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GPS and airplane mode

J

jmmo20

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 15, 2006
1,163
102
Hello,

Does anyone know for sure if airplane mode does disable the GPS chip?
I downloaded Pathtrack and thought it be great if you could use it on a plane, because it tracks you even if no internet (google maps) is available. When you get to destination and get online you can send the path back to their servers for you to keep.

thanks.
 
Jeremy1026

Jeremy1026

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2007
2,215
1,029
jmmo20 said:
Hello,

Does anyone know for sure if airplane mode does disable the GPS chip?
I downloaded Pathtrack and thought it be great if you could use it on a plane, because it tracks you even if no internet (google maps) is available. When you get to destination and get online you can send the path back to their servers for you to keep.

thanks.
Click to expand...

Airplane mode turns off all transmitters and receivers.
 
P

pj rage

macrumors 6502
Jul 15, 2008
335
1
I've found from playing with it, that with airplane mode ON, my position in google maps DOES NOT update, indicating to me that the GPS chip is off. With airplane mode OFF, and NO SERVICE, I've found that my position in google maps DOES update, indicating that the GPS chip is on. So, to answer your question, yes airplane mode does disable the GPS chip.

You have an interesting idea there though, but unfortunately it would require that you leave your phone on, and hope that you could grab a GPS fix from the airplane while traveling at high speeds without service. Very unlikely, I would think? I know my friend has tried his portable tom tom on a plane and it couldn't grab a fix at all, he let it go for 15 minutes and it never locked.
 
L

Linuss

macrumors regular
Jul 25, 2008
128
0
dukebound85 said:
delta is offering wifi services

http://www.yenra.com/wiki/Gogo_Delta_WiFi_Internet

makes you wonder if you could uses your own internet from iphone as there are obvioulsy signals being transmitted by wifi. how they regulate those signals to be safe, i have no idea
Click to expand...



Because contrary to popular belief, having cellphones on during flight isn't dangerous. It's more of a "better safe then sorry" policy.

My mom was a flight attendant.
 
B

bluenoise

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2008
756
0
I just read there are a couple of leading reasons why cellphones aren't yet allowed on flights:

1. The cell carriers didn't like the idea of hundreds of cell phones pinging hundreds of towers at once and causing excessive handoff traffic. A plane flying at 30,000 feet is nearly equidistant from dozens of cell towers, so there would be far more negotiation and handoff than for a phone near the ground.

2. Most people (more than 80%) surveyed said they'd rather not have to listen to a Chatty Cathy on her cell phone during their flight than have the ability to make their own calls. Once the number of people who want cell use outnumber the number of people who don't, the airlines will probably reconsider.

I have heard of people using GPS receivers on flights and they work, but someone told me the airlines were concerned about security as a GPS receiver could be used as a location-based triggering device, for example. Seems a little far-fetched to me, but I guess that comes down to the 'better safe than sorry' issue.
 
N

Niiro13

macrumors 68000
Feb 12, 2008
1,719
0
Illinois
bluenoise said:
I just read there are a couple of leading reasons why cellphones aren't yet allowed on flights:

1. The cell carriers didn't like the idea of hundreds of cell phones pinging hundreds of towers at once and causing excessive handoff traffic. A plane flying at 30,000 feet is nearly equidistant from dozens of cell towers, so there would be far more negotiation and handoff than for a phone near the ground.

2. Most people (more than 80%) surveyed said they'd rather not have to listen to a Chatty Cathy on her cell phone during their flight than have the ability to make their own calls. Once the number of people who want cell use outnumber the number of people who don't, the airlines will probably reconsider.

I have heard of people using GPS receivers on flights and they work, but someone told me the airlines were concerned about security as a GPS receiver could be used as a location-based triggering device, for example. Seems a little far-fetched to me, but I guess that comes down to the 'better safe than sorry' issue.
Click to expand...

I thought that cell phones would be useless in terms of signals on flight...While the towers are strong enough to transmit a signal, doesn't that mean that you can receive a call, but as soon as you answer, you drop it, because of the strength of the transmitter in the phone?
 
