Portable macro antenna system

A system comprising:

• a lighter-than-air balloon comprising a bottom reflective surface, the bottom reflective surface reflective of at least one type of electromagnetic wave;
• a portable source antenna that is detachably coupled to a vehicle and aimable at the bottom reflective surface to emit a first group of one or more electromagnetic waves at the bottom reflective surface and to receive a second group of one or more electromagnetic waves from the bottom reflective surface;
• a tether, with a first end and a second end, the first end detachably coupleable to the balloon and the second end detachably coupleable to an anchor point on the vehicle;
• a plurality of guy wires, each with a first end and a second end, the first ends detachably coupled to the balloon and the second ends detachably coupled to the vehicle, the guy wires to maintain the position of the balloon with respect to the portable source antenna;
• and
• a portable base transceiver station (BTS) that is detachably coupleable to the vehicle, the BTS in communication with and coupled to the portable source antenna to provide connectivity between one or more user equipment (UE) at a ground level and one or more data networks or communications networks;
• wherein the bottom reflective surface reflects the first group of one or more electromagnetic waves from the portable source antenna to user equipment (UE);
• and
• wherein the bottom reflective surface reflects the second group of one or more electromagnetic waves from the UE at the ground level to the portable source antenna.

A method comprising:

• placing a portable source antenna in a predetermined location;
• attaching a first end of a tether to a lighter-than-air balloon, the balloon comprising a bottom reflective surface;
• paying out the tether to position the balloon at a predetermined height above the portable source antenna;
• connecting the portable source antenna to a base transceiver station (BTS);
• connecting the BTS to at least one of a cellular network, a data network, or a power source;
• and
• providing power access to at least the BTS to provide additional communications bandwidth in a predetermined pattern and range proximate the source antenna;
• wherein the bottom reflective surface reflects a first group of one or more electromagnetic waves from the portable source antenna to user equipment (UE) proximate a ground level;
• and
• wherein the bottom reflective surface reflects a second group of one or more electromagnetic waves from the UE to the portable source antenna.