Cell Phone w/GPS Capability

[Glanceblamm]

I am long over due for a new cell as mine is so old that I have to turn a crank on the side to get the operator Well, maybe not quite that old but it is old enough that it cannot even take a picture.
I was elgible for a full upgrade long before now with a very good price on a new phone but I continue to use mine because it works well.

The family has been beating around the bush with Fathers day coming so they did get me to look at some models and I am thinking "why not one with GPS capability?" The cell phone providers can be fair weather friends for sure, they have you over a barrel on "breakage" as it is their goal to keep the contract a couple years ahead of you at any givin time. It is for this reason that I suspected that they might try to re-sell technology (read gps reception) so I checked with my Son. He thinks that you need both Internet capability $15 a month along with an additional $5 dollars for a GPS model phone to work.

Talk about being bundled ...I dont want or need the Internet and if a phone will recieve GPS it would seem like it either would or would not. I am mainly peeved because of having to pay the $5 for technology that they invested nothing into?....Am I being fair or realistic here?

How do these phones work? are they a read only using the SD micro chips or a full function gps?....I think that the model that I looked at was made by Samsung and the additional features of being shock proof, water proof, etc sounded like nice features.

Darn the Cell phones anyway…if it were not for my Wife being on the road every day, I would toss mine into the air and whip the .45 out of the crossdraw holster and take a shot at it!. I would hit it too!

[Siskiyou]

A hunting partner bought one of those gps cellphones.  He paid extra for it and the gps service.  When he went behind the first range of mountains it did not work because he was not in sight of a tower.  He now owns two Garmin handheld gps units.  This spring he bought an automotive gps for his car, again the short comings of the cellphone gps made him realize he needed something better.

When we were hunting last fall both of us had to drive out to the same high point to use our cellphones.  Once we left that point the combine gps function and cellphone would not work.  So many models are coming out that there could be an exception.  My pickup has OnStar but it only works if you are in range of a cellphone tower.  I discontinued the service.

I was unhappy when I had to give up my 3 watt bag phone, for the .6 watt yuppie phone.  Great for city slickers.  One fire lookout has to stand on the North side of the tower to use her cellphone.  It will not work on the other sides.

I have not looked at cellphones for sometime so there might be a new one out there that does not require a cellphone tower for the gps function to work.  Readers post a link if you known of one.

[Swampman]

The good thing about GPS cell phones is that they are constantly updated for free.  If your in a place that has good cell service, they rock.

[Siskiyou]

Verizon offers VZ_navigator.  One of my hunting partners subscribed to it.  Found it was unsatisfactory in areas that did not have cellphone service. 

It is an option on my cellphone and I have never subscribed to it.  It is a waste of money for “my” purposes.

http://support.vzw.com/capability/VZ_navigator_popup.html

[Empty Quiver]

I will preface this with " I am not an expert" . What I have observed with a Sprint phone is that they aren't exactly GPS using satelites and all, more like a LORAN unit using towers. My buddy has one of the phones and I have a Magellin. The phone is fine as long as you are wanting road type info and have service. Once in the sticks it is not something you want to bet your  life on. Depending on your needs it may be fine. Another thing to think about is that the screen size is pretty small and not safe if you are driving.

[Siskiyou]

A “brilliant” observation and comparison, my hat is off to you!

I should have thought of that.  LORAN appeared on my screen in the 1980s and then disappeared.  The only receivers I came across were a couple of light aircraft installations and read about marine installations for large off shore craft. 
There has been a lot of discussion since the Air Force launched the early GPS satellites to drop the LORAN system from the Federal Budget.  It has hung in there because of the life span of expensive equipment purchased by shippers, and commercial airlines. 

“The Operating Status of LORAN-C

LORAN-C provides coverage for maritime navigation in U.S. coastal areas. It provides navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. LORAN-C is approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations. The LORAN-C system serves the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, and parts of Alaska.
On February 26, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publicly announced the President's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. In the section for the Department of Homeland Security, the budget "supports the termination of outdated systems such as the terrestrial-based, long-range radionavigation (LOrAN-C) operated by the U.S. Coast Guard resulting in an offset of $36 million in 2010 and $190 million over five years." For more information on the proposed FY2010 Budget, visit the OMB website under President's Budget.
The Coast Guard will continue to operate the current Loran C system through the end of FY2009 and is preparing detailed plans for implementing the FY2010 Budget.”http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/loran/default.htm

I admit to be irritated by the OnStar commercials that make customers believe they are communicating by way of satellites and not a cellphone tower.  In turn the cellphone companies implying that their cellphones are communication by satellite.  A more honest statement would be that the cellphone tower generates a lat/long from the signal produced by the cellphone.  Hopefully a reader can better describe the process.

