Bringing GPS on plane - where should it go?

[+tweetiepy]

Planning a trip and wanted to go caching while we're away (hubby will LOVE that). I want to load up my GPS and bring it along but don't want it to get lost along the way with our bags. Can I bring it in with my carry-on, or does it have to go in my checked-in bags where it might get lost as we have many stop-overs?

 

If I carry it in my carry-on will the Xray mess up the GPS and I'll lose all the info loaded in it - I don't have a PC where I could load the caches again. I may be bringing it for nothing since my caching partner isn't coming with us and he's usually the one who makes these finds before I'm even close to GZ and hubby won't want to linger for more than 30 seconds or so since I might attract too much attention… Sheesh!

 

So check in or carry on? and are the X-Rays harmful?

[+redwoodkestrel]

I always bring my GPS unit in my carry-on, and the x-rays don't do anything... pretty much the same as having your laptop go through the x-ray machine. As long as the GPS unit is off, there should be no issues with having it on the plane.

[+releasethedogs]

I always bring my GPS unit in my carry-on, and the x-rays don't do anything... pretty much the same as having your laptop go through the x-ray machine. As long as the GPS unit is off, there should be no issues with having it on the plane.

 

you can actually have a GPS on when they tell you you can turn on your electronics. The reason for this is the GPS only receives the signal that is already there. it does not transmit anything. I use mine all the time on airplanes. It's fun.

[+Cache O'Plenty]

I've always put mine in my carryon. Never a problem. Leave it off for the x-ray (although I doubt that's an issue either). It's only a receiver anyway so it won't cause any problems with the plane while in flight. In fact, if you are next to a window, turn it on! Kinda fun seeing what you are flying over (and the speed it shows is cool too).

[+Viajero Perdido]

Some airlines allow you to use the GPS in flight, same times as when other electronics are allowed, Check the seat-pocket info card, or ask an attendant.

 

One airline I flew recently (United I think) now explicitly allows them. Hard to believe.

 

Whether or not they're allowed to be used in flight, they are allowed in carry-on.

[+Mudfrog]

Haven't flown in a few years (thinking about five) so things may have changed since. I decided to take mine aboard and see if i could use it while in the air. The stewardesses on both the to and return flights gave me the ok. It was kinda cool seeing how fast we were going and what cities we were going by. That little arrow moves pretty fast when you're looking at it on the map screen.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I always bring my GPS unit in my carry-on, and the x-rays don't do anything... pretty much the same as having your laptop go through the x-ray machine. As long as the GPS unit is off, there should be no issues with having it on the plane.

 

you can actually have a GPS on when they tell you you can turn on your electronics. The reason for this is the GPS only receives the signal that is already there. it does not transmit anything. I use mine all the time on airplanes. It's fun.

 

I've carried my handheld GPS in my carry on luggage to over 20 different countries and many U.S. domestic destinations and never had an issue. I used to turn it on occasionally if I could get enough satellite locks (I've only been sucessful when in a window seat) but I *have* seen some airline which do not allow the use of a GPS while on board. As you said, a GPSr is only a receiver so that doesn't really make a lot of sense.

 

[+Don_J]

I always bring my GPS unit in my carry-on, and the x-rays don't do anything... pretty much the same as having your laptop go through the x-ray machine. As long as the GPS unit is off, there should be no issues with having it on the plane.

 

you can actually have a GPS on when they tell you you can turn on your electronics. The reason for this is the GPS only receives the signal that is already there. it does not transmit anything. I use mine all the time on airplanes. It's fun.

 

I've carried my handheld GPS in my carry on luggage to over 20 different countries and many U.S. domestic destinations and never had an issue. I used to turn it on occasionally if I could get enough satellite locks (I've only been sucessful when in a window seat) but I *have* seen some airline which do not allow the use of a GPS while on board. As you said, a GPSr is only a receiver so that doesn't really make a lot of sense.

 

All RF receivers transmit a small amount of RF energy. The idea that having a GPS on would screw up the plane's aeronautics has always sounded far fetched to me, but to say that it couldn't happen because a GPS is only a receiver, is simply not true.

