SIGforum
Cell Phone Boosters

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https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/6120022424

May 14, 2017, 08:47 AM
walkinghorse
Cell Phone Boosters
Going to an area where I will need to change service or get cell phone booster. Booster sounds easier?
Need both one for the truck and one to mount in a building.
Suggestions or comments!
Tried a search, but no luck.


Jim
May 14, 2017, 08:51 AM
Johnny 3eagles
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ





Any dog can be a Guide Dog if you don't care where you're going.


NRA ENDOWMENT LIFE MEMBER
May 14, 2017, 09:36 AM
Chance
Depending on your provider and internet service strength you might consider a microcell for the building.

I know both Verizon and AT&T have them - sometimes they will give you a discount.

We need one for our ranch and it works really well. Essentially you have a tiny cell phone tower in your building that connects over the internet.

https://www.att.com/att/microcell/
May 14, 2017, 09:39 AM
Balzé Halzé
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

May 14, 2017, 09:42 AM
tatortodd
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.
As a word of caution, if you read up on them you'll find that they work best when you have a good signal outdoors but not in the building (e.g. building has radiant barrier). If there is no signal to boost then products Chance recommended are better (assuming you have internet in the building).



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
May 14, 2017, 09:45 AM
DSgrouse
I have a weboost system with the antenna. It takes the cell signal and boosts it to my mofi unit which converts it to wifi.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...DK6AJWTFYDDFEZYXHBPF

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...32S2WYQ5AEEH6AD98AZE

Mofi unit my unit has the paddle ears.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...n76JFNaOL&ref=plSrch

Both of my units are upstairs, and boost wifi across the house. This is cellular based, find a local company that buys xellular data from providers in bulk. Mine sells 200 gigs for 200 a month. 1 dollar a gig, versus a cellular plan at 6 to 8 dollars per gig.

I was prior to this system getting 2 megs down and .35 megs up.

I average 25 down and 5 up now.
May 14, 2017, 09:53 AM
Balzé Halzé
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.
As a word of caution, if you read up on them you'll find that they work best when you have a good signal outdoors but not in the building (e.g. building has radiant barrier). If there is no signal to boost then products Chance recommended are better (assuming you have internet in the building).


That's not my experience. You certainly need to have some signal, but too strong a signal and the booster unit will shut down. It's not a repeater. It takes a weak outside signal and boosts it at the amplifier. It can't work when the outside signal is strong or too close to a cell tower.

On the ship, when offshore or in the middle of the bay where the cell signal is weak, I actually have better reception and 4G internet in my office down in the hull of the ship than the mates do up on the bridge.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

May 14, 2017, 10:02 AM
DSgrouse
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.
As a word of caution, if you read up on them you'll find that they work best when you have a good signal outdoors but not in the building (e.g. building has radiant barrier). If there is no signal to boost then products Chance recommended are better (assuming you have internet in the building).


That's not my experience. You certainly need to have some signal, but too strong a signal and the booster unit will shut down. It's not a repeater. It takes a weak outside signal and boosts it at the amplifier. It can't work when the outside signal is strong or too close to a cell tower.

On the ship, when offshore or in the middle of the bay where the cell signal is weak, I actually have better reception and 4G internet in my office down in the hull of the ship than the mates do up on the bridge.

If the signal is to strong, hit the tower 3 to 7 degrees on the oblique. That will give strong enough signal to boost but not strong enough to cause it to shut down.
May 14, 2017, 10:10 AM
jimmy123x
I do also use cell phone boosters on boats. They tend to extend the signal about another 5 miles from what I've seen. However they seem to work well if only one cell phone is in use at a time. With a few cell phones in use from multiple carriers they tend to now work well, such as verizon and at+t....
May 14, 2017, 10:16 AM
Balzé Halzé
quote:
Originally posted by DSgrouse:

If the signal is to strong, hit the tower 3 to 7 degrees on the oblique. That will give strong enough signal to boost but not strong enough to cause it to shut down.


We use an Omni directional antenna on the ship (for obvious reasons), but that is a good suggestion for static based, directional units. Good tip.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

May 14, 2017, 10:21 AM
DSgrouse
Mine is directional, how my house sits, i needed to point it pretty close to the tower.
May 14, 2017, 10:24 AM
tatortodd
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Check for WILSON cell products.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.
As a word of caution, if you read up on them you'll find that they work best when you have a good signal outdoors but not in the building (e.g. building has radiant barrier). If there is no signal to boost then products Chance recommended are better (assuming you have internet in the building).


That's not my experience. You certainly need to have some signal, but too strong a signal and the booster unit will shut down. It's not a repeater. It takes a weak outside signal and boosts it at the amplifier. It can't work when the outside signal is strong or too close to a cell tower.

