Saw an old post, but figured I’d ask again what people may be using for improved connectivity.
Spare me the, blah blah, no signal comments… I get it. I also enjoy the disconnect. However i have a family and sometimes that fact limits my range.
I turn off my phone and it is 100% reliable signal wise that way.
If needed I can send a message with my Garmin.
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Couldn’t agree more, @ScottH, I like being out of reach, it’s one of the biggest perks. 
But, to OP’s question, I do also recognize the practical need for emergencies and even just checking in on things at home or meeting up with friends at a specific destination. The one that I’ve seen reviewed frequently is the WeBoost. Overall, it seems to be favorably reviewed. There are a few things to be aware of that I’ve seen mentioned:
- It can only boost a signal that’s there, it can’t create signal in areas that have none. So, even with this, you will still run into areas that you have no signal, especially if you’re in the mountains or in the middle of a large wilderness area.
- The boosted signal seems to be very localized to wherever you’ve mounted the repeater inside your vehicle. Don’t expect to be able to share your boosted signal with other vehicles in your party, and it may not even be able to share that signal with passengers in the back seat. Use your phone as close to the repeater as possible for best results.
Check out some of the other YouTube reviews on it, there’s several good ones with longer-term real-world usage reports and make your decision from there. Overall, for $550 + installation, I plan on doing something like this for my vehicle in the future. It seems like it would be worth that investment.
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I’ve been happy with my weboost for almost two years. I wish they had the overland model when I got it. I got the OTR model (marketed to truckers) so I received a big-rig mirror bracket I couldn’t use instead of their new overland mount.
To give myself as much cable slack as possible to use the boosted signal puck in either the cab of the truck or in the bed I ended up mounting the external antenna to a ditch light bracket. It would probably work better mounted as high as possible on the deployed tent at camp but I’ve been happy with its performance with this installation since it gets used mostly when driving anyway.
My installation was basically a simplified version of this article:
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I have the OTR combined with the Rhino Rack Aerial… works flawlessly here in the mountains of NW Colorado
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I’ve used a WeBoost over the last couple years. The only place I can remember losing cell service is near Mears Junction / Marshall Pass (Colorado) while trying to take a call on a trip between Buena Vista and Taos. WeBoost’s new-ish overland bracket is nice - I’m using it as a mounting option on the GFC Beef Rack Crossbar.
I primarily use it for remote work and when traveling across the country (to boost coverage in spotty areas). I keep it turned off unless I foresee a need for it. Connect when you want to – disconnect when you want to.
In terms of where to mount the internal and external antennas, I recommend reviewing the WeBoost instructions and YouTube videos. The one factor I have found to really hamper its ability is if the outside antenna is near a window. I think WeBoost recommends keeping it more than 12" away… but the further away, the less potential interference.
I’m pleased to see the positive results from people that have a WeBoost setup. I bought the Overland kit a month ago and have yet to actually try it out other than a couple brief tests where I didn’t seem to get any signal amplification. I’m hoping for a better result coming up real soon as camping season gets underway.
You buy yourself some SpaceX hardware from Ilon Musk, plug it in, and that’s it.
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I have Starlink and I’m not sure how that gives you cell signal…while it’s great for getting Internet, sometimes you just need a phone. If you’re saying “just spend $600 on hardware” so you can send a text or call emergency services, then you might as well spend that on a satellite phone, like a Garmin InReach.
If you enable Wi-Fi calling, your phone will function normally with just a Starlink connection. Been using it for two years and it’s a game changer compared to a booster.
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Follow up to my April 4th post - I’m in Moab using the WeBoost and it is fantastic. I’m South of town about 7 miles and cell signal here is 1-2 bars and definitely not up to Zoom calls or the like. With WeBoost I’m getting 5 bars and Zoom calls are working great.
Obviously your mileage may vary as this is completely location specific but I’m happy with the WeBoost here!
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I think that such a setup in the car will be very convenient when traveling somewhere on the African savannas, where there is almost no communication at all. It turns out that you can stay overnight in the wild and surf the Internet and make phone calls, provided of course you have a VoIP number. Your car turns into a mobile station, which does not need anything (except fuel of course), it is a great idea to travel.
Glad to hear this. Need rock solid data for my GFC to be successful (my wife’s work). Considering Starlink and sounds like you’ve been happy.