Cell Phone Will Not Work At Dark Site

[refractordude]

Hello There


What is reasonably priced that I can attach to my cell phone for better reception. Even within a 45 minute drive to the site there is no reception. I have a Walmart TCL T602DL cell phone. Thanks to you all.

[blindman]

A big antena?

[OzEclipse]

What do you call reasonably priced, and what do you need it to do?

I looked into this recently. I chose solution #1 below.

1. I bought a satcom unit 2 months ago for 4wd touring. My phone has an app that connects to the unit via bluetooth and I can use the app for text messaging, email, to anyone, anywhere, anytime providing the unit has a clear open sky overhead ie not a cave.

It has an emergency one push distress button that will trigger the company running the service to alert emergency services to arrange a rescue to my location.

It also has a GPS position reporting device so that people I select, will know where I am and another one push button that sends a pre-formatted, "I'm ok" message with my GPS position to let selected contacts know I'm ok and active when I'm alone in a remote area. It costs about $300 to buy the unit and then you pay a subscription depending how much messaging you want to do. $25, $52, or $80 per month.

2. If you want full internet broadband, look at a Starlink vehicular setup.

3. In between these two solutions, you can also buy mobile phone signal boosters for cars or houses but there has to be a terrestrial signal to boost. Sounds like your dark sky site may not have a terrestrial mobile service signal from your provider. No booster will help in those circumstances.

hope this helps

Joe

[refractordude]

OzEclipes


Thanks a mil Joe. I will look into those options.

[OzEclipse]

This is an example of a cell phone booster.
https://www.comnet.com.au/telstra-optus-vodafone-cel-fi-roam-r41-compact-trucker-kit/.
There are many cheap ones on eBay, AliExpress that come from overseas. You'll need to do your homework and make sure they cover the frequency bands used for 3G, 4G, 5G in Australia. 3G is on the way out but it's bandwidth will be used to expand 4G and 5G.

The Satcom units are made by Garmin (InReach) and Zoleo. Mine is the Zoleo which is a good bit cheaper than the Garmin.
https://www.zoleo.com/en-au

Both are sold at Anaconda.

[AstroJunk]

Its still vapor-ware, but texts and voice to mobile phones via Starlink are allegedly being rolled out starting this year!

https://www.optus.com.au/living-network/coverage/leosat

https://www.starlink.com/au/business/direct-to-cell

What it costs and how good it is remains to be seen.

[refractordude]

AstroJunk


Cool and thanks.