External antenna

I live and work in rural Maine, where towers may be many miles away. I
currently have an aging LG VX4400 that has an antenna port on the back
that I can use to connect to an antenna on the roof of my truck, and
there are many times when that external antenna makes the difference
between having service and not having service.

It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
manufacturers won't tell me), so the option is either an inductive link
on the back of the phone or the inside antenna - outside antenna scheme.

Anyone have experience with the inductive link? How does it compare to
the direct connection?

TIA!

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:54 GMT, Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote:

>It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
>basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
>manufacturers won't tell me),

I believe most current phones do have a port to connect an external
antenna...my last Moto (V710) did and my current LG Env does. I think
you just have to find out where it is since they are usually concealed
under a button-like insert. I think Wilson carries adapters that plug
into the phone antenna port.

Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote in news:CgCEj.8380$SF2.4445@trndny03:

> Anyone have experience with the inductive link? How does it compare to
> the direct connection?
>
>

http://cellantenna.com/repeater/DA4000SBR.htm

Why be passive? Go active!

Mine is mounted in a Union City Body stepvan, my mobile electronics shop.
I used to use the DA4000 3W linear with a Motorola V60i's external antenna
jack to a 9 db 800 Mhz mag mount antenna on the center of the roof of the
van. Now, I'm using this repeater with a Motorola Z6m. The inside antenna
hangs down from the steel roof over a file cabinet so I don't bang my head
against it.

If you turn the power off, your signal drops going inside the mostly steel
shielded van. With the power on, you can watch it go from 2 bars to 5
bars, just like inside the Verizon mall or main store where they, too, have
a "cheater repeater" so even the crap phones look great....(c;

$589 is the package price. Sometimes when sales drop, they discount it
further. I think I paid $459 for mine....a while ago.

This model works on any modulation scheme on 800 or 1900 Mhz, but not Iden
(Nextel). It's an analog device, amplifiers in both directions between
antennas with analog duplexers on both ends to feed the appropriate band to
the appropriate amps. It doesn't do anything to digital stuff. It even
works fine with EVDO in the boonies.

Obviously, the closer your phone is to the inside antenna, the more signal
it potentially has outside for greater range. It isn't rocket science to
see why....(c;

"Bill F" <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote in message
news:CgCEj.8380$SF2.4445@trndny03...
>I live and work in rural Maine, where towers may be many miles away. I
>currently have an aging LG VX4400 that has an antenna port on the back that
>I can use to connect to an antenna on the roof of my truck, and there are
>many times when that external antenna makes the difference between having
>service and not having service.
>
> It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
> basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
> manufacturers won't tell me), so the option is either an inductive link on
> the back of the phone or the inside antenna - outside antenna scheme.
>
> Anyone have experience with the inductive link? How does it compare to the
> direct connection?
>
> TIA!

I agree with Pegleg that a lot of current phones do have an antenna port.
However, you pretty much have to investigate the specific phone to find out.
What phones did you have in mind? Admittedly, some phones have begun leaving
this off.

-Frank

Actually, I used the Wilson listings to look for current phones with
ports. It sure looks like Motorola in particular has removed them from
newer phones.

Pegleg wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:54 GMT, Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote:
>
>
>>It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
>>basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
>>manufacturers won't tell me),
>
>
> I believe most current phones do have a port to connect an external
> antenna...my last Moto (V710) did and my current LG Env does. I think
> you just have to find out where it is since they are usually concealed
> under a button-like insert. I think Wilson carries adapters that plug
> into the phone antenna port.

I saw those options as I looked for available adapters - I just don't
want to pay that much for each company truck if I don't have to (two
now, soon three, as I struggle to build my business).

Larry wrote:
>
> http://cellantenna.com/repeater/DA4000SBR.htm
>
> Why be passive? Go active!
>
> Mine is mounted in a Union City Body stepvan, my mobile electronics shop.
> I used to use the DA4000 3W linear with a Motorola V60i's external antenna
> jack to a 9 db 800 Mhz mag mount antenna on the center of the roof of the
> van. Now, I'm using this repeater with a Motorola Z6m. The inside antenna
> hangs down from the steel roof over a file cabinet so I don't bang my head
> against it.
>
> If you turn the power off, your signal drops going inside the mostly steel
> shielded van. With the power on, you can watch it go from 2 bars to 5
> bars, just like inside the Verizon mall or main store where they, too, have
> a "cheater repeater" so even the crap phones look great....(c;
>
> $589 is the package price. Sometimes when sales drop, they discount it
> further. I think I paid $459 for mine....a while ago.
>
> This model works on any modulation scheme on 800 or 1900 Mhz, but not Iden
> (Nextel). It's an analog device, amplifiers in both directions between
> antennas with analog duplexers on both ends to feed the appropriate band to
> the appropriate amps. It doesn't do anything to digital stuff. It even
> works fine with EVDO in the boonies.
>
> Obviously, the closer your phone is to the inside antenna, the more signal
> it potentially has outside for greater range. It isn't rocket science to
> see why....(c;
>

Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote in news:jxQEj.12$sR1.9@trndny08:

> as I struggle to build my business

I feel your pain.....

These days it's more like "as I struggle to KEEP my business".....

My motorola Q indeed has 2 antenna conctors on the back, but they are
disabled by verizon. This is bullshit. Verizon may have an excellent
network, but any company that would cripple their products,and then
not repsond to inquiries about that practice is lame.

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:54 GMT, Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote:

>I live and work in rural Maine, where towers may be many miles away. I
>currently have an aging LG VX4400 that has an antenna port on the back
>that I can use to connect to an antenna on the roof of my truck, and
>there are many times when that external antenna makes the difference
>between having service and not having service.
>
>It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
>basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
>manufacturers won't tell me), so the option is either an inductive link
>on the back of the phone or the inside antenna - outside antenna scheme.
>
>Anyone have experience with the inductive link? How does it compare to
>the direct connection?
>
>TIA!

How do you know the external connector is disabled?

Also, having two makes no sense. Why two? I think you have misidentified one
(or both).

-Frank

"cpm" <dontspamcmalikat@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:q7qcu3dgv03r2ocmi7e07p26hvkppqv2au@4ax.com...
> My motorola Q indeed has 2 antenna conctors on the back, but they are
> disabled by verizon. This is bullshit. Verizon may have an excellent
> network, but any company that would cripple their products,and then
> not repsond to inquiries about that practice is lame.
>
> On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:54 GMT, Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote:
>
>>I live and work in rural Maine, where towers may be many miles away. I
>>currently have an aging LG VX4400 that has an antenna port on the back
>>that I can use to connect to an antenna on the roof of my truck, and
>>there are many times when that external antenna makes the difference
>>between having service and not having service.
>>
>>It seems most of the phones now available don't have the connector (I'm
>>basing that on the antenna manufacturers websites, since the phone
>>manufacturers won't tell me), so the option is either an inductive link
>>on the back of the phone or the inside antenna - outside antenna scheme.
>>
>>Anyone have experience with the inductive link? How does it compare to
>>the direct connection?
>>
>>TIA!
>

cpm wrote:
> My motorola Q indeed has 2 antenna conctors on the back, but they are
> disabled by verizon. This is bullshit. Verizon may have an excellent
> network, but any company that would cripple their products,and then
> not repsond to inquiries about that practice is lame.
>
> On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:54 GMT, Bill F <nospam@nowhere.net> wrote:
>
>
>>I live and work in rural Maine, where towers may be many miles away. I

Did anyone outside of VZW ever maintain that VZW is NOT lame????

Would anyone claim that VZW is not greedy?