Reliable method for air/ground communications?

[JDK]

Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
communications in-flight?

I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
flight.

[buttman]

On May 24, 12:51 pm, JDK > wrote:
> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
> communications in-flight?
>
> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
> flight.

Have them listen to the CTAF. When you report 10 miles out, they'll
know you're about 15 minutes away (depending on your speed). Either
that or get one of those cell phone adapters for your headset.

[gatt]

"JDK" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
> communications in-flight?
>
> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
> flight.

I just use a cell-phone. Either text message them, or just call them. If
they hear my voice, I can tell them there's a delay. If all they hear is
noise, I'm fifteen minutes out.

-c

[Peter R.]

On 5/24/2007 4:18:37 PM, buttman wrote:

> Have them listen to the CTAF. When you report 10 miles out, they'll
> know you're about 15 minutes away (depending on your speed).

That implies the aircraft is traveling 40 miles an hour. :) Ok, maybe a bit
faster when you think of the minute or two it takes to fly the traffic
pattern.

--
Peter

[Bob Gardner]

Without getting into a discussion of just which cell phones cannot be used
in flight, the easy answer is to buy a couple of Family Radio Service
handhelds. Cell phones licensed under Part 22 of the FCC regulations cannot
be used in flight...do you know the regs under which your phone is licensed?

http://www.provide.net/~prsg/frs-home.htm

Bob Gardner

"gatt" > wrote in message
...
>
> "JDK" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
>> communications in-flight?
>>
>> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
>> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
>> flight.
>
> I just use a cell-phone. Either text message them, or just call them. If
> they hear my voice, I can tell them there's a delay. If all they hear is
> noise, I'm fifteen minutes out.
>
> -c
>

[Brian[_1_]]

On May 24, 2:52 pm, "Bob Gardner" > wrote:
> Without getting into a discussion of just which cell phones cannot be used
> in flight, the easy answer is to buy a couple of Family Radio Service
> handhelds. Cell phones licensed under Part 22 of the FCC regulations cannot
> be used in flight...do you know the regs under which your phone is licensed?
>
> http://www.provide.net/~prsg/frs-home.htm
>
> Bob Gardner
>
> "gatt" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "JDK" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
> >> communications in-flight?
>
> >> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
> >> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
> >> flight.
>
> > I just use a cell-phone. Either text message them, or just call them. If
> > they hear my voice, I can tell them there's a delay. If all they hear is
> > noise, I'm fifteen minutes out.
>
> > -c- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The Manual for my cell phone says it complies wiht Part 15.

Brian

[Bob Gardner]

Good to go, as far as I know.

Bob

"Brian" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> On May 24, 2:52 pm, "Bob Gardner" > wrote:
>> Without getting into a discussion of just which cell phones cannot be
>> used
>> in flight, the easy answer is to buy a couple of Family Radio Service
>> handhelds. Cell phones licensed under Part 22 of the FCC regulations
>> cannot
>> be used in flight...do you know the regs under which your phone is
>> licensed?
>>
>> http://www.provide.net/~prsg/frs-home.htm
>>
>> Bob Gardner
>>
>> "gatt" > wrote in message
>>
>> ...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > "JDK" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>> >> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
>> >> communications in-flight?
>>
>> >> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
>> >> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that
>> >> mid-
>> >> flight.
>>
>> > I just use a cell-phone. Either text message them, or just call them.
>> > If
>> > they hear my voice, I can tell them there's a delay. If all they hear
>> > is
>> > noise, I'm fifteen minutes out.
>>
>> > -c- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> The Manual for my cell phone says it complies wiht Part 15.
>
> Brian
>

[gatt]

"Bob Gardner" > wrote in message
. ..
> Without getting into a discussion of just which cell phones cannot be used
> in flight, the easy answer is to buy a couple of Family Radio Service
> handhelds. Cell phones licensed under Part 22 of the FCC regulations
> cannot be used in flight...do you know the regs under which your phone is
> licensed?

Nope, but if I'm the PIC I'm making the call (literally.) Unless making a
15-second cell-phone call fifteen minutes out from the destination airfield
is going to somehow prevent me from getting there, I'm not going to worry
about it.

I can just see it happening, though... CAVU, destination in site,
speed-dial the number to notify and BOOM! Lost, out of fuel, out of
control. Fireball in the sky from the fuel tanks randomly exploding like
that Pinto in Top Secret. Probably happens all the time in LA. :>

-c

[Erik]

gatt wrote:
> control. Fireball in the sky from the fuel tanks randomly exploding like
> that Pinto in Top Secret. Probably happens all the time in LA. :>
>
> -c
>
>

What, with the Pinto or the cell phone?

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "gatt" > said:
>I just use a cell-phone. Either text message them, or just call them. If
>they hear my voice, I can tell them there's a delay. If all they hear is
>noise, I'm fifteen minutes out.

I don't get a signal on my cell phone at altitude, and I've always been
too busy when I'm down low to check.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://blog.xcski.com/
Real programmers don't comment their code. It was hard to write, it
should be hard to understand.

[Matt Barrow[_4_]]

"JDK" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
> communications in-flight?
>
> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
> flight.

With AviDyne's MultiLink products you can send email/text messages from the
MFD.

So, are you looking for _reliable_, or for _cheap_?

[Gig 601XL Builder]

gatt wrote:
> "Bob Gardner" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Without getting into a discussion of just which cell phones cannot
>> be used in flight, the easy answer is to buy a couple of Family
>> Radio Service handhelds. Cell phones licensed under Part 22 of the
>> FCC regulations cannot be used in flight...do you know the regs
>> under which your phone is licensed?
>
> Nope, but if I'm the PIC I'm making the call (literally.) Unless
> making a 15-second cell-phone call fifteen minutes out from the
> destination airfield is going to somehow prevent me from getting
> there, I'm not going to worry about it.
>
> I can just see it happening, though... CAVU, destination in site,
> speed-dial the number to notify and BOOM! Lost, out of fuel, out of
> control. Fireball in the sky from the fuel tanks randomly exploding
> like that Pinto in Top Secret. Probably happens all the time in LA. :>
> -c

The FCC regulations banninng cell phones in aircraft have nothing to do with
causing aircraft to crash. If they did they would be FAA regulations. They
are about disrupting the cell phone system.

[Kingfish]

On May 24, 3:51 pm, JDK > wrote:
> Anyone have a suggestion for a reliable method for air/ground
> communications in-flight?
>
> I'd like to give a heads-up to family on the ground when I'm near (say
> within 15 minutes) to landing, and am not sure how I would do that mid-
> flight.

Probably a cheap (or used) handheld VHF?

[gatt]

"Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote in message
...

> The FCC regulations banninng cell phones in aircraft have nothing to do
> with causing aircraft to crash. If they did they would be FAA regulations.
> They are about disrupting the cell phone system.

FCC vs. FAA. I used to trip up on them all the time when I was an FM radio
program director and also a student pilot. ...I'd walk up to a DJ and say

"You need to fill out your FAA logs..."
"What?"

....if somebody told me one that cell phone issue was FCC regulation, it's
perfectly possible that I ranted about the FAA.

-c