Community Forums

CoCoDave · 08-18-2011, 07:15 AM

Our "new" 2003 Windsor has a MAXRAD MLPV Series cell phone antenna. It looks like the BMLPV800HD pictured in this webpage.
MAXRAD Antennas
How are these antennas configured with a cell phone?

Thanks,

texnet · 08-18-2011, 09:04 AM

Configured? There is no configuration to the antenna, it is just an antenna that you attach to your cell phone via the coax that is in the coach. On my 03 Dynasty the coax was coiled up underneath the dash. They come from the factory without a connector on the end. Unless the previous owner installed a connector you will need to install a connector and they an adapter to fit your phone. Another way to use the antenna would be to purchase a amplifier and hook the amp to the antenna.

CoCoDave · 08-18-2011, 07:46 PM

OK. Fine. You don't like "configured"? How about connected? Hooked up? Assembled? I know what an antenna is in principle. There are many different kinds. There are also many different ways to interface a transceiver (i.e. cell phone in this case) to an antenna. Match boxes (i.e. impedance matching circuits), plain wire, coax, amplifiers, etc.

Most current-production cell phones have the antenna built in to the cell phone enclosure with no external connector, as is the case with our particular units. That implies that the method of connection would be some kind of amplifier. Since the antenna maker's website has no information about what makes and models of amplifiers would be compatible with this particular antenna I decided to pose the question here.

Mine should not be the only coach with this antenna. It would be helpful to know how others have configured-assembled-connected-hooked up theirs. Did they buy different cell phones with external antenna socket/connectors? If so, what makes and models? Did they buy an amplifier? If so, what make and model?

Whatever the implementation, was it worth the expense and trouble? Or is it just another salesman's switch?

Any informed guidance?

texnet · 08-18-2011, 07:59 PM

Sorry you didn't like my previous answer... didn't think it was that bad.

Maxrad doesn't make or sell cell phone amplifiers. Wilson Electronics does. Cell Phone Signal Boosters and Antennas for Car, Truck, RV, Boat | Wireless Cellular Amplifiers - Wilson Electronics Inc. The antenna you have is screwed onto an NMO mount. The antenna is a wide band antenna that covers from well below the cell phone bands to well above them. This type of antenna has either no gain or maybe even a lose of signal according to what frequency it is used with. If your phone has no antenna connector, every phone I have every owned and will own has an external connector, then the only way to use the antenna is via a proximity amplifier hooked to the outside antenna.

Even with no gain on the antenna with it being outside the coach it will improve your signal level.

My coach had a similar antenna installed when it left the factory. I didn't need it so I unscrewed it and screwed in a 2m/70cm antenna for my ham radio as they both use the NMO mount.

Mr_D · 08-18-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texnet

Configured? There is no configuration to the antenna, it is just an antenna that you attach to your cell phone via the coax that is in the coach. On my 03 Dynasty the coax was coiled up underneath the dash. They come from the factory without a connector on the end. Unless the previous owner installed a connector you will need to install a connector and they an adapter to fit your phone. Another way to use the antenna would be to purchase a amplifier and hook the amp to the antenna.

Good answer, correct and to the point!

JimM68 · 08-18-2011, 08:35 PM

external antenna on a cel phone?
Am I missing something?
Haven't seen a cel phone with an external antenna jack since I had a "bag phone" in the 80's.

texnet · 08-18-2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimM68

external antenna on a cel phone?
Am I missing something?
Haven't seen a cel phone with an external antenna jack since I had a "bag phone" in the 80's.

Then you haven't looked at many of them

Most cell phones, other than really low end ones, have a place to connect an external antenna. The connector will be very small, less than 1/8" round, normally hidden behind a rubber plug. Some connectors are not round, they are flat and built into the same connection that is used to charge or exchange data. This is true on Motorola's and Palms.

wa8yxm · 08-19-2011, 10:34 AM

How to connect an external antenna to a cell phone depends on the phone. But I can tell you how to do it without knowing your phone.

