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The world now has 3 GPS systems — Parallax Forums

The world now has 3 GPS systems

LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
edited 2011-12-30 04:16 in General Discussion
China is moving ahead with its 'Beidou' (which means Big Dipper constellation) GPS system. Europe has one, called Galleo, that is also coming on line, and of course - the USA has been the big player for quite some time.

China began work in 2000, but it seems that now roughly 10 satellites are up and running to cover mostly China and surrounding areas.

Comments

  • max72max72 Posts: 1,155
    edited 2011-12-29 01:32
    Do not forget Glonass (Russian constellation), which has been forwing for a long time and it is still on.
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2011-12-29 03:26
    We probably should start using the actual name of the US GPS system by now, to avoid too much confusion. So, 4 GPS systems: Navstar, Glonass, Galileo, Beidou.

    (And I wish those responsible for subtitles in Norwegian Broadcasting TV programs would stop translating 'satnav' to 'GPS'! It's like translating 'radio' to 'transistor'. But that's another story. :-))

    -Tor
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2011-12-29 14:03
    Tor wrote: »
    .............(And I wish those responsible for subtitles in Norwegian Broadcasting TV programs would stop translating 'satnav' to 'GPS'! It's like translating 'radio' to 'transistor'. But that's another story. :-))

    -Tor
    LOL, thats a good one. I see there is not much difference between Norwegian and Canadian/US TV folks.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2011-12-29 16:10
    Tor wrote: »
    And I wish those responsible for subtitles in Norwegian Broadcasting TV programs would stop translating 'satnav' to 'GPS'! It's like translating 'radio' to 'transistor'. But that's another story. :-)

    Here in the US everyone I know uses "GPS" to refer to their satnav system. Kind of like they use the single word "cell" to refer to their cellular telephone. People are lazy and language is fluid.

    *grabs box* in fact I bought a TomTom just last week and while TomTom dodged the issue entirely by not calling it anything, the first word of the description on Office Depot's stock label is "GPS."
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2011-12-30 02:49
    localroger wrote: »
    Here in the US everyone I know uses "GPS" to refer to their satnav system. Kind of like they use the single word "cell" to refer to their cellular telephone. People are lazy and language is fluid.

    *grabs box* in fact I bought a TomTom just last week and while TomTom dodged the issue entirely by not calling it anything, the first word of the description on Office Depot's stock label is "GPS."
    Yeah, there are some that say just "GPS" here too, it seems to correlate with how much they know about it though. Hopefully it'll go away, just like using 'transistor' about 'radio' went away eventually.

    I'm particularly annoyed with the subtitling of all the Top Gear shows, where Jeremy & co. consistently say "satnav" all the time ("The car's satnav system" and the like) and it's consistently subtitled to "GPS".
    The Norwegian name for a car navigation system like that is 'satellittnavigator' and it's official short variant is "satnav", so obviously "satnav" should be subtitled to "satnav".

    But then again what can you expect of people subtitling "nautical mile" to a Norwegian measurement with a different name that is four times as long.. instead of just translating to "nautisk mil", which is what a nautical mile is in Norwegian. So when watching, for example, Volvo Ocean Race Around the World the subtitles say that a leg is as long as from Australia to the North Pole or thereabouts. Or that a yacht sailed the equivalent of 1300-1400 English miles in a day.

    I just found my old TomTom box as well.. this is the variant that I used (heh, still use) on my Palm PDA: It just says 'TomTom Navigator' on the box. Good on them! :-)

    -Tor
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-12-30 04:16
    Interesting. The term "wireless" used to be an old way refer to your radio receiver. As in "Be a good chap and switch on the wireless".
    The usage of "wireless" almost became extinct, replaced with "radio" or "transistor" as noted here. If you used it it was a clear sign of your age.
    Now the term "wireless" is everywhere and refers to all kinds of gadgets communicating without wires, keyboards, mice, mobile phones etc etc.
    What do youngsters call their radios now a days? Do they even use such things?

    I notice my Samsung Galaxy S phone has an "FM Radio". Can't imagine what I'd use it for until I get back in range of BBC Radio 4:)
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