On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 13:00:45 -0500, Rodney Myrvaagnes
wrote:

where do you get a cell phone with a GPS built into it?

They all have it. They don't tell you where you are, but they tell the
cel station where you are if use 911, for example.

Big Brother is Watching.

;-)

SJ Zouaves, CRPA & GOA Life, GOC, NRA, Hurrah CMP

thats not GPS , I asked about GPS in cellphones.

The manual for my cell phone (Samsung SPH A-460) refers to an internal GPS
used to locate the phone. I normally have it (the GPS function) turned off
but the manual states it will override and turn on GPS if I make a 911 call.
I did a quick Google on "GPS cell phone" and found a bunch of info
including:

"assisted GPS, a form of location detection in which cell phone towers help
GPS satellites fix a cell phone caller's position"

"Enhanced 911 - Mobile phone companies are under orders from the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission to incorporate some kind of
location-reporting technology into cellular phones. Dubbed E-911, or
enhanced 911, the communication initiative is meant to give law enforcement
and emergency services personnel a way to find people calling 911 from
mobile phones when callers don't know where they are or are unable to say.
The FCC issued waivers permitting carriers to add location-detection
services to new phones over time, so that 95 percent of all mobile phones
are compliant with E-911 rules by 2005."

Interesting...
--
Ken Heaton & Anne Tobin
Cape Breton Island, Canada
kenheaton AT ess wye dee DOT eastlink DOT ca

"akcarlos" wrote in message
ups.com...
thats not GPS , I asked about GPS in cellphones.

On 3 Jan 2005 18:33:38 -0800, wrote:

I have never used radar so this idea may be useless (ok, so almost all
of em are) but.....
Producing an intense burst of RF is fairly easy by firing a magnet
through a properly shaped coil. This is done in new EMP weapons where
the power output is high enough to fry nearby electronics. So, why not
use the same idea in a 12 guage shell dsigned to fit in one of those
flare launchers. The charge fires the magnet through the coil (this is
destructive as the coil disintegrates) producing a short intense pulse
of RF that will appear on the radar scope. Maybe it could also fire a
cloud of chaff into the air to make a longer lasting return. The idea
is that the initial pulse will get the operators attention and then the
chaff would allow him to see the source.

Clever, but I bet the chaff is easier to create by other means. Chaff
is sized according to frequency of the receiving units. I have no idea
what that would be for modern sets, but in WWII, "window" was fairly
long (12-18") aluminum coated card stock that was chucked out of
bombers or "pathfinders" to screw with the primitive German radar.
Five hundred bombers looked like five thousand over five times the
area = crappy radar guidance for anti-aircraft.

Funnily enough, I just read of field trials getting underway for an
"electric bullet" which is essentially a plastic, non-lethal
projectile in standard police-issue calibres that delivers a strong,
piezo-electric charge that stuns people in a similar fashion as a
taser, but over a far greater range and with similar accuracy as a
regular bullet. Your "RF pulse shell" is not dissimilar.

R.

On Thu, 06 Jan 2005 00:44:01 GMT, "Ken Heaton"
wrote:

The manual for my cell phone (Samsung SPH A-460) refers to an internal GPS
used to locate the phone. I normally have it (the GPS function) turned off
but the manual states it will override and turn on GPS if I make a 911 call.
I did a quick Google on "GPS cell phone" and found a bunch of info
including:

"assisted GPS, a form of location detection in which cell phone towers help
GPS satellites fix a cell phone caller's position"

"Enhanced 911 - Mobile phone companies are under orders from the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission to incorporate some kind of
location-reporting technology into cellular phones. Dubbed E-911, or
enhanced 911, the communication initiative is meant to give law enforcement
and emergency services personnel a way to find people calling 911 from
mobile phones when callers don't know where they are or are unable to say.
The FCC issued waivers permitting carriers to add location-detection
services to new phones over time, so that 95 percent of all mobile phones
are compliant with E-911 rules by 2005."

A few kidnapping victims thrown in trunks have been found this way,
and similar technology is used in tracking stolen cars, I believe.

The only problem would be range: digital phones die about 1.5 NM
offshore, and analog (when you can FIND one) not only likely don't
have the GPS feature (too antique) but have a typical range similar to
a hand-held VHF...line of sight or 5-6 NM.

EPIRB with GPS if offshore, otherwise, just swim for it G

R.

