[118698] in Cypherpunks
Re: Cell towers can't track very short calls? (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jim Choate)
Wed Oct 6 00:38:55 1999
From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Message-Id: <199910060431.XAA26711@einstein.ssz.com>
To: cypherpunks@einstein.ssz.com
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 23:31:52 -0500 (CDT)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Reply-To: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
----- Forwarded message from Greg Broiles -----
Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 20:53:06 -0700
From: Greg Broiles <gbroiles@netbox.com>
Subject: CDR: Re: Cell towers can't track very short calls?
Is it possible that most private pilots aren't flying at the speeds or
altitudes common to commercial flights, such that they're going to be less
likely to experience this? Also, would you notice if you made a cell call
that *didn't* show up on your bill? I look at mine to see if there are
calls that I didn't make, but I don't think I'd notice a call that was
missing (especially if it were made while travelling, given that roaming
calls can take longer to show up on bills).
----- End of forwarded message from Greg Broiles -----
60 mph is 1 mile/minute. A typical cell radius is what, 3-4 miles (say 15,000
feet in dia.). So, at 200 mpt you'd cover a 4 mile radius in just about a
minute. I'm assuming it's radiation pattern is hemispherical (omnidirectional)
but a flat plane antenna could significantly reduce vertical sensitivity. If
so this means the effective cell site radius is reduced with altitude. At the
top of this 'coverage bubble' there would be dead spots between cell sites
where no reliable coverage should be expected. This would also give you a
maximum effective altitude to expect reliable cell service.
I suspect your second suggestion is more likely. Especialy if its a short
call of only a few seconds.
____________________________________________________________________
Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left
free to combat it.
Thomas Jefferson
The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate
Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com
www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087
-====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'-
--------------------------------------------------------------------
