About that Lightsquared

GPS was created as a national defense system. If still critical to that purpose, lightsquared would not have gotten the frequencies. The military has something else and the money required to keep birds in the sky could be better used elsewhere. Suspect that GPS as we know it is on the way out, it has became a tool easy to use by everyone and that ability could be a risk to our national security. Counting on other country's keeping birds in the air, why? They face the same security risk, cost and if there is another more secure system now available, they will take advantage of it.
jud

I've seen no evidence that the US military is disinterested in GPS or have a replacement for it.

Their secure access modes (look up SAASM and M-code) have different sensitivities than recreational or surveying GPS receivers, so what interferes with one may or may not interfere with another.

Having just listened to the ACSM radio hour, my thoughts are that we need to lean on the Precision Agriculture industry. Quite simply, when people hear about the cost of their groceries going up they listen. Not to mention the loss in productivity to the corn farmers who bring us ethanol to mix into our fuel....

As for the question of the original post, I knew going in ours was a glam profession, and even super models get old and wind up in rehab. I'll take another path when they kill my equipment.:-|

I don't see this as a surveyors problem, we are going to use the best tools available to do our job with or without GPS. I see it as the equipment manufacturers problem , if they sold me equipment that will not work within its licensed bandwidth they will need to make it right.

They will make it right, for a price. I wouldn't expect the fix to be free.

This is an issue that your Congressman and Senator on the state and national level has a voice on. They don't any real control to tell the FCC what or what not they can do, they do have the guns to put a leash to their activities by adjusting the laws.

Contact your Congressman and Senators on all levels, especially the heads of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

Like the recent challenges with Texas and Florida having thoughts to re examine their BOR for economic reasons, the flux of Lightsquared placing billions of dollars in our government officials eyes is getting their attention and they are on the band wagon for some of that money.

The revenues that the cities and greater populated areas will receive from this is wanted and like Verizon eating up its competition and adding towers to its network, Lightsquared is taking over the cheap seats (economical GPS)and offering a return in dollars for a 4G network that America wants.

With this they are planning a takeover of the communications market because 4G will handle everything that is being broadcast now on one system. TV, telephone, radio, etc.....

Everyone with any of these gadgets will need to make an upgrade once this goes into effect or they will be left behind.

Then on the other hand, as in past ventures by our government, when too many people take stock in this company, I think it could implode like a Mandoff plan.

"ammo up"

I'm sure we will have to wait and see how this plays out and to find out if and why the GPS gear will not work. From what I've read it is sounding more and more like a design flaw by the GPS makers which I think they should have to correct at their own cost.

Maybe they will get away with not fixing equipment made before they knew about the problem, but certainly anything being sold since needs to work even if lightsquared builds its network.

I'm still hoping to be able to wait until the next generation of sats is in place before buying new equipment.

One thing I am pretty sure of is that a few thousand survey grade GPS units across the US is not going to have much affect on the final decision by the FCC.

The GPS manufacturers designed according to the regulatory environment as it existed. The frequency band that LS wants to use was designated for satellite signals.

LS is trying to put zillions of powerful terrestrial transmitters in the band that was intended for satellite signals (weak on arrival on earth). The GPS manufacturers should not be expected to have anticipated this move.

Ah thank you! Someone gets it.

This is a very informative, written by the people who created the GPS system - The origins of GPS

To correct some mis-information mentioned earlier in this thread, quoting from the creators of the NavStar GPS system:
"Dual Use. One aspect should be strongly pointed out. Contrary to some versions of GPS history, from the very beginning, GPS was configured to be a dual-use system. Civilian users were to be given free access to the signal specification and were expected to use the so-called clear acquisition signal for navigation and other purposes. In fact, Parkinson highlighted civilian use when he testified before Congress on the proposed new system."

Lightsquared is clearly out of line here.

This just in

Doesn't stop it, but does appear somebody got a message.

House Committee Acts to Halt Any FCC Expenditures Related to Lightsquared...

as of last friday