Is there are better Wilson phone booster antenna?

[scannermanner1]

is there a better performing Wilson phone booster antenna then the 12 inch 800/1900 antenna??

I was thinking of 1900 mhz quarter wave antenna maybe?

 

[mmckenna]

Lots of choices, depending on exactly what you need.

I have a Wilson amp left over a work that we used to try and address an emergency call box not being able to connect. The antenna it came with was pretty junky. I installed an NMO on top of the call box and put up a better antenna.

Not sure what your mount is, but I'd suggest NMO, as it opens up a lot of options.
I've used these:
https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=423940 This one worked surprisingly well. Low profile "blade" type antenna. Worked great for AT&T service.

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=458545
This guy works OK. Not totally impressed with the build quality, but it has worked well.

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=495864
This one works OK. Wilson brand. I wasn't expecting much, in fact I ordered 2 so I'd have a back up. The original has been on top of a call box for 5 or 6 years now without issue.

 

[Cowthief]

Hello.

Wilson is consumer, but it does work.
The problem is that the losses are large at 900 MHz but HUGE at 1900 MHz!
You would need some really quality coax for anything over a few inches!
Figure on $20 a foot for the really good stuff.
Next, what kind of connectors are you planning on, kind of hard to put an N connector on a cellphone.
Remember, 1900 MHz is in the microwave band.
I can envision a waveguide mounted and terminator to monopole on each end mounted in a pickup.
I am sure someone has tried!

 

[kayn1n32008]

is there a better performing Wilson phone booster antenna then the 12 inch 800/1900 antenna??

I was thinking of 1900 mhz quarter wave antenna maybe?

If you end up in a 800MHz only service area, a1900MHz 1/4 wave will not perform very well.

Lots of choices, depending on exactly what you need.

I have a Wilson amp left over a work that we used to try and address an emergency call box not being able to connect. The antenna it came with was pretty junky. I installed an NMO on top of the call box and put up a better antenna.

Not sure what your mount is, but I'd suggest NMO, as it opens up a lot of options.
I've used these:
https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=423940 This one worked surprisingly well. Low profile "blade" type antenna. Worked great for AT&T service.

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=458545
This guy works OK. Not totally impressed with the build quality, but it has worked well.

https://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=495864
This one works OK. Wilson brand. I wasn't expecting much, in fact I ordered 2 so I'd have a back up. The original has been on top of a call box for 5 or 6 years now without issue.

I can attest that the second and third antenna that mmckenna linked to work quite well, as I have both of them. The third one though I have is designed for 800MHz cell band not LMR. Any of the three he provided links to will perform much better than a 1900MHz 1/4wave.

Also please ignore Bovineburglar's comments. You do not need to spend huge amounts of money like he is suggesting... And if loss is a concern use some high quality double shielded RG-58 from antenna to amp.

I have a Smoothtalker cradle, Wilson wireless amp, and NMO mounted antenna that has the cell/PCS version of the third antenna mmckenna linked to, in use every day. While it is RG-58 from the amp to antenna, it is RG-174 from amp to cradle. It works fine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[kayn1n32008]

Hello.

Wilson is consumer, but it does work.
The problem is that the losses are large at 900 MHz but HUGE at 1900 MHz!
You would need some really quality coax for anything over a few inches!
Figure on $20 a foot for the really good stuff.
Next, what kind of connectors are you planning on, kind of hard to put an N connector on a cellphone.
Remember, 1900 MHz is in the microwave band.
I can envision a waveguide mounted and terminator to monopole on each end mounted in a pickup.
I am sure someone has tried!

Funny stuff burglar. A mobile setup does not need waveguide or coax that costs upwards of $20/ft. And no need for N connectors, FME ones work just fine in a mobile environment.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah….
I was using double shield RG-58 without issue.
$20/ft, seriously?
I was using a Wilson iPhone docking station. It had an SMA on the bottom of it, totally suitable for 1900MHz and above.

The little Wilson adapter worked quite well. There was a specific place I'd go camping where the iPhone would not be able to connect to AT&T's network. Putting in the phone in the cradle solved that.

Just remember, there has to be -some- signal there for it to work with. Also, make sure that the antenna cannot "see" the docking cradle (if that is what you are using). If the passively coupled units are too close to the antennas, they'll self oscillate and shut down to prevent hosing up the cell site.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Yeah….
I was using double shield RG-58 without issue.
$20/ft, seriously?
I was using a Wilson iPhone docking station. It had an SMA on the bottom of it, totally suitable for 1900MHz and above.

The little Wilson adapter worked quite well. There was a specific place I'd go camping where the iPhone would not be able to connect to AT&T's network. Putting in the phone in the cradle solved that.

