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Glonass - does it work?

For most pilots round here, this will not be an issue, AFAIU: flying certified planes, they need to carry certified instruments, and as most if not all certified avionics come from the USA I believe none will have bothered to include Glonass functionality.

Myself however, flying (what is called in the UK) a PtF plane, can have whatever navigation instrumentation I like, as none is mandatory anyway. My flying and navigation are therefore in theory based upon map and chronometer and magnetic compass, but in practice the aforementioned are only carried for compliance, and as a backup. My navigation bases upon some homebrew C-code, that produces (on a Linux netbook) a moving map of routes planned plus effective, with optional add-ins of aerodromes, navaids, and airspace (to be implented, as yet).

I have always used HiTec GPS-receivers and was very happy with their performance in my tube-and-rag airframe. But now it seems there is Glonass available too, for raw positioning data, and one day really soon (haha) there will be Galileo, to top it all. My current HiTec receivers only handle the US’an GPS system, or I should have missed something.

Should I consider alternative receivers that can handle all three technologies? On the one hand, it would feel safer – the satellites will not disappear at short notice, but operators MAY decide to shut down the service. OTOH I have a nasty feeling that, whenever one operator sees good reason to shut their service down, the other two will be quick to follow suit; and that none will do anything so drastic before VFR flying has long become unwise if not forbidden at all.

On a final note: thank you very much, uncle Sam, for offering this very fine and reliable GPS service! It really contributes to the safety of private flying, even well outside your own realm!

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

May I direct you to this fine subsite of Garmin. On first blush I don’t think any of these are aviation models, but that doesn’t seem to matter to you. Have a look.

OK, I did underestimate messrs. Garmin. My turn to blush.
Still, as their equipment is far too pricey* for me, I keep wondering whether upgrading from my current Hitec 204 would be worth its while.

*Before arguing the value for money, please take it into account that, as a true microlight operator, I value the time and fun and the learning curve of having set up and programmed in the best artisanal tradition! A bit like CAMRA navigation, indeed.

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Not trying to spoil your artisanal fun but at 79 quid a combination GPS/Glonass receiver seems quite affordable ;)

Link

EDLN and EDKB

But is there a real advantage to receiving Glonass on top of GPS? THAT was my question!

Last Edited by at 21 Feb 08:55
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

the a.m. link will answer your question

Last Edited by nobbi at 21 Feb 09:43
EDxx, Germany

I would be amazed if there was any advantage in receiving Glonass on top of Navstar.

The 20% claimed reduction in startup time is completely immaterial.

Also I think a separate “handheld” GPS is a bad solution because it needs to be turned on manually, the modern ones have no external antenna input (so need to be velcroed on top of the instrument panel, and you need a “USB” +5V cable going into them from a velcroed power unit located somewhere out of the way), and is just a bit messy. For Glonass, I wouldn’t bother.

The biggest danger to GPS is jamming and any jamming will jam the whole ~1.5GHz band.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I do have an eTrex that can receive Glonass, and it works well. It can even come up with positions calculated from a mix of GPS and Glonass satellites.

Glonass positions are very slightly less accurate, say a meter or so.

LSZK, Switzerland

here

map shows a GLONASS receiver at Harwich giving corrupted position fixes that were off by more than 50km.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Alarming… What do they mean by “bad data”?

LOAN Wiener Neustadt Ost, Austria
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