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Shakespeare’s
difficulties highlight the fact that cell amplifiers are tricky because,
done right, they must modulate their power so as not to overwhelm a nearby
tower. There’s actually a lot of controversy about cell amplification.
In my research I came across an internal memo from one service provider
banning the sale of certain car amps by its own dealers and installers
because “testing has shown that the use of these boosters has caused
dropped calls and overall poor performance to other customers on our network.”
I also found users complaining that towers cut off their calls when they
took their amplified phone too close. None of these problems involved
Digital Antenna’s highly engineered equipment, but—beware—the
offending models are FCC-approved. Digital is trying to further confirm
its technology by securing individual endorsements from each cell service
and has succeeded with Verizon so far. Shakespeare has the same plan.
While you really can
improve cell performance on your boat, one unfortunate side effect is
that your wireless phone gets wired. In fact, to minimize line loss, the
typical patch cable from amp to phone is only three feet, less than the
curly wire on most fixed phones. If you’ve come to enjoy the wireless
freedom to pace around while you chat, you’re going to feel tied
down. That’s how my experiment led to more gizmos.
One is CellSocket, now
being distributed to the marine world by Charles Industries. My Nokia
snaps into this secure cradle, which I can leave wired to the amp; it
also keeps the phone charged and provides it with a dial tone interface
to any conventional phone system. When the cell rings, any connected handset
rings, and I can dial out in the reverse direction. The $130 CellSocket
will reportedly work with a large yacht’s PBX, such as Charles’s
own C-Phone system, or even Raymarine’s 230 black box VHF system,
though it’s only available for certain Nokia and Motorola models
so far.
I used the CellSocket
with Uniden’s nifty new WXI377 submersible cordless phone. It costs
just $50, it floats, and I still get to wander around my boat, the handset
wirelessly connected to the wired but amped up longer-range wireless.
Get it? I call the whole system wireless wireless, and it works quite
well (and can be installed in a much more tidy fashion than shown in my
lab).
I’ll close with
the good news that Digital Antenna has just introduced a simpler, more
elegant, form of wireless wireless. The PowerMax DA4000SBR repeater/amplifier
promises the same power as the company’s wired amp, only rebroadcast
into your boat—no wires. The $559 kit comes complete with a marine
antenna (which must be mounted at least 15 feet above the internal antenna)
and will boost the phone of anyone onboard, even several simultaneously.
A boater thus equipped might find a lot of new friends hanging around
in a remote anchorage!
Digital Antenna
Phone: (954) 747-7022. www.digitalantenna.com.
Shakespeare Marine
Phone: (800) 845-7750. www.shakespeare-marine.com.
Charles Industries
Phone: (847) 806-6300. www.charlesindustries.com.
Uniden Phone:
(800) 297-1023. www.uniden.com.
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