Cell phone reception booster?

[Sub Zero]

Hey guys.

 

Was wondering if any one had any advice or info on how I could possibly boost my cell phone reception as I tend to do alot of refrigeration work on farms and most of the time I'll only have 1 bar or nothing.

It would be hooked up to my work van so doesn't have to look pretty just needs to be functional.

 

Cheers

[Andy_Mac]

Can't help you there, we typically just accept that you're not gonna get any help over the phone on those jobs. Who are you with anyway? Old ESP?

[Sub Zero]

Haha nah Independent Refrigeration. ESP got bought out by horizon now they are cool logic and electri serve.

 

It's mote for the times when I need the odd spare part brought out that I have trouble haha.

[Andy_Mac]

Nice. ESP always had a questionable reputation. I'm with RCR Haden up in Tauranga.

[Sub Zero]

Oh yeh? Nice. I'm 3rd year apprentice hopefully qualified at the end of the year haha. And yeh they basically went bankrupt and then got taken over.

[94 Leone]

For it to work, Your Van would need to act as a rebroadcast station, and the van would have to remain within signal range of the tower.

TBH I don't think it'd be great, as you'd need to pump a fair bit of power out, and either risk running your batteries dead or leaving your van running at a high point.

Rebro's are good, but I'd suggest you would be better off informing people that are likely to contact you that you will have limited connectivity during X and Y times.
 

[Sub Zero]

Haha I'm not fussed about people trying to contact me it's more for when I want to get ahold of suppliers and the like. 

Oh well might have to ditch the idea. ?

[94 Leone]

yeah, the problem mainly lies with the frequency bands used- If we were still operating the old 025 network- I'd tell you get a motorolla Brick, and you'll never have an issue- With the higher frequencies we use now- yeah they can send more data over them- but they attenuate quicker so you don't have the same reliability and distance.

[Sub Zero]

Sweet as thanks for the info looks like ill have to keep doing the same thing haha

[gotasuby]

Gps phone's have dropped in price and maybe an option? 

[94 Leone]

27 minutes ago, gotasuby said:

Gps phone's have dropped in price and maybe an option? 

The phones themselves, but call costs are still quite up there; 
Wrights Satellite/ Inmarsat are a good provider, though I'm not 100% on pricing
for domestic and civilian use.
 

[Sub Zero]

Yeh can't justify the sat phone for what I do. Was more of a curiosity if it was possible 

[killervq30de]

What about this http://www.trademe.co.nz/mobile-phones/accessories/antenna-signal-boosters/auction-1291299409.htm

 

[94 Leone]

Not saying it won't work- But I'd be dubious of it, Auction doesn't describe it very well either.
Also, if you're in a dead zone, even an isotropic antenna wouldn't pick it up. a bigger whip can help- if it's not a complete deadzone.
but that's for non duplex communication.
Not saying it won't work, But that's a fair bit of money, It appears as if it plugs in through the headphone jack. Literally try plug in a set of headphones.
I don't see anything about power in that either.

Pretty sure that auction is just for a whip antenna and phone dock.

[killervq30de]

2 minutes ago, 94 Leone said:

Not saying it won't work- But I'd be dubious of it, Auction doesn't describe it very well either.
Also, if you're in a dead zone, even an isotropic antenna wouldn't pick it up. a bigger whip can help- if it's not a complete deadzone.
but that's for non duplex communication.
Not saying it won't work, But that's a fair bit of money, It appears as if it plugs in through the headphone jack. Literally try plug in a set of headphones.
I don't see anything about power in that either.

Pretty sure that auction is just for a whip antenna and phone dock.

Disclaimer: was a random search and I don't work for them
 

I'd say its legit.. it looks like the add says plugs into the aerial jack of you phone if you have one, if not I'd say the aerial extends to the phone hold so its pretty much sandwiching an antenna next to your phone. How well it works who knows .. By the sounds of it 'non duplex communication' you know a lot more stuff about this than me I'm just guessing by the ad.

[94 Leone]

Yeah, so His signal is pretty weak, his receive will improve slighty with a bigger antenna, no doubt- However it won't do bugger all to his transmit, without being able to turn the power up. and get it back to the station that he is receiving from.

-mainly because a Whip antenna is a shitty transmitting antenna.

[Sub Zero]

Haha got my hopes up for a second ? looks good in theory but for the price I don't want to take a gamble and it not do anything.

[Sub Zero]

So I managed to get my boss to buy one so we shall see if it works and will update you guys once I give it a go

[DRFVDR]

What could work is finding out which brand of phone is better in marginal areas, some have better aerial setups than others ( I know sony does) 

if you get that aerial setup, try and find a phone that has an external aerial jack ( The Spark ruggedised one use to not sure if it still does, the CAT phones do as well) 

 

[Joker]

who is not logged in & trying to post to threads with the report button?

 

Quote

Guest

Submitted 4 hours ago

Rick P will tell you. Schnee is cool. She might have said she didnt know what this place is, but my bet is she does. Nothing like JJ.

 

IP address does not give any clues

[Omsin]

Better off getting a walkie talkie off aliexpress and use the police channels to order in a spare part :p

 

That or buy a vodafone brick / spark brick as I found places like in between Te Kuiti / New plymouth work better with one provider than the other for example

[log1call]

I live rural and have been struggling for years with bad reception. I was going to buy a new phone and was looking at various high price samsungs, but my two sons assured me that their mates with flash samsungs and iphones didn't get service in remote places they all go camping etc together and that I should buy a samsung xcover 4s.. It's what they both had found just by chance(because they are always breaking phones and replacing them). I did and it is bloody amazing.. $400 bucks well spent. never any trouble now getting messages or internet.