[+Viajero Perdido]

All RF receivers transmit a small amount of RF energy.

True, and that's their excuse.

 

As an experiment once, I held 3 GPS receivers together in my hands. None were affected in the slightest by being jammed up against two others.

 

That's my excuse.

[+Lieblweb]

All of our electronics go with us in the carry-on. We put everything in a gallon freezer bag (handheld GPS's, Nuvi, all charging plugs, all USB connectors, ipods, etc). That way, we can whip it out and put it in the tray for airport security. Everything else (hygene, 3oz bottles of stuff, etc) also go in a separate gallon freezer bag to whip out quickly..... Fullsize laptops, needs to be opened up. Kindles and small netbooks do not..however, they also need to be removed from your carry-on and put in a tray.

 

Atleast, that's how we do it. Never had a problem yet.

[team tisri]

I've carried mine back and forth between the UK and US, in hand luggage, over a dozen times now without any problem. Whether a GPS is allowed on board seems to be something that varies with the season, the first time I tried to use mine the attendant seemed quite unhappy and said she'd need to ask the captain, so I said I'd leave it turned off until they heard back from him. Within five minutes I had the go-ahead to use it. On another flight with the same airline they said I wasn't allowed to use it, but on another flight still they said it was fine.

 

I wouldn't put it in checked luggage simply because the oiks who periodically steal stuff from luggage would have a field day if people kept doing that, and I'd rather not get to my destination and find the means of navigating from the airport to where I'm staying has disappeared.

[+fizzymagic]

Since all smartphones have GPS inside them these days, airlines really don't care about your dedicated GPS unit.

 

Which brings up an interesting thing I have noticed: my phone's (S3) GPS works a lot better than my handheld (PN-60) on airplanes, while the handheld is more accurate on the ground.

 

Why? Because the S3's GPS uses both GPS and GLONAS, so getting enough satellites out the plane window for a fix is a lot easier. The accuracy is not great, but at 30,000 feet who cares about 2m accuracy?

 

On the other hand, on the ground the PN-60 does a much better job under tree cover and seems to get WAAS a lot faster and more consistently. Probably an antenna thing.

 

So I use the phone on the airplane and the handheld on the ground.

[AZcachemeister]

As long as you don't try to set up this GPS receiver in the aisle, you should be fine.

 

[+geodarts]

So I use the phone on the airplane and the handheld on the ground.

 

For whatever reason, I do just the opposite. My handheld generally gets a quick fix in the air and more often than not I use the phone on the ground. But whatever works. It is nice to know where you are if the airline does not say, although frustrating once when we circled and circled and circled in the midwest while waiting for space to open up where we were heading on the east coast.

Edited August 7, 2013 by geodarts

[+T.D.M.22]

Wherever you put it-make sure it actually goes on the plane. I left mine on the kitchen table-6 weeks without it.

 

I've had cellphones go through X-rays, and had my Iphone and laptop go through X-ray no problem. I'll also point out that more then likely, you checked baggage will go through X-ray as well.

 

As for using it-yes it receives signals already there-and the exact same signals are used by the airplane.

But the airline could still prohibit it. You are on their airplanes after all.

[+GeoTrekker26]

I had fun with my Garmin 350 on a flight over NM and TX. I was able to get the screen display to exactly match what I saw out the window so it was fun seeing the names of the locations we were over.

 

For some additional fun tell the GPS to provide directions to some place. It will immediately go into an infinite "recalculating" loop as it tries to keep up with your rapidly changing location.

[+SwineFlew]

Carry-on.

 

Never had any trouble.

[+humboldt flier]

Mine all ride in the cabin with me, I want it to be with me when I get on the ground. Not that checked baggage gets lost or ripped off or anything like that.

 

Just saying

[+WRASTRO]

Put your "smart phone" on airplane mode. Does the GPS still work?

[+SwineFlew]

Put your "smart phone" on airplane mode. Does the GPS still work?

I am not so sure about that. I always turn mine off so I got juice when I landed.

[+OZ2CPU]

on some phones, you can turn on the wifi and or the gps, in flight mode,

check your settings.

