Cell phones and hiking

[sierra]

brutus

Keven Rooney,
While we share complete opposite opinions on cell phones, I did meet Brutus going up Little haystack last sunday, he looked hot like I was he was sitting in some runoff just in the woods below the summitt, very cool dog, I was happy to make his aquantence.

 

[Quietman]

Just an observation, after 4 years on this site, this is the longest that a cell phone thread has survived without self distructing. Is it the rating system, who knows. Has everyone chilled out a degree or two, seems to be the case. It's nice to see differing view points that don't turn into rants!

I always take my phone, never bother others, have learned not to call home and check in(talk about rants! ) But with 5 teenagers, if my wife leaves a message, I better be able to lend a hand/ear. In 8 years, I've never used it in an emergency, but when hiking Moosilauke with my 73 yr young father, I was glad to have it in the pack. Sorry to hear that Veri**n dosen't seem to play fair. They still seem to have the best reception in the Whites.

 

[Neil]

I too was thinking how civilized this thread has remained. Antler, if you got dinged with a reddy it was likely cuz the "donor" considered your thread to be deliberately inflammatory based on past experience. Now, whoever you are who gave Antler that red square, go back and give 'im a nice little greenie.

 

[sierra]

Civil is good, Ive gotten caught up in some rantings myself over the years on different BBS's, but I try to stay focused as I get older, man life is short and after all, we all chew on the same dirt and rocks out there dont we.

 

[dougb]

Mud covering the antenna could potentially block the signal.

In general, the electronics compartment is waterproof, but the battery compartment may leak.

Also, the wrist is not the best place to carry a GPS. The antenna orientation, arm swing, and signal blocking by the body all can degrade performance. A wet sleeve covering the GPS could also block the signal.

Doug

The Forerunner's designed to be on the wrist, with it's antenna up (if you put it on your left wrist) and has no battery compartment. It's got an internal battery & is recharged in a clip that connects to the charger & also provides the IO for the software. Drawback there is you can't recharge it. However, I've carried it for a week without using up the (14 hr) battery, because I tend to navigate on a map & use the GPS more to check in. But, contrary to what I'd expected, I find it actually holds a signal better than other GPS's that I've used. Maybe the fact that I'm using poles, so my hands are out in the open is the reason. I don't know... Also, wrist mounted is very handy for kayaking (but that's another forum!).

 

[DougPaul]

The Forerunner's designed to be on the wrist, with it's antenna up (if you put it on your left wrist) and has no battery compartment.

There are two models of the forerunner--one using removable batteries, one with an internal battery. You did not specify which model.

But, contrary to what I'd expected, I find it actually holds a signal better than other GPS's that I've used. Maybe the fact that I'm using poles, so my hands are out in the open is the reason. I don't know... Also, wrist mounted is very handy for kayaking (but that's another forum!).

I have experimented with carrying an eTrex Vista in my hand and found that swinging the GPS degrades accuracy. (The GPS is trying to track using Kalman filter smoothing to integrate velocity and position information. When the GPS is oscillating back and forth the velocity information wobbles around and the Kalman filter cannot do as well.)

The wrist location would be better with poles than without (less body blocking). However, on top of your shoulder, the top of your pack, the top of your head, or above your head on a pole (all with the antenna oriented properly) will do even better. Smoother motion and less body blocking.

If I want to record the best quality track, I will put an external antenna in/on the top of my pack or in/on my hat. (The external antenna is just for convience so that I can leave the antenna in position and read the GPS displays at the same time.)

Doug

 

[escapee]

useful tool

Cell phones are useful tools. So are chain saws. But one is not supposed to use gasoline-powered equipment in designated wilderness areas because of several impacts, not the least of which is the noise. In a true life & limb emergency, one might use either tool, but short of that, leave the thing turned off & put away. Or walk in the local city park, amid the boom boxes and traffic noise, instead of bringing ringing telephones into the closest thing we have to wilderness remaining in the Northeast.