What is this?

[boernegang]

I have seen these on several different trucks in the San Antonio area on I10. Any idea what type of Antenna this is??

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[KevinC]

Not an amateur antenna.

It's something like this...

Truck 4G LTE Signal Booster weBoost Drive 4G-X OTR 470210 (USA)

I see a lot of them in west Texas where cell coverage is spotty at best.

 

[boernegang]

Thanks for the info.



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[CQ]

For $500, they better be much better than these.

 

[mmckenna]

Truck 4G LTE Signal Booster weBoost Drive 4G-X OTR 470210 (USA)

I see a lot of them in west Texas where cell coverage is spotty at best.

Sweet Jeebus,
Proof the uglier an antenna is, the more people will buy it.

 

[poltergeisty]

How does something like that plug into a common smartphone?

Here's one that's cheaper.

weboost - Drive Sleek OTR 4G LTE Cell Phone Signal Booster - Black 811815028598 | eBay

 

[mmckenna]

How does something like that plug into a common smartphone?

They don't.
The antenna feeds a bi-directional amplifier (BDA) located in the vehicle. The BDA re-radiates the signal inside the cabin.

They can work well if designed well, installed correctly, and used correctly.

If not, they cause interference, don't work, make things worse, etc.

Many years ago I had one in a truck. The BDA portion was built into a cradle that held the phone. The BDA was powered off 12 volts switched by ignition. I mounted an NMO mount on the roof and had a small blade style cellular antenna. Worked really well out in the boonies. Would take a marginal signal and boost it to the point that getting phone calls, text messages and data in/out was possible.

 

[poltergeisty]

Interesting. I guess that's like how those glass mount antennas work in principal?

I read years ago that text messages rode the control channel. So knowing that I always figured if I couldn't make a call I might be able to send a text message. And seen as how a lot of 911 dispatch centers are allowing 911 texts, that could come in handy.

 

[mmckenna]

Interesting. I guess that's like how those glass mount antennas work in principal?

No. The BDA's actually have amplifiers and some filtering that boost the section of the bands that are used for cellular. Done right they can work well.

I read years ago that text messages rode the control channel. So knowing that I always figured if I couldn't make a call I might be able to send a text message. And seen as how a lot of 911 dispatch centers are allowing 911 texts, that could come in handy.

On the older systems, yeah. Not sure how it works on LTE, I think it's all a data stream and it doesn't matter.

 

[bharvey2]

Sweet Jeebus,
Proof the uglier an antenna is, the more people will buy it.

Good grief, you aren't kidding. It looks more like a tiki torch than an antenna! I gotta wonder how much of it is snake oil. It looks more like a top loaded HF antenna especially with that helical winding at the top.