Greetings from 8500', West TX

SCCutler

SCCutler

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 27, 2005
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Spike Cutler
AT&T Wireless card is working in plane (not real well, but still).
 
Nice. AT&T data services seem to work in the air; I was able to look up the ARINC frequency for a FBO I was going to the other day. Very handy!

-Felix
 
hehe on my way town to Gaston's this year I used my Treo (Verizon) to log on to airnav to find me some cheap gas with a runway that was pointed somewhat into the wind :-)
 
Well, now.

It worked in fits and starts, but never for very long. It always claimed to have strong signal, but regularly disconnected.

Maybe Verizon's works better? I have one of those (well, one of my employees does), maybe I'll try it next.

And folks, that's why we have autopilots. An hour and a half with flight following, and not a single traffic call.
 
I would be surprised if Verizon was much better.

If you really want this to work, go with Inmarsat. Their data plans are rather pricey, though :)
 
Well Spike you were in West Texas....there ain't much out there
 
that's TOO COOL! yea not much traffic out there. but maybe trafficking!
 
SCCutler said:
And folks, that's why we have autopilots. An hour and a half with flight following, and not a single traffic call.
Click to expand...
Heck, you started in a dead zone!

Oh, and while you're busy tomorrow in your office...

I'll think of you while my student and I dine at Cooper's. :D
 
SCCutler said:
Well, now.

It worked in fits and starts, but never for very long. It always claimed to have strong signal, but regularly disconnected.

Maybe Verizon's works better? I have one of those (well, one of my employees does), maybe I'll try it next.

And folks, that's why we have autopilots. An hour and a half with flight following, and not a single traffic call.
Click to expand...

Ah, yes. I made a call on an (old) AT&T/TDMA cellphone from the area around Ozona one time at 8500 MSL, it was OK then dropped. My experience has been that CDMA is worse in the air. So don't count on Verizon for data service. While the carriers say that doppler shift isn't an issue at normal speeds, I think that your typical ground speed may get high enough for doppler to be come an issue.

West Texas is so sleepy that Houston Center forgot about me and my handoff on the way to Phoenix one time. It really is quiet out there.

Greetings to you and Dave.
 
Bill, I sincerely doubt that Doppler shift is the issue, or that it could be unless the only towers I could hit were directly in front of or behind me. On the other hand, I would not be remotely surprised if the brains of the system either actively reject a signal which hits too many towers at the same time, or is simply unable to cope with excessive tower diversity.

It virtually never works in more populous areas, is much more likely to work in rural areas. I have thought about trying a directional patch with a relatively narrow arc, out a window and angled down.

Edit:

Guy on the Beech board routinely uses his GSM data connection, in Australia, at Baron-flying altitude, and says it is very reliable.
 
I've also heard that it has something to do with the antennas being pointed toward the ground and not the air.

If I get reception, it's usually when my phone is _not_ near the airplane windows. Surprisingly, it works much better when it's shielded by the cabin.

-Felix
 
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