Comments on: Episode 49: Cell Phones on a Plane

By: floyd

floyd — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:00:18 +0000

I prefer the mobile phone ban; less noise in the airplane.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:57:21 +0000

Came here becaue of the news this week about celebrity using cell phone, and recalled Mythbusters had done this. So, there IS a eason not to use them… then get to Lonny’s post here- did you even READ the thing, Lonny?

By: Splxq2000

Splxq2000 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:04:34 +0000

Do you have any idea what sort of power and antenna it would take to send a signal UP from a cell phone to a GPS satellite? Check out an Iridium phone sometime.

GPS receivers are just that- receivers. They listen- there are no transmissions (barring EMI/RFI interference etc) from a handheld device going up to the GPS satellites in order to locate your position. That’s just not how it works.

By: DT

DT — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:44:56 +0000

Simple, Don’t fly if you can’t keep out of touch for a few hours. Electronic interference can be disastrous and also nuisance value of using a mobile phone when a) Fellow passengers are sleeping b) Evacuation is ordered c) PA announcements regarding safety d) Food is being served. It’s not that you are going into space forever , just a few hours. I hope they keep the ban in place. Fly safe !!!
P.S I am not saying using mobile phones during a flight is the only risk , there may be other safety factors but mobile phone contributes in some way

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:18:15 +0000

Because it’s SO HARD to turn off your electronics for 10 minutes during the climb.. Good grief.

By: Brad

Brad — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:35:30 +0000

Interesting…. So what happens to the planes when most people utilize LTE or WiMax Phones? The radios are using 700-900 MHZ Depending on the carriers.

By: Krystle

Krystle — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 07:06:01 +0000

I heard that sound before. I agree you are absolutely right. I even heard that same interference on my child’s keyboard before receiving a phone call or text on my cell phone. The keyboard has no wire connections and no am/fm radio.

By: LOL

LOL — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 05:40:30 +0000

Replying to a post 4 years later? =P

Incidentally, you’re right… All devices cause interference, but radios intentionally emit “interference”.

That said, if the plane’s electronics is unshielded, I think you have a much bigger problem then cell phones.

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:49:11 +0000

Almost all electronics emit radio signals whether they are designed that way or not. That is what electronic interference is all about. Well designed, properly functioning devices have shielding and other mechanisms to limit the interference they generate. However older and/or defective devices could easily generate interference. You are a wannabe geek, otherwise you’d know that.

By: H. Chiu

H. Chiu — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:48:33 +0000

Jason, if you are really a professional, I don’t think you should say such things. Fifty years ago, who knew that smoking could cause lung cancer? Even doctors smoked at that time. Many aircraft crash and accident investigations are being made based on some higher priority possible causes but it does not mean that some invisible causes could be unrelated. Why take risk or encourage people to take risk? There is no such incidents all the time does not mean nothing will happen. Once in trouble is aleady good enough to ruin everything from a person! News also reported that someone fell down from 10 storey building still survived, will you try?