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All cell phone towers seem to be aimed toward the ground. I've flown a GA aircraft all around the lower 48, and only get a cell phone signal briefly when flyin

by RNCTX 5y ago

All cell phone towers seem to be aimed toward the ground. I've flown a GA aircraft all around the lower 48, and only get a cell phone signal briefly when flying directly over a cell tower.

Fatnino 5y ago
Naturally. Why would a cell carrier want to expend energy beaming signal into space? That said, you do get the occasional misaligned antenna or weird bounce off terrain that gets you signal midflight for a minute.
- barcoder 5y ago
  How easy is it to report those type of issues?
  - dylan604 5y ago
    make a phone call, and let the big data folks raise eyebrows when they see the elevation the call was made.
  - krisoft 5y ago
    What do you like to report? That cell signal was available somewhere?
jcalvinowens 5y ago
It's really regional. I get 5 bars pretty much anywhere below 5000ft in the bay area.
- _moof 5y ago
  Yep, I get signal up to about 3000' AGL where I am.
  - supernova87a 5y ago
    Well, given that the possible range to a cell tower is about 35 km / 20 mi (max, an absolute limitation of how the GSM/timing is done), it's very plausible that even if cell broadcast antennas are generally pointed down + flat with the horizon, you're gonna get some signal from some antenna in the distance.