I was unable to find the specific thread, but I know a poster mentioned a while back that it seemed Trimble and John Deere where taking a more aggressive approach to the LightSquared issue than other manufacturers and after sitting in at a training session it became apparent why, so I thought I would share my two cents.
Trimble owns Omnistar and John Deere owns StarFire, both of which augment GPS to provide decimeter level accuracy. Both of these systems would be greatly affected, if not completely dismantle each if LightSquared were able to continue as they previously intended. Here is a graphic directly from John Deere:
Also, Javad has mentioned that his equipment is LightSquared compliant, which is nearly impossible to accurately state at this point, since no one knows how LightSquared will operate when this is sorted out. Javad's efforts are more or less a way to market his company in the headlines, which is needed.
All manufacturers of GNSS (or those relevant) will find a way to filter out or coexist with LightSquared.
Again, this is just my two cents.
GPS Industry Created Smokescreen to Hide Its Failures
Written by Javad Ashjaee
Saturday, 05 November 2011
I am an engineer, not a politician. That may be why I initially believed all the misinformation circulating about LightSquared. There was so much concern about LightSquared within the GPS community that I believed these fears were based on facts and hard science. Of course, that turned out not to be true. When I decided to look at LightSquared’s spectrum issues myself, I discovered that there was really no cause for alarm, only a need for problem solving.
My response to him:
Javad,
In reference to your post titled “GPS Industry Created Smokescreen to Hide Its Failures” I think you have missed the point of the conflict about LightSquared. It is about politics, not engineering and science, as you believe. This has allowed you to be misled by LightSquared into believing it is all about hard science. In America we have set aside certain frequency spectrum for space-based use. There are other frequency spectrums set aside for terrestrial-based use. Properly used there is no fault with science, engineering or politics. LightSquared is pulling political strings to attempt to persuade politicians to allow space-based spectrum to be converted for terrestrial-based use. This is simply political.
I believe you and others can create filters and other types of devices to solve interference problems as you have claimed. The “smokescreen” you describe is non-existent. GPS manufacturers have been paying LightSquared and predecessors for the use of their space-based frequencies to carry GPS augmentation data. There is no “fault for selling products which depend on spectrum that is licensed to another company”. This is how it works in America. GPS companies pay to use space-based frequency licensed to another company. Encroachment is a non-issue.
The goal is not to block LightSquared from creating a nationwide broadband network, but rather to require the space-based spectrum to be used for space-based use like everyone else. We know from past experience that future applications for this space-based spectrum may surface with future discoveries and inventions. Therefore politicians must keep it set aside for space-based use. LightSquared should move forward with their nationwide broadband network just like Verizon, AT&T, and all the others using terrestrial-based spectrum. I am depending on the FCC to disallow anyone from exploiting the space-based spectrum for other uses.
Respectfully,
Jim Luke, PLS, USMS