I have a cingular v60 phone for work. I plan to insatll a car kit and don't want to use the antenna that comes with it. My question is what frequency range antenna do I need and can you use a gain antenna with a cellular phone? If anyone has an antenna they prefer let me know. No glassmounts please, I will be drilling holes for the two way antenna which is 451.7750 so another one is no problem. My other question is what range do the wireless network cards do the cell phone companies use. I figure I might as well drill a hole and put that antenna up there while I have everything apart.
Thanks
Tyler
Two questions about cellular:
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If you have the V60 it is a dual band phone (800 & 1900). You will need to get a dual band cellular antenna. I have the same setup in my explorer except I went for the glass antenna. If you go to http://www.canyonriver.com/ and look at the Antenna Specalists section they have a permenant/hole mount, 14.1” mast enclosed/open coil, 3db/3db gain. The prices are not too bad. I have this one mounted in a magnetic mount for moving to diffrent cars. I am pleased with the performance of the antenna.
Jeff
Jeff
Mobile Cell-antennas
You can go up to 5 db gain.
You need to know how far you
operate from a cell-site.
When you are close to a site then
your power gets turned down.
If you have 0 db gain it stays higher.
When you go around a lot of metal bldgs
the o db antenna helps you.
The high gain antenna has to low power
to go to the cell equipment and you get a bad
connection.If you are a way out from a cell
site then you need a high gain antenna.
We use two different antennas for search vehicles.
On for in town and the bush high gain.
It makes a big difference.
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Barry Dehatchit
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 2:33 pm
Antennas
Go with the maximum gain you can. It will help you when you are out in the boonies. When you get close to a cellsite, the cellsite will turn down your phone's power but you will still have an acceptable signal to the site.
I don't understand why you would want to run full power when close to a site? Letting the cell site adjust your power level means your phone runs cooler and the vehicle can charge your battery easier.
So you've got a couple of options:
1) get the best antenna you can and let the system manage your power level. You'll have full antenna gain and full power in weak signal areas and full antenna gain and lower power when in strong signal areas.
2) get a 0dB antenna and run full power all the time and let your signal suffer in weak coverage areas.
3) get a 0dB antenna and a 6dB antenna and switch back and forth depending on where you are.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
As far as wireless cellular cards, depends on what frequency it operates on. The sierra wireless cards can accept an external antenna which is good. They produce models for all the different systems.
I don't understand why you would want to run full power when close to a site? Letting the cell site adjust your power level means your phone runs cooler and the vehicle can charge your battery easier.
So you've got a couple of options:
1) get the best antenna you can and let the system manage your power level. You'll have full antenna gain and full power in weak signal areas and full antenna gain and lower power when in strong signal areas.
2) get a 0dB antenna and run full power all the time and let your signal suffer in weak coverage areas.
3) get a 0dB antenna and a 6dB antenna and switch back and forth depending on where you are.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
As far as wireless cellular cards, depends on what frequency it operates on. The sierra wireless cards can accept an external antenna which is good. They produce models for all the different systems.
Barry Has Never Had the trouble then
I can see BARRY has never had the trouble.
Well when we get told that one unit
works then it does not then you learn.
We need the two antennas or we get big trouble.
We do what it takes to keep transmitting.
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Barry Dehatchit
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 2:33 pm
No Susan I never have trouble. My 3dB gain antenna with an incar kit just keeps on ticking. I travel through rural areas and urban areas all day and never have problems.
I'm hoping that since you're a member of batlabs, you have some technical education and can follow this:
Let's suppose you and I both have a 1W phone capable of power control.
If the cellsite has reduced my power to 27dBM and I've got a 6dB gain antenna, my ERP is 33dBM.
With your 0dB antenna and the phone running at full power 30dBm, then you've got an ERP of 30dBM.
Even though you are running at twice the power, I'm still putting out a 3dB stronger signal towards the cellsite. My phone is also running cooler and the battery is charging easier since more power can be devoted to charging.
The cellsite could back my power down to 24dBM (approx .25W) and my signal would match yours.
Out in the boonies with my phone running at full power into a 6dB gain antenna, I've got an ERP of 36dBM. You're still running at 30dBM.
But hey, whatever works for you. I'm just saying that the theory says (and my practical experience) that you go with the highest gain antenna you can get. If you're in an urban area all day then you can sacrifice gain for something smaller and prettier looking). You're about the only person I know who runs two antennas for one phone.
I'm hoping that since you're a member of batlabs, you have some technical education and can follow this:
Let's suppose you and I both have a 1W phone capable of power control.
If the cellsite has reduced my power to 27dBM and I've got a 6dB gain antenna, my ERP is 33dBM.
With your 0dB antenna and the phone running at full power 30dBm, then you've got an ERP of 30dBM.
Even though you are running at twice the power, I'm still putting out a 3dB stronger signal towards the cellsite. My phone is also running cooler and the battery is charging easier since more power can be devoted to charging.
The cellsite could back my power down to 24dBM (approx .25W) and my signal would match yours.
Out in the boonies with my phone running at full power into a 6dB gain antenna, I've got an ERP of 36dBM. You're still running at 30dBM.
But hey, whatever works for you. I'm just saying that the theory says (and my practical experience) that you go with the highest gain antenna you can get. If you're in an urban area all day then you can sacrifice gain for something smaller and prettier looking). You're about the only person I know who runs two antennas for one phone.
The connection to the kit is a mini-UHF.
I have the 3db gain antenna and it works great. I live in the woods so thats why I got the kit, to have the external antenna. I get strong signals and the phone makes a connection when in the kit whereas when it is not it wont work at all. I can tell you that my setup works great for me.
Jeff
I have the 3db gain antenna and it works great. I live in the woods so thats why I got the kit, to have the external antenna. I get strong signals and the phone makes a connection when in the kit whereas when it is not it wont work at all. I can tell you that my setup works great for me.
Jeff