Datacard Amplifiers

[Walt VanRheen]

use direct connect and then a router

Our May trip this year I was super impressed with my UM175 which is directly connected to the amp from Gordon at Max signal, attached to a mag antennia. We streamed to Severestudions and even watched streaming video using my sling player from my home in Oregon, so we could watch any TV we wanted from my Directv box and build in DVR.

This signal was so good, I picked up a Cradlepoint CTR 350 router and moved the phone/amp/router to the back of the car. Our June trip worked very well. We ran 3 laptops, in the car, one was streaming video to SevereStudios and it worked awesome.

Another cool thing was that we could park the car in a restaurant parking lot and take a laptop inside and still got full signal from the car.

We did have some lose of signal during our chasing in SE Nebraska and SW MO on June 7 but that was such a crappy area.

 

[Mark Blue]

You will no doubt notice a huge difference if you get an amplifier and external antenna. At this point I wouldn't even think of chasing without this setup. The line in the sand between Wilson and Maximum Signal is evident, but who cares about all of that, your only concern should be to do a little research and go with the model you feel most comfortable with. I personally bought the Direct Connect + MAK from Gordon Spencer's Maximum Signal and have never looked back. It will turn one or two bars into four or five and you will totally know that you made the right decision. If you ever notice the LED light is not lit up on the amplifier housing (Cyfre), replace the 2 or 3 amp fuse in the cigarette lighter plug as they seem to blow out every year or so. I have nothing but good things to say about an amplifier and external antenna setup as it makes all the difference in the world!

 

[Gordon Spencer]

For Data always go with a direct connect amplifier. Wireless amplifiers do not work well with Data. RF can increase but Data throughput speeds can actually decrease ( due to the difference in how voice and data signals are transmitted). I advise everyone of that before they purchase . I even advised Mikey Gribble of that . That is why when he said he was not happy with his wireless amplifier performance I was a little gruff . But I swapped him out for a more expensive package with a high power direct connect amplifier and a special shielded splitter so he could run 2 devices at once with it. . Mikey is the only person that has compared products head to head and said Wilson works better. Here is a link to a full comparison done on escapees RV Forums.


http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=73459&hl=wilson+cyfre

How do the wireless amps work? It wouldn't seem to be as effective as a hard wired amp. Anyone have a technical description of how they work?

 

[Joshua Nall]

Is there a noticeable difference having the amp? Better signal strength, better service?

I got the ca819 amp in the package deal from Maximum Signal this year, with the magnetic mount antenna. Very happy with the performance. Tether to my phone and just from what I read is better than wireless stuff. I can be in an area that will show no service to one bar... insert the little plug into my phone and it will immediately jump to 4 or 5 bars. Only problem I've had is the sorry plug in port, or what ever they call it, on my motorola razr. I've about worn it out cause the plug fits very loose now and doesn't connect good all the time. At first I thought the amp was going bad, but I wiggle it around a bit and it's fine.

 

[Gordon Spencer]

The Razr's have terrible RF ports . If you ever consider swapping phones . Give me a call and I will go over all your choices with you and hopefully find one that fits your needs and also has a better RF port

I got the ca819 amp in the package deal from Maximum Signal this year, with the magnetic mount antenna. Very happy with the performance. Tether to my phone and just from what I read is better than wireless stuff. I can be in an area that will show no service to one bar... insert the little plug into my phone and it will immediately jump to 4 or 5 bars. Only problem I've had is the sorry plug in port, or what ever they call it, on my motorola razr. I've about worn it out cause the plug fits very loose now and doesn't connect good all the time. At first I thought the amp was going bad, but I wiggle it around a bit and it's fine.

 

[David Wolfson]

Hmmm. This is interesting! Thank you for the info, Gordon....

So is it the case that a wireless amp's decreased data throughput always occurs, or mainly occurs only when there are active simultaneous voice connections? Are there any kind of specs or info on how much of a problem this is? Nowadays as I mentioned the phones are coming without antenna ports.

 

[Gordon Spencer]

Always occurs has nothing to do with other devices being connected . It is due to how the data signal is transmitted . Data is transmitted in a constant stream . Voice is transmitted in micro pulses. Due to this a direct connect amplifiers are more condusive to a Direct connect amplifier that can amplify a constant stream better. Cyfre's engineers are trying to improve this with the Next generation of amplifiers coming out.

Hmmm. This is interesting! Thank you for the info, Gordon....

So is it the case that a wireless amp's decreased data throughput always occurs, or mainly occurs only when there are active simultaneous voice connections? Are there any kind of specs or info on how much of a problem this is? Nowadays as I mentioned the phones are coming without antenna ports.

 

[Tyler Allison]

I always suspected the wireless amp didn't work as well as my direct connect on my data card.

Gordon. What's the rules on antenna separation? I'm thinking of running a wireless amp for the various cell phones in the car....AND a direct connect amp for the data card.

-Tyler

 

[Gordon Spencer]

As far as possible . In a car put interior antenna on driver side firewall . Put exterior antenna on passenger side rear of roof 8 inches from the edge

I always suspected the wireless amp didn't work as well as my direct connect on my data card.

Gordon. What's the rules on antenna separation? I'm thinking of running a wireless amp for the various cell phones in the car....AND a direct connect amp for the data card.

-Tyler

 

[Tyler Allison]

No. I meant if I ran two amps in the car. One a direct connect and one a wireless. How far apart on the top of the car should they be...but I think you answered the question. As far as possible.

Probably put the direct connect external antenna in the front and the wireless external antenna in the back.

 

[Steve Worthington]

I have the Cyfre 819 amp kit but I think it would work better "IF" I could hook it too my Alltel card? Does anyone know if I can do this?

I saw a few adaptors on Ebay but didnt know if I`d blow something up if I hooked my Alltel card to the amp? I cant find any info that say`s I can or cant.

 

[Tyler Allison]

Gordon will know for sure..but does your Alltel card have an external antenna port? 99% of them do. What model number is it..there's probably a manual online that says where.

 

[Gordon Spencer]

Only card that does not have port is old UT Starrcom 5740 - has not been sold in 3 years . All other Alltel cards have ports . We sell them on our website. Just go to antenna adapters, Choose data cards ,then Just pick your card from drop down menu

I have the Cyfre 819 amp kit but I think it would work better "IF" I could hook it too my Alltel card? Does anyone know if I can do this?

I saw a few adaptors on Ebay but didnt know if I`d blow something up if I hooked my Alltel card to the amp? I cant find any info that say`s I can or cant.

 

[Gordon Spencer]

antennas on outside should be 1 foot apart.

No. I meant if I ran two amps in the car. One a direct connect and one a wireless. How far apart on the top of the car should they be...but I think you answered the question. As far as possible.

Probably put the direct connect external antenna in the front and the wireless external antenna in the back.

 

[Steve Worthington]

Yes, it has the external antenna port. So does this mean I can??????
I just don`t think it works worth a $%^& the way it is.

Gordon Spencer, give me a link and I`ll buy it!