I need a real boost!

[Teeshot1939]

Currently using either my AT&T Velocity Jetpack or my Verizon 8800L Jetpack for internet access. Need high speed reliable service for my job while RV'ing across our great country! Disappointed with performance of both devices. Wife thinks we need a cell signal booster. Is she right...again? If so, what are your recommendations/experiences? Thanks.......

[ktmrfs]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
Great Info everyone!!! A "Yagi" was mentioned and while I know what this is I am still stumped about connecting a different antenna to, lets say, the Wilson amp. In other words, is there anything proprietory about using the included Omni directional antenna included with the "We Boost" or simply replacing that with a high gain directional Yagi? With the understanding that directionality is or can be a tuff nut to crack?

as long as the antenna impedance is the same as the amp, no problem. However, my experience is that if your omni gives you a decent signal, don't mess with the yagi. Takes time to aim, and phone signal strength reading isn't "real time" there can be a 30 second or longer lag before the phone updates the signal strength. there are some android apps that give a faster signal strength reading. But in any event, with a yagi point it one direction, let the signal strength update, move it 45 degrees, wait, see if signal strength goes up or down, if up, move another 45 in the same direction, if down move 90 degrees opposite direction, repeat until you get max signal. If you still don't get a good signal level rotate 180 degrees from initial direction and search again for a tower in another location.

Now most systems use a 50ohm output. the Weboost 4g-x RV does NOT it uses 75 ohms, as do some others. If so you need a 75 ohm antenna. the advantage to the 75 ohm system is that low loss 75 ohm cable is easy to find, easy to use, and has a low loss even at 100ft. By contrast typical 50 ohm cable is pretty lossy at 100ft and the good 50 ohm is expensive and about 1/2 inch diameter and semi rigid. a PITA to work with. So in a trailer configuration where you could easily have a 50ft run from end to end, the 75 has an advantage.

[GordonThree]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
Great Info everyone!!! A "Yagi" was mentioned and while I know what this is I am still stumped about connecting a different antenna to, lets say, the Wilson amp. In other words, is there anything proprietory about using the included Omni directional antenna included with the "We Boost" or simply replacing that with a high gain directional Yagi? With the understanding that directionality is or can be a tuff nut to crack?

Worth a shot, Yagi aren't very expensive. Question is, which way do you aim? Working in public safety, the operators won't even share with the government what tower serves what network... so the public online tower finder websites and apps, very suspect info in my book. Trial and error I guess? just be patient and wait a few ticks for the signal strength to update.

Something else to look at is the length and quality of the cable between the outdoor antenna and the unit. If it's thinner than a pencil that cable is costing you almost all of the gain a small antenna can deliver.

edit: corrected typo about antenna / cable

[Acampingwewillg]

Great Info everyone!!! A "Yagi" was mentioned and while I know what this is I am still stumped about connecting a different antenna to, lets say, the Wilson amp. In other words, is there anything proprietory about using the included Omni directional antenna included with the "We Boost" or simply replacing that with a high gain directional Yagi? With the understanding that directionality is or can be a tuff nut to crack?

[GordonThree]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

I have found the antenna aim difficult. I'd expect to see the signal peak up and drop as I turn the pole, but it does not respond like that. Rather, adjustments to the aim seem to take time see. Not sure why.

I think but not 100% on this, the signal strength reported by the phone is a combination of how well it can receive the tower, and how well the tower receives the phone.

Some phones have special debug screens accessed through dialing codes that can provide a faster readout.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:


Forgive me for being naïve, but in your configuration, that is a directional antenna when mounted as you have it?

Yes. I am in northern California, and it is pointing toward Redding where the tower is.

I have found the antenna aim difficult. I'd expect to see the signal peak up and drop as I turn the pole, but it does not respond like that. Rather, adjustments to the aim seem to take time see. Not sure why.

[ktmrfs]

wa8yxm wrote:
THanks ktmrfs,.. I forgot about sat phones. was thinking of 2-way Sat internet like the old hughesnet 7000.

