Booster Antenna Setup for Cellular Trail Cameras Tactacam Reveal, Spartan, Covert, Spypoint etc.

I've been using directional high-gain booster antennas for cellular trailcams since 2011. When set up correctly they will definitely help the function, performance and battery life of your cellular trail camera.
www.herd360.co...

[@jeffheckenberger1485]

This video really helped get our bad cell signal turned into strong and very strong signals using the directional cell antennas. Thanks Mike!

[@herd360]

So glad to hear this. Thanks for the comment

[@AlbertMilliron]

Lol - looking at your GPS I see you’re from where I used to live! I lived in Martinez, GA when I worked at the Uptown VA from 1994-2005. I’m actually a Ham (AL7KT) but was looking up beam antennas for a friend who having trouble with his game antenna. I live near Columbia, SC now! Thanks for your video

[@herd360]

Hello neighbor and thank you

[@jacksprat7087]

I made and sold Yagi antennas for game cameras. The hardest part is knowing where your cell towers are!! Then finding one close enough with enough signal getting thru all the obstructions. Once you lock onto one they REALLY help the connection issue which in turn can make your batteries last longer. Plus less pics or vids will be lost. The ones I made were mostly 8 elements (3’ long) without a plastic shroud. Any antenna will work better on clear, low humidity days, with a non-obstructed line of sight. Trees and green leaves really degrade a cell signal.

[@herd360]

Very cool. I've made HF antennas and yagis back in the day. Cellular bands these days cover such a wide range of frequencies. These are actually log periodic antennas rather than yagi design. This allows for a much wider bandwidth

[@joneshuntingadventures7971]

Another great video. Thanks, Mike.

[@herd360]

Thanks for watching.

[@jonathancoley8112]

Great video Mike! Always very informative. 👍🏼

[@RickyG1664]

thanks for this video? thanks for messaging me back the other day concerning solar panel on sk

[@herd360]

Your welcome 🙏

[@rafteraranch]

Ordered 2 antennas from Mike. Went from 1 bar to 3 down in a bottom. There is only 1 tower a long ways away. I was getting pics on my phone while i was walking back out.

[@herd360]

Fantastic. Thanks for the feedback

[@ryanweaver3615]

I ordered one of these from you off Amazon for my Spartan GoLive 2M. Quick question, did you say in the video you were pointing the antenna away from the closest 2 towers and you are getting better signal that way? Was there another tower in the direction you were pointing the antenna?

[@herd360]

Thank you for the purchase. In the future you can order off my website. The price is cheaper. I would have to go watch it again but if I remember correctly the app was pointing me towards a 5g tower instead of a 4g tower. The best method is turn camera on with antenna connected, allow it to find signal. Then turn camera off rotate 10° or so and repeat. Do this in a full circle taking note of the best signal direction. Then return to that direction and fine tune.

[@ryanmickley3226]

I just ordered one of these after watching your video- I'm burning up batteries quickly. Some pics will get sent, but then some don't, and the batteries are gone in a few weeks. I hope it works.

[@herd360]

Thank you 😊. Poor signal definitely does contribute to the symptoms you described

[@manyfeather2knives423]

Make sure your using lithium batteries! Not alkaline. Also a solar panel really works great for longevity

[@jrauck]

From experience the type of cable (from antenna to camera) can affect the signal dramatically as well as you get loss the longer your cable is. You want a ultra low/low loss cable...

[@herd360]

No question. I can provide times 100 cable but it's extremely stiff and difficult to work with. That is the reason for keeping it limited to 15ft. At cellular frequency there is a great amount of signal loss. On a side not I have a long history to communication and antennas.

[@MoistTacos27]

Is there another app you recommend for finding the cell tower locations? The app mentioned in the video is garbage now and doesn’t show where any cell towers are.

[@herd360]

@MoistTacos27 no infact I don't recommend the apps anymore. They all lead you on a wild goose chase these days. We include instructions on the suggested method but basically you rotate the antenna 10° at a time and restart the camera at each point allowing it to aquire signal. Do this 360° taking note of the strongest signal. Return to the direction of strongest signal and fine tune there. Restarting the camera is important.

[@clint91128]

Great info!

[@Mr010875]

Will the directional help if I have no service in my spot? I have one bar of service about 100 yards from my stand. No bars where I need it. Great video, I’m just curious if I’m screwed. Thanks

[@herd360]

I have had many customers leave reviews that the camera had no bars with the factory antenna but they were able to get service with my directional. Still it's simple physics that there has to be at least some signal present for an antenna to receive it.

