Communication

Cell Phone Antennas and Amplifiers

There are a number of antennas for use with cell phones. We, and many other RVers, prefer the Wilson Trucker Antenna. There are actually two models of the Wilson Trucker.

One is designed for use on RVs and has a long threaded shaft extension designed to go directly through the roof of the RV. It can be cut off and mounted on a bracket on the roof if you do not want to penetrate your roof with it. We use this shorter antenna permanently mounted to the side of one of our solar panels. The advantage of using this on the roof is that the antenna is relatively short and will not get caught on tree branches as easily.

The second model of the Wilson Trucker is designed to be mirror mounted on a truck mirror. The disadvantage of roof mounting this is that it sticks up pretty far and is subject to limb damage. If you choose to use this on the roof, make sure you mount it on the far left of your rig, and use an antenna spring to minimize damage.

In my opinion, the proper use of this version of the antenna is 1) on a mirror arm, as designed, 2) a permanent mount on the side of the RV with just the top of the antenna projecting above the roof (the radials need to be above the roofline), 3) on a PVC pipe or extension pole that is temporarily attached to the RV slide or ladder with clamps when in camp.

We use the longer Wilson in conjunction with a painters pole that extends to 14'. As you can see from the picture, the antenna is fastened to the top of the pole with wire ties. The pole is clamped to the rear awning rail and top of the ladder - this stabilizes it in even heavy wind. The top of the antenna is about 8' above the rig - this provides us good reception in most areas where the phone alone does not work. Most of the time we do not need the antenna and do not put up the pole, but in fringe areas it is quick and simple to erect. If we need even better reception we can use the amplifier, too. But the amplifier is now pretty much dedicated to use with the air card, along with the shorter antenna. Using 2 antennas in this fashion means we do not have to switch the phone and the air card between the antenna/amp. Some people permanently mount the pole and antenna, and just lower the top section before traveling. If you do this, you should probably put the pole on the left side of your rig to minimize tree strikes. The wire is run through the window you see in the picture. We use a 10' antenna extension cable to give us enough length to put the phone where we like it.

An alternative to using a pole to temporarily mount the antenna is to permanently mount it on the side of your batwing TV antenna. This allows for flat storage on the roof during travel, and for a high elevation when the batwing is raised. This may not meet your needs in a motorhome, since you might want to use the antenna while driving and it will not work well in the horizontal position.

George Miller came up with a nifty mounting method using an exterior door handle riveted to the mast of the batwing. Using the door handle allows the mirror mount that comes with the Wilson to be used, and offsets the antenna radials from the roof to permit flush storage. Your specific batwing may require an adaptation of this technique - but this will give you some ideas. Like the pole-mount method, you can route the antenna cable in through a window or slide for temporary use, but a permanent routing of the cable is probably more convenient with the batwing mount.

You can also permanently mount the antenna to your ladder on a retractable pole system that you fabricate from schedule 40 PVC pipe. I usually use 1 1/4" PVC pipe for the outer "sleeve" and use 1" PVC for the inner "pole" - they fit together with a nice friction fit. The outer sleeve is attached to the ladder with stainless steel hose clamps of an appropriate size. The inner pipe is inserted into the sleeve and pinned in place through the outer sleeve with a lynch pin in 2 locations - the raised position, and the lowered travel position. The travel position retracts the antenna alongside the ladder, reducing the overall height to no higher than your air conditioner - thus avoiding most tree limbs.

The far picture shows the antenna in it's raised position. Depending on how long the "sleeve" is and the location of the "pin" you can generally get the antenna 4' above the roof and still be able to easily position it from the ground. The second picture shows the antenna retracted for travel. You need to ensure that the inner "pole" (the 1" PVC) is not so long that it could hit in a dip while travelling. A careful look at the picture will show the pin hole location - place it where it works for your combination of sleeve length and mounting height. You can also see the antenna wire exiting from the bottom of the inner pole. For travel, this is just loosely folded over and pushed up inside the pole - friction will keep it in place, but it is a good practice to cap the bottom of the pole with a 1" cap (drill a hole in it to drain water).

