You have been given the wrong information. Before SA was turned off, the
"official" accuracy was 100 metres (95%) but with 27-28 satellites, typically
accuracy under good conditions was 50-60 metres (95%). Turning off SA
improved accuracy from 5 to 10 times, so at most to just under 10 metres
(95%) -- but not to 1 metre. For such accuracies you still need differential
GPS. Most receivers can be programmed to display coordinates in decimal
degrees, degrees and minutes, or degrees, minutes, and seconds. Grid
coordinates (northings and eastings are also possible). There's a wealth of
GPS info on the Web if you need further info.
-- Richard Langley
On Sat, 13 May 2000, Allan Pratt wrote:
>As most of you know, the US government has relaxed the restrictions on
>the GPS system. Supposedly the accuracy has improved from 10 meters to 1
>meter. My question is, do the actual GPS units in use permit this
>accuracy? At the equator, one degree is 111,308 meters in length.
>One-meter is thus .000009 (9 millionths) of a degree. Even as far north
>as Miami FL, a meter is about .00001 (1 one-hundred-thousanths) of a
>degree. At my location, a meter is .0000107 degrees. Do the GPS units
>read out to 5 or 6 decimal digits of accuracy?
>
>Al Pratt
>33 20 36 N
>111 54 14
>
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Richard B. Langley E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Geodetic Research Laboratory Web: http://www.unb.ca/GGE/
Dept. of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Phone: +1 506 453-5142
University of New Brunswick Fax: +1 506 453-4943
Fredericton, N.B., Canada E3B 5A3
Fredericton? Where's that? See: http://www.city.fredericton.nb.ca/
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