Cell Phone Grump - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JohnR · 09-20-2006, 11:12 AM

Yeh, I know this thread could be in several different places but I out it here so that people would know my cell is down

Last night, wading out a bit in a place guaranteed to find any leak in waders and not bagging my cell (I always double bag it), I soaked my cell. It seems as though the water leak was right next to the phone.

So questions I have:

What is the best coastal service? From the Outer Beaches to Cuttyhunk?

Any good sites for finding cell plans?

Any suggestions on how to get the saltwater out / clean the phone?

Bob Thomas · 09-20-2006, 11:15 AM

John,

Dunk it in FRESH water (damage is done) then shake it out. Put it under a fan or a light bulb and see what happens. Dunked mine and did that...worked fine until I dunked it again...then there was no coming back

tattoobob · 09-20-2006, 11:25 AM

What ever you do don't get Nextel, worst service I have seen,
Verison seems to be best, trash that phone and buy a new one
I have gone threw everything with over 7 phones and nothing is
a cure-all

reelecstasy · 09-20-2006, 11:31 AM

take the battery out and rinse in fresh... let it dry over night.. only thing that stinks is the phone/battery has a little sticker that lets your provider know you got it wet...

Fisherwoman · 09-20-2006, 11:38 AM

JohnR, We have Cingular wireless, best service ever, I have phone servive if I am 35 miles offshore, in PA on the farm or anywhere here, Did buy the upgraded phones they sell but the rebate covered the cost. Best way in my opinion to go as everybody else I know does not have as good a service as us.

nightprowler · 09-20-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fisherwoman

JohnR, We have Cingular wireless, best service ever, I have phone servive if I am 35 miles offshore, in PA on the farm or anywhere here, Did buy the upgraded phones they sell but the rebate covered the cost. Best way in my opinion to go as everybody else I know does not have as good a service as us.

i second the cingular. works jsut about everywhere ive been

, when others i have been fishing next to have tried to get service with verizon, no dice.
like everyone else said, rinse with fresh you could try putting your oven on a very low temp, about 60 F to dry it out a little faster.

Finaddict · 09-20-2006, 11:57 AM

Verizon's service is questionable. There are spots on the Eastern CT shore -- Stonington & Mystic -- where I have no service at all, but will be offshore in a boat and have great service ... go figure?

I think they all stink, it's a matter of which stinks least -- or maybe it was a message for you to not have a cell phone at all - life seems easier before the cell phone.

RickBomba · 09-20-2006, 12:16 PM

I like Verizon, but definately no service on the OB.
My girl did the same thing with her phone, couldn't get it to come back.
She had Verizon activate an old phone; luckilly she was only four weeks away from renewing her contract.
Did you have insurance?
Love,
Rick
PS-I never bring my cell phone fishing and it always works great for everyone involved!

Saltheart · 09-20-2006, 01:00 PM

Get a new phone. Once the salt gets in , even if you clean it and get it working again , it will keep having problems periodically. I have Verizon and used to have issues in western So Co . things may have improved since then.

piemma · 09-20-2006, 02:13 PM

verizon. I have had them forever and travel all over the Country. Absolutely the best. I also have perfect coverage everywhere on Narragansett Bay all the way to Anawan and NR.

whiplash · 09-20-2006, 02:45 PM

Go with Verizon . I haven't found a beach yet that I can't get a good signal (damn it)!! By the way we planned that dead zone in Mattapoisett.

Little Round · 09-20-2006, 03:12 PM

I hate nextel, but I do want to say they have service almost to the BC.

UserRemoved1 · 09-20-2006, 02:28 PM

New fone dood like Saltheart said it's junk. If you don't get all the minerals off the board before they dry then there will be hydroscopic moisture making circuit paths all over the place. In other words every time it rains or is humid your fone is toast and will likely die again even if it works temporarily.

Verizon is best system still. CDMA is a better digital technology which results in better clarity. Cingular is TDMA, Nextsmell is IDEN, Others are GSM or TDMA. The best clarity out of all of them is CDMA. I am a dinosaur. I installed the third cellular fone in Ma., back when it was one site on Bear Hill in Waltham, then they added Worcester about a year later and wow it opened up a whole new world. Back when fones were $4k or more. Portables didn't exist. First portable was the Motorola L8000 it was larger than a brick.