The close-up on the far left shows the antenna in the raised position, pinned with the lynch pin. You can find these pins in any hardware - usually in the specialty hardware drawers. Note that the pin is located such that there is room to grab the inner pole that the antenna mounts to. This allows you to twist it into position and locate the brackets on the end of the pole to clear the ladder easily. If you cut the inner pole flush you will not be able to easily retract the antenna. For travel, there is another hole drilled through the inner pole higher up. The pin is pulled, the pole lowered, and re-pinned in the travel position.

When attaching the outer sleeve to the ladder, make sure you snug up the pipe clamps fairly firmly. Once you put some miles on the rig check them for tightness, or you may find yourself dragging the pole down the road. Generally, this is not a problem. I use clear plastic tubing cut in 1" pieces and "sliced" to wrap the ladder under the clamp. That prevents any damage to the ladder from the clamp. If you look closely you will see the plastic tubing under the clamp in the picture on the left.

The antenna is attached to the top of the pole with a simple bracket fabricated from 1/8"x2" flat aluminum stock. Simply bend it in a "L" shape and drill a 3/8" hole in the top L to bolt the antenna through. Use a stainless nut with lock washer, and coat the treads with red thread lock before tightening. Attach the long part of the "L" to the 1" pole with two 1 3/4" stainless bolts with nylo-lock nuts. The nuts and bolts keep the inner pole from dropping through the sleeve when retracted.

Your 15' extension line from inside attaches to the 12' antenna line when the external antenna is required. Routing locations for the 15' extension are installation dependent, but many people just pop it through the slide seal, or in through a window.

Parts list:

1- 10' 1" PVC
1 - 10' 1 1/4" PVC
Aluminum stock to make "L" bracket
2 - stainless 3/8 washers, one 3/8 lock washer, one 3/8x24 nut to attach antenna to "L" bracket
2 - 1 3/4" stainless bolts with nylo-lock nuts
1 - 1/4"x2" lynch pin with rounded back retainer
3 - stainless hose clamps (large enough to attach to ladder). You can use more, but you need at least 3.
1' - clear plastic tubing (used to cushion clamp and prevent damage from ladder - cut a section out of the tubing).
1 - cell phone antenna (the taller Wilson trucker works well, but any taller antenna will work).

Both versions of the Wilson can be used on fiberglass RVs. They do not require a ground plane – the radials you see near the top of the antenna perform this function. Both versions should be mounted so that they are not obstructed by air conditioners or other objects on the RV roof. Clear line-of-site to the cell tower is required for best reception.

The Wilson comes with 12’ of cable. You should carefully consider where you prefer to sit when you use the phone. See if the cable can be easily routed to that location without extending it. Extending the cable attenuates (decreases) the cellular signal. On our rig we dropped the cable from the short antenna down the refrigerator vent. Our amplifier is under the refrigerator, and the 12-volt power required for the amp is tapped off of the refrigerator power. The air card and router live under the refrigerator too. Each installation will be different, but you need 12-volt power for the amp, and a location that minimizes cable run.

An interesting alternative to the Wilson antenna is the Super Trucker Antenna, sold by Maximum Signal. This is a high gain 30" antenna enclosed in fiberglass. It comes with the mount and spring for a very reasonable price. I have no experience with this product, but the specifications and price are excellent. It would be best mounted on the side of the RV. It does have a built in ground plane so it can be mounted to fiberglass.

If you want an antenna on your toad (car) then I’d suggest a Wilson magnetic mount. The one listed below is excellent. If you have the amplifier in your RV you can easily move it out to your toad if you need really good reception when you are driving around.

You may need an extension for the amp or the wire from the amp to the phone. Try to avoid this if possible, since it diminishes the signal.

Wired Amplifiers

The Wilson direct connect dual band (800 MHz and 1900MHz) cellular amplifier will boost an existing cellular signal quite a bit. Of course, you have to have a signal to start with. We have found that our wired Wilson amp will take a signal that does not even show on our phone, and increase it to 3 bars. This takes us from no service to very good service.

The type of amp you need depends on your phone provider and what technology they use. We use Verizon so we use the dual band CDMA amplifier. The Wilson amps come with a 12-volt car adaptor - if you want a 120-volt adaptor it is extra. They also come with a 6' extension cord that you use between your phone and the amplifier. If you want to be farther from the amp than 6' you need to purchase an extension cable with the appropriate connectors on it. You also need the appropriate adaptor for your phone, so make sure you order that with the amp. If you already use an external antenna, then that adaptor can be used - you only need one.

