Finding educated help on Cellular signal boosting? I sure got signal, but I need to "transfer" it.

[fastline]

I will just get to the point. In a new rural area, have Sprint, have bands 25,26,41 broadcast here BUT they suck in my 'exact' location on this large farm. What I realized is when I walk only 400ft to the road, toggle airplane mode on my phone which will force a test for best signal, it will connect to band 41, and when I run a data speed test, I can bring in 245mb/s!!! At my current location, I struggle to get 1mb/s.

I have been dealing with Sprint for 2 MONTHS with DOA POS booster, and I am ready do something else. As I have told everyone from the beginning, if I stand a tower, I have signal up there! I have looked at several booster amps for MANY hundreds of dollars, but damn, I don't really need 'boosted', I just need to move that signal where I am!

Hoping someone either can help, or can direct me to the proper forum where this can be discussed. I am realizing most cell booster sales people don't know a thing and it seems like I need a Yagi antenna pointing at that tower! But how can I rebroadcast it?

 

[Ramussons]

Connect 2 Yagi antennae back to back. One will point towards the Base Station, the other towards where you are.

 

[fastline]

Would you even need an amplifier for that configuration? It would at least seem likely that there would be some signal loss through the two antenna?

 

[JimB]

Connect 2 Yagi antennae back to back.

Such an arrangement is called a Passive Repeater, I am told that it does work but I have never used it myself.

I have seen it done with large flat sheets of metal, acting as a mirror for the RF.

JimB

 

[fastline]

I am really struggling to find resources (forums and such) on these subjects! All the people that sell boosters just want money and the first question is "how many square feet is your home"...... I have heard you can't rebroadcast a signal outdoors, yet cell towers do it daily. Told you can't boost band 41 due to FCC rules, yet some say they do. But as stated, I am not entirely convinced I need to "boost" it, just "turn" the signal.

I called a signal supply place and they just got my phone number and told me they will call back with a couple options. It does not sound promising.

Maybe a group playing with Ham radios would be an option?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Such an arrangement is called a Passive Repeater, I am told that it does work but I have never used it myself.

It's commonly done for TV reception, such as in a steep valley - but not just entirely passive.

Basically you have a receiving aerial at the top of, or better still just over, the hill - you run a cable from it over the top of the hill and down the other side a bit (this is done to prevent the receiving aerial picking up the transmitting one, and oscillating). You then feed it through a 'launch amplifier' (these are the sort of amps you use for distribution in a block of flats) and then to another aerial feeding down to the bottom of the valley - you have this aerial set to the opposite polarity, again to help prevent feedback and oscillation.

Main problem of course is power - and nowadays probably solar charged batteries would be used - historically it was common to run mains to the site (where possible), or just run it from car batteries - and have a regular battery swap over routine, and take them back for charging.

There are numerous 'improvements', but that's the basic setup - most such UK systems are probably in Scotland! Wales probably comes second, not so many in England. We always wanted to do one, and did quote for one, but the customer wasn't prepared to pay that much.

However, it's obviously only one way - a purely passive two system 'might' work as long as the signal strength is high enough at the aerial

 

[Diver300]

As Nigel mentioned, as soon as you boost a signal, you run the risk of oscillation. With a cellphone signal, you will also need to do something about the signal from the cellphone that goes back to the cell tower.

Cell phone signals are really complicated. They change frequency and they turn on and off. It is complicated to the point of impossibility to make an amplifier that can work out what frequency to amplify and to retransmit that, without oscillation, while doing the same in the opposite direction for the return signal. That is why retransmission isn't allowed. What the cell towers do is transmission, not re-transmission.

But as stated, I am not entirely convinced I need to "boost" it, just "turn" the signal.

That is exactly what Ramussons is suggesting. There would be a loss through the two antenna, but that may not matter. If there is little signal at your house, but loads where you put the antenna, you are likely to get a significant improvement with such a system.

I don't know the geography where you are. "Only 400 ft to the road" would describe about 1 house in 100,000 in the UK, so I can't relate to your situation, but in my experience vertical distance is most important. It's why TV aerials were always on poles. Cellphones have taken a lot of frequencies that used to be used for TV, and the physics of those frequencies haven't changed. Have you found if going up improves the reception with your cell phone? If so, a pole with two Yagis on it, one pointing at the cell tower and one pointing down, could well improve things a lot.

