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Larry W4CSC December 4th 03 06:13 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 05:34:47 GMT, Michael Kelly
wrote:


Thanks Larry,

I appreciate the info, I did not know how long we could still use the
good cel phones. My wife got in on a $15/month cel phone plan, and I'm
at $20.
My wife and I still use our old 3 watt monsters. I kind of take the
Zen view of phones in that "they are my tools, they are not my master".
I've never been tempted to take my bag phone into a restuarant. My
phone can be plugged into the lighter outlet if I want to make a call.
When I use the phone, my conversations are clear, even in very rural areas.

Oh, I carry the Motorola TX200 with me into restaurants. Younger
people have never seen one and I'm frequently approached to ask about
how well it works.

To Verizon's dismay, I let them make a call so they can hear the
beautiful FM fidelity, without the digital delays and distortions of
their little toyphones. Most of them, exposed to cellular's
brainwashing that AMPS is terrible, noisy, distorted and just awful to
reduce demand for AMPS cellular service, are astonished that they've
been lied to by the companies.

Compared to 8 or 13 Khz digital schemes, AMPS sounds like FM
stereo...(c;

I'll get off AMPS when they drag the bagphone handle from my DEAD COLD
HANDS.....


Larry W4CSC

NNNN


Larry W4CSC December 4th 03 06:34 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 05:34:47 GMT, Michael Kelly
wrote:


Thanks Larry,

I appreciate the info, I did not know how long we could still use the
good cel phones. My wife got in on a $15/month cel phone plan, and I'm
at $20.
My wife and I still use our old 3 watt monsters. I kind of take the
Zen view of phones in that "they are my tools, they are not my master".
I've never been tempted to take my bag phone into a restuarant. My
phone can be plugged into the lighter outlet if I want to make a call.
When I use the phone, my conversations are clear, even in very rural areas.

Mike.

I also don't know if you go into the Caribbean, but your AMPS phone
will work most places on small islands with a simple call to 611,
unlike the confusing, incompatible digital schemes they've dreamed up
to prevent churning from company to company. Small countries are
still AMPS cellular.


Larry W4CSC

NNNN


Larry W4CSC December 4th 03 06:34 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 05:34:47 GMT, Michael Kelly
wrote:


Thanks Larry,

I appreciate the info, I did not know how long we could still use the
good cel phones. My wife got in on a $15/month cel phone plan, and I'm
at $20.
My wife and I still use our old 3 watt monsters. I kind of take the
Zen view of phones in that "they are my tools, they are not my master".
I've never been tempted to take my bag phone into a restuarant. My
phone can be plugged into the lighter outlet if I want to make a call.
When I use the phone, my conversations are clear, even in very rural areas.

Mike.

I also don't know if you go into the Caribbean, but your AMPS phone
will work most places on small islands with a simple call to 611,
unlike the confusing, incompatible digital schemes they've dreamed up
to prevent churning from company to company. Small countries are
still AMPS cellular.


Larry W4CSC

NNNN


[email protected] December 5th 03 04:00 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
Larry, Thanks for the great info.

I just a got a used bag phone from Ebay, cleaned it up, threw out the
battery and plugged it in.... works like a charming getting 911!!

Gotta say, I sure wish i knew about this before, like last summer when
I decided to take a short cut through the Florida Panhandle (in my
truck) and recall driving for an hour with no phone signal and seeing
nothing but road kill. Would have been real ugly to have been broke
down out there.

QUESTION FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS:
I understand I can make collect and credit card calls with the phone??
Is this true? How? Right now I get some message from ATT (I think)
about not being a valid phone line. I tried calling 101020 - and still
get that message. Wonder some of those 1800collect type numbers would
work?

Thanks for any help or information.

[email protected] December 5th 03 04:00 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
Larry, Thanks for the great info.

I just a got a used bag phone from Ebay, cleaned it up, threw out the
battery and plugged it in.... works like a charming getting 911!!

Gotta say, I sure wish i knew about this before, like last summer when
I decided to take a short cut through the Florida Panhandle (in my
truck) and recall driving for an hour with no phone signal and seeing
nothing but road kill. Would have been real ugly to have been broke
down out there.

QUESTION FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS:
I understand I can make collect and credit card calls with the phone??
Is this true? How? Right now I get some message from ATT (I think)
about not being a valid phone line. I tried calling 101020 - and still
get that message. Wonder some of those 1800collect type numbers would
work?

Thanks for any help or information.

