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I usually assume the phones will keep working as long as we can charge them, but I suppose the towers need some juice too. It was interesting to observe when t
by mikestew 7y ago
I usually assume the phones will keep working as long as we can charge them, but I suppose the towers need some juice too.
It was interesting to observe when the power went out in Redmond, WA for two weeks about ten years ago. Towers stayed online for a while, until some (I'm guessing) lost their batteries. Still had a little signal, though, because (again, guessing) some towers had generators. Then the diesel ran out (again, guessing), and we had no cell signal after a few days.
That's why I keep the amateur radio skills practiced.
- jwr 7y agoI consider the communications infrastructure to be extremely fragile and prone to collapse. It already collapses under load easily, and while it can make through a short blackout, a solar storm/flare would take it out for a long time. Yes, amateur radio makes a lot of sense.
- ecpottinger 7y agoStarlink could solve the loss of power problem, but a really big solar flare could take that out too.
- twothamendment 7y agoI would guess most of this crowd could pass the tech test without too much trouble. If anyone has ever wondered if they could, try https://hamstudy.org/tech2018 https://hamstudy.org/tech2018. No relation, just a happy user.