GPS Warning During War

[bayman]

For those who use GPS to navigate their boat in tight spots - be careful.<br /><br />During the war the U.S. looks like they are going to degrade the quality of the commercial GPS signals from the satellites. This may have been done already.<br /><br />Here are some articles:<br /><br />MSNBC<br /><br />Space Daily <br /><br />- bayman

 

[dmorley]

Re: GPS Warning During War

Thanks Bayman, I forgot about the military controling the accuracy of civilian GPS. My boat doesn't have radar and had to use GPS twice last summer in Oregon fog to steer between two narrow jetty's with 6' crashing waves on them. Might have to break down and buy radar, but ouch $$$$$$.

 

[sloopy]

Re: GPS Warning During War

I have a question; if some unfriendly nation wanted to attack us with planes and they took and flew 600 miles an hour to get to the united state. And if they used GPS, would it alert anyone? or is it so they never know were the gps;s are?

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: GPS Warning During War

If the GPS data is dithered by the Govt. for war or security purposes they would also have, whoopps, wait a minute, loose lips sink ships, so ForgetAboutIt for now, maybe after the war. I can say this, there are at least 2 levels of GPS sat data, one for the DOD and one for you and me. One way to see if it's dithered is to return to a known way point and see if the coordinates have changed.

 

[Solittle]

Re: GPS Warning During War

Well Sloopy - Folks who want to get into the United States don't have to fly at 600 mph or use GPS. Couple of weeks ago a couple of guys showed up on Duval Street in Key West. They had come from Cuba in a power boat and simply tied up at a local dock and walked downtown. By the way they had a couple of machine guns in plain view in the boat. Tight security??? - - Yea right!!!

 

[kglinz]

Re: GPS Warning During War

I would think if there any changes you would find them here. If you wish to you can sign up for notification of status.....USCG Navcenter

 

[miloman]

Re: GPS Warning During War

out of curiosity I pulled my hand held out and checked it. Itw as off by I figure 20feet so maybe you guys are right. Question does a small difference lie 20 feet make any real difference?

 

[LadyFish]

Re: GPS Warning During War

Our GPS is always off that much even on a good day. I was under the impression that its never exact, am I wrong?

 

[roscoe]

Re: GPS Warning During War

If you don't have a "WAAS" enabled GPS unit, you only have 50 foot accuracy, and know waypoints will give you different readings. Even if you have a WAAS unit, it doesn't mean you are receiving a WAAS signal (error correcting signal with up to a 9 foot accuracy).<br /><br />During these times, I would think the 2 WAAS satellite signals have been disabled or degraded.<br /><br />Even in good times, it is sometimes difficult to get a WAAS signal in the central portions of the US, as the signal comes in very low on the horizon, from the east and west coast.<br /><br />Sloopy, using a gps unit is like turning on your radio, it just receives a bunch of timed and coded signals from satellites. No one can tell if you are using one.

 

[BassMan283]

Re: GPS Warning During War

Question does a small difference lie 20 feet make any real difference

If you're lost in the woods or at sea, getting within 20 feet of home would feel pretty good. Other times it might not good enough.

 

[sloopy]

Re: GPS Warning During War

ok thanks

 

[sloopy]

Re: GPS Warning During War

ok thanks

 

[gss036]

Re: GPS Warning During War

I still use my LORAN. I think it far more accurate than GPS and I do have WAAS, but,like mentioned above, it is hard to get the signal. I can only gee #24 sometimes, being in the NW on the US-Canadian border. <br />I really think the BlueWater map in great, nice to know "about" where you are at if fog happens to come in quickly.

 

[marty_scher]

Re: GPS Warning During War

I kind of got a chuckle out of this thread.<br /><br />I'm thinking on how (former) fellow boaters, Magellan, Shakelton and Columbus, ever managed to get by with just a couple of crude navigational devices.<br /><br />We're freaking out because the accuracy of our $200, space-based satellite navigation system, has dropped from 3 to 100 meters.<br /><br />Pretty ironic, huh <br /><br />Marty

 

[Boatist]

Re: GPS Warning During War

There has been no S/A or degrading of GPS on the West Coast of the US. You can bet if any degrading Coast guard will put out that information on there normal Marine Infomation Broadcast just like they would if a buoy missing or off station or a light not operating. I checked my unit today and both AOR and POR WAAS birds working fine.<br /><br />Roscoe<br />Only the west coast of the USA can see POR Pacific Ocean Region #47 at 180 degrees west but the whole USA can see AOR Alantic Ocean Region #35 at 55 degrees West. The WAAS birds are Geostationary so 22,236 miles high over the Equator.<br /><br />Gss<br />I have both Loran C and GPS and before they turn off Selective Avilability (S/A) in may of 2000 Loran C was more accurate at going back to the same place but GPS has always been more accurate at finding a given Lat Lon on the planet. Now that they have turned off S/A GPS is down to 27 feet with out WAAS and 10 feet with it. I find Loran C to be about 100 feet going back to the same place but up to 1/4 mile off finding a given cordinate, buoy or light. Also GPS not affected by weather.

 

[gss036]

Re: GPS Warning During War

I don't seem to have that problem. I was out in the fog a couple weeks ago and traveled buoy to buoy (about 6 legs) and was right on w/GPS and about 50-70 feet off with GPS. I can't get WAAS most of the time up here (along US/Canadian border) in the islands. I have a Garmin 176C w/Bluewater chart and an old 4831 IMPULSE Loran/depth finder.

 

[Boatist]

Re: GPS Warning During War

Gss<br />I have not notice much difference either but it not so much fog that is the problem. The thing that is supposed to affect then is electrical storms between transmiter and you. My Loran C is a Furuno LC 90 and it won Loran of the year several years but still not as accurate as GPS today. I still use my Loran C more than GPS but just because have so many waypoints in it. I am very impressed by the GPS and how accurate it is. Main thing I see is does not jump around at all when siting still. Then I guess that makes since as may have 9 to 12 Satellites to find position where Loran C Just had Master and two Slaves.