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Traveling with GPS...


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Has anyone had any problems getting through airport security with their GPS? If so, please let me know what countries have a problem with handheld GPS's.

 

Thank you,

 

TreeTopFlyer

I have, since having become a geocacher, traveled by commercial airliner to and from at least five countries (some of them in distant parts of Asia), and at least thirteen states in the USA, while carrying my GPSr in my carry-on backpack, and have never had the slightest problem.

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I have carried mine all over the US and Europe. In fact I have found that it is ok to turn in on in plane when the pilot lets electronic equipment go on. Sit near a window and you will know how fast you are going, what your elevation is and best of all where you are. It is nice to look down and know you are crossing the Platt River etc etc etc

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Yup I heard that one in a few other discussions...

 

Makes perfect sense that they can control what you can do on the plane with a radio receiver which cannot, by law, generate any harmful interference.

 

I'll step off my soapbox. Just love flying, and hate the crap that goes along with it...

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In-flight use still depends on the airline. When I asked a Delta attendant the other day, she said NO. Other airlines like Air Canada and Northwest have said YES. Always ask.

 

I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall? Not likely. Still, I wouldn't suggest getting into a technical argument with a flight attendant over it.

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In-flight use still depends on the airline. When I asked a Delta attendant the other day, she said NO. Other airlines like Air Canada and Northwest have said YES. Always ask.

 

I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall? Not likely. Still, I wouldn't suggest getting into a technical argument with a flight attendant over it.

 

Agreed...GPSr don't transmit (in theory...) but yea, I wouldn't argue over it :laughing:

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I recently took a flight to Southern California, and I had 2 GPSrs with me, one in my carry on, and one in my hip pack (shut up, they're perfect for traveling and amusement parks!). Had zero problems with security. The Legend was in the hip pack, and I "forgot" to turn it off, got some cool tracks for Google Earth! Boeing 737, I believe it was, and we hit 598 MPH at one point on the flight back.

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Though they weren't switched on, both my Etrex and my TomTom have been in my carry-on thru Manchester, UK and Orlando International without a hitch. (Though I do wish I'd had the GPSr track our speed etc on the 747!!! - next time it will !!)
Been thru Tampa, Atlanta, Omaha, Chicago (both) and never had an issue. Did have a co-worker with the same MAP60CSx who left his on during his flight and showed me his GPSr had trip information showing maximum speed was like 575mph. He cleared it before I could snap a picture of it so my last trip I tried it for chuckles... (shhhhh, don't tell TSA) but I never got a signal so got nothing... :laughing:
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While searching, I found this list of which airlines allow GPS usage and which ones don't. I'm sure it's not official, so it would be best to check with the airline/captain to be sure.

I'm fairly certain on a Southwest flight last month that the list of approved devices in their magazine included GPS.

Edited by GrateBear
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While searching, I found this list of which airlines allow GPS usage and which ones don't. I'm sure it's not official, so it would be best to check with the airline/captain to be sure.
I'm fairly certain on a Southwest flight last month that the list of approved devices in their magazine included GPS.
The appropriate term is approved use during CRUISE. Which mean you need to have them off during take off and landing. And good luck trying to obtain a satellite lock from powered off state in a big aluminum can while trolling along at 575mph.... let alone the attention you'd get while holding your GPSr over your head and moving it around trying to get a signal :laughing:
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I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall?
It's not just the GPS in the cockpit they're worried about. It's all the airplane electronics.

 

And what makes you think all the electronics are all in the cockpit? Modern aircraft run electrical buses throughout the plane. There might have been a bundle of wires in the floor just beneath your shoes.

 

Anything that has an AC waveform, like a clocked signal, DOES transmit. That's a fundamental law of physics. The question is, what happens when that transmission is received by a system that wasn't specifically designed to handle it?

 

And what about GPSrs that intentionally transmit? Like the Garmin Colorado and its ability to share waypoints with a neighbor? Or a Nuvi with its Bluetooth turned on?

 

I was happy when Continental let me use my GPSr on a flight. But when Alaska Airlines didn't, I just sighed and read a book.

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