+The Cheeseheads Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 From Slashdot: Otago University researchers are concerned by US plans to protect satellites from solar storms... "The approach, which is being considered by the US Air Force and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, involves using very low frequency radio waves to flush particles from belts and dump them into the upper atmosphere over either one or several days". The plan could disrupt GPS signals and high frequency radio over the Pacific for up to a week. "The disruptions result from a deluge of dumped charged particles temporarily changing the ionosphere from a "mirror" that bounces high frequency radio waves around the planet to a "sponge" that soaks them up."This could obviously have some interesting implications in the Geocaching world as well... Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Make that lamp post micro a 5 star diff please. Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 From Slashdot:Otago University researchers are concerned by US plans to protect satellites from solar storms... "The approach, which is being considered by the US Air Force and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, involves using very low frequency radio waves to flush particles from belts and dump them into the upper atmosphere over either one or several days". The plan could disrupt GPS signals and high frequency radio over the Pacific for up to a week. "The disruptions result from a deluge of dumped charged particles temporarily changing the ionosphere from a "mirror" that bounces high frequency radio waves around the planet to a "sponge" that soaks them up."This could obviously have some interesting implications in the Geocaching world as well... ... At least those Pacific cachers. One of the links didn't work and the other didn't mention when this action was supposed to take place. I checked gps.faa.gov thinking that they would post a notice, but found nothing. Quote Link to comment
gerboa Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Umpteen years ago millions? of copper needles were launched into space, with accompanying dire misgivings. When John Crosby, a UK "Sunday Observer" columnist was asked to comment he replied "It's outside my worry orbit", a remark I've latched onto. The Copper Needles ?? Never seen or heard of again.. Quote Link to comment
+Iowa Tom Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 It's hard to believe what humans can do. First it's low frequency sonar disrupting whale communications hundreds of miles away and now it's low frequency radio disrupting the ionosphere, in a round about way! I wonder if this would produce any aurora? Quote Link to comment
gerboa Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 It's outside my worry orbit. Quote Link to comment
+hikergps Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 No problem. I'll just go old school. Quote Link to comment
+The Cheeseheads Posted August 14, 2006 Author Share Posted August 14, 2006 No problem. I'll just go old school. Problem is... if the GPS inaccuracy actually does come to pass and folks don't realize it, any caches placed during that time may end up with coordinates that are way off when things go back to normal. Quote Link to comment
+Glenn Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Here is the article from Otago University. Doesn't seem like it would be anything to worry about. If solar flares get so bad that they are effecting the life expectancy of satellites I think I'd be more worried about the amount of sun screen I have on at the time. And if we have nuclear weapons going off in the upper atmosphere I'm going to be more worried about getting my duck and cover form correct than geocaching. Quote Link to comment
+Glenn Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 No problem. I'll just go old school. Problem is... if the GPS inaccuracy actually does come to pass and folks don't realize it, any caches placed during that time may end up with coordinates that are way off when things go back to normal. How could you not know? The forums would be littered with posts with subjects like "Is 300km error normal?" or "I can only get one satellite and then only when it is directly overhead." Quote Link to comment
+DocDiTTo Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 No problem. I'll just go old school. Problem is... if the GPS inaccuracy actually does come to pass and folks don't realize it, any caches placed during that time may end up with coordinates that are way off when things go back to normal. And I'm sure others will be more than happy to let them know.... Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 ROFL - If nuclear bombs start detonating, inaccurate GPS signals will be the least of your worries! Quote Link to comment
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