A look back at 2003 and a look forward to 2004

[Dave]

Looking back at 2003, it really has been an exciting year in not only GPS but in the Pocket PC. Great strides have been made in all corners of the globe, and in technology. It only seems like yesterday when I was writing the 2003 and beyond article, and now we are staring 2004 straight in the eyes. Can a year really have gone that quickly ? So what did happen in 2003 ? And more importantly, what will we see in 2004 ?

Read this article at
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/2004onwards.php

[DavidW]

A good article. I wait with interest to see what the whizzy new feature will be (is this the long talked about database? - it sounds really exciting).

Well, happy new year everyone. Maybe it's a little sad that I'm here and sober at midnight - but there you go! (I can't drink anyway for medical reasons - and I'm so ill after going out for a meal with the family yesterday that I've had a quiet day at home).


Thanks for all the support over the last year, everyone - I started as a GPS newbie and finished up with "Advanced User" status!



David

[Dave]

Actually the database is one of the big projects we've had on for the past 3-4 months, and I really don't think any other website will have anything like this, or as comprehensive, and it's two tiered, but that's not the thing I was talking about in the article

It's something big, but we are running immensley behind because of the GPS Support, emails, the reviews we have been writing recently and the new database, but we'll hopefully announce something later in January when we are closer to completion.

[Howard]

In your review of 2003 you mention..

“However, now that Europe is getting it's own satellite system online for 2004 (Galileo, and many more satellites planned in future years, the US Department Of Defense (DOD) are getting a little concerned and have re-engineered it's replacement program of failing satellites”.

As potential end users of a new European system do we know if there will be any benefits over the older US GPS that we are currently using? The politics of the two systems running side by side should be interesting in itself!

Howard

PS. Great review of 2003

[Dave]

Thanks Howard!

Basically Galileo is going to have quite a number of advantages. Firstly any GPS Receiver that supports Galileo will be able to pick signals from the US based GPS constellation and Galileo, giving more choice available.

Galileo will also offer down to what ESA (European Space Agency) claim to the metre accuracy (better than we currently receive) and ESA are claiming that Galileo will have guaranteed availability for service under all but the most extreme of circumstances (they are not designating what is extreme, but usually this constitutes war, acts of God etc).

Galileo should be fully operational by 2008 and consist of a total of 30 satellites (27 + 3 spares). EGNOS though will be operational in April 2004 and give greater accuracy to the current GPS system with 3 new Satellites and give accuracy within 5 meters compared to that of 15-20 metres at present.

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