flying commercial.... right now...

eman1200

eman1200

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Mar 10, 2013
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Oakland, CA
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Bro do you even lift
Just chillin in first class, gogo works but can't get a gps signal to follow the flight in garmin pilot. What gives?!? (Nexus 7)
 
hook_dupin said:
And you picked garmin pilot over free booze and sleep?
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Poor assumption. On my 4th vodka/cran and I'll sleep when I'm dead. Also just had some pasta primavera but not before washing my hands with a hot towel. 1st class rocks!
 
I am also enjoying my free drink coupon beer and peanuts as I sit comfortably rammed in a SWA seat hooked to the internet @ 35000
 
I have that problem with my HTC One. The GPS works sometimes, doesn't work other times. I suspect that the plane might form a Faraday cage of sorts, but I'm gonna do a little googling and come back with answers (maybe).
 
jpower said:
I have that problem with my HTC One. The GPS works sometimes, doesn't work other times. I suspect that the plane might form a Faraday cage of sorts, but I'm gonna do a little googling and come back with answers (maybe).
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Okay so after a few minutes on the google, I have nothing conclusive, but I think I'm right... Someone with a EE degree might chime in?
 
not Faraday, but the airplane apparently blocks the signal pretty well. I've had dome success by a window

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
TMetzinger said:
not Faraday, but the airplane apparently blocks the signal pretty well. I've had dome success by a window

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
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Wouldn't the lightning proofing have a Faraday-like effect?
 
I've never been successful in getting a GPS signal on a commercial flight with my iPhone. Even holding it up to a window doesn't seem to help. :dunno:
 
TMetzinger said:
not Faraday, but the airplane apparently blocks the signal pretty well. I've had dome success by a window

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Actually, yes it is a Faraday cage. The penetration depth is approximately equal to the size of the holes in the grid. That is, it will work next to a window, not elsewhere. But that's a restricted view of the sky, so it won't always work (you'll need at least 4-5 satellites in that direction, which is far from guaranteed)

As was mentioned, the Faraday effect is depended upon for lightning protection.

The aircraft's own GPS antenna (if it's equipped -- not all airliners are) is on top of the roof, and is therefore outside the cage.
 
I've generally been able to pick up a GPS signal while sitting in a window seat but not from any other.
 
jpower said:
I have that problem with my HTC One. The GPS works sometimes, doesn't work other times. I suspect that the plane might form a Faraday cage of sorts, but I'm gonna do a little googling and come back with answers (maybe).
Click to expand...

jpower said:
Okay so after a few minutes on the google, I have nothing conclusive, but I think I'm right... Someone with a EE degree might chime in?
Click to expand...

MAKG1 said:
Actually, yes it is a Faraday cage. The penetration depth is approximately equal to the size of the holes in the grid. That is, it will work next to a window, not elsewhere. But that's a restricted view of the sky, so it won't always work (you'll need at least 4-5 satellites in that direction, which is far from guaranteed)

As was mentioned, the Faraday effect is depended upon for lightning protection.

The aircraft's own GPS antenna (if it's equipped -- not all airliners are) is on top of the roof, and is therefore outside the cage.
Click to expand...

I am an EE, so I don't need to play one on TV or stay at a Holiday Inn Express. That said, MAKG1 is absolutely correct on all points. You need to have a window seat, and then you have to be lucky enough to have enough birds visible (and in a usable configuration) for the GPS in your Nexus 7 to work. BTDT.

1st class is far more comfortable than cattle car. I remember the early experiments with WiFi on board. The old Connexion by Boeing product. Some years ago I was on a SG flight from SFO to HKG and bought an hour of connect time. Took care of work matters and still had a little time, so I logged onto POA. Poor Scott Migaldi. I remember him being upset that he now had one less place to hide from the boss. Yup, 35,000 feet over the middle of the Pacific just didn't do it anymore. I don't know if these new systems use satellite links or ground links. If satellite, we can't hide. If ground links, trans-oceanic flights are still a haven from being contacted by the boss.

I've enjoyed having some time off from travel. Nothing in December or this month. Things pick up next month and we're off to the races. Oh well, life in the fast lane... :D
 
I never had a problem getting my Garmin Aera to work on an airliner, never had my iPad work though.
 
What ?????? You sure you don't want to be bouncing all over the sky trying to keep your instrument scan going while figuring out where the freezing level is and trying to decide how much more ice you're going to accept on your airframe all while sucking 100LL down at 12GPH and trying to convince your significant other how much better it is than the airlines ?
 
Art VanDelay said:
What ?????? You sure you don't want to be bouncing all over the sky trying to keep your instrument scan going while figuring out where the freezing level is and trying to decide how much more ice you're going to accept on your airframe all while sucking 100LL down at 12GPH and trying to convince your significant other how much better it is than the airlines ?
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Nope. I want my wife to continue flying with me. IR or no IR, that means conservative weather decisions. Besides, most of the places she likes to go with me are way out of the range of a 182. Europe, Hawaii... :D
 
Ghery said:
I don't know if these new systems use satellite links or ground links. If satellite, we can't hide. If ground links, trans-oceanic flights are still a haven from being contacted by the boss.
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I believe they use satellites these days. That's where you get the best bandwidth and the best coverage, although it may not be global. Geostationary isn't THAT far away.

FYI, you could in principle get oceanic coverage from ground stations with an HF carrier, but the bandwidth would be terrible.
 
MAKG1 said:
I believe they use satellites these days. That's where you get the best bandwidth and the best coverage, although it may not be global. Geostationary isn't THAT far away.

FYI, you could in principle get oceanic coverage from ground stations with an HF carrier, but the bandwidth would be terrible.
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If I recall correctly, when we were looking into systems for our plane, the inexpensive version was terrestrial (only worked over CONUS). To work on oceanic flights, you needed a satellite based system which was quite a bit more expensive.
 
I can get ForeFlight to receive a signal, but I have to hold it up to the window. If I put it on the tray table the signal drops.
 
eman1200 said:
Just chillin in first class, gogo works but can't get a gps signal to follow the flight in garmin pilot. What gives?!? (Nexus 7)
Click to expand...

My experience.. in anything pressurized (even the smaller GA planes) you need to be near a window. Even with a more robust external GPS reciever - it needs to be on the glareshield to get a good signal.

Occasionally I can get the iphone to work if I hold it right up to a window on an airliner. In the G-550, much better signal with the larger windows.

















Ok just kidding about the G-550 :)
 
If I place this thing in the window I can get ForeFlight to work perfectly. Actually this will work on the little table if you are in a window seat and it can see out the window. btw. First class makes flying commercial tolerable.

xgps150_HeaderImage.jpg
 
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