Cell Phone Boosters
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
John,
If you are looking to boost cell service onboard, I can't help. But if you are needing to boost the service at you home, here is a solution that I implemented.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I found a solution for poor cellphone service. Its a cellphone signal booster that amplifies the mobile signal to and from the nearest cell tower.
We live about 2 miles from the cell tower that provides our signal. This means that we have one bar (on a good day) and we experience dropped calls, missed calls, and failure to originate calls. Our signal level inside the house was about -122 dBm.
So I installed a booster device that uses an outside antenna at the peak of our garage and an inside amplifier and antenna. The outside antenna needed to be aimed correctly and the inside antenna had placement restrictions in relation to the outside antenna.
Bottom line: our mobile signal increased by about 20 dBm and we now have 2-3 bars inside our house. Now out inside signal level is about -100 dBm. So far, no dropped calls or any other bad cellphone behavior.
I bought the amplifier system and the roof mount on Amazon. Less than $150.
If you are looking to boost cell service onboard, I can't help. But if you are needing to boost the service at you home, here is a solution that I implemented.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I found a solution for poor cellphone service. Its a cellphone signal booster that amplifies the mobile signal to and from the nearest cell tower.
We live about 2 miles from the cell tower that provides our signal. This means that we have one bar (on a good day) and we experience dropped calls, missed calls, and failure to originate calls. Our signal level inside the house was about -122 dBm.
So I installed a booster device that uses an outside antenna at the peak of our garage and an inside amplifier and antenna. The outside antenna needed to be aimed correctly and the inside antenna had placement restrictions in relation to the outside antenna.
Bottom line: our mobile signal increased by about 20 dBm and we now have 2-3 bars inside our house. Now out inside signal level is about -100 dBm. So far, no dropped calls or any other bad cellphone behavior.
I bought the amplifier system and the roof mount on Amazon. Less than $150.
Attachments
I have had several for decades. There used to be a dead zone off the coast and in Mexico. They became obsolete as speed and transmission frequencies changes. I have an amazon - purchased one now with a small antenna for reception/transmission from cell towers and a another for local transmission to phones aboard.
I thought cell signal boosters would have gone the way of the dodo bird with the advent of wifi calling.
Make calls using Wi-Fi on iPhone
Sorry @jviss. No experience with boosters on a boat but given the lack of cell service in our cruising grounds I will follow other member’s posts with interest.
Wi-FI calling works great….if you have an internet connection of some kind. But if your cellular device provides your internet, it doesn’t do any good.
My house in Florida has terrible cellular signal. So the only way we can make calls is using wifi calling through our Xfinity cable internet connection.
Greg
Get Starlink, the price for a Gen 3 dish is really low, $299. Then use wifi calling, get all the data you want and can share. Use the roam plan and turn it off during the off season. We using it now. no bars, no problems.
I used the offshore plan that allowed use world wide. With the roam plan, how far off shore can you go? I understood starlink didn't like you getting too far away from land. How have you been using it? Mostly when close to shore? $150 is a lot less expensive than the world coverage plan... It may be perfect for me going forward. But I will still be heading a distance off shore for certain legs.
dj
The offshore limit is not well defined. I was about 3 miles offshore earlier today and it worked. Going to the Bahamas or Bermuda would certainly be offshore. Starlink offers an option for Roam subscribers, $2 a gig of global service. For short jaunts, like Bermuda or Bahamas that is certainly reasonable if you mind your data usage.
Starlink has recently set a 2 month out of country limit on the Roam plan. I hear they have been enforcing it. I hear it is necessary to change the registration address to the new country after 2 months.
Yes, that's why I went with the higher prices plan for global coverage.
The 2$ per gig of global service sounds like an excellent way to go if one isn't gone for many months.
dj
FWIW and depending on your requirements, the new Starlink Mini can be directly powered by 12V, is much smaller and uses approx 1/2 the power the standard version uses. I assume this comes with a hit on speed. Also the plan is $50 for 50Gb. Perfect for coastal sailing in the PNW.
Starlink Mini
Starlink Mini
Thanks, but I don't really need Starlink. I just need to boost the cell signal, mostly for data, in one or two places I visit. A booster would be a fixed cost, no subscription, and would work for everyone on board, regardless of carrier.
In the places where I have trouble, I turn on the WiFi hotspot on my phone and connect my Bluetooth headset. Then I put the phone in a waterproof case and hoist it up a flag halyard. That works! So, I assume a booster will work, too.
It's only Cuttyhunk, Tarpaulin Cove, those kind of sparsely populated or virtually unpopulated spots along the South Coast of MA.
