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That Guy · 04-06-2014, 09:01 AM

gps is a passive system. the flare your phone sends is over 3g/4g/etc. it's using a radio.

in aircraft you can pull breakers to disable a system completely. no uhf radio = no way to send the signal. over 300miles from a ground station = no one would hear it. a phone doesn't have the range of a 16 watt uhf transceiver, and would require a working cell tower in range (also short ranged), AND cell towers emit a corkscrew pattern signal (they take the omnidirectional power and shift it so the power/signal that'd be transmitted up into the air or into the ground instead increases the power of the horizontal signal, where it's more useful).

there is radio networking and satcom, but i don't think most commercial planes bother with it. the engine check was sending a satellite message, for example (but it was very very short with very very little info other than engine good/engine bad).

again, we're talking about a plane lost at sea, not within range of ground radar, cell networks, tacan, etc etc.

04-06-2014, 09:01 AM	#217
That Guy Living Legend Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: VA Age: 42 Posts: 17,584	Re: Super Happy Unfun Thread! gps is a passive system. the flare your phone sends is over 3g/4g/etc. it's using a radio. in aircraft you can pull breakers to disable a system completely. no uhf radio = no way to send the signal. over 300miles from a ground station = no one would hear it. a phone doesn't have the range of a 16 watt uhf transceiver, and would require a working cell tower in range (also short ranged), AND cell towers emit a corkscrew pattern signal (they take the omnidirectional power and shift it so the power/signal that'd be transmitted up into the air or into the ground instead increases the power of the horizontal signal, where it's more useful). there is radio networking and satcom, but i don't think most commercial planes bother with it. the engine check was sending a satellite message, for example (but it was very very short with very very little info other than engine good/engine bad). again, we're talking about a plane lost at sea, not within range of ground radar, cell networks, tacan, etc etc.