Cell Phone Booster?

[simonsrf]

We have had problems getting out with our Verizon Motorola phones while in remote locations. Recently, we saw a phone booster antenna that had been purchased from Radio Shack for ~$50.

Radio Shack personnel know nothing about this gadget....get that DUH look.

Anyone know of a semi-inexpensive product that will boost our CDMA signals?

Permanently mounting it on the trailer would work just fine for us.

Thanks.

[tom41]

Robbie I bought mine from verizon store in murphy NC. also seen them in another verizon store in morristown tn. cost for the antenna and cell phone connection was about $40.00. It works really well, it has a magnetic bottom, so i got a 5 ft pvc pipe 1/2" and screwed a 5/8" bolt in one end. clamp the pvc to the living room slide rand the cable thru the end window, cable is about 12 ft long plus 2 ft phone adapter. as long as you have a little signal, like 1 bar and long as it says verizon on the cell, most of the time it will boost it from 1 bar to 5

[blarkman]

I purchased a wilson antenna and installed it on the truck so Carol could talk on phone while I was driving. It sure does pull in the signal You can order online or pick up at truckstops which is were I got mine about $60 and easy to install so I say.
bob

[OntMont]

Try this link for all kinds of info on cell phone signal boosting etc. http://smoothtalker.com/

[simonsrf]

Tom, thanks, I'll look at them at the Verizon store.

blarkman, can this also be installed in the trailer..would like to use it both places. I have heard about Wilson, now you reaffirm that I should look at these a second time.

John, I saw your earlier post about the smoothtalker systems...and went to the site...by the time I was out of there, I was so confused and had no idea what it would cost...looks expensive, maybe worth it, but what happens when I change to a different phone? I do not mind spending the extra money for anything that is quality and lives up to their claims.

Thanks everyone for your input.

[The Oldguard]

[quote]Originally posted by simonsrf

Tom, thanks, I'll look at them at the Verizon store.

blarkman, can this also be installed in the trailer..would like to use it both places. I have heard about Wilson, now you reaffirm that I should look at these a second time.

John, I saw your earlier post about the smoothtalker systems...and went to the site...by the time I was out of there, I was so confused and had no idea what it would cost...looks expensive, maybe worth it, but what happens when I change to a different phone? I do not mind spending the extra money for anything that is quality and lives up to their claims.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Robbie, We have the wilson and using it at this time on my aircard for the computer. You can not go wrong with the "Wilson" it works great!!!

[ols1932]

We have two Wilson antennas: one on the truck and one clamped to the ladder on the rig. I run the cable into the rig through the slide opening when it is extended. I then leave the cable in when the slide is closed. The cable remains outside the rig to the ladder without any problems when traveling. It's a great signal booster. Have used it 5 years.

Orv

[OntMont]

quote:Originally posted by simonsrf


John, I saw your earlier post about the smoothtalker systems...and went to the site...by the time I was out of there, I was so confused and had no idea what it would cost...looks expensive, maybe worth it, but what happens when I change to a different phone? I do not mind spending the extra money for anything that is quality and lives up to their claims.

You are right, and that is mostly why I posted that link. Cell phones all look similar, but there are big differences in the way they work. A solution that works for one system, may not work as well for another. It is a complicated and confusing issue. I don't know anything about the company, it was just that I thought they provided a lot of good information about the different mobile phone systems on that site.

[blarkman]

Just got back n site and I think your questions have been answered by others. Good traveling and anything that makes wife happy is a plus
bob

[c5racer]

Wilson makes good products about 10 miles down the road from us.

[firetrucker]

Robbie, before investing in a booster amplifier, check with a service technician who works with the cell sites for your cell company. A friend of mine, who works for Verizon maintaining all the cell sites here near Lake Tahoe, says that the amplifier works well with analog signals, but not with digital signals. The amplifier will increase the signal strength, but there are timing issues with the digital signal that are controlled by your distance from the cell tower no matter what the signal strength. I have line of site from my home to the cell tower and can get a 3 bar signal, but cannot make a call because the distance is just outside the limit that Verizon sets for digital signals.

This seems to be much more of a problem out here in the west because cell sites are sometimes few and far between.

Bob