BlueSCSI Laptop to external WiFi Antenna?

[Trash80toG4]

Wondering if a hookup or workaround for running an external antenna lead outside the RFI shielding of a Mac is a possibility?

Running the lead to a wire type antenna in a PowerBook lid might be ideal? RFI shielding of a Duo's HDD bay can be tucked underneath, but dunno about other 'Books?

Also thinking of mounting the BlueSCSI Laptop version on a dummy card in the CSII slot of my 6360. Should be workable for older CS slot of my Q630 as well.

Could custom CS/CSII carrier board provide power to the BlueSCSI?

 

[Trash80toG4]

Found an off the shelf solution:

Raspberry Pi Zero 2W with External WiFi Antenna Connector (U.FL)

What's special about this Pi? Want to use an external antenna with the Raspberry Pi? These Raspberry Pi boards are carefully hand-modified to add a U.FL connector and connect it up. This greatly expands the options for external antennas, and there is no additional dongle needed. Optional...

shop.funand.tech

It's massive overkill to treat the SCSI to SD conversion as a HAT on a full blown Linux Computer, but the added CPU cost isn't prohibitive.

Now thinking in terms of an LC NIC format SD/WiFi solution. Far more PCB real estate and cubic available than CS/CSII format and the SCSI connector is right there!

 

[Trash80toG4]

Found an even better solution, perfect PICOw mod for external or 'Book lid internal antennas:

Seems like an easy enough mod that's better/more flexible by installing a cut cable's leads directly to board contacts leading to the antenna connector on the other end rather than installing a connector on the Pico to plug in the full intermediary cable?

 

[Trash80toG4]

@luRaichu Found this project for me.

Adding an external antenna to the PicoMEM Pi Pico W

How to add an external antenna to a Pi Pico W to extend WiFi range for devices that reside inside metal enclosures.

www.tarball.ca

 

[Trash80toG4]

My reply to Q630 question at MLA:

IDC 50M connector crimped onto the SCSI section of the harness underneath the CD adapter bar would be my suggestion.

Unless you listen to radio with the tuner box, that cubic might be about perfect for a laptop SD solution? Out of town ATM, so I can't check for fit.

Thinking 2.5" might be too wide. But if the cubic is available, it might be possible to print a slide out drawer with co-ax connector for antenna and USB-C(?) programming. That would provide the required cubic without deleting either the CD or 3.5" IDE drive or CF adapter in that bay..

Ideally, a longer/narrower version of an SD solution would allow it to fit on a Dummy CS/CSII card or a dummy LC NIC opening up a reasonable market segment for such a contraption?

edit: just found the ZuluSCSI pico slim which could fill the bill. Not a fan of hanging such a device off the SCSI port externally. But doing a 50-25 pin conversion of internal cable by soldering the 25 wires to the board would do nicely. Should work on either LC NIC or CS/CSII dummy cards.