On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 02:55:16 GMT, Gord Beaman
wrote:

Well, CJ, I wouldn't want you to pass up a good thing because of
incorrect info so perhaps you should check out about this
'illegal' thing. They have cell phones installed in the seat
backs of some commercial airliners for the use of passengers
(I've seen them but haven't used one) so they sure aren't
illegal,

Good morning, Gord.

As others have mentioned, those phonse aren't cellular (I didn't know
that they were actually satellite phones but it makes sense that they
would be). I have used those phones once or twice and while they are
quite expensive to use, they do work rather well and are a lot better
than nothing if you have to get in touch with the ground from an
airliner.

There are also satellite phones that work in private airplanes but
that's a rather expensive option too. I already have the radios and
antennas I need and if I can license one of them as a ground station
from our office, I can do everything we need to do for only the cost
of the license.

Cellular phones are definitely illegal, no question about it, for use
in airplanes that are not sitting on the ground. This is from FCC
rules, not FAA, though FAA has their own rules.

Note also that there are also Personal Communications Service (PCS)
phones, such as Sprint PCS, that are erroneously referred to as "cell"
phones but are not; they work in a different service (the PCS service
rather than the cellular service). Those phones ARE legal to use in
airplanes. Unfortulately they often don't work well in airplanes, for
the same reason that cellular phones usually won't work well ... the
ground station antennas are designed to keep all of the radiation low
to the ground and minimuze the radiation that goes out above the
horizon, so if you're much higher than about 2000 feet or so, it's
hard to get a connection.

Also, I have been told (not sure if this is true) that both cellular
and PCS ground stations have the ability to detect how far away you
are from the station, probably by sending out a signal and measuring
the time it takes to get a reply, and if you're beyond some limit (35
miles was mentioned), they won't let you connect.

CJ