Good Cell Phone external Antennas????

[Oldgrape]

My cell phone reception in general is not great (AT&T) and in the MH it is mostly non-existent. So I bought an amplifier. It came with two magnetic antennas, one for both inside and outside. I did not want the cradle type. My question is has any one used a window mount antenna with an amplifier successfully?

[2gypsies1]

10 years ago we used a Wilson Trucker's antennae. However, with new technology, new phones, and many more towers we find no need for an antennae. We do have Verizon. We don't travel near big cities and love to boondock. We always seems to get a signal.

[YC_1]

"My question is has any one used a window mount antenna with an amplifier successfully?"

Those amplifiers are very susceptible to rf feedback. Much like a podium microphone with howling speakers. The issue is transmit energy getting back into the receiver and often shutting them down. Using a glass mount antenna may be asking for problems. Even though you spent a lot of money these things can be more problems than they are worth for the average Rvers tech level,. A roof mount antenna is far preferred with a decent ground plane which helps tremendously. The fiberglass/wood roofs do not provide good isolation. I have used metal duct tape on the outside of the roof and mounted the antenna through that with good success. In a car using the magnetic outside antenna on the roof (without a sun roof) can provide excellent service.

For the average weekender and as a telecommunications tech that owns a company that specializes in vehicle installations I can personally recommend the Wilson setup. Use a blue tooth to have hands free and you don’t need to remove the phone. Heck, even my aftermarket dash radio has blue tooth and it works well muting the radio and switching the audio to the speakers.

The gain specs for the Wilson are a bit lower but from first hand experience and using some very expensive test equipment it really has the best bang for the buck. If you want to get fancy you can run directional antennas mounted to your crank up antenna mast. I have several amps you are using and they have all been retired. The Wilson is also useful to grab and put in your car if traveling about in poor coverage areas.

Back to the window antenna. It will be a******shoot and may work fine, however if I had a customer asking me about it there would be as pays your money and takes your chance lecture. Most heed my advice since I have been doing this for 40 years.

[Bikeboy57]

The antenna needs to be mounted to a metallic surface at least 3 inches by 3 inches. bigger is better. Try a pizza pan to see if it improves your signal.

[wallynm]

We use a Smoothtalker. 5 to 3 watt boaster.

Oldgrape wrote:
My cell phone reception in general is not great (AT&T) and in the MH it is mostly non-existent. So I bought an amplifier. It came with two magnetic antennas, one for both inside and outside. I did not want the cradle type. My question is has any one used a window mount antenna with an amplifier successfully?

[RoyB]

I went with the WILSON SLEEK CRADLE 3G setup three or four years back mainly for my Verizon MIFI 2200 unit. This came with a small antenna which I have mounted on the roof of my OFF-ROAD POPUP. This is my docking station for the MIFI 2200 Mobile HOTSPOT unit providing WIFI to my tablets and devices when we are camping off-road.


I was surprised that the CRADLE also become an passive indoor antenna for my cellphones. Of course sitting my cellphone in the cradle really boosted the cellphone signal.

I got the same type of operations inside my truck for a temporary setup. The truck would be more like your MH setup I guess being all metal... Again the Wilson cradle provided as an indoor antenna for our two cell phones..

Our cell phones are with VERIZON which seem to work great coverage wise for us when we are way off the beaten paths away from the Interstates...

Roy Ken

[wcjeep]

Which booster? Model? There are window mount antennas that have metal. Some small antennas require a small amount of metal for the ground reference. There are usually distance requirements between the two antennas. Some internal antennas are good to five ft. Other internal antennas need to touch the cell device.

For the external antenna mounting with more height is always good. I've used a small window mount using supplied suction cup. It does work. However, center hood of my tow rig had slightly better signal. 3db difference +/-?