GPS interference at NAP (LIRN)
 

Would like to know if anyone else encounters GPS outages while in the NAP terminal area. We encounter this consistently, on different airframes and different makes of receivers.. .. .Our best information is that the RF spectrum is saturated in the NAP area due to many t.v. and other transmitters.. .. .We do not encounter this problem anywhere else in Europe or the Middle East.. .. .Any other ideas or experience out there with the problem?

To my best knowledge this problem of GPS in Italy is known for a long time already. Nothing wrong with your receivers, believe there is something wrong with commercial TV-channels causing disturbance in the GPS-frequency.. .I know of no other place where this disturbance would be as well.

There are a vast number of illegal pirate TV stations in Italy, and they are causing this problem.

Thank you Pegasus 77 and HJ, that is what I suspected. If illegal, then probably dirty signals, high power, and likely harmonics in the GPS part of the spectrum. . .. .On every departure and arrival, we lose GPS within 20 miles of NAP. It is frustrating because we always fly B-RNAV and end up dead reckoning for a few minutes until the GPS comes back on line.. .. .We have not encountered this problem at other Italian airfields, just Naples. It goes with the territory here.

What, a European operator using GPS? Shock, horror, what a situation. Thought Europeans disliked the AMERICAN GPS so much? Could it be that....they have now, just maybe, found it useful? Approaches too?. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Over several years my outfit was having a problem with GPS going DR over certain areas of Italy, one or two in France, and one in far eastern Russia. We narrowed it down to several Air Force Bases and confirmed it was jamming. We now have new software which minimizes the problem.

Had this phenomenon many times on approach to Catania (LICC), but we attributed this to the proximity of NAS Sigonella. We assumed that the GPS signal was "doctored" in that area to prevent it being used to guide some rogue missle to blast the U.S. base!. .. .Now, with the Sixth Fleet at Naples, I wouldn't preclude this is a possibility in this case as well.. .. .Just my two cents... :-). . . . <small>[ 10 March 2002, 04:52: Message edited by: 320DRIVER ]</small>

We are not intentionally being "jammed" in Naples. The illegal TV station situation here is highly publicized by the media, and the Italian government has taken some action, even if minimal.. .. .We fly into Catania weekly, and have never encountered GPS loss in that area.. .. .411A - check your facts a little better before posting. You have no idea who we are, obviously! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />