Embracing modern lviing or running from it..... Cell phone extenter.

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This is controversial topic up at camp.... The cell phone booster. Might just be a matter of time until my camp gets cell service with one anyways. Guys get heated about having it, but also drive a couple miles to check messages and make a call. Our camp had a guy die from a heart attack while doing firewood about 6 years ago. Average age is well into the 40's. I brought one up there and proved it works. The neighboring camp has one. But, their camp is bring your own generator. Ours has a generator there and I installed a small 12v solar system for a few lights. ON the flip side, our camp is more modeled after animal house than something from the outdoor channel.

I am for having a cell phne extender, just dont tell anybody we got one. Wife's worried you didn't call every night. Saying something stupid on the phone while a member is half in the bag....... Folks freak out if they can't call you now........

3 out of 4 times It's just me there alone. Kind of like it that way at times. But running chainsaws, ATV's, not the most ideal way of lighting a bonfire, ladders in mud, etc.......

 

[SD51555]

I fought it for a little while. But it is handy to have.

Even if it's there, nobody has to use it. Turn those phones on airplane mode when they get there if that's what they want. It's invaluable when it comes to being able to access the internet. I've looked up owners manuals, tear down videos for my wheeler and furnace, and ordered parts and supplies that couldn't 'wait until I got home if they were to be delivered in time for the next trip up.

 

[Bszweda]

No brianer from a safety standpoint

 

[bueller]

Get it. Like anything else, those that don't want to use it don't have to. It can be very convenient for many things as SD described. I buy licenses and register game right from our kitchen table while enjoying a cold one.

 

[bigboreblr]

No brianer from a safety standpoint

There is between 18 and 18 no brainers at my club. If my meth is correct.... Just need $350 and an ego that barely fits in the door.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Going to the cabin was the initial reason for getting a cell phone. Remember bag phones, my employer at the time would let the employees get on their corporate plan for $10 a month. Don't remember how many minutes we had but the wife and I both thought it was a good idea just for the safety. Now I use my unlimited plan to stream movies, won't put an antenna up cause the guys that hunt with use would have football on 24 hrs a day. I don't mind one game but I won't put up with nothing but steady football.

 

[35-acre]

I have one. It works great.

There's 2 main parts - A small antenna that looks like a beer can on the outside as high up as I can get it to go. There's may 25 feet of cable that runs to the second part which is a small internal antenna broadcaster (looks like a small car amplifier from back in the day). That internal device is only strong enough to give signal in something like a 5 foot radius.

I don't run a generator. I use a "jump pack" (vehicle jump starter with more bells and whistles). It has a single outlet and 4 USB charging ports. I plug the internal device into that and I only turn it on when I need it. This thing will get me 5 or 6 days of use.

The funny thing is that with almost ZERO signal (aside from standing on "cell phone rock" across the street), with this little booster I get enough signal to stream TV (football, hockey, the news, etc.).

For me, I'm there alone 90% of the time. So having the ability to come back from hunting and warm up while calling home to report that I'm "safe" is GREAT! I don't have to hop in the truck and drive 3 miles to get signal anymore. Plus for those extended hunts, I like having the news on while I'm cooking dinner, or the hokey game on when I'm relaxing with my toes near the wood-burner.

 

[Rubee]

I’m a bit ashamed that I’m totally ignorant of high tech but I do have a cell phone. Deer camp has electricity. What cell phone booster do you recommend, how much do they cost and how much is involved with installing it? Also, is it a one time cost or is there monthly bills to pay? I don’t need to stream anything just want phone service.
thanks
Rubee

 

[Foggy47]

At one time I tried to do things without modern conveniences. Used to curse the modern conveninces. We did deer hunts out of a tent with a wood stove in November in MN. But when cell phones were a new thing.....I got a bag phone through my work, and traveled with it everywhere. My first roaming charges were nearly $800 / month! Had mine on a mountain in the middle of Colorado.....mega miles from any town....and the dang thing worked. We had 8 guys in camp and they all wanted to call home on that mountain. lol.

Fast forward to today......and I get a good cellular signal and have a TV antenna with a rotor to pull in about 12 TV stations including some football at times. 46" TV on the wall.....but it does not get used much. Also have electric grid power, a well and an outhouse. Gotta love electric lights, heat, refrigeration, well pump, and the ability to weld or brew a cup of coffee or power tools. Keeping some ice on hand is not a bad thing either. Grin. My wife knows I'm alive by an app on her phone that can follow my movements on the tractor or UTV. I sometimes call to check in. What's the big deal? I'm not planning to be on The "Survivor" series. When were hunting we put our phones on silent mode. Not planning to wear my buckskins and go native these days. I love my cellular game cameras too.

WUT! Me Worry?

 

[Rubee]

Hey Foogy,
I’m guessing your in your 70s or close to it. You’re familiar with Irving kravnofsky or the what me worry kids name was.

 

[bigboreblr]

About 3 years ago, a member called me a snussy for wearing a helmet while ATV riding on rutted logging skid trails. This guy spent about 4 months in the hospital in his early 20's from crashing his ATV running from the cops. This is a slightly below average member at my place.

