TOPICS
TOPICS
Unlike Obama, Senate Likes GPS Backup
The Obama administration came up with a loopy plan to save a grand total of $36 million out of the proposed $3.5 trillion federal budget by canceling funding for the Coast-Guard-operated terrestrial Long Range Navigation system (Loran). A lot of folks (except the bean counters) view Loran as the only viable backup to the satellite based GPS system used for position, navigation and timing worldwide.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation thinks otherwise, and came up with $37 million in fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2011 in its version of the Coast Guard's 2010 authorization bill to operate the Loran system, as well as an upgrade to a more precise system called enhanced Loran (eLoran).
The Coast Guard operates 24 Loran stations nationwide and 19 stations have been upgraded to eLoran, which broadcasts a data channel to improve accuracy, availability and integrity of geospatial information.
eLoran provides position accuracy to between 8 feet and 65 feet, with availability measured at 99.9 percent and integrity at 99.99 percent, according to the International Loran Association. GPS offers position accuracy between 8 feet and 25 feet for civilian users, but its high-frequency, low-power signal can be jammed more easily than the low-frequency, high-power eLoran signals.
GPS was developed by the Defense Department for its precise navigation and location requirements in the 1970s, and since then it has morphed into a global utility used as the base technology for the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control system and its timing signals are used by telecommunications companies worldwide for network synchronization.
GPS faces more down-to-earth problems than jamming. The Government Accountability Office reported last month that GPS performance could start to degrade next year. Delays in the development and launch of two GPS satellites could reduce the number of satellites in orbit to below the minimum 24 that are needed to provide precise location information, GAO said.
Cristina Chaplain, director of acquisition and sourcing management at GAO, told a House hearing last month that if the number of GPS satellites drops below 24 it could have a heavy impact on users, including intercontinental commercial aviation, which "may have to cancel, delay or reroute flights." Cell phone enhanced 911 emergency services, which rely on GPS to locate callers, "could lose accuracy, particularly when operating in urban canyons or mountainous terrain," she added.
So, what's the problem in spending $37 million a year on an eLoran backup?
What's Brewin' is now updated daily and published in blog format on Nextgov.com. Click here to read the latest entries.
COMMENTS
- Fred, I both agree and disagree with you regarding any number of programs that could or should be reduced or cut completely. I don’t support big government or entitlements, on the other hand I’m a firm believer that just about everyone at some point in their life will need some temporary help, but no long term free rides. As a young man I made lots of mistakes and barely survived a few of them, I never received any help from the government, but there was a time or two that just a little help would have made the difference and in fact would have provided a completely different outcome. As far as celestial navigation goes it’s getting rare to even find people who have been trained and competent in the use of a sextant, I haven’t picked one up for anything but a conversation piece since the mid eighties. I’ve spent a lot of time on the ocean and I agree I seldom even turned on the Loran other than to ensure it operated properly, but I still support it as a back up system. I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. David Posted June 23, 2009 8:43 AM
- Following the comments just proves my point of why our federal budget is such a disaster. Yes, I have gone a couple of days in bad weather without getting a good fix. And yes, in when close in and unable to get a good fix, I have headed out to open water. I have been in places where Loran wasn't good enough and thus the stars gave me the best fix. I have seen it all. But since GPS, I have never used Loran or the Stars except to teach a newbie how we did it in the old days. The need for a back up to GPS at any price is a waste of tax money. If the commercial fishing and shipping industry wants it, they should pay an annual fee to keep it. Let the users vote with their own wallets instead of the generic federal budget of "free money". That will clearly show if the industry honestly believes they "need" a backup to GPS. Come on, the only reason Congress wants it is to keep the marine industry campaign contributions coming in. No more & no less. Fred Chitty Posted June 22, 2009 12:44 PM
- Having done a good bit of commercial fishing and sailing I would have to say using a sextant to navigate via the stars is at best a third level fallback position, this would particularly be true for folks who are operating in coastal areas inside of fifteen or twenty miles. It’s relatively easy to make a minor error using a sextant while being perched on a moving object, if the individual is in fairly close this could be disastrous. I have witnessed the improvements in navigation beginning in the seventies with Loran A, Loran C, GPS, relatively affordable radar, fathometers, decent sonar, etc. and what that has done for safety and to free up people to be more productive. The few million dollars we are talking about is well worth the expense and in comparison to the amount of money this administration is spending on things of no real or potential value this would be some of the best money they could spend for the potential return in safety, lives saved, we could also include supporting small business. I believe this redundancy is something we should maintain and continue to improve. David Posted June 22, 2009 10:02 AM
