Us Army Changes Position On Gps
Newcastle Herald
Friday June 16, 2000
UNCLE Sam did us all a favour the other day ? he switched off his `selective availability'.
Didn't even know he had it on, I hear you say.
Those who rely on GPS navigation (global positioning satellite) will be aware of what selective availability is.
For the past however-many years, GPS has been `out' by 1m to 50m.
The American military, which control the satellites, was worried invading armies may use it to ATTTTTTACK!!!
So they blurred the vision, so to speak, by the length of a swimming pool.
(How a 1m to 50m blur would hinder the enemy escapes me.)
Consequently, fishermen weren't getting the optimum out of their GPS.
Now, for some reason, the Yanks have recently decided to turn the selective availability off.
`Honest' Gordie Balcomb, from Tacklepower Charlestown, reckons they've probably found a new way to jam enemy signals.
This means your GPS (depending on the make and age) is now working consistently to an accuracy of 4.5m radius.
This means you can now ATTTTTACK fish more lethally, or you could try invading the States. * Moving right along, if you opt to invade America, you'll need a good boat.
So take note: the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Boat Show is coming up from July 7 to 9 at Newcastle Entertainment Centre. * In a similar vein, all trout fishos be warned.
It'll cost you $500 if you continue to cast for your favourite fish in NSW rivers as trout season closed at midnight on Monday.
The season will resume on September 29 for the Labour Day long weekend. Karl `Gus' Gould reckons it's been pretty quiet due to the continuing big seas.
However, regarding last week's `Asleep at the reel' yarn about the guy who hooked a beakie while sleeping on the rocks at Tomaree, Karl has the skinny.
`Twenty-third of May, Chris Russell,' Gus said.
`He was having a kip when his 8kg line took off.
`Took an hour and a half before that black marlin spooled him.
`On the Wednesday he got a 22kg blue-fin in the same spot.'
Back to this week, Gus said a marlin was hooked out near Broughton but it got off.
Otherwise, some nice snapper are snapping round Cabbage Tree Island up to 6kg.
© 2000 Newcastle Herald
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