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 06:42:56 -0800, "Steve" wrote:


I believe that a good selection of flares is the best way to attract
attention (assuming the other vessel has a proper watch 'on deck'.

Speaking as someone who's spoken to a fellow cruiser who had to fire a
flare AT a watchperson to get them to see him (tip: aim high because
flares drop into a parabola rapidly), I think there's an issue with
the declining practice of watch-keeping in an age of bleeping gadgets.

In article ,
rhys wrote:

The only problem would be range: digital phones die about 1.5 NM
offshore, and analog (when you can FIND one) not only likely don't
have the GPS feature (too antique) but have a typical range similar to
a hand-held VHF...line of sight or 5-6 NM.

Maybe the laws of Physics are different in your universe, but up here in
alaska, and on the west coast of the USA, we routinely have Digital Cell
coverage out to 20 miles, and there really isn't much difference in
coverage between analog, and digital in the 800 Mhz Cellphone band.
It could be that the poster is confusing Cellular and PCS, in which case
he/she should specify the definition of the system they are discussing.
PCS has significantly smaller cell coverage areas, due to the fact that
it use frequencies more than triple the Cellular frequencysin the 800
Mhz band.
If you have a Handheld Marine VHF that can only communicate out to 6
miles over water, you need to have it checked out by a compitant Tech,
because it is certainly not operating correctly. I can sit in my cabin
and communicate with vessels transiting the 16 mile wide Straight,
anywhere within that area, with my simple Motorola Marine Triton
Handheld Vhf Radio, as it was produced at the factory.


Me

In article ,
JGS jgs123@comcast^dot^net wrote:

Hi Bruce

Without a doubt, you are referring to SARTs (Search And Rescue (Radar)
Transponders

Link he
http://www.gmdss.com.au/survival.htm

The SOLAS GMDSS regulations are structured such that all GMDSS ships are
required to carry a minimum set of equipment, with (basically) more
equipment being required the further the ship travels from land.

SARTs are a requirement for any SOLAS GMDSS certified ship. One SART if
under 500 GRT, 2 SARTs if over 500 GRT.

So for the OP, the concept (while a different implementation) isn't new, the
technology is already in place.

The following link gives a pretty darn good description of GMDSS regulations
and why they were put into place. It makes an interesting read.

http://www.gmdss.com.au/index.html

Regards
JGS

Yep, used to Inspect them when doing Yearly Required SOLAS Inspections.
It was always fun to watch the Lifeboat Drill, when they were out
running around with the Transponder turned on. On one of the ARPA
Screens, the SART would lay down a track on the screen, wherever
they went. Alot different then back in the old days when the crew
had to demonstrate the GibsonGirl HF Transceiver Pack, during Lifeboat
Drills.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

True, I'm worth a lot less per pound than haddock was in those days.

--

Roger Long



"Keith" wrote in message
...
... or ignored you.

--


Keith
__
The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good
ending; and have the two as close together as possible. -George
Burns
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
I believe that a good selection of flares is the best way to
attract attention (assuming the other vessel has a proper watch
'on deck'.

I was once sinking in the middle of the night in Buzzards Bay. I
was pretty sure I could manage the situation and decided not to
fire off flares at the line of fishing vessels that were headed
into New Bedford. Then I realized that they were very likely to run
me down because the boat was small and I was pretty low in the
water. I decided to fire off a few flares. If they stopped, I'd
ask them to report me (no radio) and carry on.

I fired off my flares when I was right in front of them. They
never saw me.

--

Roger Long

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 20:38:50 GMT, Bruce in Alaska wrote:

they went. Alot different then back in the old days when the crew
had to demonstrate the GibsonGirl HF Transceiver Pack, during Lifeboat
Drills.

Bruce in alaska

Ah yes...the GibsonGirl. I think we nick-named it Hurtie-Girtie. I only used
one once. While in the Navy, us aircrew types were taken out into one of
the bays in Oahu, where we were rudely pushed over board. A big yellow
canister followed, and we were to deploy the enclosed life raft, climb
aboard, exercise the survival gear, including the GibsonGirl. After bobbing
around for a couple of hours, a chopper plucked us out of the water one at
a time, and desposited us on shore, next to a highway. Cars were lined up
for a half-mile watching the whole affair. Great fun for a 18 year old (barely) sailor.
Norm B