SolidRF RVTravel User manual

RVTravel

Cell Phone Signal Booster

Manual

Operational Diagram
(How It Works)
Package Contents
Page 2

Basic Signal Knowledge
Page 3

Step By Step Installation
Page 4-8

Manufactured and Warranted by

SolidRF Inc.

www.solidRFinc.com

customer service number:
Office [phone]
Toll Free [phone]

Trouble Shooting
Page 9-10

Technical Specification
Warranty Information
Page 11

Safety Guidelines
Page 12

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Package Contents

1

Omni-Directional
Antenna&Bracket

4 5 6

Power Feeder & Splitter

7

Indoor Secondary Antenna
Placed nearby driver position

Working Diagram (How It Works)

1. The outdoor antenna catches the signal from the

2. The booster amplifies the signal, then sends the

1

3. The “Main Antenna” and “Secondary Antenna”

2

3

4. The system also works in reverse; amplifying

2 3

Booster&Bracket

110-220V AC &
12-36V DC Power Adapters

1 x 20’ RG58 main cable
2 x 15’ RG58 Cables

Indoor Main Antenna
Placed middle of the RV

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Antenna Bracket

nearest cellular tower. Then sends the weak signal to
the booster through a 16″ coax cable.

amplified signal to the “Power Feeder & Splitter”
through a 20″ coax cable. The “splitter” divide the
signal to “Main Antenna” and “Secondary Antenna”.

rebroadcasts the boosted signal throughout the RV to
all mobile devices within range.

outgoing signal back to the tower.

5

4

8

6

3

8

7

2

Relationship of Distance from Tower and Signal Strength

Power Level

at the Outdoor Antenna Location

Main Antenna Coverage Area

(radius around antenna)

Secondary Antenna Coverage Area

(radius around antenna)

Strong (5 bars on the cellphone)

20 ft

10 ft

Medium (3~4 bars on the cellphone)

10 ft

5 ft

Weak (1~2 bars on the cellphone)

6 ft

3 ft

Coverage Area Ability

Note: FCC regulations limit the amplification of all cell phone boosters in order to

prevent damage to the telecommunications infrastructure. Therefore, the maximum
coverage area of a booster depends on the original power level of the signal captured by
the outdoor unit.

Notice: Boosters will operate poorly when the outdoor signal strength is less than

-110dbm (for 3G/1x) or -120dBm (for 4G/LTE). The resulting coverage around the inside
antenna will be prohibitively small.

3

Overview of Installation Plan: “Donut Hole Set-Up”

Installation Guide

>12 feet

2

>4 feet

6

7

<3 feet

Step 1: Study Your RV and Make an Installation Plan

Where do you most frequently use your devices? Choose a convenient location near the center of
where you primarily want boosted signal. Keep in mind, you will need a power source near the “Power
Feeder & Splitter”. The “Main Antenna” needs to be DIRECTLY below the outside antenna, with a
margin of error of 1.5 ft in any direction at floor level. The higher the position of the “Main Antenna”,
the smaller the margin of error becomes. We recommend having a vertical separation of at least 4 ft.
The “Secondary Antenna” needs to be at least 12 ft away from the outside antenna, but the greater the
distance the better.

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7

4

Once you have decided where you will locate the inside antennas, it’s time to move to the roof. Based
on the location you chose for the inside antennas, you should have a pretty good idea of where you
need to mount the outside antenna and amplifier– directly above the location of the main inside
antenna. Make sure that there is room available in that location. You will need a flat surface large
enough to place the mounting bracket. There should not be any electronic equipment or large metal
objects within 1 ft of the outside antenna. Furthermore, you will need to route a cable into the vehicle
from this location. Consider what entry points are available (refer to Step 3 for further information). You
may need to adjust the location of the inside antennas if the resulting position of the outside antenna
does not meet these requirements.

A B

Step 2: Outdoor Antenna and Booster Installation

You should always do a “soft install” to test the performance of the booster in the position
you have chosen. For now, just securely place the outside antenna and booster in position
on the roof then continue to step three. Once you have finalized and tested the installation,
use the directions below to mount the bracket using adhesive.

1. Using a detergent or alcohol, thoroughly clean the adhesive surface of the mounting bracket and
the corresponding location on the roof of the RV. Ensure there is no grease or dirt. This is an
important step in achieving the maximum bond strength between the mount and the roof.

2. Apply at lest 30ml of adhesive (purchased separately) to the bottom surfaces of the bracket. Cover
the whole surface area. The adhesive should be thicker towards the center; it will move outwards
and overflow as downward pressure is applied.

