GPS Backup? What GPS Backup?

The folks over at the multiagency National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing posted a notice reminding us that the "U.S. government strongly encourages all GPS users to maintain backup capabilities for positioning, navigation and timing" in case of jamming or other outages.

Well, President Obama zeroed out in his fiscal 2010 budget funding for the only 99 percent reliable electronic GPS back-up that I know of -- the e-Loran system. The Coast Guard merrily went along, so it did not have to staff Loran stations in decidedly noncoastal places such as Boise City, Okla.

The Federal Railroad Admininistration is eyeing GPS as the core technology for a Positive Train Control System for all railroads within the next five years.

What is the engineer of the Amtrak Super Chief supposed to do if his GPS signal is knocked out by a $94.99 GPS jammer as he rolls through What's Central in Las Vegas, N.M., five years hence? Use a sextant?

The executive committee wants all of us out here in GPS-land to know that the Air Force is working on an unspecified GPS back up.

I bet it will cost more than the $190 million the Coasties expect to save over five years from shutting down the 24 Loran stations.