Sniper Country Duty Roster collective wisdom
Global Positioning Systems:
Since I can't afford a laser range finder and probably wouldn't help
in the tall grass anyway...let me show how old I might be and ask a question
about GPS devices. Am use to the "old" magnetic compass and usually carried
TWO, the one issued and a Silva, just in case the Mil-spec one was off....whats
the latest poop on GPS's any any preferences??? I mean ,way back when,
the worst problems I ever had about getting into an AO was the Air Farce
dropping us in the wrong DZ !! Or the Army "rotorheads" landing 20 klicks
off and swearing they were right on target. Just the usual mundane situations...SNAFU
!!! mabe that will get a good discussion going.
Will <willadams@mindspring.com>
Somewhere west of Ft.Benning !!, USA - Friday, December 11, 1998 at
01:19:24 (EST)
Will: Garmin makes an excellent GPS. It is my favorite because I
am also a private pilot and this brand is well suited for both flying and
ground Nav. Megellan may be better at purely ground ops as they seem to
have a better visual for walking. I haven’t played with one much so I can
not say for sure. Garmin is excellent and a breeze to fly with. It does
a respectable job at land nav.
Scott <xrin@voicenet.com>
Niether here, Nor there USA - Friday, December 11, 1998 at 11:37:23
(EST)
What about some "real-time" feedback on GPS as far as how close
the waypoints can be if navigating Flat but covered terrain , such as a
southern swamp !!!
OUT HERE
Will <willadams@mindspring.com>
USA - Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 02:34:23 (EST)
Will Adams... on GPS, the signals from the satellites are able to
give your position to within arms reach... maybe less.
The Gov't introduces a "jitter" to protect us from ourselves. The
military units filter out this jitter for their equipment. I have a new
Magellan 4000XL which also gives me the current error I'm receiving from
the "jitter"... it is typically 20 to 75 feet, the worst it has ever been
was 128 feet.
So, when their spotters have you, and you're trying to find your
hide, you'll know how big a circle you have to look in...
Pablito
Pablito <condor@mags.net>
USA - Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 08:31:32 (EST)
Someone asked about GPS. I have found the cheap commercial ones
don't have enough antenna sensitivity to pick up enough satellites to always
give a good reading. Two years ago when elk hunting in the rain, I could
get "action" on the GPS in clearings, but zip-all under the leaf cover.
Then again, a friend's Eagle has all the settings to tell you ground speed
when operated in a vehicle.
On another topic; we had a bad day at the office on Thursday. Two
of our jets had a midair collision. One stopped flying, pilot got out of
the formation, ejected but did not survive. Other aircraft returned to
base. Yours truly headed for his duty station in the base CP. Of interest
to the question on GPS; has anyone ever seen a TEN-figure grid reference
before? That is what the ground search party reported as the crash site.
That would be accuracy to the meter. Obviously they weren't using a cheap
commercial unit.
Terry
Terry Warner <twarner@sk.sympatico.ca>
Canada - Sunday, December 13, 1998 at 01:13:03 (EST)
GPS I think what hunter's and sniper's need is a GPS that can be
used during a stalk to allow you to circle a position without looking up
ever 10' and come back to a position on a map or grid that will allow you
to stay concealed until you have to make the final shot or observation.
I have located game many times and had to change the approach due to wind
or other reasons only to stalk 50 or 100 yards off target and get spotted
before I could even find the target again.
If it could be programed say " go 389 yards at 143 degrees " and
have it bring you to this point like the "go back to camp function" it
would be invaluable if it would work properly. To make that mistake stalking
men would be fatal. Bet they have something like that by now? If you have
a map it would be simple enough to go a few clicks and convert it I guess
but just to put the meter/yards in and the angle and have it read a new
position would be super if you get my drift.
B.Rogers <brogers@elkhart.com>
USA - Sunday, December 13, 1998 at 10:09:57 (EST)
Bill: They do indeed already have GPS that'll do just what you mentioned.
As for the guy who asked about the 10-digit grid from GPS; yep, heard it.
Put it on "average" and let it sit on the deck for 5 minutes or so at that
spot. With a little luck, it'll pick up enough satellites to give you that
kinda accuracy. In fact, a time is coming when all that fancy, time-consuming
survey stuff that artillery units have to do is replaced by a GPS receiver
on every single gun. And it's not that the commercial units are cheap---they
are probably capable of the same kinda accuracy. But think how a smart
guy could wire a GPS with an accuracy of +/- 1 m into a Scud missile, as
part of a guidance system, and have a poor man's Tomahawk. See why our
govt. isn't big on commercially available units with that kinda accuracy?
So they deliberately screw up the signal a little, and don't tell civilian
manufacturers how to un-screw it.
Matt <m45acp@gate.net>
GA USA - Sunday, December 13, 1998 at 15:05:53 (EST)
On GPS. I fly an ag plane kept on target by a civilian built and
sold GPS. It's accurate to 3 feet with differential lock.
Can the bad guys buy one for thier scuds? Yes. But they cost around
$14,000 vs $99.95. So why does the government scramble the signal? Another
conspiracy, to make us spend more money with the GPS manufacturers. After
all, who is building the government GPS systems? I guarentee its not the
Army, Navy, Air Force, or even the great Marines. It's the ciVILLAN contractors.
HA
PS: don't take all this seriously, I'm just P***ed about a $3500
repair bill this year for my GPS
Jeff Cooper <loflyin@aol.com>
Memphis, USA - Monday, December 14, 1998 at 12:19:48 (EST)
Will,
I have a webpage with info on GPS receivers below. The Russian GPS
system GLONASS is available to the civilian market here, and NO they don't
jiggle the signal. Only one company offering units capable of receiving
the GLONASS signals though. The Garmin model 12 ($150.00) and 12XL ($250.00),
are the most popular units. 12 channel receiver, very easy to learn functions.
Outstanding customer service.
spectr17
<spectr17@earthlink.net>
Rainy and cold in SoCal, Ca. USA - Monday, December 21, 1998 at 01:31:31
(EST)
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