Cell Signal Boosters

RandyT · Mar 16, 2016

k0ua said:
Verizon has the best service in my area, but yesterday I was at a clients house, and the signal was so spotty I was having difficulty getting web pages to load. Of course it was a creek bottom residence with hills all around.

If you blow up the Verizon service map , it doesn't show service within 1/2 mile of my house in any direction. Had Verizon cell phone a couple years ago, And there was times I had to drive 4 miles to get a signal strong enough to make a phone call. I live on the top of a big flat hill, with trees on three sides and a 100 acre field to the north. Closest cell phone tower is 10 miles in any direction with any carrier. I have ATT now and have 2 bars inside the house. With Verizon you walk around going can you hear me now.

downsizingnow48 · Mar 16, 2016

davesl708 said:
It's strange. I have a tower 1/4 mile away and the signal strength changes constantly during the day. From 2 bars to 5. Verizon.

We have Verizon service and devices as well. Before the booster reception in the house or outside was 103 - 106 db as measured on the cellphone. After booster reception in the house within 30 ft of the inside antenna 89 - 96 db. It does vary as you say, for no consistent reason I can figure.

k0ua · Mar 16, 2016

downsizingnow48 said:
We have Verizon service and devices as well. Before the booster reception in the house or outside was 103 - 106 db as measured on the cellphone. After booster reception in the house within 30 ft of the inside antenna 89 - 96 db. It does vary as you say, for no consistent reason I can figure.

That is because you are not an amateur radio operator.

If you had experience with operating UHF equipment it would all be very clear. It is all very well documented. Rayleigh fading and multipath is very well known.

Rayleigh fading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

EarPlug · Mar 16, 2016

davesl708 said:
It's strange. I have a tower 1/4 mile away and the signal strength changes constantly during the day. From 2 bars to 5. Verizon.

It may not be a tower that your cell provider uses ?????

rgr33 · Mar 16, 2016

Not really much of a techie, but we live in a really hilly area. Had to stand at the top of the stair landing to talk on the cell phone. The wife got a signal booster from ATT, and service improved tremendously. She has an obsession with her cell phone, that I don't share.

downsizingnow48 · Mar 16, 2016

k0ua said:
That is because you are not an amateur radio operator. If you had experience with operating UHF equipment it would all be very clear. It is all very well documented. Rayleigh fading and multipath is very well known.

Rayleigh fading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Useful info, many thanks! The signal goes partly over and partly through 5 miles of trees on hilly terrain so that would set up the conditions as described.

dmccarty · Mar 16, 2016

Make sure you can return the device without a fee or problem, and if so, give it a try.

We went though a couple of cell providers last fall. We had ATT but another company had a better price/package so we gave them a try. I forgot the name of the company. :shocked:

Anywho, we were supposed to get coverage according to their map. Good coverage too. Well, the map lied. We tried a couple of their cell boosters and they did not work either. :confused3: Returned them and went to Verizon which has much better coverage not only at the house but to and from house, school and home.

We could easily switch providers. In your case, it would seem you might have to try a couple of different antennas or boosters. Frustrating that is for sure.

Later,
Dan

k0ua · Mar 16, 2016

downsizingnow48 said:
Useful info, many thanks! The signal goes partly over and partly through 5 miles of trees on hilly terrain so that would set up the conditions as described.

While I don't pretend to understand all the actual math, I understand and have experimented with the concepts. And it seems you now have a better understanding of the ideas also.:thumbsup:

downsizingnow48 · Mar 16, 2016

Yep I didn't understand the math but I do (now) see what is going on.

k0ua · Mar 16, 2016

downsizingnow48 said:
Yep I didn't understand the math but I do (now) see what is going on.

If you would like to learn a little more about the many forms of radio propagation, the link below would be a good start. Warning: you could spend your life trying to fully understand it all, but you could spend 20 minutes and know a lot more than you do now.

Radio propagation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have been working on if for around 50 years.. I know a little, but I sure don't know it all.