Electronics

[Zhills]

We lost power about 12:20 a.m. and IRMA was directly over us.  We were in the "coma" they talked about.

After we lost power, I turned on my Tracfone LG Treasure and we watched the storm go over us and clear the area on a live feed out of Tampa.  

It certainly was a comforting feeling to have that available.  Hurrah for Tracfone!

[I am still oxox]

Hmm I have never heard of the coma of a hurricane do you perhaps mean cone?

[millieshops]

@ZhillsI think my Tracfone works on Verizon's lines. 

I'm in NY, so I don't know whether it would have worked if I'd been in Florida.

I've been able to talk to my Florida neighbors on their cell phones (no idea who their providers are), but as of yesterday their land phones were still not functioning.  Haven't tried today.  Thank heavens lots of us have both cell and land so there are options when we need them.

[2blonde]

Tracfone uses a lot of different carriers, so whether or not you have service depends mostly on what carrier they have set up for your phone, and if those towers are still functioning.  When I transfered over to Tracfone recently (my old T-Mobile "dumb" phone had died), the CS rep asked me which carrier I wanted.......depending on the quality of service for my area.  She suggested Verizon or AT&T, and I wasn't really sure, so I picked Verizon because I knew it was popular around here.

[terriebear]

@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation.  That is the way that they work.    It is the way all wireless phones work.

[millieshops]

@terriebearAnd yet, I know I've been in storms when my cell didn't work- although overall, cell service is way better than a phone attached to one's cable company.  Those are really worthless when the electric is out!  I've been through that twice recently.

[Zhills]

But IRMA was between us and the satelitte!  Glad it did work.

[Zhills]

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@I am still oxox wrote:

Hmm I have never heard of the coma of a hurricane do you perhaps mean cone?

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As IRMA moved up the state and weakened, the bottom and left side of the eye just disappeared.  It looked like a coma.

Once the red cleared our area it was calm enough that we went to bed.  It took it a couple of hours that were scary between midnight and 2 am.  Weird, I know.

I was in this picture.  Right above the A in LAKELAND.  See how the left side was gone and the right side dips down.

[dooBdoo]

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terriebear wrote:

@Zhills

Yes, Your phone will work in a hurricane because they operate off of satellites way, way up in the sky, all over the nation.  That is the way that they work.    It is the way all wireless phones work.

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            @terriebear,  Cell phones use signals that transmit from land-based cell towers, not from satellites.    You're thinking of satellite phones (which are costly and not commonly-used).

[chrystaltree]

"Coma" ???   I've heard of the eye of a hurricane, I assume you meant cone but that's a new term for me.  I'm actually not surprised that there was cell phone coverage.  The signals bounce off satellites and the hurricane didn't affect them.  I think the towers are designed withstand anything and everything.  I remember one of our local news stations talked about and as I recall, they said even if a tower did go out there are some type of mobile units that are also designed to withstand anything nature can throw at us and signals can be bounced off them if it comes down to that.  Cell phone coverage is the one thing you can count on....as long as you can keep your phone charged.  Makes me think about climbers on the top of Mt Everest with howling winds and snow and cold and yet they can make cell phone calls.  We live in amazing times.