Don't fly on weekday afternoons for two weeks.

[Maoraigh1]

From today's Notams
09/07/06 12:15 TO: 09/07/16 15:15
NON-PARTICIPATING AIRCREW ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REMAIN CLEAR OF AREA.
SCHEDULE: 06-10 AND 13-16 1215-1515
The areas cover most of Scotland and N.E, England. Surface to at least 24,000 ft.
I don't mind the Highland Restricted Area, Monday to Thursday from 14.00Z, but these areas in addition seems a bit much. Leaving us 1500 feet above surface would have made a big difference.

[Flap40]

Equally relevant but covering a MUCH larger area is the notam on GPS jamming during the same period - 385nm radius from Kirkwall up to FL400.

[liam548]

Whats the purpose of GPS jamming?

[matspart3]

If we told you, we'd have to kill you :)

[WorkingHard]

2 questions then to those more knowledgeable than I.
1) Why do we have to pay a licence fee to RCA when part of the spectrum we use (i.e. GPS) is deliberately blocked by the military?
2) What is the NOTAM all about? Are the cadets flying and the RAF covering their **ses? I have the utmost respect and sympathy for the 2 who so tragically died but events seem to suggest the RAF are being a bit OTT with their NOTAMS very suddenly.

Will we soon see the RAF make the whole of the UK a no fly zone without their permission?

[ShyTorque]

Why don't we put up a "counter NOTAM"? We don't look out, are rubbish pilots, and don't know the rules of the air so don't expect us to avoid you either. Military aircraft advised to avoid all Class G UFN. :E

[JW411]

Now then, I had in my mind that most (if not all) of the satellites that make the GPS system function are owned by the US military and that if they decide to turn them off, then that's it until the next system gets switched on.

So, for the second time this week, I have to say that it is their train set and if they don't want you to use it, you can go pound salt up your a*se, as one of my Canadian students once said.

[ATR42300]

Whats the big deal?

Draw a line on your map and navigate, lets face it itsonly in recent years we have had GPS. Don't say we have forgotten already!!!!:{

[bjornhall]

GPS jamming during the same period - 385nm radius from Kirkwall up to FL400

Uh-oh ... IO540 is so lost now! :E

[Maoraigh1]

The US, who own the GPS satellites, are not switching them off. An aircraft, presumably British, is jamming GPS signals, for 385 NM radius from Kirkwall. That would affect all of the Faroe islands, and parts of Norway and Eire. It would presumably affect emergency services vehicles and ships, as well as hillwalkwers. I'm not bugged by the GPS jamming as much as the apparant lack of H&S consideration for civillian air traffic in class F and G airspace implied by the phrase "NON-PARTICIPATING AIRCREW ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THIS AREA."

[BabyBear]

I am bit confused over 'jamming'. Can they jam only aviation GPS and leave all other active, or is it a total jam including emergency services, hillwalkers and all shiping GPS, as suggested?

[Crash one]

I'm going to Linlithgow tomorrow with a Tomtom, is it going to take me to Liverpool instead??

[Sallyann1234]

1) Why do we have to pay a licence fee to RCA when part of the spectrum we use (i.e. GPS) is deliberately blocked by the military?

We don't pay any licence fee to use GPS spectrum. It's free to use regardless of whether or not we have a licence for any other bits of spectrum.

[liam548]

?does anyone actually know the actual purpose of this jamming. If its to test then they already know they can do it. ...

[ShyTorque]

In wartime the system may be switched off to prevent enemy use. It's therefore a good idea to allow military crews to practice flying their missions without it.

[BabyBear]

I'm going to Linlithgow tomorrow with a Tomtom, is it going to take me to Liverpool instead??


Now the answer to that question depends on whether you are flying, driving, walking, or sailing to Linlithgow. And more importantly; the reason you find acceptable to explain such a trip.

[PH-UKU]

You missed out cycling .... :8

[Maoraigh1]

On tuesday, it had no noticable effect on my car GPS, during the active jamming time. Other road GPS users I spoke to had noticed no problem either. That's about 100 NM from Kirkwall.
As regards allowing forces pilots to practice without GPS, they could switch it off.
The purpose of jamming would be for the UK to unilaterally deny GPS over an area.

[Genghis the Engineer]

We don't pay any licence fee to use GPS spectrum. It's free to use regardless of whether or not we have a licence for any other bits of spectrum.

I don't think that this is quite true - I believe that a one-off fee is paid to somebody or other by GPS manufacturers each time they make a GPS receiver.

I may be wrong however and will concede gracefully if anybody can demonstrate otherwise.

G

[liam548]

I don't think that this is quite true - I believe that a one-off fee is paid to somebody or other by GPS manufacturers each time they make a GPS receiver.

I may be wrong however and will concede gracefully if anybody can demonstrate otherwise.

G


i think you are correct

[Sallyann1234]

The licence fee will be one paid by the manufacturer for use of proprietary software for signal processing.

The reception of GPS signals is exempted from licensing in the UK.