Are you interested in setting becoming a Helium miner? Perhaps you are already involved in Helium mining but want to make your efforts more efficient. If so, you need an effective Helium antenna that offers the best uptimes and speed for your buck. We are here to help you find the best antenna for Helium hotspot and Helium mining within your preferred budget.

What Exactly is Helium Mining?

When you hear the term mining you probably think of grizzled men covered in coal walking out of a mountain. If you are a bit younger, then Minecraft may be your first thought. Helium mining however is neither of those. Helium is a form of wireless network that has been decentralized. The network sends and receives data from the internet via low-power smart devices, ie, a Helium miner antenna. Individual users who provide hotspots for the network are called miners.

These people set up Helium hotspots so that the network can send RF signals which allows them to provide internet coverage. Helium hotspot antenna providers are then paid in the form of Helium tokens or HNT.

So, Helium mining is simply setting up hotspots and earning HNT by helping the Helium network.

What Is Proof of Coverage for a Helium Hotspot Antenna?

Before we talk about the best antenna for Helium hotspot placement, it is important to understand Proof-of-Coverage. When you engage in Helium mining, the network will be able to offer more coverage to more people. With a Helium miner antenna, you will also be able to earn a passive income in cryptocurrency that can help make you financially independent. In order to ensure that coverage is accurate and your earnings are valid, Proof-of-Coverage is critical.

This is when the Helium antenna coverage is verified, and the miner’s contribution is vetted for accuracy. Without proper placement, the network won’t be able to provide reliable, stable coverage. Proper placement also ensures that connected devices maintain their link with the network. Most Helium miners are legit however, there are some people who misrepresent their coverage just to gain a few more HNT. Don’t do it, such miners always get caught and are banned from the network permanently.

Is There A Quality Difference Between Helium Hotspots?

Every Helium antenna is in essence its own brand or flavor. However, there is really very little difference between the quality of service obtained from the Helium network. In general, some hotspots may offer the choice of cellular connection while others may be more effective for outdoor mountain terrain use. The biggest quality differences will be found in the cables and antenna upgrades used during your Helium hotspot antenna placement.

How to Choose The Best Antenna for Helium Hotspots

The right Helium antenna placed in a prime location will help you to earn the highest amount of HNT for that hotspot. Later in our post, we will review our top 5 choices of Helium miner antenna options. Your placement and your antenna coverage are going to be the two most important factors that determine how much Helium you are able to mine. You can view our other post (here) that talks more about Helium antenna placement, today we will focus on Helium miner antenna type and coverage. For now, let’s cover how to go about picking the best Helium mining antenna for your hotspot location.

Start by learning which frequency of antenna you will need. The main types are 470 Mhz, 868 Mhz, and 915 Mhz. Each region has different compatibility, so it is vital that you select a Helium antenna that matches your region. The power or signal strength of your Helium miner antenna is also worth considering. This is how much power your hotspot will be sending out into the surrounding area as a way of supporting the Helium network. Power increases when the trajectory is more narrow and broad projectors have a smaller signal range. Your placement will determine which is best.

For example, if you are positioning a hotspot near a mountain or hill, you will want narrow projectors facing away from the obstacle. If you are positioning it on flat terrain, you can go with a broad signal. 9dBi offers the narrowest but furthest range while 2dBi offers the shortest but broadest range.

For placement in a busy city, a 2Dbi Helium antenna will give you a good number of witnesses while also offering valuable coverage to the network. For placement in an uneven but spread-out terrain like the suburbs, a 5Dbi Helium antenna will be highly effective. RF signals do have the ability to move around large structures, but they do lose some of their potency. Always make a point of placing your Helium miner antenna as high as possible to increase the line of sight with other hotspots in the network.

Top 5 Helium Antennas On the Market

1. McGill 3-6 dBi Helium Antenna

For hotspot owners who live in the city in an apartment or condo, this is one of the best choices on the market right now. It is ideal for outside use but makes sure you set it up as high as possible to optimize your Helium mining efforts. The McGill Helium series are some of the best on the market. They are always among the top choices on our list, but they do have a hefty price tag. They feature ultra-low loss LMR 600 cables that help reduce the overall amount of signal loss you experience.

They are also ultra thick which means they can take a beating. You won’t have to go out of your way when you purchase a Mcgill Microwave Systems Full Helium Installation Kit which also comes with an antenna. Of course, you can buy the Helium antenna on its own if you have other parts already in your inventory.

