Detecting false signals with automatic gain control

A component of most GPS receiver front-ends, the automatic gain control (AGC) can flag potential jamming and spoofing attacks. The detection method is simple to implement and accessible to most GPS receivers. It may be used alone or as a complement other anti-spoofing architectures. This article presents results from a baseline AGC characterization, develos a simple spoofing detection method, and demonstrate the results of that method on receiver data gathered in the presence of a live spoofing attack.

Thrust, parry, riposte: desperate lightsquared fencing

Both comment and reply periods on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Proceeding Number 11-109 have closed, and the agency may render a decision at any time regarding LightSquared’s rights — or not — to interfere with the GPS signal from coast to coast. The company marked the closing of the reply period with a letter to the FCC claiming that GPS receivers do not comply with U.S. Department of Defense guidelines issued in 2008. Meanwhile, a key participant in FCC and GPS discussions with preceding holders of the LightSquared spectrum confirmed that recent statements by the current owners of rights to the Mobile Subscriber Service (MSS) band are “not an accurate perception” of the creation of an ancillary terrestrial component within the MSS space-to-earth band. Confused? Ill at ease? Out of sorts? Tune in to GPS World’s Thursday, August 18 webinar with two Washington D.C. experts on the subject, to sort out the tangled skein.

Gps-wireless locates lbs profits in four-year growth spurt

Analysts predict a four-year growth leap in Internet-connected vehicles, but only some companies, products, and services are poised to turn a profit on this new jumping-the-chasm development. Who are they, and what is their strategy? This topic is a key focus of the GPS-Wireless 2012 conference. Early registration, saving $100, ends this Friday, February 24.

Zimmerman tracked with gps while out on bond

GPS tracking devices have been used for several years by law enforcement professionals. In the high-profile case of George Zimmerman, his whereabouts while out on bond are being continuously monitored by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, though he has gone into hiding.

December issue of gps tracker looks at budget cuts, lightsquared

The December issue of GPS Tracker is now out, with articles on budget cuts and LightSquared testing. The newsletter is published by the National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).

National pnt office newsletter provides updates on lightsquared, jammers

The November 2011 issue GPS Tracker, the newsletter from the National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), provides updates on LightSquared, jammers, and concerns of commercial GPS users.

Javad ashjaee pens letter to fcc chair, responds to pnt board

Javad Ashjaee, CEO of JAVAD GNSS, has written a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski disputing the letter written by the PNT Executive Committee Advisory Board on August 21, and asserting that his company's newly developed filter technology will solve LightSquared interference problems with GPS.

March 9 is deadline for ion gnss abstract submissions

The last day to submit an abstract for ION GNSS 2012 is Friday, March 9. ION GNSS 2012 will take place September 17-21, 2012 (Tutorials: September 17-18) at the Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

Pnt.gov site moves content to gps.gov

The National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing website at pnt.gov has moved much of its GPS-related content to the more popular site gps.gov.

Nexteq navigation announces new flagship data collector

Nexteq Navigation, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has announced the T5A, its new flagship multifunctional GNSS handheld data collector. The device is a high-accuracy GPS unit capable of 2-centimeter accuracy using real-time kinematic (RTK) and 50-centimeters globally using Nexteq’s i-PPP technology.

F4devices announces flint rugged handheld

F4Devices, a subsidiary of F4 Tech and strategic partner with BAP Precisions, Taiwan, has introduced a new generation of high-precision GNSS devices for GIS field applications, the Flint rugged handheld. With the new Flint handheld, field workers requiring a rugged mobile handheld device have a unit that is lightweight, compact, rugged, and cost-effective, the company said. The Flint fits well into GIS field data collection markets such as municipalities, oil and gas and forestry, F4Devices said.

New free testing infrastructure for developers

The European GNSS Simulation and Testing Infrastructure (GSTI) links application developers and tool providers via a platform at www.gnss-test-portal.eu.

Rally organized to protest potential gps band interference by lightsquared

A rally in support of GPS on the LightSquared issue is being held September 22 at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Jackson Federal Building in Seattle. The rally is intended to support GPS and express concerns over a controversial application by LightSquared being considered by the FCC that would cause substantial interference for GPS users, say organizers.

Supreme court rules warrant needed for gps tracking

GPS trackers are a form of search, and to use them police must have a search warrant, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling today. The high court issued a unanimous ruling that a search warrant is required before police slap a GPS tracker on a criminal suspect's vehicle to monitor the suspect's movements, reports the Associated Press.

Personal privacy jammers

When jamming interfered with GPS signals at Newark Airport, a three-month effort determined that low-power, mobile personal-privacy devices were responsible. This article describes how they were found and outlines how the observable parameters of such devices encompass a wide variation in RF spectra and internal modulation.

