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Science Forum Index » Geology - Satellite Navigation Forum » Two questions, please: geographic compatability, and other G
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| Guest |
 Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:18 pm |
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1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
2) Regarding forthcoming GPS systems, such as the one for the Europe,
will our GPS system be compatible with Europe's?
Thanks very much in advance. |
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| Guest |
| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:18 pm |
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turreypond@yahoo.com wrote:
Quote: 1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
There are satellites covering most of the world's surface. The GPS
receivers don't differ in what satellites they receive, so they all work
equally well around the world. What might differ is the maps that
pre-loaded, or available, in different units.
This is about as far away from home as my eTrex has been.
http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=44&lon=103&visit=1
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Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
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| Sam Wormley |
| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:24 pm |
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turreypond@yahoo.com wrote:
Quote: 1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
2) Regarding forthcoming GPS systems, such as the one for the Europe,
will our GPS system be compatible with Europe's?
Thanks very much in advance.
GLOBAL positioning system is designed to work to specification
anywhere, land, sea or air. Some receivers limit the languages
for the user interface, but many cover enough major languages to
work for most people. |
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| Marc Brett |
| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:10 pm |
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Guest
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On 23 Jan 2007 11:18:37 -0800, turreypond@yahoo.com wrote:
Quote: 1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
The GPS system is designed to work equally well anywhere on the planet, and for
many miles above it as well. ITAR restrictions mean that commercial receivers
won't work above 1000 knots and 60,000 feet. Many user-friendly automobile
mapping receivers nowadays have built-in maps which only cover certain areas of
the globe (eg. USA). They may "work" outside of these areas, but without
meaningful lat/lon displays and a blank canvas for a map they are about as
useful as a chocolate overcoat in a heatwave.
Quote: 2) Regarding forthcoming GPS systems, such as the one for the Europe,
will our GPS system be compatible with Europe's?
GPS and Galileo are compatible in many respects, but are not identical. In the
future there will be receivers which will utilize both systems, but today's GPS
receivers will almost certainly NOT be upgradeable via firmware. Same story for
GPS and the Russian GLONASS system. |
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| Guest |
| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:56 pm |
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GPS and Galileo are much more compaible than GPS and GLONASS. Whereas
the issue with GPS/Galileo is software, the issue with GPS/GLONASS is
hardware and software.
I agree you to set the expectation that a GPS receiver bought today
won't be "Galileo compatible". I'm not sure even the ones that claim to
be Galileo compatible will only need a software update.
Quote: On 23 Jan 2007 11:18:37 -0800, turreypond@yahoo.com wrote:
1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
The GPS system is designed to work equally well anywhere on the planet, and for
many miles above it as well. ITAR restrictions mean that commercial receivers
won't work above 1000 knots and 60,000 feet. Many user-friendly automobile
mapping receivers nowadays have built-in maps which only cover certain areas of
the globe (eg. USA). They may "work" outside of these areas, but without
meaningful lat/lon displays and a blank canvas for a map they are about as
useful as a chocolate overcoat in a heatwave.
2) Regarding forthcoming GPS systems, such as the one for the Europe,
will our GPS system be compatible with Europe's?
GPS and Galileo are compatible in many respects, but are not identical. In the
future there will be receivers which will utilize both systems, but today's GPS
receivers will almost certainly NOT be upgradeable via firmware. Same story for
GPS and the Russian GLONASS system. |
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| Pascal Boulerie |
| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:13 am |
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Owing to the initial cross-posting from turreypond, please check all my
answers and comments on sci.geo.cartography
Cross-posting withour noticing is always a very bad habit... :-(
Follow-up: sci.geo.cartography |
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| Alan White |
| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:58 am |
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| Keith Sheppard |
| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:40 am |
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Guest
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Quote: 1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
So far a I know, the only difference between (eg) Garmin units produced for
the US/European markets is in the base map.
If you buy, say, a Legend in the States it will have a base map with more
detail of the US than Europe. If you buy one in here Europe it will be the
other way about.
As for signal strength etc., as someone else said the clue is in the
"Global" bit of GPS. The only thing I would add is that we Europeans
haven't got our act together yet and _still_ don't have a publicly available
WAAS service.
Keith |
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| John |
| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 2:34 am |
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There are dual GPS and Galileo receivers in the works. I'm waiting for
the Antaris 5 to become available, but I'm sure the other manufacturers
are doing something similar.
Here's a link
http://www.u-blox.com/technology/u-blox5/galileo.html
Quote: 2) Regarding forthcoming GPS systems, such as the one for the Europe,
will our GPS system be compatible with Europe's?GPS and Galileo are compatible in many respects, but are not identical. In the
future there will be receivers which will utilize both systems, but today's GPS
receivers will almost certainly NOT be upgradeable via firmware. Same story for
GPS and the Russian GLONASS system. |
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| laura halliday |
| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:09 pm |
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Guest
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On Jan 23, 11:18 am, turreyp...@yahoo.com wrote:
Quote: 1) Can one use a U.S. purchased GPS unit anywhere in the world; i.e.,
Europe, etc. without a degradation in signal strength?
GPS = *Global* Positioning System, as others have mentioned.
One of my amusements when I travel is recording waypoints
from interesting locations. My Magellan GPS-310 (bought in
Canada) has waypoints for, among other places, Piccadilly
Circus, the Blue Mosque, North Fork Pass on the Dempster
Highway, and Circular Quay. Is that global enough? :-)
Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte |
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