It’s been a tough couple of weeks for SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System), namely the USA’s WAAS program and India’s GAGAN program. WAAS and GAGAN have taken big hits recently that threaten the integrity of the programs. Both events were totally unexpected and are causing disruptions of GPS correction services.
It’s time to touch on the solar activity subject again, as there was an event earlier this week and rumors began to fly. The mainstream press jumped on a story back in January when the first solar flare of Solar Cycle 24 occurred.
A couple of weeks ago, I participated in a roundtable discussion at the Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW) annual conference on the subject of RTK networks (RTN). I always enjoy listening to heavy RTK users on their thoughts, their procedures, and how they arrived at them. We danced around a number of subjects with one being the “RTN’s biggest flaw.” My first thought was the communications link, but…
Thank you for making “GPS for GIS Data Collection – 101” one of the most well-attended webinars we’ve done. It’s the first that was co-hosted by GPS World magazine and Geospatial Solutions online. As customary, the newsletter after the webinar is dedicated to addressing some of the questions and posting the results from the polls I took during the webinar.
I didn’t plan it this way, but my coverage of GPS 24+3 turned out to be a three-part series, with this column being part three. One reason it turned into a three-part series is because I’m learning more about it along the way, but its mostly because details weren’t released all at once.
In the few years I’ve been writing this column, very few subjects have warranted back-to-back newsletter coverage. The new GPS 24+3 configuration is one of them. The reason I’ve continued with this discussion is because it will significantly affect your GPS operations, especially if you’re using RTK or DGPS.
Last week, the U.S. Air Force announced it is reconfiguring the GPS constellation. The Air Force is changing the constellation from a 21+3 configuration to a 24+3 configuration. The result will be more satellites in view, on average. This is great news for the GPS surveying and GIS mapping user. In my opinion, it was the only achievable short/medium-term solution to the GPS “brownout” problem that has plagued GPS surveying and mapping users for years, and has worsened in recent months.
I’ve intended to write about the 2008 Federal Radionavigation Plan (FRP) for quite some time. It is an important document because it is the official policy document that drives the United States’ radio navigation (including GPS) program planning. According to the FRP, it includes the introductions, policies, radionavigation system user requirements, system descriptions, and operating plans of various radionavigation systems.
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