Increase range

[WRMT271]

I am moving about 100 miles away from home and the cell signal sucks there but id like to keep in contact with family by radio. Is there a way to increase the range of a radio to do that?

 

[WyoJoe]

15 minutes ago, WRMT271 said:

I am moving about 100 miles away from home and the cell signal sucks there but id like to keep in contact with family by radio. Is there a way to increase the range of a radio to do that?

 

Reliable radio communication at 100 miles is tricky, as it tends to fall right in between short range (UHF/VHF) and long range (HF) capability. I'm not an expert on this by any means, but I thought I'd share my thoughts to add them to the discussion. Hopefully others with greater knowledge than mine will chime in also.

Generally, I'd recommend using a radio that works on HF (High Frequency, or 3 to 30 MHz). This option is best realized when two licensed operators with General class (or higher) privileges are communicating with each other, and requires both to be licensed, unless you use the CB (~27 MHz) band. CB isn't likely to be reliable over that kind of distance, though, so ham licenses (and somewhat expensive radios) would be preferable to allow use of lower frequencies. Antenna configuration also plays a significant role here, because different configurations result in different propagation patterns at varying distances.

Another option, if you have a high point approximately mid span, would be to install a repeater for GMRS or ham use, then using appropriate radios, communicating through the repeater. A repeater high on a mountain or tall tower might be able to work in this case, but that's only if conditions are optimal. This may or may not be an option in your instance, as it would likely be very dependent upon topography, and would require appropriate permission to install a repeater at the site.

[WRKC935]

It's possible. But it's most likely stupid expensive and totally out of reach.  Unless you are on a mountain top and are moving to another mountain top on the other side of a valley.  GMRS radio operates line of site.  So you run into the horizon at 10 miles typically.  This varies some, but is a good point of reference.  To overcome the curvature of the earth we use towers. So to add 1 mile of range, you need 25 foot of tower past the horizon.  So you either stand up a REALLY big tower at one end,  or you split the difference and fine a tower in between because talking 50 miles might only require a 200 or 300 foot tower. 

Remember you ask if it can be done..  It can.  It's also gonna cost a LOT of money.

 

Your other option is HF ham radio, and NVIS antenna's at both ends.

Of course EVERYONE using the radio would need their own ham license.

Personally I would just get a cell booster, stick the donor antenna 30 or 40 feet in the air and point it at the nearest cell tower and put the other antenna in the house. 

Then the cell phone works and you can communicate with everyone and not just family.

 

[MichaelLAX]

4 hours ago, WRMT271 said:

I am moving about 100 miles away from home and the cell signal sucks there but id like to keep in contact with family by radio. Is there a way to increase the range of a radio to do that?

Yes, while not an RF type of radio, you can use the Internet, preferably through a wireless WiFi router at your home.

In the final years of his life, when visiting my father, he lived up in the hills and had poor cell coverage, but he had WiFi.

At that time, the only domestic cell carrier that had "wifi calling" was T-Mobile.  This technology allowed my cellphone to log into the WiFi and then I had full T-Mobile cell coverage: incoming and outgoing cell calls and incoming and outgoing texting.

An added benefit is that T-Mobile does not charge anything extra for WiFi Calling even when you are located outside of the United States.  

On my trips to England and France, again, I had full cellphone coverage, both incoming and outgoing calls and texts for no extra charge.  Other carriers now have WiFi Calling, but charge when you are outside of the United States.

There is also a technology known as Network Radio.

I only became aware of it through a Net discussion on GMRS last Thursday night on a repeater that uses Zello for people outside of the repeater's RF range to be able to communicate through the Repeater.

AND, one user told me about his less than $200 Network Radio phone, the Inrico T320 4g Internet Mobile Radio WiFi Bluetooth Radio Unlocked GSM Compatible with Zello Real PTT Android 7.0 Network Radio which allows him to put a cell service SIMM card into it to provide for both cell service as well as Network service.

Let us know which solution you chose and good luck!

 

[WRMT271]

Ya i have a baofeng and was thinking of getting a couple more for my family but i dont think the state would like having a tower thousands of feet high just to comminicate

 

[wqpn591]

On 10/3/2021 at 4:53 AM, WRMT271 said:

I am moving about 100 miles away from home and the cell signal sucks there but id like to keep in contact with family by radio. Is there a way to increase the range of a radio to do that?

 

If you want to improve your cell phone signal, https://www.surecallsignalbooster.com/  . Using a Yagi directional antenna outside and putting the repeater inside is the key. You will need to know about what direction to point the closest cell tower is located.