Cell Phone W/ GPS

[jhamaker]

I'm not convinced this creature exists. Nextell sells Motorola phones i58sr & i305 that look pretty rugged.

 

Any actual experience with one of these phones?

 

A lot of companies try to sell you GPS phones that require cell coverage to opperate, or they only allow 911 cell locating, usualy by cell tower triangulation.

[mtnnut]

A lot of companies try to sell you GPS phones that require cell coverage to opperate, or they only allow 911 cell locating, usualy by cell tower triangulation.

 

Yes, as far as I know there isn't a fully featured phone/GPS combo. I think so far all they have done is made it possible for others to find you when you are talking on the phone, for like you say, emergency services. I don't think you are able to pull your coordinates off of the phone for your own use in the field.

 

They have combined GPS units with radios however.

[Stavrogin]

i just got the GSP function working on my phone. it's a motorola i530, and my service is from nextel. it gets its data directly from satallites unlike some other phones which i guess to some sort of triagulation from cel towers. it gives me the latitude and longitude and seems to be decently accurate, it can take a few minutes to get a position.

[jhamaker]

I'm still not convinced Nextel/Motorola porvides GPS for any phone (i.e. the i530).

 

My cell provider is Verizon.

 

Have you gone somewhere yet w/o cell coverage and used the gps function?

 

Also, give me the FCC ID# (usualy in the manual or under the battery).

 

I just looked up some data from the website at:

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/index.cfm

then clicked "Generic Search", and typed in the FCC ID # to the two Nokia phones I have.

If I understand correctly, my old modle 3285 BA has nearly twice as transmiting power in Watts in the 800kHz band, but .1 Watt less in the 1900kHz band.

 

What about your cell phone? (give FCC ID#).

 

Anyone have a .8Watt cell phone?

 

Anyone using a cell phone booster (amplifier) or repeater?

[hopalong]

I would imagine that the GPS is only good for the range of the cell, not good.

[Stavrogin]

well i was up by the hannegan pass trailhead yesterday (was able to drive the whole way with my outback, had to use the shovel once) and decided to try the GPS on my cell phone (motorola i530), i had no cell service. it worked, and gave me these coordinates:

N 48° 54.608'

W 121° 35.631

Est Accur: 15 feet.

 

It looked good on the map i had, and it looked good when I input the coordinates at topozone.com too. i guess you can get a cell phone w/ GPS that will work when you don't have cel service!

map

[andrei]

If you want real gps/gsm combo, take a look at nokia 5140 with gps covers. Covers work as gps antenna and they don't need cel service. Another option is benefon esc! (or other benefon gps/gsm models) which is really a fully featured gps equipped with phone.

 

Motorola i530 uses agps system which needs cel network to work. There may be network present although your phone shows no service.

 

Nokia: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,53751,00.html

Benefon: http://benefon.com/products/esc/

Edited March 7, 2005 by andrei

[jhamaker]

I'm still sticking w/ Verison cell svc wich runs a CDMA network (two frequencies). Verison still has twice the coverage of others here in WA. No luck finding a true GPS phone compatable w/ the CDMA network, and still having trouble finding a high-watt phone. Time again for more research.

[ketch]

Hi Watt phones are a challenge. I have a repeater that I installed in my truck. Pretty sweet with an external antenna adapter I get a full 4 watt transmit. I get in and out from most places. Alas The phone has to be connected to the truck. I have been in talks with a amplifier company regd making a light weight amp for back country folk but they are not ready to commit. I will keep you posted.

[Ron_Goodman]

I have a Nextel i355 which has built-in GPS but which worked like crap. It took about 2 minutes to get a fix and reminded me of the old hand-held GPS units which only looked at one satellite at a time. When I added the pay-for GPS software, performance improved dramatically, about 20 sec. for a fix. Seems that the capability was there all along, but the built-in software is junk.