TrailManor Owner's Forum  

Go Back   TrailManor Owner's Forum > TrailManor Technical Discussions > Electrical
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-20-2023, 05:45 PM   #1
live4fun
Member
 
live4fun's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 45
Default Cell Booster Install

I’m thinking about installing a cell phone booster into my TM 2720 unit. I looked at the components and it appears to be pretty straightforward to hook up the pieces. There is an exterior antenna and interior booster and an interior antenna all connected by coaxial cable.
My question here to you folks is where exactly on the TM have you install these components.? Most of the manufactures require 12 to 15 foot separation between the exterior antenna and the interior one. That seems to tell me that the wiring to the booster needs to go in between the split folding roof lines? Has anybody wired their cell booster sort of on the front side 1/2 of the one roof and installed the booster in that same segment of roof? Anyways, if people could explain to me where, and how they mounted the exterior antenna and where they brought the wiring to the booster that would be Informative for me to know. Also, I’m considering using a Uni directional Yagi type antenna and possibly even having that on an extendable aluminum pole. I also may consider a Uni directional smaller antenna as well. So any dialogue on the antenna type and how well it works on your TM would be super informative. I’d be grateful to you for any information you can share. Thanks, Kurt.
live4fun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2023, 05:25 AM   #2
FlyboyTR
Senior Member
 
FlyboyTR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 225
Default

I am in the process of installing a WeBoost RV system in our 3023. I have attached the outside antenna to my crank-up TV antenna mask. That will allow the antenna to travel flat with the roof and then be extended above the antenna when cranked up. I am running the cable down the outside wall directly above the front roof shell lifting arm. Down the arm, under the camper and then up through the floor near the refrigerator. I have not decided on the location for the inside antenna but I am sure it will be mobile and with a couple of feet of extra cable so that I can position it when in use and also lay it down for travel.

I had originally wanted to run the cable across the roof to the left rear corner of the front shell and then down the back edge of the roof and down the lift arm with the other cables. But after careful measuring, I would not have enough coax to make it to the amplifier without adding an extension. Maria at WeBoost did not recommend an extension because of signal loss. So that is why I am running it down the side of the camper. In time, I may do that a different way...but we'll just play that by ear.

I have also ordered an antenna set for our tow vehicle. A magnetic sharktooth type exterior and the normal internal antenna. Also an extra power supply. Our plan is to move the amp from the camper to the truck while towing and if our signal is weak at the campsite, unscrew the cables from the amp and move it into the camper. That way we get the best of both worlds, camper and vehicle. Maria at Weboost suggested this as we emailed back and forth. Fast responses and easy to work with.

As I slowly work on the install, I will post pictures and such. I'm just hoping it provides an improvement in signal strength while in remote areas when service is weak.

Travis
__________________
2007 Trailmanor 2720 SL (new to us 04/19) SOLD.
2010 Trailmanor 3023 (new to us 08/2022...The "Rat Motel")
FlyboyTR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2023, 09:19 AM   #3
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyboyTR View Post
I had originally wanted to run the cable across the roof to the left rear corner of the front shell and then down the back edge of the roof and down the lift arm with the other cables. But after careful measuring, I would not have enough coax to make it to the amplifier without adding an extension. Maria at WeBoost did not recommend an extension because of signal loss.
I don't think Maria is giving you the full story, and I understand why.

What kind of coax do you have? It should be marked on the outside of the cable with an RG-xx number. It sounds like you are short by only a few feet.

Signal loss in a coax cable is proportional to length, and it is also proportional to frequency. Your coax is probably RG-6, which is used in satellite TV systems where the frequencies are in the same range or higher than cell phone frequencies. And if you are talking about only a few feet of extra cable, that won't make any significant difference (I would be concerned if you were talking 100 feet).

