Mobiles.....n.b.

[mikewilkes]

Question to the techy types please.
After years of " Make sure your mobiles are off because it effects the aircraft systems etc " I see that tests are going on to be able to use mobiles on planes.
Is it that there never was a problem other billing to which country?
Or have the airlines now worked out a way of getting money out of mobiles?

Now I guess we will have to listern to our fellow passengers and " Yes mother we have just crossed the border from Pakistan to Afganistan"..... etc...etc..

<hr width=100% size=1>Mike
Now back home with my mistress and SWMBO of course !!!

 

[Robin]

I don't know about planes but I have personal experience on my last boat of the mobile diverting the autopilot 90 degs when the phone went off! Frightening at 6kts on a sailboat, at 30kts on a powerboat or on a plane it doesn't bear thinking about.

Personally the idea of making a flight with all the mobiles going off all the time like they do on the ground is disturbing.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[AlexL]

I personally wouldn't use a mobile in my light aircraft as it does seem to effect normal compasses and the like - I'm not sure wether it effects any of the other stuff and I'm not prepared to take the risk. This, I suspect is the attitude of the commercial boys, as most mobiles seem to be pretty poor on RFI issues - just listen to the interference on your car radio!
I guess the aircraft manufacturers are now conducting full RFI tests to veryify that there is no issue - although I should imagine that the pilot would want them all off if conducting an instrument landing.

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[TonyS]

I understood the problem with mobiles on aircraft was, that unlike on the ground, the mobile doesn't pass cleanly from one cell to another causing software problems when it could be in contact with 3 or more cells at the same time. They never have been a problem to the planes. I am sure that if you did a poll there are a lot of forum members who have gone to switch their phone on after a flight to find it has been on all the time! The plane didn't crash.

An interesting point I heard yesterday is that pilots of commercial planes in a holding pattern, waiting to get a landing slot, are giving the air traffic controllers hell over their mobiles.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony

 

[MarkV]

I seem to remember hearing about a DC10 that experianced control difficulties and the crew eventually tracked the problem down to someone playing with a gameboy!

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[robp]

If you stand a cell phone next to a CD player you can in some cases stop the CD player. Mobiles can and do interfere with control lines.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by robp on 11/10/2004 16:29 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Mike_Martin]

Re: Mobiles actually very boaty

It's funny you should ask that!!

For several year both ferry operators and airline companies have wanted to allow mobile telephone handset use on board their vehicles. Unfortunately the handsets themselves DO affect Avionic and marine navigation systems and there are very serious safety implications.

The problem is that when you switch on OR move from one pico cell to another the unit will actively hunt for another cell within range and it does this on its highest power level (that's how the phone reaches a cell 4-5 miles away) this is the time that it adversely affects the vehicles' systems.

These companies want to install their own pico cells on board the vehicle which will actually take control aggressively of the handsets and stop them "hunting". Thereby (hopefully) negating the EMC issues and making it safe to use mobile phones on their vehicles. Of course it's going to cost extra because this technology doesn't come for free.

Does that help.
Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Bloke interested in boats who just also happens to work for Ofcom

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Mobiles actually very boaty

Nicely put Mike, and reinforces why you should continue to be allowed to post here in an official capacity.


Folks, read the thread on PBO where Mike explains why he can no longer post here on the forums officially.

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: Mobiles actually very boaty

That is the clearest explanation I have ever heard for this, many thanks Mike.
I presume with their own pico cells then the airlines could make a bit of extra dosh as well!!

I also agree with Brendan's post.



<hr width=100% size=1>Mike
Now back home with my mistress and SWMBO of course !!!