3G access at Pine Lake Marina

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gaffy

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Does anyone know if there is 3G access at Pine Lake Marina. I want to head out there for a few days for a holiday but also need access to mail and internet. Thanks.
 
From the horse's mouth:

"We don’t have 3G coverage in the units to the back area of the Pine lake marine. The users will have to have a external antenna, and force their e220 or similar modems forced to 3G only"
 
I realise this is a resurrected old thread, but I can add that across the lake to the east, on the island in Sedgefield and closer to the tower in town, 3g reception is pretty flaky. Outdoors holding the modem in the air you might get a single bar of signal if you have line of sight to the tower. Go inside and you'll be lucky to get edge.

Pine Lake is another km or two west of the tower, so I doubt 3G would be a happy option. 500m north of Pine Lake Marina, along the shore of Swartvlei, I don't even get cellphone reception.
 
andres101 said:
looks like there is coverage according to the map. can't be sure though as I cannot see the GPS location on http://www.vodamap.net/3g/.
Click to expand...

On the scale of that map, Pine Lake Marina is way out of the coverage area shown for 3G. The edge of the coverage (westernmost boundary) is actually the area in the Swartvlei lagoon (!). Bringing your boat with you?

vodacom3g said:
From the horse's mouth:

"We don’t have 3G coverage in the units to the back area of the Pine lake marine. The users will have to have a external antenna, and force their e220 or similar modems forced to 3G only"
Click to expand...

If you force 3g only at Pine lake you'll get nothing. I doubt you'd even get edge or GPRS - it's way out of the coverage area on the map. Just BTW, I assume you called Pine Lake and asked someone? Who said : "We don’t have 3G coverage in the units to the back area of the Pine lake marina." ? So he reckons there's coverage at the front units? I find that hard to believe, considering I have tried at various locations on "The Island" in Sedgefield (which the map shows as having no coverage) which is half the distance from the tower that Pine Lake is and I get no signal anywhere when indoors, and a very weak and erratic one outdoors.

But I am not using an external antenna. Perhaps if it's a good one, it will work. Standing on the lake shore at Pine Lake Marina, you pretty much have line of sight to the tower on the hill in Sedgefield. (Distance is 7km according to Google Earth)
 
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Garden Router said:
On the scale of that map, Pine Lake Marina is way out of the coverage area shown for 3G. The edge of the coverage (westernmost boundary) is actually the area in the Swartvlei lagoon (!). Bringing your boat with you?



If you force 3g only at Pine lake you'll get nothing. I doubt you'd even get edge or GPRS - it's way out of the coverage area on the map. Just BTW, I assume you called Pine Lake and asked someone? Who said : "We don’t have 3G coverage in the units to the back area of the Pine lake marina." ? So he reckons there's coverage at the front units? I find that hard to believe, considering I have tried at various locations on "The Island" in Sedgefield (which the map shows as having no coverage) which is half the distance from the tower that Pine Lake is and I get no signal anywhere when indoors, and a very weak and erratic one outdoors.

But I am not using an external antenna. Perhaps if it's a good one, it will work. Standing on the lake shore at Pine Lake Marina, you pretty much have line of sight to the tower on the hill in Sedgefield. (Distance is 7km according to Google Earth)
Click to expand...

I got this from the radio guys responsible for the area. Will give your feedback to them.
 
vodacom3g said:
I got this from the radio guys responsible for the area. Will give your feedback to them.
Click to expand...

The geography 'round here makes the cell operators lives difficult, to be sure. It's all sand dunes, and from what I can tell, there's just one shared tower for VC, MTN, CellC, SABC, et al. The reason I imagine there's no 3G on the island in Sedgefield is that there's a dune in the middle of the lagoon blocking line of sight. I guess they could crank up the power on the mast, but seeing as I live pretty close to it, and in the light of this thread, I'd rather they didn't.
 
Garden Router said:
The geography 'round here makes the cell operators lives difficult, to be sure. It's all sand dunes, and from what I can tell, there's just one shared tower for VC, MTN, CellC, SABC, et al. The reason I imagine there's no 3G on the island in Sedgefield is that there's a dune in the middle of the lagoon blocking line of sight. I guess they could crank up the power on the mast, but seeing as I live pretty close to it, and in the light of this thread, I'd rather they didn't.
Click to expand...

As I said in that thread already, 'cranking' up the power won't resolve the issue and might be outside regulations in any case.

Best way to resolve coverage issues is to deploy more towers but this is not always so easy as no-one wants them close to them (but everyone wants the coverage...:rolleyes:). Geography also plays a huge role and it might well be an issue in your area.

I'll see if I can find out what the problems are.
 
vodacom3g said:
As I said in that thread already, 'cranking' up the power won't resolve the issue and might be outside regulations in any case.

Best way to resolve coverage issues is to deploy more towers but this is not always so easy as no-one wants them close to them (but everyone wants the coverage...:rolleyes:). Geography also plays a huge role and it might well be an issue in your area.

I'll see if I can find out what the problems are.
Click to expand...

No! Hey V3g - for once I'm not complaining! No problems here at my place - my reception is and always has been great. It doesn't bother me that there's no 3G in the boondocks of sedgefield. It's just that whenever I'm out and about working on client's pc's and I try my e220 on them to get some internet that's faster than the dial-up they have at their homes, I find these places don't get 3g. That's their problem - wait for them to complain. I'm seriously not bothered. As I said, the mast is on the hill above me, probably 800 metres away. Perfect reception, and full strength 24/7. :)
 
Garden Router said:
No! Hey V3g - for once I'm not complaining! No problems here at my place - my reception is and always has been great. It doesn't bother me that there's no 3G in the boondocks of sedgefield. It's just that whenever I'm out and about working on client's pc's and I try my e220 on them to get some internet that's faster than the dial-up they have at their homes, I find these places don't get 3g. That's their problem - wait for them to complain. I'm seriously not bothered. As I said, the mast is on the hill above me, probably 800 metres away. Perfect reception, and full strength 24/7. :)
Click to expand...

So you don't mind if we tilt the antennas away from you and towards these poor souls? :)
 
vodacom3g said:
So you don't mind if we tilt the antennas away from you and towards these poor souls? :)
Click to expand...

Leave the antennae alone, thank you very much - they're fine just as they are. :)

And I will know if you do - I can see them from my office window...:)
 
Don't be bothered, there's no reliable 3G reception anywhere in S.A.
It's a myth... like Lochness, BigFoot, Vodacom 3G/HSDPA, etc.

hahahahahha

but on a serious note ... "Don't be bothered, there's no reliable 3G reception anywhere in S.A. It's a myth... like Lochness, BigFoot, Vodacom 3G/HSDPA, etc. "
 
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