Find my Iphone

[powderskierman]

Hi All, I'm new to HPR so please bear with me.

Has anyone used an old iphone with the "find my iphone app" for tracking? I'm thinking someone must have opened one up, pulled out the guts and tried it.
I forgot my phone at my brothers house Saturday after a few too many libations so I figured I'd try the app. It worked great. Im sure there is something wrong with my thinking but I figured I'd ask. (to fragile, can't handle the G's, to heavy)
I'm planning on getting the new Iphone 5 so I think I'll give it a try with my old 3GS.
Any ideas??

PS. I'm hoping to get my cert 1 this weekend with PML Amraam on CTI H163WT

Cheers to all!!

[DJDeadParrot]

Interesting idea.

Beyond fragility or weight, the thing I'd worry more about is its ability to get a track-able signal.

This could be because I have an iPhone with AT&T, though.

[DAllen]

All I can tell you that it's been done. Not necessarily with an iPhone but with other phones that had GPS location services. As already stated, it is a good idea that wherever you are flying this to make absolutely sure that the GPS service will work in that location - at least on the ground. Not sure I would worry so much about the g's but my concern would be shock forces such as deployment and landing. If the phone is adequately secured so it isn't going to rattle around inside the rocket at all then it will probably work. Consider doing some more ground testing though. Just have a buddy hide the phone somewhere several miles away and see if it can be located. And do that several times just to make sure there are no glitches in the system. Also, how does the app affect battery life? Keep in mind if you loose sight of a rocket (especially a high flying one) it can easily take over an hour to get it back even if you know exactly where it is.

It's a bit of a risk slapping a cell-phone in a rocket but then so is placing one of those fancy GPS units made for rocketry.

[Sully]

The Find My IPhone app works well, but you have to have good cell coverage for it to work. You also have to have active cell phone service, so using it with an "old phone" isn't really an option, unless you somehow have wifi in your recovery area (in which case you probably wouldn't need a tracker).

There is a Garmin Astro, I believe, that can be tracked by a web GPS app, which would work about the same as a phone.

[powderskierman]

I will for sure be doing some ground testing and I'm lucky with respect to cell coverage at the launch site. I have a family plan so keeping the old phone activated won't be an issue or cost to much.
I plan on tearing apart (bad wording) the phone and only using the battery and board so that should cut down the weight and size. I guess I will see how well it holds up with regards to deployment and landing. I just think it will be fun to see if it works.
If not what do you guys think is the best way to go for tracking? I really like the ease of GPS, (astro, beeline, others?)

Aloha and Mahalo in advance.

[DAllen]

Why are you tearing it apart? I'd just leave it intact unless space is a big issue.

[powderskierman]

I just want to check out the inside. I have always been a tinkerer.

[rbeckey]

I have noticed that if the phone isn't used for a while for a call or text it seems that the location may default to what appears to be the last tower pinged. Noticed while checking the son's phone. Doesn't happen that way all the time, but it has happened to me.

[powderskierman]

I have noticed that if the phone isn't used for a while for a call or text it seems that the location may default to what appears to be the last tower pinged. Noticed while checking the son's phone. Doesn't happen that way all the time, but it has happened to me.

I notice your from western PA. will u be at the launch this weekend?

[GDJ]

If the payload capsule is reasonably well made and the iPhone is well braced, I see no reason that it could not handle the G's. It's not like dropping it on the floor. Eventho' it's pulling hard G's off the launch pad, dropping anything is a massive shock to the innards. That's what kills things and devices.

I'd say give it a try. Who knows? Maybe Apple will use the idea in it's iPhone 5 or 6 for promotions.

[jsargevt]

I didn't think that sending a phone up in a rocket is "legal". Not that would stop anyone anyway.

[DAllen]

I didn't think that sending a phone up in a rocket is "legal". Not that would stop anyone anyway.

Please cite the law you are referring to. I've never heard of such a thing.

[powderskierman]

If the payload capsule is reasonably well made and the iPhone is well braced, I see no reason that it could not handle the G's. It's not like dropping it on the floor. Eventho' it's pulling hard G's off the launch pad, dropping anything is a massive shock to the innards. That's what kills things and devices.

I'd say give it a try. Who knows? Maybe Apple will use the idea in it's iPhone 5 or 6 for promotions.

I like your thinking regarding apple

[Sully]

Please cite the law you are referring to. I've never heard of such a thing.

There's a brief discussion of the legality (cell phones above a certain altitude are restricted, apparently) and other things that may be helpful:
http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthr...-for-Telemetry

[rbeckey]

Apologize for not responding. I didn't read this till today. Sometimes threads seem to be marked "read" before I see them. I did not go to a launch this weekend. I have actually never been to an organized launch or ever even seen rockets launched by any other person except my immediate family. That thought never occurred to me until just now. Wow. Anyway, where did you go for a launch? Did you cert?

[powderskierman]

Apologize for not responding. I didn't read this till today. Sometimes threads seem to be marked "read" before I see them. I did not go to a launch this weekend. I have actually never been to an organized launch or ever even seen rockets launched by any other person except my immediate family. That thought never occurred to me until just now. Wow. Anyway, where did you go for a launch? Did you cert?

I didn't get my cert On my third test flight I lost my rocket in the trees. For some reason it went left off the pad. My first 2 were perfect, less then 100 feet from the pad. Oh well, time to build a new one. Check out the tripoli pittsburgh web site. We will be having the final launch of the season in October, I think the 13, 14. The site has directions, its near repbluc PA of toll highway 43.

Cheers