Review I just received for all the skeptics
I received the amp just shortly before our departure from central Florida. The kit included the same antenna as I have on my roof that is mounted versus using the provided mag mount. Running the mag mount would have taken more time than I had so I just used my own adaptor and plugged it into the amp.
The inside antenna had the same time constraints and wanting to do a worst case install I placed it next to the A pillar and only a couple of feet from my phone cradle which had just been moved so I could watch the signal strength and use some features that I had not used in the past.
The amp was mounted using Velcro and placed under my dash mat in front of the steering wheel so I could reach the power plug. I wanted to see how hot the housing would get as well because we know some customer is going to do just that. It remained cool to the touch throughout the trip.
Living within ½ mile of a cell tower my signal strength is outstanding without the amp. Powering the amp up showed a 4 db gain. This gain was seen 20 feet away from the inside antenna.
We traveled up to Kansas and then to interstate 80 heading West to California. There were many stops along the way. Watching signal strength over many days would be impossible and dangerous. I decided a simple way to monitor performance was to use the Waze application for driving safety and then to monitor talk radio every day and for most of the route.
Our 22 year old grandson was along as well as my wife. Each rode in the middle of the RV at times and were 15-20 feet from the inside antenna, They both used their devices for hours each day.
As we progressed I did unplug the amp to make sure it was actually being utilized. While driving it is a bit difficult to use the dbm page on the phone so I did what most customers would do and watched the bars. There was always an improvement in the signal level with the amp on.
We had complete coverage all along I 80 except for about 1/3 of a mile in between some deep canyons.
The real comparison for me was when we came to a stretch of road in California that I am intimately familiar with. I have traveled this stretch of Highway 20 right off
I 80 for over 40 years. Since I am a telecommunications technician this area has been tested by me from tube type radios to modern cell phones. I know the coverage in this area like the back of my hand.
Most of this 30 mile stretch has extremely spotty coverage. I know which turn outs to stop and make calls if necessary. With my wife aware that I wanted to watch this area closely she was monitoring service closely. My talk radio shows were working fine.
Before sharing the results I would like to comment on the convenience of this device. The existing Wilson cradle has served me well for many years. Before that I had installed many amplifiers. Some with jumper cables plugged into the antenna ports that are no longer available. As a highly qualified installation technician that owns an electronics company it was even difficult at times to make those devices operate without issues. Fiberglass roofs in RV’s do not provide decent isolation between the inside and outside antennas.
Being able to have all devices inside the RV to function allowed my wife to use her equipment to help navigate and find RV parks along the way. My grandson was able to enjoy his devices the whole trip.
For this trip I threw a temporary mount together for my phone so it would be easy to operate. Though the installation is not up to my normal standards, it was tested in a near worst case installation. The roof antenna was the exception. The roof antenna is identical to the one provided except I have a permanent mount and a small ground plane. I used my own adaptor from the roof mount antenna and know these alone can decrease the signal strength by ½ to 1 db and sometimes more.
Now for the real test along highway 20. This area is in the high Sierras with tall thick trees. Narrow canyons and winding roads make watching signal strengths all but impossible in an RV while towing a car. As we traveled we finally lost service. Not for a half mile but probably for a whole 3 miles total along the 30 mile route.
Outstanding performance is really not a good enough word for me to explain how impressed I was. I can’t wait to test it in some other remote areas I am familiar with. This amp is a game changer. I could get all techie and talk about regeneration, feedback, dbm’s, etc. but the average consumer could care less. They simply want to know if this things works. Very simply put.
YES ! I would buy one in a second. I have spent close to 2K over the years buying the latest and greatest. The Wilson Sleek works decent but does not hold a candle and the freedom from the cradle is worth the price alone.
We will be in Calif for a month or so and will be able to test the amp in a place that could really use a decent amp. I will make a special effort to travel the 1.5 hours each way to check out our old camping areas. The amp will be moved to the car for the test.
Thank you for the confidence in me and allowing me to do a real life test on this amp. I am very impressed.
Regards,
Myron Truex
Sutter Buttes Communications and Electronics Inc.
