Covert solar panel + enloops

[Tbuddyandroby]

Thanks, Smart; I'll give those a try.

[Tbuddyandroby]

Well ****.....looks like my last PM last night didn't go through.....sorry Tbuddy. I sent it but it's not showing gone though..


Here is the extension cable for the antenna. I have used them and still have two in use as we speak.

https://www.amazon.com/951141-Adapter-Extension-Coaxial-Connectors/dp/B003NQ9NGK/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1549085216&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=weboost+mini+coax++extension

https://www.ebay.com/itm/WILSON-9511...53.m1438.l2649

I just saw there is 2 different cables you reccomend. One is male/male and the other is male/female connections. I assume connect both, connect one end to the camera, and the other end to the booster antenna? What's the difference in the 2 cables besides the fittings?

[AntlersBoy]

im guessing no bears where you guys are hunting, love the coverts. have not tried the solar panels on them yet "our bears seem to like little trinkets to destroy." covert users be careful with running Duracell batteries they are a touch shorter than energizer and can create problems. have noticed up to a 30% range in battery life depending on temps. good luck with the panels, sounds like these guys got you covered

[Tbuddyandroby]

im guessing no bears where you guys are hunting, love the coverts. have not tried the solar panels on them yet "our bears seem to like little trinkets to destroy." covert users be careful with running Duracell batteries they are a touch shorter than energizer and can create problems. have noticed up to a 30% range in battery life depending on temps. good luck with the panels, sounds like these guys got you covered

I wouldn't say we Don't have bears, but not enough in my area to cause any issues; yet (knock on wood). Yeah, there's alot of good people and information on this thread.

[Pedernal]

im guessing no bears where you guys are hunting, love the coverts. have not tried the solar panels on them yet "our bears seem to like little trinkets to destroy." covert users be careful with running Duracell batteries they are a touch shorter than energizer and can create problems. have noticed up to a 30% range in battery life depending on temps. good luck with the panels, sounds like these guys got you covered

Temps effect battery output so there will be a variation in the voltage read by the camera as temps rise and fall. In addition, during low light pics when the cam uses the IR flash there will times when battery output will read significantly lower capacity/% numbers.

[Pedernal]

[quote=Tbuddyandroby;14218164]

Good thread here... I bought a Covert Blackhawk and had to send it back after continuous conectivity issues. Customer service was great. They tested my camera, booster antenna, and solar panel. They ended up replacing the camera and pre-set the settings for me.

Update: I set this replacement camera back out, and got the same results. It worked for almost a week and I noticed I'd slowly get less pics. Finnaly it wouldn't respond to real time pics. I called customer support and they said I needed to re-cycle the start-up. When I got to my lease, I turned the camera to the off position, and powered it back on but couldn't get Any signal/connection. I tried eveything from disconnecting/re-connecting connections etc. I swapped the camera out for a new one I was about to install in a new spot and it connected with no problem. Took the bad camera home, called Covert, and they had to do something on the back side of Verizon's end. They emailed me it should connect, and it did.
Since, the New Camera I replaced, has stopped sending pics/real time pics... The last pic I got had 100% battery and 40% signal. I have another camera near this stand and it seemed to have stopped the same day. I called Covert, and of course I need to be there with the cameras to troubleshoot, but they said it seems the cell tower in that area of those two cameras must be dropping the signal, or something like that... I have booster antennas on all cameras that are extended up as tall as possible.
Question, if I went up another 10', could that help keep a better signal? If so, is there a way to extend Covert's booster connection?
If it's the cell tower, that location is just cursed I guess...

Get you a yagi directional antenna and point it in the direction of the tower. It will greatly improve reception. Here is a link to a company that sells the stuff you need. make sure that the antenna you purchase works at the same frequency as your cell cam. 3 G and 4 G cams operate at different frequencies. Also, make sure it has the same style connector which most cell cam antenna connections appear to be SMA type connectors.

https://www.data-alliance.net/power-converters/

[Tbuddyandroby]

[quote=Pedernal;14219922]

Get you a yagi directional antenna and point it in the direction of the tower. It will greatly improve reception. Here is a link to a company that sells the stuff you need. make sure that the antenna you purchase works at the same frequency as your cell cam. 3 G and 4 G cams operate at different frequencies. Also, make sure it has the same style connector which most cell cam antenna connections appear to be SMA type connectors.


https://www.data-alliance.net/power-converters/

Thanks for the info., but I don't have a clue where a cell tower is in relation to my cameras, what frequency Covert run, and connectors I have.