The connections go like this: from the phone an adaptor specific to your phone model connects to the 6' extension cable. The extension cable plugs into the phone side of the amp. On the antenna side of the amp you plug in your external antenna.

The Wilson amps put out 3 watts on the 800 MHz band, and 2 watts at the 1900 MHz band.

It is best if you use an antenna and amplifier that plug directly into your phones antenna port. If you are unfortunate enough to have a phone that does not have an external antenna port there are options. The Wilson 811210 dual band amplifier uses a little Velcro connector that you Velcro to your phone near the antenna when using the amp. They do work pretty well, but obviously not as well as the dedicated antenna port. The amplifier is a little cheaper, though.

Wilson is not the only maker of cellular amplifiers. Maximum Signal sells the high-quality Cyfre amps for very reasonable prices. If I was buying a new amp I would seriously look at these. They are one of the few (or only) amplifiers approved for use by the cellular Carriers. They are cheaper than the Wilson, as well. They have an excellent reputation, but I have not used them myself. In combination with their Trucker antenna (different than the Wilson Trucker) it should make a very good combination for pulling in maximum signal.

Wireless Amplifiers

Wireless amplifiers allow multiple devices (phones and aircards) to use the same amplifier without a physical connection to the amp. They all use two antennas. The "phone" antenna is inside the RV and is used to communicate with the phone(s) or aircard. The "tower" antenna is external to the RV and communicates to the cellular tower. The "phone" antenna has to be some distance away from the external "tower" antenna. That distance varies depending on the hardware and software used in the amp - it may be as far as 45' of separation, or as little as 12'. That may be hard to do in an RV and still be able to conveniently use your cellular devices.

It is tempting to use a wireless amp and eliminate the requirement for a phone antenna adaptor, and to enable use of multiple devices at the same time (2 phones, a phone and aircard, etc). My problem with this is that I have not found a wireless amp configuration that works well in an RV environment. . The other issue is that the "phone" antenna typically has to be pretty close to the phone or aircard. In many instances I have tested there is no signal boost on the phone unless the phone is within 2-3' of the "phone" antenna.

Wilson has a new wireless amp available. I have tested it, and with the supplied "phone" antenna you must be within a couple of feet of the antenna to get any boost. Improving the antenna will improve the coverage area out to about 6-8'. If this is acceptable to you, then you might try it out.

Maximum Signal sells a "Tour Coach" package of a 6dbi trucker antenna, wireless amp, interior dome antenna and all the cables for a pretty reasonable price. I've talked to an independent user of this package and it seems to work pretty well in an RV. He gets good reception within 10-15' of the interior dome antenna. Overall performance could probably be improved with a better external antenna. Look here or search the wireless section of the Maximum Signal website. If you buy this package I'd be interested in a report on its performance in an RV.

For me, the bottom line on the wireless systems is that I have not found one yet that I'm willing to risk $500+ on experimenting with. I already own a wired amplifier. For my situation it would be cheaper for me to buy a second wired amp than to experiment with a wireless system. If I was just starting out I would consider the Maximum Signal wireless setup, as long as I could return it if it did not perform to my expectations.

Splitter/Combiner

If you have two phones, or a data card and phone, and want to share a single amplifier then you previously only had two choices; either get another amp and antenna, or use a wireless amp that supports multiple connections. Now you can also buy a splitter to allow two devices to physically connect to a single amplifier/antenna. Take a look at the MaximumSignal website here for additional information on a signal splitter under $100.

The disadvantage of using a signal splitter is that it diminishes (attenuates) the signal. But if you place it before the amp then the amplifier should overcome most/all of this. The splitter shown attenuates the signal 3 db. This is an acceptable tradeoff for the function provided but only if you use it with an amplifier. Do not use a splitter without an amplifier - it attenuates the signal too much.

Internet on the Road

Satellite Systems

Under Construction

Cellular Data Modems

Prior to 2007 Verizon permitted use of a handset and their Mobile Office kit to connect to the Internet. If your account was enabled for National Access then you could do this free of charge (it used minutes off your plan). Since 2007 Verizon has been eliminating this undocumented feature. Now, for most people, the only alternative is to purchase some sort of data plan for use with certain tethered handsets or to purchase an aircard that acts as a dedicated cellular modem. For most fulltime RV users, the air card is the preferred option since it is more flexible than a tethered handset. Unlike the use of the Mobile Office Kit that just used your voice plan minutes to send data for "free", an aircard requires a separate data plan.