I have been collecting data for some time. Some day I may get another booster. my vintage wilson no longer works (It works fine. but the phones changed).

I also started with an early wilson unit, the direct connect unit, plugged directly into the phone antenna jack (back when phones had access to an internal antenna jack used in the phone testing). that unit worked great...... until phones changed and no longer had accesible jacks.....

Now have the wilson 4g-x RV so far has worked as expected.

[ktmrfs]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi ktmrfs,

I can verify that the We Boost for RV's does work with multiple carriers at one time. I have successfully used it with Bell Canada, Telus, and Sasktel all at the same time.

In the USA I have used the We Boost with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, again all at the same time. The location was Goldhead State Park in Florida. Without the booster it was impossible to dial out, messaging did work, and data was more or less non existent. After connecting the booster all three phones worked like a charm. Data was slow but adequate to stream netflix.

Other boosters may not work the same way.

ktmrfs wrote:
Finally, I can't verify, but based on an experience my son had, I suspect that if you have two different system phones, such as ATT & Verizon, only ONE at a time will work with many boosters.

thanks for the update. Our son's experience was with the weboost RV, so It's likely that the experience my son had was a case of ATT being completely out of range. Good to know it will work with GSM and CDMA systems simultaneously.

[wa8yxm]

THanks ktmrfs,.. I forgot about sat phones. was thinking of 2-way Sat internet like the old hughesnet 7000.

I have been collecting data for some time. Some day I may get another booster. my vintage wilson no longer works (It works fine. but the phones changed).

[pianotuna]

Hi ktmrfs,

I can verify that the We Boost for RV's does work with multiple carriers at one time. I have successfully used it with Bell Canada, Telus, and Sasktel all at the same time.

In the USA I have used the We Boost with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, again all at the same time. The location was Goldhead State Park in Florida. Without the booster it was impossible to dial out, messaging did work, and data was more or less non existent. After connecting the booster all three phones worked like a charm. Data was slow but adequate to stream netflix.

Other boosters may not work the same way.

ktmrfs wrote:
Finally, I can't verify, but based on an experience my son had, I suspect that if you have two different system phones, such as ATT & Verizon, only ONE at a time will work with many boosters.

[ktmrfs]

wa8yxm wrote:
Some facts... And some ideas.

First: Boosters like Max Signal and We-Boost do work. if there is any cell signal at all they will make it stronger.> BUT.. NOT ALL OF THEM will increase Data speeds. Some of them only work at 2g or 3g Speeds not 4Glte or the new 5g that is coming out... So make sure you get the right booster. NO I CAN NOT HELP

Second.. as others have said if the tower is busy.. bandwidth suffers. also your account may throttle based on usage.. Mine does even if it's "Unlimited"

ANd of course no company has 100% coverage save for the Sat-Com outfits. ANd they are both expensive and generally slow.

New Sat-Com expected soon but I dont' know how soon so will say nor more.

Best option is multiple accounts say Verizon and AT&T or T-Mobile/Sprint/Virgin That gives you the best chance at a local tower.


Now.. Jet-packs and My-Fi devices...

An interesting thought is to take a old DirecTV dish (Round dish) and mount the device where the Horn is. then log into it and look at signal strength Should be a high gain antenna (Give me frequency and dish diamater and I have a program that estimates gain.

Also HEIGHT is might.. I know one camper who mounts it atop about 20 feet of telescopign fishing pole alongside his rig for a much stronger signal.

If you use a booster I'd put the outdoor antenna on some kind of telescoping mast. You can also get directional antennas that have higher gain to put atop the telescoping mast. So far I'm not needing that but. it helps.

I do use a telescoping mast with a Umbiquiti Nano Station Loco-M-2 for park Wi-Fi.. That puppy is great.. They make some even greater.

very good info and summary. I'll add a few more comments.

