GPS erosion

[pkb]

This is something that will gladden the hearts of all those "I told you so" navigational traditionalists out there. In the current issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology - the weekly bible of the aerospace industry - there is a story about the Pentagon's concerns over the rapid erosion of the GPS satellite constellation.

Apparently more than half the GPS satellites in orbit are no longer fully operational and the Pentagon says it has no way to accurately predict when more of the spacecraft will fail. And while there are spare satellites available there aren't enough space launchers to hoist them into orbit. And recent attempts to launch additional birds have resulted in either damage or destruction on the launch pad.

Does this mean that Differental GPS has rediscovered its raison d'etre.

Peter

 

[ianwright]

I'm going to buy more pencil factory shares.

What do we think would happen if, for whatever reason, GPS was just turned off? What percentage of cruisers would continue to cruise?

IanW.

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[Twister_Ken]

Now might be a good time to pick up a a barely used sextant!

 

[vyv_cox]

I suspect that the opposite may be the case. Europe seems to have taken a decision to have its own GPS system. Occasional words come out suggesting that the Russian Glonass system may be/will be working before too long. Soon we will be spoilt for choice, and regardless of what the press may say about GPS satellites there is so much dependence upon them that I doubt whether USA will let them rot for long.

 

[bedouin]

Do you think this might be a precursor to trying to get people to pay for using the service - "Oh, we can't guarantee it's accuracy without more investment..."?

 

[Vasco]

Unfortunately cheap barely used sextants seem to be in short supply, I have been looking for one for quite a while...
I don't believe in this GPS "erosion" , the world's shipping and air traffic ( and big part of the armed forces) relying so much on it.Easier to believe in going back to the downgrading of signal to non paying users, or something along those lines . DGPS might make a comeback , because surprisingly there are yachtsmen who firmly believe they need a position with 10 or 20 feet of accuracy.

 

[wayneA]

Sadly, I think you maybe right. (nm)

NM

 

[ianwright]

My Freiberger is still on board and gets asked to do a vertical or horizontal angle from time to time,.
I doubt that astro will be needed on Patience, they won't let me go far enough to use it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but I could.

IanW

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[steve_cronin]

Can\'t see a problem...

.. with paying for it. I pay for water, electricity & gas. Why should the US provide it for free?

The payer would of course need to be able to call the pipers tune.

It amazes me how much free info we get on the net. That too ought to cost IMO.

Steve Cronin

 

[jamesjermain]

Yes, but...

How do you pay and to whom and through what channels do you get representation? The RYA perhaps!!!!

Re: the internet, there are ways of making the customer pay if you want to, the trouble seems to be, as soon as you charge people to use your site, nobody calls any more - except the sex sites, of course...so I'm told

JJ