Fun with TVs, Wifi, and Cell phones in a remote location

Here is the deal. I have a trailer that I leave in a highly remote area as a summer camp. Its in a campground with a lodge, etc. The Lodge has high speed internet and they installed a Nano booster to broadcast it. Because I'm clear at the back of the campground, I get spotty service at best until it rains, the wind blows, or a bug flies by.

so what is a good product for pulling in and amplifying wifi?

I'm also looking for a very good Digital TV antenna. It will be mounted in a tree, so the big aluminum arrows and cages probably aren't a good idea. Need it to pull in pretty far if possible, but not going to hope for much. I think there are only 8 stations that I can hope to pull in. For now, assume directional since most of the channels come from the south or west... unless I discover some other channels elsewhere, then I might try an omni.

good brand/configuration for an HDTV antenna?
when an HD antenna lists that it does UHF or VHF or both, are they referring to digital channels, or just old analog? Do I have to purchase one that does VHF to pull in Digital channel 2?

There is also a new cell phone tower (one... in about 65 miles) that doesn't help me, but I get little blips of service from time to time. How about a cell phone repeater while we're at it.

good cell phone booster?

And the last and most absurd question... given modern fractal antenna technology, is it too much to hope for a multi-tasker here?

Is there a sorta generic, grab-all antenna booster thing?

i can answer the TV one. as for the UHF VHF thing, its bogus. the type of signal you recieve has NOTHING to do with your antenna. it will grab it all, its how its decoded that matters. you have a TV that decodes the new digital broadcast signal, yes? if not, then youll need a digital converter, or a new TV that has one built in. once you have that covered, do this:

http://makezine.com/projects/digital-tv-coat-hanger-antenna/

i have three of these, all made from crap in the garage, and they all pick up a better signal than my $50 sony HD antenna, which i returned to BestBuy.

the rest i have no input on.

-J0N

Yes on the TV... I used the old tube TV to sight in my new 30-06 and replaced it with a 32" LED.

I shall try that antenna. Piques my interest. Some of the other trailers are getting a few channels just fine with their old-school antennas on their RV roofs, but like I said, mine is parked in the nether regions. I need to get something up in the trees.

On the UHF/VHF thing... I know they'll all pick it up, but I remember back in the "old days" that the UHF and VHF antenna feeds were different. One had the 300 ohm and one was the 75 ohm. I know the new digital antennas all use RG shielded, but wondered if their configuration was biased toward gain for UHF or VHF signals. If it doesn't matter with digital signals, then I won't worry.

Another thought... are the new digital transmissions on the same frequencies as their analog counterparts from yesteryear? The antenna DIY you linked to is great, but definitely biased toward the UHF area.

Three of the digital channels I will by attempting to pull in are 2, 5, and 7... VHF. If I buy an antenna that is biased toward gain in the UHF band, won't that mean the gain will be reduced for those VHF frequencies?

I've built that same antenna and I'm pulling in a decent amount of stations most of which are right at 30 miles away as per www.tvfool.com ... impressive for the cost and you can improve it if you need a bit more reach do some other DIY mods to it... but also do be aware of signal loss over the coax... from what I understand it's about 1db per 17ft of rg6 cable...

for wifi you can start with something simple like a cantenna (google it) or at the other extreme a parabolic antenna attached to a client bridge... I have two dektop computers hooked up this way with an old router running aftermarket firmware because I can't easily run Ethernet to them

on the plug and play end you could try something like this http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ideaworks-Long-Distance-WiFi-Antenna/23988747

Cell Phone side:
Over 14 years I delt with most all independent phone retailers over southern Michigan and Northern Ohio. In that geography, there were only about two retailers who did work with repeaters and the best guy at it is no longer in the business. Just giving you a sample of how hard it is to find a phone retailer who gets the bigger picture.
I personally have never had to use a repeater or instal one but I do know the good name in that business is www.wilsonelectronics.com.
You might find something there but it wont be cheap.

