External Aerial - Hardwired to phone - Samsung and others

[Toppa]

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know of a way to hook up your phone directly to an external aerial.

Every phone is different and may not be able to be hooked up this way, but mine can.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 (S3 and S4 also work) I was looking through the Whirlpool forum (i think) and stumbled across someone that had done this also.

I bought a patch lead and aerial from https://telcoantennas.com.au/site/catalog/patch-leads/mobile-phone

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/11/900.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/11/901.jpg

Patch lead was $19.99 and the aerial / antenna was $109 ( https://telcoantennas.com.au/site/zcg-scalar-sgdb-62dbi-mobile-phone-bullbar-antenna)

You need to be carefull which aerial you purchase as they are network specific but some cover a number of networks

Ive tested the combo in the city and it give me an extra bar or two, but the real test will be when i go bush - i was sick of getting no coverage anywhere outside of a regional area - but i am with Vodafone!

I have to give the boys at telcoantennas a bit of a wrap as the patch lead i recieved was faulty. I rang them at 3.30pm told them of my issue, shot them a photo of the issue and the responded straight away saying that they had posted me a replacement that day. First thing the next day i get the replacement!! Thats service!! BTW ive never dealt with these guys before and have no association with them. Also, im in Melb they are located in QLD. Auspost have done pretty well also to get it here overnight (express post)



Anyway this might be what some of you have been waiting for?

Oh, FYI the patch lead connects to a factory test point under the battery cover which they supposedly use to test the network signal. Be carefull though, you need to connect it square on and protect it when it is connected. If you stuff up the connector, there is a chance you will permanently switch it to use the external connector meaning when you disconnect the external aerial you will loose all signal.

Im due for a new phone soon so this is not that much of a concern. Having said that, there are plenty of reports of long use with this connection without incident.

You will also need to drill / punch a hole in the battery cover to allow the connection. You can purchase the patch lead and back battery cover as a kit - i just used a hole punch!

this is the connection point

https://telcoantennas.com.au/site/sites/default/files/imagecache/product/samsung-galaxy-s-2-i9100-back-cover-patch-lead_0.jpg

Cheers

[Lotz-A-Landies]

You can get a magnetic inductive antenna coupling with the carcomm kit (http://www.wirelessworld.com.au/for-mobile-brand/samsung-galaxy-s4/carcomm-samsung-galaxy-s4-power-cradle-with-antenna-coupler), however on my previous phone (SII) the magnetic coupling obliterated the GPS reception. Haven't tried with my current S4.

The thing I don't like about drilling the back cover and plugging directly to the motherboard is the durability of the manual connection each time. Am pretty sure that it will shorten the life of the phone.
Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know of a way to hook up your phone directly to an external aerial.
...
Ive tested the combo in the city and it give me an extra bar or two, but the real test will be when i go bush - i was sick of getting no coverage anywhere outside of a regional area - but i am with Vodafone!

...I got sick of that with Vodafail, so switched to Optus and found that they seemed to have less coverage than Voda at least in places like the Hume highway where I still got V but not O.

I gave up and went to T.

[Toppa]

Durability is definitely questionable, dont get me wrong. I only intend on using this when i go bush and leave it connected for the duration, which at current rate is once in a blue moon!

I have also made the female connection a tiny bit looser as i originally needed to use a hell of a lot of force to push it on to the phone.

Passive aerials are defiantly another option, just not as powerful but certainly less invasive and prone to physical damage.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

On the back of the phone, I am assuming that L1 is the phone RF interface but what is R1?

[Eevo]

i tried it with my S2, it didnt do squat.

i have read the galaxy port is a tech port for "tuning" the antenna. not an external antenna port.

[d@rk51d3]

On the back of the phone, I am assuming that L1 is the phone RF interface but what is R1?

One port is RF, the other is GPS....... usually.

[Toppa]

i tried it with my S2, it didnt do squat.

i have read the galaxy port is a tech port for "tuning" the antenna. not an external antenna port.

Huh, i pluged it in on my desk at work when i got it and the before and after signal strength was marketability better. For memory it was - 114 db to - 69 db. Im no expert, but thats pretty good, no?

[Eevo]

Huh, i pluged it in on my desk at work when i got it and the before and after signal strength was marketability better. For memory it was - 114 db to - 69 db. Im no expert, but thats pretty good, no?

that is better.

mine didnt change at all, or only 3db better but it would change by +/- 3db anyway.

getting antenna and patch cable was a waste of money on my S2.

