Little OT_Good Aireal for cell phone

oops....add the .com to that web page adress....Jim

Do you have one now?

If so, which model?

If they work as good as you say, I know 4 or 5 guys that would buy one today.

Thanks, JTMcC, happily working on the fringe of cell coverage.

Yes I have just bought the one used by my welding buddy and called "the Trucker" and was told by the Canadian supplier that regular pocket cell phones work on like.... point 6 of a decible??? ...I use a 'bag phone" that I am told uses 3 full decibles of power which is at least 5 times as strong than a pocket cell phone. This aeriel commands 10-15 full decibles of power and be damned if i know what that means (simple math say the damned areal is like 25 times stronger than a regular cell phone)

I DO know that there is an amplifier built into the antenna to boost the power and it'll get a signal where "normal" or "everybody elses" signals are not to be found..........it is the most powerfull truck antenna to be found...(that I have found) I'm not into the technical jargon of electronics and stuff, but I have been in some pretty far off places in the north. I have never had a cell phone perform until using this areal...It may not work for you folks down south....but it sure as hell works up here....regards...Jim

Thanks, we'll try one out.

JTMcC.

Handhelds are 0.6 watt, bag phones were 3 watts. That's power, not decibels.

Decibels are logarithmic power ratios.

dB = 10*log(P1/P2)

A 3 dB increase would be a signal twice as strong, a 10 dB increase would be a signal 10 times as strong, a 15 dB increase would be a signal 31.6 times as strong. Etc. Note that the increased strength will be only in a certain direction. Antenna gain is achieved by concentrating the signal in a particular direction instead of spewing it in every direction. Its dB "gain" is thus a measure of how directional it is. It doesn't actually amplify signals in the sense that an actual amplifier would.

Ok, if it actually has an amplifier in it, you'd have to feed it with DC power from the battery to operate the amplifier. Is there a DC power connection to this antenna? If not, it doesn't really have an amplifier in it. It just has antenna gain as explained above.

Gary

Handheld, plain-old-analog cell phones use 0.6 WATTS of transmit power to the antenna. Antennas don't have "power" they have "gain", which is accurately described as a focusing of power... the antenna does not make more power, it just gathers it in one direction. Kinda like when you are TIG welding... it's the difference between a sharp tungsten and a blunt one. Same power, more focussed.

Antennas also have "loss." If they are made crappy, they can turn your precious energy into heat, and not into radio signal. Like trying to weld with 12 ga. cables.

Some "stick" antennas are physically longer, and if properly designed, focus the power more on the horizon, and less overhead and underfoot. Think of a doughnut (or bagel). Stick your antenna through it. The bagel represents the antenna pattern, or where the energy is going. Nearly zero up and down (the hole), and most on the horizon.

Make the antenna longer (an oversimplification) and the pattern looks like the bagel was squished flatter. More energy heading for the horizon, less heading for the International Space Station.

Well, 10 dB (decibels) stronger means 10X stronger. (3 dB is 2X, 5 dB is 3X, 7 dB is 5X). That antenna, if it is for 900 MHz cell phones MUST be about 52 inches long, if it is a "stick". Half that if it is required to operate with a groundplane (the metal roof of your truck). That is just physics. If it isn't, then it doesn't.

There is no amplifier built into the antenna unless you have to wire it to your battery.

If the antenna is better (there can be lots of reasons why), buy it. But don't think it's a miracle.

And for God's sake, don't ever let someone you care about waste their money on some adhesive-backed stick-on gimmick that will "make their cell phones work in elevators."

Larsen, Antenna Specialists, Maxrad... are a few real antenna companies. Ask them what they have, too.

My company only does custom work.

Best,

-Spencer Webb (neophyte welder)

Gary,

We posted at almost the same time... well said.

One clarification.

To double the range, you need 6 dB more power (4X), or antenna gain (in ideal conditions).

Spencer KW2S

If the antenna is better (there can be lots of reasons why), buy it. But don't think it's a miracle.

And for God's sake, don't ever let someone you care about waste their money on some adhesive-backed stick-on gimmick that will "make their cell phones work in elevators."

Larsen, Antenna Specialists, Maxrad... are a few real antenna companies. Ask them what they have, too.

My company only does custom work.

Best,

-Spencer Webb (neophyte welder)

I say again guys , That I dunno why or how it works....it just frigging works, and when you spend 40-45 days straight out in the bush working and trying to get connected each day to call your wife and family, and then see a fellow welder buddy with full coverage and no one else could get it ...I would yes....it is a frigging "miracle"...lol And where I work there are no elevators...only overhead cranes...Regards....Jim

Every amateur radio user knows that your system can only be as good as your antenna. For a collection of good, working designs, you may wish to borrow the "ARRL antenna handbook" from your public library (hey, that's metalworking too!). Note that using any of those with a cell phone probably breaks a dozen of local regulations, but nobody will care as long as you only do it out in the bush.

Right, inverse square law.

Gary