Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (
More info?)
davidlind@my-deja.com (David L) wrote in message news:<e1705cb3.0408271901.54a440d9@posting.google.com>...
> Gunther Larssen <larssengun@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<250820042157316708%larssengun@hotmail.com>...
> > Anyone ever used an external antenna with the 4400? I get such as weak
> > signal inside my house, I'm looking for a solution...
> >
> > THX
>
> There's also a Yagi antenna design. A Yagi is like a small tv type
> antenna. It's aimed at just one cell tower. This may be an advantage
> and will get a better signal boosting effect.
>
> I bought a Antennex 9db/6 element Yagi and it works very well at
> boosting a boderline signal to a solid one. It's about 29" long. Both
> longer/higher boost and shorter versions 6db/3 element) are availabe.
> 29" was a workable length to still carry in my car and set up on a
> pole.
> It's important to use a good quality/low loss cable with any antenna.
> Using a poor quality cable over long length can result in a large
> signal loss.
>
> Yagi and cable are available many places at various prices. I got mine
> at www.criterionwireless.com/. They have some good pictures of the
> various parts used to hook up a cellular phone. They were also helpful
> in getting the correct adapters. They also make up whatever length and
> termination end required.
>
> Here's a basic list of parts and approximate prices.
>
> Antenna adapter cable $10-25. Getting one that incorperates a
> cigarette (CLA) adapter allows the phone to charge while talking. It
> alos cuts of the phones built in antenna when hooked up
>
> 20 feet of low loss LMR-195 cable. $29. N male/TNCmale terminations.
> This appears to be a high grade versus thin design, with quad
> shielding. For very long cable runs there's even lower loss, but that
> cable gets thicker and more expensive.
>
> A small barrel adapter from the LMR-195 cable to the external antenna
> adapter. $10. Requested a universal TNC end on the long cabling, so I
> could hook up different phones/external antenna adapters in the
> future, by changing a $10 barrel connector.
>
> 9db Antennex Yagi YGANT8066 (pro design). $120, all welded and gold
> anodized. Heavy duty/mount with stainless parts. A little overkill,
> but I wanted it to hold up when packed into a car trunk. The antenna
> is also designed to work down to the Nextel range as well, (806mhz) so
> signal boost may be a bit less than the stated 9db.
>
> I'm not sure getting any less than a 6db antenna is worth it.
> There's some loss in the cable and connectors and some margin of error
> for less than perfect aim at the tower. My phone indicated there's
> about a 7 or 8db improvement. A noticable difference while making
> calls. Turns borderline areas with frequent dropped calls into a solid
> calling area, with no calls dropping.
>
> You need some kind of mast. Usually the cellular signal gets better up
> higher, but then more cable length and potentially more loss occurs.
> There's pipe or pre-made antenna mast sections. I use a collapsible
> aluminum swimming pool handle, for portability, while carrying in a
> small car.
> *Don't forget to follow proper grounding guidlines. You don't want to
> hold the end of a lightening rod to your head.*
>
> From what I understand, one of the problems with regular dipole
> design/magmount design, is the higher the signal boost, the more the
> antenna pickup is flattened towards the horizon. So, with a high db
> (over 6db?) rating the antenna may not "see" a tower up on a hill. The
> ordinarily used mag-mount/dipole will see multiple towers and does not
> need to be aimed like a Yagi, so is well suited to car or boat use.
>
>
> -
> David
Oops here's the correct addy and another useful antenna forum from
another company.
Criterion uses mostly US made antenna and cable. Quality stuff. The
Antennex Yagi supposedly fine tuned on test equipment did have one of
the elements welded slightly off. Antennex replaced it no problem/no
charge, but I expected more from an Pro grade. Works fine though.
The widely marketed Wilson mag mount antenna I bought ($39) was of
poor quality. Vinyl Tape on the base and the magnet, which easily
scrapped off. The end ball on the antenna tip fell off. Worked well,
but the quality of overseas manufacturing is very poor compared to the
American made antennas.
Index - How to Improve Cellular, Nextel and PCS GSM Reception
http://www.criterioncellular.com/tutorials/index.html
Cell Antenna Corporation Q&A Forum
http://www.cellantenna.com/.cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
-
David
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