However, a common source of signal loss is in connectors, especially cheap connectors from Radio Shack or Best Buy, and especially if they are user-assembled. Maria is concerned that you will make your own extension cable, do a poor job, the system won't work, and you will blame the equipment and return it. As I say, I don't blame her. On the other hand, if you buy a factory-assembled cable with the same RG-xx number and factory-assembled connectors, and make it long enough to do the entire run by itself - not an extension, in other words - you should be fine.

Let us know.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-21-2023, 12:04 PM   #4
FlyboyTR
Senior Member
 
FlyboyTR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 225
Default

Bill,
I agree with you and was aware of their limitations/concerns regarding warranty and performance of the amplifier. They are using RG-6 for their mail cable on the inside and outside antenna. However, they are not using the standard cable TV size screw on connectors...they are much smaller! Had they been using a normal size connector, I probably have a half dozen 3' to 8' coax jumpers in the shop and would have quickly added on....but...

I have been a HAM operator for decades and lots of CB stuff before that, so I have done my share of installing my own ends and such. I chose to reroute my cable to give the unit a 100% shot at exceeding my expectation. In the future I can always reroute the cable and add in a short extension.

I have now installed everything and my phone inside the camper is showing 4 bars (which truly means nothing when balanced against the DBM (decibel-milliwatt) scale. The lower the number the stronger the signal. I opened the setting on my phone so I could read the DBM and I was at 101...which is ok. I then turned on the unit and after about a minute my phone (still in the same location and about 8' away from the inside antenna) had dropped to 88! I then moved my phone to about a foot from the antenna and my signal DBM dropped to 73. That said...I was impressed with the difference and it is true what they say about phone to inside antenna distance. If you're dealing with a minimal signal...they you need to use your phone closer to the inside antenna.

Bill, Thanks for your input...always appreciated!

Travis

https://powerfulsignal.com/cell-signal-strength/
__________________
2007 Trailmanor 2720 SL (new to us 04/19) SOLD.
2010 Trailmanor 3023 (new to us 08/2022...The "Rat Motel")
FlyboyTR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2023, 01:58 PM   #5
Deb Mac
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Logan Lake, BC, Can
Posts: 216
Default

Hi Travis. I am also looking at the WeBoost Drive Reach RV set-up. My 5-1/2 week trip back east was marred by 2 weeks of not being able to get a signal reliable and consistent enough to actually contact the brothers and arrange get-togethers! Had to drive out of the campgrounds to send a text or make a call, and then hope that I got their replies!

My first question was mounting. I like the TV antenna attachment idea. I had thought about that as a workable set up. Routeing the cables was my next question. The support struts seem to work well for you? I had thought that they would be the most logical place to route the cables since the bulk of the external wiring runs behind them already.

How has everything worked for you up to now? Have you had a chance to really test out your set-up and/or make any adjustments/refinements? I have a 2720, so could likely use your original idea of running down behind the rear strut on the front shell along with the existing wiring, since I'm a little shorter.

Really hoping it was a success. Frustrating when the entire reason for the trip was to visit family, but not being able to contact them without leaving the park.
__________________
2008 2720SL “The Kobayashi Maru”
2006 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, 4L V6
Deb Mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2023, 05:00 AM   #6
FlyboyTR
Senior Member
 
FlyboyTR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 225
Default

Deb,
We used the system on our spring trip, 28 days and 8,300 miles. We mainly kept the amplifier in the truck and were very pleased with the results. Since we make a similar trip both spring and fall we could certainly tell a difference in the performance of our phones with the WeBoost turned on. I believe there were 6 or 7 nights where our signals in the camper was so weak we were unable to stream data for the computer and for watching TV. On these occasions I move the amplifier from the truck to the camper (remember I have antennas mounted on/in the truck as well as the TM). Once inside the camper, we were able to use our devices without issue. We did have two nights where we had zero cellular signal and in that case, the WeBoost did nothing...but we tried.

