Mobile Phone External Antennas

[glend]

I'm sick of my limited 3 network coverage outside of Sydney, and the major cities. I'll keep the 3 phone for the city (for now) but have picked up a cheap Next G network phone for country/rural use (a Telstra T6 Blue tick for Rural use, with facility for an external antenna connection). I have bought the patch lead that I need to connect the phone to the external antenna but I know nothing of Next G mobile antennas. Can anyone help me out here? I'm affraid I wasn't listening too closely to the ARB briefing on antennas earlier this year. What db should I be looking for to extend my range in the country (I do remember that the range in hills and the flat land are different depending on db characteristics). I'm looking for a good general antenna that will work for me up the back of Coffs, or on the road between Emerald and Rockhampton. Any advice?

[sbadman]

The key thing is to ensure the antenna is suitable for 850MHz (Next G frequency). I would think a 3dbi would be suitable for most country driving.

RFI UHF antennas have a good rep, I would expect their Cellular antennas to be likewise
http://www.rfi.com.au/wireless/mobil.../GSM-CDMA.html

[Dave]

Glen,
Have a chat with Australian Mobile Radio,

18-20 Richmond RD
Homebush NSW
PHONE 9764 4411
FAX 9764 4495
www.amr.net.au

They do all sorts of mobile communication and are just down the road from where you live. They did my UHF Antenna and Radio, but they also do fleet communications for transport companies - so I assume they will know about phone antennas as well. And they do good work. And they are not too expensive.

Hope this helps,
Dave

[Dave]

And from Telstra's website;

Directly-coupled car kits allow the phone to be directly connected to an external antenna on the outside of the vehicle. This provides significant additional coverage for Next G™ mobile phones and is important if you are using the service in some parts of the Next G™ network coverage area, such as rural and remote areas or along major highways. Even when you are in an area where handheld coverage is possible, an external antenna solution may also improve the coverage performance of your phone.

To get the best reception, it is recommended you use a car kit that enables the antenna to connect directly into the phone ('directly-coupled' car kit).

Please note: Not all car kits enable the direct connection of the antenna to the phone.

External Antennas
A range of external antennas are available for maximising signal quality and range on vehicles. Antennas range in size and types and can improve coverage in the areas noted:

•Low gain - city and major regional areas (0 - 3 dBi)
•Medium gain - regional (3 - 5 dBi)
•High gain - rural and major highways (6.5 - 7.5 dBi).

Antennas are most effective when directly connected to the phone via car kit or patch lead. Not all phone models will accept a car kit or patch lead.

It is recommended that your antenna is installed on a car roof as this provides sufficient height and stops the car from blocking the signal. By simply getting an antenna outside of a car you may gain an increase of around 10 times in signal strength. See your local Telstra Shop or Telstra Dealer for assistance with picking the best antenna option for you as well as help with installation.

Dave

[glend]

Thanks Scott and Dave for all that info. After a couple of hours running around and a couple on the Net, I decided to buy a Next G Band 7dbi Omni antenna and bracket from Com Net who are located at Castle Hill. I'll be mounting it on my bar (as roof mounting any antenna would have created problems with my garage).

My Next G phone does have an external antenna connector in the back and I have the necessary patch lead to interface to the antenna. I hope I have it all hooked up by the BBQ on saturday at Glenbrook NP.