Yes, Virginia, There Is No Back-up

GNSS System
Yes, Virginia, There Is No Back-up
http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/news/yes-virginia-there-is-no-back-92=
76?print=3D1

December 14, 2009
A Wistful Holiday Letter from an Engineer

As I read the title of this month's Survey newsletter column, "As Loran F=
ades, Attention=20
Shifts to DGPS and SBAS," it came to my mind that there are many people a=
round the world=20
who do not recognize the difference between a position, navigation, and t=
ime (PNT) system=20
and an augmentation of a PNT system =E2=80=94 a difference that was not c=
learly pointed out. I=20
have heard many PNT users expound on how good an augmentation is and, to =
my amazement, how=20
the augmentation could provide service despite a GNSS outage. I've stopp=
ed being=20
surprised. After all, I still remember the days when Galileo was being t=
outed as a backup=20
to GPS.

Unfortunately, the leadership worldwide has become decidingly less techni=
cal over the last=20
decade, and without proper explanation from staffers (who have also becom=
e decidingly less=20
technical), the point is lost.

The simple fact is that augmentations are of little or no use if the syst=
em they augment=20
is unavailable. Perhaps this point should be made, and made loudly and st=
rongly --=20
particularly in the case of the scheduled termination of Loran. The same=
holds for the=20
respective differences between real-time navigation, long-term positionin=
g, and time and=20
frequency =E2=80=94 distinctions, again, that are lost to many. While WA=
AS, NDGPS, and even=20
HA-NDGPS are admirable efforts that highlight what a group of talented, d=
edicated=20
engineers can do, maybe what we need is a PNT 101 course/flash card set f=
or those=20
"technically challenged" so they can better understand the ramifications =
of their=20
decisions. It took me and millions of others five years to get a Bachelo=
r of Engineering=20
degree; we cannot expect the leadership to learn engineering overnight.

I remember fondly the times when, as a junior engineer, I had five layers=
of management=20
above me that all held engineering degrees. Today I can't go up to any l=
evel and find a=20
single one. What went wrong? I do not know, but I do not think it bode=
s well for the world.

In any event, best regards to GPS World, and Happy Holidays