Cell Phone Reception Gizmo..

dieselsmoke1 · Dec 14, 2003

That little foil looking thing that you can stick under the battery and "INCREASE YOUR SIGNAL STRENGTH BY 300%".

Anyone actually tried one of these things and do they help at all?

Junkman · Dec 14, 2003

Snake Oyl at best....... I heard that it was invented by P.T. Barnum.......

BubbaJr · Dec 14, 2003

It might have been invented by PT Barnum, but I put one in my Motorola flip phone (which has a very small antenna) several years ago, and it gave me one extra bar on the signal strength meter. I think 300% is some ad mans dream, but it did help, and I was on the fringe of the closest cell tower coverage. Now since they put up a new tower about 4 miles away, I get very good reception (usually 4 bars). I'm happy with it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mark_in_NH · Dec 14, 2003

Yup. I am embarrased to say that I got suckered in. Nope, they don't work what so ever !!!!!!!!!
Or atleast you couldn't prove it by me !!!!!!!!!!

rozett · Dec 14, 2003

If it worked at all....don't you think the phone mfr's would have added the 2 cents it cost to add a small circuit foil to their phones? Just snake oil...

PineRidge · Dec 15, 2003

My business is located in our home. 5 incoming lines that ring non-stop all day long from all over the world. I shut them off at 11PM to get some rest and peace & quiet. Me? sorry no cell phones here please....

dieselsmoke1 · Dec 15, 2003

I can sure relate to that, but in my case it's a neccessary evil.

Phred · Dec 16, 2003

Dieselsmoke,

There is no technical basis for any of the claims these people make. Pure BS.

I saw an add many years ago for wire that claimed to allow the electrons to travel faster to your speakers and therefore improve the performance. Impossible and yet again pure BS.

Its definetly buyer beware. If it sounds to good to be true, then it surely is.

Fred

GaryM · Dec 16, 2003

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I saw an add many years ago for wire that claimed to allow the electrons to travel faster to your speakers and therefore improve the performance. Impossible and yet again pure BS.

Fred )</font>

Don't know about the speaker application, but at RF frequencies, the propagation velocity of the signal is dependant on the dielectric used in constructing the cable. Most coax cables have velocity factors in the 88% range, but some are higher and some lower. This is important when constructing antennas and matching networks because it's the electrical length of the wire that's important, not it's physical length.

So there MAY be someting to their claim. But if it will affect speaker perfomance or not may be BS.