iphones as walkie talkies without needing internet/cell service?

[pablo222]

Ports are what each application uses to actually communicate with another application. When the makers of the apps create them, they use from a set pool of ports for the type of app they are making. Without them everything would be broadcasting on the same port and would slow every app down, when it was looking for its data..

 

Part of the problem is that they block random traffic between subnets.

(which is a reasonable network management thing to do)

[GRAYTech]

Princess needs to put a little VOOM in it's step and spend less time saying no you can't do that. Instead, let's drop the price and let you do anything you want as RCCL has done.

 

Sure it's $$$ but it's possible technically. Jump into the year 2017 Princess.

[KruzeKrazy!]

I kind of figured it was a joke, but I'm also kind of dry.

 

I can also understand that some 2-way users don't behave with their radios.

And some non-2-way users don't behave... [emoji6]

[aquashark]

Hi all — I have used Ripple successfully in the past, but noticed that the iOS app has not been updated and is incompatible with the latest iPhone operating system. Has anyone been able to find a replacement to Ripple that’s not dependent upon a cruise line’s proprietary app?

[Thrak]

These need to be combined.

 

Send a message with p@sea, then scream into your walkie talkie "CHECK YOUR MESSAGES!!!!"

 

With enough walkie talkie screamers, even the "alerts disturb me luddites" will be begging princess to implement notifications.

 

Luddites want to tear down and get rid of technology. The actual Luddites destroyed manufacturing machinery in the early 19th century that they said would take away jobs and ruin their lives. I don't believe there are any here on these forums as they would never participate in the first place. (Although those who see to "fear" implementation of the Medallion technology may fit the updated and broader definition of those who fear technological change.)

 

I simply disagree with someone's "right" to impose their obnoxious ringtones on me when I'm cruising. I have no objection to vibration but don't want to listen to your phone going off. I'd love to have notification of a message via an unobtrusive method such as vibration but my wife and I managed to use Princes @ Sea for communication fairly effectively on our last cruise. When we were doing separate things we just made sure to check for a message every so often. It's clunky but it mostly worked for us.

[Thrak]

Princess needs to put a little VOOM in it's step and spend less time saying no you can't do that. Instead, let's drop the price and let you do anything you want as RCCL has done.

 

Sure it's $$$ but it's possible technically. Jump into the year 2017 Princess.

 

I don't intend to be snarky at all but perhaps you should just cruise RCCL then? It doesn't interest me at all so I'll stick with Princess where I am happy. If RCCL makes you happier than Princess does then it would make sense to "jump ship" as it were.

[GRAYTech]

I don't intend to be snarky at all but perhaps you should just cruise RCCL then? It doesn't interest me at all so I'll stick with Princess where I am happy. If RCCL makes you happier than Princess does then it would make sense to "jump ship" as it were.

 

Not to be snarky back at you, I would rather cruise Princess but my business won't survive a two week hiatus. I'm a number of years from retirement. I posted the original comment a while back before I was aware of the Medallion and internet upgrades on some ships.

 

From the anecdotal evidence posted on CC recently it sounds like YES! They have put a little voom in their step on some ships. $10/day (or whatever the charge will be) is dirt cheap for me to stay Email accessible instead of paying someone to cover for me in my sole proprietor business.

 

The Princess internet upgrades actually make the sea-day intensive Hawaiian loop or a TA possible as long as I have reliable Email. I see lots of Princess cruises in my future that were really not possible before due to connectivity.

[Potstech]

As has been well testified here, there aren't any communications apps out there that will carry voice over the ship's network without being logged in and presumably on the clock.

 

There is a company out there called Beartooth https://www.beartooth.com/ which is supposedly developing a 900Mhz radio solution which would allow an iPhone or Android user to connect this device to their phone and then have PTT and text messaging away from any cellular or Wi-Fi network.

 

I got interested in this a few months back, and they were promising a February delivery date, but it now appears that the first delivery date has been moved to April. It looks a lot like a Kickstarter style of product launch where you pay up front and they deliver... whenever. The concept seems solid. A self powered radio module which connects to your phone via Bluetooth and uses an app for management and communications. All users have to have the Bluetooth radio device and then the individual users have to "register" other users for communications purposes, but once it is set up it looks super easy to use. If it transitions from vaporware to a real product, it will be pretty amazing.

 

Until then I'd recommend getting a pair or more of the FRS/GMRS radios to keep in contact while on board. Amazon has some competitive prices on Motorola Talkabout radios. The T100 through T600 series radios are their current shipping models. The M-series radios have been discontinued. FRS/GMRS radios are all inter-operable with each other so old or new doesn't really matter, unless a new series radio has a feature you really want.

 

Officially the GMRS channels on the Talkabout radios, and radios from other makers, like Midland, Cobra, etc. require a license from the FCC to operate on those frequencies and the higher powers that GMRS is meant to use. However, just like CB licensing prior to 1977, the FCC rarely enforces GMRS licensing because there are too many radios and users to try to police; it's a loosing game. On board a cruise ship that is in international waters I wouldn't hesitate to have my travel party on a GMRS frequency because the transmission power is as high as the radio can go, and you are more likely to get your transmission through, plus you are outside of the jurisdiction of the FCC.

 

I suspect that in the next 5 years or so the licensing requirement to use GMRS frequencies will be eliminated because it is impossible to regulate and the regulation itself doesn't enhance the usability or availability of the GMRS frequency range.

