"Imagine if you would, a businessman or woman anxious to get their messages after a long transcontinental flight. To save a few minutes they turn on their cellphone while on final appraoch knowing that they will be able to get a signal at that point . . .."
This has been mentioned a couple of times recently in posts. I just want to add as SLF that I increasingly observe wireless devices being turned on during final approach. SLF may not be talking or texting but the devices are being turned on and transmitting control signals, I expect at high power to get a signal through those small windows to a base station antenna that is designed to have low gain above the horizontal (geometrical) plane.
Normally I expect this is not a problem. But (also suggested above) if some shielding comes loose from a cable, a filter breaks, etc. perhaps the system could become susceptible.
The SLF's wireless service providers store accurate, to the second, records of access that could be checked and matched to the sequence of events. Be aware, though, that it is possible a wireless device was attempting a contact at high power but did not succeed with the base station. In that case there would be no record.
Last edited by Eboy; 19th Jan 2008 at 10:01.