HEX blocking mobile phone reception
May 10, 2006 | 2:43 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Mucci, BA-GGL, LH-Sen
Posts: 2,244
Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE
It is worth the ridiculous fare just for some peace - except don't they have a lot of stupid advertising on it?
As for using the phone, when I do I tend to try to keep my voice down or move to the area near the doors. I generally find that most people do the same. I am one of those who like things quiet around me but have never felt my privacy invaded on the HEX because of telephone over-usage. I have, on the other hand, complained to the ticket checkers about the volume of the TV.
May 10, 2006 | 4:20 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 9,235
Originally Posted by Cyba
I tend to find that the most annoying thing on the HEX is not other people's calls but the louder-than-necessary TV playing in the background. In most cases this drowns out any conversations, telephonic or otherwise, going on around me.
As for using the phone, when I do I tend to try to keep my voice down or move to the area near the doors. I generally find that most people do the same. I am one of those who like things quiet around me but have never felt my privacy invaded on the HEX because of telephone over-usage. I have, on the other hand, complained to the ticket checkers about the volume of the TV.
As for using the phone, when I do I tend to try to keep my voice down or move to the area near the doors. I generally find that most people do the same. I am one of those who like things quiet around me but have never felt my privacy invaded on the HEX because of telephone over-usage. I have, on the other hand, complained to the ticket checkers about the volume of the TV.
May 10, 2006 | 7:04 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routires, PCR
Posts: 13,609
Thanks, Pucci ^ quite right.
There are of course two different ways to use a mobile, the right way and the wrong way.
I remember when a bit of a problem left me in LHR instead of LTN and I had to take a bus to pick up the car, I called my wife from the coach to tell her where I was, and the lady sitting next to me complimented me on phoning without being audible
- says he, blowing his own trumpet, but softly 
.
Whatever, sotte voce is normally adequate on a mobile, and cupping one's hand over the phone helps too.
Now about those MP3s ...
There are of course two different ways to use a mobile, the right way and the wrong way.
I remember when a bit of a problem left me in LHR instead of LTN and I had to take a bus to pick up the car, I called my wife from the coach to tell her where I was, and the lady sitting next to me complimented me on phoning without being audible
- says he, blowing his own trumpet, but softly .Whatever, sotte voce is normally adequate on a mobile, and cupping one's hand over the phone helps too.
Now about those MP3s ...
May 10, 2006 | 8:49 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,745
Mobile phone reception in trains is invariably patchy, and certainly in tunnels you should expect to lose it. Worst is the line out of Kings Cross where in the first 20 minutes or so there are about 6 tunnels. Cuttings and lineside buildings also cause a problem. It does vary from journey to journey, seems to depend how fast your phone can keep up with changing signal strength.
Believe it or not, phone reception along the railway is not a commercial priority for the mobile phone companies. They are not measured on it as part of their franchise (that is done at static points) and there is nothing like the revenue they get from motorway traffic, where they add transmitters in order to maintain signal and thus revenue.
The railway companies realised some time ago that they could not rely on mobile phones for their own operational purposes and installed their own network whose transmitters you can see alongside the tracks. On the GNER line out of Kings Cross they have installed wireless on the trains, when it first came in there was an interesting and detailed article on their website about how they overcame all the problems they had.
The construction of the train also plays a part in reducing the signal strength, and your relative position inside the car and the extent of the signal shielding will be part of the issue. I've seen nothing about the 25,000 volt power cables affecting things, but some of these are right behind the panelling and must generate some EMF interference.
The forthcoming scheme on the Underground will give coverage inside stations but not in the trains. One is straightforward, the other not. If you want to make a call you will have to get out at a station and make it while waiting.
Believe it or not, phone reception along the railway is not a commercial priority for the mobile phone companies. They are not measured on it as part of their franchise (that is done at static points) and there is nothing like the revenue they get from motorway traffic, where they add transmitters in order to maintain signal and thus revenue.
The railway companies realised some time ago that they could not rely on mobile phones for their own operational purposes and installed their own network whose transmitters you can see alongside the tracks. On the GNER line out of Kings Cross they have installed wireless on the trains, when it first came in there was an interesting and detailed article on their website about how they overcame all the problems they had.
The construction of the train also plays a part in reducing the signal strength, and your relative position inside the car and the extent of the signal shielding will be part of the issue. I've seen nothing about the 25,000 volt power cables affecting things, but some of these are right behind the panelling and must generate some EMF interference.
The forthcoming scheme on the Underground will give coverage inside stations but not in the trains. One is straightforward, the other not. If you want to make a call you will have to get out at a station and make it while waiting.
May 10, 2006 | 10:11 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: uk
Posts: 218
I never worked out how some people think they are so important that they have to be "contactable" at all times.
I also read somewhere that some public venues are looking at phone blocking devices to prevent calls getting through.
Now, where can I get a portable mobile blocking device?
one that I can switch on when needed.
I also read somewhere that some public venues are looking at phone blocking devices to prevent calls getting through.
