Any way to improve cell phone reception?
 

My wife & I are in the process of moving & are living on opposite sides
of the continent for awhile. To lower phone bills, we got a cell plan
that gives us unlimited minutes to one another (Cingular). My phone (a
Motorola V180) gets great reception around town, but naturally, I have
found it gets lousy reception from my home, where I generally am when we
talk. 0 to 2 bars, usually 1. So I'm wondering if there's any way to
inprove reception, like an external antenna, even a clip lead attached
to the antenna connection inside (which I have not tried yet). Phone
has a stub antenna about 1 inch long. Suggestions appreciated.

Dan

"Dan" wrote in message
...

My wife & I are in the process of moving & are living on opposite sides
of the continent for awhile. To lower phone bills, we got a cell plan
that gives us unlimited minutes to one another (Cingular). My phone (a
Motorola V180) gets great reception around town, but naturally, I have
found it gets lousy reception from my home, where I generally am when we
talk. 0 to 2 bars, usually 1. So I'm wondering if there's any way to
inprove reception, like an external antenna, even a clip lead attached
to the antenna connection inside (which I have not tried yet). Phone
has a stub antenna about 1 inch long. Suggestions appreciated.

FWIW. Figure out where the closest tower is and build a yagi antenna
(http://www.clarc.org/Articles/uhf.htm) to point to that. Couple that to a
small vertical whip and see how well that works. You can often make a test
yagi out of the old TV antenna ribbon and see how it works. YMMV.

N

NSM wrote:
"Dan" wrote in message
...


My wife & I are in the process of moving & are living on opposite sides
of the continent for awhile. To lower phone bills, we got a cell plan
that gives us unlimited minutes to one another (Cingular). My phone (a
Motorola V180) gets great reception around town, but naturally, I have
found it gets lousy reception from my home, where I generally am when we
talk. 0 to 2 bars, usually 1. So I'm wondering if there's any way to
inprove reception, like an external antenna, even a clip lead attached
to the antenna connection inside (which I have not tried yet). Phone
has a stub antenna about 1 inch long. Suggestions appreciated.


FWIW. Figure out where the closest tower is and build a yagi antenna
(http://www.clarc.org/Articles/uhf.htm) to point to that. Couple that to a
small vertical whip and see how well that works. You can often make a test
yagi out of the old TV antenna ribbon and see how it works. YMMV.

N




Thanks for the reply. At least one company offers a solution along
these lines, but a repeater incorporating an amplifier rather than a
"passive" arrangement, which they claim is not feasible due to the low
signal levels (but then, they WOULD say that, wouldn't they?). Around
700 bucks. Yeeesh. They do offer a $100 800 mhz yagi (my freq), but
unfortunately no adapter for my particular phone. I'd have to do some
surgery. A final option appears to be a magnet mount vertical whip with
a ground plane (square of sheet metal), about $50 w/o cable, still faced
with attaching it to the phone. Might be worth a go. I'll check out
the article you suggest, futzing around with a cheap yagi might be fun,
once I solve the no-jack problem

Dan

Dan

"Dan" wrote in message
...

Thanks for the reply. At least one company offers a solution along
these lines, but a repeater incorporating an amplifier rather than a
"passive" arrangement, which they claim is not feasible due to the low
signal levels (but then, they WOULD say that, wouldn't they?). Around
700 bucks. Yeeesh. They do offer a $100 800 mhz yagi (my freq), but
unfortunately no adapter for my particular phone. I'd have to do some
surgery. A final option appears to be a magnet mount vertical whip with
a ground plane (square of sheet metal), about $50 w/o cable, still faced
with attaching it to the phone. Might be worth a go. I'll check out
the article you suggest, futzing around with a cheap yagi might be fun,
once I solve the no-jack problem.

The secret of all these things is to try something and then see if you can
improve it. For a vertical, all you need in a piece of heavy copper wire or
small tube. You could also try a Radio Shack telescoping antenna.

I also remember people selling those passive boosters (for as low as 1 cent)
that you stick in the battery compartment but they seem to have died out -
guess they didn't work.