 

You forgot to point out that these radios are also illegal to use in many countries even aboard a ship. Also using an earpiece will keep,others from having to listen to your radio which can be very very annoying.

[Thrak]

You forgot to point out that these radios are also illegal to use in many countries even aboard a ship. Also using an earpiece will keep,others from having to listen to your radio which can be very very annoying.

 

Yep. I still have a pair of radios that I used to use and I actually had an FCC license - WQJA766. (Yes, I know that only nerd types actually got the license but...) When I was looking into the license I found that the radios are indeed illegal many places. It wouldn't be much fun to have your family arrested in a foreign country.

 

I still have the radios but the batteries won't take a charge and it's not worth it to me to fix them as cell phones have become ubiquitous. Nice radios though...

[OzKiwiJJ]

I simply disagree with someone's "right" to impose their obnoxious ringtones on me when I'm cruising. I have no objection to vibration but don't want to listen to your phone going off. I'd love to have notification of a message via an unobtrusive method such as vibration but my wife and I managed to use Princes @ Sea for communication fairly effectively on our last cruise. When we were doing separate things we just made sure to check for a message every so often. It's clunky but it mostly worked for us.

 

Ditto! We've also used Princess@Sea on a couple of cruises and it has worked very well for us. It's no hardship to check for a message every so often. Even phones set to vibrate can give off an audible buzz, especially if they are sitting on a hard surface.

[floridalover5623]

For what it's worth....I was told from an internet manager (prior to the announcement of the ***** system being announced) that Princess was working on an audible indication for their messaging system.

I'm now thinking it was in anticipation of the ***** system all along.:confused:

[pablo222]

It's no hardship to check for a message every so often.

 

I don't think most folks would agree with this. On land, I don't think that anyone turns off

audible notifications and ring tone, just so they can have the pleasure of constantly checking

their phone.

 

In fact, I have encountered the opposite -- people who are stressed when the situation forces

them to turn off notifications.

 

Even phones set to vibrate can give off an audible buzz, especially if they are sitting on a hard surface.

 

This doesn't do any good if there is no software telling the phone to vibrate.

[aac1623]

I did some googling and found these goTenna Text and Locator devices.... we are taking our first cruise in August with friends and wondering if these might work? I understand not wanting to hear people's walkie talkies out loud so we won't be buying those and would use the princess@sea if it came down to it, but interested in finding alternatives :)

[GRAYTech]

Thanks for sharing the info on the "goTenna" device. Looks very promising with a 4 mile range it would certainly work both while on board and on shore for the most part. If you use them please report back with results.

[floridalover5623]

Thanks for sharing the info on the "goTenna" device. Looks very promising with a 4 mile range it would certainly work both while on board and on shore for the most part. If you use them please report back with results.

 

It might work over open spaces for a few miles but I seriously doubt if it work any better than a pair of walkie taklies on board the ship with all that steel.

They also have the nerve to advertise the range as 50 miles. LOL :D:D Yea right !

Edited January 10, 2018 by floridalover5623

[OzKiwiJJ]

 

This doesn't do any good if there is no software telling the phone to vibrate.

 

The point I was making is that if there was software telling the phone to vibrate the phone may still make a noise under certain circumstances.

[kayred]

I don't think most folks would agree with this. On land, I don't think that anyone turns off

audible notifications and ring tone, just so they can have the pleasure of constantly checking

their phone.

 

In fact, I have encountered the opposite -- people who are stressed when the situation forces

them to turn off notifications.

 

You are right..I am one of those people who are tied to their phone 24/7. My job requires me to be available and I have 20 minutes to respond. For that reason when I am on a ship I HATE to hear people on the phone. I know everyone is different but phones should not be allowed everywhere. Not having to have a phone on me is a huge relief and I promise you I do not want to hear the notifications beep on the phone that some left on their chair while they just "Ran to the bar" or whatever. I am more nerd than not but on a cruise I want a sunrise, a quiet breeze and a chance to breath. Maybe a good book and if you look close I bet you my eyes close every now and then. You can stay in touch and work to your hearts content but please do it silently.

[GUT2407]

There is a new device out, I’ll try and find the link and post it,

[PescadoAmarillo]

I don’t know how quiet people think cruise ships are that they might be annoyed by the *possible* sound a phone makes when it vibrates on a table top. I can assure you, we never had one moment in a public space on our recent cruises (including Skywalkers during the day, and certainly not in the Internet Cafe/Library) where it would have been noticeable over the atrocious playlists that we heard 24/7. I am certain we heard Uprising by Muse at least 300 times in the Horizon Court Buffet, often five or more times during a single meal. The only playlist in the dining rooms involved a lady screaming as if being tortured. The passengers would mock scream along with it after a few nights (try it for a few cruises).

 

We were relieved when the Christmas carol playlists began...for a few days. There are a lot of Side B Christmas songs out there, like ‘I’m a Christmas Cracker’ and ‘All I got for a Christmas was a Cold’. Still, we complained less than some people do about the very thought of hearing a cell phone ringtone.

 

People concerned about a subdued cell phone sound are among those I’ve termed the “perpetually aggrieved”, always looking for something to find intolerable.

[pablo222]

[quote name=PescadoAmarillo;54959181

People concerned about a subdued cell phone sound are among those I’ve termed the “perpetually aggrieved”' date=' always looking for something to find intolerable.[/quote]

 

I agree, there is so much ambient noise that it's actually hard to hear a vibration.

 

Of course, one could try and give the perpetually annoyed something to work with

by changing one's ringtone to who let the dogs out.

 

Who, who, who???