I have an earlier "wired" Wilson cell phone amplifier which plugs in to
my ancient cell phone, with an external antenna mounted above the radar
on a backstay mount. I tried the system using the flag halyard to hoist
a magnetic mount antenna with an empty pineapple can as a ground plane,
to near the spreaders. When that worked well, I then made a permanent
installation. Several comments:
-
Wilson is a leader in cell phone amplifiers. Their tech service
people were very helpful when I had questions before and after I
installed my system. I can highly recommend Wilson products and their
service. I have no affiliation with Wilson - just a satisfied customer.
-
An amplifier can not fix a "No Signal" situation - when you are
completely out of range. Zero times anything is still zero. But if you
have a low signal, 1 or 2 bars, the amplifier will boost that to 4 or 5
bars, to help maintain the connection.
-
In the north end of Lake Michigan, where towers are a LONG distance,
e.g., 30 miles or more, sometimes I have a signal, but the distance is
so great, that the tower and phone cannot "handshake" - the tower is
expecting a reply in a shorter time than my signal can reach it. The
digital phones are designed with a much smaller radius of service, e.g.,
typically about 22 miles, than the old analog bag phones. In these
situations, a very short text message will often get through where a
voice connection cannot be maintained.
-
If you install an amplifier be sure the external antenna is mounted
where the signal is not at body level. i.e., do not mount radar or cell
phone, VHF or Wi-fi antennas at head level. A magnetic mount on the
roof of a car works well.
-
Having good cell phone service was needed for me to be able to go
cruising. The cost of an amplifier and antenna installation was a lot
less than a satellite phone, and meets most of my cruising area
communication needs. Satellite phones don't work everywhere either
(anchored in deep fjords). There is no 100% solution.
Fair winds, Marilyn "Adena" in the frozen north
I have an earlier "wired" Wilson cell phone amplifier which plugs in to
my ancient cell phone, with an external antenna mounted above the radar
on a backstay mount. I tried the system using the flag halyard to hoist
a magnetic mount antenna with an empty pineapple can as a ground plane,
to near the spreaders. When that worked well, I then made a permanent
installation. Several comments:
1. Wilson is a leader in cell phone amplifiers. Their tech service
people were very helpful when I had questions before and after I
installed my system. I can highly recommend Wilson products and their
service. I have no affiliation with Wilson - just a satisfied customer.
2. An amplifier can not fix a "No Signal" situation - when you are
completely out of range. Zero times anything is still zero. But if you
have a low signal, 1 or 2 bars, the amplifier will boost that to 4 or 5
bars, to help maintain the connection.
3. In the north end of Lake Michigan, where towers are a LONG distance,
e.g., 30 miles or more, sometimes I have a signal, but the distance is
so great, that the tower and phone cannot "handshake" - the tower is
expecting a reply in a shorter time than my signal can reach it. The
digital phones are designed with a much smaller radius of service, e.g.,
typically about 22 miles, than the old analog bag phones. In these
situations, a very short text message will often get through where a
voice connection cannot be maintained.
4. If you install an amplifier be sure the external antenna is mounted
where the signal is not at body level. i.e., do not mount radar or cell
phone, VHF or Wi-fi antennas at head level. A magnetic mount on the
roof of a car works well.
5. Having good cell phone service was needed for me to be able to go
cruising. The cost of an amplifier and antenna installation was a lot
less than a satellite phone, and meets most of my cruising area
communication needs. Satellite phones don't work everywhere either
(anchored in deep fjords). There is no 100% solution.
Fair winds, Marilyn "Adena" in the frozen north
