Best side of plane for GPS use on westbound flight?

[+Damn Dirty Ape]

Just curious if there is a better side of the aircraft if one wants to try to use a GPS (permitted) during the flight, going westbound.

 

thanks!

[+Cog&Gil]

It depends on the position of the satellites at a particular time. It has really never mattered to me as I almost always get good reception.

[+Great Scott!]

The outside will get a much stronger signal than the inside.

 

Other than that, as long as you are in a window seat, I don't think it would matter which side of the plane you are on.

[TravelingSquirrel]

I wondered about this myself.

[+W7WT]

I assume you will be departing St. Louis headed Westbound. I believe

being on the port or left side window seat would be the best at your latitude. I think the WAAS satellites are in the direction of the equator. Not sure of your GPS. The new ones with the Sirf or equivalent chip would probably pick up the signal near the window. If you have an older one and an external antenna that you could slip behind the shade would work great. Good luck. Dick

[+Damn Dirty Ape]

I assume you will be departing St. Louis headed Westbound. I believe

being on the port or left side window seat would be the best at your latitude. I think the WAAS satellites are in the direction of the equator. Not sure of your GPS. The new ones with the Sirf or equivalent chip would probably pick up the signal near the window. If you have an older one and an external antenna that you could slip behind the shade would work great. Good luck. Dick

 

correct, stl to denver to lax. taking the amtrak southwest chief back from LA to chicago then stl. the train back is for the experience. not too concerned about gps then, since the windows are a bit bigger The gps will most likely be a 76csx. I understand some frontier planes have tv units in the rear side of the headrests with location information showing on a certain channel. The gps is a must have for getting around LA for a week.

 

thank you for the thoughts on this, very much appreciated!

[+W7WT]

I am from a little town Louisville, Il in Clay County, so I knew you would be flying out of St. Louis. I have used my 76C and before that my 76S going from Seattle to St. Louis and back and it is fun watching the GPS. My son is here from Alaska and he is a Captain on a 747 Cargo plane. On the long trips to Asia he sometimes plays with his GPS in the cockpit. I got him a new Vista HCx for Christmas. He says the left side of the plane would be best as you have more satellites south of you than you would have north. of you. Enjoy your trip both by plane and train.

[+GPSlug]

For northern temperate latitudes, you're generally better off on the south side of the plane.

 

GPS orbits are inclined at 55 degrees, meaning they won't be farther north than that. So more satellites will be south of you than to the north.

 

This is just in general terms, though. At any given time it could be that there are more to the north of you.

[+Damn Dirty Ape]

I am from a little town Louisville, Il in Clay County, so I knew you would be flying out of St. Louis. I have used my 76C and before that my 76S going from Seattle to St. Louis and back and it is fun watching the GPS. My son is here from Alaska and he is a Captain on a 747 Cargo plane. On the long trips to Asia he sometimes plays with his GPS in the cockpit. I got him a new Vista HCx for Christmas. He says the left side of the plane would be best as you have more satellites south of you than you would have north. of you. Enjoy your trip both by plane and train.

 

Small world. The wife is from about 8 miles south of there. In-laws now live down towards Cisne, we go and spend the weekend with them once a month or so. Were in L'ville about 2 weeks ago for a funeral on her side , held at the cemetary across from the church camp. Counselors there for about 4 years in a row a ways back.

 

thanks for the pointers, I was leaning towards left side so that seals it. It will be her first plane ride ever, with a stop in denver before hitting lax.

Edited February 14, 2008 by Damn Dirty Ape

[Source_GPS]

Doesn't matter - I have used mine in the front, back, both sides. As long as you have a window seat it will work.

[+Cog&Gil]

Why would you need WAAS in flight anyway?

[John E Cache]

Why would you need WAAS in flight anyway?

I'm thinking the WAAS sats send corrections for atmospheric conditions at several "ground" stations. The correction in the air may be different.

[MossJenks722]

 

 

correct, stl to denver to lax. taking the amtrak southwest chief back from LA to chicago then stl. the train back is for the experience. not too concerned about gps then, since the windows are a bit bigger The gps will most likely be a 76csx. I understand some frontier planes have tv units in the rear side of the headrests with location information showing on a certain channel. The gps is a must have for getting around LA for a week.

 

Not that it really matters, but all Frontier planes have that. They have a whole brand-new fleet of Airbus jets. You'll love it - Frontier ROCKS!

[+Damn Dirty Ape]

 

 

correct, stl to denver to lax. taking the amtrak southwest chief back from LA to chicago then stl. the train back is for the experience. not too concerned about gps then, since the windows are a bit bigger The gps will most likely be a 76csx. I understand some frontier planes have tv units in the rear side of the headrests with location information showing on a certain channel. The gps is a must have for getting around LA for a week.

 

Not that it really matters, but all Frontier planes have that. They have a whole brand-new fleet of Airbus jets. You'll love it - Frontier ROCKS!

How much detail does that display screen give? I want to zoom to about 5 miles and be able to look down and ID towns and such..

[+nicolo]

 

 

correct, stl to denver to lax. taking the amtrak southwest chief back from LA to chicago then stl. the train back is for the experience. not too concerned about gps then, since the windows are a bit bigger The gps will most likely be a 76csx. I understand some frontier planes have tv units in the rear side of the headrests with location information showing on a certain channel. The gps is a must have for getting around LA for a week.

