Cell Phone Signal Booster

[Sawdustsmb]

Well here's my problem. If I'm in the top of the hay mow I get great several bars, 200 feet up in a field one bar, over in the valley and in the woods 3 bars. Around the barn (or in the haymow when there is no hay ) it might ring in - or not ! I've looked at signal boosters but they all advertise use inside homes, offices, etc. So my question is has anyone tried one of these boosters to get service outside the buildings as well as in some of the farm buildings? I have 3 bars on top of the 25' electric pole next to the tractor garage. By the way it is verizon service. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
thank you,
Bob

[murphy1244]

I have a booster for my cell phone he l . Same service as yours. Don't waste your money. Contract is up in June.

[Sawdustsmb]

Thanks for the encouragement!! Sounds like we have a deal for those idiots riding around in a truck looking for a place to camp with no service.

Have a great day
Bob

[WayneB]

We have Verizon here in New Hampshire and I purchased their DSL booster (it is a Samsung unit) and we are able to make and receive cell phone signals with like 4 bars. The one problem is it is a repeater type system so there is a slight delay and at first we were talking on top of the person calling us. Once we got accustom to using it we have been okay. Within the last year or so they installed a new cell tower so now we have great service and really do not need the booster any longer.

We have a camp in upstate New York near South Colton and we have installed a Wilson amplifier and directional antenna outside and are able to hit the tower in South Colton. Works fine with our smart phones with a good signal. It does very with the weather conditions, but it was much cheaper than going with Hughes for internet service. We still have a land line as it is cheap in the area.

So if you have a cell phone tower close by you might be able to get an amplifier and directional antenna to improve the service. Seeing you are getting marginal signals this would certainly help, I think???

Wilson amplifier AG SOHO 60 | Store | Wilson Electronics


Wilson outside antenna: Outside Building | Store | Wilson Electronics

Designed specifically for use with our building boosters, Wilson’s full line of building antennas offers top performance and multiple mounting options. Our high-gain Yagi and Wide Band directional antennas are designed to mount on the exterior of homes, offices, buildings, and warehouses. For use in a building, Wilson offers multiple Dome and Panel Antennas to best fit your needs.

Wayne

[Cagley]

Well here's my problem. If I'm in the top of the hay mow I get great several bars, 200 feet up in a field one bar, over in the valley and in the woods 3 bars. Around the barn (or in the haymow when there is no hay ) it might ring in - or not ! I've looked at signal boosters but they all advertise use inside homes, offices, etc. So my question is has anyone tried one of these boosters to get service outside the buildings as well as in some of the farm buildings? I have 3 bars on top of the 25' electric pole next to the tractor garage. By the way it is verizon service. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
thank you,
Bob

It's not really possible to boost a signal in an outdoor space. The good news is that it's very possible to boost it in buildings (even large ones) and in vehicles like a truck or tractor. The problem with trying to transmit a boosted signal outside is that it increases the possibility of interference with either the donor antenna or with the carrier's tower, both of which will cause the signal booster to shutdown. If you have a strong booster in a building, you might get some coverage outside but not a lot.

Knowing that you really can only use cell phone signal boosters/repeaters in a building or vehicle, what do you think would be ideal for your situation? Wilson has some really good mobile products that are great for a truck or tractor. The Wilson Sleek 4G-V and the In-Vehicle kit are two I've used.

Buildings are a bit more tricky since it depends on the square footage, construction, and the strength of the signal outside. If you let us know a bit more about the buildings you need to boost signal it, we can come up with some recommendations.

[CBW1999]

Research with the FCC will help you interpret what is considered a "repeater" or other device that may need a license and approval if it will be used "outside".

We have similar terrain issues here. The only solution that has been working is the addition of towers. Long term, that is the only solution that will be effective.

[unbidden]

What is not often talked about in cell phones now'a days is how well a given phone receives a signal. Phones do all sorts of things that have noting to do with 'talking on the phone'. You need to ask your local V-Store if you can try a few different phones. It's been my experience that the Motorola's recieve a signal better than the other brands...YMMV

[two_bit_score]

When I can't get a signal on my cell alone outside I can get inside the truck and make a call just fine through Bluetooth using the cell phone.

[newbury]

My wife and BIL use one from Wilson

Amazon.com: Wilson Electronics Sleek Cell Phone Signal Cradle Booster for All Cell Phones with Mini Magnet Mount Antenna - For Single User: Cell Phones & Accessories

Works pretty well WHEN she remembers it.

/edit - but he recommends this:
Amazon.com: Wilson Electronics MobilePro Multiple-User Cell Phone Signal Booster for Car/Home: Cell Phones & Accessories

[Sawdustsmb]

Thanks everyone for the replies - I guess my son is going to buy me a new smart phone so we'll see if that helps. Maybe I'll be lucky and get one that pulls in the signal a little better.
Thanks

Bob