 

I bring my garmin gps on planes all the time,

hold it near or even in the centre of the window is needed sometimes,

cabin crew dont know what it is, so they always tell me to turn it off

for take off or landing,

if you DO turn it off for a while, getting back into gps-lock while at high speed might be impossible

or take VERY long time.

[JASTA 11]

In your carry-on to keep it from getting swiped by the animals down below.

 

Bury it deep if your carry-on if it's going in the overhead. My mother-in-law had some stuff swiped out of her bag in the overhead recently.

 

Check the airlines rules on using the GPS in flight. Some allow it, some don't. You should be able to find the rules in the airlines' inflight magazine.

[Space*Cadet]

I've taken mine thru the X-ray machines, in my carry-on, many times! The only issue I had was, the last time I flew, I was one of the last to board my flight on a mini jet and there wasn't enough overhead left for my bag, so they gate checked it. Some how my GPS screen got cracked? It still works, but I always wonder what happened, to my bag, after it left my hands????

[+The A-Team]

As all the posts above say, put it in your carry on. However, remember it's in there. When going through security at Heathrow a few years ago, the X-ray tech asked me what was in my carry on. I listed some things that immediately came to mind, but my Garmin Oregon wasn't one of them. They wanted to search my bag, and I then learned that they had seen an object on their X-ray that was densely-packed with electronics that had piqued their interest. Everything was cleared up when they saw the GPS, but some angst could have been avoided all around if I had remembered about the GPS in the first place.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

As all the posts above say, put it in your carry on. However, remember it's in there. When going through security at Heathrow a few years ago, the X-ray tech asked me what was in my carry on. I listed some things that immediately came to mind, but my Garmin Oregon wasn't one of them. They wanted to search my bag, and I then learned that they had seen an object on their X-ray that was densely-packed with electronics that had piqued their interest. Everything was cleared up when they saw the GPS, but some angst could have been avoided all around if I had remembered about the GPS in the first place.

 

I think I may have declared my GPS in my carry-on a couple time but have taken a couple of dozen flights with it, usually in my laptop bag and it's never resulted in a search of my bag. I've had them check my bag a couple of times when the extra battery for my laptop and when they ask to search my bag say "of course you may", then shut up and let them do their job and I'm on my way.

 

 

[+theosus]

I took mine in 2003. The handhelds were still sort of new to most people, and phones didn't have them. It was fun, showing us we were at 37,000 feet and going 500 miles/hour. I am glad they are coming back after the knee-jerk banning, because of course anyone with a GPS is a terrorist.

 

Check your phone in "plane mode". Mine disables the GPS when plane mode is on, along with wi-fi. Pretty much renders it a music/games/movie player with no outside transmission.

[+Don_J]

I took mine in 2003. The handhelds were still sort of new to most people, and phones didn't have them. It was fun, showing us we were at 37,000 feet and going 500 miles/hour. I am glad they are coming back after the knee-jerk banning, because of course anyone with a GPS is a terrorist.

 

Check your phone in "plane mode". Mine disables the GPS when plane mode is on, along with wi-fi. Pretty much renders it a music/games/movie player with no outside transmission.

 

It was never about terrorism. It was about safely operating the plane without having radio frequency devices inside possibly interfering with the aeronautic equipment. The decision to allow usage is usually up to the Captain and there are some that still will not let you use such devices while on their plane.

[+WRASTRO]

I took mine in 2003. The handhelds were still sort of new to most people, and phones didn't have them. It was fun, showing us we were at 37,000 feet and going 500 miles/hour. I am glad they are coming back after the knee-jerk banning, because of course anyone with a GPS is a terrorist.

 

Check your phone in "plane mode". Mine disables the GPS when plane mode is on, along with wi-fi. Pretty much renders it a music/games/movie player with no outside transmission.

 

I used my Garmin 76cs in March when flying back to Seattle from Nashville. It never showed altitude above about 3,500 feet. I decided it was because the cabin was pressurized. I got great speed and location info though.

