New GPS Sattallites being launched?

[+rockey_f_squirrell]

Just wondering when they get these new GPS sattallites up, are they going to make it where you have to subscribe to service or pay for GPS Service?

[+power69]

Just wondering when they get these new GPS sattallites up, are they going to make it where you have to subscribe to service or pay for GPS Service?

you already pay for them if you work. a thing called taxes.

[+J-Way]

Other than forcing us to rent/lease decryption equipment (such as with satellite TV), I can't think of a single way to force people to pay a fee to receive radio signals.

 

Other than the aforementioned taxes, which are paid by US citizens and corporations.

 

You're welcome, by the way.

[+atmospherium]

'bout time they got some more birds up. I'm only getting 10 ft accuracy on my Garmin right now. As a taxpayer, this is totally unacceptable. I want this thing down to the square inch. There's Tupperware in them woods waiting for me and I'll settle for no less than full saturation coverage. If Obama has time to frolic on the White House lawn with his Siberian eel hound or whatever it is, then he surely has time to sign off on a few more sats.

[jholly]

Just wondering when they get these new GPS sattallites up, are they going to make it where you have to subscribe to service or pay for GPS Service?

you already pay for them if you work. a thing called taxes.

 

I think I'm getting ripped off. I don't work and I still have to pay taxes. Who do I see about this?

 

Jim

[AZcachemeister]

Just wondering when they get these new GPS sattallites up, are they going to make it where you have to subscribe to service or pay for GPS Service?

you already pay for them if you work. a thing called taxes.

 

I think I'm getting ripped off. I don't work and I still have to pay taxes. Who do I see about this?

 

Jim

 

Are you talkin' 'bout sales taxes and property taxes?

 

Those taxes are to fund the local parks to hide the caches in!

[+dubkid420]

10 ft??? That is crappy man...lol. I have noticed lately that a lot of people opt for the Garmin units. I have one question on this subject: WHY???!!!??? Everything I ever hear about Garmin would lead me to believe that there products are just crap. It seems to me that Garmin is simply preying on the lack of knowledge surrounding GPS. I have gone through many different devices over the years. I even had a Magellan GPS300 way back in the developmental years of GPS...lol. I now have a Blackberry Storm which I use the free Google gps program on, it even lets me toggle between "map", "satellite-imaging", and the ever awesome "streetview" modes. And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol. That's pretty awesome if you ask me. And here's the kicker: How much do those Garmin do nothing machines cost? My BB was $200 with a contract. Oh, and it's a phone, email hub, I can view/edit .doc .pdf and even powerpoint presentations on this thing! Then there is the full interwebs browser! And about a million other things...lol. My point is this: Why spend money at all on a Garmin or other comparable brands that simply do one thing? (and not well at all). The same goes for all these ignorant G.C. programs for smart-phones such as the one for the i-phone, wastes of money. Full browser + BB cut and paste (suck it Apple) + Google maps = Free and kicks the crap outta the i-program. Yes I have used the i-phone software and it is wonky and slow at best. Just my two cents on the subject...peace all:)

[+obsidianspider]

'bout time they got some more birds up. I'm only getting 10 ft accuracy on my Garmin right now. As a taxpayer, this is totally unacceptable. I want this thing down to the square inch. There's Tupperware in them woods waiting for me and I'll settle for no less than full saturation coverage. If Obama has time to frolic on the White House lawn with his Siberian eel hound or whatever it is, then he surely has time to sign off on a few more sats.

And I'm sure the fact that there's a built-in margin of error for civillian use has nothing to do with accuracy of 10ft.

[Mushtang]

And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol.

I seriously doubt this.

[TM92]

we do need more satellites up there. i can hardly get a fix on my front lawn

[+sTeamTraen]

we do need more satellites up there. i can hardly get a fix on my front lawn

The operational constellation is 24 satellites, with on average 12 on your side of the world at any one time. Your GPS can typically only listen to 12 anyway. Satellites are launched regularly to replace the ones that wear out. I'm happy to believe that the Department of Defense has got this one covered.

