Cell phone booster questions

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Is this easily doable, as in can you stow in a cabinet, then have the cable so reach the table if desired?

Amp is in passenger side dinette bench where batteries are (and the vent). The inside antenna wire runs through the finger hole in the hinged lid of the bench and allows it to travel as far as the opposite bench.
Edit- wire actually exits bench next to hinge.

[RF Paul]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Fire safety is reason for no live 12V inside cabinets. Many want lights in there and have 12V drops. For a cig plug you need heavier wire...

In that case, I'll have a 12V installed on the outside of the cabinet and plug the unit in when I need it. The booster is supposed to be ventilated anyway, so its probably a good idea to keep the cabinet door open when in use. And given your experience with needing to have the antenna right next to your device, I should probably install that interior antenna with enough cable to allow me to take it off the cabinet face and set it on the table.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Amp is in passenger side dinette bench where batteries are (and the vent). The inside antenna wire runs through the finger hole in the hinged lid of the bench and allows it to travel as far as the opposite bench.
Edit- wire actually exits bench next to hinge.

That sounds like a good arrangement for the antenna. I forget though, which booster are you using?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by RF Paul

Wilson has a weboost 4G-X RV/Trucker Essentials kit that has two exterior and two interior antennas, allowing a user to transfer just the booster from the trailer to the tow for use in both.
http://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/webo...kit-470510-rv/
(I actually think it might be cheaper to purchase the extra antennas separately)

Using this setup, how easy would it be move the booster between tow and trailer? It would seem to be a bit of a pain unscrewing the two antennas from one vehicle and screwing them back in to the other.

[RF Paul]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Using this setup, how easy would it be move the booster between tow and trailer? It would seem to be a bit of a pain unscrewing the two antennas from one vehicle and screwing them back in to the other.

The weBoost kit that I included the link to (weBoost # 470210) actually includes a completely separate set of antennas for the tow. The trailer uses the RV/Trucker exterior and panel interior antennas; The tow uses the mini-mag exterior and "hershey bar" interior antennas. I think you just have to disconnect the antennas from the booster and move the booster between the trailer and the tow. You also, potentially, have to move the power cable. But the kit includes two power cables, one 12V and one 120V, so if the tow has a 120V outlet, you wouldn't even need to move the power cable.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by RF Paul

I think you just have to disconnect the antennas from the booster and move the booster between the trailer and the tow.

This is my concern, as it seems it would be a bit fussy with the cables having to thread on, as opposed to just plugging in.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

That sounds like a good arrangement for the antenna. I forget though, which booster are you using?

Using Wilson 3W- an older version of what they sell today. It operates at 850/1900 MHz. The newer amps also operate at 700 MHz, however if you look at Verizon's map of where they offer 700 MHz(which propagates better) you see that it is primarily in more urban areas. The newer amps are 1W as per FCC regulations and will not reach a tower that in some cases a 3W will.

Am checking to see if a Home/office amp such as the WeBoost Home 4G 470101 is 3W still which I've heard and whether an omni antenna can be used.

[RF Paul]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

This is my concern, as it seems it would be a bit fussy with the cables having to thread on, as opposed to just plugging in.

Yeah...I'm not sure how to avoid that, other than maybe trying those cheap un-threaded female coax fittings that they (used to?) put on those short antenna cables that came with TVs. Those slide right over the threaded male connector, but I'm not sure if that would be a solid enough connection.

BTW...I gave the wrong weBoost kit number in my last post...the correct number is 470510-RV

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Fire safety is reason for no live 12V inside cabinets.

I did not know this. Is there an amperage limit that would be considered safe for wiring in overhead cabinets? My trailer is prewired for a stereo, so the wires are there, somewhere. I didn't consider creating a fire hazard by adding 12V wiring in a cabinet. Maybe I should.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I did not know this. Is there an amperage limit that would be considered safe for wiring in overhead cabinets? My trailer is prewired for a stereo, so the wires are there, somewhere. I didn't consider creating a fire hazard by adding 12V wiring in a cabinet. Maybe I should.

Mike, rather than the wiring being any potential problem, I would think the concern would be from chargers and power supplies plugged into those round outlets. Some of the power supplies can get quite hot while in use and I think some cheap ones have been implicated in fires.

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks. I'll keep this in mind when fiddling with my wiring. At this point I only want to route power to a rear view camera through my cabinet. It doesn't draw much power.

[thoer]

Properly sized wires shouldn't be a problem in themselves.

