What to do when you finally decide... - Page 3

Nords · 11-07-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

Favorite ad: Corona beer, beach, beeper goes off. Owner slowly grabs it, reads the message, reaches back, and tosses the beeper into the ocean. Takes a sip of Corona. Not my favorite beer, but I love the ad.

Spouse used to sleep with a beeper. That's my favorite ad too!

ESRBob · 11-07-2006, 10:24 PM

You guys have time to post here AND watch TV? What in the heck am I doing wrong?

I think I'd love the commercial, though. Perfect 'take this job and shove it' moment. I can't imagine why anyone would still carry a beeper, either -- obnoxious little things.

audreyh1 · 11-07-2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESRBob

You guys have time to post here AND watch TV?

I do it concurrently. Doesn't everybody? LOL!

Audrey

Mr._johngalt · 11-08-2006, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1

I do it concurrently. Doesn't everybody? LOL!

Audrey

I thought they called this multi-tasking. I had a black belt in this
before the word was invented. Not now.

JG

ESRBob · 11-08-2006, 06:59 AM

Got it. Yes I've noticed every year that goes by I'm less able to multi-task. I used to say I was just 'focusing', now I wonder if my brain is somehow getting re-wired!

Rich_in_Tampa · 11-08-2006, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESRBob

I can't imagine why anyone would still carry a beeper, either -- obnoxious little things.

You have no idea how obnoxious they can be.

The reason anyone still carries one is because they have to. If they are doing it voluntarily, they deserve it

.

ESRBob · 11-08-2006, 07:34 AM

Rich,
Why don't employers replace them with phones? Is it really that much cheaper? Once you get beeped you have to phone anyway, so it just seems a redundant step. Or is it just organizational inertia? Yeah, I forgot -- physicians are probably one of the last big holdouts of beeper toters, right?

Rich_in_Tampa · 11-08-2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESRBob

Why don't employers replace them with phones? Is it really that much cheaper? Once you get beeped you have to phone anyway, so it just seems a redundant step. Or is it just organizational inertia? Yeah, I forgot -- physicians are probably one of the last big holdouts of beeper toters, right?

For electronics reasons I don't really understand, cell phones don't penetrate into the various caverns of a hospital. This is especially true for the basement radiology areas (shielded) and other fortified areas. Also, the cell phone transmission signals interfere with various heart monitors, etc. Beepers do go through.

I heard that they could put "repeater" antennas in the building to make the cell phones work, but cost and interference with monitoring equipment make that impractical.

So, we are stuck with beepers. It's amusing to see how they have tried to make even beepers "high tech" to keep up with the times -- you can lock messages, file them in virtual folders, set up any of 10 ring tones, zoom in and out, etc.

Of course, to turn the d%#n thing off it literally takes 5 separate "button-pushes" distributed among the six available buttons!

ESRBob · 11-08-2006, 12:44 PM

Shows you how little I'd thought about it -- I was just assuming they worked on the same frequencies. Do I remember rightly that beeper signals get beamed off a satellite? Anyway, not long now before you can lay that burden down, too!

free4now · 11-08-2006, 05:10 PM

Most beepers operate from terrestrial antennas. Because the beeping is one way there is no need for the portable devices to transmit back to the terrestrial antennas. This means the beeper terrestrial antennas can be very high powered and located far away. Cell phones have to transmit to the terrestrial antennas, so the antennas have to be spaced nearby so that the cell phone won't use too much power transmitting. If Cell phone towers were located as far as beeper towers, cell phones would need batteries the sizes of bricks.

As a result, the beeper signals are much stronger (more radio power) than the cell signals, and that's why they penetrate better.

Meadbh · 11-08-2006, 09:34 PM

Maybe beeper signals penetrate better, but in my organization we hve had "black holes" with no transmission, and they move after construction (which goes on all the time in hospitals). We did a Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) on paging, and you just wouldn't believe what can go wrong. Like the MD having the affair who didnt' want to be paged when he was with his mistress, etc, etc.....

On the day I ER, I am going to have a Beeper Throwing Ceremony.......into the lake!

Meadbh, MD

Rich_in_Tampa · 11-08-2006, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh

On the day I ER, I am going to have a Beeper Throwing Ceremony.......into the lake!

I'll meet you at the border. Niagara Falls sound OK?

Meadbh · 11-09-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

I'll meet you at the border. Niagara Falls sound OK?

Rich, it's a date!

11-07-2006, 10:24 PM	#42
ESRBob Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,283	Re: What to do when you finally decide... You guys have time to post here AND watch TV? What in the heck am I doing wrong? I think I'd love the commercial, though. Perfect 'take this job and shove it' moment. I can't imagine why anyone would still carry a beeper, either -- obnoxious little things. __________________ ER for 8 years; living off 4.3% of savings (and a few book royalties ;-)

11-08-2006, 06:59 AM	#45
ESRBob Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,283	Re: What to do when you finally decide... Got it. Yes I've noticed every year that goes by I'm less able to multi-task. I used to say I was just 'focusing', now I wonder if my brain is somehow getting re-wired! __________________ ER for 8 years; living off 4.3% of savings (and a few book royalties ;-)

11-08-2006, 07:34 AM	#47
ESRBob Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,283	Re: What to do when you finally decide... Rich, Why don't employers replace them with phones? Is it really that much cheaper? Once you get beeped you have to phone anyway, so it just seems a redundant step. Or is it just organizational inertia? Yeah, I forgot -- physicians are probably one of the last big holdouts of beeper toters, right? __________________ ER for 8 years; living off 4.3% of savings (and a few book royalties ;-)

11-08-2006, 12:44 PM	#49
ESRBob Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,283	Re: What to do when you finally decide... Shows you how little I'd thought about it -- I was just assuming they worked on the same frequencies. Do I remember rightly that beeper signals get beamed off a satellite? Anyway, not long now before you can lay that burden down, too! __________________ ER for 8 years; living off 4.3% of savings (and a few book royalties ;-)

11-08-2006, 05:10 PM	#50
free4now Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,027	Re: What to do when you finally decide... Most beepers operate from terrestrial antennas. Because the beeping is one way there is no need for the portable devices to transmit back to the terrestrial antennas. This means the beeper terrestrial antennas can be very high powered and located far away. Cell phones have to transmit to the terrestrial antennas, so the antennas have to be spaced nearby so that the cell phone won't use too much power transmitting. If Cell phone towers were located as far as beeper towers, cell phones would need batteries the sizes of bricks. As a result, the beeper signals are much stronger (more radio power) than the cell signals, and that's why they penetrate better.

11-08-2006, 09:34 PM	#51
Meadbh Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1,644	Re: What to do when you finally decide... Maybe beeper signals penetrate better, but in my organization we hve had "black holes" with no transmission, and they move after construction (which goes on all the time in hospitals). We did a Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) on paging, and you just wouldn't believe what can go wrong. Like the MD having the affair who didnt' want to be paged when he was with his mistress, etc, etc..... On the day I ER, I am going to have a Beeper Throwing Ceremony.......into the lake! Meadbh, MD

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