Thread: Mobile phone set up for caravan

I was at yardie Creek Station a few years ago and there was a bloke selling antennas that were placed on tent poles or similar to get a signal over the hills from Exmouth.
3G high gain antennas are readily available from Mobile 1 and others.
Regards Philip A

So what else would I need besides the arial?

You need to make sure your phone can actually have an antenna plugged into it.

If not, you may have to look at an induction antenna.

I was hoping that there was something similar to a car hands free kit that could be wired into the caravan 12v.

You could, but it would rely on an induction coupling to work.

If the intent is gain extra range, not sure if the losses thru the induction would be too great to make it worth while.

I would have a chat to a mobile phone installer, not your local phone shop, and see what they suggest.

Firstly you need a Telstra blue tick phone (google for a current list)
then you need to chose one of those that has an antenna port (ZTE) or go to Telco Antennas
Mobile Phone Patch Leads & RF Connectors | Telco Antennas Pty Ltd and get a patch lead and a modified back to suit one of those blue tick phones. ( as suggested a passive patch lead is not worthwhile - go thru all the phones on the site that can have a patch lead rather than a passive patch lead)

A blue tick phone is able to pick up all available telstra frequencies, and really does make a difference in the bush.

Thirdly you need a high gain antenna, a yagi is best but broomstick is more convenient, I stick mine up on the back of the caravan on an extendable swimming pool cleaner pole with a tent pole on top, say 6meters high

When you've done all that you can get say 30km extra range over a handheld phone - most of the time I like to be 100 - 500km from the nearest town , subsequently I rarely bother to set the pole up.

photo shows just the swimming pool pole without tent pole extension

If you are wanting data only a Telstra wireless Mobile WIFI can be elevated on a pole or in a tree or on top of a nearby hill within range, and provide internet connection . Some also come with a small external antenna, or have a plug to attach to a high gain antenna.
With regard to phones you can replicate a bluetooth connection in the van with any bluetooth device , even maybe get a bluetooth capable stereo like a Pioneer.
But this depends on the phone having reception, which is probably affected greatly by the frame and walls of the caravan if metallic, so needs an antenna .

Regards Philip A

Exactly as Phillip says,

here is a photo of where we were camped somewhere in QLD last year, no phone signal - even with antenna, but I took our 4G pocket modem up the hill and put it in a plastic bag (incase of rain) and taped it to the leg of the tripod, with a small solar charger to keep battery from going flat.

It was able to pick up good 3G signal and eventho the van is 150m away I could easily connect by WiFi to my laptop in the van. If I then wanted to make a phone call I could have used Skype.



Another interesting idea I have not tried yet is for emergencies only, I could compose a SMS on my phone then tie it to my quadcoper and take it up to 500meters , that would be high enough to latch onto a signal and send the message , its out there but could work.