Time for a grid antenna, freq and tower location questions

bmillham

Hi all,
My signal (using the Wilson onmi and 3 watt amp) is OK (around -85 - 90) and stable, but the speeds aren't where they should be (hovers around 600K occasionally up to 1M), so I've decided to get a grid antenna.

I do not have LOS to the tower (trees and hills), so I doubt that a yagi will work. I've read about how others have had good luck with grid antennas, so I've decided to try one.

From what I understand, Alltel only uses 1.9Ghz, not 850Mhz. Is that correct?

I was able to confirm via a call to Alltel that I am connecting to an Alltel tower. They could not tell me the location of the tower, but gave me the tower # as 424. I've checked antennasearch.com, and there are only 2 Alltel towers anywhere close to me. One about 3 miles (I think that's the one I'm connecting to). The other tower is about 9 miles away.

Is there any way to find out where tower 424 is located?

I've looked at Jim_in_VA's frequency chart, but I must me dense, I can't figure out how to use it. The last time that I checked my UM150, I was using either channel 150, or channel 584. Is that definitely 1.9Ghz?

Thanks all!

ChoP · EVDO User Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 54 Location: Alabama

Better check again and make sure before you order the grid antenna, around here all Alltell uses is 850Mhz.

Bert65 · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:20 am Post subject:

Like Chop says alltel is on 850, rev. 0 in my area.

Find a tower? Put the modem in a laptop and drive to each of the alltel towers.

I have considered an antenna but am going to wait til this alltel/verizon thing shakes out. In my area alltel is on 850 and verizon on 1900.

I read that there is a new alltel PRL 40045 out that puts verizon PCS first. Haven't had a chance to try it yet but if true would change which antenna I need.

BTW alltel PRL 40045 at link below:

http://www.the-answerman.com/sidlist/prl/index.asp

bmillham · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

Alltel told me tonight that they only use 850Mhz (I don't know why I thought I saw something that said they only used 1900Mhz)

They also were able to confirm for me the general location of the tower I connect to. (They wouldn't give me a precise location, but east of me about 2-3 miles confirms that I'm connecting to the tower I thought I was)

So I guess that I'll be ordering a 850Mhz grid antenna.

And no worries about things changing with a Verizon PRL, there are no Verizon towers closer that the Alltel tower, and it is Rev-A.

Bert65 · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:06 am Post subject:

Use antennasearch.com (Link below) it will show and tell you where all the cell towers are within 4 mi. of your address.

http://www.antennasearch.com/