3. Align the bottom of the bracket with the desired location on the roof of the RV. Apply light
pressure, and then slide the bracket in small circles until there is an even layer of adhesive that
completely coats the contact surfaces. Re-align the bracket to the desired location and apply firm
pressure for at least ten seconds. There should be overflow around the edges of bracket.

4. Allow the adhesive to set and solidify for at least 24 hours. Do not install the antenna/ booster or
move the frame of the bracket during this time. After 24 hours the bonding strength will be strong
enough to support the antenna/ booster, so you may continue with the installation of the booster.
Under conditions of 77F and 60% humidity, it will take 3-5 days for the adhesive to fully dry. At
colder temperatures, it will take longer for the adhesive to fully dry. Refer to the information on
the label of the adhesive.

5. The adhesive should be waterproof, UV-resistant, hot and cold weather tested, and resistant to
aging. We recommend Fuze*It Liquid Nails, Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive, or a similar
product from your local hardware store.

5

Allow the

adhesive to

fully set

1 2

NOTE: Make sure to stay below the max height limit allowed by law, which varies from
state to state (generally 14’ in western states and 13’6” in eastern states).

Step3: Cable Routing & Inside Main Antenna Mount

Determine where you want the cable to enter the RV, see the suggested options below.
Before making any permanent changes, continue with a “soft install” by running the
cable through an opened door or window. Use the extension cables as needed. Finalize
the routing after testing the performance of the system.

Option A: Use an existing cable entry point, such as access points of: TV antenna, back­up camera, refrigerator or AC vent, etc. (may require you to open and reseal)

Option B: Route the cable through a door, going under the weather stripping.

3 4

Option C: Go through the slide on your RV, using the slider gasket as a seal. Make sure
the cable will not be crushed when retracting the slides.

Option D: DIY. Find an access point unique to your RV. YouTube is a great source for
inspiration.

Option E: Create an access point by drilling a hole. Make sure the location of the hole
does not void any warranties that came with your RV, and seal up the hole after
installation to prevent water leakages.

Next, run the cable to the main inside antenna. You can hide the main inside antenna in a
cabinet or drawer, however it needs to remain vertical and should not be blocked by
large metallic objections like pots and pans.

6

Note: The location of the antennas will greatly affect the performance of the booster. The main inside
antenna needs to be directly below the outside antenna with a vertical separation of at least 4 ft. The
horizontal separation between the outside antenna and the secondary inside antenna needs to be at least
12 ft.

Why? All signal boosters are required by the FCC to have built-in protections against self-oscillation.
Imagine putting a microphone right in front of a speaker. The feedback makes a horrible screeching
sound. The same problem happens when the outside and inside antennas are too close together. The
amplifier will automatically reduce the gain of the system until this feedback is gone (the screeching stops)
or alternatively shut down the booster completely if oscillation can not be avoided by reducing power.

Step4: Connect the System

1. Connect the outside antenna cable to the
booster

Connect the outside antenna to the “ANT 2” port
on the back of the amplifier.Make sure the
connector is properly aligned with the “ANT2” port
on the left-hand side of the amplifier (if you are
facing the side with two ports), then screw-in the
connection. Make sure the connection is secure.

2. Connect the amplifier to the longer coax cable
Make sure the connector is properly aligned with the
“ANT1” port on the right-hand side port of the
amplifier (if you are facing the side with the two
ports), then screw-in the connection. Make sure the
connection is secure.

3. Connect the inside antenna to the “Antenna Bracket”

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4. Connect the 15' cable to “Antenna
Bracket” at the “INPUT” port.

5. There are 2 powerful magnets at the
bottom of the DC Power Feeder, which can
attract the device to the surface of ferrous
materials.

6. Use the Iron Stiker sttract the “Main
Antenna” bracket to non-metallic furniture
surfaces in the RV, such as on the inside
door of a wardrobe, under a sofa, under a
table somewhere

7. There are air outlet clips in our
accessories, which can attract the
“Secondary Antenna” to the air outlet. Or
use the Iron Stiker sttract the feeder to car
center console or center armrest
somewhere, take care not to affect driving
operation.

Note: Make sure that the indoor antenna is parallel to the
horizontal plane

8. Connect Booster and Inside Antennas to “Power Feeder & Splitter”. Connect the
cable from the booster to port “INPUT” and two cables from inside antennas to the
“Main””Secondary”, then plug it in to the nearest power outlet.

Outside antenna

Power cord

Main Antenna

Secondary Antenna

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Trouble Shooting: No Signal Improvement

Step 1. Check power. Ensure the indoor
unit is plugged in and the LED Power
Light is green.

Step 3. Double check the location of outdoor unit and indoor antennas. Make sure that
the Minimum Separation Requirements have been met.

