Much of the research into the possible effects of the planned LightSquared cellular broadband transmissions near the GPS L1 band have focused on the saturation of the front end of GPS receivers caused by the high power of the terrestrial LightSquared base stations. In this article, an engineer with a long history in broadcast digital television takes a look at the likely effects on GPS receivers of third-order intermodulation products created by the LightSquared signals.
By Inside GNSSWould-be cellular broadband company LightSquared promised a Congressional subcommittee Thursday (June 23, 2011) that it would scale back its proposed wireless system and help pay to find a way to mitigate the network’s adverse effects on users of the Global Positioning System.
By Inside GNSS
The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12) Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R.2219) on June 14, cutting funds from the next-generation GPS space (GPS III) and operational control (OCX) segments, while adding money to the current GPS IIF satellite allocation.
By Inside GNSS
LightSquared’s proposed broadband service may cause trouble for GNSS receivers, such as this one, that use commercial satellite augmentation services. The Senate is considering establishment of receiver standards as part of a wide-ranging effort to find more frequencies for wireless broadband services, a move that could ultimately result in expensive new requirements for the GPS community.
By Inside GNSSThe U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee today (June 23, 2011) approved action that would prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from expending any funds related to a conditional waiver it granted a company called LightSquared until all concerns have been resolved about interference with Global Positioning System (GPS).
By Inside GNSS
The report concerns economic effects on high precision commercial uses of GPS, such as precision agriculture. (U Calif. photo)Research released yesterday (June 22, 2011) indicates that interference from LightSquared cellular broadband transmitters could cost manufacturers and users of commercial GPS technology up to $96 billion in annual losses.
By Inside GNSS
Results of John Deere test of LightSquared’s effect on high-precision GPS receiversIn what looks like a pre-emptive strike in the wake of extensive evidence that its proposed terrestrial wireless broadband transmissions will interfere with GPS receivers, LightSquared today (June 20, 2011) proposed to solve the problem by cut the power of its base stations in half and temporarily use a bandwidth further away from GPS.
By Inside GNSS
LightSquared graphicWith test results and congressional sentiment running against it, LightSquared has received a two-week extension for filing its report and recommendations, due to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday (June 15, 2011), on likely interference to the GPS L1 band.
Meanwhile, a congressional critic of LightSquared’s effort to roll out a 4G/LTE broadband cellular service adjacent to the GPS frequency has called on the agency to rescind its waiver of limits on the company’s plans to build a high-powered national network of terrestrial transmitters.
By Inside GNSS
Successful completion today (June 15, 2011) of the rephrasing of the GPS constellation known as “Expandable 24,” has produced the most optimal geometry in the system’s 42-year history, maximizing GPS coverage for all users worldwide.
The 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) of the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, successfully executed the two-phase expansion and repositioning of satellites, which improves global GPS coverage and provides a more robust signal and higher probability of signal acquisition in terrain-challenged environments.
By Inside GNSS
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, which is developing the GPS IIIA generation of satellites,
announced today (June 14, 2011) a 7.5 percent reduction in its
workforce designed to “address affordability” and improve the company’s
“competitive posture.”
Accord Software and Systems Pvt. Ltd., of Bangalore, India, has announced two new GNSS chips, a system-on-a-chip (SOC) with GPS and integrated peripherals and a GPS/Galileo-comopatible RF front-end chip.
By Inside GNSS
Hemisphere GPS LX-2Hemisphere GPS has introduced its LX-2, a second-generation L-band differential GPS OEM receiver board.
By Inside GNSS