 

[fastline]

I spent some hours testing here. What I have found is 2500mhz is THE band to use, if I want to fly. Out at the road, I ran another speed test and consistently hit over 200mb/s. When I manually turn off the 2500mhz band, it wants to connect to 1900mhz, and data drops to 2mb/s WITH line of sight! I then toggled off 1900mhz, and speed is actually better at 6-8mb/s on their lowest band, 850mhz.

So there is a substantial reason to try to get on that 2500mhz signal! If I am by the road, I would hardly even need a pole. I can see the tower.

I have asked the question to many people and apparently I am the ONLY one on earth that has considered moving a signal with two yagis. Every salesman just wants me to buy a 'kit' but then tells me they cannot even touch the 2500mhz signal and I am not paying a grand to run in granny gear.

If I could find an adjustable amp, I would probably try something. Its not like I am going to walk on some other 2.5g signal here, there is nothing around unless we are counting the cows.

I did do some testing with just getting vertical, but there is no way I am going to get that 2500mhz unless I can see the tower, which means probably a 50-60ft tower. By testing with line of sight on other bands, I have basically proven what is possible down here on their other bands. I guess it is possible that with an amp, maybe the 1900 would work better. Probably worth a test.

 

[Diver300]

I don't think that you would need an amplifier.

An amplifier would only work one way, and you are going to need both directions. Also an amplifier connected to an aerial on both its input and it's output is almost guaranteed to oscillate. I once connected an active GPS aerial to a GPS receiver, and as the distance was only about 1/4", I didn't bother with screened cable. It oscillated, and I'd made a GPS jammer. That was at 1575 MHz, and it would take a lot of screening to make sure you didn't get the same issue.

 

[fastline]

So you guys thinking a couple yagis is worth a shot? Any thoughts on configuring them? distance between, etc? I was thinking of trying them with a very temporary setup just to see if the concept would work. If it works well, we can look at ways to optimize it.

 

[Externet]

I would really try a 4'x 8' metal sheet as a mirror. Will take a lot of effort positioning, orienting and securing.
Any antennas or amplification would be very complex as signal is full duplex. Need to know for sure the location of tower and optimal signal strength points.

As detailed propagation is unpredictable, I would try luck just by running any wire from a strong signal point to your desired location and check if by proximity to the wire, the communication improves.

 

[Ramussons]

Such an arrangement is called a Passive Repeater, I am told that it does work but I have never used it myself.

I have seen it done with large flat sheets of metal, acting as a mirror for the RF.

JimB

Have done it for a friend a decade ago, still works. Also for indoor coverage for a factory metal frame shed.

 

[Ramussons]

From another Post:

Finding educated help on Cellular signal boosting? I sure got signal, but I need to "transfer" it.

I will just get to the point. In a new rural area, have Sprint, have bands 25,26,41 broadcast here BUT they suck in my 'exact' location on this large farm. What I realized is when I walk only 400ft to the road, toggle airplane mode on my phone which will force a test for best signal, it will...

www.electro-tech-online.com

 

[Doug]

I have cell issues too.I down loaded signal ckeck lite off google apps.
I'm able to check my signal thru my phone but it's refresh time is slow.
With this you'll see db mesurements .
Problem I my area SW Ohio is they have throttle back tower power to relieve congestion. Att snd verizon.
I'm told near tower should get -60 to-50db
Best I get at any tower around me is -90.
I have used a wilson repeater for years.
BUT it won't work as I don't have enough
Signal at my house now.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Can't you just do mobile over Internet?, with your phone configured to be used in that way and connected to your WiFi - or, over here at least, the phone companies can supply your own personal 'tower' - small router sized box that connected to your actual router, and then provides a cell signal on your home.

 

[atferrari]

Can't you just do mobile over Internet?, with your phone configured to be used in that way and connected to your WiFi - or, over here at least, the phone companies can supply your own personal 'tower' - small router sized box that connected to your actual router, and then provides a cell signal on your home.

Is that "hotspot" Nigel?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Is that "hotspot" Nigel?

I'm not sure what they are called, but I've seen them offered at various times. However, with modern phones perhaps they don't need them any more?

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/07/what-is-wi-fi-calling-mobile-phone-black-spot

As regards the original question, I did a quick google and found many places selling 'boosters', here's a nice page about them:

**broken link removed**

 

[Doug]

I live in Green Acres..Internet is coming.
I in a low area for cell.
I know what your referring to