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DoctorIknow · Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Sacramento

If these reports are true, I doubt there would be any barrier to the signal losing strength to get to BM.

Maybe I'm an old fart, but it will be very sad to see vast numbers removing themselves from the experience that is BurningMan.

And to hear them everywhere I go shouting into phones....I'd rather sleep next to a generator.

All that "banning" of cells by BMOG was built on a philosophical idea that means little to cell junkies. (and, yes, I might be talking about you and you're in denial)

Let's hope they don't hit us while texting while riding their bikes!

Let's get that guy out of jail who climbed up the Man and have him burn the cell tower!

Selfless people have been lending out their satellite phones for years for important calls. Yes, BM was better in the past!

oneeyeddick · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:28 am Post subject:

The cell "tower" is on the hill SW of Empire several miles.

It does not transmit all the way to the playa, it loses signal a few miles past Gerlach.

It's components wouldn't be able to handle the capacity either...it would probably crash, it's only made for about 500 max.

It only works for Verizon/Nextel users anyhow.
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Timezone LaFontaine · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:33 am Post subject:

You hear that, Doctor? Now there is a chance that people can actually exploderate a cell phone tower simply by overloading it with a high volume of calls. Admit that Burning Man is now better than it was in the past!!!

DoctorIknow · Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 175 Location: Sacramento

Oh no....I was so looking forward to witnessing The Rapture right out there in the desert!

Thanks for making my day, bearers of good intel!

Ugly Dougly · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 7076 Location: Sunnyvale, CA

Vast numbers? What's the expected number of "participants" this year, old-timer?

How far from Gerlach to BRC? 100 miles or something?

Were cell phones "banned" in 1995?????
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AntiM · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:43 am Post subject:

Hang up and participate.

oneeyeddick · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:50 am Post subject:

I use my cellphone for light when peeing in the JOTS sometimes.....
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Shambala · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:56 am Post subject:

There is hope on my part that the signal will not get past the mountain in Gerlach and be strong enough on the playa to fuck up this event forever. What a dreadful scenario of having virtually everyone there be carrying their cell phones to stay in touch with others on the playa, as well as the office and the folks back home.
If there is a strong signal, and there is enough service to handle all of the participants, I predict that this will be the end of Burning Man as we know it.
This is the worst possible news I could have heard and I hope that it simply does not work on the playa.

oneeyeddick · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:05 pm Post subject:

Um.....how could people using phones possibly ruin the event ?

by you seeing them using them ?

people walk around with radios/walkies in thier hands everywhere you look anyhow.

It's not like you are going to be able to have dominoes pizza delivered.
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EvilDustBooger · Joined: 16 Feb 2005 Posts: 3777 Location: Outside the Box

Cell phones on the playa?
You can dial 911 and actually reach someone from the desert?
This is dreadful news.
I`m not really sure why, but I`ll work on it.

oneeyeddick · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:39 pm Post subject:

* dials 911 *

Operator: " This is the operator, please state the cause of your emergency "

Me: "yes...I'd like to report a fire........."
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Shambala · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:02 pm Post subject:

oneeyeddick · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:10 pm Post subject:

That doesn't explain the question at all.

All that does to my particular burn is possibly put some cell phone's into peoples's hands in the pictures that I take.

How does it affect your burn ?

The good thing about it would be being able to hear form family that someone loved has died.

If your dad had a sudden attack form whatever, and died two days later, wouldn't it have been nice to know so that you had the option to leave and go see him on his deathbed ?
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Fire_Moose · Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 663 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

OMG!!! i can't believe this!!

so residents of Gerlach can use cell phones?! entirely unacceptable

As said by Gary on the AZburner list...

"Yes there is cell serive in Gerlach and Empire, and has been for years, it is nothing new.

For me, I do not understand the issue of cell phone service in Empire and Gerlach has all the sudden become a crisis issue that needs to be stopped. The people who live there now have the ability to use cell phone service. Which I think is probably a pretty good thing for the people living there in that remote area. Especially in the winter when a bad snow storm hits and disrupts conventional phone service. I don't get why some Burners think something should be done to stop people who live or drive through the area from having cell phone service. Pretty damned selfish ands self righteous if you ask me. Actually it sort of scares me to belive Some burners have this shit so entrenched in their minds that they would expect people outside our culture and outside our event to be forced into giving it up to make us happy."
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Kinetic V · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:21 pm Post subject:

http://www.ladyada.net/make/wavebubble/

Long story short there are countermeasures (like the one detailed at the link I posted) that one could possibly take to protect their cellular free BRC experience. As for legalities, an Extra Class amateur radio license might be helpful in covering one's derriere up to a point. YMMV!
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Kinetic V
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I bought the ticket, it's time to take the ride!

Apollonaris Zeus · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 3636

There goes the anonymity of discovering a good party

Box Burner · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 4515 Location: Kentucky

dj_john69 · Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 347 Location: Nevada

I don't care either way about having cell phone service available.

I'd keep my phone off and hidden regardless.

Now, if and when a Starbucks shows up to Empire or Gerlach, that's where i flip out. LOL
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Jiva · Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 104 Location: Mountain View, CA

char · Joined: 08 Sep 2009 Posts: 1 Location: san francisco

I was among the people who did pull out and turn on my cell while in BRC. I used it to call and text with my loved ones who could not make it to the playa this year. I shared my experience with them, and was even able to get a text in to my boss asking for next year's burn off. Yeah, call me lame, but it made me happy. It didn't hurt anyone (except maybe my two co-workers, since I got the jump on time-off requests). I kept the cell in the car, and I didn't wave it around or check it while riding on an art car. It's personal responsibility.

The people who do get to go to BRC are mostly awesome, and I spent most of my time with them. But when I had a moment to myself, and wanted to hear my boyfriend's voice, or tell my sister I missed her and that she would love a particular art installation, I used my time the way I wanted - and reinforced my relationships off playa, while I was still on playa. Via a mobile device.

And if I could have done Four Square from the Man, I would have on that first morning. And it wouldn't have hurt anyone.

We all go to BRC for different reasons, and I don't want anyone to tell me what technology I can or can't use while I'm on the playa (fireworks and weapons excepted).