How do I get the best signal when installing

When installing 3G directional antenna, keep the following in mind:

• Connect the pigtail/adapted cable to the extension cable on the antenna.
• Plug the pigtail/adapted cable into the 3 G card
• Mount the antenna on the pole using the bracket supplied, do not fasten the screws.
• The elements should be vertical - pointing to the sky and down – see picture
• Point the antenna in the direction of the cellular tower.
  • The cellular tower should be from the operator you are using ( e.g. Vodacom to Vodacom)
  • The cellular tower should also be 3G enabled.
    
    
• It takes up to a minute for the tower and the antenna to communicate so keep the antenna in that direction for +- a minute to see if the reception improves.
• If you are not sure of where the tower is, move the antenna in increments of 10 degrees at a time to see where the signal improves.
• If you have an option of more than one tower, select the tower with the least obstructions between you and the tower even if it is much further. The antenna can communicate with a tower up to 35 km’s away.
• It is better to communicate to a tower 35 km’s away with clear *line-of-sight than a tower that is 2 km’s away but behind a hill.
• The antenna should be mounted as high as the cable allows.
• The following items that obstructs your line-of-sight can influence the signal:
  • Landscape (in other words a hill or mountain)
  • Any metal obstacle like a corrugated iron roof, buildings with metal reinforcing etc.
  • Trees (especially if it is raining and the leaves are wet)

*Line-of-sight - ‘Line-of-sight’ describes two antennas arranged such that if you replaced one of them with your eye, you would be able to see the other.

It is sometimes very difficult to actually see any difference in the signal strength
with the indicator on the standard service provider connection software.
You can use this following software to align the directional antenna to maximize
the signal strength, or to position the OMNI-directional antenna at an optimal place.

Download the following MDMA software which was written by a 3rd party to specifically indicate more accurate signal strength:

Click here

Download the current version and read the “readme.txt” file. Make sure the tool is measuring 3G only.
Use this then to determine were the best signal is coming from. Green is good.
Also you should actually do about 5 speed tests in order to get a good average.
The speed also depends on the amount of traffic in the service providers’ network.