OT: CDMA Repeaters/Booster

[kenta]

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 10:55 AM, Mark Komarinski <mkomarinski at wayga.org> wrote:
> My in-laws have a place in Central NY that gets you one bar on most
> Verizon phones if you hold your arm out just..right..in one corner of
> the house.  There's no Internet service there, so a pico/femtocell is out.
>
> Anyone have experience with repeaters or boosters over a small area to
> improve the signal, preferably something that can be mounted outside?
>
> -Mark

I tested a zBoost YX-510 signal booster which is supposed to be able
to boost both CDMA and GSM.  At my house most GSM phones have either 1
bar or no coverage in the center of the house. In order to make and
maintain a call you'd have to stand next to the window or go outside.
CDMA phones varied and would usually maintain a single bar to 3 bars
depending on the location in the house.

I tried several antenna placement setups with the device. First we
placed the external antenna in the window frame, ensured there was
enough horizontal separation between it and the base unit (this was in
their docs). Second we tested vertical separation by putting the
external antenna upstairs. And lastly, we placed the external antenna
about 20 feet outside the house.

In all cases I saw little to no improvement in signal strength for the
GSM and CDMA phones (ATT iPhone, Sprint BlackBerry, Samsung Verizon
phone) despite all three antenna placements.

Boxed it back up, shipped it back and got my money back. I'm not sure
if I got a defective unit, or if it just didn't work as advertised.

-Kenta