So what exactly IS an aircard? In simple terms, the aircard is a dedicated device that allows you to send data over the cellular network instead of voice (as with a cell phone). The cellular provider then takes this data from the cell tower and connects it to the internet, just like a home-based ISP does. At home, many people use DSL provided by their local phone companies. There is a device that the computer plugs into called a DSL modem (often combined with a wireless router). The aircard takes the place of this DSL modem. In some regards, the aircard seems very much like a wifi adaptor - it is a wireless device that allows connection to the internet. But the technology used is totally different, although the result is the same.

The aircard is inserted into a PC or a "cellular router" and translates the data into the form that the cell system that you are subscribed to can understand. All of this occurs on the same cell towers that voice calls go through, although it is handled separately. Your air card has it's own "number" to identify it - although normally you do not have to know anything about this (except for on your bill).

There are currently only two form factors (physical configurations) of aircards used. One is a USB connection, and the other uses the Express Card format to plug into the computer or cellular router. The older PC Card format is no longer widely used, since all new computers only have USB and Express card slots in them.

As a "companion" to the aircard you can purchase a cellular router from a third-party supplier to use with your aircard - Verizon and Sprint do not sell or support the routers. The router performs the same function as a "normal" home router does, but it is a special device that "knows about" cellular modems, instead of DSL modems or cable modems. So you can not use your current house router with an aircard - it would not know how to "talk" to it, any more than a DSL router would know how to talk to a cable TV network. Using a cellular router allows you to set up a wireless network just like with a "normal" wireless router. Instead of using DSL or a cable provider for the backhaul (the attachment to the Internet), these special cellular routers allow you to plug your aircard into them for the backhaul. To talk to your computer, the router uses a wifi connection. You then use your computers wifi connection to access the Internet, just like with a conventional wifi network. (So, from your computer to the cellular router you use wifi, from the cellular router to the internet you use the cellular data system via the aircard.) The advantage of using the router is multifold:

multiple computers can share your aircard connection.
your aircard is protected from damage, since it is not being moved around a lot.
it is more convenient to connect the aircard to an external antenna and/or amplifier.
you can hardwire a desktop into the LAN port on the router via Ethernet, if required.
your laptop battery will last longer than having the aircard directly connected.
if you have a trailer, the internet connection can be used while driving without moving the aircard to the truck. Everything stays in its place, only your computer is moved to the truck.
you do NOT have to load Verizon software (VZ Access Manager) on your computer. Many people (including me) have had a lot of problems with this software.

If you are thinking of an aircard instead of a satellite system, or as an alternative to just using WiFi, there are a number of things to consider:

Most important is the supplier. The cellular companies do not support use of cellular routers. It is best to use a third party supplier that can provide proper technical support. Personally, I like the 3GStore.
Which provider: Sprint and Verizon have the fastest networks and the most towers. Verizon may arguably have the better system, since they are rolling out the broadband faster than Sprint, but both are good. ATT/Cingular does have a data system, but it is slow compared to either Sprint or Verizon, and it does not have as much nationwide coverage.
Does the aircard support Rev. A networks? Do not buy a card that does not. Rev A networks provide faster upload speeds.
Which type of aircard: USB or Expresscard? Both work equally well. New laptops only have Express slots in them, so the older PC Card format devices will not work. USB will work on desktops as well, but are more prone to connector damage. If you are not using a router then damage to the aircard is a serious consideration with USB. If you are intending to use a router, then make sure it will support Expresscard if that is the type of aircard you want. Not all routers do.
External antenna: the chosen air card should have an external antenna port. You WILL need the external antenna in many areas. Make sure that the adaptor cable you need to connect to the antenna cable from the aircard is available.
With USB modems size of the device varies. Smaller is better, especially if you use it directly in the laptop. Some USB aircards have microSD card slots in them which allow you to store data on them as well.
Does the card have an inbuilt antenna that can be moved around (and raised) for better reception. This can be critical for best speed but is not as important if always connected to a router and external antenna.
Does the card work with the router you want. Even if you don't feel you need a router right now, you ought to at least tentatively pick one out and factor that into your decision process. Not all aircards will work with all routers.
Cost is always an issue. Don't pay for things you do not need.

