I agree, Nokia does use some cheap components. But, my phone has held up well, and it works very well on weak signals, but my battery life sucks because of the weak signals.

BonneMeMN: do you think I should go lower? perhaps with a 1 amp? realize this is designed for audio, but I don't see why it couldn't be used for other things. Because its just a homemade amp.


-justin

uh.. why don't you just buy an extended life battery off of Ebay. That sounds like the answer to your problems.

Good advice, Phish. Not too many people know about that. Some of the aftermarket covers have a painted surface. Whatever is in the paint hinders the reception especially on handsets that have internal antennas. It'* not all covers and all phones but you'll know it cause the signal meter takes a nose dive.

I already have that. I still get horrible battery life. I still want the signal that nobody has. I thought that would fix it a long time ago, but it only have me a few more hours of life [this was direct from nokia].


-justin

Pendin on your amplifier.. you'll need to ensure a few things with it

a.) will it cover 800 Mhz and 1.9 ???

b.) you need no more then 3 watts.. if you need something more then that you might as well get a satelite phone since you're in the middle of South Africa (reception wise)

c.) Will the amplifiers be bi-directional? No point able to transmit and have someone hear you when you can't hear them

d Will your amplifier be digital compatible. boostin digital and analog signal isn't the same

e.) Is there an attuenator on it.. the last thing you need is drive near the with 5 watt+ unit fryin overloading out the site for your area and killin everyones phone in your area

f.) you will still need an antenna

Easiest route is I havne't looked into your phone, but if it has an antenna jack on the back of it.. you can see if you can find the adapter for it and either build your own mag mount antenna or buy one. A Mag Mount antenna with 3db gain will net you more then enough signal providing there'* signal in that location and the location of your antenna. (i.e. being in a gully you're more then likely not goign to have signal no matter wat unless you build your own tower for the antenna )

okay, the amp, I have no clue if its analog, or digital, but if it was digital, would it need any special "modules" to have it do that? because I thought it was only dependant upon the signal it is recieving.

The bi-directional, I don't know, what would make it bi-directional?

How many watts would I need to suck out everyone else'* signal? That would be awesome to have my phone have full reception, but nobody else get it! . Is there any wattage limit on my phone? Could me sending in 15 watts blow something up on the phone? or is it just as big and I can go?

As I was doing a little more info on the phone, I came across a little article which states that all phones have a signal booster, since I don't have the schematics for my phone, I don't know if this is true or not, but if it is, should I remove it? If I don't remove it, but it has one, should I add the amp, before, or after this "booster"?

I have no clue what an attuenator is.. but I could care less about the other people.. unless sprint can track who'* using up more/less wattage? Which I highly doubt, but I think hardware wise it would be possible? or is it only one set range which is sent from the towers to our indivdual phones?

I will do some more research on the operating frequency of those amps. And if they don't run in that frequency, I will see what may or may not be adjustable.

Now, the adjustable capacitors, could I perhaps use something of the same principle to control how much wattage the amp lets through? something like a gain control, with an off button [free flowing w/o extra amp], and step one 10%, step two 20%, and so on?


-justin

You would probably need a different module and interface it.. but thats too much work.. you might be able to get away with just a normal amp if it covers the frequency range

It would amplify the signal coming in.. so if the signal is very weak that your phone can't pick up.. with a bi-directional amp.. it gets the weak signal and amplifies it. So that means you'll need in a send to amplify your transmit/ outgoing / talk AND amplify your incoming signal.. but pending on the placement of your antenna.. you might be able to get away with not amplifyin incoming ( Placing antenna on highest point with ground plane ( Piece of metal under it to ground and reflect signal back onto the whip itself of the antenna )

you're not really suckin up their signal.. your signal is so strong that it overpowers there'*.. think of it as a walkman speaker as normal signal @ cell phone wattage which is 0.25 watt area.. and you dump your 5 watt signal in the same place (airwave) and that will be your home surround system.. which one you think you'll hear more? hee hee same thing.. so their phone will get confused and drop the signal..but if your close to the tower and you dump that hi of a wattage.. without an attuenator on the towers end(sp?) it will overload receive end. ( attuenator basically filters out over power issue by not allowing that hi amount of wattage to go thru.. but I dont' know how sprint is setup. So it is possible). SAme holds true other way.. if you amplify the signal coming in.. and it'* setup for weak signa( -90db )l.. then all of a sudden you go into town and better signal (-60db) without an actuator on your end.. well you just fried the board on your phone

