Many of us dream about getting away to a place with deer in the backyard and an occasional bear on the front porch. Our customers, Jan and Joe are living this dream at their vacation home, Outback Acres. Last week we featured the zBoost Car Unit at “Goats on the Roof” in the North Georgia Mountains. This week the zBoost YX510 Dual Band is in Upper Michigan at Outback Acres, in a cabin so remote that it only got electricity two years ago.

Prior to purchasing their zBoost Dual Band, Jan and Joe had a standing joke that in order to make a cell phone call, you had to stand by the flagpole with one hand in the air and your left foot off the ground.

Since this wasn’t dependable, they researched signal extenders and purchased a zBoost YX510 Dual Band cell phone signal booster. The product has worked very well for them, but its reliability became critical in the fall of 2007.

In November of that year, a family member’s heart began racing while he was visiting with Jan and Joe at their cabin. They transported him to the nearest hospital 40 miles away. Aided by the zBoost they were able to stay in touch with him on his trip to the hospital. He was treated and released, but his symptoms continued when he returned to the cabin. Using their cell phone, they were able to contact his family and arrange for him to be transported home (260 miles), where he was taken back to a hospital near his home. Without the zBoost there would have been no way to communicate with his family to get him home safely or to stay in touch afterwards. Happily he has had a full recovery.

Installation Tips: The zBoost antenna was installed on the roof, at the end of a 4 foot piece of PVC pipe to get it higher in the air, since the cabin is in a valley surrounded by woods. The zBoost unit is installed on an outside wall and connected by 35 feet of coaxial cable. The normal coverage is 2500 sq ft but the cabin is so remote and the signal is so weak outside that they have to stay within 10-15 feet of the zBoost unit. Not ideal, but a whole lot better than going outside and standing near the flagpole.

Can you imagine a bear on your front porch? I definitely wouldn’t want to go outside to make a cell phone call. What would you say? “Excuse me Mr. Bear I need to make a call.”

If you would like to visit the area near Outback Acres, the nearest town is Posen (the Potato Capital of Michigan). In September you can join in the fun at the Posen Potato Festival. It is a happening and thousands of people come from all over Michigan to join in the fun. They have a parade, a Potato Queen, all kinds of food and fun for all. (www.posenchamber.com/potato) Also nearby are the famous Mackinac Bridge and the gateway to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. (www.mackinacbridge.org)

See us next week when the zBoost personal goes to the fire station with Fireman Scott.