GPS reviews, news, tips, tricks and deals
Last year, a Soyuz rocket launched two Galileo satellites into the wrong orbit due to a a malfunction. In November, one of the two satellites was able to correct its orbit to a lower than initially intended, yet far more usable orbit. This month, the second errant satellite has begun its maneuvers to a more circular and usable orbit. read more
This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. This week’s featured image is a geocache! Adrian outlined some fantastic ideas for getting everyone ready for the geocaching season this spring in his article, which you can read here.
Here are some other things that happened in the world of GPS this week: read more
As far as navigation goes, the only thing that smartphones do better than more traditional GPS units is mapping. Which, of course, is actually pretty important. Most cell phone mapping programs update twice as frequently as dedicated units do and since navigation is really only as good as the map its based on, it was something of a boon to smartphone app makers. Note the past tense
TomTom, one of the three biggest mapping and navigation juggernauts in the world, announced yesterday that they, too, are going to have maps that update faster and flag changing conditions. And, just like a lot of smartphone app developers, they’re going to do it via crowdsourcing. In a press release, TomTom introduced their new Map Input Tracker API. This feedback tool can be integrated into existing product lines and will allow customers to share map feedback via their smartphone, tablet, laptop or even in-dash navigation. read more
With spring looming, a new season of geocaching is nearly upon us. With it comes an influx of new people to the hobby. Regular geocachers will be familiar with the concept of a geocaching kit bag but for the benefit of those just starting out, this month we’re going to go over the basic items you need to geocache efficiently and safely. read more
If you’ve ever wondered what the weather was like in space, well now you can find out. Earlier this month, a new space weather forecasting system called FLARECAST was launched from the UK. FLARECAST is designed to help monitor solar flares and other space weather disturbances and warn users of potential problems for satellite signals ahead of time.
Last year alone, solar flares knocked out GPS signals and degraded accuracy several times. And, as the New Science article points out, such blackouts can be potential life threatening as more and more vital technologies rely on GPS. read more
Late last week, a Congressional committee heard arguments for allowing small drones under 5 pounds to be used commercially. A representative from the Small UAV Coalition and the head of the FAA Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Integration Office spoke with lawmakers about the issue of drones and their commercial use.
This topic has been under debate for about a year. Advocates argue that the use of small drones will not only help keep America competitive with other nations but also help boost industry if we take the lead in drone production and use. The FAA, however, is fighting for control of the UAV market and the lower airspace that these drones operate in. read more
GPS City is running a sale on several of their refurbished Garmin products for a limited amount of time. Refurbished units are factory restored by Garmin and come with a one year manufacturer’s warranty. If you’re looking for a solid unit but don’t have the big bucks to spend, then refurbished is an excellent way to go.
Here are a few of the better deals: read more
Galileo Launch 2014 Photo by European Pressphoto Agency
In an effort to offset the launch setbacks in 2014, the European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that they will be launching three pairs of satellites into orbit in 2015, essentially doubling the current constellation. Official dates and timelines for the launches are expected to be announced sometime next week. read more
This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. This week’s featured image is the new TomTom Rider that was announced this week. This motorcycle GPS sports some pretty sweet features for all you motorcyclists out there! Read on for more information.
Here’s some other things that happened this week in the world if GPS: read more
According to an article published by GPS World, the ESA is telling consumers to expect interruption to Galileo’s navigation signals during the last week of January and all of February while the Galileo Ground Mission makes some improvements. The interruption is expected to last about five weeks, and during that time the accuracy of the navigation information received from the satellites will slowly degrade and may even be replaced by dummy message during some stages of the upgrade. Consumers can check the status of the satellites here. read more