Larry W4CSC December 5th 03 04:44 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
You'll only be able to dial 611 and 911 without service.

Dial 611 and she can connect your call at AMAZINGLY HIGH RATES charged
to your credit card.....Be prepared to take the hit.



On 5 Dec 2003 08:00:09 -0800, wrote:

Larry, Thanks for the great info.

I just a got a used bag phone from Ebay, cleaned it up, threw out the
battery and plugged it in.... works like a charming getting 911!!

Gotta say, I sure wish i knew about this before, like last summer when
I decided to take a short cut through the Florida Panhandle (in my
truck) and recall driving for an hour with no phone signal and seeing
nothing but road kill. Would have been real ugly to have been broke
down out there.

QUESTION FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS:
I understand I can make collect and credit card calls with the phone??
Is this true? How? Right now I get some message from ATT (I think)
about not being a valid phone line. I tried calling 101020 - and still
get that message. Wonder some of those 1800collect type numbers would
work?

Thanks for any help or information.


Larry W4CSC

NNNN


Larry W4CSC December 5th 03 04:44 PM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
You'll only be able to dial 611 and 911 without service.

Dial 611 and she can connect your call at AMAZINGLY HIGH RATES charged
to your credit card.....Be prepared to take the hit.



On 5 Dec 2003 08:00:09 -0800, wrote:

Larry, Thanks for the great info.

I just a got a used bag phone from Ebay, cleaned it up, threw out the
battery and plugged it in.... works like a charming getting 911!!

Gotta say, I sure wish i knew about this before, like last summer when
I decided to take a short cut through the Florida Panhandle (in my
truck) and recall driving for an hour with no phone signal and seeing
nothing but road kill. Would have been real ugly to have been broke
down out there.

QUESTION FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS:
I understand I can make collect and credit card calls with the phone??
Is this true? How? Right now I get some message from ATT (I think)
about not being a valid phone line. I tried calling 101020 - and still
get that message. Wonder some of those 1800collect type numbers would
work?

Thanks for any help or information.


Larry W4CSC

NNNN


[email protected] December 9th 03 02:09 AM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...
You'll only be able to dial 611 and 911 without service.

Dial 611 and she can connect your call at AMAZINGLY HIGH RATES charged
to your credit card.....Be prepared to take the hit.


Would only need to make a call in the rare event that I will not be
where I said I'd be by the time I said. Whatever the rate would be
cheaper than worrying loved ones and having them start a search and
rescue. I can't seem to get through on 611 - I just get the recording
then it hangs up - is there some trick?

Also, any way to boost a standard cell with a more power and maybe the
boats huge antenna?

[email protected] December 9th 03 02:09 AM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...
You'll only be able to dial 611 and 911 without service.

Dial 611 and she can connect your call at AMAZINGLY HIGH RATES charged
to your credit card.....Be prepared to take the hit.


Would only need to make a call in the rare event that I will not be
where I said I'd be by the time I said. Whatever the rate would be
cheaper than worrying loved ones and having them start a search and
rescue. I can't seem to get through on 611 - I just get the recording
then it hangs up - is there some trick?

Also, any way to boost a standard cell with a more power and maybe the
boats huge antenna?

Larry W4CSC December 9th 03 04:23 AM

cell phone coverage on boat - Key Biscayne to Key largo
 
Switch bands and try it. If it's talking to the A carrier, switch it
to B. YOU control an AMPS phone, not the Preferred Roaming List of
the new phones controlled by the carriers.

It's odd....I've never been refused talking to the operator on any
system. Geez, I might want to BUY SERVICE! How stupid can they be?

Pretty stupid, actually....(c;

Motorola AMPS phones switch bands by pressing RCL then * until you see
the A or B combo you like. Then press RCL again to lock it onto that
system. If your phone has a STO (store) button, use that to lock it
onto the other system.



On 8 Dec 2003 18:09:10 -0800, wrote:

(Larry W4CSC) wrote in message ...
You'll only be able to dial 611 and 911 without service.

Dial 611 and she can connect your call at AMAZINGLY HIGH RATES charged
to your credit card.....Be prepared to take the hit.


Would only need to make a call in the rare event that I will not be
where I said I'd be by the time I said. Whatever the rate would be
cheaper than worrying loved ones and having them start a search and
rescue. I can't seem to get through on 611 - I just get the recording
then it hangs up - is there some trick?

Also, any way to boost a standard cell with a more power and maybe the
boats huge antenna?


Larry W4CSC

NNNN



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