Next message: (no name): "Re: [world-cruising] Onboard Equipment Questions"
GPS System failure. Yes, an honest question that I too have puzzeled over.
Here is the logic that I have used to resolve the issue in my mind.
If one wants to use the speed and convenience of GPS navagation, I suspect that the skills necessary in using the sextant would degrade rapidly. Especially, if the sextant was always the back-up method. Keeping a fairly current hard copy position would allow the Captain to revert to DR for the balance of the voyage. (Radar could find the hard stuff above water and confirm relative position.) I would consider the loss of the GPS system (turned off) as somewhat of an emergency condition and would alter my plans based on that assumption.
One could counter that the sextant gets "turned off" any time the horizon is not visible, the seas are too rough for a reading, or a bank of clouds covers the sky. These conditions could continue for days.
My theory is that if the DOD found it necessary to "turn off" the GPS system it would be to prevent "guidance systems" from operating. (missles, rockets etc.) The system could be switched on for a couple of minutes for "position takers" and still be left off for too long for "guidance demanding" equipment.
That said, survival skills should include some knowledge of position and direction verification.
JT
Bryan Genez <> wrote:
Alan MacBride and/or Lisa Schallert wrote:
> Szabo Geza wrote:
>> And what will you do, when the GPS system shuts down?
>>
>> Alan MacBride and/or Lisa Schallert wrote:
>> No sextant. GPS's, a boxful of them if necessary, to equal
>> the price of an ASTRA IIIB+box+ephemeris.
>>
>
> I'm sure you meant to post that question to:
> misc_survivalism_discussion. The GPS system won't be "shut
> down". There are too many governments, private businesses,
> agencies and individuals worldwide who rely on it at this
> point. But You can drum up all sorts of support for your
> Luddite and/or Doomsday notions at the group I mentioned above.
I agree with your conclusion, though I disagree with the tone of your
message. It's an honest question, and shouldn't be dismissed so rudely.
The fact is that the current GPS system is owned by the US Department of
Defense. I could imagine in today's world that circumstances could occur in
which the DOD would temporarily deny GPS signals to civilian receivers.
Sure, there would be a lot of outraged people...but it could happen.
There's nothing wrong with redundancy when planning. I'll be the first to
acknowledge that many cruisers today satisfy redundancy exactly as you will
- by carrying multiple GPS units. Others choose a different navigation
system. That's a personal choice; it shouldn't be ridiculed.
One thing I've learned about cruising is that there are multiple ways of
solving every problem...and every cruiser is absolutely certain his/her way
is "the best". Hope you have a great cruise!
--
Best,
Bryan (KB3HMZ)
"Capella" Valiant 40 #158
Annapolis, MD
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