Cellular Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

Re: Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

I sell Amplifiers and my customers seem happy enough.

 

Re: Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

I have always had the simple magnet mount external antennas for my cell phones. I've never paid more than $40 for one. I've used them with my old StarTac, V60t, and my V551. They are great for extending the range of the phone about another 5 miles or so, which in most cases fills in any gaps in service I encounter. I will also occasionally use an external antenna on my phones when using them in my basement.

-Jay

 

Re: Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

Okay, Jay:
Where can I get one of these 'EXTERNAL ANTENNAS'?....At what price today?
As I am also in basement with brick and glassblock exterior.

 

Re: Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

Wilson has some good products. Go to google and search for cell phone antennas. You can pick up a fairly good one that will mount at your home or in the car for $30-$45. Some of the larger home antennas are about $80-$100. These can be combined with a repeater so the antenna does not need to be connected directly to the phone. They can also be used with an amplifier which will solve just about any problem of weak coverage at your house. Make sure you are getting an antenna that works with your carrier's technology. If you have Verizon or Sprint you want a dual band CDMA compatible antenna. VZW uses 800MHz and 1900MHZ and Sprint uses 1900MHz but roaming is on both 1900MHz and 800MHz. If you have a GSM carrier you should make sure it 850 and 1900 because that is what GSM carriers use in the US. There are several good websites that have these antennas and adapters to hook them up to a phone directly and with 15 minutes of searching you will probably find something that you are happy with. Hope this helps.

 

Re: Amplifiers/Booster Kits - Got one?

GREAT!!!! Thanks a bunch, Bill! Really appreciate the info. Earthlink is Vrzn/Sprnt, I'm sure. Low cost plans like mine are Sprint with Vrzn as roaming partner. So I will look for the dual band CDMA type you spoke of.

Again, thank you ever so much!

Wishing You & Yours Many Blessings!

 

Alltel sells a good booster unit that includes an external antenna, and the booster itself, it basically boosts the reception pulling ability of the phone three times its initial power. An external antenna alone, will rarely, rarely do any good whatsoever than if you didn't have anything. Combine this with a power source however, and it actually works. 1 bar to 4. some areas with no bars to 2 or 3. But like i tell customers, where there is absolutely no signal, theres no signal! lol. But a powered booster is your best bet.

 

Also the booster units that work usually cost about $210 with the cable and everytghing you need.

 

bdiddle had some good comments. The solution to your reception problems really depends on how bad the signal is at your location. If you have usable signal outdoors you can probably just put an antenna outdoors and then have the cable run inside and hook up to your phone. If the signal is poor outdoors you may need an amplifier as bdiddle said. This will bring the cost up significantly. I would start off with a nice antenna mounted outdoors in the best location you can find. Some antennas need to be aimed so be aware of that. If this doesn't produce the results you desired for you should look into an amplifier.

 

before getting an amplifer check the signal stregth if you aren't at a -82 or better then all you will be doing is amplifing a bad signal, amps will not make the signal better, they only amplify what is there.

 

This is only true of some of the wireless amplifiers on the market such as Zboost and Wi- ex. A direct connect amplifier such as the Cyfre ones sold by Alltel will boost you no matter what the incoming signal strength is

 

Thank you for the info on checking my signal strength.

 

Thanks. Any further recommendations on antennas?

 

Thanks a lot. Appreciate the info!

 

The best results are usually from a yagi antenna. These must be aimed properly however. Yagi antennas have a high gain but they can be totally ineffective when not aimed correctly. A nice omni directional antenna will probably be your best bet. They can get signal from all sides, and if your signal is bouncing around before it gets to you, this is probably the best choice.

Don't be afraid to spend $50 or $60 on a nice antenna. It is better than trying to get away with the cheap one for $30 and then that doesn't work well and you need to buy the nice one for $65 anyway. The Wilson Trucker antennas are pretty good so I would suggest you look at those. Try to find out how the signal is on your roof because you would mount it to a pole above your roof and probably pull in a good signal. Even with low loss cable you are going to need an amplifier if you try doing a long cable run so keep that in mind. If you are not going use a repeater you will need to buy an adapter to connect the antenna to your phone. These are about $15 usually.

 

Does anyone know how to check the signal strength on a Pocket PC?

 

Sure what device are you trying to check the signal with?

 

Mine is an RV application for Verizon Cell Phone, AT&T Cell Phone, and for Verizon Air Card; during our travels we are often in fringe reception areas. I compared a Wi-Ex 500 CEL (about $200) with a Wilson trucker antenna and amplifier at a single location in rural southeastern Maine; with my application I got 3 bars with Wilson, 4 bars with Wi-Ex. With the Wi-Ex 500 CEL we were able to get internet connection in about 95% of our locations. Very good. I then ordered the high gain booster antenna upgrade YX022-CEL (about $100) which increased internet download speed from 280 kbps to 1200 to 1800 kbps range -- 4 to 6 times as fast. Internet reliability is also very much improved with the YX022-CEL. I am very pleased with these Wi-Ex products.

 

I purchased one here in Charlotte from Solarlantis. The owner of that company lives in my neighborhood and he fixed me up with a $250 portable solution. I have been using it when I travel (hotel and office) as well as in my car. In the last three weeks I have been in Boston, MA., the Great Lakes, Rural Ohio and West Va., Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina and it has worked fantastically. I did my own "testing" as I drove through all those states by turning the amplifier off, checking my bars, and then turning it back on (and using it). Everytime it worked GREAT!

I am sure they would love to help anyone. Their 800 number is 888-822-7413. Tell them Dave from Told4Ever sent you.

Dave