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Gps

All articles tagged with #gps

Fi Ultra brings Starlink to pet tracking for off-grid dogs
tech2 days ago

Fi Ultra brings Starlink to pet tracking for off-grid dogs

Fi Ultra is the first dog tracker to combine Starlink satellite connectivity with GPS/LTE, enabling real‑time location in cellular dead zones via T‑Satellite. It costs $199 for the device plus a $20 activation fee and $189/year, attaches to standard collars (around 68g), and is IP68‑rated. In field testing near Charleston, updates came every 2–3 minutes when LTE wasn’t available, but the battery generally lasts about two days (draining faster during Lost Mode). The unit is large for small dogs, and reconnection gaps can occur, but it’s a compelling option for hikers who need off‑grid tracking, with Fi Mini/3 Plus offering longer battery life for everyday use.

via The Verge|
#fi-ultra#gps#pet-tracker
Russia’s Space-Based GPS Jamming Confirmed by Independent Research
technology1 month ago

Russia’s Space-Based GPS Jamming Confirmed by Independent Research

UT Austin researchers, corroborated by others from the UK, used data from 165 GNSS reference stations to confirm that Russia has been jamming GPS from space since 2019 via a small Molniya-orbit satellite constellation, causing short, powerful disruptions on the L1 band (up to about 10 dB CNr) and also impacting BeiDou. The 2025 study and a May 2026 preprint argue the pattern is intentional rather than a malfunction. The findings underscore GNSS vulnerabilities, spur terrestrial backup efforts by several countries, and highlight policy and strategic implications for space-based EW in great-power competition.

via SpaceNews|
#gnss#gps#jamming
Walk-Test Showdown: Fitbit Air vs Garmin Forerunner 70 Ends in a Tie
technology1 month ago

Walk-Test Showdown: Fitbit Air vs Garmin Forerunner 70 Ends in a Tie

Dan Bracaglia pits the budget Fitbit Air (no screen, about $99) against the Garmin Forerunner 70 ($250) in a 3,000-step walk. Both watches land within about four steps of the manual tally, with distance data largely aligned (Air ~1.61 miles, Garmin ~1.57 miles, Strava ~1.60). The Air edges slightly on elevation accuracy thanks to a barometric altimeter, while the Forerunner 70 includes onboard GPS (unlike the Air, which relies on a phone for outdoor tracking). Both offer basic fitness tracking without subscriptions, making this a true head-to-head where performance is strong on both sides and the winner is effectively a draw.

via Tom's Guide|
#fitbit-air#garmin-forerunner-70#gps
Relativity at GPS scale: why satellites are clocked slow on the ground
science1 month ago

Relativity at GPS scale: why satellites are clocked slow on the ground

GPS satellites carry atomic clocks that are deliberately set to run slow on the ground so that relativistic effects in orbit bring them to the correct rate; special relativity would slow moving clocks by about 7 microseconds per day, while general relativity would speed them up by about 45 microseconds per day, for a net gain of roughly 38 microseconds per day that would cause ~10 km of positional error daily if uncorrected. The main correction is a ground-based frequency offset (about 10.22999999543 MHz instead of 10.23 MHz) so the clock is right in orbit, with smaller orbital variations corrected by the receiver.

via Space Daily|
#atomic-clocks#gps#navigation
Relativity in Real Life: The ISS Clocks Tick Slower, Astronauts Age Slightly
science1 month ago

Relativity in Real Life: The ISS Clocks Tick Slower, Astronauts Age Slightly

The ISS travels about 7.8 km/s, causing time dilation: its clocks run slightly slower than Earth clocks due to special relativity, while being higher in gravity would speed them up per general relativity. The net effect is a fraction-of-a-second aging difference for astronauts over six months, a result confirmed by atomic clocks and essential for GPS accuracy. The article also contrasts the relativistic effect with microgravity’s physiological impacts on astronauts, emphasizing that time is a local quantity tied to reference frames.

