by EricColburn
June 29, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, Land Surveying, Members, News
Professional Land Surveyor News
This week, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed fraud charges against LightSquared backer Philip Falcone and his advisory firm, Harbinger Capital Partners LLC. The hedge fund owns most of the troubled LightSquared.
by EricColburn
April 9, 2012 in Business, Geomatics, Land Surveying, Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:13 — 45.1MB) | Embed
The Professional Land Surveyor Podcast (PLSP)Shownotes – Episode 4
Read the rest of this entry →
by EricColburn
April 5, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Members, News
Professional Land Surveyor News
Phil Falcone, who invested around $3 billion in LightSqaured through his hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners, is now considering placing the troubled broadband wireless company in bankruptcy.
by EricColburn
March 24, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Continuing Education, Geomatics, Land Surveying, Links, News
Premium Membership
I was just updating the Premium Membership Specials page by adding a list of all the Premium Posts I’ve published to date. I did not realize that they now add up to over 40 premium posts, how time flies when you’re having fun (and I am!). To sign up, click here »»Premium Signup
On the Premium Membership Specials page you’ll find special premium members only downloads and some other premium content, but for some reason I’d never thought about adding links to all the Premium Posts I’ve written. Sometimes, it’s the most obvious thing we overlook, isn’t it?
Having put together this useful list for that page, I then figured it would be a good resource for anyone interested in learning about the Premium Posts found here on EricColburn.com. So, here you go:
by EricColburn
February 19, 2012 in Associate Membership, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D Surveying Quick Tips and Tricks, Business, Continuing Education, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Hemisphere GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying 911, Land Surveying Equipment, Land Surveying Videos, Links, News, Professional Land Surveyor Practice, Surveying Software, Technology Videos, Topcon, Videos
Land Surveying 911
by EricColburn
February 12, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Links, News, Topcon, Trimble
Iron Rod with Cap under a Bucket
by EricColburn
February 11, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Links, News, Technology Videos, Videos
Chairman Thomas Petri's Opening Statement at GPS Hearing
On Wednesday, February 8, The Subcommittee on Aviation held a hearing to review of issues associated with protecting and improving our nation’s aviation satellite-based global positioning system infrastructure.
Here’s are interesting statements by the Honorable John Porcari, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation:
GPS is at the center of FAA’s Next Gen air traffic control modernization program, which will optimize air traffic controller performance, consolidate obsolete facilities, enhance safety improvements, and improve operational efficiency of the national airspace system. The Honorable John Porcari, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, testified to the benefits of NextGen this morning: “The FAA and industry have invested as much as $8 billion into NextGen. The FAA conservatively estimates that the benefits of NextGen will total $23 billion by 2018 and over $120 billion by 2030.”
Porcari added, “In addition to the transportation applications I mentioned, GPS is essential for the operations of first responders, search and rescue, resource management, weather tracking and prediction, earthquake monitoring, national security, and critical infrastructure such as dams and power plants, financial transactions, surveying and mapping, and industries such as precision agriculture, where the ability to fertilize plants with centimeter-level accuracy increases conservation, reduces waste run-off, and saves American farmers up to $14-30 billion, annually.”
Watch the GPS Hearing Opening Statement Video Read the rest of this entry →
by EricColburn
February 5, 2012 in Associate Membership, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Business, Business Videos, Continuing Education, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Videos, Links, MicroSurvey, News, Surveying Software, Technology Videos, Videos
Control Bound
by EricColburn
February 4, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Business Videos, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, News, Videos
Professional Land Surveyor News
by EricColburn
January 13, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, News, Trimble
Professional Land Surveyor News
Today, LightSquared latest a press release, Government Committee’s Refusal to Continue Testing Highlights Systemic Pattern of Bias and Collusion, decries its perceived treatment by the Federal Government, particularly by the National Executive Committee (EXCOM) and Advisory Board for the Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT).
LightSquared, as stated at the top of its press release, ”is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to retake the lead on government testing for GPS filtering solutions.”
LightSquared’s reasoning for this latest request, is:
“The request follows a systematic disregard for fairness and transparency by the National Executive Committee (EXCOM) and Advisory Board for the Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT). The PNT EXCOM is a government panel established to “advise and coordinate federal departments and agencies on matters concerning the global positioning system (GPS) and related systems.” A panel of non-governmental officials known as the PNT Advisory Board provides guidance to the PNT EXCOM. Members of the PNT Advisory Board have deep ties with the same GPS manufacturers who have sold poorly designed equipment to America’s farmers, public safety officials, military and government agencies.”
by EricColburn
January 5, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Links, News
Professional Land Surveyor News
News from around the web today was not good for LightSquared. Earlier this week, I wrote Sprint Grants LightSquared 30 More Days for FCC Approval, Has Another Wheel Fallen Off LightSquared’s Wagon?, and today it seems that possibly the Lightsquared wagon’s axle is now broken too.
The bad news today for LightSquared included news that Sprint Nextel Corp. put on hold its partnership investment with LightSquared and revelations that LightSquared’s planned implementation in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 signed by President Obama on December 31st.
by EricColburn
January 2, 2012 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, News
Professional Land Surveyor News
Today, The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint, who last year had signed a 15-year agreement with LightSquared to help that company build its proposed 4G LTE network, has given LightSquared a 30-day extension to get FCC approval.
