GPS jamming

[Old Akro]

For those skeptics (including AsA) who don't think we need a decent back up ground based air navigation and those who have in past threads scoffed at the idea that GPS can be jammed, take a look at this:

https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2017/Jun/GAFC_17-05_GPS_Flight_Advisory.pdf

That represents a fairly bit chunk of SE USA where GPS cant be relied upon for the next month.

[KRviator]

Not the first NOTAM of its' type, but I can't recall seeing such a large jamming radius at a low altitude as this one is indicating. 184NM at ground level? Granted GPS signals are bloody weak on earth, but that's a decent radius.

I note they haven't specifically mentioned Embraer this time. Perhaps the Brazilians have rewritten the software so it doesn't produce unsafe conditions (https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Notice/GENOT_7110_711_EMB-300.pdf) simply because the GPS signal is lost?

EMBRAER HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED A REPORT OF GPS 1 AND 2 SIMULTANEOUS SIGNAL LOSS DURING FMS NAVIGATION IN CRUISE FLIGHT FOLLOWED BY A GPS HSI 1 AND 2 FAILURE INDICATION, ATTITUDE AND HEADING REFERENCE SYSTEM (AHRS) 1 AND 2 FAULT AND, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, A STALL WARNING PROTECTION SYSTEM (SWPS) FAULT, VENTRAL RUDDER FAIL, YAW DAMPER FAIL, AUTO PILOT FAIL, AND CAS MESSAGES ASSOCIATED WITH UNEXPECTED ROLLING AND YAWING OSCILLATIONS (DUTCH ROLL) AT HIGH AIRSPEEDS.

[rmcdonal]

Nothing new here, we get it in Turkey, Russia, Egypt and even some SE Asia hotspots.
It varies from military, to a cluster of personal jamming devices in close proximity to each other, to poorly set up microwave towers.
The likely hood of it taking out an Australian approach outside of a capital city I would suggest however is fairly remote. More likely to loose RAIM for 7 min.

[Capt Fathom]

If you look up GPS Notams via the FAA Notam Site, there are currently 30 notams in effect at 13 locations. All for GPS Jamming and Interruptions.

[Ixixly]

I think people would be very surprised at some of the devices that would Jam a GPS.

I was once gifted a "Kogan Action Camera", basically the Kogan version of a GoPro. First time I used it in an Aircraft all seemed fine, I started up, when to start up the trusty 96C and couldn't get a signal... not unusual, sometimes it took a while to get a lock, didn't really require it anyway as it was a route I'd done 100 times before and was nice clear weather. Took off, still no GPS Signal, not a single satellite, really weird as it would normally be fine by now, something in my mind thought it could POSSIBLY be the Camera, I turned it off and not 5seconds later I had GPS Signal again!!

I was able to reliably repeat this, watching the signal meter, turn the camera on, 5 seconds or so later all signals dropped to 0, turn it off and signals returned. The Kogan Camera had absolutely no transmitting capability, neither Cellular, Bluetooth or otherwise and would block it even when placed 2m away outside the fuselage and mounted under the wing, had to get it at least 4m away to not effect the GPS.

I would love to see the tech the US Defence Force are presumably using to test this intereference, for this range it has to be pretty powerful! I suppose they've figured out GPS isn't the only mob in town now and just turning it off or degrading it won't have the effect it used to.

[KRviator]

I would love to see the tech the US Defence Force are presumably using to test this interference, for this range it has to be pretty powerful! I suppose they've figured out GPS isn't the only mob in town now and just turning it off or degrading it won't have the effect it used to.And this leads to a new kind of warfare. So far as I'm aware, no nation has really been able to present a case for RF energy crossing its' borders unintentionally, that is to say deliberate jamming, or even surveillance radar from warships offshore.

With the Seppo's gifting themselves the ability to arbitrarily deny or jam not only their own GPS but Galellio, GLONASS, BeDiou and NAVIC systems as well, coupled with The Don's arrogance and propensity to the "My way or the Highway" attitude begs the question whether or not such testing or deployment of the system could be considered an act of war, given the sheer number of devices that now rely on operational GNSS, not only for position, but an accurate timekeeping reference that would be disrupted.

As the Embraer case demonstrated, even the simple loss of GPS1+2 in flight resulted in unexpected flight control difficulties that could, conceivably, have bought down that Phenom if the crew had mishandled it. One can only wonder what other devices are susceptible to such effects?

[CaptainMidnight]

I don't recall Airservices or anyone here claiming GPS can't be jammed.

There have been NOTAM here over a number of years re GPS jamming from time to time, predominantly @ WR but also during MILEX.

It was also possible to purchase GPS jammers from OS until they along with mobile phone jammers became prohibited imports (meaning prohibited for anyone other than under a specific exemption).

The devices were small and low powered and therefore very local in range. Truckies were using them to mask their movements from their companies.

Mobile phone & GPS jamming devices FAQ | ACMA (http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/faqs-mobile-phone-and-gps-jamming-devices-acma)
New border control on signal jammers | ACMA (http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/engage-blogs/engage-blogs/Interference/New-border-control-on-signal-jammers)
On the road: tackling GPS jammer use | ACMA (http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/engage-blogs/engage-blogs/Interference/On-the-road-tackling-GPS-jammer-use)

[Flying Binghi]

via CaptainMidnight: I don't recall Airservices or anyone here claiming GPS can't be jammed...

In my going on 10 years of posting here in Pprune on this subject it seems to me that with many it is more of a lack of understanding that there would be a need to jam GPS if it caint be turned off when and where required.

Way back at the beginning of GPS one of the original developers of the Predator drone said that GPS is a gift to terrorists. And yet here we are in Oz developing a GPS reliant airspace system...





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[Captain Dart]

Operated into Manila few months ago. I read the NOTAMs. 'ILS U/S' (it would be easier to NOTAM what IS serviceable in the Philippines). OK, we'll do an RNAV. I read on: 'RNAV (GPS) approaches not recommended due GPS interference.' Flew a VOR.

There were rumours of locals jamming the GPS signal for whatever reason. Seems like a good idea to keep a few VORs going.