Any way to take advantage of 2 booster antennas?

[dmc83]

I bought a surecall booster system about 16 months ago. It came with the outdoor omni directional antenna, but I later bought the yagi antenna. Is there a way I can use both of them? The booster only has 1 input. Also, I am now considering an LTE router. Could these booster antennas be used for one of those or are they completely different? Thanks.

[optymyze]

The LTE modem could use the booster antennas! You will just need to make sure all the cables connect with proper adapters and such. But, an antenna is an antennas as I have learned! As long as the antenna has the desired frequency you wish, it all works the same

[Didneywhorl]

What is the frequency range of the booster? I tend to hear that boosters add noise and limit the frequency range. I don't use them, so .... :shrug:

[dmc83]

taken from the product page:

Uplink Frequency Range (MHz): 698-716 / 776-787 / 824-849 / 1850-1915 / 1710-1755 (G Block Included)
Downlink Frequency Range (MHz): 728-746 / 746-757 / 869-894 / 1930-1995 / 2110-2155 (G Block Included)

[dmc83]

I don't really see other setups utilizing a yagi with an omni for carrier aggregation in LTE routers. If this does indeed work, should both antennas be on the same pole? If so, how far apart? I could also do separate poles if needed.

[optymyze]

Ok so a couple of things... First of all, and I've tested this and am publishing the results on here soon, if you use external antennas and an LTE modem, you won't be using the booster. It won't help you 99% likely. I'm not the first to test this, so has the CEO of wavefarm and the RVMobileInternet team and now me.

Next, if you go the LTE modem route, I think you may be confusing two concepts: MIMO or Multiple Input Multiple Output and Carrier Aggregation.
To keep the definitions concise:
MIMO - using more than one antenna to increase the bandwidth of the pipeline from you to to the tower
CA - uses more more than one carrier (a specific frequency chunk, not carrier like Verizon, Sprint, etc) and melds them together as one pipeline to increase bandwidth

CA does not rely on more antennas, but rather on your modem's capability to use it. Also, the tower controls when and if you get CA and there is no way for you to control that via the modem. Usually people try to test CA by running a speed test and looking for it but this doesn't really work from what I've read as you need to downloading a several GB file or something for the tower to decide you need CA. In general, I would suggest you focus more on MIMO than CA capability as MIMO will increase your bandwidth at all times, whereas CA is finnicky as to when it actually kicks in.

[optymyze]

Regarding your last post... Yes, you don't see a yagi and omni together for MIMO setups because people usually buy their antennas together and it just makes more sense to buy two of the same. The two antennas can be on the same pole. Space them as much as you reasonably can while keeping them both high. You don't have to be extreme here, you just want to limit immediate interference from my understanding. I have tested mine, and a couple of feet apart works fine as compared to anything else. There is some math indicating that you should put the antennas 3x the wavelength of whatever frequency you're using apart. I am using 700mhz so for me it was like 3ft. I found that it didn't make a huge difference.

[dmc83]

Oh, I was assuming CA is dependent on having multiple antennas. So if I use the CBA850LP6 with my 2 antennas, the modem gives me the possibility of using CA if the tower allows it, and the 2 antennas allow for increased performance at all times whether or not CA is active? Now what if I am locked to band 5? (which is the best band out here) Will the additional antenna still help, but CA will not be possible? I'm glad to know I can use the 2 antennas together (even if it is odd and not as efficient). I will likely get another yagi sometime in the near future if this setup looks promising.

Yeah, I eventually (in my endless study of this stuff) came across information about using a booster with a router. I figure I will probably sell the booster if I get any improvement whatsoever with the router. I wish I had found these resources a year and a half ago when I moved out here .

[optymyze]

Yes, your LP6 modem allows CA and allows these combos that I ripped from the modem (the router and modem are two separate devices, the router housing the modem in your case) description page:
https://thewirelesshaven.com/shop/modems/cradlepo ... -mc400lp6/
Carrier Aggregation:
1+ 8
2+ 2/5/12/13/29
3+ 7/20
4+ 4/5/12/13/29
5+ 2/4/30
7+ 3/7/20
8+ 1
12 + 2/4/30
13+ 2/4
20+ 3/7
30+ 5/12
41+ 41

So, yes, your understanding in your first question is correct. As stated above, your modem is not capable of B5+B5 intraband CA. I'm not sure if this is just your modem or if B% never does intraband CA. However, interband B5 CA is available as you can see.

So, here's the thing. I'm not an expert on CA (I would talk to BillA who knows ALL about it) but look, your modem supports it and CA is finnicky, so just focus on the things that will ALWAYS impact your speeds first. There are way more important things than CA. Your antenna gain, low loss cable, keeping antenna coax as short as possible (switching to ethernet for long runs), band locking, and YOUR DATA PLAN (no throttling etc). Worry about CA as a final tweak since your modem is already capable.

[dmc83]

The only bands I really get here are 5 and 13. So it seems like CA would be impossible with that modem out here. I should either look for one that would allow CA here or just get a cheaper one that doesn't even offer CA, but still offers MIMO right?

The length of cable is kind of opposite with boosters lol. If you dont have your outdoor antenna far enough away from the booster inside, you will cause oscillation and shut the booster down. I will be SO glad to not have to deal with oscillation anymore. I will gladly move my antennas as close as possible to the router and get shorter cables. Thanks for the help.

[optymyze]

Yep, exactly! And if you have any more questions, ask away! Good luck

[dmc83]

I got my stuff ordered. Looking forward to setting it up. I am wondering (if anyone knows) what I could expect the difference in signal strength to be going from a booster to an LTE router using the same antennas. Does the booster actually boost the signal? Or do the antennas do all of the work and the booster just rebroadcasts the signal inside?

[Didneywhorl]

Correct, it just acts like a cellphone hotspot.