 

The new future European system, Galileo, promises accuracy down to the centimetre level (for which you will have to pay) and down to the metre level (free). There's the slight problem that the politics are so involved that it will probably never actually get built, but apart from that minor detail the science to get centimetre accuracy is apparently there.

[+dubkid420]

And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol.

I seriously doubt this.

 

Doubt all you want man, it's a fact. Most of the time it's about 3 feet. But about 25% of the time in open areas it is accurate within 12-14". If you don't believe it then I suggest you simply go to you local Verizon store and verify it for yourself.

[+TeamAldridge]

And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol.

I seriously doubt this.

 

Doubt all you want man, it's a fact. Most of the time it's about 3 feet. But about 25% of the time in open areas it is accurate within 12-14". If you don't believe it then I suggest you simply go to you local Verizon store and verify it for yourself.

 

I'm very happy to hear that it reports that it's accurate within 12-14". When you lose your phone, email, internet browser, and gps in the drink, let me know how that's working for you. I have no doubt that you have success with your BB, but to each their own. Please don't allow your fanboyism to get the best of you. I really don't feel like paying $40 extra a month (if you're including cacheberry) for an all in one device. That's almost $500 a year. No thanks...

[Mushtang]

And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol.

I seriously doubt this.

Doubt all you want man, it's a fact. Most of the time it's about 3 feet. But about 25% of the time in open areas it is accurate within 12-14". If you don't believe it then I suggest you simply go to you local Verizon store and verify it for yourself.

It would be very impressive if it's true. I have no doubt that the unit may claim that it's that accurate, but have you verified it in the field? Go grab the coordinates of the top of your mailbox, then come back a day later and see where you're taken when you go back to that waypoint. Do it every day for a week. If it's within reach of the mailbox every time you go back I'd be surprised.

[+sTeamTraen]

Doubt all you want man, it's a fact. Most of the time it's about 3 feet. But about 25% of the time in open areas it is accurate within 12-14". If you don't believe it then I suggest you simply go to you local Verizon store and verify it for yourself.

Are you referring to a series of confirmed observations comparing the coordinates displayed by the unit against a known fixed point on the Earth's surface, or are you reading the claimed accuracy numbers off the display? When a GPSr says "Accuracy: 7 feet", do you know what that represents in terms of the percentage chance that it is in fact within a given multiple of those 7 feet?

 

Subsidiary question: do you know what /a/ accuracy, /b/ precision, and /c/ marketing , actually mean?

[+The Blorenges]

snip

- Subsidiary question: do you know what /a/ accuracy, /b/ precision, and /c/ marketing , actually mean?

 

I think you're talking a load of HDOP or is that PDOP?

 

Chris (MrB)

Edited May 12, 2009 by The Blorenges

[+dubkid420]

As for going in the drink man, well for starters you would have to be an idiot to drop an expensive piece of equip. in the water. Secondly, it's called an Otterbox, my BB can go for a swim just fine my friend. As for the verification, I did not use my mailbox but rather a few fixed Geo markers while I was in Germany a few weeks back. Trust me, I know exactly how to calibrate and measure the accuracy of my GPS devices. It is really not rocket science. Using your mailbox would be far from accurate just so you know. Peace all!

[+TeamAldridge]

As for going in the drink man, well for starters you would have to be an idiot to drop an expensive piece of equip. in the water. Secondly, it's called an Otterbox, my BB can go for a swim just fine my friend. As for the verification, I did not use my mailbox but rather a few fixed Geo markers while I was in Germany a few weeks back. Trust me, I know exactly how to calibrate and measure the accuracy of my GPS devices. It is really not rocket science. Using your mailbox would be far from accurate just so you know. Peace all!

 

My mistake, add another $50. Anyways this is getting way off topic. Have you actually FOUND any caches with it? I have no doubt that you can, but your insistence that this is the be all end all device and that other units are basically junk is juvenile and unfounded.