Go to a Truck Stop. Flying-J is good here as are most of the other big ones (T/A, Pilot and Loves) there is a hunk of wall about six feet wide with a lot of different WILSON products on it.. These are adapters to connect an external antenna or amplifier to your cell phone.

ON some phones it's a plug that goes into a socket

On some it's a sleeve that goes over the antenna

On some it's a clip that clips on the back of the phone like a phone holder.

The precise adapter depends on your phone.

Pick the one that fits your phone.. That's how you do it.

CoCoDave · 08-19-2011, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Go to a Truck Stop. ... there is a hunk of wall about six feet wide with a lot of different WILSON products on it.. These are adapters to connect an external antenna or amplifier to your cell phone.

ON some phones it's a plug that goes into a socket

On some it's a sleeve that goes over the antenna

On some it's a clip that clips on the back of the phone like a phone holder.

The precise adapter depends on your phone.

Pick the one that fits your phone.. That's how you do it.

Thanks! That's what I wanted to know.

dsbike · 08-27-2011, 09:05 AM

Sooooo..... is it possible to attach a Wilson Truckers External Antenna or another brand that works for cell phones with the proper connectors as listed above to improve your signal inside your MH with out an amplifier?

We use AT&T for our cell phone service. At our new location in Asheboro, NC bordered to the Pisgah National Forest, we have no bars on our phones. We can send a text and receive one, & if we hold the phone just right we can make a call, sometimes we get 1 bar most times we get no service. However we do have a good signal with Verizon service with our MIFI and our nieghbors have Verizon service with thier phones.

I have been looking at the Wilson Amp & antenna setups, but the cost is pretty high for us at this time.

texnet · 08-27-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsbike

Sooooo..... is it possible to attach a Wilson Truckers External Antenna or another brand that works for cell phones with the proper connectors as listed above to improve your signal inside your MH with out an amplifier?

Short answer is YES.

Long answer is .... If your cell phone has a external antenna connector then you can purchase the proper adapter. If the cell phone antenna is factory installed the coax normally does not have a connector on the end that you attach to the cell phone. Most cell phone connectors are too small to attach the normal RG-58 coax so you put a PL259 connector on the end of the coax that comes from the antenna then use a jumper that has a SO239 connector on one end and the connector that fits your cell phone on the other end.

If your RV does not have a factory installed antenna then you can purchase an antenna and install it. If you don't want to drill a hole and run a coax then you can go with a glass mount antenna on a NON-double pane glass.

There are some "adapters" out there that slip over a cell phones external antenna but these are not going to give you must boost, but maybe enough to get a signal in/out.

dsbike · 08-31-2011, 04:55 PM

Update for our cell phone signal strength. After a lot of research from iRV2 members, the internet, the AT&T store, Radio Shack, Verizon, & the techs at Powerful Signal Wilson 801245 AG SOHO 60 Command Center System We decided to install a Wilson amplifier setup for the RV. I sure hope this works, from what everyone tells me it should. Thanks for the advise anyone has given in other threads about thier success.

dsbike · 10-22-2011, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsbike

Update for our cell phone signal strength. After a lot of research from iRV2 members, the internet, the AT&T store, Radio Shack, Verizon, & the techs at Powerful Signal Wilson 801245 AG SOHO 60 Command Center System We decided to install a Wilson amplifier setup for the RV. I sure hope this works, from what everyone tells me it should. Thanks for the advise anyone has given in other threads about thier success.

Update on SOHO signal amp.
I installed the truckers ant, soho amp & a wireless receiver in the motor home. It works great.
Thanks to everyone who suggested this route.

YC1 · 10-22-2011, 04:45 PM

Being a phone dealer I can assure you that "MOST PHONES" do NOT come with outside antenna connectors let alone collapable antennas any more. We repair about 50 a day and they do not have external antenna connectors. Motorola or otherwise.

You need a passive connection through a cradle or patch antenna or an in vehicle amp to use an outside antenna. I think the cost just outweiged the demand by about 50000 to one.

Those outside connectors when available are as mentioned often hard to locate being hidden behind a protective plug.