Course Description:

This course provides deck officers and cadets with a practical understanding of GPS and GNSS used in navigation. It explains how satellite positioning works, its limitations, and how to recognise degraded or misleading position information. Emphasis is placed on safe operational use, position verification, and avoiding overreliance on satellite navigation.

Learning objectives:

At the end of the training course the participant shall:

· Explain the fundamental principles of GPS position determination, including satellite ranging, receiver clock correction, and the minimum satellite requirements for reliable navigation.

·  Identify normal sources of GPS position uncertainty, accuracy indicators such as HDOP, and conditions that may lead to loss of integrity or silent degradation.

·      Apply appropriate techniques to monitor GPS/GNSS position quality, including interpretation of HDOP values and recognition of abnormal position behaviour on ECDIS.

·      Apply correct operational responses when GPS reliability is degraded, including situations involving loss of integrity, jamming, or spoofing, by using independent means of position verification.

   Sections

·      Section 1: Introduction

·      Section 2: Section 1 – Principles of GPS

·      Section 3: GPS Errors, Degradation, and External Interference