cell phone coverage from North site

[denverdoc]

I have to carry a pager 24/7 or make special arrangements for a colleague to cover. What cell phone plans work well out of the North site, if any? Looking to buy in the next few days,
JS

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

You’re dreamin’…. while SOME folks are able to get coverage (Joe Hinton is one) WHEN at the top of the hill, I know of no one with coverage reliable enough to receive calls. Occasionally, you can make a call from the roof of an RV if you’re lucky. My Sprint/Nextel Blackberry only works when I’m within a mile of US85. My Verizon flip-phone works 50% of the time from the roof of someone’s vehicle. Your mileage may vary…

Warren Musselman

[Ed Dawson]

John,

I use a T-Mobile Blackberry. While it does not get any reception at the immediate launch site, I reliably get service and my emails when I go the short distance to the top of the hill.

While having to worry about calls and such on a launch day is a pain it definitly beats having to stay at work. I end up making a trip or two to the top of the hill to check messages or make scheduled calls.

“A bad day launching is better than a good day working”

Ed

[denverdoc]

Thanks guys, took the plunge an bought a moto razor with cingular service as it works out of hartsel and some say from the hill most of the time. Be nice if we could build a small balloon hoisted repeater for cell phone use…
JS

[Conway StevensParticipant]

Hi John,

Actually Dave Hanson uses Cingualr I belive and says his phone works PERFECT at the north site all the time.

CS

[denverdoc]

Thanks Con, we’ll see. So far no dropped calls but most importantly thrash free integration with the bluetooth in my car. In the Ripleys dept, worked right away, well right after consultation with the owners manual when simply turning it on didn’t work 😀 Smart but not yet reading minds…It is a fine phone but can you believe no free games, Just a Bejewelled demo, and of course instance access to the internet where you can stock up at to your hearts content for $$, pathetic instance of capitlism able to provide a superb productyet still wanting to pickpocket in the extreme.
J

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

The current version of the flight computer product I’m playing with developing talks via bluetooth to my mobile phone. One of the options will be text messaging GPS data, altitude, temperature and acceleration via cellular text messages… unfortunately, our launch site is crappy for MOST cellular carriers…

Just imagine, your rocket calls you to tell you where it is…

Max

[edwardModerator]

Smart but not yet reading minds…It is a fine phone but can you believe no free games, Just a Bejewelled demo, and of course instance access to the internet where you can stock up at to your hearts content for $$, pathetic instance of capitlism able to provide a superb productyet still wanting to pickpocket in the extreme.
J

I know – I was bummed at the no free games…So far I’ve hit 720 with my bejeweled – wondering what the highest can be.

Edward

[denverdoc]

ed,

doing better than I–mere 260 (but thats while driving 🙄 ), haven’t had to wait at the doc’s office yet…If you haven’t seen it MSN Games Zone has the full version. When first released few years ago, it was all the rage.
J

[denverdoc]

The current version of the flight computer product I’m playing with developing talks via bluetooth to my mobile phone. One of the options will be text messaging GPS data, altitude, temperature and acceleration via cellular text messages… unfortunately, our launch site is crappy for MOST cellular carriers…

Just imagine, your rocket calls you to tell you where it is…

Max

Now that sounds pretty cool, only thing better I’ve heard of (supposedly in the works by one of the vendors) is scaling down the full size GPS guided paraglider systems that can land a payload on a dime for rocket use. Plug in the target coordinates and the rocket drops down literally in your lap. I know its been done with conventional R/C but googling for off the shelf chutes, can’t find any with enough lift for routine use.

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