I'm looking into Wilson Amplifiers now, the weBoost Drive Reach Marine for $659.
weBoost logo Cell Phone Signal Boosters For Boats
I don't need it at my home marina, where I can see the T-Mobile tower (disguised as a flagpole) from my boat!
In the places where I have trouble, I turn on the WiFi hotspot on my phone and connect my Bluetooth headset. Then I put the phone in a waterproof case and hoist it up a flag halyard. That works! So, I assume a booster will work, too.
It's only Cuttyhunk, Tarpaulin Cove, those kind of sparsely populated or virtually unpopulated spots along the South Coast of MA.
I'm looking into Wilson Amplifiers now, the weBoost Drive Reach Marine for $659.
weBoost logo Cell Phone Signal Boosters For Boats
I don't need it at my home marina, where I can see the T-Mobile tower (disguised as a flagpole) from my boat!
I use a Weboost cell booster. In areas with sketchy coverage (1 bar coming in/out), lots of them here in British Columbia, the booster works great.
But it can't "boost" a really weak signal it can't see.
But it can't "boost" a really weak signal it can't see.
I asked this same question about six months ago. I did a fair amount of research and narrowed my results down to this setup (see link).
I have not bought one yet though so cant vouch for its abilities, but maybe it can save you some time in your research. I did not realize they were so expensive so this project got put on hold temporarily, but i still do plan to get one of these boosters at some point in the next year.
www.wilsonamplifiers.com
I have not bought one yet though so cant vouch for its abilities, but maybe it can save you some time in your research. I did not realize they were so expensive so this project got put on hold temporarily, but i still do plan to get one of these boosters at some point in the next year.
Cell Phone Signal Boosters For Boats | Wilson Amplifiers
Shop cell phone signal boosters for boats and marine vehicles. Better cell service instantly. Free shipping and no-risk money back guarantee
www.wilsonamplifiers.com
Yes, thanks, that's the one I mentioned!I asked this same question about six months ago. I did a fair amount of research and narrowed my results down to this setup (see link).
I have not bought one yet though so cant vouch for its abilities, but maybe it can save you some time in your research. I did not realize they were so expensive so this project got put on hold temporarily, but i still do plan to get one of these boosters at some point in the next year.
Cell Phone Signal Boosters For Boats | Wilson Amplifiers
Shop cell phone signal boosters for boats and marine vehicles. Better cell service instantly. Free shipping and no-risk money back guarantee
FOR YEARS... we complained to our carrier about our lack of signal.. Finally was heard.. Tech driving around the neighborhood ( very slowly) had an array of laptops across the cab. Struck up a conversation with him.. He said that our signal sucked.."No, you don't say".. It had to do with the those pesky towers. Misalignment.. He touched his left and right index and third fingers together. The gap in between was our neighborhood. Moving his fingers so that his right third finger slid in between his left index and third finger, he said that this is the way it should be. Now the FCC needed to get involved to approve the antenna move.
Told him I got better reception out on the water. His response was that lack of blockers like buildings certainly helps. But he said, cell carriers don't as a rule have antenna aimed out over open water. They are geographically centered to get the biggest bang from the smallest outlay.. asked about signal boosters..Nope, he said waste of money. FCC regulates signal strength on towers. If you can't receive us, you can boost your signal until the cows come home and not see anything for your effort.. He pushed his fingers back in together and said great signal... pulled them apart to where there was space between all finger tips, and said,.." NO SIGNAL"
Told him I got better reception out on the water. His response was that lack of blockers like buildings certainly helps. But he said, cell carriers don't as a rule have antenna aimed out over open water. They are geographically centered to get the biggest bang from the smallest outlay.. asked about signal boosters..Nope, he said waste of money. FCC regulates signal strength on towers. If you can't receive us, you can boost your signal until the cows come home and not see anything for your effort.. He pushed his fingers back in together and said great signal... pulled them apart to where there was space between all finger tips, and said,.." NO SIGNAL"
Well, there must be something to these things, as these companies have been selling them for a long time, and they have not gone out of business.
Plus, I know that while a signal can be low enough that the signal to noise is too low to be useable, one can amplify the signal to make it useable. I confess i don't know how it works on the way back from the phone to the tower.
The principle advantage I see to these, for me, is the remote antenna, high up, with a clearer view of the tower than my phone in the cabin. I know this can work, as I said in a prior post, since if I hoist my phone up the mast it works.
So maybe it's just the remote antenna feature that solves the problem. But, there you are!
Oh ha! sorry i guess i as reading too fast.Yes, thanks, that's the one I mentioned!