Article

2010-02-10 Science & Technology

World War II-era navigation system shut down

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2010-02-10 07:38|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Did the Chinese tell Barry to shut these sites down?

Posted by Besoeker 2010-02-10 07:44|| 2010-02-10 07:44|| Front Page Top

#2 190$ million$ in five years. That is 38 million a year saved by Obama. Wow! I am sure it will make a differnce on the multi-trillion deficit. In the meantime America is left without a backup to GPS were it taken down by thugs, terrorists or the Chinese.

Posted by JFM 2010-02-10 07:50|| 2010-02-10 07:50|| Front Page Top

#3 The yahoos have better uses for 38 million. They are probably congratulating themselves on the decision.

Posted by john frum 2010-02-10 08:30|| 2010-02-10 08:30|| Front Page Top

#4 A very bad idea, because not only is GPS seen as a threat by enemies of the US, but as allies of the US as well.

The EU is planning the Galileo system, Beidou and COMPASS by China, GLONASS by Russia, IRNSS by India, and QZSS by Japan.

Yet a single solar storm to take them all out. And solar storms are common. Especially after such an extended quiet solar period.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-02-10 09:34|| 2010-02-10 09:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Maybe the Chinese will buy it for 10 cents on the dollar and ship it across the Pacific lock, stock and barrel like ex-US industry.

Posted by ed 2010-02-10 09:45|| 2010-02-10 09:45|| Front Page Top

#6 Depending on one system , putting all eggs in one basket , aint that wise

The more options available for nav-work the better imho.

Posted by Oscar 2010-02-10 10:03|| 2010-02-10 10:03|| Front Page Top

#7 Just think how much could be saved at Government Motors Corporation [GMC] by just doing away with the emergency brakes on cars and trucks.

(ignoring the Chinese killer satellite tests aren't we)

Posted by Procopius2k 2010-02-10 10:04|| 2010-02-10 10:04|| Front Page Top

#8 Know what else would save a couple of dollars? Mothball the Galactica.

Posted by swksvolFF 2010-02-10 11:42|| 2010-02-10 11:42|| Front Page Top

#9 We still have an effective non-GPS nav system, and nobody can shut it down. Now if only there were still some navigators who knew how to use a sextant...

Posted by Glenmore 2010-02-10 12:33|| 2010-02-10 12:33|| Front Page Top

#10 Just another example of the academic mindset where everything is theoretically perfect vs the real world where things slop, leak and fail - and usually in such a way as to cause the most possible inconvenience and damage.

Like they say: In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.

Posted by SteveS 2010-02-10 12:54|| 2010-02-10 12:54|| Front Page Top

#11 Hah, I was watching Revenge of the Nerds 2 and they figured latitude and longitude from a shadow. Both? Now either I don't know or they don't know, proving the point either way.

Posted by swksvolFF 2010-02-10 12:55|| 2010-02-10 12:55|| Front Page Top

#12 Glenmore: Cool little animated gif:

How to use a sextant.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-02-10 13:25|| 2010-02-10 13:25|| Front Page Top

#13 Still have Ageton HO 211 and my sextant. They may need to start calculating the lunar distance tables again, though.

Saving the stimulus for where it's really needed - say, the Murtha Memorial Catfish Race.

Posted by KBK 2010-02-10 14:49|| 2010-02-10 14:49|| Front Page Top

#14 Latitude from a shadow? Easy to within 30 miles. With a good sextant, make that a mile or less.

Longitude from a shadow? Nope - that's why Harrison struggled for decades to perfect his chronometers. Lunar distance tables work, also, but they are inaccurate compared to methods involving accurate clocks.

Posted by KBK 2010-02-10 15:19|| 2010-02-10 15:19|| Front Page Top

#15 I try to keep the sextant in the box, but it goes with me offshore. Don't go far offshore without 2 means of navigation. Have to dig out the old Ray-Jeff.Jim

Posted by notascrename 2010-02-10 20:49|| 2010-02-10 20:49|| Front Page Top

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