCB

 21

3.4.2 The Booster Circuit Section

The construction and implementation was done using step by step approach in
order to achieve the specified results. Some of these steps are listed and explained
below;

 Designing the schematic and layout diagram

 Making of the printed circuit board using Press-n-Peel Transfer Film

 Soldering components to the circuit board

Designing the Schematic and Layout Diagram

The design of the schematic and printed circuit board is an important process,
especially when high frequencies are involved. The production of an effective
and reliable Printed Circuit Board (PCB) creates better performance and more
consistent results. The program used in creating both the schematic diagrams
and PCB layouts for the project is Dip Trace which can be downloaded free from
the site www.diptrace.com. Crosschecking of footprints and design procedures
was necessary to ensure a favoured outcome. After the design of the schematic
the next step was to convert it into a PCB. After converting the schematic into
PCB, a Laser jet printer was used to print the converted design (the PCB layout)
into a special material known as Press-n-Peel Transfer Film, a transparent film
used in PCB production.
 22

Making of the Printed circuit board Using Press-n-Peel Transfer Film

In making the printed circuit boards that was used in this project work, there are
just a few simple steps to follow. The first step is to Laser Print the already designed
circuit image as seen in the picture above onto the dull side (emulsion) of Press-n-
Peel Transfer Film as shown in the Picture below.

Fig. 3.7 Picture showing the layout printed on the Print-n-Peel Film

The second step is to cut the already printed image on the Press-n-Peel, leaving
some border around the circuit image. This is followed by cutting the board to the
size of the circuit image. After doing this, the blank copper clad board is washed
clean with steel wool and detergent. After washing the board clean it is rinsed to
remove all detergent residues. The board was then dried thoroughly using lintfree
cloth.

The third step is to iron the Press-n-Peel Film onto the copper clad board this is
done by placing the Press-n-Peel Film with image facing down onto the clean
 23

copper clad board, then pressing it with a hot iron to the board. A piece of plain
paper can be placed between the iron and the film to reduce friction.

Temperature setting on the iron is critical, and dependent upon the laser
printer. Suggested starting temperature is 275-325 degrees Fahrenheit. The
iron is generally set to "cotton". The ironing process is continued till the PCB
gets to the same temperature of the iron. The time for the ironing process
varies with the size and thickness of the board, generally this is between 1.5
to 10 minutes. (Techniks)

Fig. 3.8 Picture showing the ironing process

Next the board/film combination is kept under a fan to cool off. When it is cool
enough, the film is peeled off to expose the toner.

The fourth step is to etch the exposed copper boards with the circuit image on it
using Ferric Chloride solution. At this level before etching the board, the Ferric
Chloride comes in solid form and is dissolved in a hot water so as to make it become
solution needed for the etching. The more concentrated the etching solution the
 24

quicker the etching process but the board stands the risk of getting affected due to
the high concentration of the salt. In this project a little quantity was used so as to
keep the board unharmed.

Fig 3.8 Picture showing how etching is done

The fifth step is drilling the holes on the PCB. After etching, the holes are drilled
with a 1mm diameter drill bit. This is easiest with a proper electric PCB drill in a
stand, but a hand-held miniature electric drill was used in this project. However
care must be taken to avoid twisting and snapping the small drill bit. It is advisable
to wear safety spectacles during this operation. A few holes may need to be larger,
for example preset resistors usually need a 1.5mm diameter hole. It is simplest to
re-drill these special holes afterwards. Also the edges of the PCB need to be drilled
to provide space for screws meant to hold the board onto the casing.
 25

Soldering Components to the Circuit Board

The first step here is to prepare the board for soldering. This is done immediately
after drilling, a steel wool is used to scrub the Press-n-Peel image off the board in
order to reveal the copper traces, this is best done under running water. This stage
should not be done yet until the board is about to be populated. This is because the
Press-n-Peel transfer resist protects the board from oxidation. After the scrubbing,
the PCB is cleaned with a soft cloth and dried under mild sunlight.
It is then ready to be populated with components.

