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shaynasss2020 · 21-04-2020, 13:40

Hi there!
I am travelling the East Coast of Queensland from the Gold Coast
and visiting a lot of the island along the way - Fraser, Musgrave, The Keppels, Whitsundays, The Percys, Great Barrier Reef, The Ribbon Reefs - all the way up to Lizard Island.

I intend of working while I am out there but need internet for my job. Can anyone please tell me if you have internet coverage at those places or if it will be difficult?

I have read a lot of people saying Telstra is by-far the best network provider and the best way to get reception is by hoisting the router/phone up the top of the mast.

I am happy to do so but just want to know if there will be any issues during any of my trip from the Gold Coast to Lizard Island.

Thank you.

Dsanduril · 21-04-2020, 14:15

We spent 4-5 months traveling that coast in 2018, from Brisbane to TI. Telstra and Optus coverage. We spent a great deal of time without any service. We do like the out-of-the-way anchorages, so that may be a factor. Longest stretch was about 3 weeks with no coverage. Near towns everything is fine, quite serviceable, but once you get away from the towns, and especially out in the islands there's lots of areas with little coverage, particularly if you get on the "back" side of the islands.

If your job can survive 2-3 days without coverage I suspect you could plan it to be OK, but if you need every day coverage there are some areas that will be difficult.

A good antenna/booster helps, as does elevation. We had a rig to raise the antenna up the mast (just never bothered installing something permanent) and WiFi down, that helped in some of the marginal areas.

shaynasss2020 · 21-04-2020, 14:22

Thank you! That is helpful. So even with the antenna up the mast - there was still some areas with no reception?
How much roughly was the antenna/booster set-up? Did you find the Optus/Telsta internet plans to be expensive and did provide a fair amount of data?

**Wotname** · 21-04-2020, 15:38

Welcome aboard CF, shaynasss2020.

This Telstra map is fairly accurate re off shore coverage. Click on the 'Maximise your signal' box to get average coverage with an external antenna.

https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-...s/our-coverage

Dsanduril · 21-04-2020, 17:13

We found the Optus data less expensive, the Telstra coverage better. We weren't using huge amounts of data (like a VPN for hours) so not sure I could give you a fair idea of costs. We tried to schedule our larger data usage when we had Optus coverage, and reserved the Telstra for places where Optus wasn't available.

We had two options for up the mast:

We just put the iPhone in a waterproof bag with the hotspot on and hoisted it 15m up the mast.
We had a mobile-to-WiFi box that accepted an external antenna, we could either run a cable a few meter up, or hoist the whole lot.

Frankly, for us, the phone up the mast was pretty much as good as the external antenna. We did not use a powered booster/amplifier.

Crocboy · 28-04-2020, 03:40

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Telstra, check out Boost mobile. Uses the Telstra network, but at a much cheaper price.

clownfishsydney · 28-04-2020, 04:07

Boost only uses part of Telstra network, generally does not get in more isolated areas, hence why you need Telstra. You will not get any access at Percy Islands on boat, but can get on Middle Percy if you walk up the island a bit. Fraser has access in most parts, but not at all times. Keppels has access.

In the Whitsundays you will only get access if you are at an anchorage facing Airlie Beach. Musgrave we got by sending phone up the mast, but only 80% of the time. Some access off Townsville on the reef. Have not been past Dunk Island.

On the mainland you will not have access in a lot of Shoalwater Bay Defence Area, we were stuck there for almost a week once. Also at Pancake Creek no access, again you could get stuck there. Some of the other islands have no access as well.

Scrimma · 26-08-2021, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by clownfishsydney

Boost only uses part of Telstra network, generally does not get in more isolated areas, hence why you need Telstra. You will not get any access at Percy Islands on boat, but can get on Middle Percy if you walk up the island a bit. Fraser has access in most parts, but not at all times. Keppels has access.

In the Whitsundays you will only get access if you are at an anchorage facing Airlie Beach. Musgrave we got by sending phone up the mast, but only 80% of the time. Some access off Townsville on the reef. Have not been past Dunk Island.

On the mainland you will not have access in a lot of Shoalwater Bay Defence Area, we were stuck there for almost a week once. Also at Pancake Creek no access, again you could get stuck there. Some of the other islands have no access as well.

Not true. Limited Telstra networks is the same in major areas along the coast and the same offshore. The only are a full Telstra network is an advantage is far inland, outback. Probably not sailing there though 😉

GILow · 26-08-2021, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crocboy

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Telstra, check out Boost mobile. Uses the Telstra network, but at a much cheaper price.

The hidden cost of Boost is the cost of your sanity when the billing system fails, again, and again, and again...

I gave up on them after two years and switched to Tel$tra. Saved on therapy bills. I was not alone, their forums are full of people with billing problems.

OldGreyB · 27-08-2021, 01:19

A Cell Fi Go system on Telstra works well for East Coast of Australia. We have a dedicated antenna on top of our mast @ 20m and the cell module / booster in the navigation station within the main cabin. A 4G modem connects securely to the cell module, and provides a password protected local network. Dataplans available from 30Gb / month to over 200Gb / month, and data plans can be changed monthly as required.

Last season we had coverage around the Whitsudays Islands and the along the coast to Brisbane. Even coverage out at the Percy Islands! Speeds are down from landbase but we could watch Netflix movies, live sport, our son could game on line, and friends worked remotely.

Sheet attached showing speed at various locations.

Other cruisers appreciate you, as you become a Telstra hotspot for them in the anchorage, at no cost to yourself, but its great for community spirits.

ilenart · 27-08-2021, 02:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldGreyB

A Cell Fi Go system on Telstra works well for East Coast of Australia. We have a dedicated antenna on top of our mast @ 20m and the cell module / booster in the navigation station within the main cabin. A 4G modem connects securely to the cell module, and provides a password protected local network. Dataplans available from 30Gb / month to over 200Gb / month, and data plans can be changed monthly as required.

Last season we had coverage around the Whitsudays Islands and the along the coast to Brisbane. Even coverage out at the Percy Islands! Speeds are down from landbase but we could watch Netflix movies, live sport, our son could game on line, and friends worked remotely.

Sheet attached showing speed at various locations.

Other cruisers appreciate you, as you become a Telstra hotspot for them in the anchorage, at no cost to yourself, but its great for community spirits.

When I bought my aerial that I use with the Cell Fi Go System the technician advised not to place it on top of the mast as you lose to much signal from the long cable length. His advise was to place it on the stern rail with a shorter cable length to the box as this would be a better signal than a higher aerial / longer cable run. Anyone have any experience / comments as I’m installing the system on my yacht in September.

OldGreyB · 27-08-2021, 02:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilenart

When I bought my aerial that I use with the Cell Fi Go System the technician advised not to place it on top of the mast as you lose to much signal from the long cable length. His advise was to place it on the stern rail with a shorter cable length to the box as this would be a better signal than a higher aerial / longer cable run. Anyone have any experience / comments as I’m installing the system on my yacht in September.

We installed LL400 50 ohm low loss co axial for the long run down the mast from the antenna to the cell booster. Short pig tails from the OEM antenna and booster are connected each end of the main cable run, to enable required bend radius and flexibility.

Galumay · 02-11-2021, 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldGreyB

We installed LL400 50 ohm low loss co axial for the long run down the mast from the antenna to the cell booster. Short pig tails from the OEM antenna and booster are connected each end of the main cable run, to enable required bend radius and flexibility.

Which anntenna did you choose? I am looking at a couple of different ones, one of them is 2m which might be bigger than ideal on top of the mast!