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04-04-2017, 05:16 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
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Is this the BEST cell amplifier?
Anyone have any experience with this cell amp? Provides all carrier compatibility. I was looking at a Shakespeare combo unit, but I get the feeling it compromises - but maybe not. I have tried a cheap cell amp on land (this isn't cheap) before and had poor results, but maybe they work better now.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Drive 4G-M Marine Signal Booster Kit
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04-04-2017, 05:41 AM
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#2
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Guru
City: Sydney
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,646
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I've never had any luck with cell amplifiers I gave up and purchased a Satellite Phone for use where my cell phone gives up. There are many locations where I cruise that will never have cell coverage so I think its a good investment
And my sat phone works when away from the boat which is a massive bonus
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04-04-2017, 05:50 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
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Yes but you live in Australia where admittedly the women are prettier, but the country is the size of the USA with a population slightly less than Texas. What is going on down there?!
If you are not careful, New Zealand is going to catch up. And the last thing we need is a nation full of folk who look like Peter Jackson.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gaston
I've never had any luck with cell amplifiers I gave up and purchased a Satellite Phone for use where my cell phone gives up. There are many locations where I cruise that will never have cell coverage so I think its a good investment
And my sat phone works when away from the boat which is a massive bonus
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04-04-2017, 02:42 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
City: Toronto ON
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 128
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The couple who run this site have just made the jump to boating:
https://www.rvmobileinternet.com
A geeks paradise of reviews and news for staying connected off the grid.
RB
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04-04-2017, 06:48 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Bellingham WA
Vessel Name: Hatt Trick
Vessel Model: 45' Hatteras Convertible
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,973
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I have a Wilson cell booster that usually gains us a couple bars. I've been happy with it. Like Gaston, I also have a Sat phone...mine is an Iridium. We use it in Alaska when we're out of cell range. Also an excellent product.
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04-04-2017, 10:54 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Sitka
Vessel Model: Transpacific Marine Eagle 32
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 519
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Another vote for Wilson electronics, also use a delorme, better and cheaper then sat phone
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04-05-2017, 01:27 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
City: California Bay Area
Vessel Name: BOOSTER
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 362
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We used that unit on our powercat for a year or so on the East Coast with decent results. When reception was poor, we could usually get an improvement by getting closer to the interior antenna. We had signal from FL to New England, through the NY canals, Great Lakes & even up in Georgian Bay and North Channel. It's the only unit I have used, so can't compare.
We took it off of the powercat when we sold it and I am in the process of installing it on our Nordic Tug right now.
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04-05-2017, 07:38 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Gooding ID/Wrangell AK
Vessel Name: Silver Bay
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 42-002
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,040
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I'll will be putting in a WeBoost 4G-M with a marine antenna I bought separately for $317 on Amazon and coupled with a marine antenna for $122. Won't be able to test it until May but we will see. We get to a lot of places with one bar on one side of the anchorage and none on the other. We will see what happens in those locations.
Tom
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04-05-2017, 11:51 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
City: California Bay Area
Vessel Name: BOOSTER
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 362
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Got the unit installed this afternoon and some casual testing while sitting in the marina showed an increase of 1-2 bars (from 3 to 4-5) on my phone. I installed the interior antenna in the overhead console of the pilothouse and that's where I tested it -- I failed to try out the range on the boat, I should have tried the same maneuvers in the salon & forward cabin...
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04-10-2017, 02:01 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
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what I really care about is the cellphone's internet connection. I want the hotspot data coming through.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dvd
Got the unit installed this afternoon and some casual testing while sitting in the marina showed an increase of 1-2 bars (from 3 to 4-5) on my phone. I installed the interior antenna in the overhead console of the pilothouse and that's where I tested it -- I failed to try out the range on the boat, I should have tried the same maneuvers in the salon & forward cabin...
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04-10-2017, 10:18 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
City: California Bay Area
Vessel Name: BOOSTER
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 362
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Although we did use this booster with our Verizon MiFi while cruising the East Coast, there are other possibilities as well if internet access is a high priority. Check out this blog post for another option...
dvd
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05-30-2017, 09:07 AM
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#12
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Member
City: Green Cove Springs, FL
Vessel Name: Avocet
Vessel Model: Great Harbour N37
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 14
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We use the Wilson Extreme 4G setup. Very pleased. We streamed Netflix regularly while doing the Loop with an unlimited unthrottled mifi.
__________________
Dick Hermann
Great Harbour N37 Avocet (sold)
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