Nav Man - Why You Shouldn't Rely On GPS Alone

There are plenty of good reasons not to rely on GPS alone - technological fallibity, power issues and even heavy tree cover for starters - but you may not have considered the possibility that the GPS signal itself may be deliberately jammed by the military.

Lyle Brotherton is a search and rescue instructor and navigation professional. He trains search and rescue teams and special forces worldwide in the intricacies of finding their way in the wilderness and more. He's passionate about navigation and about helping to keep people safe in the outdoors.

And the good news is that Lyle is contributing regular, often thought-provoking tips to OM to help keep you on your chosen course. Lyle is the author of the new Ultimate Navigation Manual and has his own web site at www.micronavigation.com where you can find out more about him and check out some sample pages from the book.

Satnav (GPS) Stoppage

From November 28 to December 9 between 09:00-16:00 hrs, the Ministry of Defence will jam GNSS satellite signals around the Royal Air Force Spadeadam which is situated on the border of Cumbria and Northumberland and where the RAF, Army, Navy and NATO Forces practise manoeuvres and tactics against a variety of threats and targets that they face in contemporary warfare, including the of disruption of GNSS satellite broadcast continuity.

The stated area covered by the disruption will be almost 20,000 acres, and includes popular walking/mountain biking areas such as Side Fell, White Side and parts of the Kielder Forest Park.

Effectively your handheld satnav will not function correctly during these dates at the specified times.

Now that you know this if you need to navigate in this area you can simply use your map & compass. 

But imagine if you had not read this thread or seen the MOD notices, to me this underlines the absolute necessity of always carrying backup navigational tools.