Community Forums

TurtleBack · 07-29-2010, 10:47 PM

I added a Digital Cellular Antenna when ordering my coach. Didn't see any benefit at all even when the Wilson amplifier was installed. Just haven't gotten around to replacing it with a Wilson antenna.

But then again it may be that my problem is the forty foot distance required between the outside and internal antennas. It's more like eight feet. (I think we used the wrong installer.)

IamGadget · 07-30-2010, 08:25 PM

I am not a tech person that understand antenna frequencies etc. It is possible that another brand antenna might not be compatible with another's brand amplifier. Wilson Electronics has great tech support. Call them. the amplifier i have is 3 watts and is the legal maximum. I also have 20 or 30 extention cable or call it wire. It is Wilson Electronics Low Loss cable. Talk to them....it works.
In fact today my sister stopped by and she has an iPhone and her friend has a blackberry, one had AT&T the other Verizon and Sprint. they were making calls and they kept dropping and repeating words due to the breaking up of the conversations. I told them to get near my Wilson booster. You had to see their eyes when they looked at the bars on their phone jump.....and then of course the made their calls perfectly. IT works. Good Luck and enjoy

Retired and Happy · 10-17-2010, 10:27 PM

Barrier2, If you have such wiring, it could be hidden somewhere like my satellite wiring is, in the ceiling (no satellite system, just wiring). You may also have to have an adapter to fit your particular phone, and maybe some extension wiring to wherever you wished to use the phone. I added a Wilson antenna to the roof of my MH running the wiring into a closet next to the dinette. I had to buy the adapter cable for my phone type.

RickO · 10-18-2010, 12:14 AM

I'm a fan of my Wilson Trucker's Antenna mounted on my batwing... the amp is on my wish list but we can sometimes get our Verizon broadband connection when our Verizon phones won't connect.

Rick

IamGadget · 10-18-2010, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

I'm a fan of my Wilson Trucker's Antenna mounted on my batwing... the amp is on my wish list but we can sometimes get our Verizon broadband connection when our Verizon phones won't connect.

Rick

hello
sounds interesting..putting the antenna on another antenna. I would have thought that would cause interference.
At. this time i have the magnetic mount
on a small metal disc on the roof near the door..and i run the antenna wire through the door. The external mont evven works inside. the coachvsetting on the small metal disc by the window. I would think that it is always best to get an antenna high up and if putting it on the batwing antenna does not cause interference (while tv is on) then that would be a great spot..thank you

paz · 10-18-2010, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrier2

Hi All, I own a 2001 Dynasty. On the build sheet there is something called "Cellular Antenna & Wiring"cost $200. What is that? Will that serve the purpose of a antenna for my current Cellphone?
Since I never heard any discussion about this I'm pretty sure it does not, but it never hurts to ask. I am also sure many Monacos of that era had that as an option.
Robert

Since your build sheet says "Cellular antenna & wiring" I would check the roof to see if you have an antenna up there. The cell phone antenna will probably have several radial spikes sticking out horizontally. If you have the antenna, you will have to locate the end of the antenna wire inside the coach.

An adapter will probably be required to connect the antenna wire to a booster, and another adapter will be required to connect the booster to the phone or to an air card. Although most air cards still have a jack for an external antenna, most phones don't. The phone will require an adapter that is held on with Velcro.

Ray,IN · 10-18-2010, 09:14 PM

We've been using a Wilson 811210 model signal booster for a year now. It is a boon for no/weak signal. It cost $179.

Barbara S. · 10-18-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

I'm a fan of my Wilson Trucker's Antenna mounted on my batwing... the amp is on my wish list but we can sometimes get our Verizon broadband connection when our Verizon phones won't connect. Rick

I had the smaller Wilson antenna but found the Trucker's antenna on sale coming home from the 2010 irv2.com rally. At the FMCA Six-State Rally I bought the amp and soon after had the new Wilson antenna mounted on my TV antenna. It works great!!! There is no interference from the TV antenna and I can see a very noticeable difference when the amp/antenna is turned on. This is with both my Verizon air card and my Verizon cell phone.

