[BC] cell phone hash

[Paul Christensen]

> And we wonder why we're asked to switch our cell phones OFF on commercial 
> flights.  This kind of hash can really affect reception of Amplitude 
> Modulated ILS and VOR signals, no?

The FCC may soon allow cell/PCS phones on commercial flights and I believe 
there was a recent public comment period to that effect.  Whatever the FCC 
and the FAA decide, hopefully, they will have conducted enough tests with 
enough phones to be absolutely certain that in the event of out-of-band 
energy (e.g., an oscillator that sprays hash or drifts and mixes with 
another carrier) into the navigational frequencies, the on-board instruments 
will still function with 100% accuracy.

I haven't flown as a private pilot in more than 15 years, so I am not sure 
what new aviation navigation technology exists that is immune to out-of-band 
interference.  But one thing is certain: the first commercial flight that 
crashes as a result cell phone interference will be another red-letter day 
in our society.  Let's just hope none of us, nor our families are on that 
flight when it happens.

Paul

====================================
Paul Christensen, CPBE
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Office: (904) 379-7802   Facsimile: (904) 212-0050
pchristensen at ieee.org