Norwegian authority warns GPS can’t be trusted because of Russian jamming, urges people to learn map and compass

https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/kan-ikke-stole-pa-gps-_-ber-folk-laere-kart-og-kompass-1.17574943

by Skapanirxt

24 comments

  1. Can’t rely on GPS – authorities urge people to learn map and compass

    Daily jamming of air traffic in Eastern Finnmark has created a serious situation, according to the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom), which is now urging people to learn how to use a map and compass.

    “It can be wise to have alternatives to digital navigation systems,” say the authorities.

    Most recently, on Tuesday, a plane had to abort its landing in Vardø. Because of low cloud cover, the pilots were dependent on GPS for navigation, but the signal was jammed.

    For some time there have been reports of GPS jamming and spoofing in Eastern Finnmark.

    “The situation we’re seeing in Eastern Finnmark, with daily jamming of air traffic, means we are in a serious situation,” says Espen Slette, division director at Nkom, to NRK.

    **What are spoofing and jamming?**

    Spoofing is a technique where signals are deliberately manipulated. The goal is to trick the receiver into thinking the signals come from a reliable source, but with false information about position, navigation or time.
    Jamming means sending out radio noise to disrupt, block or prevent the reception of GPS signals. It can be used, for example, to hide the location of something.

    Measurements by Nkom show that the interference comes from Norway’s neighboring country, Russia.

    Slette believes everyone should think about what to do if they are affected by GPS disruptions.
    “If you need to navigate, you should use a map and compass,” he says.

    According to Slette, other parts of Norway do not appear to be affected by such GPS disruptions.

    **“We are more affected”**

    The call from Nkom says a lot about the current situation near the Russian border, according to Magnus Mæland (H), acting head of the Eastern Finnmark Council and mayor of Sør-Varanger municipality.

    “It shows how we as civilians here are particularly affected by GPS jamming and by monument politics that is pure propaganda. We who live here are simply more affected by totalitarian Russia,” says Mæland, urging everyone to take responsibility and learn map and compass.

    Regardless of GPS disruptions, Mæland sees several good reasons for people to learn analog tools like map and compass.
    “We could end up in situations with power outages that leave us without access to digital devices. Pen and paper and map and compass are things we’ll have to rely on in the future anyway.”

    **Annual jamming test**

    This week, the annual “Jamming Test” is being carried out at Andøya in Nordland for the fourth time. According to Espen Slette at Nkom, it is the world’s largest open test arena for learning about GPS disruptions.

    “Academia and companies from around the world come here to be exposed to controlled jamming and spoofing signals. They try to trick products into thinking they are somewhere else,” Slette says. The knowledge is used to make products more resistant to such false signals.

    Slette praises the cooperation behind the Jamming Test.
    “It’s like a collective volunteer project where many authorities have come together. It’s great to see that in a small country like Norway we can create such innovative test arenas for the common good,” he says.

    Source: [NTB/NRK](https://www.nrk.no/tromsogfinnmark/kan-ikke-stole-pa-gps-_-ber-folk-laere-kart-og-kompass-1.17574943)

  2. friendly reminder that GPS is controlled by the usa

    europe needs to switch to galileo completely

  3. Learned to use it the first time they jammed it, haven’t turned it on since…

    Pretty easy to get good at, compass not really needed in the city tho 😅

  4. As a trucker I feel the need to remind you have compass and maps on your phone, all they can jam is the location, you don’t need to go full old school. Personally I can go from Romania to Spain or from Italy to UK without opening the gps. 
    I do reccomend some offline maps however, even the google ones can be downloaded offline for a large area as you might lack cellphone signal somewhere. 

  5. It’s an important skill to have, regardless of what Russia does. It’s never a good idea to totally rely on some technical solution, so you’re lost in a case of emergency when the service is not available for whatever reason.

  6. Isn’t it possible to navigate based on jamming sources? I imagine them as big noisy light-towers. In theory.

  8. The joke is on them, I never forgot how to use them and own several.

  9. There are types of missiles specifically made to home in and take out sources of radar. There are probably versions that work for jammers.

    Dunno if that kind of signal detection can be put on a phone.

  10. >“It can be wise to have alternatives to *digital* navigation systems,” say the authorities.
    >Mæland sees several good reasons for people to learn *analog* tools like map and compass.

    *mumbles something about empty batteries*

  11. Old maps are back in the menu, babe.

    Honestly, betting everything on digital services will always have risks like that.

  12. does the term GPS mean the American system or satellite navigation in general? I personally use both “navigation” and “GPS” when using either Google Maps or Mapy.cz

  14. They can’t jam local antennas. While it is less precise (and that’s arguable with 5g), it’s still unjammable.

  15. So, are they saying Russia is directly attacking and sabotaging the civilian population of a NATO country?

  16. Anyone remember using LORAN? Too bad that doesn’t exist anymore.

  17. Just effin’ blockade Kaliningrad. Russia is already at war with the West with all these actions, for those claiming it would be an act of war.

  18. Dead Reckoning stocks going up. I wonder if you could write an app that turns your phone into an inertial guidance unit in the background, without having to keep it open at all times. Maybe even translate it into a location service.

  19. If you are on your phone, most location is done via cell towers.

  21. Tbh, in a situation where you GPS is jammed by Russia, I would wager most civilians wouldn’t be advised to leave their shelters anyway.

  23. When Ukraine could simply struck those jammers and be with it. But not, NATO is still too afraid.

  24. i wish inertial navigation were a bigger thing with mobile devices.

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