Smart phones and external antennas

Submitted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 19:33

ThreadID: 95541 Views:20766 Replies:8 FollowUps:12

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Gr11zzly

There see to be a lost of archived threads on this subject but since the technology changes so quickly I hope its OK to start another.
Its time for me to trade in my TU550 with an external antenna connection for something smarter (and something compatible with the hands free on my new LC200). I'm not sure what I would use a 'smart' phone for but I'm convinced that that would be the way to go provided I don't loose coverage as a result. There is only one smart phone with the blue tick (for hands free rural use). It has no connection for an external antenna and if its one of those with the metal back it probably can't be inductively coupled (sometimes called'passive' which is inappropriate but if that the word they use then fine).
I found a site that has been really helpful http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/catalog/patch-leads This at least tells me which phones can be connected. I also have some feedback from an expert that I can share that went like this
"We provide back covers for Samsung Galaxy s2, Motorola Defy and Atrix.

Also a large majority of miners in remote location use Iphone 4 and
don't complain when they use a Smoothtalker cradle, which is
Canadian and has a very low DBI loss of up to 1.5 dbi.

If you are after a Smart Phone that has a antenna port (which now
days are only test port) try Samsung or Motorola Atrix and Defy.

Stay away fro Samsung Nexus, worst antenna ever.

ZTE or Telstra phones have test ports as well.
The rest of the handsets are passive patch leads,
and in this range stay away from Nokia's if they have a
metal back cover."
I think that's useful info hopefully some of you will too.
The thing I can't get a handle on is how to discover if the phone without a blue tick but WITH an external antenna connection is better than a phone WITH the blue tick but without the external antenna connection.

So do I go with the Blue tick Nokia smart phone or a Samsung S2 with an external antenna??

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Reply By: ben_gv3 - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 20:58

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 20:58

I trust you know the Samsung S2 is pretty much the same as the Samsung (Galaxy) Nexus but larger screen etc.

AnswerID: 485738

Follow Up By: 361 - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:16

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:16

Hi,

Sorry to disillusion you but S2 is no way near a Nexus.
Physically different internals and externals, antenna in a different position
Go through the a testing process and you will see, Nexus is basically 7dm worse at any time that a S2.

FollowupID: 761915

Reply By: Member - Timnivo - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:06

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:06

G'day Gr11zzly. I too am soldiering on with my old 550. All I want is a Blue Tick Smartphone with a proper cradle and a proper external aerial connection, but they just don't exist. The Defy with with back cover is tempting, but would drive me mad manually connecting it every time I switch between three vehicles. I'll be interested to see if anyone comes up with an answer. It may be a passive connection or nothing. Another dumbphone won't work either, as pre 2012 Toyotas Bluetooth appears not to work with ZTE/Telstra phones!!!
I am haunting the whirlpool forums trying to find an answer to both our problems!! Good Luck. Tim.

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AnswerID: 485740

Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:20

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:20

Thanks Tim. It all began with the LC200 (2012). Just wont connect to the TU550.Well it will but then disconnects etc etc.
If the guys in the Qld mines get away with iPhones and a cradle as in my post then you should be able to find something. I think I'm going to go for a simple blue tick phone and swap the sim as required to a Galaxy S2. Might change my mind too :)

FollowupID: 760992

Reply By: Member - nick b - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:41

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:41

Question: what is a Test port ?

What do all the stock agents etc use .....? I know they are hands free ...with good coverage !!!!

I thought that blue tick was irrelevant with smart phones .....?

cheers Nick

Cheers Nick b

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Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 22:07

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 22:07

The test port is used in the factory to verify that the phone works by injecting a test amount of signal and ensuring the right number of bars show up etc. It is also the point for testing the amount of signal output.

The blue tick should just refer to the ability of the phone (smart or not) to operate say 30 k from the tower without an external antenna---hand held.

The market for city phones is so big that's where the effort is going. The more remote communities have little market influence--there are too few of them to justify the effort that would need to be put into the engineering required to improve the phone's range. The other tradeoff with range is probably battery life and with the big screen and lots of applications running their power consumption would get first preference for battery ergs i think.

Be interested to know what the stock agents are using.

