iphone in rural areas

[RaymondE Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close RaymondE]

Has anyone anyone any experience with using an RFI "low profile" phone aerial for improving phone reception?
http://telcoantennas.com.au/site/rfi...rofile-antenna

Mainly see them on newer upmarket cars, but I've never seen one on a 4WD, so it makes me wonder..

Any input on whether they do the job, any gotcha's etc would be appreciated.

(I would have started a new thread, but as a new member I don't seem to have that yet.)

Thanks.

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

Thank you for all of the replies.

Was in South Australia a couple of months ago, using my old phone which has now died, so bought the new Motorola Atrix phone recommended for outback reception (we'll see later.)

With the old phone on Telstra 3G, I had reception in Leigh Creek, but not in Maree, Arkaroola or the big lake.

The wife wants an iphone, and as she was looking through the Telstra website, she found an aerial that can be used to boost reception in outback areas. Much cheaper than a satellite phone, so might be worth the money.

Thanks again,

Yowie.

hey yowie , i also bought the motrola atrix because it was the only one with the blue tick for rural on the telstra network . if you read choice magazine you will see that as they measured it the atrix barely rates against the i phone for reception . not to mention what an absolute pain in the arse the atrix is to use if you've ever owned in iphone before . if you can take it back , do so now , i can't wait to be rid of mine

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Too late now Kav, had it for a while. The reception is pretty much the same as the previous phone. Only way is the sat phone or HF radio.

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

Whoa! This thread has moved way off topic. I think yowie was asking how an iphone compares in reception to any other normal mobile phone in a rural area. Now all of a sudden people are talking about relying on it for remote area travelling.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Whoa! This thread has moved way off topic. I think yowie was asking how an iphone compares in reception to any other normal mobile phone in a rural area. Now all of a sudden people are talking about relying on it for remote area travelling.

Agreed.

Obviously for remote area nothing will ever beat an HF and sat phone.

Relying on the GSM network is ridiculous.

The iPhone is great for RURAL areas but you still need a more specific device if you're going beyond these. Even on some of our back paddocks a sat phone comes in handy and we're not too for from major centres... Bugger walking.

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Thank you for all of the replies.

Was in South Australia a couple of months ago, using my old phone which has now died, so bought the new Motorola Atrix phone recommended for outback reception (we'll see later.)

With the old phone on Telstra 3G, I had reception in Leigh Creek, but not in Maree, Arkaroola or the big lake.

The wife wants an iphone, and as she was looking through the Telstra website, she found an aerial that can be used to boost reception in outback areas. Much cheaper than a satellite phone, so might be worth the money.

Thanks again,

Yowie.

The aerial at most will give u an extra bar or two, it will not replace satphone in those area's that u need one. i have an RFI aerial and get an extra bar or two more than my wife's iphone when we are travelling. mIne will be in the cradle with areial hers on the dash no cradle.

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

could somebody please point out exactly where it was that we strayed way off topic . maybe its just my grasp of the internet thingy but i thought we were talking about phone reception .

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

could somebody please point out exactly where it was that we strayed way off topic . maybe its just my grasp of the internet thingy but i thought we were talking about phone reception .

We are?? reading this all posts relate to reception and rural coverage.

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Thank you all.

Can be deduced from your replies that my Motorola will work in most rural areas, and around mining sites, but not in the middle of nowhere. Will need a satphone or HF radio to talk to anyone when the scenery is all trees or mountains, but no farmhouses to be seen.

Had a tour guided holiday (in a coach no less) in The Kimberleys last month and the phone reception of everyone was 'nothing' outside of the major towns (from Broome to Kunnanurra and in between)

(Why did I fly there and get driven around? The missus fell off the ladder at home, busted elbow, wired back together, not much strength left in the arm, cannot help me hook up the van)

Yowie.