The original agreement had a December 31, 2011 deadline for FCC approval of LightSquared’s plan. In return, as reported, Sprint would receive priority access to LightSquared’s spectrum and services.
NEW YORK — Sprint Nextel Corp. said Sunday it gave billionaire Philip Falcone’s LightSquared Inc. wireless venture a 30-day extension to a Dec. 31 deadline to get Federal Communications Commission clearance to operate its network.
Getting FCC clearance is a condition of a 15-year fourth-generation spectrum-and-equipment-sharing accord between the two companies.
Professional Land Surveyor Source: The Wall Street Journal
This latest development places additional burdens on billionaire Philip Falcone’s LightSquared Inc. wireless venture, beyond the already conclusive facts that the LightSquared plan, as proposed, interferes with GPS devices (particularly those used by land surveyors). Is this one more sign that another wheel has fallen off the LightSquared wagon?
It certainly sounds like the reality of LightSquared not receiving FCC approval is setting in – maybe?. What I do know is that this month should prove newsworthy on this front.
It will be interesting to see if LightSquared’s lobbying, money and political influence win the day.
by EricColburn
January 1, 2012 in Associate Membership, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Business, Business Videos, Carlson, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Land Surveying Videos, Links, News, Surveying Software, Technology Videos, Trimble, Videos
Happy New Year 2012! Credit: Creativity103 (flickr).
by EricColburn
December 28, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, News, Trimble
Professional Land Surveyor News
MAPPS (www.mapps.org), the national association of private sector geospatial firms, today announced that Jim Kirkland, vice president and general counsel of Trimble and a leader in the effort to defend GPS users from interference by the LightSquared system proposal, will be the keynote speaker at the organizations annual Winter Conference, to be held January 22-26, 2012 at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mr. Kirkland will discuss the LightSquared issue, its impact on GPS users including consumers and the geospatial community, the current status, prospects for the future, lessons learned and how the lobbying and public relations experience can serve the profession on future issues.
by EricColburn
December 25, 2011 in Associate Membership, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Business, Carlson, CHC, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Land Surveying Videos, Links, News, Surveying Software, Technology Videos, Videos
by EricColburn
December 18, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Gatewing, Geomatics, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Land Surveying Videos, Links, News, Technology Videos, Videos
Virginia Rail Fence Base Stones On Hill Slope
by EricColburn
December 18, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Land Surveying Videos, Technology Videos, Videos
LightSquared Video Claims Independent Tests Validate Coexistence with GPS
There are, some say, two sides to every story…. I say, sometimes one side is even correct. Often, the real question is not the correctness of each combatant, but rather: Who will pay the price when the dust settles after the war is over?
In the latest epic battle between the GPS industry and LightSquared, LightSquared has produced a video claiming that independent tests validate coexistence with GPS. Here is some information published along with that video:
“Just a few months ago, some said LightSquared would never be able to solve the GPS interference issue. But with the help of several innovative companies, LightSquared has proven that an engineering solution is possible. For the past three weeks, LightSquared has been testing several devices in one of the most sophisticated testing facilities on the face of the earth. Preliminary tests are proving that LightSquared’s solutions work.
In this video, Martin Harriman, EVP for Ecosystem Development and Satellite Business, describes the testing process. You can see a high-precision device made by Javad GNSS completely compatible with LightSquared’s signal. We look forward to conducting similar tests with other device manufacturers that are currently working on compatible devices.”
Professional Land Surveyor Source: LightSquared Youtube Channel
by EricColburn
December 8, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, News
Professional Land Surveyor News
The following statement in response to a briefing held today by LightSquared can be attributed to Jim Kirkland, Vice President and General Counsel of Trimble, a founding member of the Coalition to Save Our GPS.
“We look forward to studying the new test results announced today. It’s important to keep in mind that these are LightSquared-sponsored tests separate from the ongoing, independent testing being conducted under the auspices of the NTIA, and are simply one input into an overall analysis of the effect of LightSquared’s planned operations on critical GPS uses. The results of the NTIA-supervised tests of consumer and general navigation devices are expected to be available in mid-December, followed by further government-sponsored testing of high-precision GPS equipment next year. In addition, there are ongoing technical discussions between LightSquared and the FAA regarding impacts on aviation safety which remain unresolved. Once all of this testing and analysis has been completed, we will have a much more complete picture of the impacts of LightSquared’s revised proposals on GPS. It is obviously extremely premature to claim at this point that these latest tests demonstrate that LightSquared’s proposed repurposing of the mobile satellite band for terrestrial operations is “compatible” with highprecision GPS.
by EricColburn
November 13, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Business Practices, Continuing Education, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Javad GNSS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Laser Scanning, Leica, Links, News, Professional Land Surveyor Practice, Remote Sensing, Surveying Software, Topcon
Survey Traverse by a Small Boulder
by EricColburn
November 6, 2011 in Associate Membership, Business, Geomatics, GNSS, GPS, Javad GNSS, Land Surveying, Land Surveying Equipment, Links, News, Topcon
Land Surveying Sunset
Follow me on Google - Copyright © Eric D. Colburn, PLS