Far as intalling a cell phone booster..... Buy a directional antenna, put it up as high as you can get it, buy quality sized antenna cable, a decenter booster device. Wilson makes good devices. Scan though ebay, you can get a wilson used cheap. A yagi antenna directinal with 10+ db of gain is good. The higher the frequency, those worse the loss is through the antenna cable. IF going more than 15ft, RG11, RG6, RG 374, of anytihng called LMR is a good cable. Or, installing the booster on the antenna pole is good too.

The way boosters work, you more or less need a very weak connection to your phone, thus the common complaint you need to be clos to your inside antenna.

These devices do not need service agreements. These devices can also be used with trail cameras too. Just get a 2nd directional antenna and aim it toward the camera. They use 12v, likely need a 25 watt solar setup to keep alive full time. 50 watt would be better. Bring a trolling motor batery to camp for a long weekdn and turn it on in the evening and maybe a few LED loghts, you'll be just fine.

Saw a wilson 811200 used for $33 on ebay. They need special FMe connectors. Buy the good cable, and a good yagi antenna. That device uses 6 volts, so you will need a 12v to 6v converter, or wire up a 7806 voltage regulator to it.

Saw this one, should work https://www.ebay.com/itm/134194853376

remeber you need 2 antennas.

https://fcc.maps.arcgis.com show where the cell towers are. There is likely better cell service maps apps out there, but you'll get the idea where you need to aim them. You may not get service at your camp, but you might have a tall tree or a hill on your hunting spot that will work. Just set everything up and then drive your ATV to it and power it up that way.

 

[bigboreblr]

One thought that has driven home is what happened last night at home. I was cleaning u a drainage ditch and tore my bicep muscle. Went to the orthopedics, got an MRI today, and waiting on tomorrows visit whether I need surgery or not.

Sure hate if that happend in the middle of nowhere, besides dirving back to civilization, packing up too.

 

[Rubee]

Bigbore,
Sorry to read of your bicep tear. Praying you heal quickly.
I appreciate the detailed info on cell phone reception. I need to reread it and understand it better before I jump into buying it and setting it up.
thanks again
rubee

 

[bigboreblr]

A member at camp has one in his car. He bought some amazon cheapie one for less than $100 and it works great for him, not good enough for camp though. Likely not the devices fault, needs to get up taller.

Part of my job is communications systems and I have played with ham radio when I was a kid as well. Some places don't need much, so the better antenna, cable, and higher quality amp might be overkill.

 

[Rubee]

Bigbore,
the yogi you listed looks very reasonable. I have electric service at camp. Do any boosters run on 110 volt and can you recommend one? My camp is a steel clad pole barn with steel roof. I can get one bar signal when outside.
rubee

 

[bigboreblr]

That used wilson on ebay for $33 comes with a 120vac to 6vdc power adapter. I could be wrong with the wilson, it might be 9vdc It definitely wasn't 12vdc.

Like I said before the connectors are FME for the inside and outside antenna. The original wilson setup included a antenna that clipped to the back of your phone. Most common connectors are SMA, most walk talkies that thread in are SMA. The index finger sized connector for the antenna is type N, some are PL-259 though, the same connector as a CB.

 

[SD51555]

At one time I tried to do things without modern conveniences. Used to curse the modern conveninces. We did deer hunts out of a tent with a wood stove in November in MN. But when cell phones were a new thing.....I got a bag phone through my work, and traveled with it everywhere. My first roaming charges were nearly $800 / month! Had mine on a mountain in the middle of Colorado.....mega miles from any town....and the dang thing worked. We had 8 guys in camp and they all wanted to call home on that mountain. lol.

Fast forward to today......and I get a good cellular signal and have a TV antenna with a rotor to pull in about 12 TV stations including some football at times. 46" TV on the wall.....but it does not get used much. Also have electric grid power, a well and an outhouse. Gotta love electric lights, heat, refrigeration, well pump, and the ability to weld or brew a cup of coffee or power tools. Keeping some ice on hand is not a bad thing either. Grin. My wife knows I'm alive by an app on her phone that can follow my movements on the tractor or UTV. I sometimes call to check in. What's the big deal? I'm not planning to be on The "Survivor" series. When were hunting we put our phones on silent mode. Not planning to wear my buckskins and go native these days. I love my cellular game cameras too.

WUT! Me Worry?

You could do all of that on solar too. Maybe not the welding, but we processed a deer from start to finish without a welder last season.

 

[Foggy47]

Hey Foogy,
I’m guessing your in your 70s or close to it. You’re familiar with Irving kravnofsky or the what me worry kids name was.

Alfred E. Neuman

 

[bigboreblr]

You could do all of that on solar too. Maybe not the welding, but we processed a deer from start to finish without a welder last season.

Actually, you can weld without the grid or a gas motor. Put 3 or 4 car batteries in series, a pair of jumper cables and some 6011 welding rods. Limped a jeep or two back to pavement in my 4x4 club days. My s10 blazer had a converted A/C compressor so I could use compressed air power tools too.