Ok; for those who would like to experiment and play with things, I am going to make my own windsurfer signal  booster for my P3 out of a bucket!

No carboard and paper for me, No , no no, no.

We are going buckets here!

I have got myself a small bucket, small office type, for paper About 10 to 12 inch acorss the top and about 10 inches high ish, in flexable type plastic, cost me aournd 70 cents at a market!  So, the idea is to cut two correct sized bits out of the side of the bucket, got that nice bevel/curve to it, cos they are round.
next get a hold of two rubber or plastic bits, off an old cheap chopping board, or something like that, which I can shape to fit, and cut the right sized holes in for the antennas.
Grab the wifes baking foil and glue the curved faces with the tin foil.
glue or screw, the Antenna mounts to the foil and bucket side bits cut out already, and walla, theorectially it should work..

or the P3 will go nuts and take off to wonga, wonga land all on its own... never to be seen again.  HOPE NOT!


Well thats the plan anyway! not the Wonga wonga land bit, but the rest of it!

I think that you'll find that the precision of the curve behind the antenna is much more crucial than what your bucket will provide.    Take a laser pointer and shine it on the foil area of the booster.  The beam should bounce back and shine on your antenna.  So the angle has to be just right.

bobasbury Posted at 2015-8-22 21:01
I think that you'll find that the precision of the curve behind the antenna is much more crucial tha ...

Umm thats interesting,  I will try it first, I may come back and say Ho BUCKET it don't work or something...

bobasbury Posted at 2015-8-22 21:01
I think that you'll find that the precision of the curve behind the antenna is much more crucial tha ...

Been checking it out, and the bucket will work, the size and mailability of the plastic needed can be, shall I say adjusted/bent justa little!  Your sort of right about the ideal distance, between antenna, and reflector, but ( too a point) the angel of the curve is not so important! What determines the make or break of  a good working system, in this case anyway, is the the distance between, antenna, and reflector, so there is some leeway or adjustment. The shallower the curve the further away the antenna needs to be in front of it ,  This only happens due to it being a transceiver, if it was only one or the other this would be quite different. Its not that precise any , as there is a guy who demonstrates the effectiveness, of one he makes out of paper, and tin foil of course, and it works very effectively. May not be quite as good as the pro versions, but  he is getting 90+% of the extra range they are, for pennies opposed to 30 to 50$  a saving  that's worth saving, and its a bit of fun to do anyway, cutting buckets up, ahhah.   Reminds me school.      

Alien tech Posted at 2015-8-23 12:31
Been checking it out, and the bucket will work, the size and mailability of the plastic needed can  ...

It now seems there are loads of nutty ideas out there, for making these windsurfers for the P3, and it seems they all work, so it says to me, its all not that precise, they are different, and they all seems to work.
Made my one out of the bucket, and just have to stick the foil over, drill the holes, for the Antennas and I am done!   Thing is will I get Blue Peter badge ????????????

Distance and shape both count.  Yes, almost anything will work (make it better).  But it can be fine tuned to work better and better with proper shape and distance.

ag0n Posted at 2015-8-24 05:49
Distance and shape both count.  Yes, almost anything will work (make it better).  But it can be fine ...

Agreed; I will use a laser to attempt to position things as best as I can. for around 80 cents, and about 1.5 hours work, what can I expect. Its been on my bucket list to do for long time!!  hahahah  

Don't focus it too sharply though.  Aiming could get a bit touchy.