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Tag: satellite technology

  • On the Fence About a GPS Dog Fence? Here Are 4 Ways to Make Sure Your GPS Works for You and Your Dog | Animal Wellness Magazine

    On the Fence About a GPS Dog Fence? Here Are 4 Ways to Make Sure Your GPS Works for You and Your Dog | Animal Wellness Magazine

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    Wireless dog fences are easy, convenient ways to give your dog freedom while also keeping them safe. Let’s look at four ways to make your GPS dog fence work for you!

    A GPS dog fence creates a virtual boundary around a property to help keep your dog safe and secure while they explore, roam, and live their best life. Wireless dog fences have numerous benefits compared to physical fences or traditional invisible fences, including they don’t require installation around your property, they’re reliable and accurate, you can re-work the boundaries with ease, and they’re perfect for large dogs and properties larger than 0.5 acres! SpotOn GPS Fence is a global leader in GPS fencing technology, and they have four tips to help you get the most from your wireless dog fence.

    1. Understand How GPS Fences Work

    GPS fences use satellite signals to create flexible and effective virtual boundaries that contain your dog. SpotOn’s collar issues two sets of tones to warn the dog they’re nearing the boundary, so you must train them to know what the sounds mean.

    2. Properly Train Your Dog to Use a GPS Fence

    The first step in training your pup to understand a GPS fence is to teach foundational commands, such as sit, stay, and come. From there, you can use positive reinforcement to reward your dog for returning to the center of the fence area when they hear the alert tone.

    SpotOn has a user-friendly app and resources—including a structured approach with alerts and communication tools—that can guide you and your dog through the training process.

    3. Maximize Success with SpotOn: Free Setup Calls and Expert Dog Training Support

    Along with using advanced satellite technology with a dual-feed antenna to ensure the most precise and reliable GPS dog fence, SpotOn also goes above and beyond with their support tools, which include:

    Free Expert Setup Calls – Get personalized guidance to set up your system with ease.

    Tailored Installation Support – SpotOn will walk you through the process step-by-step for seamless configuration.

    One-on-One Training with Award-Winning Trainers – Enjoy a free session with a certified dog trainer to ensure your dog’s success.

    90-Day Satisfaction Guarantee – Try SpotOn risk-free with their industry-leading guarantee!

    No Subscription Required – The only GPS fence that works without a subscription, giving you complete control and peace of mind.

    4. Customize Your GPS Dog Fence with Features and Components

    SpotOn makes it possible to customize your fence system to suit your needs, including:

    • Collars are available in various sizes to accommodate different breeds, ensuring a proper fit and the system’s efficacy.
    • It’s a breeze to start with smaller, manageable areas and expand them as your dog gets accustomed to the system.
    • Advanced features, like forest mode, help adapt the system to challenging environments and terrains, ensuring your dog stays safe and contained.
    • Home Zones allow you to designate an area around your home where alerts are disabled, allowing your dog to enter and exit the zone freely without worrying about false alerts that can occur indoors.
    • Keep Out Zones define areas you want your dog to avoid, such as gardens, pools, or driveways, to prevent them from wandering into restricted areas while still enjoying their freedom.

    Visit SpotOn to learn more!


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    Animal Wellness is North America’s top natural health and lifestyle magazine for dogs and cats, with a readership of over one million every year. AW features articles by some of the most renowned experts in the pet industry, with topics ranging from diet and health related issues, to articles on training, fitness and emotional well being.

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  • Apple invested $450 million in a satellite-powered SOS system. We tested it out | CNN Business

    Apple invested $450 million in a satellite-powered SOS system. We tested it out | CNN Business

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    CNN Business
     — 

    When Apple announced at its closely-watched September product launch event that it would soon introduce an Emergency SOS feature powered by a network of satellites orbiting above Earth, Brooklyn probably wasn’t the secluded location most had in mind for using it.

    But on a rainy afternoon last week, I found myself trying to stay connected to one of the satellites from Prospect Park as part of a demo of the upcoming feature. I stepped out from under a giant oak tree and the rain started to come down harder. Then I moved my device slightly to the right and quickly regained access to the signal and continued messaging with an emergency dispatcher.

    The rain wasn’t the issue; it was the foliage limiting my phone’s view of the sky.

    On Tuesday, Apple

    (AAPL)     will launch the Emergency SOS via Satellite feature for those with an iPhone 14 in the United States and Canada, with plans to roll it out in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland next month. The free feature promises to let iPhone users contact dedicated dispatchers in emergency situations via satellites when a cell phone network is unavailable.

