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I thought it would be nice to setup my own LoraWan public Gateway in order to extend "The Things Network" network. But in order to do that I think that I will need to use a proper antenna in order to achieve maximum range.

So I thought that if I use a television antenna (Yagi Uda or similar antennas) it would be an affordable way to achieve a decent range, but would I achieve that or I am saying nonsense?

The proposed gateway location is at single storey building (~3m Altitude) at Acharnes, Greece. The possible obstacles will be taller buildings ~10m high. Also in direct sight the is a mountain as well but I do not care about this obstacle. I want to cover as much distance as possible with a budget for antenna less than 20 euros.

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    How far away are the nodes you want to service? What sort of obstructions are in the line of sight between them and your proposed gateway location? – Chris Stratton Apr 7 '18 at 19:37
  • Please keep in mind that every dBi of gain your antenna provide must be compensated by lowering the TX power of the gateway so that the radiated power in the direction on maximum gain does not exceed 14 dBm. It's the law in Europe. Non-compliance can get you a slap on the wrist, seizure of non complying hardware and/or a hefty fine, depending on circumstances. – Sylvain May 28 '18 at 19:06
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A Yagi (and most TV) antennas are VERY directional, they achieve their good range by making sure they direct all energy in one direction. You would only be able to communicate with devices that are on the straight line your antenna is pointing in.

This wouldn't really be all that useful.

You need to look for a omnidirectional antenna to give the best coverage for the area.

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    So if I use multiple ones pointing in diferent directions, for example mounted on a ring, I should be able to have a great coverage. – Dimitrios Desyllas Apr 7 '18 at 15:00
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    I don't have the detailed enough grounding in antenna theory, but I suspect you will get a much better return on investment with a single properly designed omnidirectional antenna rather than trying to build and configure an array of directional antenna. – hardillb Apr 7 '18 at 15:03
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There is a great variety of omni 868Mhz antennae way under 20€ that can do the job. https://eu.mouser.com/Passive-Components/Antennas/_/N-8w0fa?P=1z0wn4u&No=25

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    Howdy, and welcome to the site! Currently, this answer is getting some negative attention simply because it appears to be only a link. Links die, so it would be best to edit your answer to make sure that it stands alone with the link simply as a reference. – anonymous2♦ Apr 24 '18 at 11:33

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