[Toppa]

that is better.

mine didnt change at all, or only 3db better but it would change by +/- 3db anyway.

getting antenna and patch cable was a waste of money on my S2.

Im hoping that is just wasnt a coincidental change in reception within our building. You have me worried now. Will check it out on the way home

[Eevo]

Im hoping that is just wasnt a coincidental change in reception within our building. You have me worried now. Will check it out on the way home

a change as big as your i doubt is coincidental.
(actually it seems to good to be true.)

[Toppa]

In the car now. - 63 db, 24 ASU. Best ive had for a while.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

The first time I've ever checked and there is absolutely no difference with the Carcomm passive coupling to the GME antenna or having the phone on the seat.

I guess the difference is the extra wind resistance, annoying wobbles and additional fuel the wind resistance causes. All-in-all a very satisfactory purchase. NOT :mad: :mad:

[bobslandies]

i tried it with my S2, it didnt do squat.

i have read the galaxy port is a tech port for "tuning" the antenna. not an external antenna port.

I have read that too about being a "tuning" port. It's an FME connector and when my S2 was having its software upgraded to ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich for the uninitiated - who dreams this stuff up:eek::eek:) a technician at Sydney's Samsung Centre said it can be used as an external connector but warned to be careful. They also could not explain why it was inside, rather than on the bottom beside the mini usb and connect to car cradles.

Now if it is for tuning the aerial I shall be in there quick-smart as my reception is woeful, patchy, drops out all the time, incredibly dependant on particular positions in the house, etc. Maybe the aerial needs "tuning" - we shall see what they say. I am less than five ks from the CBD, on the top of a high hill, can see the Harbour Bridge from the loungeroom and there are towers all round. Some other members can vouch for this. On Optus by the way.

This was brought up previously in another thread but I could not find it - duh.

Bob

[Toppa]

So checked the reception on the 30kms trip home and ive go to say, i think its working. I have 2 known blackspots on the trip. Both were now full bars, the reception dropped to 18 asu's (still showing full bars) where normally its 2 bars ans would drop out consistantly. Best reception was 32 asu's.

Anyway, im happy.

[scarry]

I also used telcoantenas,they are just around the corner,very good and helpful.

On the farm,the ONLY way i could get reception,is use telstra and use their telstra phone,using the patch cord connected to an external antenna.

I fitted the antenna onto the roof bars,something that can't be done around town.It is very easy to take off and on if needed.

I can get full reception on the whole property,with the antenna plugged out there is no reception at all,nothing.

It actually works much better than i thought it would.

Telstra actually have a new dedicated smart phone with the external antenna port,called a "dave'.

The older model telstra phone i have is very basic....

[Utemad]

I'd like to do this but have always been too concerned about damaging the connector.

I would get a passive cradle but I'm to tight.

I have a Bury universal holder with passive antenna connection in my work car. It does not go large enough to take my S3 but if I balance it on there the reception improves noticeably.

However I have tried cheaper passive connections and even stripped an old Nokia passive cradle for parts. None of these improved the signal.

[Davo]

Thanks for the original post. I did exactly the same thing early in the year but never thought of posting it here! I also dealt with Telco and they were fine.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I'll be removing the passive coupling and fitting the lead when it arrives. The sad thing it that at least one of my Carcomm cradles for the Samsung has come from this same mob!

They shouldn't be selling things that simply don't work.

[goingbush]

I have the same on my Motorola Defy+ (MB526) Patch Lead and predrilled rear cover from TelcoAntennas,

When remote & upon approaching a Town or network area I get a signal (sms messages rec'd) usually half an hour before my wife's Blue Tick LG phone , thats anywhere between 25 & 50 kms

def holds onto signal quite well in crappy service areas

[scarry]

The sad thing it that at least one of my Carcomm cradles for the Samsung has come from this same mob!


They told me that they have varying reports using the passive cradles.This was about 12 months ago.

So i didn't bother with them.

i wanted something that worked well,so i went for the phone with the external antenna port,which is fantastic.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

The passive coupler is actually a mount on accessory, when I purchased my SII cradle the passive coupler was at extra cost, with the S4 cradle was a single price kit with both the cradle and passive coupling. I didn't have an option of not getting the coupling, even though I could have used the one from the SII on the S4 cradle.

More than that how could they conceive that it would work when there is at least a 10mm space behind the phone before the face of the coupling? :mad:

Its only function seems to be to block the GPS reception, so no OziExplorer for android. (At least till I remove it this weekend)