Author: rothelandsurveyor

  • GPS for Soldiers – Civilian grade or DoD spec?

    A recent GPS World article offers some expert advice regarding the use of civilian grade GPS-enabled devices, such as smart phones, ipads, etc., by United States military forces.  One side presents the argument that existing equipment procured through the DoD process is big, bulky, battery-hungry, and just plain old-looking when compared to currently available civilian

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  • TSPS News…

    Two interesting articles to note on the TSPS website: Lights Out for LightSquared Referenced as "a collossal fall from grace", the FCC earlier in February has killed off the LightSquared proposal, admitting that there was no practical way to fix the problem of interference from the high-powered terrestrial signals.  So those of us who use

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  • The End of GPS Interference by LightSquared – hopefully

      reported on January 16, 2012, that both the U.S. Deputy Secretary for Defense and the Deputy Secretary for Transportation have written an official letter to the Assistant Secretary for Commerce, stating that "there appear to be no practical solutions or mitigations that would permit the LightSquared broadband service."  The authors of the letter are

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  • Merry Christmas!

        As we approach the end of another year, we thank all of our clients for their patronage.  It has been our pleasure to serve, and we look forward to working together in the future.  May all of you have a blessed Christmas, a joyful and safe New Year's celebration, and may the coming

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  • Gratitude…

    In the midst of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation on October 3rd, 1863, establishing a National Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday of November, 1863.  He began with these words: "The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields

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  • MAPPS speaks out against Obama proposal

    MAPPS (Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors) has raised concerns over President Obama's proposed policies for increasing FAA funding.  In posts on the RPLS.Com blog, MAPPS comments on the proposed $100 per flight fee for air traffic control services (which have traditionally been funded by "pay-at-the-pump" fuel taxes), as well as longer aircraft depreciation life.  Maybe

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  • A New Constellation?

    Locata Corporation is presenting technology that has the potential of becoming a new "constellation" for GPS users. GPS World reports on this innovative approach to providing "centimeter-level positioning indoors, where RTK GPS doesn’t work due to satellite visibility constraints."  A network of ground-based Locata reference stations would be seen on GPS equipment as if it

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  • GPS Guiding the Troops

    Operation Waypoint is a Minnesota-based non-profit program, started in 2005 by retired educator Ed Meyer.  Their goal is to provide handheld GPS units to soldiers in every deployed unit in order to enhance their safety and effectiveness.  Personal training is also provided to each participating soldier prior to overseas deployment.  To date, they have delivered

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  • GPS Users: Voice Your Concerns

      Multiple publications, including GPS World  and Professional Surveyor                       are advising that all in the surveying profession (as well as anyone else who's concerned about their GPS device working correctly) need to contact the FCC and their Congressional Representatives and voice concern about the LightSquared initiative.  As of

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  • John Deere: Substantial Interference by LightSquared Signal

    On May 26, Deere & Company issued a report to the FCC notifying of how the LightSquared signal would substantially interfere with GPS signals, registering impact as far as 22 miles from a transmitter.  Additionally, Deere has not discovered a "practicable technical solution" to the problem.  Their report includes an informative graphic that illustrates how,

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