GPS is at risk!

There’s a debate in Washington going on over the viability of a project being proposed that could destroy the reliability of high precision GPS. 

 The fight is over whether to let LightSquared, a company controlled by a New York hedge fund, use existing satellite radio spectrum to launch a new broadband network using as many as 40,000 powerful, ground-based stations.  LightSquared proposes to build this network in the spectrum band very near the one in which GPS operates, and if its plans go forward, tests show that the result could be widespread interference with high-precision GPS that is the backbone of modern surveying, engineering, construction, and agriculture. Every major public and private agency is opposed to Lightsquared’s plan, and rightfully so, as the destruction of GPS would be catastrophic.

 Robust GPS signals are essential to surveyors, engineers and construction companies in ensuring the accuracy of new construction.  As a surveyor for 13 years, I know that without high precision GPS, those in mine and similar professions would have to revert to out-dated methods, that are more labor intensive, costly, pose significant safety hazards and are less accurate.

 The FCC is the federal agency that gave LightSquared the conditional okay to go ahead. Studies show that the Lightsquared plan not only affects the GPS signal, but causes catestrophic signal interference, rendering precision GPS useless.  As a result, the LightSquared proposal has been met by strong opposition from many GPS users who don’t understand why the FCC would consider approving a plan that puts GPS in jeopardy.  That’s led to LightSquared scaling back some of its plans and the FCC has called for more testing of a new LightSquared plan. But unfortunately, the new plan does not address interference for high-precision GPS users like me.

 If GPS technology is not protected, it would harm nearly every aspect of the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, along with farmers, pilots, 911 dispatchers, and other industries that rely on high-precision GPS. It could also wipe out the expensive up-front investment many of us have made in precision GPS equipment.

 The most widespread use of GPS is in car devices that keep us from getting lost. But that’s a simpler version of the technology we use.  Precision GPS devices receive additional signals, enabling incredible accuracy – within less than an inch. It’s a level of precision that has transformed the way that we do business.

 My experience is probably typical.  At Spicer Group, we operate 16 high precision GPS receivers every day. I can say without hesitation that it is the single most important piece of technology we use. High-precision GPS allows our surveyors to be more accurate, more efficient, more competitive and more profitable – all while preserving the safety of our employees and the general public.

 Before we had precision GPS, all surveying equipment relied on optical instruments. This meant that a line of sight was required between survey markers, many of which are located within roadways. With GPS technology, a line of sight is not required, which means our surveyors can obtain the same measurements much quicker reducing their exposure to traffic.

 But the value of precision GPS extends well beyond the safety of surveyors and the convenience of drivers on the road.  Every construction project will take more time and get more expensive if surveyors and construction personnel do not have reliable GPS.  Now more than ever, we need to find ways to work more effectively and efficiently to keep the cost of public projects down.  If high precision GPS is severely affected, the cost of public projects will most certainly go up.

 For more information on Lightsquared and how it’s plans will affect GPS, please visit http://saveourgps.org/