In message , Eric Greenwell
writes
wrote:
There are three issues with airborne cell phones:
1: interference with multiple cells.
2: interference with avionics
3: interference with (distraction of) the pilot
All are significant. #1 was much more significant with analog
phones.
One day in 1995 I was giving a glider ride, had caught a good thermal,
and the analog rang. I answered, talked to the nursing-home nurse for
a bit; the thermal was strong; as I climbed through 4K agl, suddenly
ther was a loud electronic squeal and the conversation ended. More
recently I needed to make an urgent call from an airplane with a
digital phone, and got the same squeal.
#2 is randomly significant. A pilot friend told me last month, "I was
on the ramp ready for departure and placed a call on my cell phone.
When I hit 'send' all the radio displays zero'ed out. That made a
believer out of *me*!"
#3 is self evident and has been mentioned by several posters already.

I don't have an explanation for your squeals and zeros, but it's a rare
report, indeed. In fact, it's the only report of problems I've heard.

FWIW from the uk. #1 is an issue here. I don't know if it is that the
cells prevent multiple connection or the phones don't like it but if you
get more than about 1,500 ft above the general level of the cells then
you cannot/find it very hard to - connect. #2 is also an issue as I can
hear a cell phone saying hi to the cell over the radio, be it a handheld
or a fixed mount, this means that there is enough energy from the phone,
be it through the DC supply or the received RF I haven't the faintest
idea but it happens, especially as the airband radios are AM (makes the
audio very easy to interfere with). If this can happen to the radio
then I am worried about the interference. #3 is a very strong point.

The point that has been made that a live cell phone can be used to find
you if all else fails is a good one, however, having had phones
disintegrate after a car crash I wouldn't rely on it.

Robin
--
Robin Birch