Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2006 12:18:29 -0700
Reply-To: Ryan Miller <rmiller@AZTECA.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ryan Miller <rmiller@AZTECA.COM>
Subject: Re: OT-stranded in the wilderness with a westy what would you do
?
In-Reply-To: <de48c0be0612071046g685e5bbfo491036a1ce86168c@mail.gmail.com>
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If by GPS locateability you mean one can locate the cell phone by GPS you
are correct, but if you mean that each phone must have a GPS in it I don't
believe this is true. What the locator (emergency services, big brother,
etc..) is doing generally is triangulating the locatee (cell phone) by using
the signal strength between the cell phone and 3 cell towers. Hence the poor
accuracy. Now, if the cell phone has GPS capability then the locator can use
this information directly and come within a few yards of the locatee.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
mordo
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 11:46 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Fwd: OT-stranded in the wilderness with a westy what would you do ?
By US law, ALL cellphones must have GPS locatability. This went into effect
at the beginning of this year I believe. This doesn't mean full GPS
functionality, just that the carrier is able to locate any and every phone
within something like a 30 yard accuracy.
It is intended as a safety feature for just such emergencies but of course,
it has the add ability for dark forces to very efficiently spy on all users.
There is apparently a rather simple application that will allow a covert
operator to turn on phones and eavesdrop if desired.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sudhir Desai <sudhir.desai@gmail.com>
Date: Dec 7, 2006 1:13 PM
Subject: Re: OT-stranded in the wilderness with a westy what would you do ?
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
I think some cellphones have GPS abilities.
I know in India, a few of the nokia units would tell you location and
proximity to cellphone tower info.
Sudhir
~info from howstuffworks.com ~
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps-phone.htm
On 12/7/06, TC <trclark@shaw.ca> wrote:
> I have been following that story of the SF family that got stranded in the
> Oregon coast mountains
> my son asked what we would do if our 2 wd westy got stuck/broke down in
some
> remote winter area
>
> besides that fact we prolly have 2 weeks of food , propane, dual bats etc
&
> some Garmin 2 way radios
> we would prolly just hole up & camp out :)
>
> The interesting aspect was that the attempt to make a cell phone call and
> the cdr records allowed
> the searchers to grid search a cell phone tower coverage grid this allowed
> them to be located
> if everyone has stayed put the story would have a happy ending ...
>
> I was curious the Garmin rino 530 i always have in the van is GPS enabled
&
> allows other Garmin
> 2 ways to track to each other bu the coverage is only 2 miles in bad
terrain
> Yet I can usually get a GPS fix as long as there is not much tree cover
just
> about any remote locations..
>
> Are there any inexpensive devices that would send a gps fix to
international
> emergency satalite
> the allow searches to home in on sone lost / stranded in the westy
> wilderness ?
>
--
mordo
1990 Carat