Do you turn your phone off???!!!
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Alderney or Lancashire UK
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Rudestuff, While this is theoretically an issue with mobile phone towers, as you normally, hopefully, fly a fair distance from them the interference received is at a very low level.
This is because the power received decreases with the square of the distance from the transmitter, (inverse square law) so although they are higher powered they induce less interference than a phone a few inches away from your wiring harness.
More of an issue are TV transmitters. I have recorded GPS tracks which are wildy wrong when flying a mile or more from the Winter Hill TV transmitter which radiates 500kw. Mobile phone towers radiate a tiny fraction of this power. (Not sure how many watts, but not many)
edit:I just did a google search and came up with a figure of 1.6 kw. for a mobile phone tower.
This is because the power received decreases with the square of the distance from the transmitter, (inverse square law) so although they are higher powered they induce less interference than a phone a few inches away from your wiring harness.
More of an issue are TV transmitters. I have recorded GPS tracks which are wildy wrong when flying a mile or more from the Winter Hill TV transmitter which radiates 500kw. Mobile phone towers radiate a tiny fraction of this power. (Not sure how many watts, but not many)
edit:I just did a google search and came up with a figure of 1.6 kw. for a mobile phone tower.
Last edited by Gaseous; 29th Apr 2006 at 08:32.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Sunny Florida, USA
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Mobile Phone Myths
Try leaving your mobile phone switched on overnight in your car with the vehicle alarm set - I know the Toyota (for example) alarm system cannot cope with the signal inteference and you will not get a full night's sleep! So if the signal can trigger a car alarm it must be capable of interfering with other similar equipment.
I personally turn my phone off in the air (when I remember) and when I don't remember to turn it off and it vibrates in my pocket, I cannot answer because it's too noisy in the helicopter but I am still here to tell this tale!
It is good for using when you lose the radio though! I carry the ATC Tower phone numbers with me!
The Ferret
I personally turn my phone off in the air (when I remember) and when I don't remember to turn it off and it vibrates in my pocket, I cannot answer because it's too noisy in the helicopter but I am still here to tell this tale!
It is good for using when you lose the radio though! I carry the ATC Tower phone numbers with me!
The Ferret
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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I have not read this entire thread so apologies if this has been mentioned... I just happen to have the Sept 2004 issue of Air and Space magazine with me (I'm on a biz trip in Hong Kong) and I just finished an article in it called "Turn Off That Phone!" by John Croft. It mentions two or three incidents involving cell phones interfering with nav systems/etc.
If anyone wants a scan of the article, PM me and I'll get it out to you when I get back to the US this weekend.
Dave Blevins
If anyone wants a scan of the article, PM me and I'll get it out to you when I get back to the US this weekend.
Dave Blevins
