What will Happen to you when GPS goes Down

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Weapons of math destruction.

As preached by the Imram Al Ge Bra

See also Imram | Diana Morningstar

Prolly not GPS guided.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Wotname

As preached by the Imram Al Ge Bra

See also Imram | Diana Morningstar

Prolly not GPS guided.

Of course it is. Without Al Ge Bra, we wouldn't have the math to triangulate a position.

[PDA1]

We rely mostly upon paper charts, DR, CelNav and the glorious invention of the depth meter- all of which make you one heck of a lot more aware of where you are....or think you are....than total reliance upon the GPS.

Yes we do use a GPS....but only once a day to verify the Sextant work. But, bad weather does make getting a fix difficult or impossible and then we're thankful for the GPS.

The age of GPS and electronics has made us apparently safer but also...STUPID!

[weavis]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

To the nearest 60 nautical miles, yes. Not enough to know which side of the English Channel you're on...

Tosh! Smell the garlic or absence of..

[El Pinguino]

Smell of garlic one side, smell of vindaloo tother side.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Smell of garlic one side, smell of vindaloo tother side.

A win win situation

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Smell of garlic one side, smell of vindaloo tother side.

Now that is funny

[leftbrainstuff]

Compass, paper charts and sun and celestial navigation.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[deltaten]

All ya need is a permanentmarkeror a bucket of paint!

Paint this on the cockpit sole.....

"You are"
X
"here"

[IdoraKeeper]

I never worry about GPS failure.... Its deep fryer failure that is a real concern.

[Mr42]

The truth is, when GPS goes down then it means that the sky has fallen.

Everything goes to s#%+ and the boat sinks.
That's it.


Peace.

[CaptainIglo]

Not sure if anyone else has pointed this out but most modern day GPS device not only rely on US GPS signals but can also do positioning by using the Russian GLONAS satellites (or in the future the European Galileo or Chinese BeiDou).

So in the very unlikely event of a total GPS failure (it has 31 satellites in orbit after all) you would very likely be able to go about your day as usual.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by CaptainIglo

Not sure if anyone else has pointed this out but most modern day GPS device not only rely on US GPS signals but can also do positioning by using the Russian GLONAS satellites (or in the future the European Galileo or Chinese BeiDou).

So in the very unlikely event of a total GPS failure (it has 31 satellites in orbit after all) you would very likely be able to go about your day as usual.

Yeah it was pointed out about 15 pg ago and then somebody else pointed out that there are about 8 failure modes for either the local or global GPS system and for only one of the is GPS likely to be unavailable and the others still providing location info: cyberattack. All the others either disable all systems in space or damage all receivers on the vessel.

There are way to mitigate problems at the vessel end but nothing you can do for the space side of thing.

[SURV69]

Like it or not GPS has become a very Generic term ... all different, all the same ... some in rotating orbits and some geo-referenced ..

I think very few "GPS" units actually use the various systems for real fixes, but rather to either speed up fixes or to augment fixes ... but regardless of this and that, when we(especially Americans), talk about "GPS", we talk about virtually ANYTHING that is used to derive a fix. Land based reference stations seem to be a proprietary system, but, who am I to know? But I think I know, therefor I know ... I think, that when chart plotters stop working all round the world ... then "GPS", is down.

Suddenly, sailors will be left with pointing their boats toward that blob of land 15 miles away, where a 3 hour "tour", will wind one up at the watering hole of choice .... stars will still exist(I hope) and if north is derived, then so is East, South and West and knowing the signs of seeing what cannot be seen, will become more important.

Beacon lights will still work, the Sun will still reach it's apex at "high-noon", compasses will still work and time will still be usable(though, maybe not augmented by "atomic", time. Radio stations will still be an indicator of where one is at, while directional antennas will still aid in directions.

Probably 90% or more of us will not be affected, other than saving a few amps from the battery.

I wonder if the LORAN stations are sitting idly by waiting to be fired up as needed?

The Pizza delivery person might have to stop at a neighbor's house to find your house(with an UNlit address bar), and maybe the police will have to drive slowly looking for someone waving their arms.

Ocean travel might suffer greatly ... especially when one considers that time is money. and nobody wants rotted Bananas.

But Sea Turtles, Whales, and birds will all still find their way ... life as we know it won't stop ... but it'll change.

I suppose societies could break down when Diamonds destined for Florida, wind up crashed in Cuba, or Gold destined for London lands in Germany.

So ... we'll learn to cope ... haven't we always?

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Adelie

There are way to mitigate problems at the vessel end but nothing you can do for the space side of thing.

The latest gps satellites are hardened against space weather and they are always making improvements.