Position Fixing

Methods and errors

Positions
Dead Reckoning +
Estimated Position
Fix
Position Fixing Methods
Visual
Celestial
Satellite
Radar
How would you describe visual position
fixing?
Visual Position fixing
Visual observations are an excellent way of maintaining situational awareness. This can entail
everything from plotting compass bearings, following leading lights, to the noting of beam
bearings.
Visual Position fixing
Strengths:
◦ Excellent for maintaining situational awareness
◦ Leading lights and sector lights are valuable in pilotage areas
◦ Should be used in conjunction with ECDIS and radar for checking and back-up
◦ Helps when interpreting a radar picture
Visual Position fixing
Weaknesses:
◦ Reliant on good visibility
◦ Must be within visual range
◦ Object of bearing must be clearly identified
Celestial Position Fixing
Celestial navigation remains a valid means of positioning and an excellent back-up to GNSS and
compass checking, particularly when offshore.
Celestial Position Fixing
Strengths:
◦ Sole (universally available) back-up for GNSS
◦ Capable of very good accuracy, 1 NM or better is possible from dawn and dusk star fixes
◦ Not reliant on electronic systems
Celestial Position Fixing
Weaknesses:
◦ Needs clear sight of celestial bodies and horizon
◦ Can be difficult to accomplish in heavy weather
◦ Competency for use relies on regular practice
◦ Not suitable for inshore navigation – not a “real time” method
◦ Needs up-to-date data (paper or electronic) for processing
Global Navigation satellite Systems
(GNSS)
How many GNSS systems are available worldwide?
Global Navigation satellite Systems
(GNSS)
GPS – USA – 30 Satellites
GLONASS – Russian – 24 satellites
GALILEO – European - 26 Satellites
Beidou Navigation System – 35 Satellites – Regional
Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) - 7 Satellites - Regional
Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) – Japanese – 7 Satellites - Regional
GPS
GPS is a system which is made up of three parts: satellites, ground stations, and receivers.
Satellites act like the stars in constellations—we know where they are supposed to be at any
given time.
The ground stations use radar to make sure they are actually where we think they are (Used for
DGPS on shore)
A receiver, like you might find in your phone or in your car, is constantly listening for a signal
from these satellites. The receiver figures out how far away they are from some of them.
How accurate is GPS?
GPS satellites broadcast their signals in space with a certain accuracy, but what you receive
depends on additional factors, including satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric
conditions, and receiver design features/quality.
For example, GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within a 4.9 m (16 ft.) radius
under open sky. However, their accuracy worsens near buildings, bridges, and trees.
Why does GPS sometimes show me in
the wrong place?
Many things can degrade GPS positioning accuracy. Common causes
include:
Satellite signal blockage due to buildings, bridges, trees, etc.
Indoor or underground use
Signals reflected off buildings or walls ("multipath")
Why does GPS sometimes show me in
the wrong place?
Far less common causes may include:
◦ Radio interference or jamming
◦ Major solar storms
◦ Satellite maintenance/maneuvers creating temporary gaps in coverage
◦ Improperly designed devices that do not comply with GPS Interface
Specifications
Why does GPS sometimes show me in
the wrong place?
In many cases, a device's GPS hardware is working fine, but its mapping software is faulty. For
example, users are often misled by:
◦ Incorrectly drawn maps
◦ Mislabeled businesses and other points of interest
◦ Missing roads, buildings, communities, etc.
◦ Incorrectly estimated street addresses
What is the US government's
commitment to GPS accuracy?
The government is committed to providing GPS at the accuracy levels specified in the GPS
Standard Positioning Service (SPS) Performance Standard.
The accuracy commitments do not apply to GPS devices, but rather to the signals transmitted in
space.
For example, US government commits to broadcasting the GPS signal in space with a daily global
average user range error (URE) of ≤2.0 m (6.6 ft.), with 95% probability, across all healthy
satellites in constellation slots. Actual performance is typically much better. On April 20, 2021,
the global average URE across all satellites was ≤0.643 m (2.1 ft.), 95% of the time.
Is military GPS more accurate than
civilian GPS?
The user range error (URE) of the GPS signals in space is actually the same for the civilian and
military GPS services. However, most of today's civilian devices use only one GPS frequency,
while military receivers use two.
Using two GPS frequencies improves accuracy by correcting signal distortions caused by Earth's
atmosphere. Dual-frequency GPS equipment is commercially available for civilian use, but its
cost and size has limited it to professional applications.
Does the US government degrade
civilian GPS accuracy?
No. During the 1990s, GPS employed a feature called Selective Availability that intentionally
degraded civilian accuracy on a global basis.
In May 2000, at the direction of President Bill Clinton, the U.S. government ended its use of
Selective Availability in order to make GPS more responsive to civil and commercial users
worldwide.
GNSS
GNSS, and more specifically GPS, have been rapidly integrated into modern navigation and can
be particularly effective when integrated with ECDIS. These systems give real-time global
coverage and historically, have been highly reliable.
GNSS
Strengths:
◦ Generally very accurate and reliable position fixes
◦ Global coverage with 24/7 availability
◦ Increased accuracy and reliability when used with differential systems, including Satellite Based
Augmentation Systems (SBAS)
◦ Easily integrated into a wide range of onboard systems
◦ Position can be clearly displayed on ECDIS
GNSS
Weaknesses:
◦ Easily susceptible to intentional or non-intentional jamming or spoofing
◦ Complacency from ease of use can lead to over reliance on a single system
RADAR
The use of radar is time-tested for positioning and can be highly accurate. It is fully independent
of external sources. Radar is highly effective when using parallel indexing, and can supplement
GNSS particularly when overlaid on ECDIS.
RADAR
Strengths:
◦ Self-contained positioning system, can be set to require no external support
◦ Racons provide clearly identified important objects and aids to navigation
◦ Radar and target tracking functionality (ARPA/AIS) provide a range of effective tools and alarms to
support decision making, e.g. target notification, CPA notification
◦ Improves situational awareness in restricted visibility
RADAR
Weaknesses:
◦ Objects must be within radar visibility
◦ Subject to interference from heavy seas and weather
◦ Reliant in some modes on accurate gyro input
◦ At times a Radar picture can be difficult to interpret
Assignment
Parallel Indexing
What is the purpose of parallel Indexing technique?
Explain and show by diagrams how parallel indexing is conducted.
(All work must be hand written)