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tonyd · Guru

External antenna for mobile phone

Olley46 · Guru

You can bye an external antenna for a mobile phone two things you have to have one is a cradle to suit your phone or a phone wich has an antenna jack on the phone itself,Telstra shop I went to had the antennas round about $120.00-$140.00 each.including a patch lead, witch goes from antenna to phone.
Lance C

-- Edited by Olley46 on Monday 25th of March 2013 09:32:55 AM

Grams · Guru

Hi Tony,

My last car, a Commodore wagon had an external antenna for a phone, as it was an ex sales reps car. I think you would be better trying places like Auto Electricians, places that install radios, UHF, etc, than trying to ask Telstra.

If I wanted to install a mobile phone antenna and cradle for my phone, I'd go to the auto electrician first. Good Luck

Patto44 · Senior Member

I fitted one to the van roof and it makes a big difference.

Bought it from Telstra shop ($69 from memory). Available elsewhere and a bit cheaper.

Cheers,

Patto

Birdy1710 · Veteran Member

tonyd wrote:
What's the story with external antennas for mobiles? I understand that they can help reception in remote areas (which is why I want one), but are they expensive and/or difficult to fit to a vehicle?
Online searches have been inconclusive and visits to Telstra shops have not been very helpful.
Any info much appreciated,
Cheers, Tony

Gday Tony, I have had 2 types, a small one which you can put on your van, or bigger longer type that you have probably seen on bull-bars. they are the better type

in my opinion. they range in size from about 3ft up to about 8ft Cheers Dave

Baz421 · Guru

Hi Tony

we have the external antenna for phone and another for internet, both stick type (about 1m long and about 15 mm thick) and they work fantastically well.

Suggest you go to a reputable seller of UHF radios etc as they have a hugh range of antennaes and jacks to suit and match to your phone.

I paid about $170 for antenna and about $30 for phone patch lead to suit my Samsung phone.

Be aware some phones work better in the bush than others and Telsta show this in their shops. If you go to a Telstra shop go to "big" one staffed by Telstra staff.

Cheers Baz

tonyd · Guru

Thanks, Baz. I'll give the radio shops a go, especially as I have been pondering a UHF radio for the Colorado as well.

And I take your point about Telstra shops. There seem to be different "grades" of shop, which I find really odd. Is Telstra franchising?

They're all very flash, modern and "cool", but they do NOT all sell the full Telstra range (which seems to me to be retail lunacy) and if you're not there to buy the latest $999 mega-flash phone, the patronising teenage staff lose interest in you very quickly. No wonder people buy things on the internet!

Cheers, Tony

vk6tnc · Guru

tonyd wrote:
. There seem to be different "grades" of shop, which I find really odd. Is Telstra franchising?

Only a hand full of telstra shops are owned, all the rest are franchised, but it's hard to tell. One of the smaller ones said they were not authorised to change my account so I had to ring 132200 myself while in the store !!!!

Baz421 · Guru

Yep seems to be "grades" of shops,,, they push high volume or high profit margin lines.

4WD shops in SA are another example, although some have experienced staff, but they tend to sell the "flash" lines not the rough and tough lines that last more than 5 minutes, jerry cans is a good example - the quality varies so much and the poor quality ones split easily.

Kiamaman · Member

Got mine from this mob. Supply to the Mining industry. Located in Brisbane, & sell on the net. Very helpful.

http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/

Skipper....

Sheba · Guru

http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/

vk6tnc · Guru

Kiamaman wrote:
Got mine from this mob. Supply to the Mining industry. Located in Brisbane, & sell on the net. Very helpful.

http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/

Skipper....

As a communications tech I can honestly say that this website contains 100% accurate info, with no sales spin !

Quite rare these days

tonyd · Guru

Sheba wrote:
http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/

Many thanks for that site. I have spent much time on it tonight and believe it answers all my questions/needs/desires.

Cheers. Tony

PeterD · Guru

tonyd wrote:
. There seem to be different "grades" of shop, which I find really odd. Is Telstra franchising?
You can tell the difference between the Telstra owned shops and the franchisees by looking at the title on the shop. I forget the term but you will see it in very small print under the large Telstra Shop print letters.

vk6tnc · Guru

I bought a similar antenna for 144 Mhz. The oz supplier wanted $80. Mine travelled from China to the USA then back to me for $15 !!!

The antenna Hako gave the ebay link for is only suitable for Optus, Telstra NextG operates on a much lower frequency....

-- Edited by vk6tnc on Wednesday 27th of March 2013 11:10:50 PM

hako · Guru

I've just received and plugged in an external aerial for my Optus USB modem dongle - comes with about 3m of cable. I tested if it worked by using the dongle in a known bad Optus area (Highfields)...could not log on with just the dongle but could log on with the aerial. At $4.39 delivered from China in 8 days it certainly makes you wonder at some of the prices charged.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160785241176?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

SaltyDog · Veteran Member

tonyd wrote:
What's the story with external antennas for mobiles? I understand that they can help reception in remote areas (which is why I want one), but are they expensive and/or difficult to fit to a vehicle?
Online searches have been inconclusive and visits to Telstra shops have not been very helpful.
Any info much appreciated,
Cheers, Tony

Hi Tony,

I haven't really used those cheap little rubber duck style antennas, but i have used an installed many fixed (Line Of Sight) antennas for NextG, Optus etc.

They cost around $80 to $160 for yagi style antenna, anywhere from 600mm to 1500mm in length.

I have also installed a "whip" style antenna at around 1200mm in length when multiple towers were around the problem site, this allows you to connect to which ever tower is best at that moment in time.

It has been the difference between 1 bar and no signal quality and 3 bars and a solid connection.

Biggest problem is using a handset or modem that allows connection to an external antenna.

You can run a "passive" or "amplified" repeater system in your car or camp sight too, so there is no pyhsical connection to any handset, it just makes a hotspot for your general area.

This allows anyone to enjoy an improved signal, not just the connected handset.

Repeaters are frowned upon by some of the Telcos, so please reseach and select and use at your own risk.

But they do work, and work very well for some people.

spida · Guru

PeterD wrote:
tonyd wrote:
. There seem to be different "grades" of shop, which I find really odd. Is Telstra franchising?
You can tell the difference between the Telstra owned shops and the franchisees by looking at the title on the shop. I forget the term but you will see it in very small print under the large Telstra Shop print letters.

In Perth there is only one Telstra shop which is actually officially the 'repair' capable one - at Mirrabooka - and they just send stuff to Adelaide to be replaced/repaired. The other franchises send you there. good luck

Loffty · Senior Member

You can run a "passive" or "amplified" repeater system in your car or camp sight too, so there is no pyhsical connection to any handset, it just makes a hotspot for your general area.
This allows anyone to enjoy an improved signal, not just the connected handset.
Repeaters are frowned upon by some of the Telcos, so please reseach and select and use at your own risk.
But they do work, and work very well for some people.

Now i'm confussed.

I had been informed this was actually illegal......... Is it?

-- Edited by Loffty on Sunday 7th of April 2013 11:52:12 AM