[+OZ2CPU]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I took mine in 2003. The handhelds were still sort of new to most people, and phones didn't have them. It was fun, showing us we were at 37,000 feet and going 500 miles/hour. I am glad they are coming back after the knee-jerk banning, because of course anyone with a GPS is a terrorist.

 

Check your phone in "plane mode". Mine disables the GPS when plane mode is on, along with wi-fi. Pretty much renders it a music/games/movie player with no outside transmission.

 

It was never about terrorism. It was about safely operating the plane without having radio frequency devices inside possibly interfering with the aeronautic equipment. The decision to allow usage is usually up to the Captain and there are some that still will not let you use such devices while on their plane.

 

I would think that aeronautic equipment would be property shielded such that it would be protected from stray RF.

 

 

[+MKFmly]

I would think that aeronautic equipment would be property shielded such that it would be protected from stray RF.

 

Off Topic but to address a related issue

 

For the most part aircraft avionics are tested shielded as required. Obvioulsy, aircraft cockpits from the last 30 years (and even today) were not designed to be hardened against the infinate variety of Personell Electronic Devices (PEDs) available today because the normal (and critical) use case in take off, landing, and in-flight they would normally not be (or expected to be) subjected to those emmisions.

 

There is a "black art" called Electro Magnetic Compatibility that sets out to test for interference between electro-magnetic devices among other things. It is time consuming and expensive. PED (Personell Electronic Devices) have been much studied and are tested for emmisions/interactions prior to approved use in aircraft. Witnessing "modded or hacked" black/grey market satilite cards (from the ground) jamming the aircraft "guard" emergency frequency, to something as mundane (and low tech) as the the shank in a safety boot throwing off compass readings.

 

With experience and testing they have relaxed the guidelines and restrictions of PEDs in some cases, but to blanketly expect that all PEDs are compatible (and cause no interference) with all cockpits/aircraft (and variations therof) is silly. Obviously, most aircraft travvelers would want the TSB to err on the side of safety, and with that goes automatic restrictions until proven otherwise.

[+Don_J]

I took mine in 2003. The handhelds were still sort of new to most people, and phones didn't have them. It was fun, showing us we were at 37,000 feet and going 500 miles/hour. I am glad they are coming back after the knee-jerk banning, because of course anyone with a GPS is a terrorist.

 

Check your phone in "plane mode". Mine disables the GPS when plane mode is on, along with wi-fi. Pretty much renders it a music/games/movie player with no outside transmission.

 

It was never about terrorism. It was about safely operating the plane without having radio frequency devices inside possibly interfering with the aeronautic equipment. The decision to allow usage is usually up to the Captain and there are some that still will not let you use such devices while on their plane.

 

I would think that aeronautic equipment would be property shielded such that it would be protected from stray RF.

 

Think what you want, but it was the concern with bringing and using emerging technologies on an airliner.

[+MKFmly]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

[+Don_J]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

 

The only time I have flown with my handheld, it said that we were at 8,000', the pilot said that we were at 30'000. Since my GPS was set to use barometric pressure to report the altitude, I can only assume the the cabin was pressurized to equal whatever the air pressure is at 8,000'.

[+AneMae]

The GPS on the aircraft is best left int he cockpit- after all they need it more than you will. On the other hand try bringing a GPS jammer or spoofer on board, turn it on mid-flight- oh the hilarity that would ensue!!

[+JBnW]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

I believe the aircraft's pitot tube (pressure sensor) is located outside of the pressurized cabin.

[JASTA 11]

I believe the aircraft's pitot tube (pressure sensor) is located outside of the pressurized cabin.

 

That's correct, but the pitot tube measures airspeed. It's the static ports that measure pressure altitude.

 

If your GPS is sensing the barometric pressure inside the cabin, then it reads 'cabin altitude' which will be somewhere under 10,000 feet.

[+DukeOfURL01]

And now... a related bit of comedy (not to be taken seriously, though it's actually kinda true) that I saw the other day... (warning, offsite link, hold onto your children tight) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/why-cant-you-use-phones-on-planes_n_3708978.html

[+SwineFlew]

And now... a related bit of comedy (not to be taken seriously, though it's actually kinda true) that I saw the other day... (warning, offsite link, hold onto your children tight) <removed the url so I dont face the brick.>[/url]

HAHAHAHAHAH....Love it.... love it!!

