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Comment Cell signal repeater? (Score 1) 386

I also have some rural property- not so far from civilization that I can't use my cell phone in certain areas on it, though. For quite a while I've had the idea to build a repeater to boost signal strength- at least in one important locale.
I have the first component- a WiEx zBoost repeater for the car (12V is important- no power at my ranch) and I have available several satellite TV dishes (the smaller, more recent variety- not the giant type described by the OP).

The plan is to put the 'outside the car' antenna at the focus of a dish and point the dish at one of the mountains nearby from where I suspect my strongest signals are coming. The 'inside the car' antenna would be simply mounted to a sheet of steel- say an old baking pan. The dish would be on top of a shade structure while the pan would be on the ceiling of the structure (antenna on the underside, broadcasting to the people under the structure.
I'm not a radio guy, but to my thinking, the two antennas wouldn't be able to cause any interference with each other in this configuration.
The repeater would be mounted under cover somewhere and should be powered by a car battery, which in turn is charged by a small solar panel.
Real low-buck concept here, but just some fiddling around with old parts so that cellphones would work better for myself and visitors to the ranch.

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