One of odd things I noticed when carrying a cell phone into the wilderness... the battery is usually dead in 36 hours - even tho I never used it.

I suspect the phone keeps pinging out trying to reach a network and draws the batteries down.

Does anyone have this problem?

Secondly... do rescuers have equipment... to call a lost hiker from a helicopter or anything?

Comments?

billisfree wrote:One of odd things I noticed when carrying a cell phone into the wilderness... the battery is usually dead in 36 hours - even tho I never used it.

I suspect the phone keeps pinging out trying to reach a network and draws the batteries down. ...Comments?

I think the best idea is to shut it off when not using it. When it discovers that it's getting a low signal level from whatever tower it manages to connect to, it ramps up the power to be able to "talk to" that tower. If it doesn't "hear" anyone, it calls out at full power until it gets a reply. All this high power transmitting drains the batteries much faster than when it's comfortably withing easy range of a tower.

This is nearly identical to you hollering loudly in the forest trying to find your buddy. Much less conversational energy is expended when you're sitting closeby talking.

Now, when you need it, turn it on and see if you get a signal. You may not have good signal, but at least you'll have most of your battery power available to try. And having more battery available, you'll be better able to walk about to find a spot where you have signal.... assuming you can walk, of course.

billisfree wrote:One of odd things I noticed when carrying a cell phone into the wilderness... the battery is usually dead in 36 hours - even tho I never used it.

I suspect the phone keeps pinging out trying to reach a network and draws the batteries down.

Does anyone have this problem?

Secondly... do rescuers have equipment... to call a lost hiker from a helicopter or anything?

Comments?

Bill,

Take the battery out, put it in an interior pocket on your person with a hand warmer. Keep it warm and off and you will have it when you need it for sure.

If you think you need it in case of an emergency then keep it off and surounded by a hand warmer and sock (on the interior of your Coat)

Now, when you need it, turn it on and see if you get a signal. You may not have good signal, but at least you'll have most of your battery power available to try. And having more battery available, you'll be better able to walk about to find a spot where you have signal.... assuming you can walk, of course.

A little more on that.....I've been told before that, according to law, cell phone companies have to share cell towers in the event of a 911 call. Therefore, even if your phone does not show any bars from your carriers towers, you may still get out with 911 on a different companies tower.

Anyone know if that is true?

also, this forum might get some replies if moved to the general forum...

Deltaoperator17 wrote:

billisfree wrote:One of odd things I noticed when carrying a cell phone into the wilderness... the battery is usually dead in 36 hours - even tho I never used it.

I suspect the phone keeps pinging out trying to reach a network and draws the batteries down.

Does anyone have this problem?

Secondly... do rescuers have equipment... to call a lost hiker from a helicopter or anything?

Comments?

Bill,

Take the battery out, put it in an interior pocket on your person with a hand warmer. Keep it warm and off and you will have it when you need it for sure.

If you think you need it in case of an emergency then keep it off and surounded by a hand warmer and sock (on the interior of your Coat)

+ 1

no so... cold and warm have little effect on the lithion battery.

Even when I get back to car... battery all warm... the battery's STILL dead.

All I'm asking... has anyone else noticed or had this problem?

billisfree wrote:no so... cold and warm have little effect on the lithion battery.

Even when I get back to car... battery all warm... the battery's STILL dead.

All I'm asking... has anyone else noticed or had this problem?

Well dont let my 15 years with AT&T get in the way of your engineering background. Sounds like you dont like the answer I gave.

Maybe you need a new battery, they are really only intended to last one year (thats how they get ya)

Have to say, my phone seems to lose power pretty quickly up high, ie. charged battery, climb up a ways, turn it on a bit, and back to the car, it's done.
But, I haven't tried taking out and warming it, and my phone is 3-4 yrs. old.
Must try the warming bit. Good tip!

My phone used to do the same thing. Even on a day hike with nice warm weather. I now put my phone on Airplane mode. Which allows all other functions other than seaching for cell towers. The searching for towers drains the battery very fast. The other option is turn it off. You should as previously mentioned keep the battery warm.

Cell phones definitely use more power when they are farther from the cell tower. Or more accurately, they turn down power when they are close to the tower.

Batteries are definitely less efficient when cold and will 'drain' faster.

The combination of these two factors is multaplicative. As mentioned before just remove the battery from the phone. Store the battery someplace reasonably warm, and then warm it up to body temperature before you use it.

Bill Kish wrote:Cell phones definitely use more power when they are farther from the cell tower. Or more accurately, they turn down power when they are close to the tower.

Batteries are definitely less efficient when cold and will 'drain' faster.

The combination of these two factors is multaplicative. As mentioned before just remove the battery from the phone. Store the battery someplace reasonably warm, and then warm it up to body temperature before you use it.

In additon to the cold, cell phone batteries olny last about a year, ater that they weaken

This is an interesting thread. On my last three trips into the Sierras (all in cold temps), fully charged cell phones and digital cameras lost power immediately. Next time I'll try to keep them warm.

Li-ion batteries, used in many small rechargeable items, do better in cold than NiMH, alkaline, or NiCd. Li-metal batteries do even better in cold, but are not generally rechargeable.

Most Li-ion batteries are expected to die after a max number of charge-discharge cycles, typically about 400. When they are ready to die, many things (such as cold or heat) can push them over the edge.

If I'm in an area where coverage is limited I put my phone on the airplane mode, which keeps it from searching for a signal and draining the battery. I also keep it in an inside, next to the body, pocket to help keep it warm.