Cell Booster Antenna mounting

JaSAn

JaSAn

Grumpy Old Man
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
1,122
Location
Minnesota
I just purchased a WeBoost Drive 4G-M cell booster and I am trying to determine the best location for the supplied antenna. For those of you that are using a booster; where and how did you mount your antenna? Did you add a ground plane or use the aluminum roof as ground plane? Any problems with antenna separation?

I have a FWC Grandby with 2 X 100 W rigid solar panels sticking up ~ 3 inches on the front of the roof and a MaxxFan up ~ 4 inches in the back vent location. Roof is hail dented aluminum.

jim
 
Jim,

That will depend on the antenna you chose or is supplied. The instructions that come with it should give you some ideas. For example, if the antenna is a magnet mount, you won't be sticking it on the camper roof as aluminum is not magnetic. An alternative for a mag mount antenna is to attach a plate of steel to a rack you have on the camper and put the mag mount on that or just use your truck for the mag mount. Other antennas may require drilling a hole in the roof or mounting to some type of metal structure on the vehicle.

Not sure what you mean by antenna separation.
Paul
 
I used silicone to attach a galvanized plate to the roof of my Eagle just above and to the right of the door to mount my Wilson mag mount antenna and just ran the cable through the door opening. Works well for me and no leaks where the cable comes in.
 
JaSAn said:
I just purchased a WeBoost Drive 4G-M cell booster and I am trying to determine the best location for the supplied antenna. For those of you that are using a booster; where and how did you mount your antenna? Did you add a ground plane or use the aluminum roof as ground plane? Any problems with antenna separation?

I have a FWC Grandby with 2 X 100 W rigid solar panels sticking up ~ 3 inches on the front of the roof and a MaxxFan up ~ 4 inches in the back vent location. Roof is hail dented aluminum.

jim
Click to expand...
JaSan,

Curious how the Weboost Drive 4g-M has worked out for you?

We are looking into cell phone boosters, and as of Jan 2017, weboost seems to be one of the few, or only, players that we can find.

Do you recommend it?

Thanks!
 
Not to play the devil's advocate...but,

The issue isn't so much power, or the perceived lack thereof, as it is the internal antenna design and your location on Earth relative to the tower.

Sadly, most cell phones now days do not allow you to connect an external antenna. When fly fishing the backcountry of the Everglades many years ago, carrying the Motorola flip phone, we'd attach a remote antenna to the end of the push pole, hold the pole straight up and instantly had comms from just about anywhere in the backwaters of the park.

The issue is more line of sight to the tower and obstacles between you and the tower; not power. Holding a remote antenna attached to an 18' pole vertically, cleared all obstacles and extended our line of sight to cell towers. Boosters will not overcome geographical and geological pediments to receiving a line of sight signal. Your actual cell comm range will always be slightly less than line of sight propagation; just a matter of physics.

If you have line of sight to a tower your phone should be a to connect without a booster (assuming of course the tower owner is your carrier or has reciprocal agreement).

Also, current atmospherics will either enhance or play havoc with reception/range.

Personally, I wouldn't waste a dime on these boosters. If worried about no cell reception areas, yet needing comms, invest in a InReach device (SatCom). InReach is now owned by Garmin. I've been using one for years and very happy with the performance when in a no cell service area.
 
I have a Wilson cell phone booster and have for a couple of years. As long as you have at least some signal it does a decent job boosting it as far as I can tell, but it won't find a signal if your phone can't without it.
 
TwoPlusLu said:
JaSan,

Curious how the Weboost Drive 4g-M has worked out for you?

We are looking into cell phone boosters, and as of Jan 2017, weboost seems to be one of the few, or only, players that we can find.

Do you recommend it?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
TwoPlusLu,

The WeBoosst 4G-M has been worth the investment for me. This last April I was stuck on Cottonwood Canyon Road near Grosvenor Arch for four days due to snow and slimy roads. The booster turned a -114dB text only cell signal into a -98 dB signal that would connect to internet.

I could not find a way to attach an antenna to my iPhone 5S, so I don't know how much the antenna adds vs the booster. It is kind of a moot point because I couldn't find a stand alone antenna that I could raise up high. When the roof of my Grandby is up the omnidirectional WeBoost antenna is ~11 ft. above ground.

The WeBoost is the cheapest mobile booster I have found; the others are over $500.

IMO if you are only interested in communicating with family that you are OK or to be able to call for help if needed, the inReach is a better choice (I also have an inReach SE). But if you want to talk and surf while stranded the WeBoost could help with that. I found that being camper bound for 3+ days waiting for the mud to dry, having internet and phone helped a lot with cabin fever (hiking wasn't much fun with the sticky mud; one's feet got real heavy after a few feet and the beagle had mud all over his legs, chest, and abdomen).

Also, a booster is a one time purchase whereas the inReach has a monthly subscription fee.

jim
 
Advmoto18 said:
Not to play the devil's advocate...but,

The issue isn't so much power, or the perceived lack thereof, as it is the internal antenna design and your location on Earth relative to the tower.

Sadly, most cell phones now days do not allow you to connect an external antenna. When fly fishing the backcountry of the Everglades many years ago, carrying the Motorola flip phone, we'd attach a remote antenna to the end of the push pole, hold the pole straight up and instantly had comms from just about anywhere in the backwaters of the park.

