Discussion continues on GPS interference issue
Farm and Ranch August 2, 2011 Farm group leaders have met again with officials of LightSquared to discuss ongoing concerns the company’s planned 4G wireless broadband network will cause destructive interference with existing GPS receivers. Ag officials say LightSquared’s proposal for 40-thousand new cell phone towers in rural areas would push farmers’ GPS systems further down the spectrum band, compromising movements across their fields. LightSquared’s position is that GPS band users are extending into the spectrum licensed to LightSquared. The Administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, Jonathan Adelstein, says the broad spectrum used by GPS precision farming does present a challenge. Adelstein: “They use a particular wide slice of the spectrum in order to be very precise, almost to the inch, and that is raising concern that as new system is coming on the same spectrum, that there could be harmful interference.” Adelstein says the problem is a shortage of bandwidth. The ag groups have apparently been able to wrestle some concessions from LightSquared. The company has proposed that - in order to mitigate interference issues - it will start its operations using the spectrum farthest away from GPS. It is also offering to fund research and development for resilient receivers. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ? ?
The FCC will ultimately decide whether LightSquared can proceed with its broadband plan. The agency is expected to issue a report later this summer.