Fig. 3.9 Booster circuit

 26

3.4.3 The USB Connector Section

The USB connector was created in order to adapt the setup to be usable on a
laptop computer. The USB connector therefore supplies power to the amplifier
and at the same time makes a USB port available for the connection of a USB
adapter since signals from the antenna is fed into the USB adapter through its
antenna port. The whole system can still be used without the USB adapter that is
it would have to be connected directly to the wireless card of a desktop
computer, since the wireless card of a desktop computer has an antenna port
(SMA port). The circuit diagram and PCB layout for the USB connector are shown
below;

Fig. 3.10a The USB connector schematic Fig. 3.10b The USB connector PCB layout
 27

CHAPTER FOUR: TESTING AND OPERATION

This chapter takes a look at the tests carried out during the fabrication of the
various parts of this device and the operation of the device. The tools used for the
tests in this project includes

 EnGenius Wireless software

 USB Wi-Fi Adapter
 Digital multimeter
 A computer system
 A wireless router or radio
4.1 Testing

Before making use of the booster system it is necessary to check the booster output
voltage if it is consistent with the desired output. The input voltage is 5v from the
USB port this also is tested by plugging the device to a computer system then the
multimetre is set to DC voltage and the multimetre cables placed on the USB port
to read its output voltage.

Antenna Testing: For antenna testing, we will attempt to illuminate the test
antenna (often called an antenna-under-test) with a plane wave. This will be done
by using a source (transmitting) antenna with known radiation pattern and
characteristics, in such a way that the fields incident upon the test antenna are
approximately plane waves. The setup for the antenna testing process include:

 A source antenna and transmitter- This antenna will have a known pattern
that can be used to illuminate the test antenna. For this project a
 28

Nanostation 2 radio (at Hotminet Wi-Fi), sending continuous 802.11b

broadcast pings was used.

 A receiver system- This system determines how much power is received by

the test antenna, for this project case a computer system was used.
 A positioning system- This system is used to rotate the test antenna relative
to the source antenna, to measure the radiation pattern as a function of
angle. In this project a pole was used to as a positioning system.

Test Antenna Source Antenna

Positioning Transmitter
System

Receiver

Fig. 4.1 Diagram of required antenna measurement equipment

We want roughly 50 Ohms impedance to ensure the maximum amount of power is

transferred from the antenna to the booster. A Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) bridge
is used to measure the SWR. The bridge compares the impedance of the antenna
to a known 50 Ohms impedance. If they are equal then the DC output from the
bridge should be 0v. Various degrees of mismatch give different output voltages.
The antenna test range was also carried out using a Nanostation 2 radio (at
Hotminet Wi-Fi) at the transmitter, sending continuous 802.11b broadcast pings.
The antenna under test was placed about 6 metres away and connected to a
 29

computer system and the EnGenius software was used to check for the signal
strength, throughput and gain. Several repeatable results of 12dBi gain was gotten.

This is considered noteworthy; when using a biquad to establish a link to another

wireless device, you should ensure the polarization of the biquad is the same as the
antenna you are connecting to. Similarly, if establishing a link with two biquads,
ensure they are both oriented for the same polarization. Failing to match the
polarization will result in significant signal loss.

vertically polarized horizontally polarized

Fig. 4.2 Diagram showing different polarizations of the biquad

Changing the polarization is just a matter of rotating the entire biquad antenna by
90 degrees.

