Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 17:07:52 -0400 From: Neill Robins <freebsd@nc.rr.com> To: chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: GPS heads up Message-ID: <17713.000503@nc.rr.com> In-Reply-To: <200005032052.OAA01634@nomad.yogotech.com> References: <200005032052.OAA01634@nomad.yogotech.com>
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Wednesday, May 03, 2000, 4:52:01 PM, you wrote: >> I don't know why they even continued to use SA after they released >> Differential GPS, which is good to 5 meters and less. It sort of got >> around the signal degredation. But, for the folks who didn't want to >> sink $500 into a DGPS unit, this news is great. It is sort of >> surprising since it is 6 years earlier than planned. NW> Because in order to use DGPS, you must be near a DGPS transmitter, which NW> for most of the US (anywhere but the two coasts) is not a feasible NW> option. Granted, but if you are spending the money on DGPS you might be likely to afford to subscribe to commercial versions in those areas other than the coasts (which are provided free from the USCG, of course). Price depends on the accuracy you want to achieve. All this is from a Garmin and Lowrance electronics reps. Neill NW> Nate >> >> Neill >> >> >> Wednesday, May 03, 2000, 3:52:55 PM, you wrote: >> >> NW> [ Moved to -chat ] >> >> >> Ok, this has nothing to do with FreeBSD, but I just had to post >> >> something since nobody else has. >> >> >> >> By presidential order, on May 1 the error introduced into the GPS >> >> system, called 'SA', was turned off. >> >> NW> You've *GOT* to be kidding? Honest and truly? (Runs outside with his >> NW> GPS). >> >> >> This means that your GPS receivers are now around 5-10 times more >> >> accurate then they were before May 1st. >> >> NW> On my Garmin 12, I could get accuracy to 53' consistently before, now >> NW> it's consistenly at 14'. If I averaged the errors, I got 43', now it >> NW> only gets 1' better to 13'. >> >> NW> Still, it's measurably better than before. >> >> >> And I have to say, I am totally amazed! My handheld Garmin now >> >> tells me that it is accurate to 14 feet, rather then 100 ft. It is >> >> so accurate now that I can tell which side of the street I'm on! >> >> NW> This is good and bad. Now my routes tell me I'm off since I'm on the >> NW> other side of the road. *grin* >> >> >> I am well and truely amazed. It's impressive to see the thing recognize >> >> when I take a few steps in one direction or another using a bunch of >> >> satellites sitting thousands of miles away in the sky. It's even more >> >> impressive to see the government do something right for a change! >> >> NW> No kidding. Thanks for the announcement Matt, I wouldn't have noticed >> NW> this for a while had you not posted this, and then I would have wondered >> NW> if my GPS was going bonkers. :) >> >> >> >> NW> Nate >> >> >> NW> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org >> NW> with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message >> >> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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