GPS Blackout- a plan B is good
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Beendare
27-Jan-18
Beendare's Link
FYI, the USAF is planning military exercises in Nevada in February and they will blackout the GPS signal in that region, article at link; Zero Hedge, USAF begins massive GPS blackout.....
Glad its not during traditional hunting seasons.
Does stuff like this emphasize the importance of a compass backup? Or don't you bother? Personally, I always have a compass in my pocket....
From: drycreek
27-Jan-18
I just follow my nose. I can generally smell something cooking somewhere ! :-)
From: trophyhill
27-Jan-18
I've often thought I should buy a backup gps just in case. Being or merely feeling lost is no fun. Believe me!
From: Inshart
27-Jan-18
Whenever I'm hunting, when I wake up in the morning the first thing is my compass goes around my neck - NEVER leave camp without it - as trophyhill said - being lost really sucks.
From: Zim
27-Jan-18
I carry a compass and topos on waterproof paper. Everyone on bowsite should at a bare minimum have a compass, understand the declination adjustment and be able to read a topographical map (IMHO). Electronics will fail you at some point, it’s just a matter of time.
From: Ucsdryder
27-Jan-18
I carry a gps and delorme that hooks to my phone. Are they going to disable cell service too? I believe your phone maps can work off gps signal too right? If all those fail I have a pretty decent sense of direction. In a white out blizzard I guess I’ll just call it quits, take off all my clothes and go for a run.
From: Zim
27-Jan-18
Ucsdryder, under normal circumstances my iPhone GPS works without cell reception in the backcountry. I saved (cache) the maps from the onX Maps app/service on my phone and I can use that as a reference in the backcountry. That paired with the DeLorme inreach has been a pretty good system for me, Aron Snyder suggested the Inreach on one of the gritty bowmen podcasts and it's been awesome. Not sure if the iPhone GPS function will be effected as part of this military exercise though?
From: Ucsdryder
27-Jan-18
Zim, understood and I do the same. I’m asking about the other way around. If the gps is shut off and you have cell service will that give you directions?
From: Zim
27-Jan-18
Sorry for the misunderstanding. I’m not sure in that instance
From: Oryx35
28-Jan-18
John, a GPS blackout will impact an iPhone just as much as any other gps enabled device.
From: DanaC
28-Jan-18
Compass, cheap insurance, batteries never die. Just look at a map and have a clue at least which way is 'back to the road'. NOT to 'the truck'. Travel perpendicular to the road, then sort out the details. For instance, if the road is north-south, and you started on the east side of it, going west will get you to the road. You may be a ways from the truck but at least you won't be in a swamp! And yeah, I learned this the hard way...
From: Mpdh
28-Jan-18
No matter what kind of electronic device you use, if the gps signal is disabled, it’s not going to work. Whether it’s a phone or dedicated gps, the signal still comes from the same satellites.
From: LKH
28-Jan-18
Was born and raised in northern MN. Flat, unbelievable thick. I was "lost" as soon as I left the road. Generally knew the direction the road was and got out, but when I was 8 my kid brother and I were lost in a dense spruce/Tamarack swamp and my dad used a box of rifle shots to get us out. He was pretty spooked.
There are places that GPS won't reach you.
From: Michael
28-Jan-18
This is my work cell phone and you can see what I am talking about.
This is my work cell phone and you can see what I am talking about.
If you use a Motorola droid you will have location availability with the gps turned off through WiFi, Bluetooth or cell signal.
Even though I have an IPhone I am not aware of how there phones work in that department.
From: Woods Walker
28-Jan-18
GPS and cell service is a great navigational tool, but anyone who trusts his/her life to it without backup NOT dependent on a battery or microchip is a fool.
The stars, sun and magnetic north will always be there.....and they can't be hacked, or taxed!
From: Owl
28-Jan-18
I always carry a compass. Where I live, it's easy to get turned around and it's too thick for landmarks. But it's rare to be too far from a road, etc. As long as I know which side of the road I am on, I wander aimlessly and can work back along a cardinal direction until I hit the road somewhere.
From: lawdy
28-Jan-18
Don't carry a gps. Two compasses and a topo map. Two compasses because if you don't believe one, two can't be wrong. Spent many a night in deep woods rounding up hounds. Compass and the stars never fail.
From: Z Barebow
28-Jan-18
I am sure plenty of guys hunting during 9/11 never thought they would need a compass. I always carry a compass. I keep it handy also. And I like my paper maps. What can I say, I am a crumedgeon.
From: LKH
28-Jan-18
In a plane once and no matter where we turned we were going south.
From: Tracker
28-Jan-18
I have participated in the Red Flag exercise in the past. GPS is not going to stop working during the exercise. The accuracy levels will diminish a little but not enough to affect navigation. It will also be limited to certain areas and during intermittent times.