Jamming ban
The report makes 10 recommendations. Three relate to raising awareness of the problems and getting users to assess their own particular vulnerabilities and possible back-up solutions.
Two cover hardware solutions, including the suggestion of a government-sponsored R&D programme to seek better antenna and receiver technologies to enhance the resilience of systems. The report also lauds the land-based eLoran radio navigation system as a very worthy back-up technology.
And five recommendations fall into the policy domain. Chief among these is the urgent suggestion that mere possession of jamming equipment be made illegal.
Criminal gangs use this equipment to hide their activity, for example blocking the GPS tracking systems in the lorries or high-performance cars they seek to steal.
These jammers can be bought off the internet for as little £20. Some are capable of swamping all receivers over a wide area.
"It's already illegal to put GNSS jamming equipment on the market in the UK," said Prof Jim Norton. "The problem is it's not necessarily illegal to hold it, to import or even to advertise it. It doesn't require legislation; it just requires [the telecoms regulator] Ofcom to place a banning order, and we would strongly recommend they do that."
And sure enough - available on fleabay for under £20
Fine 'til the tealeaf's stop for a cuppa and turn the ignition off which I imagine will allow the tracker to find the satelites again and transmit its position. Not so good though on Audi's and VW's (and maybe others) which have permanent supplies to the ciggy lighter sockets.
Should be illegal . I however spent a good amount of time trying to work out why the plotter didn't work on a boat - it was then pointed out I had put my lunchh box (with a foil lining to help keep my sarnies cool) on top of the GPS receiver on the console . Took 2 seconds to get a fix after that....
