How far offshore is your cellular coverage?

[hot wire]

How far offshore is cellular coverage?

I was thinking about leaving the exact port location open. That way if people can just let us know about where they were, then we might establish some good distance basics.

So, just say what port you left from and how far out you were when you had coverage...

My goal is to determine if boat mounted cellular antennas are worth it.

Thanks.
Tom

[Something Good]

My phone usually quits working 13-14 miles out.

[Sea Go N]

We have Cingular and it quits working about 20 miles out. Out farther, you can get a signal that someone from shore is calling and sometimes you can recall them. That has worked about 23 miles out.

[wthr4d]

Results will vary based on the phone itself. Ihave been out at the rockpile fishing and gotten a call when my friend with a different phone and the same carrier had no signal.

So while I have no idea how for out my phone gets signal ( I shut it off cuz I wanna fish not talk onthe phone) I would say that the better antanae you use the longer range you will get.

Paul

[Pete]

Mine Verizon coverage usually quits working just before the dock lines come off. However, my ex-wife made it ring about 18 miles out of Hammond a couple years ago.

[Salty Walty]

About 18 miles out with Cingular.

[O Tshawytcha]

About 10 miles two weeks ago. Srint.

But I did a VHF radio check with the Coasties and it worked at the chicken ranch!!

GRIFF

[Jeff P]

I can make and receive calls at Rock Pile (about 15 miles out), with Verizon. But, I think that's about the limit. Sometimes I have to wait for a minute or 2 before I have enough "bars" to make a call. Oh, and this is on a flat calm day. I would expect coverage to be worse with rough seas.

[Sea Jypzee]

Generally with the current digital phones, you are good for upto about 20 miles offshore on a good day without a seperate antenna and possibly a booster. With the older Analoge cells, you could get as far as about 30 miles without too much trouble without going to an external antenna.

With an external cell antenna mounted way up high on the boat, you will increase your range considerably.

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

15-20miles out Tmobile

[duckboy]

My phone seems to poop out after I am about 1-2 fathoms down. any more depth than that, and I really have trouble with people understanding what I am saying through all of the bubbles.

[Spoiled Daddy]

Out of Newport, my wifes phone (Cingular) gets coverage to the Rockpile, but not much beyond. I have different service (Nextel) and the signal always drops out around the 12 mile range. I usually just turn mine off anyway and stuff it in the glovebox.


the Spoiled Daddy

[Silver Eagle]

With the calls I usually get my quites about the time I turn it off at the Dock, it might work further out but then it would be someone I don't want to hear from anyway. All I know for sure it does not work when I normally am Tuna fishing.

[Spindrifter]

Verizon with a Motorola e815. About 15 miles....

[StrikeFighter]

You can dramatically increase your range off shore with a Cellular Wireless Amplifier. There are some cell phone operators that work extensively with boaters. To increase your range for safety while way out there doing tuna and such do a Google search for Mr. Booster (place the words mrbooster in the search box)

Do a google search for Wilson Cellular Wireless Amplifier. I bought my wife one of these through Mr. Booster as she is a Realtor and that gives her more range and a stronger signal in and around town.

[ron m]

a few weeks ago I was taking my phone off my belt and putting it in the pilothouse while out at the ranch. It showed two bars. I didn't try to use it, just checked before turning it off. carrier is verizon and the phone is motorola (sp?)
I'm sure a boat mounted antenna would help, though don't know how much.
ron m

[skahorse]

Typically mine(Toshiba w/Sprint svc.) stops working about the 10-15mi range. However, one day I was with my dad and brother out TUNA! fishing 50+ miles from port (miles north of TUNA! town) when I pulled my phone out of my pocket to see that I had pretty good coverage. So I called my wife to say Hi. Her father answered... They were on their way to the ER with my wife. Everything turned out OK, but needless to say, I felt pretty damn helpless 5 hours away. So, I kept fishing... (She OK'd it)

(Honest, this is a true story)

--Skahorse

[slabhunter]

12 miles for my verizon, lg, phone out of Westport, WA.

Good fishing,
Hans