Defunct US Airforce Satellites

[+Lindsey & Chris]

I heard some worrying news on the BBC yesterday - the US airforce satelittes which are used for GPS system are extremly old and next year some of them will no longer function which will mean that GPS's will no longer work. Has anyone else heard anything about this or prehaps could enlighten me on this fact. Let's hope it is just the media getting things wrong.

[+keehotee]

I heard some worrying news on the BBC yesterday - the US airforce satelittes which are used for GPS system are extremly old and next year some of them will no longer function which will mean that GPS's will no longer work. Has anyone else heard anything about this or prehaps could enlighten me on this fact. Let's hope it is just the media getting things wrong.

 

Yes - it's all true.

From next year GPS accuracy will drop to approximately 180 feet - meaning satnavs will only work on motorways, ships around the world will end up on the beach, the US and UK are anticipating no change in long range bombing accuracy, and Groundspeak are revising their guidelines to include setting caches using GoogleEarth as the most accurate means of getting a viable set of co-ordinates.

 

Ironically, because manufacturing standards have declined over the past 15 years, the newest satellites will be the first to fail, meaning older (pre Y2K chipset) GPSRs will be the most accurate models available.

 

Anybody want to buy my Magellan 315???

Edited May 21, 2009 by keehotee

[+Bill D (wwh)]

I heard some worrying news on the BBC yesterday - the US airforce satelittes which are used for GPS system are extremly old and next year some of them will no longer function which will mean that GPS's will no longer work. Has anyone else heard anything about this or prehaps could enlighten me on this fact. Let's hope it is just the media getting things wrong.

The essence of this is true, but it's been blown up out of all proportion. Gps units won't cease to work, but there could be a small decline in accuracy.

 

In practice, I doubt if that will actually happen. The American military rely so heavily on gps now that I'm sure the US government will find funds from nowhere to replace the failing sats much more quickly than is at present planned.

[+The Mad MG's]

I read something similar in the guardian the other day

[+Guanajuato]

The essence of this is true, but it's been blown up out of all proportion.

[RANT]

You mean the media tend to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion?

Had to laugh when the story (in the Grauniad) suggested it could lead to accidents on the road. Because of course, the Sat Nav drive the B****y thing and the nut holding the wheel isn't able to make judgements. Anyone who tries to blame their sat nav for an accident REALLY shouldn't be allowed to control a 1.5+ ton metal box at high speed.

 

Its a bit like the argument that a GPSR could lead you to walk over a cliff. If that happens, its natural selection in action. Thinking about it, anyone up for donating GPSRs to politicians?

 

Doesn't matter though, because swine flu'll have killed us all by then.

 

Help, the sky is falling.

 

ARGHHHHHH!

[/RANT]

 

To keep on topic, I don't think it'll make that much difference - most of my finds the GPS has got me to the general area, then its use a bit of brain power.

[+gazooks]

If accuracy is affected - does that mean we have to up the difficulty rating on our hidden caches

 

- maybe it will kill off the use of micros ....... opens can of worms

[+keehotee]

If accuracy is affected - does that mean we have to up the difficulty rating on our hidden caches

 

- maybe it will kill off the use of micros ....... opens can of worms

 

Here's hoping........

[+SUp3rFM & Cruella]

Go easy on those worst case scenarios. Edited May 21, 2009 by SUp3rFM & Cruella

[+mtn-man]

Duplicate topic to this one started yesterday:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=222165

 

Closing this topic.