The best antenna for Helium hotspots is going to be the easy ones to maintain and those that give you a good ROI. The Mcgill line of antennas fo just that for those who know how to place and overlay their coverage for optimal mining. You will need to be able to drill some holes in order to fit the LMR 400 cable which can make it hard for some people to work with. If you are looking for a roof-mounted Helium mining that is professional-grade, the McGill 3-6 dBi Helium Antenna is a good bet.

It’s worth noting that although the supplied cable is extra thick, you can use a thinner cable you already have or pick a compatible cable up from Amazon.

2. Bobcat Helium Hotspot Miner 5.8 dBi Antenna & Magnet Base

For those looking to boost their indoor impressions, this is a great affordable option worth considering. In terms of affordability, this Helium antenna is considered a budget option at under $90. The Helium Hotspot Miner 5.8 dBi Indoor Antenna is a quick way to enhance your Helium mining strength. It offers a higher range of coverage when compared with stock Helium antennas. Users who participated in providing reliable Helium antenna reviews have claimed to increase their witness counts by as much as 40%. This of course leads to an increase in HNT rewards.

The provided cable is a low loss 50Ohm Raigen-400 cable. It is 5 feet long which makes it perfect for high placements on the roof or in other odd indoor locations. It is double shielded so UV rays won’t damage the cable and the design is waterproof. You can use this Helium Hotspot Miner with every miner on the market such as Bobcat, Nebra, or even Sense. It is calibrated for North America so if you are looking for an international antenna you will need another model.

3. HyperLink 900 MHz 9 dBi Heavy Duty Flat Panel Antenna

For those who place to place their antenna in a hilly area or are only looking to aim in a limited direction, this unit is ideal. The Helium HyperLink HG8909P offers broad coverage with a whopping 9 dBi of gain. In terms of Helium mining, this antenna will work efficiently indoors or outdoors. The cable is made from sturdy UV-stable plastic radome which can tough it out through just about any weather condition. The mount is a tilt and swivel model which helps you customize your hotspot to fit the configuration needs of your local Helium network.

There is also no need for a separate lightning surge protector because it features direct ground protection built-in. The Helium miner antenna has the option of either horizontal polarization or vertical polarization making it highly versatile for new users and veteran Helium hotspot owners alike. This is one of the best Helium antennae for near-line-of-sight applications so keep that in mind when choosing which antenna will meet your Helium mining needs.

4. Proxicast 10 dBi 3G / 4G / LTE High Gain Omni-Directional Antenna

This is one of the easiest to install hotspot antennas on the market this year. It can process all 3g ad 4g signals from most of the top Telco providers in the US. It also can process most international signals if you are looking to set up your hotspot overseas. Proxicast 10 dBi 3G / 4G is a quick setup 23-inch hotspot that is both affordable and effective. It works on some of the most popular carriers such as Sprint, Telcel, Bell Mobility, T-Mobile, Verizon, and many more.

This can also operate unlicensed 900 MHz which makes it a favorite for Helium mining. It’s small enough to place in a home or office but is strong enough to provide the type of coverage that increases your mining efforts. The Proxicast 10 dBi may be an uncommon choice but for us, it has proven to be an affordable Helium hotspot antenna. It is not only easy to use but also beginner-friendly. You can even daisy chain several of these hotspots to create an ultra coverage web in an underserved suburban area.

5. L-com HG908U-PRO 900MHz 8dBi Omnidirectional Helium Antenna

If you are looking for high performance, look no further than the HG908U-PRO. This may be on the pricier end in terms of miner hotspots, but for those really looking to maximize their impresses the results speak for themselves. Setting up a hotspot that has no line of sight can be tricky, but with the HG908U-PRO you can get high coverage in spite of no clear sightlines. It also supports mobile and multipoint applications where wide coverage and high gain are needed.

The power supply runs on a typical DC wall transformer which runs internally. This not only reduces maintenance but also ensures that you have the maximum amount of uptime each day. The unit is easy to put together and get running and comes with an easy-to-understand installation guide right out of the box. The low profile of this Helium hot spot helps it to blend into the scenery without affecting your coverage gains.

Final Thoughts On Helium Antennas

Helium mining is a great way to generate an income in an alternative currency such as crypto. Most people will place their hotspots on their homes or somewhere on their property. It is possible to place Helium hot spots in public areas such as on hills or in the wilderness. However, make sure to always check your local coverage maps before setting it up. Most antennas for mining will be located on rooftops in the suburbs or on the top of commercial buildings for better coverage. The best placement for a hotspot will always be outside and as high as possible.

Indoor Helium antennas are available, but they will have a reduced signal strength due to general interference from walls and other buildings. We hope that our Helium antenna reviews will help you pick the best antenna for a Helium hotspot in your area. Be sure to comment below to let us know how things went!