GPS Back-up: World War Two Technology Employed
2nd November 2014
Onboard the Galatea, a ship that is 80m (260ft) long, the GLA have been finding out what happens if the satellite system goes wrong.
Martin Bransby demonstrates a GPS failure by pulling the plug on the ship’s receiver.
Within a few seconds, alarms start to sound on the bridge as one by one the instruments stop working.
“This is the gyrocompass – it steers the ship – you can see it starting to fail,” says Mr Bransby.
“If we walk over here, this is the radar, and that’s not working either. This is the dynamic positioning: it holds the ship’s position, that’s not working.
“The electronic chart display becomes unusable. Even the ship’s clock stops working.”
In a series of tests, the GLA have found that almost every bit of kit on the boat uses GPS – even the onboard satellite entertainment system.
Mr Bransby says: “You can imagine standing watch on this ship, it’s the middle of the night, it’s dark, it’s foggy, you are in the English Channel, and then this happens.
“What do you do? You’re in a right mess, basically.”