cdma aerials

Hi Captain ,
What phone and what in car kit are you using ? Does it have an in car kit with a solid link to the aerial or does it have the proximity type connection.
I am just about to dice my Vodafone setup and go CDMA with Telstra .
Thanks a lot ,
Willie .

Hi Willie,

I have the Nokia 6225 with Nokia car kit. It has the proximity connection, not a direct connection. I was a bit sus about this after having a Kyrocera with proper connection. However on a recent trip my Nokia significantly outperformed a mates older Nokia with "proper" connection. Previously we both thought his phone would have better range than mine, but I was in range up to 20 kms earlier than him - a big suprise.

The CDMA coverage is SO much better than GSM in the country, definetly advise anyone here to go for it. The only disadvantage is that there is not as much choice of phone types, but maybe this just reduces the confusion when choosing a phone!

Telstra has the only CDMA network in the West, not too sure about the rest of Oz (you have some mob called Orange somewhere?). So, it doesn't really matter which network you go with as you end up with Telstra in the end. Just shop around and get the best deal. My Kyrocera was with Optus, but always came up with the Telstra logo when you turned the phone on.

Cheers

Captain

Captain ,
That is great news a s I was looking at the Nokia 6225 on Friday , but thought I had better check on the forum to see how it performed before I made the plunge .
I need to get an antenae but I dont want one as long as 2.1 metres . If I can get one around one to one and a half metres it would be good .
Thanks ,
Willie .

Captain,
I live in the Vic high country and my basic understanding is that with a 3-4db gain it will give beter saturation for in the hills and say 6-9 db gain will give great distance in open country. At the end of the day I supose I need a good alrounder which the RFI cd 1795 might be best. I to have the nokia 6225 and am glad your impressed with the proformance of your kit.
What would you say the differance is in range roughly, now that you have the in car kit as to the phone alone?

Thanks for your reply
Rob

Hi Rob,

All things being equal, a 3db antena has a more "ball" shaped range wheras a 6db has a "squashed ball" hence further penetration around the perimeter but less if the antenae is not horizontal.

If you were comparing a 3db broomstick with a 6db broomstick, both the same length and mounted the same way then yes, the 3db "should" perform better in hills. However, comparing a glass mount to a broomstick, the broomstick will win every time regardless of db rating. Now if you put the glass mount on a 1m pole, then you "may" have an advantage in the hills, but kinda defeats the purpose. The CD 1795 6db broomstick is a great all rounder, not worth swapping and changing IMHO (would be a good choice for you Willie, its only 860mm tall including spring and its the same height as my roofline when mounted on the bullbar - a great test for low branches)

As for the difference the car kit makes, its chalk and cheese!!! The best example is when in my garage (double brick, concrete slab roof and roller door down) my Nokia mobile has only 1 bar signal strength (my Kyrocera had none but still in range). When I put the phone in the car kit, it goes to maximum strength.

I was recently ~90 kms on the south western side of Coolgardie in the middle of the bush (very flat terrain) when I came into CDMA range. Not sure where the tower actually was, but I was happy to be in CDMA range that far out.

I would "estimate" the car kit at minimum doubles or triples the range of a CDMA phone compared to on its own. Even more if comparing while driving (ie not standing on the bullbar trying to maximise reception of the handheld).

Note that the above is my real world experience, technical specs "may" not necessarily agree, but its what I have found.

Cheers

Captain

Hi Captain - me again !
Re : the CD1795 6db antenae .
What is the brand of this model and what sort of shops sell these . I will get one for sure with my Nokia and the kit . I just have to figure out which package to go on with Telstra or if I should buy the phone etc outright and go for prepaid . I use the phone only a very smalll amount , but I am toying with the idea of downloading stock exchange website updates when I am off barra fishing in April .
Thanks a lot ,
Willie

Hi Willie

The CD 1795 is made by RFI. I tried doing a quick net search but came up blank (didn't spend too much time though!). Mine came with my car kit as supplied, didn't really have a choice but was what the phone guy recommended and must admit it was a good choice.

Cheers

Captain

Captain,
Thanks . Found phone no for RFI on earlier post and will ring them now .
Cheers ,
Willie.