Closing out the InfoAg Conference this year was a session on a very important topic. Titled, “GPS Under Seige: Lightsquared and the Threat to High-End Global Positioning,” this presentation was conducted by Kevin Kobb, Topcon (right) and Doug Schmuland, NovAtel. I spoke with them after their presentation. The threat comes from a plan to allow high-speed internet service to utilize GPS satellites to distribute their signal correction: high-powered, close-proximity transmissions from a network of ground stations that would cause substantial interference with GPS signals. This plan is currently in a comment phase at the FCC.
Kevin and Doug told me it has caused the major GPS producers and distributors to come together to understand the threat and then present that to the public and then work toward a favorable conclusion to the situation. The potential exists for this proposal to affect just about every device relying on GPS satellites. They say that now is the time to act and make your voice heard before the proposal receives a final FCC decision. You can find a lot of information on the website, Coalition To Save Our GPS.
Listen to my interview with Kevin and Doug here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/infoag/infoag-11-lightsquared.mp3″ text=”Interview with Kevin Kobb and Doug Schmuland”]
2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album
4 Comments on “GPS Under Seige Session”
“The threat comes from a plan to allow high-speed internet service to utilize GPS satellites to distribute their signal.” ???? This is completely wrong, they will use ground towers to broadcast their signals close to GPS signals in frequency, but with 1 billion X the power, thus jamming any nearby GPS receivers
“The threat comes from a plan to allow high-speed internet service to utilize GPS satellites to distribute their signal.” ???? This is completely wrong, they will use ground towers to broadcast their signals close to GPS signals in frequency, but with 1 billion X the power, thus jamming any nearby GPS receivers
You are right. I took that wording from a document that was distributed at the conference. It was wrong and I have corrected the post. Thanks for pointing it out!
You are right. I took that wording from a document that was distributed at the conference. It was wrong and I have corrected the post. Thanks for pointing it out!