Telstra Next G and Exteranl Antennas

Yes found the data speeds to be awesome. Using mine to get weather whilst offshore on a boat, heading out 120KM's to Deal Island and the coverage is there on the Island in some parts so hoping the antenna will be the difference.

Can you blokes add the make of phone , I'm due for a change soon and will need one with Blue-Tooth to match up with Nuvi 660, to know whats what is handy

Samsung SGH-A701

Funnily Globalstar are advertising on this page ... whatever you do, don't buy a G* service ;-)

I think David should think hard about whether it is appropriate ...

I have used my CDMA at Stuart Creek Opal Mine. The nearest phone tower is / was Leigh Creek. That is over 100km away. Someone told me that the "normal" digital phones are limited (by technology block) to about 23km from the nearest cell to avoid complaints about degradation of signals.
Are the external antennas for those Next-Gs a pulg-in attachment, or are they electrically induced (i.e. back to back proximity attached)? I have found plug/screw in external antennas to be far superior.
Still waiting for Nokia Next-G mobiles to be released. They say another 6 weks or so.

The antenna works brilliant IMHO. I was using the same 6.5gb on the CDMA and it was absolute rubbish, plugged it into the LG handfree kit and WHAMO it's fantastic. Where there is no coverage out of the cradle I get 3 bars in the cradle, very very good. I'm getting covereage in places I wouldn't have even dreamed to get it with the crappy old nokia. It all comes down the the phone and car kit though I reckon. Nokia really dropped the ball on their antenna couplers, LG have obviously got it right (mind you the rest of the car kit is absolute rubbish, I still use the nokia bluetooth for talking, the LG cradle is just used for charging and the antenna).

I think GSM is limited to about 37km.
Phone sends out a connection signal ("here I am and who I am"), and waits so many milliseconds for a reply. No reply recieved before next send , no connection recorded. Told it works out to 37km.

Have had over 90km when out from Quilpie on the opal fields on CDMA - handheld out of car talking to the office.

Waiting for the Nokia too.

Bigger wait is when Telstra will release Next G to the wholesalers.
And just retail through Telstra.
Then we might get some good prices.

I think the biggest difference I've noticed with CDMA to Next G is the way it works through the hills. CDMA would die in the ass as soon as you were even thinking about driving between a couple of hills, the next g seems to work better in the low lying areas. That's just from my experience, don't know any science behind it. I'm only basing this on my ventures through the south west of WA, havn't been anywhere else with the next g yet, but I've been a fair bit around the south west and have been very impressed.

Have always had analogue and cdma with patch lead type connection to the external aerial. Current phone (Nokia CDMA) did not have a car kit suitable for connection to external aerial (IE: patch lead or other). I have 2 different Blue tooth car kits for different vehicles and I thought of trying the back to back proximity type one for the digital phones and bugger me if it didn't make a huge difference.I have the same coverage now that i always had via patch leads etc on other phones (various makes and models). Salespeople told me it wouldn't work, but it does. I used an Industrial adhesive and glue it to a universal phone holder as well as gluing to a strong magnet. I can use it in all my vehicles (with external aerials) whether just sitting it there or mounted with the magnet. GET THIS!!! IT EVEN IMPROVES THE WIFES NEXTG SIGNAL STRENGHT TOO!!!!

Hey keepingitreal .. tell me more please.

Can we have some pics or product details on the Bluetooth car kit, for instance and how you set up the magnets ...

Somehow it sounds like the sort of enhancement pills I get offered frequently though.

Hey Andrew, I should have been more specific. The magnet is only used in some vehicles with metal structures for mounting purposes. When in other vehicles where no metal structures I have a frame made up with a speaker and the Nokia Bluetooth kit and re-powered through a cigarette type plug as to make it interchangable and the magnet with the phone holder and proximity type back-back external connection sits in it. The magnet only holds it in position. This frame (metal Plate) is then mounted in a lavatory type bag on soft foam. Just to make a portable bag type phone. In my 100series, i only use the phone holder and external aerial booster and my Nuvi 660 for the bluetooth. Awesome combination. The Universal phone holder is of Nokia Brand as is the proximity type booster. It works well on my wifes Samsung NextG also. ( I'd imagine any phone where the aerial is based at the top of the phone). When i Change vehicles , just unscrew the external aerial, pull the cigarette type plug and move on . (all my vehicles have external aerials, cars,trucks,utes,and agricultural vehicles)

I virtually use the Imate Jasjam as a computer whilst I am away, off course it's a phone as well. The Next G Network uses the CDMA towers however it seems to offer better reception, especially in rural areas. The I-Mate Jasjam has an external antenna socket and you simply buy a patch lead to suit that plugs into the Jasjam and then connects to any external antenna with an FME connector (This is standard with antennas). You can buy external antenna kits to suit on Ebay for around $29.99 plus freight. See this link:

Site Link

You can buy bigger bullbar whip type antennas also from your local Radio Services guy. I have a magnetic portable one I plan to use also.

The Jasjam is a Pocket PC that has many nice functions, it's not 100% bug free however it works well especially at getting broadband speed near 1.5MB via the Next G network. The only catch with Next G is you really need to study the plans because your phone bill could triple if your not careful. I have a $100 monhtly business plan and a $49 data plan (With 200MB per month) . I then monitor my data useage via the Telstra Internet site etc. Also bear in mind the Jasham allows you to browse the Internet but it is not a HTML web browswer so some sites may not work. IN these cases look for a mobile suitable internet site.

CDMA and NextG are same frequency, ie:same antenna requirements.

The thing which does vary is the patch lead or adapter required. (Most of the NextG phones don't have an external antenna connection.)
Try Cellink
Cheers

CDMA 900Mhz
NextG 850Mhz

Not the same frequency, but MAY be near enough. May also blow the s**t out of any output from the phone due to antenna mismatch.....

Your call......

I'm using my old CDMA antenna and it works much better on NextG.

CDMA is 850Mhz GSM is 900Mhz
NextG is same as CDMA 850Mhz only difference is delivery method of the signal
CDMA aerials are perfect for NextG

What Wingwang said.
Cheers

I use one of these aerials for my current CDMA and even with the weird "proximity" connection that nokia uses it makes a huge difference in signal strength. Professional radio installer advised it will be suitable for our new nextG phones when we change over in a few weeks.

That looks good Mike - I see they have gone for a patent on it too.

Thanks for the info. I'll buy one when I switch to NextG.

http://www.rfindustries.com.au/rfiwhatsNew/press_releases_december_2005/CD1795.pdf

may also be worth taking a look at this:
Site Link

but, I suspect, it may be more of a marketing thing than a technical improvment???

Mike Harding

Mike - the CD2195 adds coverage for the older 2100MHz 3G Metro-only network (not to be confused with the 850MHz NextG network)

Mike R, the 2100MHz band is to be used as an overflow band for Next G when there is congestion on the other bands but only in major metropolitan areas as you stated. We sell the CD1795 antennas for use on the Next G network up here in Central Qld as there is no need for the CD2195 here.

Regards
David

Yes I nearly bought the CD2195 however the guys at AA Radio Services made me up a magnetic based portable antenna kit so I could carry it up a hill for reception where I am going 120KM's off shore. They were very helpful..

The 2100MHz band is used only by phones on the "3" network and Telstra 3G phones (which is totally different to NextG). The 3G Network will only ever be available in Metro areas.

When these phones are out of 2100MHz range, they switch over to the GSM network.