In flight cellular connectivity options

[DerekM]

Has anyone tried a cell signal booster? Can probably buy one from Amazon for $200. I mounted one on a rooftop pole at a cabin in the woods with no prior cell service and it worked great. I wonder if it will boost the signal up high too. Caution though, it may not be good for you to sit close to it (like an old high powered cell phone), you'd have to do some research.

[yl472401]

Sounds like a good idea, but everything you put in permanently should/would get an STC for the operation. Do you fly IFR ?
BL


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[RookieFlyer]

Has anyone tried a cell signal booster? Can probably buy one from Amazon for $200. I mounted one on a rooftop pole at a cabin in the woods with no prior cell service and it worked great. I wonder if it will boost the signal up high too. Caution though, it may not be good for you to sit close to it (like an old high powered cell phone), you'd have to do some research.

Being a tech nurd, this sought of thing really appeals.

My caution would be with potential RF breakthrough into the avionics, since one could be dealing with a relatively high output signal with unknown sideband harmonic splatter characteristics. Certainly, earlier cell signal boosters had a reputation for such interference and didn't carry certifications for *legal* use with cell networks.

However, cell technology has evolved rapidly so perhaps there are now boosters that meet critical standards and could be safe to use. Even so I'd want to see independent lab tests before experimenting in an aircraft I was flying in.

What Starlink are currently doing in developing and certifying high-speed broadband for various aircraft types is very interesting, and I hope eventually scales down into small GA aircraft. Of course, with Diamond's track record I wouldn't be holding my breath.

Even so, Starlink's recent experiments with adding cellphone *texting* capability to some of their satellites looks promising, since this would apparently work with off-the-shelf phones.

[pietromarx]

The ancient and slow satellite solutions are the only legal ways to use "cellular" today in aircraft. Count yourselves lucky that it is only $20K for an installation in a Diamond. For anything else the expense is far higher.

I just added true cellular (e.g. broadband over LTE) into a fleet of AS350B3 helicopters. Took almost two years to work through the legalities, etc. I looked at Starlink (50 or so pounds, very large) and a lot of other comms technologies, including millimeter wave, LTE, directed IST bands (like WiFi), etc. Long story short, the best solution by far was installing downward-facing antennas (e.g. Peplinks and similar used for cars and trucks) and using a cellular router (e.g. Cradlepoint, Sierra Wireless, Peplink, etc.) with an approved LTE band.

That last part ... approved LTE band. There is only one in the U.S. that can be used at altitude other than the 53 or so upward-facing GoGo sites ("BigSky" used for airliners).

Sadly, it is Band 14 used for AT&T/FirstNet, which has a waiver allowing it to be used up to "one mile" in altitude. No indication on AGL or MSL, so might be underground in Aspen. Let's assume AGL.

Going forward the LEO LTE satellite constellations that are coming out will likely solve this issue in the coming years. Today, however, very challenging to do in a way that passes muster with the FAA and FCC.

Hope this helps. Your mileage will vary!

[RookieFlyer]

Hope this helps. Your mileage will vary!

Excellent and comprehensive reply, many thanks