[+Ambient_Skater]

And now... a related bit of comedy (not to be taken seriously, though it's actually kinda true) that I saw the other day... (warning, offsite link, hold onto your children tight) http://www.huffingto..._n_3708978.html

HAHAHAHAHA!

 

"How come the plane doesn't interfere with my phone?"

"And how come the other phones don't interfere with my phone?"

"Could I hold this plane hostage with my 3DS?"

[team tisri]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

 

The cabin is pressurised so if you're using the "Elevation" field you'll get something based on barometric pressure but if you use "GPS Elevation" you'll get something based on satellites. The pressure in the cabin will be equivalent to being at a few thousand feet elevation but the GPS will give a totally different figure. Last time I checked that on a plane the elevation reported something like 7000 feet and the GPS elevation reported 35000 feet.

[+hzoi]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

 

The cabin is pressurised so if you're using the "Elevation" field you'll get something based on barometric pressure but if you use "GPS Elevation" you'll get something based on satellites. The pressure in the cabin will be equivalent to being at a few thousand feet elevation but the GPS will give a totally different figure. Last time I checked that on a plane the elevation reported something like 7000 feet and the GPS elevation reported 35000 feet.

I got the same result when I used my GPSr on a military flight to and from Iwo Jima. I didn't realize it until I asked one of the pilots why we'd flown so low and got a puzzled look before I explained myself.

 

Incidentally, they didn't have any issue with the GPSr in use. Commercial airlines might be less willing. I haven't tried to use a GPSr on a commercial flight since I was asked to stow mine back in 2002. Then again, with the flight tracker many flights have on, there isn't as much of a need to use it in the first place.

[+GMartinTX]

On the way to San Diego, from DFW...

 

/3b3f8b4e-7dd0-4572-b234-

[+wmpastor]

for height, in planes, use GPS height, NOT the pressure sensor !

it is displayed on the GPS status screen.

 

Are you trying to say that a GPS pressure sensor; by being located inside the pressurized portion of the airplane, will not give you an accurate reading of your current height?

 

Aircraft still use pressure sensors to determine altitude and airspeed. During cruise/transit flight these are set to reference altitude to standard day sea level. That is one reason planes don’t fly into each other. Upon takeoff and landing they are set to "local" pressure so they know how high they are above the "local ground".

 

GPS heights generally give you a distance above the ellipsoid (a model of the earth’s surface as it is not spherical but more like a squashed egg) not the ground. In some areas the ellipsoid matches reality quite well and in others they are quite inaccurate. This will also change with the geodetic reference system you happen to be using.

 

The only time I have flown with my handheld, it said that we were at 8,000', the pilot said that we were at 30'000. Since my GPS was set to use barometric pressure to report the altitude, I can only assume the the cabin was pressurized to equal whatever the air pressure is at 8,000'.

Fortunately, the captain was correct & your gpsr was wrong - otherwise, you might not be posting at this time!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

Incidentally, they didn't have any issue with the GPSr in use. Commercial airlines might be less willing. I haven't tried to use a GPSr on a commercial flight since I was asked to stow mine back in 2002. Then again, with the flight tracker many flights have on, there isn't as much of a need to use it in the first place.

 

Unfortunately, the flight tracker feature is typically only available on large planes (that have a display screen in the back of each seat) on international flights. On the last international flight I took it not only had flight tracker information showing where, on different zoom levels on a map, the plane was located but it had two camera views. One was a view facing forward (which I watched when landing) and the other a view looking straight down.

 

[+Roman!]

I just landed in Toronto, just taxiing, and had both my car GPS and Oregon 550 with me in my carry on. I also hade the Oregon turned on during the flight, no problems

[+hzoi]

Bottom line, most (if not all) in-flight magazines have lists of what electronics the airlines will or won't allow in flight. If you want to use your GPSr in flight, check the list.