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Build Your Own Cell tower

Posted by Hemos on from the beam-with-joy dept.

BlakeCaldwell writes "If you're the type who dreads being dragged kicking and screaming into the use of a cell phone, Samsung sells their Long Range Cordless Phone. With an incredible (for landlines) 30-mile range, the set includes a caller ID-capable LCD and is able to communicate with the base-station, acting as an intercom."

10 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. Sweet! by IO+ERROR · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This is just exactly what I've been looking for. I just have to wonder if the sort of power output this thing needs is entirely legal. Oh well, who cares until the FCC shows up. According to this page though, the range is 130km (80 miles) at sea level! Who needs a cell phone anymore unless you're going waaaay out of town. I suspect that's a typo though.

    It's not so much that I don't want a cell phone, it's more that I don't see any use paying $40-50 a month for something I don't use more than 100 minutes a month. Even if I only got five miles of range out of it, it would easily cover 99% of my needs.

    --
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    1. Re:Sweet! by garcia · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Please note the "Update:" under the blurb that is linked to from Slashdot...

      The phone might not adhere to FCC regulations. If you can't use a FRS radio for more than a couple miles w/o a license why would you be able to use this cordless phone?

    2. Re:Sweet! by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I've joked about building something like this with friends before (probably using 2.4ghz cordless phones and external antennas meant for Wi-Fi) but they actually released a product?

      If the security is up to par (I'm thinking FHSS and maybe encryption) screw the cell phone! Why should I pay for both the cell phone and the landline? Ditching the landline isn't an option anymore because I need it for ADSL.

      With Verizon's freedom packages the landline is cheaper anyway (at least with the way I use the phone). And think of the possibilities if you attached it to a VoIP box....

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    3. Re:Sweet! by Dr+Reducto · · Score: 5, Interesting

      ...And pair it with VOIP, and you should be able to save the cost of the phone over time, assuming the phone works as advertised. A cell phone that you can call all over the world for "free".

  2. Low speed WiFi by nharmon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Could these be adapted for slow (modem speed) wifi?

  3. High-power RF interference by powdered+toast+dude · · Score: 5, Interesting
    In a neighboorhood where I once lived, someone had a very high-powered (and likely illegal) phone of which this reminds me. It was so powerful, and perhaps poorly designed, that I'd hear his conversations inducted into my own landline as he drove by. Weird but kind of cool.

    $0.02,
    ptd

    --
    I'm an animal lover -- they're delicious!
    1. Re:High-power RF interference by krgallagher · · Score: 4, Interesting
      "It was so powerful, and perhaps poorly designed, that I'd hear his conversations inducted into my own landline as he drove by. "

      In my neighboorhood I have three ham radio operators within about ten blocks of me. I am convinced one of them is running an illegal amplifier. When it is transmitting, I get sine waves on the screen of every television in the house. When he keys the microphone, he broadcasts through my computer speakers even with my computer turned off. I finally got fed up with it and complained to the FCC. They sent me some nice brochures on how to shield my home entertainment equipment from RF interferance.

      --

      Insert Generic Sig Here:

    2. Re:High-power RF interference by shaitand · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yup, the HAM is licensed your not. In fact, if your TV interferes with his transmission he can contact the FCC to have YOU shut down.

    3. Re:High-power RF interference by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If nothing else, shouldn't the FCC be responsible for managing the spectrum in such a way that these kinds of problems do not happen?

      A licensed operator running an illegal amplifier obviously should be given lower priority than the owner of an FCC-approved consumer device. The other guy has no right to remove your use of the spectrum, while his use is probably considered beyond reasonable.

      I'm just arguing for the sake of arguing. This is Slashdot, after all.

  4. Wonderful.. by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Interesting
    So it's basically a long range phone, not an actual cell phone. Fine if you live on a ranch, but with all the structures and interference in town, I wonder how effective it really is.

    FWIW I avoid cell phones because the cost is just too damn high for what little I need one for. I'd consider pay-as-you-go without some stupid limit placed upon how soon I need to use up my time or artificial wallet robbing schemes

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar