Just bought my 1st GPS. Pretty decent little outfit. Have used it on a couple of short trips and got me to the destintation properly. I have taken it to work recently and it is not as accurate as I first had hoped. The calculation of my vehicle speed is off by 2km/hr (GPS reads high). When stationary in many locations, it does not place me exactly where I am parked. On 2 different times it placed me about 15m away from where I was actually parked. Area was flat, level, no trees. Overall, I would use it to get to destinations, but would not rely on it for precision/pinpoint location, but merely a guide only.
Just bought my 1st GPS. Pretty decent little outfit. Have used it on a couple of short trips and got me to the destintation properly.
I have taken it to work recently and it is not as accurate as I first had hoped. The calculation of my vehicle speed is off by 2km/hr (GPS reads high). When stationary in many locations, it does not place me exactly where I am parked. On 2 different times it placed me about 15m away from where I was actually parked. Area was flat, level, no trees.
Overall, I would use it to get to destinations, but would not rely on it for precision/pinpoint location, but merely a guide only.
Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
You nailed the GPS accuracy bang-on. A lot of people mistakenly assume consumer GPS equipment has "pin-point" accuracy but the best it can do is about 15m. The GPS signal is managed by the US Air Force (50th Space Wing) which encrypts it. The pin-point accuracy is reserved for the military. Land surveying uses techniques to correct this but it's a cumbersome process involving a base station and multiple receivers.
You nailed the GPS accuracy bang-on. A lot of people mistakenly assume consumer GPS equipment has "pin-point" accuracy but the best it can do is about 15m. The GPS signal is managed by the US Air Force (50th Space Wing) which encrypts it. The pin-point accuracy is reserved for the military.
Land surveying uses techniques to correct this but it's a cumbersome process involving a base station and multiple receivers.
As ticketcombat explains, GPS for consumer use is never 100% accurate. I had the same frustration when I first used my GPS. It is a TomTom which is not bad IMO, but I used it while walking lol, while visiting relatives in Florida, in a new neighbor hood. The GPS didn't exactly get me to my pin pointed location, but nevertheless it got me to the intended place quite accurately. Meaning I could see the place. But overall my TomTom is not too bad. It counts down the meters remaining to make a left turn for example, and I find it quite accurate. Maybe a meter or two off of my intended turn. Just thought I would share :D
As ticketcombat explains, GPS for consumer use is never 100% accurate.
I had the same frustration when I first used my GPS. It is a TomTom which is not bad IMO, but I used it while walking lol, while visiting relatives in Florida, in a new neighbor hood.
The GPS didn't exactly get me to my pin pointed location, but nevertheless it got me to the intended place quite accurately. Meaning I could see the place.
But overall my TomTom is not too bad. It counts down the meters remaining to make a left turn for example, and I find it quite accurate. Maybe a meter or two off of my intended turn.
I've had a TomTom for a couple of months now, and my experience is much like those above. It's very useful for navigation on a trip, much less so for hiking. I wonder if the speed over the ground is a factor; i.e., the little computer likes a relatively high rate of angular change between it and the satellites, and at a walking pace the rate of change is too slow. If I walk around my block carrying the thing it is nothing but confused, flailing around, trying to figure out what direction to point its compass: if I give it a ride around the same block in my car it's perfectly happy. I find that mine disagrees with my car's speedo by 2km/hr, like hwybear's, but mine is reading lower. I just assumed that my car's indicator was the one that was off, but hwybear's experience makes me wonder. Overall, though, a very useful gadget. Wish I'd had it in June and July when I was going to rugby games at addresses in foreign (to me) places like Wingham, Kincardine and Chatham from home here in Norfolk County. That's the sort of thing it does best.
I've had a TomTom for a couple of months now, and my experience is much like those above. It's very useful for navigation on a trip, much less so for hiking. I wonder if the speed over the ground is a factor; i.e., the little computer likes a relatively high rate of angular change between it and the satellites, and at a walking pace the rate of change is too slow. If I walk around my block carrying the thing it is nothing but confused, flailing around, trying to figure out what direction to point its compass: if I give it a ride around the same block in my car it's perfectly happy.
I find that mine disagrees with my car's speedo by 2km/hr, like hwybear's, but mine is reading lower. I just assumed that my car's indicator was the one that was off, but hwybear's experience makes me wonder.
Overall, though, a very useful gadget. Wish I'd had it in June and July when I was going to rugby games at addresses in foreign (to me) places like Wingham, Kincardine and Chatham from home here in Norfolk County. That's the sort of thing it does best.
