cell phone signal enhancer (booster)

[Grandpa Shooter]

We have very poor cell phone signal where we are.  My mom is not doing well back East and I have missed a couple of important calls recently.  I need to buy a 12 volt unit so that it will work off of the "house" battery in the travel trailer or motor home, or in one of the vehicles.  I know only what I have read on the internet and understand little of it.

Do any of you have one, use one and know enough to translate the techy stuff to simple English.  I could use some help.  The usual suspect of suppliers are not available up here in the Badlands so it would be something I have to order.

Help?

[Brad Johnson]

Bad signal everywhere or bad signal in the trailer? 

You could rig up a passive radiator* if you have a tall spot nearby or some kind of pole thingy where you could mount an antenna.  Couldn't hurt and might help some.

Brad

*Passive Radiator is a fancy way of saying "two antennas connected by a length of cable, one mounted up high and the other mounted near where you use the phone".  The higher the gain on the antennas, the better.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Bad signal everywhere or bad signal in the trailer?

Brad

Our remote property is in a valley surrounded by volcanic mesa on the East and South, and rocky bluffs on the West and North.  There are spots on the property where cell phones work ok, but in the area of the travel trailer, usually we only get that "dreaded text messaging" and sometimes they don't come through for a day, sometimes two.  I guess we could leave a phone where there is signal, but I probably wouldn't remember to check it.  If it weren't for my Mom being sick I likely wouldn't care, but my sister needs to talk sometimes and knows I will listen.

[AJ Dual]

Leaving the phone in a "sweet spot" and using a blutetooth is the cheap way some people do it.

And sometimes leaving it on something as simple as a baking pan can act as a passive antenna and couple to the phone's main antenna.

Otherwise actual active repeaters/boosters? They do indeed exist, and most all would run from a AC/DC wall-wart transformer, so converting it to 12VDC shouldn't be too hard.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/9823/

Not saying this is the best, just the first example that comes to mind, since I remembered ThinkGeek carries one.

[sanglant]

take a look here i saw a nice mount/phone holder the other week had a little square where the phones antenna was and worked(they claimed) without plugging in. kinda like this

[mtnbkr]

There are active boosters that put a yagi antenna on top of your building pointed towards the nearest tower and connect to a unidirectional antenna inside your home with an amplifier in the middle.  They aren't cheap though.  I think the smallest system I've seen (for home use) is about $500, but that was a few years ago.

I would try a passive radiator first.  If you know the direction of your nearest tower, build a yagi for the frequency your carrier uses, connect low loss coax to it (visit a ham radio shop, ask for UHF or microwave appropriate coax), connect the other end to a unidirectional antenna inside your home.  If your signal is very weak, it might not help much, but it might make all the difference.

For cable, LMR-400 is your best bet.  It's not terribly expensive and isn't hardline or anything like that.  I think I have a few feet of it left.  Tell me how much you need and I'll see if I have enough.

Chris

[CNYCacher]

There are active boosters that put a yagi antenna on top of your building pointed towards the nearest tower and connect to a unidirectional antenna inside your home with an amplifier in the middle.  They aren't cheap though.  I think the smallest system I've seen (for home use) is about $500, but that was a few years ago.

If you are on Sprint, and you complain enough, and the problem spot is your home, they will give you one of these.

[mtnbkr]

If you are on Sprint, and you complain enough, and the problem spot is your home, they will give you one of these.

I wasn't aware of that.  Good info to have, thanks!

I'd try it with other providers as well.  It won't hurt.  At a minimum, your complaint might go into the records and be part of a justification for a new tower in your region.

Chris

[roo_ster]

GS:

Here is a 30' antenna mast for permanent installation.  Think concrete and guy wires:
http://www.3starinc.com/rohn_h30_telescopic_antenna_mast.html

Here is a portable mast setup:
http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=12845

I think I'd likely use a tall permanent setup for your property and start with the passive radiator for "around the campsite" use.

A really cool deal would be one of these installed on your camper with two passive radiators: one going inside the camper and one for the immediate area around the camper.
http://www.wonderpole.com/wp640_630.html (the second 85"/30' deal)

[drewtam]

There are new options being developed...

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/samsung-ubicell-provides-cell-coverage-for-unabomber+types-247538.php

[Marnoot]

T-Mobile has Hotspot @Home, which is basically the same idea as the Samsung device drewtam linked. You do have to have a certain kind of cell phone in order to use it, but basically you pay ~$10/month extra and your cell phone makes use of any internet-connected wireless network to transmit calls and text messages. Used it for awhile to save on minutes and had good luck with it.

[never_retreat]

Try this
http://www.repeaterstore.com/

[Grandpa Shooter]

There are new options being developed...

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/cellphones/samsung-ubicell-provides-cell-coverage-for-unabomber+types-247538.php

I have to admit I was shocked at the title of the link you provided.  I am not quite certain how to take it.

[drewtam]

I was wondering if anyone would catch that little jab.  Didn't you know that living off the grid with lots of guns makes you a "unabomber"? It doesn't matter who you are or what you believe; that case is already settled.