M11 - a warning

coolguy · 25th June 2020, 13:49

Travelling north on the new section of the M11 (the recently opened bit) on Tuesday evening, I had a problem with the car (not a 75 or ZT I hasten to add). Nursed it into one of the SOS emergency bays, and picked up the phone. It could be heard dialling, but there was no response. Tried several times to no avail, before switching to my mobile, which wouldn't work either! As I was only about a mile from Cambridge Services, I risked nursing the car there, and coincidentally pulled in behind a Highway Patrol Officer's vehicle, so I spoke to him about the SOS phone. He replied that there are a number on that stretch which cannot get a signal, including mobiles! Whilst I was talking to him, he got a message to say that I had been spotted in the SOS bay and reported by a member of the public! I would at least have expected the screens to be monitored in this area if the signal is poor or non-existent. So much for the trumpeting of this stretch opening on time and below budget! Of little use if it doesn't work!

Snetty · 25th June 2020, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolguy

Travelling north on the new section of the M11 (the recently opened bit) on Tuesday evening, I had a problem with the car (not a 75 or ZT I hasten to add). Nursed it into one of the SOS emergency bays, and picked up the phone. It could be heard dialling, but there was no response. Tried several times to no avail, before switching to my mobile, which wouldn't work either! As I was only about a mile from Cambridge Services, I risked nursing the car there, and coincidentally pulled in behind a Highway Patrol Officer's vehicle, so I spoke to him about the SOS phone. He replied that there are a number on that stretch which cannot get a signal, including mobiles! Whilst I was talking to him, he got a message to say that I had been spotted in the SOS bay and reported by a member of the public! I would at least have expected the screens to be monitored in this area if the signal is poor or non-existent. So much for the trumpeting of this stretch opening on time and below budget! Of little use if it doesn't work!

The new road is the A14, an excellent upgrade to the old road but obviously only if you don't have problems.

The Rovering Member · 26th June 2020, 01:52

It's now a shorter journey if you're heading west on the A14 but a bit longer if north up the A1.

steve-45 · 26th June 2020, 05:35

I used to use the A14 quite a bit and always found many reception dead spots on the mobile phone.
And that was with a fitted car kit with external antenna on the roof of the car, sounds like things have not improved.

StewartIngram · 26th June 2020, 08:26

Before I retired I was a radio engineer, and for many years working with the Police and Fire installing their radios and mobile phones (bricks), and later, phone holders for true mobiles.
We had a rep (who also was a designer) I dealt with for parts and kits. We were talking about mobile phone aerials one day (some of the Fire Officers were fussy about installations on their cars)
Very often fitting an external phone aerial was less efficient than using the phone's internal aerial. Also poor signals inside buildings (offices) were worsened by using an aerial attachment to try to improve the signal.
After that I did some signal tests with my test equipment, his point was proven!

But as usual style is what sells. It looks cool to have a "shark fin" on your roof....

Georgies Dad · 28th June 2020, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snetty

The new road is the A14, an excellent upgrade to the old road but obviously only if you don't have problems.

I saw on google maps that it is named the M14

The Rovering Member · 30th June 2020, 14:45

They were applying to have it designated as a motorway as it's up to m'way spec' but l guess the signs were already made.

25th June 2020, 13:49	#1
coolguy Coolguy Rover 75 CDT Tourer Auto, Rover 75 2.0 Connoisseur Auto, MG ZT 2.5 Auto and MG ZT Cdti Auto (Monogra Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Finedon Posts: 1,896 Thanks: 933 Thanked 638 Times in 430 Posts	M11 - a warning Travelling north on the new section of the M11 (the recently opened bit) on Tuesday evening, I had a problem with the car (not a 75 or ZT I hasten to add). Nursed it into one of the SOS emergency bays, and picked up the phone. It could be heard dialling, but there was no response. Tried several times to no avail, before switching to my mobile, which wouldn't work either! As I was only about a mile from Cambridge Services, I risked nursing the car there, and coincidentally pulled in behind a Highway Patrol Officer's vehicle, so I spoke to him about the SOS phone. He replied that there are a number on that stretch which cannot get a signal, including mobiles! Whilst I was talking to him, he got a message to say that I had been spotted in the SOS bay and reported by a member of the public! I would at least have expected the screens to be monitored in this area if the signal is poor or non-existent. So much for the trumpeting of this stretch opening on time and below budget! Of little use if it doesn't work!

26th June 2020, 01:52	#3
The Rovering Member I really should get out more....... Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: London Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 263 Thanked 538 Times in 431 Posts	It's now a shorter journey if you're heading west on the A14 but a bit longer if north up the A1. __________________ Reducing the size of my Rover fleet by adding a 75 to it.

30th June 2020, 14:45	#7
The Rovering Member I really should get out more....... Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: London Posts: 2,953 Thanks: 263 Thanked 538 Times in 431 Posts	They were applying to have it designated as a motorway as it's up to m'way spec' but l guess the signs were already made. __________________ Reducing the size of my Rover fleet by adding a 75 to it.

26th June 2020, 05:35	#4
steve-45 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon CDTi Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Belvedere Posts: 4,076 Thanks: 108 Thanked 1,089 Times in 774 Posts	I used to use the A14 quite a bit and always found many reception dead spots on the mobile phone. And that was with a fitted car kit with external antenna on the roof of the car, sounds like things have not improved.

26th June 2020, 08:26	#5
StewartIngram Gets stuck in Rover 75 Connoisseur 2.5 V6 auto Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chatteris, Cambridgeshire Posts: 902 Thanks: 320 Thanked 159 Times in 127 Posts	Before I retired I was a radio engineer, and for many years working with the Police and Fire installing their radios and mobile phones (bricks), and later, phone holders for true mobiles. We had a rep (who also was a designer) I dealt with for parts and kits. We were talking about mobile phone aerials one day (some of the Fire Officers were fussy about installations on their cars) Very often fitting an external phone aerial was less efficient than using the phone's internal aerial. Also poor signals inside buildings (offices) were worsened by using an aerial attachment to try to improve the signal. After that I did some signal tests with my test equipment, his point was proven! But as usual style is what sells. It looks cool to have a "shark fin" on your roof....