 

Not that it really matters, but all Frontier planes have that. They have a whole brand-new fleet of Airbus jets. You'll love it - Frontier ROCKS!

How much detail does that display screen give? I want to zoom to about 5 miles and be able to look down and ID towns and such..

What you do is hook it to your laptop and run nRoute, now THAT would be cool!

[oxothuk]

How much detail does that display screen give? I want to zoom to about 5 miles and be able to look down and ID towns and such..

If you are talking about the Mapquest TV display on Frontier - not much in the way of detail, and you have no ability to zoom in, although they do alternate among three different zoom levels (with commercials in between) . Also, they use a "plane" image for the map pointer which is so large that it's hard to tell where your current location actually is within 50 miles.

 

Not complaing though - Frontier does rock.

 

I've used my VistaHcx on a few flights and had slightly better luck on the south side of the plane.

I can't see much use for WAAS though - not only are the atmospheric corrections irrelevant when 90% of the atmosphere is underneath you, but how much accuracy do you need in a position that's changing 900 km per hour?

Edited February 18, 2008 by oxothuk

[SiliconFiend]

<snip>

I can't see much use for WAAS though - not only are the atmospheric corrections irrelevant when 90% of the atmosphere is underneath you, but how much accuracy do you need in a position that's changing 900 km per hour?

Actually, when you're cruising at 30,000 feet, you still have more than 90% of the atmosphere above you. The part that affects GPS signals the most is the ionosphere, around 100 km up. Even the lowest layer that you're probably thinking of, the troposphere, goes up to about 65,000 feet.

 

However, your point about WAAS being useless in this situation is still pretty much right on.

[oxothuk]

Actually, when you're cruising at 30,000 feet, you still have more than 90% of the atmosphere above you. The part that affects GPS signals the most is the ionosphere, around 100 km up. Even the lowest layer that you're probably thinking of, the troposphere, goes up to about 65,000 feet.

Not to be argumentative, but a 37,000 foot crusing altitude (typical of most commercial flights I've been on lately) is at the top of the troposphere at US latitudes, with 75% of the air mass below. The troposphere only goes up to 65,000 feet in the tropics. According to Wikipedia at least - > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troposphere

[+JohnnyVegas]

Just curious if there is a better side of the aircraft if one wants to try to use a GPS (permitted) during the flight, going westbound.

 

thanks!

in the front on the left side, that seat includes a gps

[cobra-ak]

I pick up at least 3 birds with my Vista, I just upgraded to the HCx so that will be tested out in a South American flight in April, I usually hold it pressed against the window and get excellent reception.

[SiliconFiend]

Actually, when you're cruising at 30,000 feet, you still have more than 90% of the atmosphere above you. The part that affects GPS signals the most is the ionosphere, around 100 km up. Even the lowest layer that you're probably thinking of, the troposphere, goes up to about 65,000 feet.

Not to be argumentative, but a 37,000 foot crusing altitude (typical of most commercial flights I've been on lately) is at the top of the troposphere at US latitudes, with 75% of the air mass below. The troposphere only goes up to 65,000 feet in the tropics. According to Wikipedia at least - > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troposphere

I'm glad you acknowledge that the atmosphere is more than just the thin layer that is the troposphere. I was just correcting your misunderstanding about what WAAS is for. It's to compensate for distortions in the ionosphere, which is still well above you. Air and water molecules and weather in the troposphere have a negligible effect on GPS signals.

[SporkSports]

GPSr on an airplane is great for setting new records for the "max speed" in your unit. Highest I've gotten is just shy of 616 mph on a SWA B737 flying eastbound (constant tailwind), before they changed their policy to ban use of GPSr aboard aircraft.

 

[+Dryphter]

won't matter which side, but having a window seat will. I use my GPS on planes all the time.

[csaindon]

Hey,

 

I have used my GPS on many flights, and have had great success. Unfortunately, the GPS is this picture had an accidental "flight" of it's own last year. I took it on it on a skydive and it decided to jump from my grasp as I exited the airsraft at 4000ft. I watched it for a good 10 seconds, until I realized there was no way for me to catch it, and I had to deploy my parachute or have a real bad day. I was really hoping to find it, but no such luck. I want to download the track and see how fast it was going. This was my second eTrex, and my 3rd (Vista HCx) is on it's way to me. I'm excited and have already made a mount to take it on skydives with my wingsuit.

 

As you can see in the picture, I was 6 minutes into the flight from Toronto, Ontario to Thunder Bay, Ontario. We were going 838Kph (530 Mph), at 32.7k feet and still climbing to 41k ft. Accuracy was 7m.

 

Here is a picture in the seatback of the plane. Just for fun!

Edited February 21, 2008 by csaindon

[+kezlu]

On my Frontier flight TODAY I was told in no uncertain terms by the Attendant that GPS receivers are NOT permitted and to turn mine OFF.

[andylphoto]

GPSr on an airplane is great for setting new records for the "max speed" in your unit. Highest I've gotten is just shy of 616 mph on a SWA B737 flying eastbound (constant tailwind), before they changed their policy to ban use of GPSr aboard aircraft.

 

 

You've got me beat. Mine topped out at an even 600 MPH on a Northwest flight on Jan 1. I do love watching the speed and altitude in flight though.