Lightsquared-sprint contract terminated; business case for gps threat ends

The principal business prop under the LightSquared plan for ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) broadcast of a powerful signal that would have disrupted GPS operations dropped out from under the company on March 16, as wireless carrier Sprint terminated its $9 billion agreement with LightSquared. LightSquared had several such partnership agreements, but the Sprint deal was the largest, and in many eyes the driver of the aggressive plan. With it gone, LightSquared's other deals will likely dissipate — and the current threat, at least, to GPS industry and users should effectively go away.

Report: intelligent transport has grown to $48 billion despite economy

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) today released the most comprehensive study to date on the scope of the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry in the United States and North America. Researchers found intelligent transportation to be a fast growing sector valued at approximately $48 billion, slightly larger than the direct mail industry. Results indicate that cities and states with drastically reduced budgets are turning to technology solutions to maximize existing highway capacity.

Expert advice: realizing europe’s satnav ambitions

The 21st century today faces and will continue to encounter many new societal challenges, all mutually interdependent: health, environment, agriculture, ageing population, personal security, public and civil protection, safe and efficient transport and mobility, citizen rescue, land management, energy (supply, security, and efficiency), full employment, new consumer services, high-tech industry, business security, connectivity, globalization, intellectual property management and protection. All these challenges have a common denominator: the economic health of Europe: growth, competitiveness, and job creation.

Gps world files freedom of information request for u.s. gov lightsquared letters

GPS World has learned that several federal agencies have written official statements to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration regarding the operational and economic impacts of the LightSquared terrestrial signal on GPS services, and has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with NTIA to obtain them. One source who has seen the agency letters termed them “very powerful,” and stated that the NTIA has not forwarded any of the letters to the Federal Communications Commission, which is weighing the matter. This source characterized the NTIA as “sitting on them” as part of a “massive bureaucratic game,” and further stated that Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa and other Congressional representatives are getting “stonewalled” by the FCC in their efforts to investigate the matter.

Lightsquared bankrupt, but spectrum void still beckons

LightSquared, the company that mounted a powerful threat to GPS signals, declared bankruptcy on May 14, after losing a lengthy struggle in the court of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with the GPS industry, the U.S. military (behind the scenes), the Federal Aviation Administration, and many other GPS users. However, the vacuum into which Lightsquared sought to step — a dearth of spectrum for exploding mobile data use, up 123 percent last year — remains a gaping hole that will likely attract other entrants.

Out in front: feds playing footsie

I’ll be the first to say that I don’t know how Washington works. I don’t know if Washington works, but that’s another story. Lacking that knowledge, and a competent lawyer to pepper my filings with the requisite “Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977 (1972) . . . claims of nonsegregability must be made with the same degree of detail” language, all my Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for agency communications to the National Telecommunications Administration (NTIA) failed. My FOIA won-lost record stands at 0–7.

Delorme announces retail availability of inreach satellite communicator

DeLorme today announced that its inReach satellite communicator is now available for purchase at retail and online. The inReach can be used as a standalone messenger to send pre-loaded text messages or to trigger an SOS alert. It can be also paired with either an Android phone or a DeLorme PN-60w handheld GPS to enable two-way personal and SOS messaging. In case of emergency, users can describe their situation so proper resources are deployed, and both user and responders can provide ongoing updates until help arrives.

White house may have pressured general to change lightsquared testimony, reports daily beast

General William Shelton, who oversees U.S. Space Command, said in a classified briefing that the White House tried to pressure him to change his testimony to make it more favorable to LightSquared, a company which is tied to a large Democratic donor, reports the Daily Beast website. The episode was confirmed by The Daily Beast in interviews with administration officials and the chairman of a congressional oversight committee.

Dot gives blank stare on lightsquared

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) has responded to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by GPS World magazine for its recommendations to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding LightSquared interference with the GPS signal. The DoT wrote, “We are withholding two pages [of thirteen relevant pages] in part and eleven pages in their entirety,” and enclosed two completely blacked-out pages. Kathy Ray, the DoT FOIA officer, added that “We have determined that the release of the redacted and withheld portions would foreseeably cause harm to the government’s deliberative process.”

Delorme announces retail availability of inreach satellite communicator

DeLorme today announced that its inReach satellite communicator is now available for purchase at retail and online. The inReach can be used as a standalone messenger to send pre-loaded text messages or to trigger an SOS alert. It can be also paired with either an Android phone or a DeLorme PN-60w handheld GPS to enable two-way personal and SOS messaging. In case of emergency, users can describe their situation so proper resources are deployed, and both user and responders can provide ongoing updates until help arrives.

Safe software unveils fme 2012

Safe Software announced a new release of its flagship product, FME 2012. This release of FME Desktop and FME Server introduces new tools for overcoming data challenges so that data can be used and shared precisely where, when and how it's needed.

