3G in the backcountry

[justpeachy]

Is it just me, or is 3G becoming more widely available in the mountains? I've only had a smartphone for 2.5 years, but in that time it seems like the frequency that I have a signal has increased.

Although I am a STRONG proponent of disconnecting when spending time outdoors, I do like having 3G for one reason: weather forecasts. If you're going to be off camping or backpacking somewhere for several days it's really helpful to be able to check the weather as you go, since forecasts can change drastically in the mountains. The forecast you read when you started out three days ago may be totally different now. Along the same lines, being able to check webcams is good too, for an idea of what the visual conditions are like.

[BrianEdwards]

Slowly but surely there's cell service coming to rural areas. CDMA technology offers great range, and reach. The main user of CDMA is Verizon, but US cellular and Sprint use it too. GSM technology is what AT&T uses. It's better for urban locations where towers can be closer and in line of sight. GSM offers faster speeds up close, but CDMA is the best for rural with it's almost AM radio-type reach.

I had AT&T for 12 years before Verizon. What convinced me to find a CDMA provider was seeing person after person in a rural area have service, while my AT&T iphone had zip, right after leaving town. Now that I'm using an iPhone 5s on verizon, I've been in some of the more rural areas up the Clackamas and had service. I don't use it to make calls, I use it for GPS. It's also there if something ever happens.

If one spends a lot of time in the woods, a CDMA provider is recommended. In places like the gorge right by an interstate, any provider has a good chance of having a tower nearby.

[Lumpy]

I have Verizon. I was barely able to send a few text messages from Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park, but no one else could.

ETA: It was a 4G connection, signal was *very* weak, and it took a couple of minutes to get the message out because I had to find The Spot to Stand for Service.

[kelkev]

I've got AT&T and a Nokia Lumia Windows Phone, which does have good reception, but 3G seems spotty at best in the backcountry. Most of the time I leave it home.

[romann]

I have Sprint 3G and mostly get no service unless in line of sight of city/freeways (& even this doesn't guarantee the signal). Sometimes it seems to have elevation limit or something - I had no signal in Paradise Park on Hood, with straight view of Portland! Same thing with Ochoco's Lookout Mtn summit, with straight view of Prineville. On the other hand, it did work on north trailhead of Lookout, closer to the middle of nowhere. It worked in one valley in the Elkhorns with barely a "window" to populated area, but not high on the ridge.

I just memorized a few "cell spots" just in case, but lately I leave cell phone in the car - if anything can go wrong it's likely my car breaking down or vandalized or something.

Read somewhere that around 2016 some companies plan to make all-accessible satellite phone service - if still true, this will be quite an upgrade. Not that I plan to watch videos or read facebook on remote alpine lake, but it will do a lot if I can call home once a day, just to say everything's allright, or describe a change in trip itinerary...

[retired jerry]

slightly off topic, I couldn't get my cell phone (1G?) to work anywhere around Three Sisters, except at Minnie Scott Springs which was sort of an odd place for it to work.

I used to get it to work at PCT above South Mathieu Lake

I got several bars at a lot of places on the Eat side, but when I tried to call, it wouldn't go through

[mjirving]

On my 8-day, 140-mile PCT hike from Odell Lake to Ashland a couple weeks ago I had 2 bars of LTE each day for at least a short section...I was surprised. I was rarely without any service although a lot of it was the Verizon "1x" coverage which is enough to send a text or call, but not for any high bandwidth stuff.

Mike/GoalTech

[BigBear]

How ironic you posted this blog in "Idle Chatter."

One of the topics in this month's Backpacker Magazine, and seemingly on target, addresses when it's okay to use your cellphone in the wilderness: when you need to be rescued.

I would like to have a block put on cell phone coverage in the backcountry (wilderness or not) that limits your phone options to 911. I'm sure there are Facebook-junkies who are frothing at the mouth at this very second, but when I'm out in the woods (or even when I'm riding public transportation) that I can honestly say "nobody is interested in your conversation but yourself." It is infuriating to "get away from it all" and hear someone's damn telephone conversation ten minutes before you see the person jawing away on their electronic device.

May your most-used hiking app on your phone be the off button.

[mjirving]

HYOH Big Bear

That being said, I've heard a good one that said that if you're not comfortable using a cat hole in a location, then you also shouldn't be on your phone in that location.

Mike/GoalTech

[Water]

i get great reception including data. On my phone though I can use full GPS without needing a data connection (1x, 3G, or 4G) or a simple cell reception (but not data). The cell tower reception is all I need for texting.

I've got 4G on South Sister, and I think 3G/4G down at Devil's Lake camping the night before. Then reception high on Adams, Rainier, Hood (both sides), enough to upload pictures to ye olde booke of face. I see phone usage but rarely, rarely do I hear someone being all hollywood "buy buy buy, sell sell sell" on their phone in the wilderness. Mostly doing texts for a moment or upping a picture to FB.