Because we fulltime in our RV, and space is at a premium - plus I only need the wireless connectivity provided by the wifi portion of the cellular router - I chose a very compact router. I bought the CradlePoint CRT350 and a USB aircard to go with it. For the aircard I chose the Verizon USB727 (made by Novatel) because of the compact form factor, the ability to use a microSD card with it, and the fact that it has a very good loop antenna should I choose to use it without the external antenna.

The CRT350 is very small, as you can see from the pictures (click to enlarge). Some of the cons of this router are: no external wifi antenna so you can not improve the wifi coverage area with an antenna, and it only supports one LAN connection (for connecting via Ethernet to a desktop, for example). These were not issues for my use, but they might be for your particular situation. The CRT350 only supports a USB aircard. Note that when connected to the router the aircard sticks out quite a bit. It is definitely subject to damage to the USB connector if knocked about. The newer version of this router is the CRT500. The biggest difference between them is that the 500 has an external wifi antenna for better range. Other than that they have about the same functions and form factor. The CRT500 costs a bit more, but is worth the price difference. I would choose it over the CRT350.

If I wanted more connectivity options (LAN and WAN) and the flexibility of an "N" wifi network plus external antennas then I would look carefully at the Cradlepoint MBR1000 router (look here for a review and specs). The disadvantage of this router (in my view) is that it is much larger, and costs considerably more. However, it has some great features if you need them. At the time I bought my router the MBR1000 was not available. If I was buying today, that would be the router I would personally buy.

Along with the proper adaptor cable to hook the external antenna connector on the USB727 to my amplifier, I also purchased the optional car adaptor for the router. This allows me to hook the router to a 12-volt power source and permanently install it in my RV. In my case, it is located under the refrigerator where my cellular amplifier lives. The advantage of this is that I always have an internet connection available - even if boondocking or driving down the road. The signal from the internal wifi antenna on the CRT350 is good enough to get through the solid metal cab of my truck without a problem. The picture to the left (from the 3GStore) shows how the four pieces combine to make a complete system. Those are not the exact components I used - but you get the idea. The router hooked to the amp and external antenna maximizes my cellular data signal and allows me to keep connected longer and with faster speeds than just the internal air card antenna. This allows Danielle to use the laptop to check fuel prices, campgrounds, etc. while we are driving. Plus, it is kinda neat to see an email pop up while driving down the road ....

I chose the Cradlepoint router because it has the reputation for holding a stable connection. Unlike the KR1/DLink it has never reset the connection. I was concerned with the lack of an external wifi antenna, since I wanted to be able to use my computer outside and in the truck. But the range of the Cradlepoint wifi is more than enough for that - I'm getting at least 75'-100' of very usable connection distance. At this point I am totally satisfied with this configuration of equipment. Of course, in the future there will be something "better" I will wish I had. The combination of equipment I chose may not meet your needs, so you need to consider the factors above when planning your purchase. Plus, like everything else electronic, there are constantly new products available. Usually better and cheaper than the old ones. So make sure you investigate the latest equipment.

The 3GStore is a great resource for technical info, and they can help you with your decisions. They are also cheaper than Verizon, and most importantly will provide you excellent technical support after the sale. Verizon will not provide adequate technical support for an air card or router.

If you use Verizon you will often hear about the Verizon policy that can result in termination of services if you exceed 5 GB of data a month. This policy has changed from a "termination" of services to a "reserve the right" to terminate services, so they have loosened it up some. But what does 5GB mean to the "normal" user? Five gigabytes a month is 166 MB a day - every day. You would be unlikely to exceed this limit unless you were downloading/uploading very large files routinely, downloading movies, or streaming a lot of video or audio. Software updates can be large so you might consider turning off the automatic download feature and manage software downloads when you are on a wifi system, or when you know the size. The EVDOInfo website has a good table of what different types of online activity cost in data sizes. It should give you a good feeling about the 5 GB limit. If you are just surfing the web, doing email, updating websites and blogs, and occasionally viewing UTube videos, then you should never exceed the 5 GB limit. If, however, you run a business online that requires large file uploads, lots of photos, or constant video streaming, then you need to investigate a little closer.

WiFi

Under Construction

Communications on the Road