Out in front: when the gavel comes down

Perhaps you don’t track suspected criminals in your spare time, nor do you design or supply a GNSS product that does so. Still, the fresh Supreme Court ruling on GPS use for this purpose reverberates for you, in ways yet unknown. The most interesting part of the court’s ruling pops up in a somewhat open-ended “what if” comment concerning future issues that at least one justice thinks the court should address.

Expert advice: mss misinformation, and ten truths

LightSquared is currently conducting a public campaign intended to persuade federal regulators to approve a nationwide broadband service that would be detrimental to users and applications that depend on GPS. The campaign relies on misinformation, revisionist history, half-truths, and clear misstatements of fact. To understand the effort to convince regulators and legislators that the experts are wrong, one must consider 10 basic truths.

National pnt advisory board to hold panel discussion on lightsquared

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a meeting November 9-10 of the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board, which will include a discussion of the LightSquared issue. The agenda is being finalized, but is expected to include a panel on LightSquared with LS2 Executive Vice President Martin Harriman and Javad Ashjaee, CEO of JAVAD GNSS, to discuss their proposed GPS receiver filter solutions as well as the latest test results.

50th space wing gains control of newest gps satellite

Correction: This website and the September issue of GPS World magazine mistakenly reported that SVN-63, the second IIF satellite, had been set operational on August 23. This is not the case. As of September 29, the satellite is still not set healthy to users.The 50th Space Wing’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron accepted command and control of the second Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite on August 19, and set it operational on August 23. The Space and Missile Systems Center’s GPS Directorate, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, remained in control of the satellite during a 30-day on-orbit checkout period before the hand-off to 2 SOPS.

Persistent systems acquires openwave's mobile location-based business

Persistent Systems, an outsourced software product development (OPD) service provider, has announced that it has, through its U.S. subsidiary, acquired the location business from Openwave Systems Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nbc using foursquare for election coverage

NBCPolitics.com, the digital home for political headlines, insight and analysis by NBC News, today announced an exclusive election partnership with foursquare. The “Campaign Check-ins” data visualization on NBCPolitics.com will display check-ins from President Obama’s campaign team and the Republican presidential candidates’ campaign teams as they travel across the country on the campaign trail. People will also be able to view real-time check-ins from the NBC News journalists embedded with the Republican presidential candidates’ campaigns.

On the edge: go big green

Nav On Time, a French Company located in Toulouse, has successfully completed a trial campaign of its Mow-By-Sat precision guidance on a commercial lawnmower. In August, the prototype of a GPS-guided robot lawnmower was installed on a golf driving range near Toulouse and tested in real conditions of use, day and night, maintaining a 25,000 square meter lawn since then. In a previous campaign, the mower covered more than 2.2 million yards — equal to1,250 miles or 2,000 kilometers — in 2,100 hours. (See videos of the mower in action at www.youtube.com/DSnavontime.)

Gmv announces new ceo

GMV, a supplier of satellite ground system software headquartered in Madrid, Spain, with a significant role in Europe?s Galileo program, has announced the appointment of Jesus Serrano as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Serrano, 48, replaces Luis Mayo in his position as the business group's top executive, reporting directly to the board.br/br/[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsSystemIntegrationDesignTest/~4/517011756" height="1" width="1"/

Ion: spirent demos multi gnss simulator live

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Spirent Communications plc today announced the first public demonstration of a GPS/Galileo/GLONASS simulation system with its GSS8000 simulator here at the Institute of Navigation (ION) GNSS 2008 conference.

Glonass-k birds go into production

Information Satellite Systems - Reshetnev Co. has begun the production of the K-series of GLONASS satellites for Russia.

Iir-20/svn 49 with l5 payload scheduled for october launch

It now appears that the launch of the GPS satellite with an L5 demonstration payload aboard is scheduled for October 16, according to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

Iir-20 launch pushed back to november

The next GPS satellite launch, Block IIR-20 (SVN49), has apparently been pushed back again, this time to November.

Gnss interoperability worksop to be held by icg

On March 2-3, the working group on compatibility and interoperability of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG) will convene a workshop involving system providers, equipment manufacturers, and the user community focused on the interoperability of global and regional navigation satellite systems and satellite-based augmentations from the user?s perspective.br/br/[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsSystemIntegrationDesignTest/~4/546569519" height="1" width="1"/

Connie gets her glonass collar

Late last year, following a briefing on the launch of three GLONASS satellites, Vladimir Putin, then the Russian president, expressed interest in getting a GLONASS tracking collar for his black lab, Connie. While GPS collars for dogs just began hitting the market in the U.S. and Europe in 2007, there was no such device enabled to use the Russian GNSS.

Out in front — stewardship, the concept

Measure the intrinsic importance of GPS to both national and global infrastructures by this gauge: after a year or more of careful planning, it will take a further 12 years to wean a community of more than 300,000 professional, industrial users from a technology that was never intended in the first place. Not designed-in, nor ever officially announced, sanctioned, or promulgated.

