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Archives

You Say You Want A Revolution?

November 30, 2011 - By

After last week’s column, “Technology: Friend or Foe?”, I received a bit of mail. Usually when I write about technology wiggling its way into our lives, the mail I receive is from readers who are apprehensive, concerned, and even frightened of the paradigm shift we are experiencing and going to experience in our lives at the hands of the digital... read more

This is posted in GSS Monthly

The Hits and the Misses

November 29, 2011 - By

LONDON — Technical conferences usually feature hits: advances in technology, new form factors, improved signal processing. But the opening day of the European Navigation Conference in London has dwelt instead on misses: vulnerabilities, threats, weaknesses that leave GNSS increasingly open to attack and disruption. Gaps in our armor, with scant help in sight. read more

This article is tagged with and posted in Opinions

Galileo IOV Satellites Reach Operating Orbits

November 28, 2011 - By

An announcement from ESA on November 4 stated "Europe’s first two Galileo IOV satellites have reached their final operating orbits, opening the way for activating and testing their navigation payloads." But, based on NORAD/JSpOC tracking of the satellites, it seems that the final orbits were achieved only a day or so ago. read more

This article is tagged with , and posted in GNSS

Technology: Friend or Foe?

November 22, 2011 - By

More than 20 years ago, I was tasked with training a group of foresters to use new field data collection technology that would require them to change their field procedures. Needless to say, most of them vehemently opposed the change. Even with pressure from the organization to adopt the technology, some continued to rebel to the point that they would... read more

This is posted in GSS Monthly, Mapping

LightSquared: Five Questions of My Own

November 10, 2011 - By

In true Wall Street lawyer fashion, LightSquared Executive VP Jeff Carlisle thinks he’s entitled to receive answers with regards to LightSquared’s GPS-jamming problem instead of providing answers. He seems to forget that LightSquared is the one applying for approval to proceed, and needs to provide the answers and solutions. I have five questions of my own. read more

This article is tagged with , and posted in Opinions, Survey

The Good, the Bad, and the Really Ugly

November 9, 2011 - By

This month there is good news — great news, actually — where GPS and PNT (Position, Navigation and Timing) systems are concerned. On October 22, a Russian Soyuz rocket placed in orbit the first two validation satellites, built by EADS Astrium Germany, in the Galileo PNT constellation after making its maiden launch from Kourou. Don’t confuse these recent satellites with the earlier experimental satellites, GIOVE-A launched in 2005 followed by GIOVE-B launched in 2008. These initial satellites served to preserve the Galileo ITU frequency filings and test the first-ever space borne Hydrogen Maser atomic clock, which by all accounts is proving to be extremely accurate. read more

This article is tagged with , , , , , , , and posted in Defense, Opinions

Google to Charge High-Volume Users for Map Use

November 9, 2011 - By

It couldn’t stay free forever. Google’s recent decision to charge high-volume users may force some of the larger companies to look elsewhere for alternatives. In the meantime, attendees at two San Francisco Bay Area conferences learned that push location marketing is not the cool thing to be into, privacy still is a big deal that thwarts consumer acceptance…and that the word “experience” is being used too much. read more

This article is tagged with , , , and posted in Mobile, Opinions

Indoor Location Apps Lead to Compelling User Experience

November 9, 2011 - By

Indoor location technology is evolving; indoor mapping is coming along and apps that seamlessly work in and out of doors will make a compelling experience more compelling. Bringing mobile location to indoors will stimulate our industry. The killer app? Apps that can self learn to be personalized to a user’s life, lived in and out of doors (check traffic before... read more

This article is tagged with , , , and posted in Mobile, Opinions