Dialing 911

[Industrial Toys]

But the non-emergency numbers will not work on a non-active cell phone. Here, those non emergency numbers are almost impossible to find, and only available during business hours, and then mostly with VM!

 

[radios1]

All emergency services I'm aware of have a non-emergency number. No one should ever dial 911 saying this is a test!

at least in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the 911 number was for everything, no non-emergency numbers there!. I lived there for 7 years, and you could talk about almost anything on the 911 number, I think the operators got bored sometimes, and wouldn't mind some non-emergency chat!..

 

[Fuddy1952]

Industrial toys lives in Ontario so I didn't know how things are there.
Port St. Lucie, Florida is different also, since around here you can accidentally dial 911, then hang up immediately. Then the police (state and/or county) show up! They take it seriously so you must call their other number first.
A few years ago I bought a cheap cell phone at the Goodwill store $5. At home, charged battery, dialed 911 and it worked (only for that).
Last year I drove coast-coast using our Samsung phones, Straight Talk service (which uses Verizon towers). We never lost signal and we went back roads mostly.
Once we crossed over into Mexico...no signal.
If I lived where I had poor signal, I would get walkie talkies. They make ones with a 35+ mile range, they're inexpensive. One in house, carry other.

 

[snymat68]

Industrial toys lives in Ontario so I didn't know how things are there.
Port St. Lucie, Florida is different also, since around here you can accidentally dial 911, then hang up immediately. Then the police (state and/or county) show up! They take it seriously so you must call their other number first.
A few years ago I bought a cheap cell phone at the Goodwill store $5. At home, charged battery, dialed 911 and it worked (only for that).
Last year I drove coast-coast using our Samsung phones, Straight Talk service (which uses Verizon towers). We never lost signal and we went back roads mostly.
Once we crossed over into Mexico...no signal.
If I lived where I had poor signal, I would get walkie talkies. They make ones with a 35+ mile range, they're inexpensive. One in house, carry other.

That's marketing nonsense. I'm real life scenarios you'll get a mile, maybe two out of those walkie talkies. That 35mi number is with nothing but air in between and when the stars align.

 

[Fuddy1952]

That's marketing nonsense. I'm real life scenarios you'll get a mile, maybe two out of those walkie talkies. That 35mi number is with nothing but air in between and when the stars align.

Ok! I thought it was hooie also with trees, sheds, hills in the way. What I was thinking of is out on the tractor one could call home , usually you wouldn't be more than 1-2 miles away unless you have a big place.

 

[snymat68]

Ok! I thought it was hooie also with trees, sheds, hills in the way. What I was thinking of is out on the tractor one could call home , usually you wouldn't be more than 1-2 miles away unless you have a big place.

Also, FRS walkie talkies don't travel as far. If you get GMRS talkies you get more power. Some walkies have both. They're just different channel numbers. Be aware that you need a licence from the FCC to transmit on GMRS frequencies. (You can look on Wikipedia for which channels are FRS vs GMRS. The license doesn't require any kind of test, it's just a fee. I forget the exact amount off the top of my head, but it's less than $100. It's good for 10yrs and also covers your immediate family members under one license. FRS requires no license but doesn't travel as far due to lower power limits on those frequencies.

 

[1930]

Ok so can someone re explain why my phone's GPS aka Google maps will take me all the way into my property and yet no phone signal?

Someone told me already but I can't seem to remember the explanation.

I have metro, its cheap, I've had it for years and gives me what I need, I know Sprint won't work on my property either.

 

[oosik]

When I bought my new Power Wagon( the Taco Wagon) I had to get a new cell phone. My old Samsung flip phone was no longer compatible. This new phone ( Apple XR ) has an introductory page with two "buttons". Emergency and 911. Touch the "button" and either is immediately dialed up.

Being the way I am - of course, I had to try. They work just fine out here. Even when the phone shows "no bars" of connection.

As I understand it - the outgoing signal is substantially boosted when either is dialed on the Apple XR. It sends out a signal that includes the exact location and who the phone is registered to.

The fire dept and police dept did not appreciate my curiosity.

 

[SmallChange]

I've called 911 from my home for real emergencies only to be told that the 911 dispatch or operator doesn't serve my area. They had me write down a 10 digit number and call that, and wouldn't transfer me. The last time this happened, I witnessed a man sitting on a woman pinned to the ground, beating her to a bloody pulp. I could hardly believe they wouldn't help. I have the proper number written down next to the phone now. So -- your mileage may vary.

 

[snymat68]

Ok so can someone re explain why my phone's GPS aka Google maps will take me all the way into my property and yet no phone signal?

Someone told me already but I can't seem to remember the explanation.

I have metro, its cheap, I've had it for years and gives me what I need, I know Sprint won't work on my property either.

The maps preloaded onto the phone while you had signal. The GPS location uses the GPS radio in the phone, which talks to satellites.