Comments on: The Weekly Carboholic: GPS degradation to affect climate measurements too http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/ Think. It ain't illegal yet... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:48:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brian Angliss http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66262 Brian Angliss Fri, 29 May 2009 01:09:30 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66262 Actually, there's one set of US satellites that are used two different ways - the military signal is intentionally degraded for civilian use via encryption or some other coding method. At one point I heard that the military had stopped doing this, but I wouldn't trust my memory on that. In addition, there are some places where ground stations have been put into place in order to produce much higher accuracy measurements within range of the ground station. But these stations are expensive and won't work for scientific uses like the Argo ocean float system. Because the signal is the same for both uses, the loss of satellites will affect both the civilian and the military system. Actually, there’s one set of US satellites that are used two different ways – the military signal is intentionally degraded for civilian use via encryption or some other coding method. At one point I heard that the military had stopped doing this, but I wouldn’t trust my memory on that. In addition, there are some places where ground stations have been put into place in order to produce much higher accuracy measurements within range of the ground station. But these stations are expensive and won’t work for scientific uses like the Argo ocean float system.

Because the signal is the same for both uses, the loss of satellites will affect both the civilian and the military system.

]]> By: jeff watson http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66260 jeff watson Fri, 29 May 2009 00:33:30 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66260 From what I understand, there are actually 2 GPS systems out there, one for military and one for civilian. Is the military version in danger? Also, why couldn't they save money and use the military system for civilian use with proper safeguards? Jeff From what I understand, there are actually 2 GPS systems out there, one for military and one for civilian. Is the military version in danger? Also, why couldn’t they save money and use the military system for civilian use with proper safeguards?

Jeff

]]> By: Brian Angliss http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66254 Brian Angliss Thu, 28 May 2009 20:02:49 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66254 Good questions. No idea to who pays. Devil in the details and all that. The national park unintended consequence is tricky. If the nation's laws are written that mineral rights under national parks are off limits, then getting paid to protect something that should already be protected is questionable. If oil development is going to happen regardless of the nation's laws, then paying the nation reinforces corruption. I'm not sure what the answer is, or even if there really is one. Good questions. No idea to who pays. Devil in the details and all that.

The national park unintended consequence is tricky. If the nation’s laws are written that mineral rights under national parks are off limits, then getting paid to protect something that should already be protected is questionable. If oil development is going to happen regardless of the nation’s laws, then paying the nation reinforces corruption.

I’m not sure what the answer is, or even if there really is one.

]]> By: Ubertramp http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66251 Ubertramp Thu, 28 May 2009 19:38:35 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66251 Be careful of what you ask for. Wouldn't this mean countries would be less likely to designate national parks on the off chance that they'd get paid to NOT drill/pump/whatever if the source wasn't officially on national parkland? Be careful of what you ask for. Wouldn’t this mean countries would be less likely to designate national parks on the off chance that they’d get paid to NOT drill/pump/whatever if the source wasn’t officially on national parkland?

]]> By: Rho http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66249 Rho Thu, 28 May 2009 19:03:32 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66249 My question is who pays them if they get a yes? My question is who pays them if they get a yes?

]]> By: Brian Angliss http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66247 Brian Angliss Thu, 28 May 2009 18:46:25 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66247 As do I, actually. Their request may be fraudulent or not - that's not for me to decide, although I'll happily raise the question. But they had the guts to ask at least, and the worst thing that happens to them is the international community says "no." If that happens, they're no worse off than they are now. As do I, actually. Their request may be fraudulent or not – that’s not for me to decide, although I’ll happily raise the question. But they had the guts to ask at least, and the worst thing that happens to them is the international community says “no.” If that happens, they’re no worse off than they are now.

]]> By: Russ Wellen http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2009/05/28/the-weekly-carboholic-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-66242 Russ Wellen Thu, 28 May 2009 16:48:37 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=9378#comment-66242 I admire Ecuador's nerve. I admire Ecuador’s nerve.

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