Is taking a cell phone on a hunt really necessary?

[Sandman]

Many people take their cell phones everywhere they go and are afraid to be without them. Granted they could come to use for an emergency, but do you think they can also affect how well your detector operates. Course there are many different cell phones and one may not bother a certain detector and another will.

I don't take any chances and keep mine turned off till I need to use it.

 

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[jeff of pa]

Because of Heath Reasons,
I Always Take Mine.
I hook it on my Collar.

Can't realy say if it Effects my Detector though.

 

[lumbercamp]

I don't own a cell phone and I dig miles back in the woods. I tell my wife that I'm going out digging and she doesn't even ask where I am going. If anything happens to me, we have an excellent search and rescue team that I hope could find me.

 

[packerbacker]

I RARELY have my phone turned on. I also don't carry mine around on my hip either like an extension of my being. It sits in the center divider of my car and gets turned on when I want to use it. It's definitely a security blanket for so many people. I'm into watching some of the judge shows on tv and it absolutely floors me on the number of cases that involve suing for cell phone bills and the amount of money these fools pay per month just to "chat" with other fools. We could end world hunger with the money that is spent on dumb phone calls. We won't even get into the droves of people dying on the roads every day because of their sick addiction to their phones. Nope, no cell phone detecting for me.

 

[sniffer]

I take mine with me all the time
according to FCC regs no device built or operated in the US can interfere with any kind of communication device

 

[packerbacker]

True, but your communication device could interfere with your detector. That's why phones etc. are still required to be turned off during takeoffs and landings on planes. I'm not high-tech enough to understand why but I get pee-ode when I see morons not complying when I fly.

 

[ivan salis]

I carry but do not have on while detecting * cellphones can and do cause EMI with detectors in many cases thus messing them up --while by fcc rule "cell phones" are not to cause interferance with "other communication devices" as per fcc rules --a detector is not a communication device as meant by these rules -- thats why no using cell phones on planes during take off and landing as well.

I do think it wize to carry one however -- to call for help or assistance if needed -- there are dangers around us -- at parks--- muggers or attackers * --in out of the way places trip fall injure yourself --in these cases it might be a life saver or at least helpful.

 

[allen]

i take mine, but its turned off until i need it !( or if i need it )

 

[sniffer]

cell phones have their own frequency range to operate. cell phones are only allowed to operate from 824 Mhz up to
1990 Mhz. and even that has been reduced since only emergency, military and the like are allowed to use Analog signal.
metal detectors don't operate even close to that range. they operate in the Khz ranges. and yes power lines do interfere
with MDers, but not because of the frequency, as much as the power output
if your cell is interfering with your MD or other way around, you have a problem with one of them

 

[ivan salis]

when powered up the cell phones in the past make the detector go buzz buzz -- go on the fritz--- so not powered up while hunting

 

[sniffer]

personally, I don't want to bothered when I'm out detecting, so I usually turn it off or leave it in my truck

 

[Blackjack77]

Cell Phone goes with Me everywhere! Need My communications fix!
No problem with interference, but it would be turned off if that happened!
HH Sandman!!

 

[RGINN]

Don't own or want a cell phone, Sandman. I'm not against them for other folks though, as they could be a good deal. I can't figure them out. I suppose if they make one with a rotary dial I might get one. I got in a little trouble at work for 'refusing' to give them my cell phone number. Like to never convinced them I really didn't have one. They still ask me for the number from time to time, I guess just to see if they can trip me up. I just really don't want or particularly need to be in constant contact with the rest of the world.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

sandman, this subject has been up before, and it even brings out the "conspiracy theorists" (that cell-phones are giving everyone brain cancer, blah blah blah, thus yes it effects your detector performance blah blah blah).

I read with interst sniffer's, ivan's, & rando's comments. Because I recall the following scenario: One time I was detecting and received a cell-phone call from my wife. Being the "nice husband", I took the call, but continued to detect (holding the phone with one hand, and swinging the detector with the other as I say "uh huh.... uh huh....." As this was going on, I get a signal that I want to investigate further. But since I'm on a phone call, all I can do is talk and wait till the call is over. Once I hang up the call, I notice an interesting phenonemon: the signal that I just had as a raspy "maybe" signal, cleaned up and is now a clearer signal

Made me think that the cell-phone in-progress call had everything to do with it. Now whether or not a cell-phone in stand-by mode can also have a subtle (if not less pronounced) effect, I don't know. Here's a way to find out:

Have your phone on in regular stand-by mode. Get the iffiest deep signal you can, and memorize the signal strength/clarity from all different different directions. Then TURN YOUR PHONE OFF, and try the same signal from all different directions. Did the signal "clean up" any? If so, there was subtle interference going on.

I've been meaning to try this experiment many times, but never get around to it. Anyone tried this before?

 

[godisnum1]

I always hunt with my cell phone. Though I don't talk on it much (not as much as I text), I do keep it on 24/7 in case family or friends need to reach me. I've had Cingular (now AT&T) in the past, and I do realize that GSM phones will often make electronics (mainly just speakers) buzz when an incoming call or text message is being received, or sometimes just if the phone is contacting the tower. It used to even make the speaker in my alarm clock and headset at work buzz. Anyway, since then I've switched over to Verizon and they run on the CDMA network, which is a completely different frequency. No buzzes or annoyances... oh yeah, and no dropped calls. lol Anyway, I like having my phone on me when I hunt, primarily to take quick point & shoot photos of my finds... then upload them to my Facebook account... and to some other THing buddies. Anyway, it's handy... and it's not like I don't already have a other electronics on me when I hunt (i.e. detector, pin pointer, GPS, and sometimes the DSLR)

Bran <><

 

[godisnum1]

I noticed that when I switched, (well, WORK switched from Verizon to AT&T. I can't put my new phone next to my clock radio when it is on.

Sucks, huh...

Bran <><

 

[civil war hunter]

Oh heavens yes. How about that girl from Hooters texts you in the middle of you hunt wanting to go eat some were. You can miss that

But yeah. Esp when out in the middle of no were if got bitten by a snake or something..

 

[Jimmy(PA)]

Why not just turn it off when you hunt and turn it back on if you need it. I'd rather have one with me especially if im a few miles into the woods. Who knows were old wells and stuff could be hidden. Ive been carrying one with me for every hunt i've gone on in the past 10 years and never had any issues. Pay Phones are getting less and less common and the ones still around tend to be broken most of the time and there isnt any were I hunt.

 

[fng68]

You have to take out battery if you want the phone to be all the way "off".
So even off it may cause interference.

 

[civil war hunter]

Hey who's that hot chick in the pic Jimmy(PA)?

Why not just turn it off when you hunt and turn it back on if you need it. I'd rather have one with me especially if im a few miles into the woods. Who knows were old wells and stuff could be hidden. Ive been carrying one with me for every hunt i've gone on in the past 10 years and never had any issues. Pay Phones are getting less and less common and the ones still around tend to be broken most of the time and there isnt any were I hunt.