GPS will soon be obsolete?

[Dave Lehnert]

Was talking to a friend tonight and she said a story on TV said that GPS systems we now own will be obsolete. Something new was coming along.
Anyone know anything about this?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Good god I hope not. I've got $40,000 a copy systems in five ag machines. Of course, they run sub inch accurate year to year on an RTK correction signal, and drive the machine, but I really don't want to update that again anytime soon.

There are some pretty cool correction systems out there, WAAS has been around for a while and gets sub meter (sort of), Omnistar gets within a foot repeatability, and the Russians are getting their system up and going (I forget what its called). Maybe it's one of those?

I also hear that we are not maintaining the GPS satilites correctly, and trouble is looming...

[Dennis Peacock]

Sounds like you have quiet an operation going there Steve.!!! I'd like to know more about it....and the "trouble looming".

I love my GPS and I hope "they" leave things alone.

[Curt Harms]

and the replacement schedule is running late. The Russians have a system (GLONASS) and the EU is working on a system (Gallileo) as well. Other countries don't like relying on a U.S. military system which is understandable. I seem to remember something about the U.S. military looking at a next generation system that was more secure and less easy to jam. I don't know about other devices but aircraft Nav systems can use multiple sources and it's often a matter of swapping circuit boards and updating the software to use a new signal source. I thought new Flight Management Systems were outrageously expensive ($60,000 more or less) until I saw Steve's post. Wowza.

[RickT Harding]

I think what they probably saw was that Google has a new cell phone coming out on verizon with a turn by turn navigation application included by default.

There's been rumors this means trouble for the in car GPC manufacturers. This new phone comes with a dock to put into your car. Since this is built into the phone, people would be less likely to spend the $$ on a different unit.

http://wallstreetblips.dailyradar.co...-turn-by-turn/

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Good god I hope not. I've got $40,000 a copy systems in five ag machines. Of course, they run sub inch accurate year to year on an RTK correction signal, and drive the machine, but I really don't want to update that again anytime soon.

There are some pretty cool correction systems out there, WAAS has been around for a while and gets sub meter (sort of), Omnistar gets within a foot repeatability, and the Russians are getting their system up and going (I forget what its called). Maybe it's one of those?

I also hear that we are not maintaining the GPS satilites correctly, and trouble is looming...

Steve,

You will have to 'splain it for Dennis and some of the city boys. GPS on tractors and combines effects fertlizer appications, and I suppose weed treatments etc.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I wouldn't doubt that triangulating between cell towers (now just about everywhere) could be more accurate and far cheaper to maintain for non-military (surface) use, like us rubes getting lost on the way to grandma's house. For military, we do need something that is tougher to jam.
.

[Kevin L. Pauba]

I wonder if the new phones and google's announcement of a "google maps navigator" system is what will make existing GPSs (TomTom, Garming, etc.) obsolete. I read somewhere that the stocks of the existing GPS companies dropping significantly with the announcement.

[Shawn Pixley]

I think the original story was around how the Mobile technology and Google are influencing the casual user. It certainly won't help my Navigation on the Pacific Ocean nor other's use. (Ag Navigation , aircraft, etc...). My 2 cents if you have GPS and like it don't worry and don't change.

PS you can tell when the Military dials up or dial back the accuracy.

[John Lohmann]

If you rely on cell phones for navigation in parts of GA & AL for example, you better make sure you have a map. If you can find one.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Was talking to a friend tonight and she said a story on TV said that GPS systems we now own will be obsolete. Something new was coming along.
Anyone know anything about this?

Yah to make sure they are taking care of us and controlling costs we are all getting chipped.

[John Shuk]

I think that the current feeling is that folks will skip the stand alone units and use things like smart phones to navigate. I can see that happening. Who wants all of these separate electronic devices when one or two can do so much. Some people still use maps. Imagine that.

[Myk Rian]

Present day GPS units will become obsolete, only because a new satellite system is being built. Our son-in-law is working on the system.

[Paul Ryan]

As this point the cell phone system of navigation is horse manure. I have used that type of navigation on T-mobile and sprint. But I do not have any experience with Verizon. The reason that I think the cell phone version is so bad is due to the fact it is very in accurate. It only triangulates your position off of 3 towers. Accuracy is 1/4 mile that is a long way. The GPS accuracy is a lot better because they use up to 11 satelites. Todays GPS maybe obsolete some day but I don't see it anytime soon. Expecially with the amount of equipment these companies sell.

[Dave Lehnert]

I think that the current feeling is that folks will skip the stand alone units and use things like smart phones to navigate. I can see that happening. Who wants all of these separate electronic devices when one or two can do so much. Some people still use maps. Imagine that.

I did some poking around the web and that is what I am reading also.
I can just answer for myself but would never spend the $$$ for web on my cell to use GPS. I am a low use Tracfone user so my cell phone cost me $100 a year.
I did read something that the Government will stop supporting GPS for the public in 2020.