Does A Cellphone Interfere With Gps Reception.

[The 2 Dogs]

Recently I was caching in a very heavily wooded area, and found that my GPS was unable to get a lock. Because of this I decided to call my partner who was waiting for me and tell her that I'd be longer than expected. Cellphone reception was poor in the area as well, so I gave up on that idea and turned the phone off. At that moment I realised that the GPS was then able to get a good fix. I experimented a few times and found the phone did seem to be affecting the GPSr's ability to get a fix. I'm theorising that under normal circumstances a cellphone close by will not affect the GPS signals, but in low signal situations this might not be the case. Has anyone made the same observations?

[Hillbilly-Rockstar]

Once I was caching with a friend and I had to make call on my cell so I passed over my GPSr for him to hold. When I was done with the phone, and turned it back off, he gave my my GPSr back. But the signal was a lot weeker. Accurcy from 15 ft, to 34 ft. A lot of things could have caused this that I didn't see. He tends to hold his GPSr in his palm with his arms down. So I don't know, but cell signals might, I just thought it was the way he held it.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Technically, and theoretically, so long as a cell phone has been well-designed and well-built, and so long as the receiver front end in the GPSr has been well-designed, there should be no cross-intereference caused by the cellphone to a GPS receiver. In reality, due to the vagaries of cell phone design and execution, and also due to varying quality of receiver front ends across GPSrs, I suspect that such interference likely does happen -- particularly in weak-signal conditions (for the GPSr, that is) a small percentage of the time; it will be totally dependent upon brand/model of cell phone and once in a while, upon brand/model of GPSr.

[+NorthWes]

I'm curious now, as my Blackberry 7100G will cause static on wire lines (such as my corded headset phone at work, or the rear speakers in Mrs NW's Astrovan) when it does its periodic update with the cell system, or when it's receiving a call. Does it affect signal reception with my Garmin? Time to set up a field test... I'd never considered this for accuracy purposes before. Perhaps this evening I can run a trial...

[+sbell111]

Who else is reminded of the 'Cell Phones and Gas Stations' or 'Cell Phones on Airplanes' Mythbusters episodes?

Edited August 1, 2006 by sbell111

[+Red 07Z]

heres a problem with some palms that i've heard of, if you use your palm within one foot of your laptop, interference can mess up your computer and cause it to shut off... i know of someone who had the problem with a T | X on occasion and then found that it was a common problem on a palm forum

[Tahosa and Sons]

Cellphones and sometimes ham radios don't work where I have my caches. But a GPS works.

[+hikergps]

Ever set your cell phone down next to a tv?