In theory you can go as hi of a wattage as you like, but you'd crash the whole system in your area so you won't be callin anybody anytime soon then.. I would not go higher then 5 watts.. if you need more then 5 watt boost.. you should be lookin for a satelite phone. Or Hound Sprint to put more towers in your area cause it doesn't match the coverage map

That is correct, but it can only be adjusted thru the firmware (programming) of the phone. You will still be boosting after.

Sprint can narrow it down if they have a techie in the area and or cause you overloaded the tower that covers your area and it went down. They can't pin point per say your exact location but they can come pretty close to it. There is hardware designed specifically to boost digital signa for cell phones but they're bout $250 CAD to start

Best bet is to start with a good antenna.. it'* the cheapest. you'll jave have to see if you have an external antenna phone jack for your phone.

good luck tryin to find an amp for it from other sources that wasn't design for cell phone in mind. Most of them have the frequency range locked out for fear of lawsuits
In theory you could setup your hardware for 5 watts and do that by using resistor switches.. so the resistor itself steps up resistance to lower the wattage to whatever you'd like under 5 watts ( minus cable signal lose )

Start with the antenna.. you may find that you might not even need an amp after


EDIT: FYI.. the amp on your phone will not exceed 0.4 watt if you're lucky.. you'll need a stand alone amplifier ( external amp to get higher wattage )



-justin[/quote]

Okay, I am getting so close to this. They make antenna boosters for the home, where this module interfaces with the tower, then sends out the same frequency at a higher rate to phones within a certain range. I want something of the same principle, only in a smaller form factor, and one that doesn't need power.. or something that doesn't need 110 house current.

I know what you mean by bi-directional, I have found several specific amplifiers for this. I see where it differs.

I have to be careful with the amount I use, because of my mom being on the same plan [different phone + number], and if the signal decreases for her, and increases for me, she'll know something is up. Now, around here, the only good signal is 20 minutes away, and it doesn't make a big jump, it gradually increases, is that okay?

So, if I had more than 5 watt boost, could I be getting a signal in places I never got one? Or would the 5 watt be sufficiant?

I won't have access to the firmware, can I just hook up the amp after the amp already built in? or will that amp be worthless and doing it before not matter?

When you say they can't pinpoint my exact location, can they find my number? or any other self identifing code?


-justin

Then you need a whip/Antenna with DB gain coils on it if you don't want to lug a box around, or deal with needin power
Yes it WILL affect your moms reception especially if you put an amp. Gradual is fine.. but you need to monitor the RX/incoming wattage and well an IFR ( Which monitors it) is kinda spendy.. try a few $K spendy

Yes and no.. yes it will definitely help you, but don't expect to still make calls in a coal mine or 50 ft underground to order pizza
It will also depend on the original signal.. if it is blocked by some environment (building tree etc) and can't penetrate thru you won't have any signal period. It also depends on signal strength.. if it'* extremely weak even amplified won't help cause it amplifies the distortion and intereference also.

Easiest way if you're bent on using an amp is to locate or possibly custom make an antenna port on your phone, then have it plug into your amp or run another small antenna on the amp so you're not corded.. but you will also need to control the signal wattage going TO your phone.. straight signal dump being amplified will fry your RF board on the phone.

Yes, if you hamper network or that specific tower long enough.. they will have some guy lookin for you.. and another guy @ tower when you're on (reekin havoc and interefereing with others ) who will take certain amount of calls going thru the tower off and on till they find lets say 40 people that you're included.. sees the difference.. and then segragate the 40 by 2.. and so on till they narrow it down to your number.


Your best bet to start is with a whip antenna with DB gain.. Mag mount so it'* easier for you to carry to your car and or room. If that doesn't work.. then talk amplifying it.. why spend the money for all that amp and butchering if you don't have to.

okay, sounds good, can I eBay that mag antenna?


-justin