Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jun 19/00) - A high-tech gadget that over the last five years has become a standard piece of equipment for outdoor travellers, from surveyors to seal hunters, just got a lot better.

Hand-held Global Positioning System receivers tell anyone anywhere in the world where they are.

About the size of a walkie-talkie, the receivers use a system of satellites established by the United States for military purposes to provide read-outs of latitude and longitude.

Until May 1, the U.S. military intentionally distorted GPS signals used by the public. The thinking was they did not want to take the chance that a hostile foreign power would use the full capability of the system to attack the U.S.

"Basically, someone could put a rocket down the chimney of the White House with that kind of accuracy," said Helmut Epp, director of the territorial government's remote sensing division.

Epp said when the satellite signals were intentionally distorted, hand-held GPS receivers could show where you are on the planet's surface to within 100 metres. Now they are accurate to within six metres.

Bob Heath, senior base pilot with Inuvik's Aklak Air, said the move is the first step in allowing smaller aircraft to use GPS for more precise navigation.

"At present we have GPS approaches in to most of the communities now. It will mean with a more accurate GPS satellite system that, probably a year or two years down the line, they can increase the accuracy of those approaches to allow us to come in when the weather is down considerably."

In addition to helping hunters and trappers in bad weather conditions, the increased accuracy will aid search and rescue.

Dave Taylor of the Civil Search Air Search and Rescue Association said the increased accuracy will improve search and rescue capability.

"We look over large areas, like 100 square kilometres. But we're flying in a fixed wing, so we can't land usually.

"The next job is to get somebody in a helicopter or a boat or on the ground to the person to provide assistance. To relay that information and get the next phase of the rescue happening, we could provide a better co-ordinate. That's where a better GPS is going to help us."