Date: Sat, 06 May 2000 00:37:05 -0600 From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@critter.freebsd.dk> Cc: Warner Losh <imp@village.org>, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: GPS heads up Message-ID: <3913BD91.1803945E@softweyr.com> References: <6827.957594577@critter.freebsd.dk>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>
> In message <200005052357.RAA57906@harmony.village.org>, Warner Losh writes:
> >In message <3913589F.3BE7BE18@softweyr.com> Wes Peters writes:
> >: With 12-channel chipsets becoming common, new devices are getting quite
> >: good at this.
> >
> >Yes. Most of the data I have is for 6 channel models.
>
> 12-chanel chipsets are overkill if you don't live more or les exactly
> on the equator or one of the poles. Here where I live (56 north) about
> 30% of the sky is never covered by a satelite because of the inclination
> of the satelites being non-zero.
Get used to them, both Garmin and Trimble are using 12-channel engines
now. Even the cheapo Rockwell chipset is 6 channels, going to 12 by
the time the start putting them into mobile phones next year. There's
a mandate in the USA that all mobile phones have GPS in them by 2003,
so the 911 operators will be able to tell where you are when you make
an emergency call on your mobile phone. If you've got enough satellites
in view, of course.
Here at 42 North, the new 12-channel units get their initial position
fix MUCH faster than my 6-channel GPS II+. Which, by the way, couldn't
find a single satellite from the campground in Goblin Valley. Hah!
So much for "global" coverage.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
wes@softweyr.com http://softweyr.com/
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?3913BD91.1803945E>