 

Now, about those new satellites, has there actually been any new birds activated?

 

I know I know, don't feed the trolls... but I have to add, directly from otterbox.com:

Notes: Case NOT protected against water. Will provide some added protection against drop, bump and dust. NOT intended for protection against water intrusion.

Edited May 12, 2009 by TeamAldridge

[+atmospherium]

How much do those Garmin do nothing machines cost? My BB was $200 with a contract. Oh, and it's a phone, email hub, I can view/edit .doc .pdf and even powerpoint presentations on this thing! Then there is the full interwebs browser! And about a million other things...lol. My point is this: Why spend money at all on a Garmin or other comparable brands that simply do one thing? (and not well at all). The same goes for all these ignorant G.C. programs for smart-phones such as the one for the i-phone, wastes of money. Full browser + BB cut and paste (suck it Apple) + Google maps = Free and kicks the crap outta the i-program.

 

Well, this may absolutely flabbergast you...but I go out into the woods hiking and geocaching because I want to get away from it all. If I take it all with me, that rather defeats the point somewhat, don't you think?

 

My little yellow Garmin cost me 85 bucks and it has a nifty little arrow that points in the direction of the cache. That's all I require of it. The last thing in the world I want to do is take some godlike phone/browser/powerpoint/coffee maker into the woods with me. When I'm not at home...I'm NOT at home.

[+dubkid420]

Wow. All I can say is this: If you were truly trying to "get away from it all" and be Mr. Dan Boone or something then you would not have your Garmin either man. You would have a compass, pencil, and a map. That would be all. Using your Garmin is no more or less "cheating" then me using my BB. Gimme a break, half the geeks that participate in this sport would not last 15 minutes in a real outdoor survival situation and we all know it. Done. Have fun bein a hater mang:) And following your inaccurate little arrow:)

[+StaticTank]

10 ft??? That is crappy man...lol. I have noticed lately that a lot of people opt for the Garmin units. I have one question on this subject: WHY???!!!??? Everything I ever hear about Garmin would lead me to believe that there products are just crap. It seems to me that Garmin is simply preying on the lack of knowledge surrounding GPS. I have gone through many different devices over the years. I even had a Magellan GPS300 way back in the developmental years of GPS...lol. I now have a Blackberry Storm which I use the free Google gps program on, it even lets me toggle between "map", "satellite-imaging", and the ever awesome "streetview" modes. And the thing is accurate within 1 FOOT!!! THAT'S 12 FRIGGIN INCHES!!!...lol. That's pretty awesome if you ask me. And here's the kicker: How much do those Garmin do nothing machines cost? My BB was $200 with a contract. Oh, and it's a phone, email hub, I can view/edit .doc .pdf and even powerpoint presentations on this thing! Then there is the full interwebs browser! And about a million other things...lol. My point is this: Why spend money at all on a Garmin or other comparable brands that simply do one thing? (and not well at all). The same goes for all these ignorant G.C. programs for smart-phones such as the one for the i-phone, wastes of money. Full browser + BB cut and paste (suck it Apple) + Google maps = Free and kicks the crap outta the i-program. Yes I have used the i-phone software and it is wonky and slow at best. Just my two cents on the subject...peace all:)

 

I am not sure where you have been but if you have hung around here for any amount of time Garmin is quite popular.

 

I also GUARNETEE you DO NOT get 1 foot accuracy. It doesn't work that way. A blackberry was designed to be a phone/PDA; it was NOT designed to be a GPSr. The GPS receiver in a Blackberry is secondary compared to the other features of the unit. No matter what GPSr you have, if it is for civilian use you will NOT get more than 10 to 12 feet accuracy. This is how the system works. Only the government and certain contractors can get any better.

 

I can get my GPSr to say I am one foot or even zero feet away from a waypoint. However there is still the fact that you accuracy is +-10 feet, or some other number. I have seen the Blackberry Storm in action and I will take my Garmin Colorado over it any day. Now go and try and find some caches instead of bragging on things you clearly don't understand.