According to Trevor (2013) the biquad antenna is not particularly directional, but
has a fairly wide beam width. The 3dB beam width for a biquad (without side lips)
is typically about 40-50 degrees, thus making it ideal for any applications where
you want fairly wide coverage. Whereas the International Journal of Advanced
Engineering Sciences and Technologies (IJAEST)(2011) holds that the biquad has a
beam width of about 70 degrees and a gain in the order 10-12dB.
 30

4.2 Assembling

The booster system is housed in a plastic Perspex case. The Wi-Fi booster, biquad
antenna, and USB connector are housed in the same case with the biquad being
topmost to allow access to electromagnetic waves. Holes are drilled on the four
corners of the different circuit boards to allow them be mounted with a screw on
the casing. The side of the Perspex closest to the USB terminal is cut open to allow
the passage of the USB cable which would connect to the computer and the USB
adapter to be plugged.

(a)
 31

(b)

Fig.4.3 Picture of assembled Wi-Fi booster

 32

CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 CONCLUSION

The aim of this project which was to construct a Wi-Fi antenna booster which
enhances the signal strength by 24dBi and extends the range by 200 metres using
relatively cheap components was achieved. The Wi-Fi booster system was able to
trap wireless signals through the biquad antenna which has a gain of 12dBi and was
amplified by the booster resulting in an overall gain of 24dBi. This booster design is
new and made from local components which are affordable. If this prototype is
developed upon and mass produced there will be affordable Wi-Fi boosters in
Nigeria and it can even be exported. There is also room for further work and
improvement on the design especially considering that this booster can be
designed to broadcast wirelessly thereby acting as a repeater to many computers
instead of one as constructed.

In conclusion, with this device users can now enjoy a seamless, uninterrupted and
reliable data communication. They can also trap wireless signals that are beyond
the reach of their inbuilt wireless card and they can obtain/enjoy stronger signal
strengths across longer ranges.

5.2 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

There were numerous problems encountered in this project work. Firstly it was to
ascertain the kind of design to use, the first consideration was to use a fourlegged
transistor known as BFG480W. After downloading the datasheet and checking for
the availability in Nigeria, it was discovered that such a transistor was not in stock
in Nigeria. It needed to be shipped from Philips Semiconductors Company in the
US, considering the cost and the aim of the project which is to introduce an
affordable design, this was discarded. After much research and consultation with
my project supervisor and other experts in the field, the idea of using a three
transistor array dropped. This idea was followed through till the end of this
project work.
 33

Another challenge was to adapt the signals coming from the coaxial cable to a
USB connector which would be connected to the USB port of a computer this is
only necessary when the booster system is to be used on a laptop since on a
desktop there is an SMA antenna port on the wireless card. This challenge was
overcome by using a USB adapter module.

Other challenges include crimping the coaxial cable to its connector, soldering the
coaxial cable to the biquad antenna and unavailability of test equipments like
spectrum analyzer, simple bolometer (a device for measuring the energy of
incident electromagnetic waves), signal generator.

5.3 RECOMMENDATION

This project write up should serve as an aid to any subsequent project work on
design and construction of a Wi-Fi antenna booster. This project work should not
end here companies, entrepreneurs and investors should take it up from here so
that we can enjoy a seamless, uninterrupted and reliable data communication
across long ranges. With this project work improved upon a device that will be
very useful can be created which will rival other available boosters in the market,
especially with its affordability.
 34

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Federal Standard 1037C: Telecom Glossary 2000 Published August 7 1996

Loring, A.E (1878) A Handbook of the Electro-Magnetic Telegraph New York; D

Van Nostrand. Pp. 53-54

Marshall, Trevor Biquad 802.11b Antenna www.martybugs.net Retrieved

4/6/2014

Sungook, Hong (2001) Wireless; from Marconi’s Black-Box to the Audion MIT
Press p.165 ISBN 0262082985

Techniks www.techniks.com/how-to Retrieved 11.45am 3/5/2014

The Telegraph - Say hello to India's first wirefree city

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Vrushali V. Kadu et al (IJAEST) International Journal of Advanced Engineering

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@2011

"Wi-Fi (wireless networking technology)". Encyclopædia Britannica.

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21/3/2014.

Wikipedia IEEE_802.11b http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11b-1999