FCC chair says we’re too dependent on GPS and wants to explore ‘alternatives’.

Lemme guess, Starlink will magically be suggested.
- Yeah. It's grift. They want a privatized solution.
- Or GLONASS
  
  Pretty much every GPS-capable device made in the last decade uses all systems available: GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), and Galileo (EU).
  
  For those who are unfamiliar with it:
  GLONASS (ГЛОНАСС, IPA: [ɡɫɐˈnas]; Russian: Глобальная навигационная спутниковая система, romanized: Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, lit. 'Global Navigation Satellite System') is a Russian satellite navigation system operating as part of a radionavigation-satellite service.

We're too dependent on a technology that we spent tens of billions of dollars researching and perfecting over decades of research!
Possibly the dumbest statement I've heard this week.
- It's not as dumb as you make it out. The issue isn't that GPS is really, really good at what it does; it's that it's also incredibly vulnerable to disruption and spoofing. And due to the particulars of how GPS works, we can't entirely fix that. We can do some things to ameliorate it, but a lot of those aren't suitable for smaller things that use GPS today.
  The other thing is that GPS largely replaced a tremendous number of other navigation aides and techniques, including other radio-navigation systems like LORAN-C.
  
  It's also just a generally bad idea to be too dependent on a single system. If GPS reception fails for one reason or another, it would be good idea to have a backup.
- Nah the idea is sound. As someone else said, GPS is incredibly fragile. Also very terrestrial...it doesn't work once you leave the atmosphere.
  This will probably be another SpaceX grift, but there are alternative technologies that are more resilient to attack. From military/defense perspective (the original reason for GPS), that's pretty important.
  
  GPS is incredibly fragile.
  No, not really. The GPS signal isn't designed to penetrate concrete, no. But that doesn't make it fragile.
  Also very terrestrial…it doesn’t work once you leave the atmosphere.
  Considering it was never meant to...that's really not that goddamn weird. It's a global positioning satellite system. So clearly for it to work you have to be on the fuckin' globe...
  
  it doesn't work once you leave the atmosphere.
  Fun fact: just this past week an experiment on a lunar lander confirmed that GPS signals can be detected from the surface of the moon. I don't know if those signals can give any kind of location precision, but it is an interesting finding.

In comes starlink to the rescue. But in typical Musk fashion it won't doesn't do what's advertised and cost a shit ton more
- It's literally him convincing someone to sell their house that they own outright to rent from him because it's somehow much better (for him of course). It's so fucking stupid.
- Remember that time he claimed Teslas windows were shatterproof and indestructable. Then he throws a baseball and the window instantly shatters?
  
  Was a ball bearing. Same guy threw a baseball a couple years ago and it didn't break.

GPS depends on a friendly spectrum. I suspect the FCC is preparing for a war where GPS will be jammed, faked, or destroyed.
- How's the FCC going to prepare for anything when it's being gutted?
- That would be wise.

You know what's a great backup? The ability to read a map or use a compass. This is set up to get Starlink or another billionaire to own GPS.
- Ding ding ding. This is just a talking point so they’ll be able to pivot into “we should give Musk a trillion dollar contract to run GPS on his Starlink satellites.” Hammer the “GPS is unreliable” point long enough that the conservative voters have time to start believing it. Then pivot into handing more money to Musk. It’s a typical advertising strategy; Create a problem so you can sell the solution.
- Subscription based navigation? Want to use your car's navigation system, there's a fee for that? Want to fly a drone, that'll be 9.99/month. Hopefully there will be a carve out for emergency systems.
  This will also allow Tesla to up their traffic game. If everyone is using the Starlink GPS for navigation they'll have all the data.

What if we built a system of beacon transmitters that sent out pulses and then used recievers that would compare arrival times of those pulses to make a measurement, thus establishing positional location?
We could call it the Long Range something or other. I’m open to suggestions. Need a catchy name!
- You are so close to VOR!
  
  They’re describing LORAN.
  
  Oh, so that's what that saucer is for.

Isn't GPS a US project?
- We can’t rely on the Global(ist) Positioning System!

How do we call these assholes and tell them to get their heads out of Muskovitch's ass?

Wonder if they want to track all phones with a different system.
- Don't need GPS to track phones. You triangulate the receivers.

Lmao what a fucking dipshit
- Sounds like this guy couldn't find his own ass with two hands, a compass and a GPS receiver.
  
  He sounds like the type of person who would drive into a lake if the GPS told him to

So... maps?
- Time to bust out the compass.
  
  I live in an area with a lot of iron. I cannot trust a compass to always point north. Generally I've had no problems in the woods: follow the trails that are on the maps, or at least stay close enough that you can always find them again and you are fine. (until of course you are not)
- Triangulation could be more efficient than GPS, in terms of energy use and such
  
  Triangulation of what, exactly? GPS already triangulates your position based on what it receives from multiple satellites, yeah?
  
  Triangulation of GPS signals is what allows the System to determine your Position Global(ly)
  
  Phones already do that with cell towers. It's called A-GPS (augmented GPS). Cell towers, wifi, and even bluetooth, are used in addition to GPS/GLONASS/Galileo signals.
  
  GPS literally triangulates your position using 3 satellites. It's how it works.
  
  They should use that in GPS! /s

Too often, the vertical location (Z-axis) information that 911 call centers receive is not easily usable
So...use the barometer in tandem with GPS? This is shit I can easily track from my personal Homassistant server.
Also, you know how to make GPS more reliable, secure, and redundant? You launch more GPS satellites.
- Also, you know how to make GPS more reliable, secure, and redundant? You launch more GPS satellites.
  But where will we find room for more Starlink satellites if we do that? Elon said he needs another contract, and when the boss says jump...!
  /s
  
  Starlink is LEO, GPS is not.
  
  One can use both and anything else frankly, isn't it enough to triangulate the signal between 3 satellites (or 2 with an interval and knowing their trajectories relative to each other) and match the spot on the geoid's (stored model, position precalculated by time) surface?

They're already are multiple alternatives to GPS. GPS is the American navigation system, but there's also GNSS which is mostly used in Europe and Scandinavia. There are other systems for other parts of the world, even the North and South pole now.
Everyone just uses GPS universally though.
- there's also GNSS which is mostly used in Europe and Scandinavia
  GNSS is the generic term that covers all satellite navigation systems (GPS included).
  Galileo is the EU/ESA system you're thinking of.
  GLONASS (Russian) and BeiDou (Chinese) are the other two major constellations with global coverage. The only other full system I know of is NavIC, which is Indian and has only regional coverage.
  Most devices actually connect to all of them. I've just checked my phone, and it's connected to all of GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou. People just say "GPS" because it's catchier than "GNSS".
  
  I kinda like the British word "satnav".
  
  Is constellation the actual term for a set of satellites now?

Whatever happened to radio ranging?
That shit was super coolio.

Reject modernity, return to sextant.
- Dont need a sextant if you dont leave your house

Google and Apple and others already do that ad hoc, using signal strength from Bluetooth and WiFi beacons. Can contribute to that by just setting up a wireless access point or several near where you want more signal. Doesn't even need to be Internet-connected.

In walks GLONASS I presume
- Every GPS-capable device made in the last decade utilizes GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.
  
  Yes

Why not just stop being reliant on cars... you know... put down more rail.... use.. trains...

GPS privatization in 3...