To keep from having to add an extension to the antenna coax, I moved the routing from the external TV antenna to basically straight left across the roof and came down the left exterior wall (in alignment with the forward lift strut). Ran the cable down the front left strut, and drilled a hole in the floor to get the cable inside the camper. By doing this, I did not have to use a cable extension. If your 2720 has the front living-room slide, you probably could NOT run the cable in through the floor as I did. In that case, coming down the rear wall/strut may be the only option.

While it is a bit of a pain to move the amplifier between the truck and camper...in reality, it only takes a couple of minutes. I remain very pleased with using this system. OH...only twice did I have to actually raise my TV antenna (which raised my WeBoost antenna and moved it from laying horizontal near the roof to standing vertically 18" above the TV antenna), to get enough signal to be able to use things. In those two cases, we were close to zero cell signal...but the WeBoost was able to make enough difference that we could get online with the laptop and watch a little streaming TV on those nights.

Again...I remain very pleased with this system, both in the truck and in the camper.
__________________
2007 Trailmanor 2720 SL (new to us 04/19) SOLD.
2010 Trailmanor 3023 (new to us 08/2022...The "Rat Motel")
FlyboyTR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2023, 08:01 AM   #7
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Deb -

Perhaps a silly question, but have you tried enabling Wi-Fi Calling on your phone? If you have a decent Wi-Fi signal available (I know, unlikely in a campground), your phone is perfectly happy to use it instead of the cellular signal.

How do I know? We have a camp (that's Maine-speak for lakefront cottage) in north central Maine. Cell service is not available unless I drive nearly 5 miles. But we do have really great Wi-Fi service! Works like a champ.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2023, 10:33 AM   #8
Deb Mac
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Logan Lake, BC, Can
Posts: 216
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
Deb -

Perhaps a silly question, but have you tried enabling Wi-Fi Calling on your phone? If you have a decent Wi-Fi signal available (I know, unlikely in a campground), your phone is perfectly happy to use it instead of the cellular signal.

How do I know? We have a camp (that's Maine-speak for lakefront cottage) in north central Maine. Cell service is not available unless I drive nearly 5 miles. But we do have really great Wi-Fi service! Works like a champ.

Bill
Hi Bill. Nope. Sadly there is no wi-fi either. These spots are both conservation areas - great campgrounds, 30A service, excellent water, lots of trees - likely part of the problem, though you can't get anything in the open areas either - large sites with privacy (nothing cheek-by-jowl) but cell service is spotty at best and there isn't wi-fi unless you drive to the nearest Tim Horton's (Canadian for coffee shop )

95% of the time I can get along just fine without a booster - until I get to these 2 campgrounds. They are the only spots within reasonable distance to my brothers - and they are both very nice spots to stay. And I am always there for at least 10-14 days. No point in spending 10 days driving one way and only staying a week.

I spent parts of my morning walks with the dogs, phone in hand, waiting for a bar to show up. If and when it did, I would stop and make my call! And even then my odds were no better than 25% that it would go through, or stay connected if it did. Awkward with 2 dogs in hand. Miserable in the rain (which it did a lot this year).

Not looking to be able to stream anything. Just text, make and receive a phone call, check the web for information - like 2 years ago when we were evacuated here at home because of a wildfire. My brother kept sending me information by text (when it would come through) keeping me informed as to whether I would have a home to return to, because I couldn't get a page to load on-line. It would sit there, the progress bar not moving. I'm in the mountains of BC, and we are on fire again - annual occurrence but getting worse every year! If I had stayed a week longer this time, I would have had to take a longer, more circuitous route home - the TransCanada highway is currently closed north-east of me.