[@JipJac]

Tried downloading this app (granted this video is a few years old now) and the app is nothing like that now. Any suggestions? Trying to get better signals to my Spartan GoLive cameras.

[@herd360]

I no longer recommend the app. With 5g and multiple 4g towers it often leads you on a wild goose chase wasting time.

[@herd360]

Here is a blog I wrote recently with the instructions we include with the antenna on the best tried and true method. www.herd360.com/blogs/word-from-the-herd/maximizing-your-cellular-trail-camera-the-best-antenna-setup-for-optimal-performance

[@Johnny.B.Goode.]

Great video Mike when you state restarting the reveal X are you switching the power from stand by to off ? And then back on to stand by correct?

[@herd360]

Off to setup

[@joehall5243]

Will this antenna work on bushnell core 20 cameras?

[@herd360]

Yes but I am currently sold out. Waiting on my next shipment.

[@banks93banks28]

Everyone keeps telling me something Different. Do Tactacam and SPYPOINT have the same thread coming off the camera for the antenna. I know covert and SPYPOINT definitely aren’t the same .

[@herd360]

The Tactacam Reveal X and every model after use an RP-SMA connector as well as Spypoint.

[@Brandon-uo1rv]

How would you mount the antenna in areas that frequently can get stronger winds?

[@herd360]

I have never encountered that. I would definitely rig something up more secure to prevent rotating. I would probably use ubolts to secure the pipe to the tpost

[@karalewis2908]

Have you tried the tactacam extended range antenna and do you think your antenna is better?

[@herd360]

I have tried it and have sold a ton of them. I personally had one bar increase with it. However the directional will give the best performance when set up correctly. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. The Tactacam model is simple and fast to set up. www.herd360.com/products/tactacam-reveal-extended-range-antenna?

[@jamesstewart9656]

Hi my name is jimmy I bought a cell booster for the one spot I hunt on the ridge I have good signal but 100 feet down the hill I don’t get any signal i have a big hill where my cell towers are will I be able to get signal on a antenna booster

[@herd360]

I can't honestly answer that. There must be some cellular signal present in order for the antenna to pick it up. There may be just enough present for the antenna and if you can get it up higher that may help as well. Every situation is different and there just is no way for me to tell you what is possible in your setup.

[@barrybouse7701]

Does this app work with IPhones? I don’t see the tower locations like we do on an Android that we have,

[@herd360]

I have heard of people having that issue with the iPhone app. Weboost is another good app or you can do it the way I always used too and rotate the antenna a little ar a time and restart the camera each time

[@orvaroth1613]

Great vid--even if you have a couple bars and the camera "works" is it true that by adding your antenna and getting more bars that the battery will last longer? cheers

[@herd360]

Better signal and more consistent signal will allow the camera to get online and establish a connection faster. It will also be able to upload the image data file faster. These will definitely result in lower power consumption.

[@orvaroth1613]

@@herd360 Hi, cant find your website to order antenna, thxs

[@herd360]

@@orvaroth1613 herd360.com

[@herd360]

@@orvaroth1613 also there is a link in the video description

[@orvaroth1613]

@@herd360 Looks like you have some great products and know your stuff, have you considered doing a test of spypoints latest cameras? from what i can gather their photos especially at night are superior to tacticam but cameras and customer support have serious issues. thxs

[@rogercrawford4041]

Have you tied one of these antennas to two cameras?

[@herd360]

No. I wouldn't recommend that. You would change the impedance seen by each camera and also how would you prevent the rf transmitted by one camera from going directly in to the finals of the other.

[@rogercrawford4041]

@@herd360 okay thanks, makes sense now that I put more thought into it.

[@asherbenruby]

What did you use to film this video?

[@herd360]

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus cellphone

[@jedidiah5131]

Do they use more power I ask because I don't know if they even use any power lol......and thanks I never knew that app existed....Thanks for the video...

[@herd360]

No they don't use any power

[@jedidiah5131]

@@herd360 Thanks...

[@33MatthewsDad66]

At 6:00 mark you mention having another version out. Have you sourced the newer version?

[@herd360]

It won't be any different mechanically just a different color housing. Still not sure at this point if I will go that direction because of the quantity I have to order upfront.

[@ralphkinsley8192]

Slow down when you pan your camera. Your videos will be way less jumpy.

[@herd360]

Thanks for watching, and thank you for the tip. Obviously, I'm no videographer. Im just trying to make real and simple cellphone videos with tips to help my customers.