I just learned from a meeting with radio astronomers that AST SpaceMobile is already disrupting GPS signals with only a handful of direct-to-device satellites in orbit. This seems... bad. And like someone in some government somewhere should maybe care about this?
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Given the US regulator keeps saying their only mandate is spectrum and radio interference, they have clearly failed intheur core role.
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Or AST could be testing their GPS capability for the DoW.
https://cysat.eu/news/ast-spacemobile-gps-backup-pnt-defense
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Is that a bug or is it a feature, for possible use when needed?
@sundogplanets The problem is that spectrum use is by consensus and when one rogue states pretty issues licences that have global impact we're stuffed.
If the US wants to mess up coordination in its own territory then so be it, but these clowns are messing up HF and satcom with global impact. And when US licences operators don't behave outside of the US the FCC says "too bad".
AST stomping on amateur bands too. https://www.openresearch.institute/2025/09/12/defending-amateur-radio-spectrum-the-ast-spacemobile-battle-continues/
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Wasn't there a Federal somethingorother Commission that claimed the right to vet satellites before they were launched to make sure they didn't cause communications problems? Whatever happened to them?
it is bad:
i wouldn't depend on the usa to do anything about it. competency is gone
(And I should add that I don't know the degree of disruption, but ummmm a lot of people are extremely dependent on GPS for lots of extremely important things, so any disruption at all seems like someone in a government somewhere should be angry. Not just radio astronomers.)
Oh, so that's what's disrupting the GPS/GNSS that modern aviation relies on.
You'll see frequent reports on the ACARS bots on the Fediverse, for example:
![int%rmitt]nt sig^al. ...~!...)](https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/109/499/796/936/566/862/original/8eb5f8cb811a079a.png "int%rmitt]nt sig^al. ...~!...)")
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I still have a sextant and outdated charts so I;m Ehh Oh Kay
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All kinds of timing oscillators used GPS signals to save a once off capital cost.
Most DAB
Cell/Mobile masts.
Some DTT
Some fibre
Other niche stuff.
Also FCC illegally gave AST spectrum for telemetery in the 430-440 MHz band, even outside USA.
The FCC is a rogue regulator.
Using GPS for time or timing is stupid once off cost savings they'll regret when there is a bad Solar flare. Switching off terrestrial navigation beacons is a mistake.
Accountants shouldn't run companies.
@sundogplanets Considering the US military owns and operates GPS, and doesn't take kindly to jamming it, that is probably going to happen.
Though I don't imagine anything of consequence will happen before January.
@sundogplanets flying planes too (often but not always)!
Duh.... What? Me, worry?
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Well in the US they won’t…