On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 11:26:01 EST, Steve Bonine wrote:

Phil Kane wrote:

Don't tell the GPS folks that they need a backup! They are firmly
convinced that their system is the greatest thing since sliced bread!
ggg

Several years ago I had a QSO with a crusty old Navy type who had just
retired, somewhat in disgust because the service was no longer teaching
things like Morse code and how to use a sextant to do navigation. His
contention was that if there was another war the enemy would knock out
the US navigation satellites, we would knock out their system, and for
the rest of the war both nations' fleets would wander the seas, lost.

I wonder how big the solar event would have to be to render GPS
unusable. If that or something else took away the capability, it would
certainly have a huge impact these days.

73, Steve KB9X

That's why the Japanese are teaching there machinists the old way's
along with the new. They call those old teachers "super machinists".