What to do with a smart phone after “whatever”

[rancher1913]

that only works if the gps system is active on the phone they are looking for, most of us keep it turned off unless you are using maps to navigate.

[Bazoo]

Any place you can get a topo map app? I know you can get a GPS, but that wont work after the end of the world.

[Rwoods61]

What about a topographical map app? Without GPS it won't help you navigate but it can be a great help replacing the paper maps that get wet or get torn or you just don't have when you need them. Let's face it, if you are on this site you know how to use a compass to get close to your destination. A app that holds several maps would be nice.

Rwoods61

[JSnover]

Yep, 2 or 3 mobile units can triangulate any device giving off a radio signal, they just need a general idea where you may be to start searching.

Who operates them? When The End comes Big Brother is gone and we're all scavenger/hunter/gatherer/farmers. There's no government left to track us.

[Bazoo]

I have a faint idea of how to use a compass and map, but i never learned officially nor have I practiced it. I dont know anyone that can teach me.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Bazoo, look for local people who do Search and Rescue or otherwise navigate with Map and Compass - GPS' are very handy, but where they don't work, map and compass will get you there, and it's a good skill to know!

Scouting folks
Civil Air Patrol
Explorer Search and Rescue
Mountain Search and Rescue (Usually more than one group like that, some horse-borne, some 4x4-using, maybe some on Dirt Bikes / Quads)
Look also at local "Adult Education" sources, someone will have a Mountaineering / Land Navigation course
And look at online classes places found with a web search for "free online class land navigation" - LOTS of them out there free, one is https://www.armystudyguide.com/conte...ng/index.shtml but I barely looked at it, learned mine back in the stone age...

[Bazoo]

I'd like to learn that, and some basic medical stuff. But I havent really looked into it yet. Im still working on getting gardening and preserving down.

[JimB..]

that only works if the gps system is active on the phone they are looking for, most of us keep it turned off unless you are using maps to navigate.

If by “that” you mean physically locating a phone, it does not require that gps be activated on the phone. If you are registered on the network, the network knows where you are far more precisely than you probably suspect. I used to assist federal law enforcement with these sorts of things, they almost always required that we locate the phone using two different technologies before they would execute, and I don’t recall ever relying on gps from the phone. It was interesting work.

[Tracy]

You can't deactivate the GPS on your phone unless you disable its connection to the network. When you turn off the GPS, you are really only disabling access to it by you and by apps that you have loaded on the phone. The network still has full access to GPS data from your phone, every time it exchanges a handshake packet burst with the nearest (strongest) tower.
For a few years we didn't even have access to the GPS data on our own phones, but it was there just the same, mandated by law. IIRC, that law was passed in 2002. Here is an interesting article from 1998: https://www.wired.com/1998/01/e911-t...cking-devices/

It doesn't talk specifically about GPS in phones, because phones didn't have GPS in '98.
I remember when they passed that law. I continued using pre-GPS phones for as long as I could. In fact I used AMPS phones until they disabled those systems. Wish some private entities would bring them back, in rural areas.

[davidcrawford]

I don't think a smart phone or any other battery powered thing will be of much use because electricity will most likely be the first thing to go. How many people actually have a solar panel setup to supply electricity for a long term outage AND the knowlege to keep it up and running? I dare say not many.

I have an LED lantern you can charge from an electrical outlet or by cranking, it has both USB input and output. The brand name is eGear, the model is Pop-up Lantern. You could use it to charge your cell phone.

[cas]

That's why you have to keep your phone under your hat.

[Finster101]

I just got a new phone and kept my old iPhone 5. With the sim card removed I can still use wifi and stream music and video. I leave it in "Airplane Mode" so that it is not constantly looking for a cell signal. It just lives at the pole barn now so that I can turn on the stereo and use I-heart radio or Slacker, plus all my iTunes music is still there.

[pashiner]

I'd ditch the phone if the grid is down, and use a multi-band 2-way radio instead to keep tabs on the authorities, and still be able to call for help if need be.

[Omega]

The smart phone is essential with the correct apps for those that haven't been trained in many survival, medical, and other tasks. There are quite a few that don't need a connection, and even in a true TEOTWAWKI (The other acronym is banned) situation, the GPS would work for some time unless it is a big enough meteor that hits us. If you are worried about being tracked, put it into a faraday bag, which should shield it in a EMP scenario as well.

[Beagle333]

Join your local HAM club, they are always eager for members to keep the hobby alive so they don't lose their frequencies before the end of things. It's very cheap to get your HAM license and very easy to learn the basics of radio and everybody is eager to help. Then you can use reliable radio communications over very long distances if needed on very little power after the big event, on surplus or second hand equipment and home built antennae.

[Mr_Sheesh]

If you are going to put a cell into a Faraday Cage, turn it off first (as otherwise it will go to full power when transmitting, to try to reach the blocked & unreachable cell towers, and use up all your battery power fast.)

[Tactical Lever]

I imagine that there would still be some semblance of internet, and probably a few towers up, and being maintained depending on how bad things get. I'd probably still use it as needed. At home, I could still get wifi. If there was no service, I'd probably have some music on it, and a couple survival apps. I currently have "Useful Knots" and it's pretty good.

I sometimes take notes with it, or use the camera, even thought it's not a great camera.

Some people like the flashlight app, but I think it's a poor sub for a real light, and it uses the battery pretty quick.

Probably wouldn't carry it much if the towers didn't work though. Inexpensive 2 way radios reach pretty good simplex, farther with a truck antenna, or higher power, and if you really have it going on, being able to hit repeaters or putting one up really extends your circle of communication.

[JBinMN]

Interesting topic... lots to consider...

All I have on my phone that I might use is some loading manuals, some books I never finished reading, and, if it still worked with batteries, my Caldwell chrony to phone app.. That is all I could think of at the moment.

I don't have a solar charger dealy, but I do have a couple generators. If nothing else, and I ran out of gas, I likely could rig up something for charging with an alternator, an inverter, and a bicycle, since I have all sitting around here. I could always make a windmill too & use that with the others to make some electricity, I am thinkin...

Or, I might just be dead & not worrying about anything....

[MrHarmless]

You can easily get 5 volt hand crank or pedal chargers. It takes a long time, but you can charge a phone that way.

[David Ferguson]

I bought my smart phone from Mobile City Online and also availed coupons on it from https://www.dealmecoupon.com/mobile-...ne-promo-codes, but now I have switched to Iphone, bought that too from MCO.