Now, where can I get a portable mobile blocking device?
one that I can switch on when needed.
May 10, 2006 | 10:15 am
#21
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold(OWE), QF LTG, MR Plat, IHG Spire, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,156
Originally Posted by hardydoug
I never worked out how some people think they are so important that they have to be "contactable" at all times.
I also read somewhere that some public venues are looking at phone blocking devices to prevent calls getting through.
Now, where can I get a portable mobile blocking device? one that I can switch on when needed.
I also read somewhere that some public venues are looking at phone blocking devices to prevent calls getting through.
Now, where can I get a portable mobile blocking device?
one that I can switch on when needed.
May 10, 2006 | 10:16 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routires, PCR
Posts: 13,609
Originally Posted by hardydoug
Now, where can I get a portable mobile blocking device? one that I can switch on when needed.
one that I can switch on when needed.I did a search, and the first site I clicked on produced:
The (XYZ) is used worldwide by:
- Secret services
- Government agencies
- Police Negotiation Teams
- Military facilities and forces
- Police Special Forces
- VIP protection agencies
- Elite units
Gosh!
See also http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=413500
May 11, 2006 | 7:10 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Priority Club RA, Lots of other cards
Posts: 3,099
Hi
Jamming of mobile phones is easy enough (if you dont want to cover large areas) but it is illegal in the UK, even though the equipment is avaliable on the internet.
A mobile phone jammer will cost you anything from 100 upwards and it will also knock out the GPRS/Data side as well.
Here is a link to a story about a hotel in Scotland jamming mobile phones to force folk to use the hotel phones.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2BF1271D
Very interesting reading
regards
Jamming of mobile phones is easy enough (if you dont want to cover large areas) but it is illegal in the UK, even though the equipment is avaliable on the internet.
A mobile phone jammer will cost you anything from 100 upwards and it will also knock out the GPRS/Data side as well.
Here is a link to a story about a hotel in Scotland jamming mobile phones to force folk to use the hotel phones.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H2BF1271D
Very interesting reading
regards
May 13, 2006 | 3:01 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,558
Originally Posted by PUCCI GALORE
As one of those people who regularly has to suffer other people's loud and interminable phone calls, other people's phones going off with increasingly infantile ring tones, and, nearly as bad the white noise coming from other people's Pods, and Walkthings - you have provided me with the best reason for ever boarding the HEX. It is worth the ridiculous fare just for some peace - except don't they have a lot of stupid advertising on it?
All the above is culled from trips on trains to London, or on the bus to Kingston which parking and traffic have moved me to do. As one who graduated to solid food indays before mobiles as such existed, somehow life was managed. No, we did not ring up to chit-chat on the train or anywhere else - but equally we did not feel as though we had stumbled into someone else's office or boudoir. One day after about five long loud calls, some commuters to Surbiton really went for someone who had been barking orders to some poor fool down the phone (fool only to be working for a person such as this) and told him in plain Anglo Saxon to shut it. Deeply offended and embarrassed he did just that. I felt like hugging the person concerned.
The world had moved on and nothing that I feel will make the slightest bit of difference - expectations or feeling of insecurity - I know not which - mean that people feel that they have to be contactable constantly. Blackberries appear to be silent so I really do not mind those. It's the intrusion that these things makes into everyone else's life. I smile to myslef as I write this think - God - what a cantenkerous old cow I sound - but this thought strikes me. Not that long ago - there used to be one Non-smoking car on every train - now it is the whole train and the station. Now there is one non phoning carriage on some of the trains. I wonder what will happen next?
Still it could be worse - it could be Italy. Chronic telefonitis is rife. Sit on any beach and you'll see - or should I say hear what I mean.
Good - I feel much better. Time to deal with the M25, I'm right in the mood!
All the above is culled from trips on trains to London, or on the bus to Kingston which parking and traffic have moved me to do. As one who graduated to solid food indays before mobiles as such existed, somehow life was managed. No, we did not ring up to chit-chat on the train or anywhere else - but equally we did not feel as though we had stumbled into someone else's office or boudoir. One day after about five long loud calls, some commuters to Surbiton really went for someone who had been barking orders to some poor fool down the phone (fool only to be working for a person such as this) and told him in plain Anglo Saxon to shut it. Deeply offended and embarrassed he did just that. I felt like hugging the person concerned.
The world had moved on and nothing that I feel will make the slightest bit of difference - expectations or feeling of insecurity - I know not which - mean that people feel that they have to be contactable constantly. Blackberries appear to be silent so I really do not mind those. It's the intrusion that these things makes into everyone else's life. I smile to myslef as I write this think - God - what a cantenkerous old cow I sound - but this thought strikes me. Not that long ago - there used to be one Non-smoking car on every train - now it is the whole train and the station. Now there is one non phoning carriage on some of the trains. I wonder what will happen next?
Still it could be worse - it could be Italy. Chronic telefonitis is rife. Sit on any beach and you'll see - or should I say hear what I mean.
Good - I feel much better. Time to deal with the M25, I'm right in the mood!
