Boost Your Cell Signal

And I am not sure I mean that in a good way! We have somehow managed to dodge all the nasty weather that is happening all around the country. While we were in Texas visiting relatives there were fires burning all around us. During that time tornados were ripping through Oklahoma, Arkansas, LA and other states injuring and killing many. It is my fear that a tornado is going to pick us up in our motorhome and twirl us around like the Wizard of Oz and set us down some place in Kansas.

When we left Willis TX yesterday it was already hot and humid enough to cause my hair to frizz but by the time we got to Dallas it was windy and kind of cold. After driving 8 hours we arrived at our property in Poteau OK.

It looked so beautiful. Someone had kept it mowed and cleared the area around the pond. Some of the trees and flowers I planted last year died but some made it and I rejoiced in that.

Now for the bad news…. Last year, as we moved the Motorhome into place on the property, it slide around in the rain saturated soil so before we left we contracted with a dozer operator who was highly recommended to put in a gravel road and RV pad after we left. When we arrived at the property and saw our new road it looked beautiful. Ben pulled the motorhome down the road and backed into the pad …. and immediatly sank the motorhome down to the frame. It was like watching it sink into Quick sand. We stared in disbelief at this new predictament. After driving for 8 hours Ben was extremely upset. Sometimes it feels like we fight the universe over this property! Hum.. I wonder if it is haunted and the ghosts don’t want us here.

Today our first order of business is to get ahold of the contractor and get him out here to dig us out and do the job correctly!

My Sleek arrived the other day and it is perfect for what I needed, which was a small amplifier for my car. The cradle is small enough to not be an eye-sore or in the way. The package came with several “arms” so we could adjust the cradle to fit all kinds of phones, a blackberry, which is a little big, my pixi which is long and skinny and an old flip phone. We were able to adjust the cradle to fit each of these phones snuggly.  It worked well right out of the box. My husband ran the antenna wire through the front window and under the weather stripping and trim panels so it is hardly noticable.  There was very little flat area in my car to mount it but I did find a small spot close to the windshield. The part that sticks to the car is flexible so you can make curves but for me it keeps coming undone if I am “playing” with my phone, which I shouldn’t be when I am driving. Unfortuatley for me I had to mount it in a place where I can not see the screen really well so the mapping ability of my phone will be a little hard to use, but I have a navigator, so no big deal.

Since the Sleek is a cradle it can only boost one phone, but the price is right. If you want to boost more than one phone you will need a wireless unit, like the MobilePro Wireless Kit, 801242.

Several months ago I was notified by Wilson Electronics that the FCC was being petitioned to only allow Cell Service providers to offer Amplifiers. Here is a Statement taken from the website http://hear-me.org/overview.php

“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has accepted a petition to evaluate tightening certification of cell signal boosters for wireless networks. The FCC has accepted comments on booster use from outside sources and may decide to allow signal boosters to be approved and placed in service only by cell phone service providers, who offer no affordable multi-carrier or mobile boosting solutions, or may not approve the use of signal boosters at all.”

Hear-me.org has been collecting stories from cell boosters users telling of how important it is to be able to continue to use signal amplifiers. Please visit the above website and share your story on how you have used your amplifier and how important it is to you .  They list several way of doing this here  http://hear-me.org/TakeAction.php

Cell phone boosters and amplifiers are very important to many. As RVers we have the opportunity to talk to many who rely on the use of boosters to stay in touch with their family and friends and the internet.  Rural folks need someway of getting a stronger signal and Emergency Personnel want to be able to always maintain contact.

Please don’t let Cell Carriers take over or destroy our right to get a strong signal. Make them put up more towers instead!