It's the pnt, mr. president

The editor writes a letter to the nation's chief executive, pointing out flaws in the Federal Radionavigation Plan inherited from the previous administration, and suggesting paths to improve GPS policy and stimulate the economy.br/br/[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsSystemIntegrationDesignTest/~4/544205916" height="1" width="1"/

Experts teach engineers the gps/gnss fundamentals and advanced concepts

Three members of GPS World’s Editorial Advisory Board and the magazine’s Innovation contributing editor Richard Langley will teach seminars in Savannah, Georgia this September, on the Monday and Tuesday just prior to the Institute of Navigation’s Satellite Division GNSS 2008 technical conference and industry exhibit.

Santa to use gps, rudolph's fears allayed

GPS will play an important role as Santa Claus drives his sleigh around the world tomorrow night. Now that his sleigh is equipped with a GPS tracking and navigation device, NORAD will be able to track his progress better than ever.

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Live coverage of ieee/ion plans 2008

Live Coverage of IEEE/ION PLANS

Igs ponders the implications of a multiple gnss world

What does the rise of European GNSS Galileo, along with other systems coming online, such as China's Beidou, mean for GNSS users? The International GNSS Service (IGS) is considering that very question, and anybody interested in the future use of GNSS for observing for high-accuracy applications will want to review its white paper on the subject.

L5 satellite launch "indefinite"

In response to a query from GPS World regarding a possible change in the June 30 launch date for the first satellite that would broadcast the L5 signal, the Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center's Launch and Range Systems Wing replied that the GPS IIR-20 launch date is officially "indefinite."

Russia to cuba: want in on glonass?

Russia says it is inviting other countries to become involved in the GLONASS program, specifically making an offer to long-time ally Cuba, according to a report from Russian news service RIA Novosti.

Institute of navigation names 2008 fellows

The Institute of Navigation (ION) announced the recipients of the 2008 fellow membership during the IEEE/ION Position Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS) 2008 Conference in Monterey, Calif., May 6 through May 8, 2008. Those elected include James Doherty, Marvin May, and Mikel Miller.

Spirent's umts tester validated on all a-gps standards

Spirent Communications plc says it is the first test system vendor to validate all the assisted-GPS (A-GPS) test standards on its UMTS Location Test System (ULTS).

Rapideye constellation launch successful

The five-satellite RapidEye earth imaging satellite constellation successfully launched onboard a Dnepr rocket from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, lofting the spacecraft into orbit.

Leica geosystems, maptek partner for long-range mine-scanning products

Leica Geosystems' Spatial Solutions Division has selected Maptek to supply a long-range laser scanner and associated mine-scanning software to be sold under the Leica Geosystems brand.br/br/[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GpsSurveyConstruction/~4/539083022" height="1" width="1"/

National instruments unveils gps simulation, test system

National Instruments today took the wraps off its GPS Toolkit for LabVIEW, an extension of the company's graphical system design environment that expands its module hardware RF PXI platform to include multi-satellite GPS signal simulation.

Expert advice: can we blog?

Need help now? Wonder what the difference is between software radio, software-defined radio, and software receivers? Want to know how far you can go from the base station in your next stop-and-go kinematic survey to assure centimeter-level accuracy, or what relative and absolute antenna calibration parameters are, or how ?geocentric? are the geocentric coordinates? Struggling with that pesky multipath or cycle slips, or need some affordable augmentation in GPS-challenged environment, since last time you lost half your kinematic data due to losses of lock?

Researchers make galileo double difference measurements

Researchers at the Netherlands' Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have produced the first double-difference measurements from Galileo satellite signals, tracking both GIOVE-A and GIOVE-B satellite with Septentrio GNSS receivers.

Gps iii: all that remains is the official word

With rumors swirling about which company got the contract, the Wall Street Journal identifying the supposed contractor, and a Department of Defense under secretary having signed off, all that remains is for the U.S. Air Force to tell which company will build the first GPS III satellites.

Gnss use in the year 2028

On November 18 GPS World's Alan Cameron will look at the daily life of an average citizen in the year 2028, with a fully developed, interoperative GNSS combined with laser scanning, INS, Loran, TV, Wi-Fi, UWB, Bluetooth, and more signals.

Leadership talks: view from china

Guifeng Jing (GJ) wrote in our May issue that ?I plan to do some research work on the establishment of integrated system of systems for users in China, to help domestic providers of digital maps, regional and thematic service systems, and service operators to sit together and discuss the possibility of setting up an interoperable system."

Skyhook brings its wi-fi positioning to europe

Wi-Fi positioning provider Skyhook Wireless has announced its formal launch in Europe, noting that it has mapped more than 16 million Wi-Fi access points across the continent.