Several years ago I purchased a Wilson cell phone booster for the coach. It has an outside antenna and a cradle for the phone. It has served me well. It would bring the phone signal from 1-2 bars up to 4-5 bars. Worked until last year. It appears that the cell towers have upgraded to faster network speeds and left it behind. It no longer has any effect on the signal. I don't believe it is broken, just obsolete.

Here at this park our signals are only 1-2 bars and we do not always get calls reliably now. It also seems to slow down the wifi hot spot.

Has anyone had any experience with RV cell boosters? I would appreciate any advice as I am considering upgrading to a newer unit.

Can you hear me now....? Hello? Hello?

Our Wilson Sleek seems to still be working on the Verizon network . Ours is 3g and 4g compatible .

It can slow down the data due to the fact it only has one antenna . Smart phones now use Mimo antenna technology with at least two antennas , one for send and another receive .

We use the Sleek in the Jeep and the coach . Many times while jeeping through the mountains , we were the only jeep able to have a cell signal .

Our wilson cell booster seems to have failed also. Have had it for almost 20 years. It's the one the truckers use. I now have a new term MIMO. Had not heard of that but really have not kept up with technology. Did have a ham license which I let expire. Guess I can take the outside antenna off the coach.

I think my booster was limited to 2G and is done. Prob same one you had Gary. I will check around and see what options. Thanks.

Thanks, I am looking at the Wilson 470135.

I like the way that 470135 grabs hold of the phone . Our old sleeks have a habit of the cradle arms breaking over time .

Wow I hadn't looked at boosters. I was wondering why you were looking at items you had to cradle the phone. Then the obvious $$$$$$$$$$$

So many things, never enough money!

We live out in the woods . The only option for internet is satellite or cellular . The satellite internet was horrible so we went with cellular . We use Verizon for or phones and use the hotspots . Works well , but unlimited wireless is limited on the hot spot . So you can't really do much streaming . We had a Jetpack hotspot and using that along with our two phones we had decent internet .
We decided to get rid of DirecTV and stream shows . This wouldn't work with the internet we had so I found a company offering unthrottled unlimited internet through ATT towers . We bought a Cradle Point modem/router that has two indoor antennas and two outdoor antennas ( Mimo ) . For the most part it works great . Where we live you can't use ATT cell phones , not enough signal . This commercial grade modem gets a great signal , even out here . Best part is , it is mobile and we can take it with us and even use it going down the road .

Anyway , all of this post just to talk a little about Mimo. The more antennas the modem has , the faster the upload and download .

MIMO

Term for today

MIMO = multiple in - multiple out antennas


Sorry , I didn't really give the definition in the last post .
The more input and output antennas the wireless modem has the faster the data transfers . That is why all the new cell towers have so many antennas .

Happy Day to all

I ordered a Wilson 470135. I waited until most of the Christmas stuff was shipped. It should be here in a couple days. I will report on the installation and function soon.

Just got the booster. Tried on the VW roof and it went from 2 to 4 bars, working well. When I put it on the coach roof, not as much. It is a mag mount antenna and seems to like the steel roof better. They supply an adhesive steel disc for aluminum but it doesn't seem to couple as well.

I will experiment with a piece of steel sheet metal on the roof. I may look into a through the roof antenna style. (The old booster had that, hole in roof is already there.)

It does work but I am looking to optimize it.

To be continued:

Steve, steel is a much superior "ground plain" for communication waves. Been that way ever since the old "low band" 2-way radios.

Nick

We use the through the roof antennas . I have two cell antennas on the hood our 2004 Jeep . I used the existing holes where the rubber pads were to lay down the windshield . It wasn't optimal , but a metal ground plane is hard to come by on a Jeep . The Jeep has two Sleeks in it for our phones .
Our coach had a steel roof and a through the roof ( NMO ) style antenna mount and a Sleek . It worked great .
I also have one on my F150 on the roof , along with the 2meter ham radio antenna . The pickup has three NMO mounts in the roof . I added an extra while I was there

NMO mounts are a nice clean install and usually provide a great ground plane , but must have enough metal under them to propagate the signal properly .

We may upgrade to the newer style . I like that cradle setup better .