Using an aircard antenna without an amplifier

[Dan Rupnow]

Anybody have experience using an aircard antenna without an amplifier? I picked one up a while back as a spare to use just in case my current antenna/amplifier combination failed while out in the field. Obviously using an amplifier provides the best signal boost, but I am wondering just how much good an antenna on its own does as far as improving reception.

 

[David Drummond]

Any time you can get a radio signal outside the metal "cage" of a vehicle, that is a good thing.

 

[Gordon Spencer]

Depends on the antenna . Be careful purchasing one . Lots of aftermarket crap out there . Like cell-gear on ebay .

Anybody have experience using an aircard antenna without an amplifier? I picked one up a while back as a spare to use just in case my current antenna/amplifier combination failed while out in the field. Obviously using an amplifier provides the best signal boost, but I am wondering just how much good an antenna on its own does as far as improving reception.

 

[Adam Lucio]

It makes a decent difference. It won't do much for getting data where you couldn't get it before as far as no data zone boundaries for individual carriers goes, so your verizon/sprint/ATT/whatever still wont work in the same areas its never worked before. They do, however improve signal strength though. Ive tested a few times by removing the antenna and watching how far the bar drops, sometimes I've gone from one bar to full bars. Well worth the 45 dollars or whatever it was I invested for an antenna plus cable.

 

[Doug Drace]

Agreed! I chased all last season wih just the antenna/no amplifier, definately made a difference in some areas, especially Eastern Oklahoma....as Adam said...provided your carrier has service where you are chasing. Speaking of Ampifiers....anyone have suggestions on ones that are truely worth the $$$?

 

[Jesse Risley]

I'll second what Gordon said. Any external antenna will make a difference as long as it is properly tuned for the cell bands that the air card uses and, synchronously, provided that it is a quality antenna that has proven results. Some of the cheap, aftermarket antennas don't perform well over a long period of time, so you get what you pay for as a general principle.

Typically speaking, all other factors held constant, an external antenna will boost your performance over just a data card without an external antenna, and adding an amplifier will increase your range beyond just using an external antenna w/out the amplification device.

FYI - I created a blog for storm chasers on this topic a year or so ago: http://convectiveaddiction.com/equipment/cellular-data-card-antennas/

 

[Gordon Spencer]

The amplifiers we sell are superior products and made in America . Ask any chaser using one.

Agreed! I chased all last season wih just the antenna/no amplifier, definately made a difference in some areas, especially Eastern Oklahoma....as Adam said...provided your carrier has service where you are chasing. Speaking of Ampifiers....anyone have suggestions on ones that are truely worth the $$$?

 

[Doug Drace]

Thanks Gordon, Ill be in touch soon...

 

[Dan Rupnow]

Thanks for all the good info. It is appreciated!

 

[J Tyler]

I started with just an aircard. Added a quality external antenna and saw a big improvement. After losing data on a chase one time, I went all in and ordered Maximum Signals 9db gain trucker antenna PLUS their Rockies amp PLUS their shielded splitter to send to their phone cradle plus direct connect to aircard. At least NOW if I lose a signal, I KNOW I've done all I can.

I left the original antenna on the roof in case this new setup has a problem, I can quickly switch back and forth. Yes, the super trucker with Rockies amp will pull when the other antenna is weak or dead. I will warn you, the super trucker antenna is so big everyone thinks it is a CB antenna.

Best of luck.

 

[Mark Blue]

Agreed! I chased all last season with just the antenna/no amplifier, definitely made a difference in some areas, especially Eastern Oklahoma....as Adam said...provided your carrier has service where you are chasing. Speaking of Amplifiers....anyone have suggestions on ones that are truly worth the $$$?

You've probably already checked out Gordon's website and are up to speed, but I think I can add a couple of options you may not have considered over the basic direct connect package. If you're looking at a direct connect you have a couple of options in either the Cyfre CA-819 or the Peak Reception Rockies package. If you're going this direction I think the extra $20 is well worth it to get the best one in that category (Rockies Extreme). Both of those direct connect amps can be found here.

There is a new wireless amplifier that is pretty much *all the rage* over the last several months and it's called the Traveller and can be found here. It costs more than the direct connect models, but is really the only reliable wireless amplifier out there for both voice and data, because the older wireless models didn't handle data near as well as this new one. There are a few reviews on the internet of this new amplifier, one was written by Steve Miller OK, and I believe I recall seeing one written by another gentleman who likes to review this type of equipment. You can track those down pretty easily using Google. There's a thread here on ST that was in Marketplace IIRC that had those links as well.

The last option is to use a direct connect amplifier, but also get a mobile wireless router such as a Cradlepoint and basically turn your direct connect into a wireless setup using the wireless functionality built into your laptop that the router supplies. You just connect your modem to the router and you basically have a wireless set up *so to speak*. You have to configure the router, but if you have done that with your home setup it isn't bad at all and Cradlepoint is well known for their continued support and firmware updates to their routers. They even update modem drivers to include new 4G equipment that is quickly emerging, which is an added bonus. Hope this helps, if you have any questions let us know.

 

[Chris Caldwell]

aircard without amplifier

The Cyfree antennas from Gordon are the best thaht can be bought and I have tried them all and I have also tried numerous amplifiers. The Maximum Signal Wireless Traveller is the one I suggest but if you can't go that much then at least go with a hard wired connection by Cyfree from Maximum Signal. The wireless version we have tested as we have tried all the wired versions from the Wilson to the DA 4000 to the Cyfree and other products from Maximum signal and the Maximum Signal and Cyfree units from Gordon are the only one's I would ever use or suggest for anyone else to use. We have had in excess of the 10 people it lists it can handle but I believe they stopped testing at 10. We also had 2 data cards hooked up and were in an area with 1 bar but couldnt get service and we turned the Maximum Signal Traveller on and "BAM" we had 3 to 4 bars of service and perfect signal on all phones and the 2 data cards. Its well worth going the extra mile and getting the amp.

 

[Sean Ramsey]

My Christmas present from my wife this year is the Rockies direct connect amplifier and antenna from Maximum Signal, and I'm really excited about seeing what kind of signal I get. I live right within the edge of the great Verizon data hole in western Oklahoma, so without any amplifier or antenna I get no signal where I live. After doing some research and reading many other chasers statements I'm expecting great results, and it won't take but a 20 minute drive north to get a good idea of what it will do. I'm expected great results...have to wait til after the 25th to find out though

 

[Chris Caldwell]

Sean... You will get a signal now. I get a signal down in the bottom of the mountains in southern OK when nobody else can. Even those with the ones painted blue weren't getting a signal and I was getting a signal and streaming close to 17 frames a second with 2 to 3 bars of service. As I got higher up I got full bars and the stream looked like a live microwave shot.