N

NiroshanMan

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2007
348
0
I was on several flights a day ago. (going from anchorage AK to Hartford CT via Seattle and Houston) i tried turning off airplane mode for a minute. It couldn't locate me, nor could it find cell towers, i think the airplane was too high to get any signal.
 
lavrishevo

lavrishevo

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2007
1,864
204
NJ
I just tried the GPS on my flight and I could not pick up a signal. Had it on the ground but put it away during the last pre-flight inspection and it lost signal right around take off and never came back.

I was actually trying to use Speedometer to see the the speed it would read but a no go. :(

Edit: Just came across this posted "It can't locate you without cell service. Turn on airplane mode and open Google Maps. Try locating yourself. It doesn't work. It can't find the satellites on its own, it needs assistance from the cell towers."
 
S

Sputnik 57

macrumors newbie
Jul 31, 2008
18
0
Policy on GPS use in flight varies from airline to airline. Southwest has flip flopped but currently permits them. At last check, Delta allowed them, but some of their affiliated do not. Most GPS receivers won't get signal through the fuselage, but will if held next to a window. It is kind of cool to see your speed and altitude in real time, and have your path plotted on a map (I use a Garmin 60C).
As with almost every portable electronic device, use is prohibited below 10,000 feet. After that, check your in-flight magazine for a list of permitted devices. Most GPS units are receivers only, so the transmitter issue isn't a problem.
The iPhone turns off the GPS receiver when in airline mode.
 
B

bluenoise

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2008
756
0
Niiro13 said:
I thought that cell phones would be useless in terms of signals on flight...While the towers are strong enough to transmit a signal, doesn't that mean that you can receive a call, but as soon as you answer, you drop it, because of the strength of the transmitter in the phone?
Click to expand...

In order to receive a call, the tower has to have already established two-way communications with the handset. Even at 35000 feet, it's still less than seven miles and there are no obstructions, so your handset should be able to communicate just fine. I don't know, though, how much affect the plane's aluminum fuselage would attenuate the signals.
 
P

pj rage

macrumors 6502
Jul 15, 2008
335
1
FWIW I had tried my Verizon phone (which got great reception pretty much everywhere... I was the guy who always had cell service when no one else did) on a few flights and when at cruising altitude, it never could find a signal.
 
T

The General

macrumors 601
Jul 7, 2006
4,825
1
pj rage said:
FWIW I had tried my Verizon phone (which got great reception pretty much everywhere... I was the guy who always had cell service when no one else did) on a few flights and when at cruising altitude, it never could find a signal.
Click to expand...

That's because you're at least 6 miles from the nearest transceiver, and they don't point up, and you're going 500 miles per hour.

No one gets cell service in airplanes at cruising altitude.
 
C

Carl G35c

macrumors 6502
Aug 14, 2008
488
0
my freind got 2 bars of service 25 mins after take off departing Vegas using a Verizon LG VX6000. this was almost 2 yrs ago
 
V

Van Wildonher

macrumors 6502a
Apr 29, 2008
655
0
lavrishevo said:
Edit: Just came across this posted "It can't locate you without cell service. Turn on airplane mode and open Google Maps. Try locating yourself. It doesn't work. It can't find the satellites on its own, it needs assistance from the cell towers."
Click to expand...

Umm no it doesn't. FYI.
 
H

Hustle

macrumors 6502a
Jul 29, 2007
791
104
USA
Just leave your phone on. They overate the 'Phones interfere with the plane' so much. Saying that, you wont get any reception in a plane (to far from cell towers). GPS should work though.
 
R

rayward

macrumors 68000
Mar 13, 2007
1,697
88
Houston, TX
The GPS may find your position, but without cell/wifi coverage you won't have any data for Google Maps, so it's pretty pointless.

And there's been a huge discussion here before as to whether or not it's ok for some people to take it upon themselves to turn on their phones during take off/flight, just because they don't see why they shouldn't.
 
lavrishevo

lavrishevo

macrumors 68000
Jan 9, 2007
1,864
204
NJ
I would love to hear if anyone is successful in getting GPS on the iPhone while at cruising altitude. Please let me know.
 
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