Minimum Required Separation Distance Between Booster and Indoor Antennas：
Horizontal Distance To Secondary Antenna > 12 feet (4 meters)
Vertical Distance To Two Indoor Antennas > 4 feet (1.5 meters) (As far as possible)

Step 2. If the power LED solid in red color that
means the cable is not connected securaty.
Check cable connections. Ensure the outdoor
units are securely connected to the coax cable.
If the cable from the splitter to the outside unit
is connected properly, the LED should be solid
Green

>12 feet

2

>4 feet

<3 feet

Step 4. Check incoming signal level at outdoor
unit position. Usage of a booster is not
recommend when the outdoor signal is less
than -110dbm(3G/1x) or -120dBm(4G/LTE).

6

7

9

9

Quick Trouble Shooting

Successful Installation: LED

Outside antenna Main Antenna

light should be solid green.

Power cord

Problem: power light will turn red or off.

1. A red power light indicates a problem with the cable
connections. Ensure that all cables are connected to the
correct ports (refer to step 3 of installation) and securely
connected. If the angle is askew, you may be able to
thread the connectors onto the port without creating a
successful coupling.

Secondary Antenna

2. Power Light is off. Please
call our technical support
number: 877-579-7878

Weather Conditions:

The outside antenna and roof-mounted amplifier are waterproof and designed to
function in the worst conditions Mother Nature has to offer. However, extreme
temperatures may cause problems with performance. Optimal booster performance will
occur from -31F (-35C) to 158F (70C). If you are brave enough to go RVing when the
outside temperature is beyond this range, the booster will automatically reduce output
power to avoid damage.

Trouble Shooting: No Signal Improvement

Step 1 Check power. Ensure the power adaptor is

plugged in and the LED Power Light is green.

Step 2 Check cable connections. Ensure the indoor
and outdoor units are securely connected to the coax
cable.

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Step 3 If the LED light is Red, one of the cables is not
connected properly. Unplug the booster and check
the cable connections. Make sure all cables are
connected to the correct ports. Then plug in the
power and reassess performance.

Step 4 Double check the position of the main inside antenna. The main inside antenna
should be directly below the outside antenna with at least 4 ft of vertical separation.
Power-up the system without connecting the secondary antenna. If your signal strength
improves, the main inside antenna is in the proper position.

>12 feet

2

>4 feet

6

7

<3 feet

Step 5 Adjust the position of the secondary antenna. Ensure that the secondary
inside antenna has at least 12 ft of horizontal separation from the outside
antenna. The greater the separation the better.

Step 6 Check signal strength outside your RV. Signal
boosters cannot create a usable signal if there is no
signal available to boost. If the signal is less than ­110dbm (for 3G/1x) or -120dBm ( for 4G/LTE), the
incoming signal from the nearest cellular tower is too
weak to be effectively boosted.

Contact SolidRF Technical Support: [e-mail]

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Technical Specification

Frequency

(MHz)

LTE

(band 12)

LTE

(band 13)

Cellular

( band5)

PCS

(band 25/2)

AWS
(band 4)

Uplink

698-716

776-787

824-849

1850-1915

1710-1755

Downlink

728-746

746-757

869-894

1930-1995

2110-2155

Gain

Uplink

45±2

45±2

45±2

47±2

47±2

Downlink

48±2

48±2

48±2

50±2

50±2

Output power

26dBm(Uplink)/10dBm(Downlink)

Noise figure

<5dB

In-band Flatness

<9dB

EIRP

1W

Impedance

50 ohm

Current

≦1.5A(6V DC)

WARRANTY

The Booster is covered under a three-year product warranty for failures or defects that result from
craftsmanship and/or materials. Dated proof of purchase should be retained fr use in warranty cases.
Contact the retailer/reseller directly with any warranty issues, or alternatively contact the
manufacturer in cases where the reseller is no longer available to handle warranty claims. In cases
where the reseller is unavailable, the product may be returned to the manufacturer at the consumer’s
expense, with a dated proof of purchase and a return authorization letter which can be attained by
contacting SolidRF.

This warranty does not apply to any signal booster components determined by SolidRF to have been
subjected to misuse, abuse, neglect, tampering, or mishandling that result in damages to the physical
or electronic properties of the product. Refurbished products that have been recertified to conform
to product specifications may be used for product replacements.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided by SolidRF is believed to be complete and accurate, to the
best of our knowledge. However, no responsibility is assumed by SolidRF for any business or personal
losses arising from the use of the information herein contained, or for any infringements of patents or
other rights of third parties that may result from its use.

If you have any questions or concerns when installing or operating your cell phone booster, please
email us at
US: [e-mail]
Canada: [e-mail]

Or call our customer service number
Office [phone]
Toll Free [phone]

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