The issue is more line of sight to the tower and obstacles between you and the tower; not power. Holding a remote antenna attached to an 18' pole vertically, cleared all obstacles and extended our line of sight to cell towers. Boosters will not overcome geographical and geological pediments to receiving a line of sight signal. Your actual cell comm range will always be slightly less than line of sight propagation; just a matter of physics.

If you have line of sight to a tower your phone should be a to connect without a booster (assuming of course the tower owner is your carrier or has reciprocal agreement).

Also, current atmospherics will either enhance or play havoc with reception/range.

Personally, I wouldn't waste a dime on these boosters. If worried about no cell reception areas, yet needing comms, invest in a InReach device (SatCom). InReach is now owned by Garmin. I've been using one for years and very happy with the performance when in a no cell service area.
Click to expand...
Advmoto 18,
thank you for the information and your opinion on the subject. We will be travelling full time this year throughout the US and Canada and work remotely, so unfortunately will need more than just a device to let people know we are ok, I think for that route I will have my small ham radio on hand for true emergencies.

Wandering Sagebrush said:
TwoPlus,

As Bill mentioned, a DeLorme/Garmin InReach device will provide two way message capabilities via satellite.
Click to expand...
wandering sagebrush, thank you for the clarification on the capability/function of this device.

Stalking Light said:
I have a Wilson cell phone booster and have for a couple of years. As long as you have at least some signal it does a decent job boosting it as far as I can tell, but it won't find a signal if your phone can't without it.
Click to expand...
thanks Stalking Light, yup, I imagined that we cannot conjure a signal out of nothing, just trying to harness what we can while on the road and in remote places.
 
JaSAn said:
TwoPlusLu,

The WeBoosst 4G-M has been worth the investment for me. This last April I was stuck on Cottonwood Canyon Road near Grosvenor Arch for four days due to snow and slimy roads. The booster turned a -114dB text only cell signal into a -98 dB signal that would connect to internet.

I could not find a way to attach an antenna to my iPhone 5S, so I don't know how much the antenna adds vs the booster. It is kind of a moot point because I couldn't find a stand alone antenna that I could raise up high. When the roof of my Grandby is up the omnidirectional WeBoost antenna is ~11 ft. above ground.

The WeBoost is the cheapest mobile booster I have found; the others are over $500.

IMO if you are only interested in communicating with family that you are OK or to be able to call for help if needed, the inReach is a better choice (I also have an inReach SE). But if you want to talk and surf while stranded the WeBoost could help with that. I found that being camper bound for 3+ days waiting for the mud to dry, having internet and phone helped a lot with cabin fever (hiking wasn't much fun with the sticky mud; one's feet got real heavy after a few feet and the beagle had mud all over his legs, chest, and abdomen).

Also, a booster is a one time purchase whereas the inReach has a monthly subscription fee.

jim
Click to expand...
Jim,

Thank you for the reply. Glad to hear the weboost was a worthwhile investment for you.

We will be travelling full time throughout the US and Canada over the next year or more and work remotely, so will require internet to stay connected whenever possible. I can imagine that this technology has limitations and will not be perfect, but very happy to hear that you have seen this as an investment worth the money. And you are correct, that lack of subscription fee is a plus.

Thank you!
 
TwoPlusLu

Sounds like a great trip. All things considered after reading posts by others, a booster will likely be a good additional tool in your electronics toolbox.

When I head out into the boonies and remote locations, the last thing I want is 24/7/365 connectivity. I need to unplug days at a time, even longer. An inReach text msg a few times per day to let everyone know I'm OK and everything is OK at home is good enough for me.

While I'm a tablet reader, I carry a couple of paperbacks when things get really "dark" and quiet!

And the one thing that always peaks my interest after a period of time unplugged...venturing into a town and wondering why the US flag is at half staff?
 
Advmoto18 said:
TwoPlusLu

Sounds like a great trip. All things considered after reading posts by others, a booster will likely be a good additional tool in your electronics toolbox.

When I head out into the boonies and remote locations, the last thing I want is 24/7/365 connectivity. I need to unplug days at a time, even longer. An inReach text msg a few times per day to let everyone know I'm OK and everything is OK at home is good enough for me.

While I'm a tablet reader, I carry a couple of paperbacks when things get really "dark" and quiet!

And the one thing that always peaks my interest after a period of time unplugged...venturing into a town and wondering why the US flag is at half staff?
Click to expand...
We often wonder too, even when we are plugged in, why the flag is at half staff.

I could go for weeks at a time unplugged, and probably will when I retire, but for now, work dictates that I need to stay in touch. I am grateful that I have a job that allows me to go out and explore and still be able to pay the bills.

Cheers
 
I have been using Weboost (wilson) cell boosters for about 6 years now. Started with a 3G model and now have a 4G model. I travel and hunt extensively across the southwest and Rocky Mountains. I have found the boosters to be very useful and to function very well. Hundreds of times I have been able to send text messages and/or make phone calls with the booster on when it was not possible without the booster. I think they are very useful and very worth the money. I've been able to save many miles and much time making a call where I am vs driving to a better signal.

I think it is also a very good idea to also have an Inreach if you are going to be traveling to areas with limited cell service. As they are satellite messengers connected to the iridium satellite network they work essentially anywhere on earth. I simply would not go to remote areas without the Inreach. It can be a lifesaver.
 
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