The Flat Earth Society

Flat Earth Discussion Boards => Flat Earth Theory => Topic started by: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 12:24:49 PM

Title: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 12:24:49 PM: A simple question for beginners. :)
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 04:17:37 PM: Cell phone towers are on the ground... If you do a little research you'll find a much better explanation.
Have you ever noticed that when you're using the GPS on your phone it will still work even if you don't have cell service? Because the GPS is using satellites not the towers.
Planes use GPS to navigate...
How would GPS work without satellites?
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 06:54:09 PM: Quote from: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 04:17:37 PM
Cell phone towers are on the ground... If you do a little research you'll find a much better explanation.
Have you ever noticed that when you're using the GPS on your phone it will still work even if you don't have cell service? Because the GPS is using satellites not the towers.
Planes use GPS to navigate...
How would GPS work without satellites?

GPS don't work on center of oceans and desolate areas as big deserts.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 07:08:20 PM: As far as I know a GPS device works anywhere in the world. Do you have an article or source I can check out?
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: rockworldwide on September 08, 2016, 07:43:45 PM: Quote from: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 07:08:20 PM
As far as I know a GPS device works anywhere in the world. Do you have an article or source I can check out?

There are 2 types of GPS. GPS is supposedly run by the 31 Air Force controlled satellites that each orbit the earth 2x a day. This is a free service to the world and only non-cellular devices use this system (ie...Garmin, etc.) aGPS or Assisted GPS is triangulated using cell towers which is why it is quicker and less accurate. Phones don't use the satellites, they use the cell towers and there's a fee to use the aGPS system.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: andruszkow on September 08, 2016, 08:19:37 PM: Incorrect. Assisted GPS is for fast estimates of current location, while the actual GPS chip obtains a satellite fix. People who work with embedded programming will know this is simply a boolean value set to true (FIX) when the chip is receiving from at least 3 satellites.

To repeat, the assisted GPS functionality is a temporary service giving fairly precise (but rough, compared to a GPS fix) estimates of your location until the chip has a FIX status.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: andruszkow on September 08, 2016, 08:28:30 PM: And, depending on the cell towers, GSM communication simply doesn't work for two reasons at those altitudes:

1. Cell tower transmitters and receivers are placed in a 3 x 120° configuration, angled slightly downwards to give optimal signal strength. This is why it's nearly impossible to obtain a signal from a cell tower if you stand right at it. These are the most common configurations.

2. Another fairly common configuration are with omni-directional receivers and transmitters. Those are usually used in areas with a very uneven landscape. You're actually able to communicate full duplex with them at 30,000 feet. Problem is that it's nearly impossible to only register with one cell-tower which renders the service invalid. IMEI numbers are as a standard blocked from the service when there's a handshake from multiple towers from the same device.

(I've been working with telecom tech for 9 years)
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: rabinoz on September 09, 2016, 06:28:19 AM: Quote from: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 06:54:09 PM
Quote from: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 04:17:37 PM
Cell phone towers are on the ground... If you do a little research you'll find a much better explanation.
Have you ever noticed that when you're using the GPS on your phone it will still work even if you don't have cell service? Because the GPS is using satellites not the towers.
Planes use GPS to navigate...
How would GPS work without satellites?

GPS don't work on center of oceans and desolate areas as big deserts.

You were wrong last time you said that, you will be wrong the next time you say it and wrong every time you say it!
Just note:
An incorrect statement does not become correct by multiple repetitions, it just makes the person saying it look more and more foolish.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: phayes9891 on September 09, 2016, 07:18:53 PM: I'm guessing I won't be getting a source for the claim GPS doesn't work in the middle of the ocean or deserts.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/techops/navservices/gnss/gps/howitworks/
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: Rounder on September 09, 2016, 07:36:11 PM: Quote from: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 06:54:09 PM
GPS don't work on center of oceans and desolate areas as big deserts.
Incorrect. I served for several years on US Navy ships, which operate for long periods "on center of oceans" and we had very reliable GPS.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: CableDawg on September 10, 2016, 03:23:46 AM: Quote from: İntikam on September 08, 2016, 12:24:49 PM
A simple question for beginners. :)

Who, other than yourself, is saying they don't work at 30,000 feet?

You were soundly beat down when your "knowledge" of television transmit/receive systems was shown to be lacking and you're now turning to cell phone transmit/receive systems?

Do you not understand that television, radio and cell phones operate on the same principals?
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: rabinoz on September 10, 2016, 04:16:59 AM: I don't think İntikam knows the answer to his own question!
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: rabinoz on September 12, 2016, 06:14:31 AM: Quote from: rabinoz on September 10, 2016, 04:16:59 AM
I don't think İntikam knows the answer to his own question!

Come on İntikam, we desparately need to know "Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?"
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: pluto on September 20, 2016, 09:53:19 AM: Quote from: phayes9891 on September 08, 2016, 07:08:20 PM
As far as I know a GPS device works anywhere in the world. Do you have an article or source I can check out?

Yes you a right. GPS works everywhere. Deserts and Oceans.
Title: Re: Why don't cell phones work on airplanes at 30,000 ft?
Post by: Southernhemispere on September 21, 2016, 07:17:41 PM: Another hole Intikam dug for himself!! He has no clue.