From: dlv@bwalk.dm.com (Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM)
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 1996 06:29:32 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: crypto anarchy vs AP
In-Reply-To: <199609281729.KAA05451@mail.pacifier.com>
Message-ID: <aDeZuD58w165w@bwalk.dm.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com> writes:
> On a related issue, GPS (global-positioning system) contains a de-accurizing
> mis-feature called S/A, which adds a little error to the location as
> detected by a receiver.  Ostensibly, it was added so that this could be
> turned on in wartime, to deny the enemy the ability to make 10-meter fixes.
> Turns out that it was kept on all the time, probably because if it WASN'T it
> would become politically impossible to de-accurize the system even in wartime

Two funny rumors:

1. Supposedly the DoD users of GPS have access to the accurate positioning
information at all times. (Not sure how this works - the accurate data is
encrypted?) During the Iraq war in '93 they didn't have enough equipment
to take advantage of this, so they turned off the S/A and gave everyone
(including the military users) accurate GPS on commercially available GPS
eq. Then they turned it back on.

2. The DoD is doing a study right now on how to make GPS useless to the
enemy at wartime.

I think figuring out a way to turn off A/S and getting accurage GPS on
commercial equipment at all times would make a nifty Cypherpunks project
- if it really involves breaking some encryption.

---

Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM
Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps