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Cell Phone signal Booster Kit - Weboost
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:11 am    Post subject: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit - Weboost Reply with quote

I am able to work from the road these days and some places I like to go have spotty cell signals. I know that Syncro Jael has a cell booster and so I am looking at one for my busses.

They can be pricey but if it allows me to work from where I want to be the price is just fine.

Here is some options I am considering.

https://www.amazon.com/SureCall-SC-FUSION2GOMAX-Fu...op?ie=UTF8

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/weboost-drive-x-rv-cell-phone-signal-booster-kit-471410/

Anyone have any experiences that they can share?
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:47 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

There are a bunch of #vanlife youtubers posting reviews of this stuff. A bit of a rabbit hole. Sometimes it’s hard to know how honest the reviews are, or if it’s just a way to get free stuff. Anyway, the tech is constantly evolving, and with more folks working as digital nomads at least for the time being, I imagine improvements and price drops are coming. Curious to see what people have tried. The ones I’ve seen might be a bit awkward on a Vanagon.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Dave this is the one i have. Very pleased with it.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/weboost-drive-reach-cell-phone-booster-kit-470154/

It is designed to work while in motion while the one you referenced is designed for stationary use.
The supplied antenna is a magnetic design that would require a metal plate to be installed on your fiberglass top. BTW the units do not come with the mounting base so order one at the same time.

Dan :vw
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:19 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Read the Amazon reviews. There are people who absolutely do not know what a screwdriver is, but there is also good intelligent feedback.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:47 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Step 1: make sure your cell phone provider supports cell boosters. Most do, but a few do not. Call them, or check their website. Some cell providers offer a link to register your booster. Case in point: Ting is a reseller of T-Mobile and Verizon service. Ting says they do not support boosters.

I trust two brands: Wilson and Cel-Fi. I have several Wilson antennas that work very well.

I bought one branded "Anycall" from Amazon and I don't think it actually does anything meaningful.

I have a long background in amateur radio, antenna building, UHF communications, direction finding, and radio signal quality, but the world of cell boosters is still quite opaque to the end-user.

My problems with the products on the market stem from the inconsistent array of different antenna connectors used, disregard for signal polarity, and poor antenna design.

Lastly, know your use cases. Are you trying to boost while in motion, or only while stationary? If you are only planning to boost signal while stationary, find a kit that will easily accommodate a directional antenna.

Over the summer I used a directional beam antenna with mine. Still not sure it did any good at all.

With RF equipment, I am used to being able to see and measure results with equipment. The boosters I've measured with field strength meters are definitely transmitting in the correct RF spectrum, but I'm starting to think the market is a bit polluted by sellers who are taking advantage of the opacity and selling useless junk. It would be easy to do so. Buyer beware.

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dobryan
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:01 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments.

I am going to use this while stationary as the main use.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:43 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

I dont know much about cell phone "boosters" but I do know there is a control channel radio in you cell phone, that communicates with the network all the time outside of routine voice. This control channel is communicating with the strongest tower and monitoring up to 16 other towers so, as the signal strength starts becoming weaker with the connected tower, it picks the next tower seamlessly as you move.

Obviously, stationary phones are much easier.

The network needs to know where you are and if you moving to make and take calls. It uses that radio.

Cell towers dont have one antenna, but many and they are segmented/directional.

If you "boost" the control channel radio so the network sees your phone better, you must also boost the other network radio channels in you phone too.

I'm not sure how that would work in a practical way.



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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:55 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

I have a system from Surecall and LOVE it. It allows me to truly work remotely and so long as a signal is present- it'll boost it.
I have the low profile Non Magnetic Omnidirectional exterior antenna (Made by Wilson) and it's got a 2.5-2.5 dBi Gain, the best around. The folks at Surecall told me this modern antenna is like a fast desktop computer compared to a basic laptop computer, and some of the competitors use older technology/less gain antennas.
This is the same short little bullet antenna you see on police cruisers and military stuff- it works like a champ and it's super low profile!

Here's the setup I use.
https://www.surecall.com/signal-booster/vehicle/FUSION2GO3-FLEET/
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:59 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

I'm not sold on the booster technology. That outside antenna "pulling in weak signals" is odd.

A more powerful broadcast control channel radio and amplified voice channel receiver radio or simply a larger add-on cell phone antenna rather than the imbedded antenna might be helpful, indeed.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Look at how a "Stingray" works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray_phone_tracker
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:15 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

AtlasShrugged wrote:
I'm not sold on the booster technology. That outside antenna "pulling in weak signals" is odd.

A more powerful broadcast control channel radio and amplified voice channel receiver radio or simply a larger add-on cell phone antenna rather than the imbedded antenna might be helpful, indeed.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Look at how a "Stingray" works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray_phone_tracker


The technology works. I have seen it in person. Ron Chandler has a system that he demo'd for me last year at Canyonlands.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:45 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

I think the key ingredient is a better antenna rather than a "booster"

Those imbedded antenna can be improved on. Remember the old cell phones with a pull-out whip antenna?

Don't try this at home Shocked


Link

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:46 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

@AtlasShrugged they work GREAT.
You don't need to be sold on them, but the industry exists for a reason. Theres a reason you see one on the top of every police cruiser and it's the single most critical tool to most of the YouTube/blogging vagabonds living their van life or RV life.
I host my podcast from the middle of nowhere and can upload YouTube videos from deep in the woods. It's truly spectacular.
When I'm on the windy roads of New Hampshire or Upstate NY- my cell phone works.

Fantastic piece of kit, every vanagon should have!
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:02 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Phishman068 wrote:
@AtlasShrugged they work GREAT.
You don't need to be sold on them, but the industry exists for a reason. Theres a reason you see one on the top of every police cruiser and it's the single most critical tool to most of the YouTube/blogging vagabonds living their van life or RV life.
I host my podcast from the middle of nowhere and can upload YouTube videos from deep in the woods. It's truly spectacular.
When I'm on the windy roads of New Hampshire or Upstate NY- my cell phone works.

Fantastic piece of kit, every vanagon should have!


Got a pic of where you mount the external antennae?

Thanks! This is great feedback!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:13 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Quote:

Fantastic piece of kit, every vanagon should have!


Or maybe the opposite? Wink
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:52 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:

Got a pic of where you mount the external antennae?


I've got some pictures of my Wilson 314203 omnidirectional cell booster antenna. This is a 50 ohm NMO base antenna (a common, durable antenna mount) for omnidirectional use. Wilson no longer makes this antenna, but you can find other NMO base antennas out there.

The stainless steel angle it's mounted on is a Larsen NMONMITMB mount/cable combination.

I mounted the antenna on the driver's side engine vent sheet metal for several reasons. One can get behind the sheet metal easily here and use nylon insert lock nuts and machine screws to mount the plate. The vent also provides good access to existing holes in the body sheet metal to pass the feedline. Mounting on the sheet metal itself provides an excellent ground plane. Lastly, the incidence of tree damage is reduced on the driver side, relative to the passenger side. The antenna tip on this Wilson has already been ripped off by trees--I did a lot of offroading this winter.

In these pictures, the taller, aft antenna is an amateur radio VHF/UHF antenna. What you're interested in is the shorter antenna mounted more forward.

I hope this helps.

kourt

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Last edited by kourt on Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:53 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:53 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

AtlasShrugged wrote:
I think the key ingredient is a better antenna rather than a "booster"
Those imbedded antenna can be improved on. Remember the old cell phones with a pull-out whip antenna?

Don't try this at home Shocked
]


I think that is basically correct - the term booster appears to be a bit of a misnomer. From my limited research the antenna captures a cell signal, then it it is rebroadcast within a structure; that captured signal is amplified, but not the original signal.

"How Do Cell Signal Boosters Work Outside?
Not great. In fact, usually they don’t work at all outside. They are designed to boost a cell signal in a designated area.'



pretty good info here - note they sell, or manufacture, these devices. excerpt below:
https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/blog/how-does-a-signal-booster-work/
"How does a Signal Booster Work?
A cell phone signal booster (also known as a signal extender, signal amplifier, or cell phone repeater) works by pulling in weak outside signal, boosting it, and rebroadcasting the boosted signal into the desired areas. They also work in reverse: the signal booster will receive the signal from your phone and send it back to the tower.

There are different boosters available that target different needs:

In-Building Signal Boosters - They are designed for homes, office buildings, commercial buildings, and any building that needs signal.
Vehicle Signal Boosters - They are designed for cars, trucks, RVs, SUVs, boats, and fleet vehicles.
Keep in mind that for a cell phone signal booster to work, there must be an existing signal outside your home, office, or vehicle. A cell phone signal booster enhances existing signal, it does not create it.

Most signal booster kits are composed of three main elements:

An External Antenna – Used to capture the weak cell phone signal.
An Amplifier – Used to boost the weak signal.
An Indoor Antenna – Used to rebroadcast the enhances signal inside your home, office, or car."


On the antenna part, a friend's cabin had poor cell service, in fact, going outside and standing on the tree stump near the road would sometimes provide a signal. However, one person's cheap phone got reception inside the cabin - probably because it simply had a bigger antenna within it.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:52 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

Here is the unit that Syncro Jael is currently using.

https://www.weboost.com/products/drive-reach-otr
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:07 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

That's a good one; if I were buying new now, I would buy that model.

kourt
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:52 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

kourt wrote:


The stainless steel angle it's mounted on is a Larsen NMONMITMB mount/cable combination.

Mounting on the sheet metal itself provides an excellent ground plane. ]


Kourt, regarding the ground plan I was under the thinking that the ground plan needs to be horizontal so say for example putting the antenna in the middle of a metal roof gives a 360° radiating/receiving pattern.
Yours being mounted on the vertical side is it biased toward the right side of the antenna or does the vertical side work well enough to give the 360° pattern in conjunction with the roof?
Thanks for the info.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:57 am    Post subject: Re: Cell Phone signal Booster Kit Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
Here is the unit that Syncro Jael is currently using.

https://www.weboost.com/products/drive-reach-otr


it's on Amazon for free Prime delivery.
https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-477154-Signal-Boost...amp;sr=8-5
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