Why do Americans need backup for GPS?
Why do Americans need backup for GPS? If you think GPS is just to help you navigate this new restaurant or find the fastest way around town, you would be wrong. GPS, satellite signals are fundamental to every network in the United States - the Internet, power grid, financial commerce, telecommunications and, yes, transportation. But there is no backup in this system, which means that a major interruption, fraud or hack can cause the entire country to its knees. A new system called Elorn, which was based on World War II-based radio technology, can complement GPS and give it the flexibility it needs. Other countries have similar backups, including China and Russia. But despite the administration until it was announced in 2008 that the state would create such a system, it still had to do so. "This is a national infrastructure problem," says Diana Goward, president of the Residential Navigation and Timing Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports policies and sy...