1) Sat phone: a sat phone is not necessarily going to give better or even same coverage as cell. Without naming providers, at least one uses stationary sat's at the equator (the only place these work) Now think about getting sat tv reception. hum.... need clear view of southern sky..... well these sat phones have the same problem. no clear view (trees, mountains,) no sat phone.... Others use sat's orbiting covering the whole earth. Better but if you are in a canyon or near high mountains, you aren't guaranteed 24/7 coverage. It's set up such that you can be pretty assured of coverage for about 20 minutes each hour worst case at the sat moves over you but another isn't close enough. And finally sat phones don't work well inside buildings. I have a locator (garmin inreach) that uses iridium sat's for communication. very reliable but on occasion it can take 10+ minutes for message to go out. Had a spot using stationary sat's. another story often couldn't get coverage and a message out.

Next, an outside antenna on a mast is best, BUT be careful about cable loss. especially with 50ohm systems low loss cable is spendy and big. but wrong cable can have more loss even at 50ft than the antenna has gain. WeBoost has gone to some systems with 75ohm output. means you can't use your old 50 ohm antenna but very low loss 75 ohm cable is readily available in easy to use cable. That's what I have on my big trailer.

Finally, I can't verify, but based on an experience my son had, I suspect that if you have two different system phones, such as ATT & Verizon, only ONE at a time will work with many boosters. they can only boost one channel for one system at a time. multiple phones on the same provider, not much a issue. although gain will go down about 3-5 db for each additional phone running at the same time. So if your in a place with very marginal reception even with a booster, start with only one phone as close as possible to the inside antenna.

[ktmrfs]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:

DarkSkySeeker wrote:
My Trailer - see the WeBoost on the flag pole?

Forgive me for being naïve, but in your configuration, that is a directional antenna when mounted as you have it?

looks like a yagi. directional but more gain than an omnidirectional antenna. I've been to places where an amp + yagi is what is needed to get reception. takes a little time to optimize, works best if you know the approximate direction of nearby tower(s).

[Acampingwewillg]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:
My Trailer - see the WeBoost on the flag pole?

Forgive me for being naïve, but in your configuration, that is a directional antenna when mounted as you have it?

[DarkSkySeeker]

My Trailer - see the WeBoost on the flag pole?

[GordonThree]

Mimo certainly depends on the antenna configuration

2x being the most common but 3x and 4x are also out there.

Most automotive systems use 2x mimo in the sharkfin antenna along with the GPS antenna.

[wa8yxm]

Some facts... And some ideas.

First: Boosters like Max Signal and We-Boost do work. if there is any cell signal at all they will make it stronger.> BUT.. NOT ALL OF THEM will increase Data speeds. Some of them only work at 2g or 3g Speeds not 4Glte or the new 5g that is coming out... So make sure you get the right booster. NO I CAN NOT HELP

Second.. as others have said if the tower is busy.. bandwidth suffers. also your account may throttle based on usage.. Mine does even if it's "Unlimited"

ANd of course no company has 100% coverage save for the Sat-Com outfits. ANd they are both expensive and generally slow.

New Sat-Com expected soon but I dont' know how soon so will say nor more.

Best option is multiple accounts say Verizon and AT&T or T-Mobile/Sprint/Virgin That gives you the best chance at a local tower.


Now.. Jet-packs and My-Fi devices...

An interesting thought is to take a old DirecTV dish (Round dish) and mount the device where the Horn is. then log into it and look at signal strength Should be a high gain antenna (Give me frequency and dish diamater and I have a program that estimates gain.

Also HEIGHT is might.. I know one camper who mounts it atop about 20 feet of telescopign fishing pole alongside his rig for a much stronger signal.

If you use a booster I'd put the outdoor antenna on some kind of telescoping mast. You can also get directional antennas that have higher gain to put atop the telescoping mast. So far I'm not needing that but. it helps.

I do use a telescoping mast with a Umbiquiti Nano Station Loco-M-2 for park Wi-Fi.. That puppy is great.. They make some even greater.