Just remember, there has to be -some- signal there for it to work with. Also, make sure that the antenna cannot "see" the docking cradle (if that is what you are using). If the passively coupled units are too close to the antennas, they'll self oscillate and shut down to prevent hosing up the cell site.

I'm using a 'wireless' 800/1900MHz BDA with a Smoothtalker passive coupling cradle, RG-174 from cradle to BDA, and RG-58 from BDA to hole mounted NMO 800/1900MHz antenna... Works just fine... As you stated you do need some signal for it to function, although with the range limitations of HSPA, I have found instances where a really high gain antenna is actually a hindrance to the setup.

Either way, no need for coax that is $20/ft, or N connectors or wave guide :weed: WTF?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[scannermanner1]

Hello.

Wilson is consumer, but it does work.
The problem is that the losses are large at 900 MHz but HUGE at 1900 MHz!
You would need some really quality coax for anything over a few inches!
Figure on $20 a foot for the really good stuff.
Next, what kind of connectors are you planning on, kind of hard to put an N connector on a cellphone.
Remember, 1900 MHz is in the microwave band.
I can envision a waveguide mounted and terminator to monopole on each end mounted in a pickup.
I am sure someone has tried!

I am currently using FME connector that connect straight into the Wilson booster and RG 174 coax

 

[scannermanner1]

I'm using a 'wireless' 800/1900MHz BDA with a Smoothtalker passive coupling cradle, RG-174 from cradle to BDA, and RG-58 from BDA to hole mounted NMO 800/1900MHz antenna... Works just fine... As you stated you do need some signal for it to function, although with the range limitations of HSPA, I have found instances where a really high gain antenna is actually a hindrance to the setup.

Either way, no need for coax that is $20/ft, or N connectors or wave guide :weed: WTF?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

thank you for the information!! I am using RG 174 from the antenna to the amp and then from the amp to a little patch thing put by your phone
it seems like the RG 174 has been working fine, when I install the amp for real in my car then I will change the rg174 to RG 58 and get a NMO antenna and call it good

 

[kayn1n32008]

thank you for the information!! I am using RG 174 from the antenna to the amp and then from the amp to a little patch thing put by your phone

it seems like the RG 174 has been working fine, when I install the amp for real in my car then I will change the rg174 to RG 58 and get a NMO antenna and call it good

Just remember to get a decent dualband antenna. As I stated before, any of the three mmckenna linked in this thread will work just fine. But do remember that you need adequate isolation between the patch antenna inside and the external antenna. Also do buy a BDA that can sense when it starts to oscillate otherwise you will create harmful interference.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[scannermanner1]

Just remember to get a decent dualband antenna. As I stated before, any of the three mmckenna linked in this thread will work just fine. But do remember that you need adequate isolation between the patch antenna inside and the external antenna. Also do buy a BDA that can sense when it starts to oscillate otherwise you will create harmful interference.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

what exactly is a BDA??

I know that the booster I have the lights on it will go red if both the antennas get too close together to prevent oscillating like mmckenna was pointing out

 

[kayn1n32008]

what exactly is a BDA??



I know that the booster I have the lights on it will go red if both the antennas get too close together to prevent oscillating like mmckenna was pointing out

BiDirectionalAmplifier. This is what the Wilson 'boosters' are. They amplify radio signals in both directions. The down link signal coming from the cell site, and the uplink signal from your phone to the cell site.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[iMONITOR]

Is all this in an effort to improve your cellular service? If so, it might be a lot easier, more effective, and possibly less costly to switch carriers.

 

[scannermanner1]

Is all this in an effort to improve your cellular service? If so, it might be a lot easier, more effective, and possibly less costly to switch carriers.

yes, but unfortunately I have found that Verizon (what I have) has the best coverage in my area but there's still a lot of dead spots and the phone booster takes quite a few of them away
I have tried AT&T which is my only other option!, and it works the same place as Verizon though and probably has barely better coverage in a couple of areas

 

[iMONITOR]

That shoots that idea. I was going to suggest Verizon, as I've found them to have the best coverage anywhere I travel. I live in lower S.E. Michigan, and travel mostly North to the upper peninsula of Michigan, and South, to Florida. My wife travels East to Rhode Island, and has been to Vegas a few times.

Where are you located?

 

[scannermanner1]

That shoots that idea. I was going to suggest Verizon, as I've found them to have the best coverage anywhere I travel. I live in Michigan, and travel mostly North to the upper peninsula of Michigan, and South, to Florida. My wife travels East to Rhode Island, and has been to Vegas a few times.

Where are you located?

I'm about 35 miles east of Cedar City, Utah