[Pedernal]

[quote=Tbuddyandroby;14219923]

Thanks for the info., but I don't have a clue where a cell tower is in relation to my cameras, what frequency Covert run, and connectors I have.

Google >>> cell tower location in Texas or near "zip code".... The frequency will be dependent on whether the camera is 3G or 4G... You can find those frequencies easily and will be listed on the specs for the antenna ... And you can ask Covert tech support as to what the connector type for the antenna is but again it is probably an SMA connector...

[Smart]

Covert solar panel + enloops

I just saw there is 2 different cables you reccomend. One is male/male and the other is male/female connections. I assume connect both, connect one end to the camera, and the other end to the booster antenna? What's the difference in the 2 cables besides the fittings?

You need the male to female. I thought the links were both male to female.

[Tbuddyandroby]

You need the male to female. I thought the links were both male to female.

Okay
So, you have 6ft ext for Amazon that’s male/male that should be male/female and the eBay is male/female. Do I need a set from each; male/female to equal 12ft? If so, is there an order of operation of how to connect them via camera antenna?

[Smart]

Okay
So, you have 6ft ext for Amazon that’s male/male that should be male/female and the eBay is male/female. Do I need a set from each; male/female to equal 12ft? If so, is there an order of operation of how to connect them via camera antenna?

If you have the booster antenna like I believe you said, it has a 12' lead and has a male connection. Your camera is female...the booster antenna is made to screw directly to the camera's female antenna connection. I'm ssuming since you have Verizon, you only have one antenna on the camera.

So to add a 6' extension, you need one end to be male and one end to be female and it would go in between the camera and the booster antenna connections. If you need more than 6' then you need another male to female extension. Wilson part # 951130.

Evidently Amazon has switched my link from way back to a male to male only. It actually gave you a choice between the two when I bought mine. Sorry I didn't check that. I just clicked on my saved link. I looked back on my purchases and it shows male to female and that the link is no longer valid. I would buy the one off Ebay or do a google search for Wilson 951130. I promise you that is the extension.

If for some reason, I misread what you said via PM and you don't have the booster antenna, get one because it has 12' of wire and you may not need the 6' extension . My antenna pole pictured in the thread above was 17' and I need both the booster length and the extension length to accomplish it.

[yotethumper]

Scratching my head on this one. Covert blackhawk LTE. Battery level on photos says 60%. When I go to settings in the app under "Camera Statistics" It says battery level is 100% and signal level is 100%. Anybody know why the two battery level values differ?

[Smart]

Scratching my head on this one. Covert blackhawk LTE. Battery level on photos says 60%. When I go to settings in the app under "Camera Statistics" It says battery level is 100% and signal level is 100%. Anybody know why the two battery level values differ?

It has been my experience that on the LTE cameras, ATT and Verizon both, that the battery indicator on the app is inaccurate. The signal indicator is good and fluctuates but the battery percentage never fluctuates from 100% on all 4 of my LTE cameras. My 3G cameras fluctuate and are exactly what the pics state.....I am not sure why Covert has not been able to fix this on the LTE yet. For now, I have conditioned myself to look at the picture % occasionally on the LTEs.

[TheHammer]

Anyone have a solution to coons pulling out the solar panel? I’ve tried tape and that didn’t seem to work.

[Smart]

Anyone have a solution to coons pulling out the solar panel? I’ve tried tape and that didn’t seem to work.

Zip ties or a small bungee all the way around the cameras. I never touch my camera unless there is a problem....which is very very rare so far. Plus you don't really need to do anything to it to open the door. (no zipties shown here but it shows you can open the door without removing cord...unlike many regular trail cameras.)