GPS system could fail next year?

[Richard]

Just caught part of the story on FNC, but basically they said that the satalites are old & are failing, anyone got anymore info on this?

 

[rmcrob]

I read the same thing yesterday. I'll look for the link. I think your basic idea of the problem is right, from what I remember.

What sucks is that I just got a new GPS receiver and am kind of getting into geocaching, not that geocaching is a serious use of the GPS system.

 

[rmcrob]

Here it is:

GPS System Could Begin To Fail Within a Year - Business Center - PC World

 

[Clay]

haha you geocacher you! fun addicting little game isnt it!

 

[Richard]

Thanks Randy!

 

[CulpeperMM]

back to the old fashioned compass and maps... for civilians

somehow i am guessing this is not a problem for the government's GPS sats.

 

[CopperWires]

I love geocaching but I don't get to do it as much as I would like. I really hope they don't fail.

 

[JcJ]

Chicken Little Cries Over GPS From Technology Challenged GAO & News Media

 

[Annie Oakley]

back to the old fashioned compass and maps... for civilians

somehow i am guessing this is not a problem for the government's GPS sats.

From what I heard it sounds like the government is going to have problems too. Of course, with our current pres I guess that isn't all that important.....

 

[kludge]

LOL.

The GPS system will never fail... now that they put them in all our new cell phones... for our protection, of course (helping find 911 calls).

 

[redneckmedic]

I'm sure this could play issues with the military, airlines, paperboys too!!!

 

[longbow]

someone else doesn't want the census workers to have all the tools they need!

 

[CopperWires]

There is no way the military is going to lose the ability to track their men and equipment. I just figured it was the commercial and personal use market that might have some problems.

If it does happen, we'll get the military hand-me-down technology and they will get the new cool stuff. That's how it always works.

 

[Dr Falken]

Seems to me that it wasn't all that long ago that civilian GPS was "second rate" as the precision was left very "wide", at least until the '90's, so that spys could not use our system to pinpoint targets. I've often assumed that during an "event" the system would be returned to such a state, making your GPS less accurate, especialy around military intallations.

There is much talk that impending solar events would also wipe out satellites. I was thinking about learning how to use a sextant.

 

[qwerty99]

This is a classic example of government mechanics. Fund the pork first, then cry about not having enough money for education/police (and we all know the only solution is to raise taxes). Only in this case its the military who first fund their pet projects, then go to congress begging for more money for "neccessary infrastructure." Don't worry, your GPS system is in no danger.

 

[bynder]

can't quite see it going down. not with all the devices that rely on them, not for long any how

 

[Clay]

Seems to me that it wasn't all that long ago that civilian GPS was "second rate" as the precision was left very "wide", at least until the '90's, so that spys could not use our system to pinpoint targets. I've often assumed that during an "event" the system would be returned to such a state, making your GPS less accurate, especialy around military intallations.

There is much talk that impending solar events would also wipe out satellites. I was thinking about learning how to use a sextant.

Civilian GPS wasnt even available until like 2000. Unless there was another GPS system Im not aware of.

 

[Dr Falken]

Civilian GPS wasnt even available until like 2000. Unless there was another GPS system Im not aware of.

I was going from memory, but found this on wikipedia for what it's worth:
In 1996, recognizing the importance of GPS to civilian users as well as military users, U.S. President Bill Clinton issued a policy directive[12] declaring GPS to be a dual-use system and establishing an Interagency GPS Executive Board to manage it as a national asset.
In 1998, U.S. Vice President Al Gore announced plans to upgrade GPS with two new civilian signals for enhanced user accuracy and reliability, particularly with respect to aviation safety.
On May 2, 2000 "Selective Availability" was discontinued as a result of the 1996 executive order, allowing users to receive a non-degraded signal globally.

I thought that I remembered GPS units being available, but not nearly accurate as today, and fairly expensive...perhaps it was the "late" '90's...

 

[Ricnzak]

Al Gore invented the internet and GPS. Didn't you see that in his book "How Great I Am"

 

[Smitty506th]

If they go down then they can just send up a few more to replace them. This system is used by the military and is a firm staple. The only reason to get rid of it would be to phase in a new system (that is frequency) and leave the rest of the world in the dark. As it is right now anyone could find their grid. If the present system is allowed to fail then a secure one would still (in my guess) provide for us in the military. Either way if you cant find where you are on a map by looking around and figure out your pace count all the while using a compass then what kind of a person are you? This is new technology. We still carry and train on the old. So should the avg Joe. If there were no more power grid or fuel for your generator, after your electronic thingamaduge breaks or is destroyed by EMP your brain and compass will still work. If it's broke, there is BOB in the sky (Big Orange Ball). Just my 2 cents. GPS is big business. I would think that any funding provided by the bigger companies would be passed on to the customers. I would donate a bit of "spare" change to a pot to send up new birds. I mean all they do is go "BEEP BEEP". Sounds like a cheap trip to Radioshack to me. We could even make it a school project.