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| Britain |
| Sat-nav trouble as MoD plans to jam signal |
| 2007-06-06 |
| A drive around the Cornish coast could prove an eventful experience over the next couple of days, as the Ministry of Defence tests new ways of jamming GPS signals. Even in normal conditions, satellite navigation systems seem entirely capable of directing motorists to the edge of a cliff or into the path of an oncoming train. But add the frisson of intermittent interruptions by MoD experts and the effects could be startling. Accordingly, ambulance crews, firemen and police officers working in and around Portreath, near Redruth, have been warned against relying on their sat-navs. A similar note of caution has been issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to any passing sailors thinking of steering solely by GPS navigation. The MoD claims that any disruption will be limited to a radius of less than two miles around RAF Portreath, where the tests are being carried out. But coastguards say they have been told to expect disruption "within a clear line of site up to seven nautical miles and up to 30,000ft". Alan Loveday, of the Falmouth Coastguard, said: "I wouldn't expect it to be serious, because if it was they wouldn't be doing it." But he added: "If there's anyone out there steering a vessel with GPS I'd expect them to go completely blank or give wrong readings. "You would have thought that all sea-goers would be able to use a chart, but I'm sorry to say that's not the case. We're putting out an electronic warning to ships so that they're aware". An MoD spokesman said the tests had been scheduled to run "for up to eight hours" both tomorrow and Friday. They will be between 9am and 5pm. She said there was expected to be only minor disruption within a very small area and that it was possible the exercise may be finished in one day. Aircraft were "extremely unlikely" to be affected because Portreath is a radar station and non-military planes are banned from flying over it. The MoD needs jamming systems because modern command and control networks rely almost solely on GPS. Similar tests have been carried out in the past year in the Hebrides and the Brecon area of Wales. More are scheduled for Lincolnshire and Scotland |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #2 "Whaddaya mean, it says we're somewhere near Greece?..." |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-06-06 12:01 |
| #1 I'm telling you sextants, sun compasses and maps are coming back in style - don't sell them on eba just yet. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-06-06 11:39 |