Re: RE: Marking an Endurance Ride with a GPS

["Sandy Bolinger" <bolinger@bigsky.net>]

PHEW!!!!!!!!!!! I'm glad an expert says it's probably not the "thing" for
endurance...sounded like a horrible idea to me.  I learned how to read
maps...if ride managers give out really good maps and people learn how to
read them...voila.  If the trail markings are vandalized...rely on your
maps..

----- Original Message -----
From: Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@mindspring.com>
To: Bob Morris <bobmorris@rmci.net>
Cc: <ridecamp@endurance.net>; K S Swigart <katswig@earthlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 7:22 PM
Subject: RC: RE: Marking an Endurance Ride with a GPS


> No Bob you are not old fashion - just old, but you are correct. The GPS
> technology is absolutely fantastic and our military superiority is
> enhanced by it. It can guide a bomb through a window. However, it cannot
> be guaranteed to help mark an endurance trail!
>
> I've been associated with the NAVSTAR GPS program off and and on since
> the mid 70's. I've been working precision geopositioning programs for the
> past 25 years - GPS being only one such program.
>
> Any technology needs to be understood as for as it's limitations before
> it is embraced as gospel. GPS does have limitations. It was designed for
> one particular mission - marking endurance trails was not it.  My spouse
> keeps telling me I should write an article for EN on GPS - what it is and
> what it isn't. Of course I don't listen to her, maybe I should start.
>
> Bottom line is for normal terrain on the earth, with forest, with
> canyons, etc. we cannot depend on GPS estimations of distance to be
> accurate. In fact there is no specification on the GPS program for
> accuracy of measured distance. The specification or on location and time
> transfer with three spacecraft visible for 5 minutes and a separate
> specification for location accuracy and time transfer accuracy with four
> spacecraft visible for 5 minutes.
>
> These conditions may or may not have anything to do with the world of
> endurance trails.
>
> Truman
>
>
>
>
>
> Bob Morris wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Perhaps I am being old fashioned but I have GPS'd many
> > hundreds of miles of trail with survey grade instruments and
> > am very aware of the problems. Had to sit waiting one day
> > for over an hour to get readable satellites. Would you want
> > to do that during a ride?
> >
> > Bob Morris
> >
>
>
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