As for the single cell tower in 65 miles, that may not be a cell tower. A typical cell tower only services about 4-6 miles.
Sure, a radio station antenna can service 65 miles but that is a one-way transmission; out of the big antenna to your little antenna. The real limitation of cell service is the handset which than has to then broadcast back. Sure, original, hard mounted car-phones had more power at a full 3 watts but your everyday handheld unit only have .6watts. This is the debate of how much broadcasting power do you want to hold up to your head and then store in your pocket...next to your junk?

Here is a very typical cell tower:

In the earliest days, companies like ATT, VZ, Sprint would build there own tower to just serve themselves. As things advanced they either sold these towers off or signed on to what is known as co-located towers. This is a co-located tower.
In the picture given, this tower is likely owned by a company like American Tower who then rents space to the cell companies. This particular tower has three cell antenna systems on it as can be seen by the three different "halos" of white, upright antennas.
We can guess that this tower contains ATT, VZ, Sprint. The boxes at the ground may be labeled telling exactly which companies.
The mono-pole only provides the height all the real work happens at the halos. The halos are triangular and the sides are known as alpha, beta, gamma.

Here is a more complex co-location tower:

You will still see a set of white, upright antennas which show that one cell company rides on this tower but the round cans are point-to-point microwave antennas moving "land-line" and data transmissions. The cans are pointed directly at the next can down to line and in a "pitch and catch" fashion, they move the signal. These can travel very far but line of sight, meaning only as far as the can can see to the next. No obstructions like buildings or mountains in the way.

So, after that lengthy explanation, is that a cell tower you think you have in the area?
And, even if it is a tower, does it contain antennas of your cell company?

Don't put your antenna in a tree. At the frequencies all 3 of the things you mention use, trees will attenuate the signal. Stretch a rope between two trees and hang your antenna from the middle of it.

I have one of these Radio Shack Discone Anenna that I bought to use with a scanner years ago. I have also used it for Amateur Radio, TV, and cellphones(back when cellphones had removeable antennas).

+1 for a cantenna for the wifi.

For the cell phone service, you want a cell phone repeater AKA a "picocell", ask your cell provider about them.

GameboyRMH wrote: For the cell phone service, you want a cell phone repeater AKA a "picocell", ask your cell provider about them.

But...
A Pico Cell, like what ATT offers will say:

Connects to your broadband Internet service to create a strong, secure, sharable 3G signal in your home.

Currently, Curtis is not getting good Internet service so he can not run his calls in a Wifi fashion through that broadband either.

With the knowledge of the Park, you may be able to instal equipment that will repeat The Lodge Wifi to get that signal stronger back to your corner of the Park. Knowledgeable people for these types of solutions could be www.tessco.com. I might try calling their consumer 800 number and describing the situation.

You're right, it seems many of the "picocells" you can get these days are really a GSM-to-VoIP bridge. There are actual cell repeaters available though.

A GSM-to-VoIP type could still work with a good wifi connection through the cantenna.

GameboyRMH wrote: +1 for a cantenna for the wifi.

I saw something recently about using a Direct TV dish to pull in WiFi signals from up to 8 miles away!

(Edit) here it is:

http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/

Will you be employed on a summer camp? I loved that line of work, but only one person on our staff made a living doing it (lived in a house on camp), and she never planned to leave.

For WIFI, a Yagi will outperform a cantenna. The big thing is to keep the cable lengths as short as possible 2.4 Ghz has huge loses in the cable. Connect the antenna to a router with a repeater function and bob's your uncle.

aircooled wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: +1 for a cantenna for the wifi.

I saw something recently about using a Direct TV dish to pull in WiFi signals from up to 8 miles away! (Edit) here it is: http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/

Yep this will work, but it's overkill for links within easy walking distance.

Lots of stuff to digest... and I appreciate it. Just got back from a week of debauchery. Will have questions. :)

curtis73 wrote: Just got back from a week of debauchery. Will have questions. :)

As always, we are here to answer your question of debauchery in a non-judgmental fashion.

John... I had a buttload of sex last week. No questions required on that topic

I have learned to not ask if you were catching or pitching that butt load ....so we now return to our regularly scheduled program.

your butt or someone else's?