The error is called "Multipath". Basically GPS receivers calculate location based on the satelite signals. But the signals also reflect off the surrounding terrain but are a little bit delayed than the direct signal. Your GPS picks up both and can't filter out the true signal. In your car, the GPS antenna is moving and the false reflected signals quickly fail to converge and only the direct signals result in accurate and stable calculations which the GPS uses to determine position. So I guess in theory, if you run really, really fast, you GPS would become more accurate. Perhaps use a neighbour's pitbull for motivation :-)
Proper1 wrote:
I wonder if the speed over the ground is a factor; i.e., the little computer likes a relatively high rate of angular change between it and the satellites, and at a walking pace the rate of change is too slow.
The error is called "Multipath". Basically GPS receivers calculate location based on the satelite signals. But the signals also reflect off the surrounding terrain but are a little bit delayed than the direct signal. Your GPS picks up both and can't filter out the true signal. In your car, the GPS antenna is moving and the false reflected signals quickly fail to converge and only the direct signals result in accurate and stable calculations which the GPS uses to determine position.
So I guess in theory, if you run really, really fast, you GPS would become more accurate. Perhaps use a neighbour's pitbull for motivation
One thing that helps GPS accuracy is ensuring that the antenna has a clear view of the sky. While the GPS won't be 100% accurate because Precise Positioning Service is only available to the US military, basically the more satellites it can see, the more accurate the position. When it's in a car, even if it is on the dashboard, it won't be able to get all of the possible satellites because the metal roof of the car acts to block some of the signals, even if you're in an open area. Even if you're out of the car, though, it will be off by a few metres one way or the other. Almost every modern airliner, and most General Aviation aircraft manufactured these days, comes with GPS. The GPS antenna is installed on top of the fuselage so that no part of the aircraft blocks its view of the satellites, and those systems have very good accuracy. They also have RAIM (Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring) which is a self-check that provides a warning if there aren't enough satellites in view, if there is a system fault or if there is a satellite fault or error. No hand-held GPS unit has RAIM, so if your GPS unit seems to be telling you that you're in Texas :shock: it's probably picking up a bad satellite but it won't tell you.
One thing that helps GPS accuracy is ensuring that the antenna has a clear view of the sky. While the GPS won't be 100% accurate because Precise Positioning Service is only available to the US military, basically the more satellites it can see, the more accurate the position. When it's in a car, even if it is on the dashboard, it won't be able to get all of the possible satellites because the metal roof of the car acts to block some of the signals, even if you're in an open area. Even if you're out of the car, though, it will be off by a few metres one way or the other.
Almost every modern airliner, and most General Aviation aircraft manufactured these days, comes with GPS. The GPS antenna is installed on top of the fuselage so that no part of the aircraft blocks its view of the satellites, and those systems have very good accuracy. They also have RAIM (Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring) which is a self-check that provides a warning if there aren't enough satellites in view, if there is a system fault or if there is a satellite fault or error. No hand-held GPS unit has RAIM, so if your GPS unit seems to be telling you that you're in Texas it's probably picking up a bad satellite but it won't tell you.
The GPS works on a principle of intersecting circles - your GPS receives the signal from 3 satellites, and they all send out a time stamp at the same time. The GPS receives those signals, compares the time it took to arrive from satellite to the GPS, and maps 3 circles, and they all intersect at one point. A fourth signal may be used to pinpoint your location in 3D. Small mistake in the computer using a floating-point precision where a double-floating-point precision should have been used and you are off 15 meters. You gotta realize that the satellite is some kilometers up in the sky. Also, the receiver is a point receiver, therefore it cannot determine the DIRECTION of your GPS. However, when you are in motion on a car/motorcycle, the software will put you on a proper lane and proper road. When you make a turn onto a mapped street the software will recalibrate the GPS receiver thus you have (apparently) more accurate reding. The software will also know which way you are headed, therefore it will show you the proper compass (although this is relative to your car's motion, again, as the GPS can be tilted. For walking around use something like Garmin eTrex or Geko or 60 or 72/76, as the software there is slightly more accurate.
The GPS works on a principle of intersecting circles - your GPS receives the signal from 3 satellites, and they all send out a time stamp at the same time. The GPS receives those signals, compares the time it took to arrive from satellite to the GPS, and maps 3 circles, and they all intersect at one point. A fourth signal may be used to pinpoint your location in 3D. Small mistake in the computer using a floating-point precision where a double-floating-point precision should have been used and you are off 15 meters. You gotta realize that the satellite is some kilometers up in the sky. Also, the receiver is a point receiver, therefore it cannot determine the DIRECTION of your GPS. However, when you are in motion on a car/motorcycle, the software will put you on a proper lane and proper road. When you make a turn onto a mapped street the software will recalibrate the GPS receiver thus you have (apparently) more accurate reding. The software will also know which way you are headed, therefore it will show you the proper compass (although this is relative to your car's motion, again, as the GPS can be tilted.
For walking around use something like Garmin eTrex or Geko or 60 or 72/76, as the software there is slightly more accurate.