[StanLewis]

This is not an area of personal expertise for me, but FWIW I have found RVMobileInternet.com to be an excellent source of information and advice on this topic. Some basic stuff on their public access site, but to get into details it costs about USD 60 per year. Worth it to me; YMMV.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Am checking to see if a Home/office amp such as the WeBoost Home 4G 470101 is 3W still which I've heard and whether an omni antenna can be used.

This is my plan as well. I just ordered the WeBoost RV4G, which is a 3W amp. They can only sell this as a kit that is designed for use when stationary, not in motion, per FCC rules, so to accomplish this the kit includes a directional external antenna that won't work in motion and must be re-aimed every time the RV is moved.

I also ordered a WirEng Uniant Lite, which is an omnidirectional antenna that is designed to create a 30 degree dead spot directly underneath it. What a perfect place to put a high output internal antenna and avoid crosstalk! The external Uniant will go on top of our forthcoming 19's wardrobe, and the internal WeBoost antenna will go in the wardrobe itself. Bada bam bada bing!

[Rossue]

Sounds good; may have to give that combo a test drive. Thanks for info

Edit: From reading a review on Amazon, it seems that you need to ask Wilson to send a 12V charger that does not reduce the input voltage down to 6V as the standard plug does which, according to the reviewer reduced internet speeds significantly over using the 120V AC power source with inverter or shore power.
https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Phone...=weboost+4g+rv

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by StanLewis

This is not an area of personal expertise for me, but FWIW I have found RVMobileInternet.com to be an excellent source of information and advice on this topic. Some basic stuff on their public access site, but to get into details it costs about USD 60 per year. Worth it to me; YMMV.

I second that emotion. I also joined the four the premium content. Excellent content and we'll worth the annual subscription price.

I only need year to figure out what to get on my new trailer. After that, I won't need it any longer.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by StanLewis

This is not an area of personal expertise for me, but FWIW I have found RVMobileInternet.com to be an excellent source of information and advice on this topic. Some basic stuff on their public access site, but to get into details it costs about USD 60 per year. Worth it to me; YMMV.

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

I second that emotion. I also joined the four the premium content. Excellent content and we'll worth the annual subscription price.

I only need year to figure out what to get on my new trailer. After that, I won't need it any longer.

If you two can come up with the ideal setup via that site, and publish your findings here, you could possibly save a lot of folks $60, earn their undying gratitude, and possibly earn yourself a cocktail or two.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If you two can come up with the ideal setup via that site, and publish your findings here, you could possibly save a lot of folks $60, earn their undying gratitude, and possibly earn yourself a cocktail or two.

Jim,

I could use a few free cocktails...

I think this is the first time I have reason to disagree with you. To me , it's kind of like saying if Reace & Tammy would just put their heads together, they could come up with the ideal trailer & options. We wouldn't have to worry about build sheets or trying to decide which trailer to get. Alas, we all have different needs, budgets, situations, and even "taste". I believe each of us have different cell phone and/or wifi booster needs.

I'm an retired, occasional traveler who is on the road several times a year for a few weeks at a time. I prefer not to camp in RV parks. If I'm not connected for a while, it's not a big deal. After looking over their data, I think a cradle is all I need. I haven't decided on the antenna yet.

A full time working couple would have much greater connectivity needs and could justify a much higher budget. A cradle wouldn't cut it for them.

As I gather, Chris & and Cherie are full timers with a remote web development business. They needed good bandwidth to survive. After spending a lot of time looking for solutions. Chris, being technically minded, became an expert. What started as publishing occasional reviews of their data struggles morphed into a side business. Knowledge is money, or it can be, if you can match up your knowledge with those who need it.

Rich

[StarvingHyena]

Hey Jim and others,
I just got through looking over the site: RVMobileInternet.com and there is quite a bit of information there. I'm still wrestling with the issue of remote cell access and all the equipment that it involves .... or not. Peace and quiet while out camping is pretty important to me but I am an internet junkie at home.

If my decision is to 'go with all the gear', then membership would be well worth the price. At least initially ... I'm glad I checked out their site.

Thanks Stan for bring this to our attention.

Tom

[garysd]

Like Rich, I also have a subscription to rvmobileinternet. Their website, the free version, has lots of information available but when you become a subscriber you have access to the results of their on-hands testing of numerous devices that are available to fit the individual needs of those who desire some level of connectivity.

Also, they are constantly monitoring the various cell carrier data plans, and know what to look for in the fine print as well as letting you know exactly what to say to get the best deals. This alone is worth the subscription price for me.

Gary