via Space Daily|
#astronauts#gps#relativity
The Price of GPS: How Our Sense of Place Is Eroded by Tech
science1 month ago

The Price of GPS: How Our Sense of Place Is Eroded by Tech

The piece argues that widespread GPS use over the past decade and a half has shifted most people from a hippocampus-driven cognitive map to a caudate-driven, autopilot navigation style. Those who still rely on memory maintain a relational, map-like understanding of their environment and a continuous sense of being oriented in space, while others gain efficiency at the cost of declining spatial memory. Reversing this would require deliberately navigating without GPS in selected contexts to exercise the cognitive map and reclaim a felt sense of location.

via Space Daily|
#cognitive-map#gps#hippocampus
Garmin's Forerunner 70 Debuts as a Feature-Pilled Budget GPS Watch
technology1 month ago

Garmin's Forerunner 70 Debuts as a Feature-Pilled Budget GPS Watch

Garmin’s Forerunner 70 is a feature-dense upgrade to the budget line, bringing a 1.2” AMOLED display in a 43mm case, touchscreen, upgraded HR sensor, a revamped UI, Training Readiness and Training Status, expanded health metrics, an on-device Quick Workout Creator, and 60+ sport profiles—all for around $249. It undercuts competitors with a rich feature set while omitting offline maps and some high-end extras; the related Forerunner 170 adds open-water swimming and meditation, while the 70 forgoes those features.

via DC Rainmaker|
#forerunner-170#forerunner-70#garmin
Starlink drops GPS-style PNT feature, but researchers aren’t done with space-based navigation
technology2 months ago

Starlink drops GPS-style PNT feature, but researchers aren’t done with space-based navigation

Starlink has shut down its GPS-like positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability as of May 20, 2026, ending a peripheral feature that could offer location data even where GPS is jammed. SpaceX did not give a reason, fueling speculation about liability or a paid-service path ahead of an IPO. Independent researchers have already shown how Starlink signals can be exploited to determine location—with tens of seconds to meters-level accuracy—and have extended similar techniques to include OneWeb and other LEO constellations, suggesting robust GPS alternatives may emerge even after Starlink’s own PNT access is closed.

via Ars Technica|
#gps#jamming-spoofing#navigation
GPS III: A Major Leap for Global Positioning
technology2 months ago

GPS III: A Major Leap for Global Positioning

The GPS III rollout is progressing with SpaceX's launch of the 10th GPS III satellite, forming the first complete block of third‑generation satellites. Over the next decade, up to 22 GPS III satellites will replace aging units, bringing higher transmit power, a new 1176 MHz Safety of Life signal, and military spot beams to improve resistance to jamming. New interoperable signals L1C and L2C will enhance compatibility with Galileo, BeiDou, IRNSS, and QZSS, while M‑code will bolster security for military users. Looking ahead, GPS IIIF satellites will add optical reflectors, laser data links, and the Digital Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard. For most users, improvements will be subtle, mainly faster signal locks and more accurate positioning, with upgrades largely invisible in everyday use.

via Hackaday|
#gps#gps-iii#military
Pentagon cancels GPS OCX after 16-year, multibillion-dollar struggle
defense2 months ago

Pentagon cancels GPS OCX after 16-year, multibillion-dollar struggle

The Pentagon terminated the Global Positioning System Next-Generation Operational Control System (OCX) after years of delays and cost overruns, saying continuing was no longer the best path for GPS capabilities. The Space Force will instead upgrade the legacy GPS ground control system to support newer features like the M-code signals, while RTX (Raytheon) delivered OCX in 2025 but will shift to post-delivery support. The move accompanies ongoing GPS III/IIIF satellite operations and a recent $105 million contract to Lockheed Martin for ground-system upgrades, signaling a pivot toward incremental improvements rather than a single all-encompassing system.

via Ars Technica|
#defense#gps#gps-iii