"The more laws, the less justice" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"The hardest thing to explain is the obvious"
Hwybear-did you calculate the speed accuracy from your cruisers odo, or radar? Just wondering, because at the local racetrack(1/4mile), my Garmin GPS was very accurate in giving me my top speed compared to the readout from the tracks timing system.
Hwybear-did you calculate the speed accuracy from your cruisers odo, or radar? Just wondering, because at the local racetrack(1/4mile), my Garmin GPS was very accurate in giving me my top speed compared to the readout from the tracks timing system.
On 3 different cruisers, 3 different radar units, the GPS reading was 2km/hr higher than what the actual speed showed on radar. One cruiser has cruise control so I could confirm my speed remained constant.
dntmstr wrote:
Hwybear-did you calculate the speed accuracy from your cruisers odo, or radar? Just wondering, because at the local racetrack(1/4mile), my Garmin GPS was very accurate in giving me my top speed compared to the readout from the tracks timing system.
On 3 different cruisers, 3 different radar units, the GPS reading was 2km/hr higher than what the actual speed showed on radar. One cruiser has cruise control so I could confirm my speed remained constant.
Above is merely a suggestion/thought and in no way constitutes legal advice or views of my employer. www.OHTA.ca
Hello Bear, I hope your GPS does not include an MP3 player, a JPEG viewer, a calculator or a bluetooth module, otherwise bill 118 forbids its use in Ontario. I suspect that it was not the intention to ban most of the models being sold (all Garmin models and all PDAs with a built-in GPS) but that is the what the wording says. By the way, you're OK as long as you don't use it in your private car.
hwybear wrote:
Just bought my 1st GPS. Pretty decent little outfit. Have used it on a couple of short trips and got me to the destintation properly.
Hello Bear,
I hope your GPS does not include an MP3 player, a JPEG viewer, a calculator or a bluetooth module, otherwise bill 118 forbids its use in Ontario.
78. (1) No person shall drive on a highway a motor vehicle that is equipped with, carries, contains or has attached to it a television, computer or other device with a display screen if the display screen is visible to the driver.
Exceptions
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of,
(a) a global positioning system navigation device that has no other function than to deliver a global positioning system for navigation;
I suspect that it was not the intention to ban most of the models being sold (all Garmin models and all PDAs with a built-in GPS) but that is the what the wording says.
By the way, you're OK as long as you don't use it in your private car.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to the driver of an ambulance, fire department vehicle or police department vehicle.
Hi so I have a bizzare situation. Today I received a summons for "being the owner of a motor vehicle bearing Vehicle Identification Number ###, failed to submit the vehicle, equipment or drawn vehicle for inspection or tests as required by an officer" for a vehicle I previously owned. Apparently a violation of HTA 82(9).
The date of offense is June 15, the summons was issued on October 26th and I…
Hi, I need some help for the ticket of lmproper left turn.
When i drove my car from east to west, intending to make a left turn and stop in front of stop line. There was a car in front of me, which has turn on yellow light. The light was turning red and then I thought I cannot leave in the intersection and turned, an incoming car was runing the light and hit me. No one got hurt but both cars had…
Have a ticket in which the radar used was a Genesis VP Directional. I had downloaded the manual for a Genesis VP but I now realize that the unit is not the same so it is the wrong manual. My trial is very soon so I do not have time to ask for disclosure of the manual.
Does anyone have access to an electronic version of the manual for Genesis VP Directional?
I was pulled over today in the city of Oakville for going 75 in a 40 zone. However, I am 100 percent certain that I was going only 50 in the 40 zone. When I was pulled over, I was driving my Dad's car which I felt was the reason I was getting stopped since two teenagers driving a 2013 S Class. He asked does I know why I am being pulled over and I…
I really need help on fighting my 9 tickets i received from one police officer. Here is some background of what happened!
I was caught speeding 66km on a 40km (school zone) on January 29, 2010. I was driving my friend's car and turns out she didnt renew the validation on the vehicle and didnt leave the up to date insurance paper on the car.
Hey question that I think here's probably the best place to get the answer:
I was charged with a careless driving offence in oct, trail in early april, so as of right now my insurance record is 100% clean... except the officer did file an accident report at the scene where I was classified at fault due to it being PI (although very minor). The person I hit did not sue etc, so the insurance company…
Very much unintentionally passed a stopped bus, with sign and flashing lights. Didn't realize I had done it until I was at the end of the bus. I'll save you my sob story, but it was truly accidental. I'm generally very cautious and have a perfect driving record. Never been stopped.
While I realize if a cop had seen me that I would have gotten a ticket, there were none in sight. Though I may very…
I was recently pulled over for running a red and I wasnt able to find my wallet in the car at the time to hand over my license. I had a passport in the vehicle that he used. The wallet was in the vehicle, it just fell through the seats. (Tough to find a black leather wallet in a black/black leather truck at night).
