GPS accuracy in Australia planned to improve even further

Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 12:41
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This is an interesting article about the current GPS accuracy we get in Australia compared to the rest of the world and what the Australian Government is planning to do about it.

Essentially, we receive uncorrected GPS data that means accuracy is good to about 5 metres but there is a way to improve the accuracy to 10cm that is being done in other parts of the world and Australia is planning to do this too - interesting reading here

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Reply By: Bazooka - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 16:00

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 16:00
Better link here Michelle and other forumites: Satellite Based Augmentation System test-bed project

The key is in the words 'any time and anywhere' because post-processed high-accuracy GPS has been available for a considerable time. "An SBAS will overcome the current gaps in mobile and radio communications and, when combined with on-ground operational infrastructure and services, will ensure that accurate positioning information can be received anytime and anywhere within Australia and New Zealand."
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 17:41

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 17:41
I use 20 mm accurate gps everyday. Just a shame it costs about $70 000 per unit.
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 22:06

Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 22:06
My brother works at GA.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Sunday, Jun 24, 2018 at 22:49

Sunday, Jun 24, 2018 at 22:49
Plenty of good people (have) work(ed) there Michelle!
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Reply By: Member - johnat - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 19:21

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 19:21
What chance that consumer GPS navigators will benefit? Close to zero, I suspect!
The roads are wider than 5m, and some navigator applications cannot even get the car ON the roadnow!
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 21:14

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 21:14
"some navigator applications cannot even get the car ON the road now"

Not sure what 'navigators" you are referring to but keep in mind the map itself may also be out. Current accuracy of GPS units (including phones) is good enough for the average punter so all a bit academic really.

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Gerg
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Follow Up By: Gbc.. - Friday, Jun 22, 2018 at 07:10

Friday, Jun 22, 2018 at 07:10
You don’t have to ‘suspect’, you can do your own research and find out instead of whining. Of course there is benefit to all users. Even parasitic road nav users who are just the non paying recipients of this amazing technology being developed for more critical tasks.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 21:54

Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 21:54
Yep map inaccuracy is usually a bigger issue than GPS tolerance Greg.
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Reply By: Member - J&A&KK - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 20:03

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 20:03
Hi Michelle

GNNS augmentation has been available in Australia for more than 20 years via commercial suppliers. It is built in to most of the precise agricultural positioning systems, oil rig supply boats, aerial survey aircraft etc etc.

GPS errors (ionosphere, clock drift, ephemeris) are removed, based on your location, using sophisticated mathematical algorithms contained in the GPS firmware. The variables( error corrections) used by the algorithms are broadcast from Satellites (VHF usually) and updated every second or more often ( my knowledge of the technology is about 5 years out of date).

This technology will only benefit those who invest in the hardware that can receive and process the signal corrections. So it will not benefit the majority of us using present technology embedded in consumer devices.

The number of satellites in view, and their location in the visible sky (geometry) has a very large influence on GPS locational accuracy. With 16 satellites in view and good geometry x,y accuracy of around 2m and z accuracy of double that is achievable without GNNS augmentation. For me this level of accuracy is more than enough for remote area navigation and positioning.

Cheers John
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 20:07

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 20:07
Yes I think the point of both the articles linked here is that the Government has planned to roll this out to consumer end users by the allocation of funds announced in the budget - well that's how I'm reading it?
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 22:01

Saturday, Jun 23, 2018 at 22:01
From the GA FAQs:

Will it improve the positioning accuracy of my phone or in-car navigation?

Yes, while it will depend on your device, many GPS users in Australia will immediately be able to track the SBAS signal from their device and see improved positioning accuracy. The SBAS test-bed will not be certified for safety-of-life use. However, should the SBAS be implemented, it will be certified for safety-of-life use.
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Reply By: Member - David M (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 21:16

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 21:16
And about time to. I've lost count of the times I've wandered around the bush in WA due to this lack of accuracy.
Dave.
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Reply By: Ron N - Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 23:18

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2018 at 23:18
All we need to do now is convince Google to get some accuracy into their maps to stop people driving on private property, convinced it's a road, because Google Maps says so.

I'm sick of telling people to turn around and get out of our private property between our 12 neighbouring factory units - because Google has told them this land is a continuation of the street that ends at the cul-de-sac, 400 metres away!

They could also do a vast amount of major corrections to landmarks - such as Cambridge Gulf, marked as "Scambridge Gulf" on Google Maps!

No matter how many times I try to correct the name, Google refuses point-blank to change it.

They also think I've visited places that I've only been past, from 50 metres away. So much for the accuracy of their "targeted marketing"!

Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 11:13

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 11:13
I'm surprised they didn't take your feedback! You gave us heaps of very worthwhile feedback just as we were finalising EOTopo 2018 and made quite a few critical updates as a result. But it is not a granular process working with a whole of Australia dataset - we know.
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Follow Up By: Member - johnat - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 20:24

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 20:24
My experience is that they (Google and other mapping outfits) tend to take the word of the local government body in the area over that of a local.
I have a property on a named road, but the mapping software swears that the road changes its name at some place where there's nothing but a straight bit of road! The name change occurs (variously) at a spot somewhere in the middle of a 2km straight without any physical feature to describe it.
Having been back and forth with the mapping bods, I eventually collared a council bloke who made the (logical) change so the entire road had the same name, and - lo and behold - the maps showed it up within a couple weeks!

So ... if you want a change to an error in the mapping, go to council, explain and detail the error. Might find that it's easier to get corrections that way!
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 12:43

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 12:43
Hi Guys, not sure that I really see that level of accuracy is so important for civilian navigation use. 5.0 m is pretty close, within eyesight. For military & surveying, there are units available that are extremely accurate.

Macca.
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 16:42

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 16:42
Michelle, we have two Garmin 7inch screen, different models and they show accuracy as low as 3 metres real time... so they say! Michael
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Reply By: Zippo - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 18:41

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 18:41
This sounds to me very much like the Wide Area Augmentation System. This requires WAAS-enabled GPS receivers, but the majority of consumer devices aren't equipped to use the supplementary signal.
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 21:03

Thursday, Jun 21, 2018 at 21:03
I have a 16 year old Magellan Explorist 600 with WAAS. I wonder if that will work when the Aus system is up and running.

Shame it's not compatible with my current navigation gear.

But, as others have said, for recreational navigation current accuracy is generally good enough.
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Sunday, Jun 24, 2018 at 08:28

Sunday, Jun 24, 2018 at 08:28
Unfortunately Frank, your Explorist will be as useless as ever. - Well mine was near useless with the crappy support they gave.

The new system is Satellite based WAAS is ground based.
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