On the ship, when offshore or in the middle of the bay where the cell signal is weak, I actually have better reception and 4G internet in my office down in the hull of the ship than the mates do up on the bridge.
Check out Wilson Amplifier's website:
  • the square footage of their indoor boost depends on the strength of outdoor signal.
  • Full outdoor strength signal is -50dB, and you have to at least -105dB for a booster to work. In 2014, FCC put in regs maxing amplified gain at 50dB so they wouldn't interfere with cell towers.



  • Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

    DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
    May 14, 2017, 10:29 AM
    jimmy123x
    quote:
    Originally posted by tatortodd:
    quote:
    Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
    quote:
    Originally posted by tatortodd:
    quote:
    Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
    quote:
    Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
    Check for WILSON cell products.

    https://www.wilsonamplifiers.c...LiNkygWGcaAlGj8P8HAQ


    I was going to suggest this product as well. We use this one the ship as a matter of fact, and it works very well.
    As a word of caution, if you read up on them you'll find that they work best when you have a good signal outdoors but not in the building (e.g. building has radiant barrier). If there is no signal to boost then products Chance recommended are better (assuming you have internet in the building).


    That's not my experience. You certainly need to have some signal, but too strong a signal and the booster unit will shut down. It's not a repeater. It takes a weak outside signal and boosts it at the amplifier. It can't work when the outside signal is strong or too close to a cell tower.

    On the ship, when offshore or in the middle of the bay where the cell signal is weak, I actually have better reception and 4G internet in my office down in the hull of the ship than the mates do up on the bridge.
    Check out Wilson Amplifier's website:
  • the square footage of their indoor boost depends on the strength of outdoor signal.
  • Full outdoor strength signal is -50dB, and you have to at least -105dB for a booster to work. In 2014, FCC put in regs maxing amplified gain at 50dB so they wouldn't interfere with cell towers.


  • They'd have the FCC down at the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Boat Shows with meters looking for yachts with cell phone hoosters and fine them $10k because they would cause the towers to occilate or something and knock them offline.....I don't turn them on unless we're a few miles offshore.
    May 14, 2017, 10:56 AM
    radioman
    quote:
    Originally posted by jimmy123x:


    They'd have the FCC down at the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Boat Shows with meters looking for yachts with cell phone hoosters and fine them $10k because they would cause the towers to occilate or something and knock them offline.....I don't turn them on unless we're a few miles offshore.


    If you buy one of the FCC Part 90 acceptable ones and follow the instructions you are GTG. Expect fines only if you bring in one from Asia or buy some knock off on ebay.

    If you install it correctly, worst case is you may be told to shut it down by a Phone Carrier or FCC. But no fines.

    That said, a few years ago, the rules for boosters changed, and the rules were somewhat relaxed for the boosters, in particular for non-fixed locations, so maybe this was before the rule changes.


    .
    May 14, 2017, 09:45 PM
    jimmy123x
    quote:
    Originally posted by radioman:
    quote:
    Originally posted by jimmy123x:


    They'd have the FCC down at the Fort Lauderdale and Miami Boat Shows with meters looking for yachts with cell phone hoosters and fine them $10k because they would cause the towers to occilate or something and knock them offline.....I don't turn them on unless we're a few miles offshore.


    If you buy one of the FCC Part 90 acceptable ones and follow the instructions you are GTG. Expect fines only if you bring in one from Asia or buy some knock off on ebay.

    If you install it correctly, worst case is you may be told to shut it down by a Phone Carrier or FCC. But no fines.

    That said, a few years ago, the rules for boosters changed, and the rules were somewhat relaxed for the boosters, in particular for non-fixed locations, so maybe this was before the rule changes.


    Before the rules changed, and they were putting them on yachts long before anyone on land was......of course these same units are still installed in those same yachts. Same with FLIR, we've had heavy duty ones you can zoom in with, adjust the direction (remotely) that show on a bridge screen for probably at least 7 years now.
    May 14, 2017, 10:15 PM
    hvyhawler
    We use a Wilson DT4G at out camp. Works on both Verizon and AT&T phones for us. Before the booster, we could barely get out a text, a phone call was made with one leg out of the outhouse and a hand on the door frame....Now from inside the camp we can, text, call, surf, stream videos. It's only good for the interior of the camp. We basically got it so you could get out a call in case of an emergency, but being able to access You Tube has helped troubleshoot the water pump, fix the four wheeler, ect...Paid somewhere in the mid three hundreds for it from Walmart.com.
    May 15, 2017, 03:17 AM
    LS1 GTO
    Can't you just slap one of those copper antenna do-hickies onto the back of the phone's case and call it GIG? Big Grin






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