As for an 800 MHz amp, try the library for a copy of the Radio Amateur
handbook which may have a design. But always do the easy things first.

N

I think those stick-on passive "boosters" work great. No help on reception, but if you stick 3
or 4 layers of them on, it keeps the battery from rattling arround.

--
Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer
Talking Dog Transducer Company
http://stephensank.com
5517 Carmelita Drive N.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111]
505-332-0336
Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer
Payments preferred through Paypal.com
"NSM" wrote in message news:Dojse.64563$9A2.58628@edtnps89...

"Dan" wrote in message
...

Thanks for the reply. At least one company offers a solution along
these lines, but a repeater incorporating an amplifier rather than a
"passive" arrangement, which they claim is not feasible due to the low
signal levels (but then, they WOULD say that, wouldn't they?). Around
700 bucks. Yeeesh. They do offer a $100 800 mhz yagi (my freq), but
unfortunately no adapter for my particular phone. I'd have to do some
surgery. A final option appears to be a magnet mount vertical whip with
a ground plane (square of sheet metal), about $50 w/o cable, still faced
with attaching it to the phone. Might be worth a go. I'll check out
the article you suggest, futzing around with a cheap yagi might be fun,
once I solve the no-jack problem.

The secret of all these things is to try something and then see if you can
improve it. For a vertical, all you need in a piece of heavy copper wire or
small tube. You could also try a Radio Shack telescoping antenna.

I also remember people selling those passive boosters (for as low as 1 cent)
that you stick in the battery compartment but they seem to have died out -
guess they didn't work.

As for an 800 MHz amp, try the library for a copy of the Radio Amateur
handbook which may have a design. But always do the easy things first.

N

Dan,
I have an LG VX4500 phone that gets poor or no signal in my basement. I
bought a replacement telescoping antenna for my phone on e-bay. It has
improved my signal in the basement some what. It will not go from 1 bar to
two, but I have found that I can complete my calls more often with the
antenna up than with the OEM stub. Here is the link to the one I bought, I
think they sell them for other phones.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2391 525&rd=1

--
Tony Marsillo
Nutmeg Repair
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Dan" wrote in message
...
My wife & I are in the process of moving & are living on opposite sides of
the continent for awhile. To lower phone bills, we got a cell plan that
gives us unlimited minutes to one another (Cingular). My phone (a
Motorola V180) gets great reception around town, but naturally, I have
found it gets lousy reception from my home, where I generally am when we
talk. 0 to 2 bars, usually 1. So I'm wondering if there's any way to
inprove reception, like an external antenna, even a clip lead attached to
the antenna connection inside (which I have not tried yet). Phone has a
stub antenna about 1 inch long. Suggestions appreciated.

Dan

Tony Marsillo wrote:
Dan,
I have an LG VX4500 phone that gets poor or no signal in my basement. I
bought a replacement telescoping antenna for my phone on e-bay. It has
improved my signal in the basement some what. It will not go from 1 bar to
two, but I have found that I can complete my calls more often with the
antenna up than with the OEM stub. Here is the link to the one I bought, I
think they sell them for other phones.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2391 525&rd=1



3 bucks?!? What, you think I'm MADE of MONEY??? ;-)


Looks like it could be worth a shot, I'll see if they have one for my
phone...

hack the mothers phones should be free
http://www.cellphonehacks.com/
--




http://www.geocities.com/vintagejapmotorcycleshop/
Dan wrote in message
...
Tony Marsillo wrote:
Dan,
I have an LG VX4500 phone that gets poor or no signal in my basement. I
bought a replacement telescoping antenna for my phone on e-bay. It has
improved my signal in the basement some what. It will not go from 1 bar
to
two, but I have found that I can complete my calls more often with the
antenna up than with the OEM stub. Here is the link to the one I bought,
I
think they sell them for other phones.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=5782391 525
&rd=1



3 bucks?!? What, you think I'm MADE of MONEY??? ;-)


Looks like it could be worth a shot, I'll see if they have one for my
phone...