Cell Phone Signal Booster

[wcampbell47]

Without getting out a tape measure in the snow - I would estimate the area I am seeking coverage for to be a rectangular area 100' long x 50' wide. Barn on one long side, shop on 1/3 of other, and 2 story garage coming into one end. The main barn door is closer to the garage end of the rectangle. Some penetration into the barn would be nice. If we can't get service outside I'll set it up in the barn - at least I won;t have to walk up in the middle of a field to return calls.
Thanks for all your responses. I think we will start with a signal booster and see what happens.
Bob

I can tell you that a good cell phone signal booster is not cheap. Don't think that you are going to get something for $150 that will do what you want it to do. I have the best luck with a directional antennae on the outside. Go with a powerful inside antennae. Some units you can actually daisy-chain the inside antennae to install more than one to increase your coverage or signal area.

I live in a resort type area with a lot of seniors. I encourage them to think about the ability to make an emergency call from anywhere in the house as opposed to having to go on the outside deck to get a good signal. It is cheap insurance for emergency use.

 

[GPintheMitten]

What is the construction of your barn and shop? Mine is sheet metal siding and roofing. Almost nothing penetrates it. But I understand that one recommended solution was to run the external antenna from outside to inside.

Also, didn't you say you have DSL? Why wouldn't you run the land line into the barn/shop as one fairly low cost low tech improvement?

 

[Cagley]

Without getting out a tape measure in the snow - I would estimate the area I am seeking coverage for to be a rectangular area 100' long x 50' wide. Barn on one long side, shop on 1/3 of other, and 2 story garage coming into one end. The main barn door is closer to the garage end of the rectangle. Some penetration into the barn would be nice. If we can't get service outside I'll set it up in the barn - at least I won;t have to walk up in the middle of a field to return calls.
Thanks for all your responses. I think we will start with a signal booster and see what happens.
Bob

For a 5,000 sq ft area with a 3 bar outside signal, you're going to need a fairly large amplifier and ideally a directional outside antenna. This inside antenna should be IN a building, you can't really rebroadcast the boosted signal to an outside area. So you'd put a directional antenna on the top of your utility pole, or high on the barn, run a cable inside the barn to the amplifier, then another cable from the amp to an inside antenna.

I agree with wcampbell47 that if you can, see if there's a local installer. That said, in my experience, as long as you aren't afraid of heights, these things a pretty easy to install so you could go with a non-local dealer if needed. As I said originally, I got mine here and was very satisfied, but I know there are many other dealers also so just try calling one and see what they say.

 

[Sawdustsmb]

That is a very useful website.

Thank you

Bob

 

[ptgdigger]

And here is a link to my map of my zip, filtered i think for verizon...
Bradley Cell Towers and Coverage Maps - CellReception.com

It shows no towers even in greenwood, which i know there is cause there is a verizon store there in town so there is some towers there?

My personal cell is alltell, which is very limited maybe half the calls will go through at my house that call me and ones i make maybe 25% can connect allthouth you cant really hear anything, and texts take forever to send. Verizon is worse, basiclly zero signal and att about the same and no one else has a bit of signal.

Clemsonfor , looking at that map if you click on the minus sign one time *boom* all the sudden it fills in the towers , must be some kinda bug there.


Ray

 

[clemsonfor]

Clemsonfor , looking at that map if you click on the minus sign one time *boom* all the sudden it fills in the towers , must be some kinda bug there.


Ray

See um, but that's not right either? I see they don't list Altell but there still is Verizon signal in areas that there is no tower? Where 221 and 28 intersect there is a tower at least one in mccormick (which is centered at the location I just mentioned)? There also is an altell tower somewhere in that area as well as plum branch?

This site is not all inclusive.