I feel old now. grump

BMEUPSCOTTY · 09-20-2006, 04:19 PM

I am sticking with cingular for now, even though service here in westport and in tiverton where i work is shaky. I read somewhere that they were doing there best to have more towers down this way, but am still waiting. Was supposed to be one on 177, but it got denied by whoever makes those decisions...

Cingular press release:
http://cingular.mediaroom.com/index....ases&item=1661

Raven · 09-20-2006, 04:59 PM

grab an old sweatshirt
and tie a knot in the end of the sleave
as close to the cuff as possible

then drop your phone in there next to the knot
grab (gather) the shirt tail and the other sleave together
and swing that sucker as hard as you can
to use centrifical force
to let the water get out...

it saved a phone for me once...
of course it's better to do it imediately after
it gets wet....naturally

Jenn · 09-20-2006, 05:12 PM

t-mobile wont help you on the OB either

missing link · 09-20-2006, 05:19 PM

CINGULAR without a doubt like they say fewer dropped calls I migrated over from ATT and noticed a conciderable positive difference. And Oh yea , Who has the BLUE DODGE With the S-B sticker and M/V plus others on 495 SOUTH BOUND this after noon around 2 pm was that u RAVEN? I was in the Green KENWORTH bulk tanker I was gonna blow the horn but u were gone
link sr

striperman36 · 09-24-2006, 08:55 PM

That was me, now added ale sticker to boot.
My FFIM in maine sticker washed off waitin for a new one.
Was heading back for the trip to Rangeley for the weekend
If you had beer follow me!!

Nebe · 09-20-2006, 05:35 PM

verizon works all over gansett but is spotty around the Q..

splshnplug · 09-20-2006, 05:44 PM

go with verizon. have pretty good luck up and down the beaches from Maine to R.I.

nightfighter · 09-20-2006, 08:09 PM

You saw my cingular worked all too well on Cuttyhunk.......two dead spots locally are about 1000 sq yds

Finaddict · 09-20-2006, 10:14 PM

Hey, Splashnplug's wife works for Verizon ... so he's biased

... but she always has good info on how to make your phone system work more effectively. I will say that ... Verizon can have very good customer service, they have been good for me on the whole.

As for service on Cutty, when I was there, I found limited service for my phone, it worked on the road walking into town -- for lack of a better term -- at spots, but not really around the club. I had full bars, but could not get a call to go through. I should have spoken to Splashnplug's wife about what to do, she would know.

Righty · 09-21-2006, 01:35 PM

I keep it in the pocket of my surf top.... Mine's not a flip though and I can talk on it right through the bag

Van · 09-21-2006, 01:44 PM

DOn't know what to say about your service, just research your area. But...
Pitch the old phone. If you stick with the same provider, go to ebay and buy a used phone from a repuatble seller that was used on the same provider, put your SIM card in (which should be fine even setted). I just did this with 2 phones and they are great and were short $$$. Beats having to re-up with your current provider for cheap/free phones.

Thats how they get us,,, on the equipment. and costs for new ones.

OH.,,.,you can get all new phones free if you sign up for """"
ANOTHER 2 FREAKIN YEARS !!!!!!!! """"" Yea right.

MikeTLive · 09-21-2006, 02:45 PM

I put mine into a freezer ziploc and again into another.

I use a stripped down water resistant subset of the contents of my wallet: license, bankcard and a $20.

Mr. Sandman · 09-21-2006, 03:08 PM

While washing the boat down I noticed my new flip phone in the corner submerged. It was dead and I could only partially bring it back to life. I got another and picked up this item on ebay...It is not perfect but it keeps it dry and you can dial and talk thru the bag without problems.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._promot_widget

I have cingular. it is good offshore but spotty on MV. Fine on the mainland and inside the bay. The family plan lets you share minutes among several phone.

Try this ringtone...it is a hoot:
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...ad.php?t=27709

tattoobob · 09-24-2006, 03:23 PM

Well seems somehow my display isn't working on my phone it is not even 2 yrs. old now that my service plan is not up for some time, but my old boss is still picking up the bill. I think I willstay with nextel. to get a phone at a discounted price I need to do a new service plan. so I am looking on ebay.
I don't know what to do 1)is to charge a new phone to my old boss 2) is to switch back to my family plan 3)is to go with a new provider all together