[pct-l] cellphone

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This link
http://www.instructables.com/id/Emergency-Signal-Boosting-Cellphone-Antenna/
may be of some value.  It describes a lightweight addition to cell phones  
which can boost reception.

The key thing to understand is that cell phones work on UHF (ultra-high  
frequency) radio channels, which travel only line of sight, unlike  
shortwave (HF) or broadcast AM (MW) which have some refractive ability  
(that is, they can bounce off the upper atmosphere back down to otherwise  
isolated spots).  If the phone can't "see" the tower, there's no signal,  
and no amount of enhanced antenna will make a bit of difference.  Example,  
even an external antenna won't work if the phone is deep in a canyon and  
there are no ridgetop antennas.  OTOH, if the phone is on a ridge top and  
the antenna is waaaaaaaaay over there, this little boost might do the  
trick.

I suppose we could lobby for cell antennas on every tall peak in the  
Sierra.  .... nah, let's not.

For true emergencies, like running out of blood, consider a PLB (personal  
locator beacon), works off satellites,
http://www.rei.com/product/751974
and variants.  If you use it because you're runing out of chocolate (I  
know, I know, a major food group), be prepared for some wrath by SAR.

The PLB has a battery which with luck will never be used, but has a 5-year  
shelf life.  The battery in a cell phone will need periodic charging, even  
with no use.  How will you keep it charged?  A charger in your bounce  
box?  A solar adapter?


On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:26:12 -0800, Ziv Lautman <ziviviz at gmail.com> wrote:

hello everybody,

Im planning to hike the pct this year, and Im thinking to take cellular
phone for two reasons:

...
Is there a signal from the trail? from towns along the trail for sure. but  
what about from the trail itself?

thank you,
ziv

-- 
Jeffrey "57" Zimmerman
Sonoma County
The Left Coast