 

StaticTank

[+dubkid420]

Guarantee huh? How about this: CITE YOUR SOURCE! A real source, not the interwebs either man...lol.

Edited May 13, 2009 by dubkid420

[+Sol seaker]

MY GARMIN'S BIGGER THAN YOUR GARMIN!!

 

and my father's is even bigger than that!!

[+Pork King]

Guarantee huh? How about this: CITE YOUR SOURCE! A real source, not the interwebs either man...lol.

 

This is internets. sources not needed.

[+CaptainSmiley]

Can my Samsung Muse play? I pay $1.99 for 24 hours of use of the Trimble Outdoors App and I'm usualy lucky to get within 40 or 50 feet. I figure that's great, awesome. Now get out and romp around in the woods. Add the car as a waypoint? Okay, I should probably do that, but I don't. I rely on the old "turning araound and looking back the way I came every 100 feet or so. Yould be surprised how accurate that can be. I'm in this to lose weight and have some adventure. Being able to follow a gadget to a pillbox in a knothole is not doing ME (emphasized for purpose of stating opinion) any good. I like to triangulate, offset, and poke around as much as I can with the family and burn some callories. Now if I'm gonna brag, I'm gonna say, if you drop me on a mountaintop in Alaska with a pen knife and a stick of chewing gum, I'll survive. Heck I'll probably make it home fatter than I am now. Satalites? They're good for entertainment. I'll trust my own bult in, God given GPS for survival. But new birds are good, heck, I'm payin' for 'em anyway.

[+StaticTank]

Guarantee huh? How about this: CITE YOUR SOURCE! A real source, not the interwebs either man...lol.

 

Go to Barnes and Noble and read ANY book that has anything to do with GPS or Geocaching. You don't want a source from the web because you won't bother to go look up a real source. It is common knowledge that the GPS systems is only accurate to 3 meters or about 10 feet for civilian use (with WAAS enabled).

 

GPS Made Easy by Lawrence Letham

The Geocaching Handbook by by Layne Cameron

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching by Jack W. Peters

 

StaticTank

[sdarken]

Guarantee huh? How about this: CITE YOUR SOURCE! A real source, not the interwebs either man...lol.

 

I hope you visit the forums often. Your posts are very entertaining.

 

Even if you do have the worlds most accurate GPSr, the rest of us are playing with far less accurate GPSr units so your GPSr wont ever put you on top of the geocache (except by luck). And if you think there's no difficultly in finding a cache when you have coordinates, I suggest you run a pocket query of your 500 nearest caches, sort them in descending level of difficulty and work down the list. My guess is that you wont get very far through the list. Not every cache is a large ammo can sitting under a pile of sticks.

Edited May 15, 2009 by sdarken

[+TeamAldridge]

Guarantee huh? How about this: CITE YOUR SOURCE! A real source, not the interwebs either man...lol.

 

I hope you visit the forums often. Your posts are very entertaining.

 

Even if you do have the worlds most accurate GPSr, the rest of us are playing with far less accurate GPSr units so your GPSr wont ever put you on top of the geocache (except by luck). And if you think there's no difficultly in finding a cache when you have coordinates, I suggest you run a pocket query of your 500 nearest caches, sort them in descending level of difficulty and work down the list. My guess is that you wont get very far through the list. Not every cache is a large ammo can sitting under a pile of sticks.

 

Well he has ZERO caches in his profile, so I'm guessing he's too busy running highly elaborate tests on his military grade BB storm.

 

On a side note, this thread isn't productive to anyone, maybe a mod can lock it.

[+StaticTank]

On a side note, this thread isn't productive to anyone, maybe a mod can lock it.

 

I agree, more than half of the posts have nothing to do with the topic.

[+CabinMan31]

Very true,....this one of the reasons why I have steered away from forums!!! Me posting this reply will probably get a snide remark.