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mobile phones
What is the maximum altitude (about) when the mobile phone becomes useless?
PeterK |
#2
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mobile phones
On Mar 4, 4:37 pm, "Peter" wrote:
What is the maximum altitude (about) when the mobile phone becomes useless? PeterK I've had it ring at 2500'agl at which point I told whoever (my wife and curtly too) that I was busy flying and then shut it off (I forgot to shut it off prior to launch). If many consider it unsafe to drive and talk, why do it in the air? |
#3
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mobile phones
chipsoars wrote:
On Mar 4, 4:37 pm, "Peter" wrote: What is the maximum altitude (about) when the mobile phone becomes useless? PeterK I've had it ring at 2500'agl at which point I told whoever (my wife and curtly too) that I was busy flying and then shut it off (I forgot to shut it off prior to launch). If many consider it unsafe to drive and talk, why do it in the air? There was a study* done on cell phone use in airliners which determined that an average of 1-4 calls are made on each commercial flight in the northeast US. If you can get a signal at 35,000 feet inside an aluminum spam can, I'm sure you can get one just about anywhere in your glider. * Briefly mentioned on http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06060/662669.stm , I didn't find the original study. -- Michael Ash Rogue Amoeba Software |
#4
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mobile phones
Depends on the type of cell phone (2d generation, 3GPP etc) and where
you're flying. My phone (model LG 8300) with Verizon service stops working in central Arizona above pattern altitude. But it works great in the boonies of Nevada all the way up to the 17,999'. ~ted/2NO |
#5
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mobile phones
The answer to your question will depend on what type of phone you
operate, the area you are in, or even the type of airplane, which might interfere with reception. However, you should not forget that the use of cell phones aboard airborne aircrafts is banned by the FCC in 47 C.F.R. § 22.925: (Oct 1, 2006 revision) states "Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne. When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off." Richard ASW19 Phoenix AZ |
#6
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mobile phones
chipsoars wrote:
On Mar 4, 4:37 pm, "Peter" wrote: What is the maximum altitude (about) when the mobile phone becomes useless? PeterK It varies enormously in the USA. My experience is the closer I get to a big city, the lower I have to be to get a signal, maybe 3000' agl. In the country, I've used it at 15,000' agl during wave flights. My explanation is the smaller cells and lower powers used in areas with a lot of people just don't reach upwards very high. I've had it ring at 2500'agl at which point I told whoever (my wife and curtly too) that I was busy flying and then shut it off (I forgot to shut it off prior to launch). If many consider it unsafe to drive and talk, Driving requires constant attention because obstacles are so close to you, like oncoming traffic and the ditch beside the road. This isn't true for most glider flying. So, it's easier to do safely. why do it in the air? I usually do it because I can't reach my crew on the radio; e.g., my radio or theirs has failed, I am too far away, or there's a mountain in the way. Recently, our local ASOS was off the air but it still reported over it's phone number - most pilots dialed it up when they were inbound for a landing. I don't suggest using it to chit-chat, or when you need to concentrate on flying the glider, but if it will significantly improve your safety, it seems like a good use of the phone. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly * "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4 * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org |
#7
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mobile phones
I really wish I could carry my cell phone and use in flight as safety backup to contact the glider port etc. if out of radio range. But all that space taken up by the paper copies of the FCC and FAA CFR's just does not leave space for my cell phone in the cockpit... :-) Darryl On Mar 4, 3:23 pm, "jeplane" wrote: The answer to your question will depend on what type of phone you operate, the area you are in, or even the type of airplane, which might interfere with reception. However, you should not forget that the use of cell phones aboard airborne aircrafts is banned by the FCC in 47 C.F.R. § 22.925: (Oct 1, 2006 revision) states "Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne. When any aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off." Richard ASW19 Phoenix AZ |
#8
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mobile phones
If many consider it unsafe to drive
and talk, why do it in the air? Well, I don't but, some would answer because it is unusual to be passing obstructions at high speed an arms length away in a glider - gaggles not withstanding. Tony V. |
#9
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mobile phones
While sitting around yesterday morning sipping coffee with the Caracole
group(Cal City), the conversation came up again about the use of mobile phones as an alternate to radio communications namely when we loose them. Most of us that fly cross country may have experienced this phenomena and it is a rather lonely feeling when for example we fly over the decollate Nevada sky and our crews are trying to follow us through rugged mountains.This loss of contact may cause us to land prematurely as this is the responsible thing to do in respect to the crew when we lose total contact. I admit have tried to use my mobile phone (voice) while flying in the passed but never with much success. But than Cindy Brickner (once again) comes up with this idea of text messaging! As far as I understand her thoughts correctly ( I never sent a text message in my life), if the pilot or crew sends a short text message even if there is just a week signal the message will go through in a matter of second. The same way as soon as there is the slightest signal on their other end it will be received. I am certainly not advocating this method as an everyday remedy but certainly would be better than calling out on 121.5 for assistance and maybe alarming a bunch of folks (as I read previously onR.A.S.) I would like your thoughts once again. PeterK "Eric Greenwell" wrote in message news:wCIGh.1223$mI6.1220@trndny08... chipsoars wrote: On Mar 4, 4:37 pm, "Peter" wrote: What is the maximum altitude (about) when the mobile phone becomes useless? PeterK It varies enormously in the USA. My experience is the closer I get to a big city, the lower I have to be to get a signal, maybe 3000' agl. In the country, I've used it at 15,000' agl during wave flights. My explanation is the smaller cells and lower powers used in areas with a lot of people just don't reach upwards very high. I've had it ring at 2500'agl at which point I told whoever (my wife and curtly too) that I was busy flying and then shut it off (I forgot to shut it off prior to launch). If many consider it unsafe to drive and talk, Driving requires constant attention because obstacles are so close to you, like oncoming traffic and the ditch beside the road. This isn't true for most glider flying. So, it's easier to do safely. why do it in the air? I usually do it because I can't reach my crew on the radio; e.g., my radio or theirs has failed, I am too far away, or there's a mountain in the way. Recently, our local ASOS was off the air but it still reported over it's phone number - most pilots dialed it up when they were inbound for a landing. I don't suggest using it to chit-chat, or when you need to concentrate on flying the glider, but if it will significantly improve your safety, it seems like a good use of the phone. -- Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA * Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly * "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4 * "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org |
#10
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mobile phones
Both text messages and some 911 calls will go through with much weaker
signals than needed to complete a regular call. 911 operators will relay non-emergency messages if you explain the problem. Mike |
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