The officer still wrote the tickets for both he signed the one ticket (failure to…
I was passing a vehicle that was going slow for me and there was an oncoming vehicle coming at me. I speed up to get around the person I was passing and the oncoming vehicle turns out to be a cop who turns around and tickets me for going 110km in a 80km zone. How does it work with passing a vehicle? Once I passed the vehicle I went back down to my original speed of just under 100. The officer…
I picked up a brand new (old stock) Fuzzbuster a while ago at auction (wopping $5!!) and I want to mount it on the dash of my old GTO as a cool accessory when I show it at car shows. But I'm not sure if it's legal or not.
Here's my thoughts:
- It is early 70's technology (x-band) so it won't detect modern police radar. That's assuming no police force uses the old x-band frequency.
Hi guys, I'm still a little in shock of getting my first traffic ticket...
On Monday afternoon, I was returning from Toronto to Ottawa on HW416, I was driving about 15 over 100 like always. Then a car came very close to me on the left lane and made me nervous, I speed up unintentionally to pass the car and change lane, but while doing that a police car pull out of the median. He was hiding in…
May i ask this question regarding transport trucks limited to 105 km/h. Moving road blocks or safety?
IMO it isnt speed that kills. I find transport trucks infact help keep the road going. With cars that choose to not move to the right and slow down the middle lane the trucks would try to pass in their passing lane therefore the slower traffic would move right.
Received a notice from the police that a motion is being put forward to adjourn upcoming trial date. Notice indicates that an officer has sworn an affidavit that the crucial witness cannot attend date trial is set for (we know there is a social engagement at 7:30 pm for the witness, trial time is 1:30 pm). This further delay is a big problem to my daughter's case. She is moving away to…
This is what happened. I was travelling west on a four lane city street that was very light with traffic. I was making a left hand turn into a wide driveway of a business. There was traffic lights about 100 yards past the driveway and were red for the east-west traffic. I was in the left lane with my signal on and there was no oncoming traffic due to the red light. I was slowed right down…
I was driving my families older car and got pulled over, and the police officer informed me my plate was dirty. He issued me a ticket of $110 for the 13(2) act and obstruct plate as the offense. He informed me that such a plate could be used to avoid red lights as well as 407 tolls, also that buying a new plate can help to lower the ticket if I fight the charge, and that he also took a picture…
I received a red light camera ticket. In the picture, you see an ambulance in front of me with flashing lights. I had moved to alleviate the traffic behind me for the emergency vehicles coming behind it.
Is this a possible defense, if so, does anyone know any good case law to justify this position?
what happens if they charge someone for driving at 151Km/hr in montreal and they put for trial, appear after some months and sadly lost the trial ?
In montreal its $300 fine and 5demerit points ...
I heard Ontario and Qubec share the information. So once the trial is over ( and when the file moved to ontario) will his car gets towed and licence get suspended for 7days (later to 30 days ) ? and he…
I got a notice in the mail that trial is set four weeks from today, so it's time to request disclosure. I have zero chance of getting an 11b since trial is less than two months after the offense date and the officer did not reduce the charge. I really want to try and create delays on the trial, to reduce the chance of the officer showing up on multiple occasions. Is there any known loop-holes…
This weekend my father was involved in an accident with a transit bus in Burlington, ON. After the police showed up he was charged with "Fail to obey stop sign" Sec. 136(1)(a). At this particular intersection there NO stop signs but there are traffic lights. There is construction going on there so one of the light posts is smaller.
Driving conditions were terribly wet and visibility was low.…
So my boyfriend and I recently started dating. I have a vehicle that was insured. Insurance cost too much and I found it was just as easy to walk to work due to how close it was. But I didn't want to get rid of my car just yet, plus I'm still making payments on it as well. When we moved into our appartment together, I had it towed to my parking spot out back.
I was making a left hand legal turn on a green light, a driver came through the lane I was supposed to be going into ran the red and hit me head on as I was turning into my lane. When the officer came he was telling me that I was racing and driving recklessly because apparently there was reports of street racing in the area. I was not charged on the scene for this but I'm scared i am going to be…
I got a ticket for failure to surrender insurance because I did not have my new insurance stubs with me, just a bunch of expired ones. My policy number has not changed, so I asked the officer to just run the policy number so I could prove that I was in fact insured. He said they don't have that ability, handed me the ticket and reminded me that my car could have been impounded.
So I'm in a bit of a pickle and would appreciate if someone could clarify something for me.
I'm less than a month away (test on April 6th) from getting my full G license, and got a speeding ticket recently. The ticket was for 49km/h over the posted limit of 100km/h on the 403 in Oakville/Halton region, but was reduced from the initial ~60km/h over.
it's probably picking up a bad satellite but it won't tell you.
Sometimes others tell me as well 
