According to various press comments on Galileo there is a threat that we
shall have to pay for it's use, unlike GPS. Some questions arise..
1) presumably the US government will continue to provide GPS coverage and we
can still use that.
2) How do they know we are using the Galilieo system? As far as the
aeroplane/car etc is concerned it is a passive system and does not give off any
signal
3) If we are charged for having the aircraft/car etc fitted with a receiver
- what is to prevent us using a handheld or mobile unit?
All in all I think that much of what has been said is just plain scare
stories but nevertheless I am incensed that we shall all, in Europe, be forking
out yet more in our taxes to provide a system which has no advantages over the
present GPS but merely duplicates what we already have courtsey of the US of
A at no charge. Anyway, given the usual progress of government funded schemes
the best bet is that it will come in at treble the estimated price and take
twice as long to get operational.
Patrick
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