GPS System Close to Breakdown?

[K.L. Davis]

Humor - Intentionally disproportionate comparison of an old practice to the newest technology; presented with the intention of injecting levity through a veiled, yet sardonic juxtaposition of the two wildly dissimilar technologies.

Or, I was trying to make a funny

[Smuckatelli]

Humor - Intentionally disproportionate comparison of an old practice to the newest technology; presented with the intention of injecting levity through a veiled, yet sardonic juxtaposition of the two wildly dissimilar technologies.

Or, I was trying to make a funny

I'm part Polish, left handed, was an Infantryman for 21 years and Holiday Inn won't let me stay there.......

Takes a while for me to figure things out

[ZDL]

***********

[bkb0000]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...e-to-breakdown

hmm.. my magellon somethingerother recently started trying to tell me my location is 50 miles east of where i actually am... recalibrating does nothing, picking up more GSSs does nothing- only manually entering my actual coordinates fixes it.

[kmrtnsn]

no problem with any of mine. The one in my car knows what lane I am in.

[Smuckatelli]

hmm.. my magellon somethingerother recently started trying to tell me my location is 50 miles east of where i actually am... recalibrating does nothing, picking up more GSSs does nothing- only manually entering my actual coordinates fixes it.

What model # is it?

Check the Magellon site for software updates. Are you using it in conjunction with a map, if so, you may not have the right datum set on the receiver.

If no updates, try setting it back to default...final step is to take the battery out and short the connectors with a paper clip.

[kennith13]

Need to be the spoiler here.

Once they got all of the satelittes in orbit, problems in the wilderness or built up areas pretty much went away. You need 4 satelittes to get an accurate fix including elevation. 3 satelittes will give you an accurate horizontal position. There is a higher probability of walking off a cliff with a compass using dead reckoning at night or limited visibility than with a GPS receiver.

With a GPS, you get your fix and azimuth and go, it doesn't have to be turned on. You don't have to reshoot azimuths do resections or intersections, that is all done by the receiver.

In other words, you can focus on your mission at hand, you don't have distractors. Working as a team, it's good to go that one person is tagged as the navigator/compassman/paceman. As a team, others are covering sectors and keeping situational awareness of the "terrain." As an individual, running those duties will take away from you primary focus.

Navigating with a GPS is the same as navigating with a compass and map. Using defined terrain limited features (usually linear) helps take out the passman requirement, same goes with the GPS, terrain limiting features are used so that you don't have to keep the reciever in your hand where your weapon is, there is also a reason why the compassman usually his weapon when navigating.

In 21 years of service, I've owned more compasses than combat boots....I'm anal about navigation. I'm also leveraging technology whenever possible.

That is precisely why GPS exists. Great post.

It is there to help augment your navigational capabilities. Used properly, it can make a massive difference in a unit's ability to navigate difficult terrain at a fast pace, with less error buildup along the way. In the end, like the compass and the map, it is only another weapon in the navigational arsenal. They are all to be used in concert.

The GPS allows one man to more readily accomplish what a team can accomplish. When fielded with a team, the GPS increases their effectiveness by a comparable degree. They are not meant to be used by themselves, but they can be in a pinch.

I love my GPS units. I loved them in the military, and I still love them in the civilian world. I use them with my other navigational tools to increase my positional awareness, and increase the speed and accuracy of my navigation.

[Barron Fields]

1) You can get waymarks as you go that will remember your location so when you return you can use the GPS to help you get out on the same path you went in.

2) Obviously, common sense needs to be used in combination with this sort of technology.

1) Works real well for navigating the magrove islands on the gulf side of Florida.

2) Don't be zoomed out too far on return and always carry spare batteries.*




*

[ra2bach]

Until the magnetic poles shift on Dec 21, 2012, then you'll be screwed!

http://www.december212012.com/

no, then he just has to walk backwards...

[Belmont31R]

They are just another tool in the toolbag. They don't replace anything.



They are especially handy if you are somewhat unfamiliar with the terrain, terrain lacks many features, at night, marking exact positions of things to come back to later, quicker which means less time figuring out where you are and where you need to go.


I also love my Garmin I put in my car. No more printing off google maps and trying to figure out which road to turn at...Just type in the address and go.