Coverage in Strathcona Park

[ecowen]

I need to make a phone call from near  Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island. Does anyone know where the closest location is that is covered by PM?  Would it be Gold River?

[ecowen]

Well, I found that once out of Campbell River and until I reached Gold River there was no coverage.  I received my important phone call in Gold River and all is well.  Thanks again for your excellent information.    The drive from Ralph River campsite on Buttle Lake to Gold River was beautiful.

[computergeek541]

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@darlicious wrote:

@softech 

Hopefully I haven't confused myself....

4G LTE: 2100 MHz (AWS) HSPA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz (UMTS) CDMA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz (PCS) 4G LTE: 700MHz

CDMA and GSM only use 3G

2100 is indoor service only

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I'll say that I believe that AWS should never be called "2100". If anything, it's referred to as 1700MHz. However, band 4 LTE isn't only for indoor service  If anything, due to the relatively high frequency, it works better outdoors.

[softech]

Thanks @sheytoon  for the explanation... 

[sheytoon]

@softech we used to be able to tell for 1900 because the ertyu map would report the channel size correctly. Now they report everything in 5 MHz increments, which means a 3-sector site could show 850 MHz six times (3x 5 MHz 3G and 3x 5 MHz LTE) and 1900 MHz fifteen times (3x 5 MHz 3G and 3x 20 MHz LTE).

3G is always 5 MHz per channel, whether 850 or 1900. LTE depends, but for 1900 it's generally 15 or 20 MHz.

It's pretty safe to assume you have 3G on both frequencies if it's listed there. 1900 LTE is safe to assume as well. The wildcard these days is 850 LTE.

[darlicious]

@softech 

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that judging by the azimuth of the tower on map 1 is the main tower servicing the park.

[softech]

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@darlicious wrote:

@softech 

This why we love @sheytoon  to keep us from getting too confused!

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@sheytoon  must be tired that a bunch for "students" keep raising questions all days..lol

[softech]

but I use Strathcona park as an example, cellmapper and ertyu.org seems to be different when i choose between LTE , UMTS.  Cellmapper seems to be 2 different towers , location wise, for 3g and 4g while ertyu seems to be the same one

[darlicious]

@softech 

This why we love @sheytoon  to keep us from getting too confused!

[Anonymous]

 @softech : That's what I like about cellmapper. You can choose LTE or UMTS.

[softech]

.. but 850 and 1900 can be both 3G and 4G.. how the tower maps info. confirm if it is 3G or 4G? or once we see 850 and 1900, they will be both 3G and 4G for sure?

[darlicious]

@softech 

Hopefully I haven't confused myself....

4G LTE: 2100 MHz (AWS) HSPA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz (UMTS) CDMA: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz (PCS) 4G LTE: 700MHz

CDMA and GSM only use 3G

2100 is indoor service only

[Anonymous]

 @softech : cellmapper.net provides some of that information. In all cases, I'm not sure how exactly accurate these kinds of sites are though.

[softech]

@darlicious  i have a question for reading the tower information.  If the towers showing 1900 or  850, is there any way we can tell if it is 3G or 4G signals ?  

[darlicious]

@ecowen 

These are the 3 closest towers with 3G coverage I expect good signal from the first one the other two would have distance and/or elevation being an issue for signal but if you have a topographical map you can judge it better.....the bc ministry of forestry service has good ones online. Or the outdoor recreation sites and trails ministry should too.

Edit:My bad.....bad bad tablet today....anyhow the third map is now correct

[darlicious]

@ecowen 

At higher elevations you will have coverage along with within a certain distance of the highway. It s in the valleys that you will experience the problem of getting a signal. Of course you need to look at 3G coverage for the call but if you are having a real issue connecting to a 3G network because if you are there and chatting with us your 4G signal is fine then use your fongo app to make the call. Don't have it? It's only 8.67mb to download the app and 0.5mb per min for calling so not won't make much of a dent in your data.

Give us a pic....here.....

  https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/The-Lounge/Get-outside/m-p/686346#M14108

[softech]

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@ecowen wrote:

I'd love to be able to give every answer an "Accept as Solution" as all answers to my question led me to the solution.  Thank you everyone.  All answers were helpful.

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Not a problem.  as long as your question is answered , we are happy.  Enjoy you trip in the park (maybe you should consider "unplug" yourself to enjoy the nature  🙂  ) 

[Anonymous]

 @ecowen : And it's not just tower proximity. All the mountains add complexity.

How's it going with your Kona?

[ecowen]

I'd love to be able to give every answer an "Accept as Solution" as all answers to my question led me to the solution.  Thank you everyone.  All answers were helpful.

[softech]

yes.. the green area on my 2nd screenshot (from PM Coverage map) is the area that should have signal

the first screenshot shows the exact towers location.  so, area around should have signal

[ecowen]

So, do the green splotches mean coverage on elevated areas?  

[softech]

You can also use PM Coverage Map, 

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/coverage

Just enter Strathcona Provincial Park.

[softech]

@ecowen these are the towers around..

if it is to the east, then head closer to Cumberland

if it is on the north end of it, you have to go close to Gold River, there are not many towers on the North end of the park

[JK8 · Accepted solution]

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@ecowen wrote:

I need to make a phone call from near  Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island. Does anyone know where the closest location is that is covered by PM?  Would it be Gold River?

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Use this to find coverage:

https://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html?lat=52.025459&lng=-96.987305&zoom=4&type=Roadm...