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How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

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Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#11

Post by trafficlight »

oigftrgtyh wrote: post #10
Kadin wrote: post #9

Ugh, c'mon, people. The FCC isn't planning to destroy GPS. I hate the FCC as much as the next guy on the Internet, but that's too ridiculous for consideration. What they're trying to do is balance the legitimate right that one user has to a piece of spectrum, with the legitimate right that a lot of users have to some that's adjacent. They'd be looking at nothing but an endless series of lawsuits if they told LightSqu…

Has the FCC ever bothered to actually go after people that abuse bits of the spectrum? Wardrobe malfunctions they are right on top of - but anything that requires technical knowledge seems to escape them. GPS does have a group that protects it's users - I believe it's called the USAF.

A few years back, a local WISP (in Montana) was shutdown because they were breaking the Part 15 power rule in several markets. Their custom made radios were putting out over 5 watts EIRP, when the maximum legal limit is 1 watt. It took the FCC several years to get out here, but they did do it.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#12

Post by kpeel »

oigftrgtyh wrote: post #10
Kadin wrote: post #9

Ugh, c'mon, people. The FCC isn't planning to destroy GPS. I hate the FCC as much as the next guy on the Internet, but that's too ridiculous for consideration. What they're trying to do is balance the legitimate right that one user has to a piece of spectrum, with the legitimate right that a lot of users have to some that's adjacent. They'd be looking at nothing but an endless series of lawsuits if they told LightSqu…

Has the FCC ever bothered to actually go after people that abuse bits of the spectrum? Wardrobe malfunctions they are right on top of - but anything that requires technical knowledge seems to escape them. GPS does have a group that protects it's users - I believe it's called the USAF.

Funny enough, if GPS does get jammed, the USAF has a whole lot of equipment that would be almost useless... Like every modern airplane they own.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#13

Post by lukeschlather »

InclinedPlane wrote: post #7
rit wrote: post #2

While an interesting article which does a good job of breaking down the technical details AND citing industry, it doesn't seem to me the FCC is "Planning to destroy GPS". This sounds a lot more like the FCC not entirely understanding the ramifications of what they approved and/or a company trying to take advantage of licensing loopholes which have unforeseen consequences. Yes, the FCC fucked up here but it isn't time…

This isn't just a clerical error, this is the very reason the FCC exists at all. This would be like the FDA accidentally approving a new drug that gave everyone in a 1 block radius cancer.

Not at all. It's like the FDA approving a drug with a 100 mg /day dose, and a company rolling out a plan for 200 mg /day dose, and trying to convince the FDA that 200 mg is safe. Unless they actually get approval for 200 mg, they're not going to be able to ship.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#14

Post by hcurtiss »

machrider wrote: post #5

Doesn't the military still rely heavily on GPS? I have a hard time believing they'd tolerate any kind of interference with such a crucial system.

I believe M-code also operates on 1227.6 (L2). According to wikipedia, they do still use 1575.42 (L1).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_signals#Frequencies_used_by...

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#15

Post by mkr-hn »

kpeel wrote: post #12
oigftrgtyh wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Has the FCC ever bothered to actually go after people that abuse bits of the spectrum? Wardrobe malfunctions they are right on top of - but anything that requires technical knowledge seems to escape them. GPS does have a group that protects it's users - I believe it's called the USAF.

Funny enough, if GPS does get jammed, the USAF has a whole lot of equipment that would be almost useless... Like every modern airplane they own.

We need someone with air force experience in here. It doesn't seem like they'd let them fly without knowing alternate ways of navigating.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#17

Post by oigftrgtyh »

mkr-hn wrote: post #15
kpeel wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough, if GPS does get jammed, the USAF has a whole lot of equipment that would be almost useless... Like every modern airplane they own.

We need someone with air force experience in here. It doesn't seem like they'd let them fly without knowing alternate ways of navigating.

Descend until you can see the freeway and follow that is always popular!

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#18

Post by mkr-hn »

oigftrgtyh wrote: post #17
mkr-hn wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We need someone with air force experience in here. It doesn't seem like they'd let them fly without knowing alternate ways of navigating.

Descend until you can see the freeway and follow that is always popular!

It's obvious now that I think about it. Even with GPS, they're going to be told landmarks and indicators (roads and stuff) during a briefing.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#19

Post by kpeel »

mkr-hn wrote: post #15
kpeel wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough, if GPS does get jammed, the USAF has a whole lot of equipment that would be almost useless... Like every modern airplane they own.

We need someone with air force experience in here. It doesn't seem like they'd let them fly without knowing alternate ways of navigating.

Yeah, I was joking a little. Most aircraft would still work pretty well off of inertial data. However there are quite a few weapons systems that just plain won't work without GPS.

BTW, I'm not a pilot, but I work for a government aerospace contractor, so I have some experience in this.

Re: How The FCC Plans To Destroy GPS – A Simple Explanation

#20

Post by mkr-hn »

kpeel wrote: post #19
mkr-hn wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We need someone with air force experience in here. It doesn't seem like they'd let them fly without knowing alternate ways of navigating.

Yeah, I was joking a little. Most aircraft would still work pretty well off of inertial data. However there are quite a few weapons systems that just plain won't work without GPS. BTW, I'm not a pilot, but I work for a government aerospace contractor, so I have some experience in this.

I figured GPS-guided bombs would be the only thing impacted. Cruise missiles match terrain to what's stored in memory to know where to drop.
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