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Cell phone antennas and AM radio
- Thread starter alg2468
- Start date
J
John_U
Guest
> I've seen some cell phone antenna boosters that look like a
> printed circuit board selling on on Ebay that claim that
> they boost AM radio reception in addition to cell phone
> reception. Is there any truth to this?
>
Short answer is - No way. Not on AM, not on FM, and not on Cell Phone.
John
> printed circuit board selling on on Ebay that claim that
> they boost AM radio reception in addition to cell phone
> reception. Is there any truth to this?
>
Short answer is - No way. Not on AM, not on FM, and not on Cell Phone.
John
J
John_U
Guest
> >Sometimes on weak signals holding a portable radio has the
> effect of capacitatively coupling more signal into the
> radio.
>
> You slip the pc board on the portable hold the radio and you
> seem to have more signal...
>
If this worked in a cell phone environment, you might ask why haven't the manufacturers built it right into their phones. A PC board, even at 25 cents a copy wouldn't cost them that much if it actually worked. And anything that would help the power budget would be an immediate design input.
John
> effect of capacitatively coupling more signal into the
> radio.
>
> You slip the pc board on the portable hold the radio and you
> seem to have more signal...
>
If this worked in a cell phone environment, you might ask why haven't the manufacturers built it right into their phones. A PC board, even at 25 cents a copy wouldn't cost them that much if it actually worked. And anything that would help the power budget would be an immediate design input.
John
> > You slip the pc board on the portable hold the radio and
> you seem to have more signal...
> >
> If this worked in a cell phone environment, you might ask
> why haven't the manufacturers built it right into their
> phones. A PC board, even at 25 cents a copy wouldn't cost
> them that much if it actually worked. And anything that
> would help the power budget would be an immediate design
> input.
I worked for a company that manufactured the antennas that go up on the cell towers. Their research people were working on deviced to improve reception in remote place... like your weekend cabin at the lake, or your office in a solid building with little or no reception inside.
I saw some interesting stuff. I was assured by the researchers that these add-on anntennas that are advertised DO NOT get the job done.
> you seem to have more signal...
> >
> If this worked in a cell phone environment, you might ask
> why haven't the manufacturers built it right into their
> phones. A PC board, even at 25 cents a copy wouldn't cost
> them that much if it actually worked. And anything that
> would help the power budget would be an immediate design
> input.
I worked for a company that manufactured the antennas that go up on the cell towers. Their research people were working on deviced to improve reception in remote place... like your weekend cabin at the lake, or your office in a solid building with little or no reception inside.
I saw some interesting stuff. I was assured by the researchers that these add-on anntennas that are advertised DO NOT get the job done.
J
JasonW
Guest
How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the case so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good gain off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the case so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good gain off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
R
rbrucecarter
Guest
Cell phones - potentially yes. AM radio - absolutely not.
At cell phone frequencies - the antenna looks to be a fractal antenna. Inductively couple to the internal cell phone antenna and you may get net gain.
The geometry of the antenna is all wrong for AM radio. Even if it was electrically a box loop antenna, its physical size is too small to provide gain. The Radio Shack and Terk AM antennas are 8 to 9 inches in diameter, by comparison. The gain somebody probably saw probably came more from body capacitance re-tuning a badly aligned AM section, or perhaps added metal in the cell phone antenna concentrated some flux into a ridiculously undersized ferrite loop.
At cell phone frequencies - the antenna looks to be a fractal antenna. Inductively couple to the internal cell phone antenna and you may get net gain.
The geometry of the antenna is all wrong for AM radio. Even if it was electrically a box loop antenna, its physical size is too small to provide gain. The Radio Shack and Terk AM antennas are 8 to 9 inches in diameter, by comparison. The gain somebody probably saw probably came more from body capacitance re-tuning a badly aligned AM section, or perhaps added metal in the cell phone antenna concentrated some flux into a ridiculously undersized ferrite loop.
Re: How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
> Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the case
> so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground
> system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
>
> Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of
> feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good gain
> off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the
> end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably
> increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
>
Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at? Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose to salute.
> Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the case
> so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground
> system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
>
> Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of
> feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good gain
> off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the
> end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably
> increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
>
Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at? Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose to salute.
J
JasonW
Guest
Re: How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
I *do* live in a rural community with very few towers... -- Jason
> > Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the
> case
> > so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground
> > system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
> >
> > Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of
> > feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good
> gain
> > off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the
> > end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably
> > increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
> >
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
>
I *do* live in a rural community with very few towers... -- Jason
> > Some handy-talkie transceivers have metal strips in the
> case
> > so that the operator's body becomes part of the ground
> > system. Perhaps this would help with cell phones?