I should reveal that I'm a hasbeen :) I once was a communications engineer but its so many years go that any knowledge I might have had is probably irrelevant now

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Reply By: DBN05 (tas) - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:44

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:44

Evening Gr11zzly
i know bugger all about phones, computers and all things great and small. but i have a nokia c5-00 metal back blue tick phone and have no problems with it. before everyone jumps up and down i live in a small rural town in tasmania and without the blue tick once i leave the town no service. with the blue tick service 99% service to town around tasmania.when i took phone back to where i bought it from was told that they had given me " a city phone" replaced it with blue tick one now no problems. i have used this phone all over oz with no problem.
hope this is of some help

dbn

I NEVER get lost, but don't i see a lot of NEW places.

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AnswerID: 485746

Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:56

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 21:56

So DBN do you have that phone connected to an external antenna?

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Follow Up By: DBN05 (tas) - Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 22:04

Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 22:04

no but was told no external antenna for them?? but after reading your post and because i have metal back can see why not. it was great info in your post.

dbn

I NEVER get lost, but don't i see a lot of NEW places.

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Reply By: Dust-Devil - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 00:45

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 00:45

G

I have been doing this ext antenna for mobile thing for the past 7 years and have got it down to a fine art now. (I use a patch lead)

Also have a 200 DTT VX which has had the same Bluetooth issues as you, which have now been resolved.

Email me on ken_3149@yahoo.com with a contact no and I will gladly give you the time of day and some on both of these issues.

DD

AnswerID: 485757

Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:21

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:21

Thanks DD---I'll be in touch.
Be busy for the next few days arranging trailer wiring and stuff for Elsie (had to give her a name and Elsie for an LC seems right).

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Reply By: Racey - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:10

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:10

I have been going through the same exercise and came across a car holder with an antenna coil at the back which can be connected to an external antenna. These units are made by CarCom from the Netherlands and sold in Australia by Wireless World. Most are approx $118
Car Cradles with external antenna

Bury also make a full in-car kit which is around $3-400.

Cheers

Racey

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AnswerID: 485769

Follow Up By: 361 - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:20

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 15:20

Hi,

Carcomm are imported into Australia by Force Technology.
They use a different cradle base for each model of phone, but the same passive pickup for all models. This means if the internal antenna in your phone is in the back of your handset and from about the middle up, then you will be fine. If not major loss of DBI or signal strength.

FollowupID: 761916

Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:19

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:19

Go with the Samsung Galaxy S11

I live and work in the bush and I can assure you that this phone connected to the "test socket" inside via an external patch lead is working as good remotely as my old Samsung A411/412 and the TU550...........

With the correct antannae I have had a signal from as much as 80km out and as weak as -100 and still managed a reasonable call quality

What I have done is to purchase a rubber back and carefully punched out a hole opposite to the test socket and then used this to replace the original phone back...not worried about dust ingression ect simply because in order to use the patch lead you are going to be inside a vehicle/ van anyway and so it is quite well protected.

Passive leads arent worth even considering..absolute waste in fact useless when compared to a dedicated socket lead

Life is a journey, it is not how we fall down, it is how we get up.
VKS 1341

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Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:23

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:23

Thanks for that---nothing like REAL feedback.

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Follow Up By: Member - Mary W NW VIC - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 21:11

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 21:11

Thanks for that info.I have just bought one of those and am happy so far.
A couple of questions-
What type of aerial are you using?
Where does one get a patch lead to suit
Thanks,
Mary

"Some people walk in the rain,others just get wet."

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Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 21:23

Monday, May 14, 2012 at 21:23

If you go back to the original post( I can't see it here) I think there was a site link.
They make patch leads for almost anything. For the galaxy you can either go with the inductive patch ( you lose some signal) or the direct connection which is via hole in the back of the case---the link abouv supplies the modified case

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Reply By: Member -Dodger - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 16:25

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 16:25

I have upgraded to the Blue tick Telstra ZTE T28 touch phone and it has a rear connection for an external antenna.
I purchased the patch lead from evilbay and it works well with the external vehicle antenna as well as the caravan external antenna. It is a 3g phone not 4g.
I have found that with the external antenna connected the range is really out there.
I should add that my Telstra sierra ultimate wireless INTERNET works through these antennas as well giving long long range for both phone and the net.
Separate patch leads are required.
This is not heresay but from my personal experience.

.

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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AnswerID: 486655

Follow Up By: Gr11zzly - Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 16:37

Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 16:37

Thanks Dodger--good info. Hope you find your handle :)
My TU550 now connects ( I think the LC battery might have been low. Still can't transfer the contacts though

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Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Friday, May 25, 2012 at 09:48

Friday, May 25, 2012 at 09:48

My previous phone was a TU550 and although it would connect would not transfer contacts.
They are a great phone however the new one surpasses it by a long shot.

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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