In article ,
Larry W4CSC wrote:

"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote in
:

Are you referring to analog cellular vs digital cellular?


I suspect he was refering to the difference between the 800 Mhz cellular
system, the original, with the 1900 Mhz PCS second system. 1900 Mhz phones
only run 150-200mw, now, and have a range on that line-of-sight frequency
of only 1-2 miles under the best conditions. They are useless just beyond
the beach.

The old 800 Mhz system is also becoming more useless. To increase call
volume per square mile, 800 Mhz cellular companies invented digital phones
where up to 24 phones could "share" one frequency, in one time division
scheme or another. The phone's transmitters started out at 3 watts on FM
Radio, the old AMPS analog system. This works best on a boat as it has
RANGE, especially if you have an external antenna atop the mast. But, the
cellular companies added more and more tiny cells between the old 500'
towers and moved the 500' antennas down the towers to 100' to prevent the
tiny 200 mw phones from capturing too many cells, which reduces revenues
and call volume per square mile. So, now the big towers you could get with
a big antenna and 3 watts on AMPS 50 miles offshore, now only go about 5
miles, even with a 3 watt bagphone and a big antenna. The cell antennas
are pointed DOWN to cover a little area around them, not OUT for maximum
range like they used to be.

Way out in rural Alaska, I presume, cell antennas are still at very high
altitudes for maximum range. In CONUS, this is no longer true.

1900 Mhz phones are all very short ranged by designed with lots of little
cells on "stick" towers only on buildings or small poles. Range has never
been a bright point, which is why they don't work in the country away from
the interstates that have towers every 3-4 miles.



Exactly


Bruce in alaska
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