Cell Phone Booster

[bill j]

We are planning a trip to the Broughtons this summer. Will we need a cell phone booster for service? Any recommendations on a brand/type? Seem pretty expensive on Amazon. Thanks - Bill

 

[Chimo]

We are planning a trip to the Broughtons this summer. Will we need a cell phone booster for service? Any recommendations on a brand/type? Seem pretty expensive on Amazon. Thanks - Bill

Please bear in mind that you can only boost a cell phone service that exists in the first place. There are several spots, even around the Gulf Islands, where cell phone service is nonexistent. Once you move up the coast that becomes even more common. Have a look at https://www.whistleout.ca/CellPhones/Gu ... h-Columbia

Obviously you will never rely on cell phone for emergency purposes and if you need to ensure connectivity for some other reason I would respectfully suggest some form of satellite service.

 

[Brian Dickhaut]

Hey Bill,

We recently hosted a seminar with Sam Landsman of Slowboat.com, where he gave some useful information about navigating up to the Broughton's. If you haven't had a chance to see the video, Sam discusses cell phone coverage, cell boosters and satellite communication options around the 18min mark. Here's a link to the video: https://youtu.be/5f_L17nGub8?t=1117

 

[quinsky]

I installed the WeBoost Drive 4GX LTE. I recently did a two week cruise in SW Florida going as far south as Everglades City. We had coverage with Verizon the whole time and were able to stream videos and TV without problem. At certain points we were 5 miles offshore. Granted, Verizon has the best coverage in South FL. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Spinner]

Re cell phone boosters: it’s not at all the same situation as picking up a shore-based signal when there’s nothing between you and the tower but water.

There is no signal present to boost in most areas in the Broughtons. No cell towers, and even where there is a cell tower, such as down south at Sarah Point at the entrance to Desolation Sound, there is basically little-to-no service in popular nearby anchorages such as Prideaux Haven and Melanie Cove. Thus the sight of boaters taking dinghies out into Humphrey Channel to try and get a signal....

If you look at the topography, boating up there is like boating between mountains....Pierre’s Echo Bay Marina advertises that cell service is available - it’s only at one spot at one building, and pretty iffy at that. No coverage on the docks.

A Garmin InReach is the best solution, as long as you don’t have to have a spoken conversation. They work everywhere! Otherwise, you will be investing in a Sat phone and pretty expensive airtime.

 

[Wee Venture]

Sue, do you use the Garmin Inreach for weather? I understand that it has a weather function, but the Garmin website seems to indicate that the weather function is mainly for offshore and may not work very well on inland waters like the Broughtons.

 

[Martin610]

I have the InReach. The weather works well inland. In the NorthEast US cell signal fades out after 9 or 10 miles off shore. Garmin works great. Has an SOS feature. You can send an I'm OK message for free that reports position.

 

[Spinner]

Weather on the Garmin Inreach....

When boating up in Alaska I signed up for the premium weather. Garmin informed me it was not available because I was not located in a major body of water🙂

The regular weather info on the Garmin works, is useful.