Are mobile phone alarms reliable?

[cpedw]

My mobile phone (Android 10, Honor 10 Lite) often does a software update overnight, after which it needs passcode entry to use it in the morning.
If I'm using it for an anchor drag alarm (I use Anchor Watch), will the alarm be active after the update? I also wonder about the builtin alarm clock, which I don't often use.

 

[Sandy]

Id test it by setting an alarm and walking down the road. Same with the alarm clock.

 

[Neeves]

Id test it by setting an alarm and walking down the road. Same with the alarm clock.

But if the update is after the anchor alarm is set and the boat drags after the update is the alarm and setting still valid.

You would need to set the alarm, wake up after an update is completed and then walk down the road - prior to using the app in anger.

Jonathan

 

[KevinV]

My mobile phone (Android 10, Honor 10 Lite) often does a software update overnight, after which it needs passcode entry to use it in the morning.
If I'm using it for an anchor drag alarm (I use Anchor Watch), will the alarm be active after the update? I also wonder about the builtin alarm clock, which I don't often use.

I don't think so - on rebooting my phone (Huawei, so same thing) apps are not loaded until you "log in" with your pass code, assuming you have one.
It's easy enough to check - switch your phone off, send yourself a WhatsApp from someone else's phone. Restart your phone - does the WhatsApp message show as delivered on the other phone?
If you have a problem just change update settings to "prompt to install" rather than "automatically install" updates

 

[Refueler]

I use the alarm clock function on my mobiles when travelling .... fine.

Never had any problems after updates ... but of course if phone restarts after a serious update - then I have to restart app ... but so far never had to Log In again to an app.
Samsung S8 ... Samsung A34 ... BB Z30

 

[B27]

We have his'n'hers anchor alarms, one iphone, one android.

The Nav tablet is never online afloat, so it won't be getting any upgrades.

Devices are very cheap, why rely on just one?
Especially with a GPS app which will kill the battery if the charging lead gets knocked out or something.

 

[cpedw]

While finding how to disable auto update, I found
"To ensure successful overnight update, make sure... there are no alarms set for this period of time". So that's answered.
I think it only performs updates if WiFi is available so not likely a problem at anchor. I have disabled auto download anyway.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

I set 3 anchor alarms on 3 devices, and still sleep with one eye open

 

[dunedin]

I would ALWAYS disable automatic updates to the phone operating system. Schedule them manual,y when you want them to happen.
Ditto if tend to be on boats or otherwise out and about, disable App updates and choose to do when you want them.

Oh, and I wouldn’t let your chart plotter etc do automatic updates, and only initiate manually when tied up your home marina (or somewhere else with support). A neighbouring boat did a software update in the Hebrides and the plotter was unusable afterwards - fortunately was mid week during working hours and Raymarine support were able to tell me how I could fix for them.

 

[Clancy Moped]

You should be able to schedule updates to suit your time.

 

[Irish Rover]

I set 3 anchor alarms on 3 devices, and still sleep with one eye open

You must have Irish blood in you tobeshure, tobeshure, tobeshure.

 

[Boathook]

My mobile phone is set to update only when on WiFi and then only after I have authorised it.

Some updates seem to download when on WiFi but don't do anything until authorised. These do seem to be the smaller ones so far .....

 

[john_morris_uk]

I set 3 anchor alarms on 3 devices, and still sleep with one eye open

Golly! I almost never set an anchor alarm and we spend nearly every night at anchor. (Eg at the moment that means weeks/months at a time..)

 

[MontyMariner]

"My mobile phone is set to update only when on WiFi and then only after I have authorised it."
Exactly. When at anchor you will probably be on 4G.

 

[Shuggy]

Golly! I almost never set an anchor alarm and we spend nearly every night at anchor. (Eg at the moment that means weeks/months at a time..)

Snap. I’ve only set one in the last five years and this was the following morning when it had calmed down quite a lot.

 

[SimonKNZ]

I use an old phone that no longer gets updates, and at night it is in flight mode to save battery and avoid spurious alerts.
As others have said, there are so many old phones around it makes sense to have one dedicated to this job only

 

[Neeves]

Whilst its part of the subject of the thread and noting John Morris comment (with which I concur or agree)

How many of you that do set anchor alarms are woken up by the alarm?

If you are woken up had the vessel dragged or was there some glitch in how you set the alarm (too tight a circle) or with the GPS system (satellite falling below horizon)

and I suppose the other question is:

Having set the alarm - did you drag but the alarm did not go off, and/or did not wake you.


Historically before the introduction of 'better' anchors we would drag regularly and we would see others also dragging. Now that many people use 'better' anchors, including us, we don't drag nor see people dragging.


My conclusion is that the GPS anchor alarm was developed and introduced just when it was no longer needed.

Jonathan

 

[SimonKNZ]

The only time I've had my anchor drag badly (caused by a 180 wind shift) was one of the few times my anchor alarm wasn't set - I had been anchor for >24 hours and was complacent. Luckily the shift had woken me up so no harm done, but I now always set one for overnight anchorage, and at day time if I'm leaving the boat.
False alarms are rare in my experience, provided you set the anchor position and scope correctly