I think the $600+ that this system would cost me would remove a lot of frustration, and make my visit a lot more relaxing. I make this trip every one or two years, wallet depending! Next time!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	fullsizeoutput_17c9.jpeg
Views:	19
Size:	1.70 MB
ID:	22487   Click image for larger version

Name:	fullsizeoutput_17ce.jpeg
Views:	18
Size:	1.57 MB
ID:	22488  
__________________
2008 2720SL “The Kobayashi Maru”
2006 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, 4L V6
Deb Mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2023, 10:44 AM   #9
Deb Mac
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Logan Lake, BC, Can
Posts: 216
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyboyTR View Post
Deb,
We used the system on our spring trip, 28 days and 8,300 miles. We mainly kept the amplifier in the truck and were very pleased with the results. Since we make a similar trip both spring and fall we could certainly tell a difference in the performance of our phones with the WeBoost turned on. I believe there were 6 or 7 nights where our signals in the camper was so weak we were unable to stream data for the computer and for watching TV. On these occasions I move the amplifier from the truck to the camper (remember I have antennas mounted on/in the truck as well as the TM). Once inside the camper, we were able to use our devices without issue. We did have two nights where we had zero cellular signal and in that case, the WeBoost did nothing...but we tried.

To keep from having to add an extension to the antenna coax, I moved the routing from the external TV antenna to basically straight left across the roof and came down the left exterior wall (in alignment with the forward lift strut). Ran the cable down the front left strut, and drilled a hole in the floor to get the cable inside the camper. By doing this, I did not have to use a cable extension. If your 2720 has the front living-room slide, you probably could NOT run the cable in through the floor as I did. In that case, coming down the rear wall/strut may be the only option.

While it is a bit of a pain to move the amplifier between the truck and camper...in reality, it only takes a couple of minutes. I remain very pleased with using this system. OH...only twice did I have to actually raise my TV antenna (which raised my WeBoost antenna and moved it from laying horizontal near the roof to standing vertically 18" above the TV antenna), to get enough signal to be able to use things. In those two cases, we were close to zero cell signal...but the WeBoost was able to make enough difference that we could get online with the laptop and watch a little streaming TV on those nights.

Again...I remain very pleased with this system, both in the truck and in the camper.
Thanks Travis. So good to hear that it worked well for you. Yes, I have the front slide on my TM. But since it is a 2720, I might be able to use that rear strut. The shell would be a bit shorter than yours - maybe not enough to make it workable, but I can do some measurements.

Do you have a picture of how your antenna is mounted to the TV antenna? No rush. Just next time you might be up there. I have to close mine up shortly to do some maintenance on the gears (never been done by the PO from what I can tell - it is STIFF!!) and I will do some measuring. And I think mine is a little off-kilter TBH. Antenna wing just touches & sits on the edge of the street-side vent cover, so I may need to look into re-aligning the mount, if that is even possible. Also need to check the distance from the antenna to the ac shroud.

And thanks for that link to checking signal strength! Incredibly informative. Nice to actually have a way to check the real strength of my signal rather than looking for bars.
__________________
2008 2720SL “The Kobayashi Maru”
2006 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, 4L V6
Deb Mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2023, 01:53 PM   #10
Shane826
TrailManor Master
 
Shane826's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,818
Default

I have a WiFi booster but this might apply to the Cell booster as well. At least I hope so because this is also my plan for a Cell booster…

I also put the WiFi antenna on the crank-up TV antenna mast. But instead of running across the roof, down the lift arm, and through the cabinet I just ran my cable through the roof and into the front cabinet over the front sofa where the speakers are. Pulled 12VDC power from the reading lights, mounted the repeater to the front wall next to the window. Done and done.
__________________
2007/21 TM 3326 (Pride of the Fleet)
2000 2720SL (Rebuild Project)
2002 2619 (Parts TM)
SMARTER THAN GOOGLE!
Shane826 is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
WiFi Booster Install pmhellings Electrical 5 05-04-2018 06:50 PM
Making Headway On New Brake/Bearing Install Steppy Exterior 0 04-11-2018 04:29 PM
Stockton Booster, Fresh-Fried. (Would you like Cole Slaw with that?) rickst29 Electrical 0 07-29-2017 02:53 PM
Solar install inghamm Solar Power 4 04-01-2017 08:54 PM
Portable hydrogen fuel cell ShrimpBurrito Electrical 4 04-20-2011 08:16 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 2022 Trailmanor Owners Page.