On Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:33:17 +0000, Stephen wrote:

> On 28/01/2011 4:38 AM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>>
>> Well, here in Utah, that's true if you're with AT&T.  With Verizon,
>> reception is pretty good everywhere I've been.
>>
>>
> I would have thought that with either all those open spaces or canyon
> buildings, reception would be patchy. Well you live and learn.

When we moved into the ASC Tower (now the Wells Fargo tower), we 
anticipated problems with cell reception, so they installed a device/
antenna system that boosted the carriers' signals inside the building.

> Did I ever mention that I used to use flight simulators? I spent hours
> on FS4. So much so my wife bought me a flying lesson for my 40th
> birthday. How could I have forgotten that I suffer from acrophobia? I’ve
> not used a flight simulator since.

I don't think you had mentioned that - I prefer X-Plane myself, but I 
need a faster computer.  And as Ken's done with college after this 
summer, I think a new computer might well be in the cards. :-)

>>> OK these were handhelds with power to reach the horizon.
>>
>> The horizon is a long ways away. ;-)
>>
>>
> About 15 miles, all round. ;-)

True, though just try walking to it. ;-)

Jim

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On Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:31:22 +0000, scott wrote:

>> There's probably nothing that prevents the cell signal from being used,
>> and if the plane is already doomed, turning on a cell phone isn't
>> likely to make things worse.
> 
> Probably thousands of people leave their phone on by mistake (or on
> purpose) on flights daily, I've done it myself (by accident) at least
> twice.  It surely isn't much of a safety issue otherwise they would
> rigorously check every single phone on board.

If it were, they'd ask you to turn off the phone, remove the battery, and 
put it in checked baggage.  Same with laptops.

That in and of itself tells me it's not as big a danger as they want 
people to believe.

> I imagine also below a certain height you can easily get a signal from
> the ground based base stations, occasionally on a flight you hear
> someone's phone beep as the plane is coming in to land.

Yep.

Jim

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Stephen wrote:
> I would have thought that with either all those open spaces or canyon 
> buildings, reception would be patchy. Well you live and learn.

Verison uses CDMA. CDMA works better in canyons because there's lots of n
ice 
reflective surfaces to bounce the signal off to route it where it's going
.

Most verison fones have three or four antennas (well, "fingers", but thin
k 
of them as antennas) which they time-shift to make reflections add instea
d 
of cancel.

> Did I ever mention that I used to use flight simulators? I spent hours 

> on FS4. So much so my wife bought me a flying lesson for my 40th 


> not used a flight simulator since.

That's one of the funnier stories I've heard lately. Thank you.

>>> OK these were handhelds with power to reach the horizon.
>> The horizon is a long ways away. ;-)
> About 15 miles, all round. ;-)

Not from in an airplane.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
  "How did he die?"   "He got shot in the hand."
     "That was fatal?"
          "He was holding a live grenade at the time."

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On 28/01/2011 5:47 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:

>
> When we moved into the ASC Tower (now the Wells Fargo tower), we
> anticipated problems with cell reception, so they installed a device/
> antenna system that boosted the carriers' signals inside the building.
>

What about in the street?


>
> I don't think you had mentioned that - I prefer X-Plane myself, but I
> need a faster computer.  And as Ken's done with college after this
> summer, I think a new computer might well be in the cards. :-)
>

Not that PovRay would benefit ;-)


>> About 15 miles, all round. ;-)
>
> True, though just try walking to it. ;-)
>

Who do you think I am, Jesus?
It was at sea.



-- 
Regards
     Stephen

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On 28/01/2011 5:56 PM, Darren New wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> I would have thought that with either all those open spaces or canyon
>> buildings, reception would be patchy. Well you live and learn.
>
> Verison uses CDMA. CDMA works better in canyons because there's lots of
> nice reflective surfaces to bounce the signal off to route it where it's
> going.
>
> Most verison fones have three or four antennas (well, "fingers", but
> think of them as antennas) which they time-shift to make reflections add
> instead of cancel.
>
Magic! :-)

>> Did I ever mention that I used to use flight simulators? I spent hours
>> on FS4. So much so my wife bought me a flying lesson for my 40th
>> birthday. How could I have forgotten that I suffer from acrophobia?
>> I’ve not used a flight simulator since.
>
> That's one of the funnier stories I've heard lately. Thank you.
>
My pleasure.

>>>> OK these were handhelds with power to reach the horizon.
>>> The horizon is a long ways away. ;-)
>> About 15 miles, all round. ;-)
>
> Not from in an airplane.
>

No an oil platform about 150 feet above sea level.

-- 
Regards
     Stephen

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On Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:13:45 +0000, Stephen wrote:

> On 28/01/2011 5:47 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> 
> 
>> When we moved into the ASC Tower (now the Wells Fargo tower), we
>> anticipated problems with cell reception, so they installed a device/
>> antenna system that boosted the carriers' signals inside the building.
>>
>>
> What about in the street?

Wasn't too bad, as I recall.

>> I don't think you had mentioned that - I prefer X-Plane myself, but I
>> need a faster computer.  And as Ken's done with college after this
>> summer, I think a new computer might well be in the cards. :-)
>>
>>
> Not that PovRay would benefit ;-)

Oh, of course not. ;-)

>>> About 15 miles, all round. ;-)
>>
>> True, though just try walking to it. ;-)
>>
>>
> Who do you think I am, Jesus?
> It was at sea.

LOL

Jim

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Stephen wrote:
> Magic! :-)

Almost!

http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2002/04/Howspreadingactuallyworks.shtml

Even better: http://denbeste.nu/special/cdma_spreading.html

And that's just the digital part of getting bits from one side to the other.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
  "How did he die?"   "He got shot in the hand."
     "That was fatal?"
          "He was holding a live grenade at the time."

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On 28/01/2011 7:13 PM, Darren New wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
>> Magic! :-)
>
> Almost!
>

I'm still coming to terms with tropo scatter. ;-)

> http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2002/04/Howspreadingactuallyworks.shtml
>
> Even better: http://denbeste.nu/special/cdma_spreading.html
>
That is a good one.

> And that's just the digital part of getting bits from one side to the
> other.
>

LOL

-- 
Regards
     Stephen

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> They also don't want it popping out of gear and driving away with the
> hose still in it, running into the car in front, running down the
> attendant, etc.

Scary automatic transmissions :-)

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> Maybe where you are. San Diego is a bit bright to even watch with the
> reflection off the wall of the window's light. ;-)

Nah, you just need a better TV, contrary to popular belief we have some 
days with sun sometimes too :-)

>> However someone decided to then market a "glossy" LCD (which is
>> actually simpler and cheaper to make) and many people prefer it.
>
> It's nicer when the room is dark, yes.

That's a general problem too, everyone quotes the specs of their TVs 
when measured under completely dark conditions.  In reality that is not 
a very common situation for watching TV, and it is quite surprising how 
the numbers change when you add in some ambient light.

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