> >
> > Also, a wire or telescoping rod antenna just a couple of
> > feet long would be a true long-wire antenna (with good
> gain
> > off the far end) at cell phone frequencies. Pointing the
> > end of the antenna at a cell tower should considerably
> > increase the phone's usable range. -- Jason
> >
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
>
J
JasonW
Guest
Re: How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
A collinear antenna would be omni-directional in azimuth but would concentrate the beam vertically, so it should provide greater range. There would be no need to guess which tower to hit with the signal. Also, at these frequencies a collinear antenna would be of reasonable size. -- Jason
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
A collinear antenna would be omni-directional in azimuth but would concentrate the beam vertically, so it should provide greater range. There would be no need to guess which tower to hit with the signal. Also, at these frequencies a collinear antenna would be of reasonable size. -- Jason
J
John_U
Guest
Re: How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
>
Actually both T-Mobile and SPRINT have maps of the major metorpolitan areas with the cell phone towers mapped down to the block level. T-Mobile even indicates estimated signal stength to the block elvel. Don't know about the other carriers.
john
> Unless you live in a rural community with very few towers to
> figure out, how would a user know which tower to point at?
> Your carrier may not have an antenna on the tower you choose
> to salute.
>
Actually both T-Mobile and SPRINT have maps of the major metorpolitan areas with the cell phone towers mapped down to the block level. T-Mobile even indicates estimated signal stength to the block elvel. Don't know about the other carriers.
john
Re: How about this? (Re: Cell phone antennas and AM radio)
> Actually both T-Mobile and SPRINT have maps of the major
> metorpolitan areas with the cell phone towers mapped down to
> the block level. T-Mobile even indicates estimated signal
> stength to the block elvel. Don't know about the other
> carriers.
Are these maps available to be viewed by the public, or are these internal maps and you would only see them if you were friends with some of their engineering staff?
I live at the edge of metropolitan sprawl. Go toward the city and you are never out of the sight of a tower of someone. Go away from the city, there are a number of towers but with the hills the coverage becomes spotty. Towers with five different "crows nest" for antennas ( translates to five different carriers normally) are not uncommon. When you are looking at a tower with five different carriers and you phone does not have enough signal to function, the most civilized outburst you can come up with is "What's up with that?"
> Actually both T-Mobile and SPRINT have maps of the major
> metorpolitan areas with the cell phone towers mapped down to
> the block level. T-Mobile even indicates estimated signal
> stength to the block elvel. Don't know about the other
> carriers.
Are these maps available to be viewed by the public, or are these internal maps and you would only see them if you were friends with some of their engineering staff?
I live at the edge of metropolitan sprawl. Go toward the city and you are never out of the sight of a tower of someone. Go away from the city, there are a number of towers but with the hills the coverage becomes spotty. Towers with five different "crows nest" for antennas ( translates to five different carriers normally) are not uncommon. When you are looking at a tower with five different carriers and you phone does not have enough signal to function, the most civilized outburst you can come up with is "What's up with that?"
J
John_U
Guest
Re: Cell phone tower URLs
> Are these maps available to be viewed by the public, or are
> these internal maps and you would only see them if you were
> friends with some of their engineering staff?
>
Hi,
General cell phone tower information at:
http://www.cellreception.com/towers/
You may not be able to get full indication of who owns what from that site.
For SPRINT, go to:
http://www.sprint.com/pcsbusiness/coverage/towermaps.html
and zoom in on the map
For T-Mobile, go to:
http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/?class=coverage
and enter your city or address
I don’t have any information on any of the other carriers. This happens to be the ones that I am interested in.
John
> Are these maps available to be viewed by the public, or are
> these internal maps and you would only see them if you were
> friends with some of their engineering staff?
>
Hi,
General cell phone tower information at:
http://www.cellreception.com/towers/
You may not be able to get full indication of who owns what from that site.
For SPRINT, go to:
http://www.sprint.com/pcsbusiness/coverage/towermaps.html
and zoom in on the map
For T-Mobile, go to:
http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/?class=coverage
and enter your city or address
I don’t have any information on any of the other carriers. This happens to be the ones that I am interested in.
John
A cell phone with provisions for an external antenna & a mag mount cell antenna would be the best solution for those areas in the boonies. Emergency services guy in a neighboring rural county uses such a lash-up. Only way he can get any kind of service. Or, in a fixed location, a 800 mhz yagi, if you still have such service available.
> I've seen some cell phone antenna boosters that look like a
> printed circuit board selling on on Ebay that claim that
> they boost AM radio reception in addition to cell phone
> reception. Is there any truth to this?
These things look an awful lot like the "laundry tickets" they used to sell us at the University of Wisconsin to operate the washing machines in the dorm basement...
(I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what they are<grin>...)
> printed circuit board selling on on Ebay that claim that
> they boost AM radio reception in addition to cell phone
> reception. Is there any truth to this?
These things look an awful lot like the "laundry tickets" they used to sell us at the University of Wisconsin to operate the washing machines in the dorm basement...
(I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what they are<grin>...)
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