Coalition to Save GPS
The opposition to the use of L-band spectrum for broadband Internet access is growing. Several companies and industry organizations have joined the "Coalition to Save Our GPS".
http://www.saveourgps.org/
A study by Garmin details the effect the Lightsquared transmitters will have a typical consumer-grade GPS receiver.
http://www.saveourgps.org/studies-reports.aspx
As a map maker and outdoor enthusiast, I hope this decision is reversed.
Kevin Haywood
I find this quite strange. I have three questions:
-
Why would your FCC allow such a thing?
-
For this company to have high bandwidth they're going to need a
precision time source at each transmitter. Will it be gps??? :-) -
Wouldn't the most used GPS devices in the US be smartphones (iPhone
etc)? Tell those users that location services won't work any more and
wait for a reaction.
Jim
On Sunday, March 13, 2011, Kevin Haywood haywoodkb@yahoo.com wrote:
The opposition to the use of L-band spectrum for broadband Internet access is growing. Several companies and industry organizations have joined the "Coalition to Save Our GPS".
http://www.saveourgps.org/
A study by Garmin details the effect the Lightsquared transmitters will have a typical consumer-grade GPS receiver.
http://www.saveourgps.org/studies-reports.aspx
As a map maker and outdoor enthusiast, I hope this decision is reversed.
Kevin Haywood
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On 03/12/2011 10:09 PM, Jim Palfreyman wrote:
I find this quite strange. I have three questions:
- Why would your FCC allow such a thing?
To enable "high capacity" wireless access.
- For this company to have high bandwidth they're going to need a
precision time source at each transmitter. Will it be gps??? :-)
It can be done, it has been done. They are big and lumpy filters...
- Wouldn't the most used GPS devices in the US be smartphones (iPhone
etc)? Tell those users that location services won't work any more and
wait for a reaction.
GPS based E911-localization failing might be an interesting lackmus-test
for FCC.
Browsed through the Lockheed Martin and Deere feedbacks. Let's just say
that FCC and LightSquared has got the wrong type of management attention
now...
Cheers,
Magnus
I find this quite strange. I have three questions:
- Why would your FCC allow such a thing?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
There is FAR more money in WiFi than GPS. That means there is more to
grease up politicians.
- For this company to have high bandwidth they're going to need a
precision time source at each transmitter. Will it be gps??? :-)
A sheet of aluminum as a ground plane below their GPS antennas will kill
a lot of QRM if the GPS is located above their x antennas.
- Wouldn't the most used GPS devices in the US be smartphones (iPhone
etc)? Tell those users that location services won't work any more and
wait for a reaction.
Not all mobile devices use GPS for location. Location can be by
triangulation from cell sites.
-John
=============
Jim
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 1:09 PM, Jim Palfreyman jim77742@gmail.com wrote:
I find this quite strange. I have three questions:
- Why would your FCC allow such a thing?
(a) FCC commissioners are political appointees, not engineers. They
are appointed to 6 year terms. Maybe they were appointed by some
pro-bussines, anti-science administration?
(b) The people proposing to build this system stand to make a lot of
money and are likely spending a good sum to convince government
officials that they should be allowed to proceed.
The best why to fight this is to let more and different groups of GPS
users know what is going on. Next let the media know. They like a
conflict like this, but you'll have to wait for a slower news day,
Earthquakes in Japan and civil war in Libya are hotter stories than
competing uses of the L1 band. Collect most of the facts and email
them to radio, TV and print media.
--
Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California
On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 01:29:55PM -0800, J. Forster wrote:
- For this company to have high bandwidth they're going to need a
precision time source at each transmitter. Will it be gps??? :-)
A sheet of aluminum as a ground plane below their GPS antennas will kill
a lot of QRM if the GPS is located above their x antennas.
I have little doubt that someone installing a ATC transmitter would
be able to come up with the required steep skirted high stop band attenuation
filters, and as John suggests the correct kind of antenna screens.
But that is not the problem. The problem is all those folks
without those resources or knowledge with existing gear that wasn't
designed for that kind of RF environment.
- Wouldn't the most used GPS devices in the US be smartphones (iPhone
etc)? Tell those users that location services won't work any more and
wait for a reaction.
Not all mobile devices use GPS for location. Location can be by
triangulation from cell sites.
It can be, but this is rare. Most is now assisted GPS.
--
Dave Emery N1PRE/AE, die@dieconsulting.com DIE Consulting, Weston, Mass 02493
"An empty zombie mind with a forlorn barely readable weatherbeaten
'For Rent' sign still vainly flapping outside on the weed encrusted pole - in
celebration of what could have been, but wasn't and is not to be now either."