IamGadget · 10-19-2010, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbara S.

I had the smaller Wilson antenna but found the Trucker's antenna on sale coming home from the 2010 irv2.com rally. At the FMCA Six-State Rally I bought the amp and soon after had the new Wilson antenna mounted on my TV antenna. It works great!!! There is no interference from the TV antenna and I can see a very noticeable difference when the amp/antenna is turned on. This is with both my Verizon air card and my Verizon cell phone.

thanks for the reply. I have the wilson 801212 model and that comes with the magnetic mount. I pland to get another antenna to leave on the roof and use the magnetic for portability when i need it.
My internal antenna is the one that is a thin slab about 2inches wide by about 5 inches long with velcro on one side. I just have to have my phone near it, however i put a very small pc of velcro on the back of my phone and i stick it on the internal antenna...This way i always know it is there....and when i use my bluetooth i just keep the phone stuck to it and i can freely walk around and listen to internet music or the phone call.
Getting back to mounting on the batwing....I think that is good news. This way when the batwing is hoisted up the antenna is higher and that is usually better. I just would have thought there would have been some noise/interference...glad to hear there is none.
I am now at a FMCA rally in winston-salem NC.....i am now sure of which vendors are hear yet...
thanks again, allen aka gadget

wagonmaster2 · 10-22-2010, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

I'm a fan of my Wilson Trucker's Antenna mounted on my batwing... the amp is on my wish list but we can sometimes get our Verizon broadband connection when our Verizon phones won't connect.

Rick

How did you mount a Wilson's on your batwing, what kind of Wilson's is it, and how high does it stick up when the batwing is lowered?

Wagonmaster2

wagonmaster2 · 10-22-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

We've been using a Wilson 811210 model signal booster for a year now. It is a boon for no/weak signal. It cost $179.

Where did you mount the antenna, that is without drilling a hole in the motorhome someplace and with the magnetic mount where can it be mounted on a fiberglas body?

Wagonmaster2

RickO · 10-22-2010, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

How did you mount a Wilson's on your batwing, what kind of Wilson's is it, and how high does it stick up when the batwing is lowered?

Wagonmaster2

I purchased a Wilson's Truckers Antenna from 3G Store and got it with (I believe) the mirror mount. I raised the Batwing... aligned two of the mount holes to the main Batwing mast... drilled holes in the mast.... and then fastened it with two bolts and nylon locking nuts.

Leave enough slack in your Wilson's antenna cable to fasten it to the Batwing coax loop at the base so the Batwing can still rotate freely. Make sure that the Trucker's Antenna is mounted such that it will sit properly when the Batwing is folded down for travel.

I drilled a hole in the roof (

) above the front cabinets... used an outdoor junction box which I placed onto a bed of Dicor Sealant and fastened it to the roof with two self tapping screws. Then I plastered Dicor over the top of the junction box seams.

Inside the coach, the cable... which I had to purchase an extension for... goes to my Verizon USB Air Card which plugs into my Cradlepoint 350. All mounted on the end of a front cabinet.

Good Luck

Rick

IamGadget · 10-22-2010, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Where did you mount the antenna, that is without drilling a hole in the motorhome someplace and with the magnetic mount where can it be mounted on a fiberglas body?

Wagonmaster2

hello
They way you use the magnetic mount on a roof that is not metal is to place a 3 1/2 inch round metal disc or similar pc of metal. If you do not want to get something to paste on the roof then you can purchase ( for just a couple/few dollars ) a round white metal disc from a Wilson Distributor. It has a velcro backing and then the magnetic mount sticks to the metal plate.
Run the wires in the neatest way depending on your style of RV and if you want it to be a more permanent type setup. If you plan on taking it with you a lot...then just run it through the door and close the door on it.
I would then for convenience sake....buy a second antenna so you do not have to go on the roof each time you want to take the antenna with you.
You can also use the trucker mount and attach it to the top of the ladder ( if your rv has a ladder.
good luck, allen aka Gadget