  This brings to mind the tracking of O.J.  The system works well in large Cities and other areas where there are a lot of cellphone towers.  The cellphone companies are not going to identify with LORAN because the President of the United States says it is obsolete and should not be funded.  The situation is improving in rural areas, but I do not have to drive far to not have a cellphone signal. 

[Glanceblamm]

Good replys! Mine (the potential new phone) was going to be somewhat useful but yet somewhat of a toy and if it is dependent on those towers the subscription would be one that I would not get.
Thanks.

[Siskiyou]

To be fair it maybe a good service for those who spend most of their time in areas with good cellphone coverage. 

My friend and his wife bought an a Garmin Automotive gps this spring.

[Glanceblamm]

I talked to a guy just yesterday who said that his automotive (Onstar) system had a disclaimer that said the (Onstar) would not work outside of the coverage area.
This would be another comfirmation of Empty Quivers post that GPS Cell, or Onstar operates on the Loran-C.

This system (the onstar) is pretty slick as the dispatch can tell you exactly where you are upon a call while on the road and the said dispatcher may even tell you that you have a door ajar as this happened to a friend within the last couple years. When talking about Cell phones though, I can get into some (weak areas) around here so will probably not go with the so called gps phone and the extra dinero to pay for the service. I have had a good handheld gps for several years and the phone was going to be a toy, or somewhat useful toy anyway.

[Empty Quiver]

I don't think it is LORAN but I think that is as good a way of explaining it as any. If nothing else it is using the cell signal to send the raw data and have it analyzed and then sent back to you as a location on a map with resteraunt recomendations, and service station locations. Just not going to give away that free lunch.

[Siskiyou]

I agree and did not mean to imply that it is LORAN, like Empty Quiver it is a way of explaining that the common cellphone gps system is dependent on cellphone, in a manner that the LAT/LONG data from LORAN is generate by towers maintained by the government.(s)  If the LORAN user is not with the range of a LORAN antenna, then there will not be a data transfer.  Clear as Mud!

[Glanceblamm]

UPDATE

Well, that old phone of mine finally quit in late Aug. I was very happy about this but the Wife & daughter quickly bought me a new one as I had earned at least three upgrades which greatly reduced the price. I would not even carry a phone were it not for the Wife being on the road daily.

The new one (the phone) is made by Samsung and is the Military grade being shock & water proof. It also came with the GPS capability with a free trial.
Programming-easy
Map & Street display-good
Voice commands-clear & strong
Automatically checks programmed route for construction\accident delays-Nice feature

The bad news is that the phone will not reliably connect to this service. Has nothing to do with the location as repeated attempts through areas that previously had strong signals would not work. In short, it is just not dependable and my testing has been extensive. The phone will work great (as a phone) through the times when I am unable to log-on to the so called GPS service.

Summary: Will cost $9 a month to keep this service...No Way and I will let it expire. Even if it did work well that cost would quickly pay for an automotive unit in a reasonable amount of time.
After I let this service expire, the GPS will still work but I would see an additional charge on the phone bill (around $2.50) for using it. This could come in handy when one would REALLY NEED to find an address in an unfamilure area but I would rate the chances of it connecting to be only 50%

(This service is through AT&t)

[Siskiyou]

Glanceblamm welcome back, good write-up.

[charles p]

All I want in a cell phone is big keys and a big display.  The simpler the better.

[Glanceblamm]

Charles, I like the speed dial feature that most phones come with. Now, If I can just remember who got what assigned number 

[S.B.]

Randy, you can now buy one of the less expensive Garmin Etrex for a little over $125 and no more data internet or any other monthly fees ever? Two double AA batteries and your good to go. Just went through the cell phone hassle myself(keep in mind shopping for a new GPS isn't much easier). What a game that is? Now I'm attempting to learn the new GPS.
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-Venture-HC-Receiver/dp/B000PDR230/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1265630916&sr=8-1
Steve

[Glanceblamm]

Agreed with you 100% on the cell phone issue Steve. My usage would have been for the road and with the passenger doing the navigating but one would be much better off to purchase an automotive unit.

I did consider it to be a novel idea and possibly a backup, kind of like the small and bright flashlight on my key ring, It is not a primary but is there if needed.