Paying for GPS?

Lebult · 04-29-2004, 01:37 PM

I have general idea of how GPS works, but I've never actually owned a GPS system.

Do you have to pay a subscription fee or anything like that?
I know you can get CDs that install map information about your respective city.

I'm wondering because I'd like to get one, just to have an on-screen map on hand, just in case, but not if I have to pay extra for it. I know this city well enough that I can do without it, but it would a nice perk

hijinks21 · 04-29-2004, 01:40 PM

no there is no subscription service.. all you need is a reciever to get the data from the sats. if you want maps youd then have to get software.. there are also some highend recievers that have a screen and basic maps built in

[iG] · 04-29-2004, 01:41 PM

Amen to that.

Zip-Lock · 04-29-2004, 01:52 PM

The United States tax payers fronted the bill for putting the system into place. I think the EU is lunching a similar service too. Anyways it’s free for everyone.

dgaetano · 04-29-2004, 02:26 PM

Like Zip-Lock says, you pay your subscription when you pay your taxes

There's a nice overview of the GPS system, including the planned upgrades, in this month's issue (May) of Scientific American.

-Daniele

liquid_smoke · 04-29-2004, 03:58 PM

Damn, i never knew that, I allways thought it was subscription based.
Ha, well guess what im getting next

Zip-Lock · 04-29-2004, 04:15 PM

Map vendors may charge subscriptions, but raw GPS coordinates (the only thing provided by the satellites) are free. The government reserves the right to turn it off or decrease its accuracy at any time, but that’s highly unlikely as there are so many civilian uses now.

arkadiyp · 04-29-2004, 04:43 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Zip-Lock

Map vendors may charge subscriptions, but raw GPS coordinates (the only thing provided by the satellites) are free. The government reserves the right to turn it off or decrease its accuracy at any time, but that’s highly unlikely as there are so many civilian uses now.

Its is extremely unlikely that gov't will do anything bad to GPS system considering that all new cars have a navigation option, and many aftermarket solutions available. I doubt they will have enough money to settle all the law suits

hijinks21 · 04-29-2004, 04:53 PM

when the US invaded iraq this past time I know they were talking about making the gps location less accurate. I think that's about the only way they would do it these days anyway.

BraGa · 04-29-2004, 11:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by hijinks21

when the US invaded iraq this past time I know they were talking about making the gps location less accurate. I think that's about the only way they would do it these days anyway.

don't forget that GPS was originaly built for military app... so, when there's some kind of military issues getting around, the US gov can mess up the things a bit

owenjh · 05-05-2004, 05:53 PM

My grandad lives in England and has a handheld GPS reciever that works :-D So maybe the US tax dollar is paying for his too.

Naamanf · 05-05-2004, 06:03 PM

The government can encrpyt the signal at any time. Up intill about a year ago the signals were partly encrypted so civilian receivers did not get an accurate time signal from the sat. And yes the US tax payer is paying for the entire world to use GPS.

Falken · 05-06-2004, 11:10 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by owenjh

My grandad lives in England and has a handheld GPS reciever that works :-D So maybe the US tax dollar is paying for his too.

Ummm, Is that because it's GLOBAL positioning system?

MiniG · 05-18-2004, 04:07 PM

Now I may be wrong on a few details. But, i used to work with GPS for moving oil rigs and such.

Anyways, the Crapping up of signals you used to get was called selective availability. It's been turned off. But on occasions the signals do get messed up, when the US started to hit Iraq this time, the positions went all funny.
There can be problems when theres solar flares too and also down by brazil and area you can get something called scintilation which messes up accuracy.

You can get subscriptions to GPS services, but they're Differentially corrected signals, sometimes refered to as DGPS. they bring down the error on the postion, Just before I was made redundant, they (my employers) made a DGPS system that was good to within cm's as opposed to 20mtrs or so on the standard.

You also get Differnt kinds of GPS, Normal GPS and dual frequency GPS which is more accurate.

Unless you need pinsharp accuracy I'd not bother with the DGPS stuff myself.

If theres any questions give me a shout.

MiniG

Jalli · 05-18-2004, 04:16 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by arkadiyp

Its is extremely unlikely that gov't will do anything bad to GPS system considering that all new cars have a navigation option, and many aftermarket solutions available. I doubt they will have enough money to settle all the law suits

What law suits.? THe GPS system is provided as a FAVOR to the rest of the world by the US military. If they decide to encrypt the signal (increase security in my opinion) or even shut it off, they can do it at any time.