Sat-nav accuracy.

[Apache]

You cant have 'an opinion' about who owns the GPS network. There are only facts.

Sure, some sort of billionaire like in James Bond could launch lots of satellites for an alternative system, but I doubt the the worlds govts would allow it even if said billionaire could afford to.

PLUS there is a particularly good system already there, primarily for military use, which we are able to use a slightly hobbled version which isn't quite as accurate as full DGPS.

I've worked peripherally with such systems for donkeys years (probably 10 or so, including DGPS with encryption). It is what it is.

[Chillitt]

if the satalites were all the us milatery than how do your sata navs work then?

Clinton decided to open them up to the general public, what a nice man...

[darkdezigns]

and everyone,all together big long breath

[Apache]

He really was a nice man.

As I said, our GPS receivers use the VERY SAME satellites that your average friendly cruise missile, or 747 use. We dont use all of the data they transmit because we aren't allowed access to the encrypted signals as that would allow us to post a missile through the upstairs bathroom window of whoever we choose. Ours are only accurate to a level which allows reasonable street level navigation.

[JUDWAK]

so your saying that no companys own the satalites
and that the USA are the only ones with them

[Apache]

and everyone,all together big long breath

Hey but look, 11,278 posts!

Amateur post whore you.

[Apache]

so your saying that no companys own the satalites
and that the USA are the only ones with them

As far as the Global Positioning System satellites go, yes. You believe whatever you want to believe. I dont mind.

[Chillitt]

Does this help at all?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

(btw ooops, it was Reagan, not Clinton according to that, He was a nice man, but not as nice as Clinton. Aparently.)

[JUDWAK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_...h_Organisation
oeem thats india 's been running well before the 70's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COMPASS_navigation_system

thats china's big copmany one

nothing there about the use but still read it it should make up about 64 satalites

[Apache]

Are you saying that because a country has satellites, it has GPS?

Sorry, no. A GPS satellite is for GPS. A weather satellite, or spy satellite or any other satellite cant help you navigate.

[Chillitt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_...h_Organisation
oeem thats india 's been running well before the 70's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COMPASS_navigation_system

thats china's big copmany one

nothing there about the use but still read it it should make up about 64 satalites

GPS doesn't use any of those, cos they haven't been launched yet..

[gwh200]

i did read in the new scientist some time back, that the european community was looking at getting its own satellite system, (gallileo i believe)as the reliance on the us military system meant it could be turned off at a moments notice.i have used a satellite phone before ( i was in hammerfest, extreme northern finland) and it was hugely expensive, but that was the phone providers costing. i just looked on the web and they all say that sat nav signals and data packages are delivered via the us military system.i suppose some of the data is not available, so we cant shoot down planes and the such,can we just pick up data relative to locating us via the sat navs ??

and i know its a basic tenet that you need at least three satellites to locate you.you cannot triangulate a signal with any less,same as you cannot solve a 3 part equation with two unknowns

[darkdezigns]

Hey but look, 11,278 posts!

Amateur post whore you.

i only joined a year ago lol

[BUSHWHACKER]

I've got a Navman F20 if that helps.

[Apache]

Yep Gra, thats about it.

I'm sure (as seems to be inferred in the Wiki about China) other countries will launch a GPS network of satellites. Fact is, there are currently no workable GPS systems based on anything other than the US military satellite network.