    Hikers, emergency responders and intrepid travelers may be well versed in the existing world of satellite phones, which provide voice, SMS, and data services anywhere on Earth. Now Apple is attempting to do the same with its iPhones, as part of a broader pitch this year to consumers that its devices don’t just help them live better, but also live safer. In the process, it could make its pricey products seem a bit more indispensable in an uncertain economic environment that has some rethinking expenses.

    Apple recently invested $450 million in Globalstar, a global satellite service, and other providers to support the development of 24 low-orbit satellites flying 16,000 mph at a higher altitude than the International Space Station. The investment is part of Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which has previously been used for glass production with Corning and laser technology for facial recognition.

    During my test with an iPhone 14 provided by Apple, I attempted to call 911 but was automatically redirected to Emergency SOS via Satellite dispatchers for the purposes of the demo. When the device was unable to connect to cellular service, a small green icon appeared at the bottom right of the call screen to initiate a text conversation with emergency services.

    I was prompted to fill out a questionnaire and tapped through a handful of short multiple choice questions; I noted I was lost but not injured. Nearly 20 seconds later, I received confirmation that my geo-location coordinates were sent to a dispatcher, along with my medical ID, emergency contact information and the answers to my questions. I was told to keep responses short, likely to cut down on the amount of data needed to transfer to the satellite and back down to a dispatcher. I was also asked to identify nearby landmarks and where I entered the park. My total exchange lasted about four minutes.

    Apple said the size of messages was greatly condensed so the satellite can more efficiently route them to ground stations located all over the world. Once received, texts are sent to local emergency services or a relay center with Apple-trained emergency specialists who can send help.

    But even in a city, I lost access to the satellite several times when I wasn’t in clear view of the sky. A grayscale circle with a green signal image showed up when connected but turned yellow when conditions were poor and red when connectivity was lost. I walked about 200 feet away from my original location to find a satellite. Once there, I held the device naturally in my hand; Apple said there’s no need to raise or wave it around.

    When it works, the lifesaving potential for such a feature is obvious. But there are some caveats. To start, it’s text only; users will need to physically have the device in their hands to start an exchange, which may not always be possible if injured. The tool does, however, work with the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch’s crash detection feature, so it could automatically dial emergency services or send coordinates to a dispatcher when a user is unconscious or unable to reach their iPhone.

    For now, Emergency SOS via satellite only works in English, Spanish, and French, although the dispatchers have professional interpretation services available for many more languages. Apple said it also may not work in all areas, such as in places above 62° latitude, including northern parts of Canada and Alaska.

    For iPhone 14 users who want to see how the tool works, and test out the process for searching for a satellite, a demo is now available in Settings under “Emergency SOS via satellite.” Apple said the feature is available for free for two years and then it will reevaluate the offering based on what it’s learned about usage during that time.

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  • Out-of-service satellites must be removed within 5 years, FCC says | CNN Business

    Out-of-service satellites must be removed within 5 years, FCC says | CNN Business

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    Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.


    Washington
    CNN Business
     — 

    Satellites that are no longer in service must get out of the sky far more quickly under a new rule adopted by US federal regulators Thursday — and it’s all in the name of combating the garbage in Earth’s orbit.

    Unused satellites in low-Earth orbit, which is the area already most congested with satellites, must be dragged out of orbit “as soon as practicable, and no more than five years following the end of their mission,” according to the new Federal Communications Commission rule.

    That’s far less time than the long-standing rule of 25 years that has been criticized as too lax. Even NASA advised years ago that the 25-year timeline should be reduced to five years.

    “Twenty-five years is a long time. There is no reason to wait that long anymore, especially in low-Earth orbit,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said at Thursday’s meeting. The FCC rule passed unanimously.

    The goal of this rule is prevent the dangerous proliferation of junk and debris in space. Already, there’s estimated to be more than 100 million pieces of space junk traveling uncontrolled through orbit, ranging in size from a penny to an entire rocket booster. Much of that debris, experts say, is too small to track.

    Collisions in space have happened before. And each collision can span thousands of new pieces of debris, each of which risk setting off even more collisions. One well-known theory, called “Kessler Syndrome,” warns that it’s possible for spaceborne garbage to set of disastrous chain reactions, potentially causing Earth’s orbit to become so cluttered with junk that it could render future space exploration and satellite launches impractical and even impossible.

    More than half of the roughly 10,000 satellites the world has sent into orbit since the 1950s are now obsolete and considered “space junk,” Rosenworcel said, adding that the debris poses risks to communication and safety.

    The FCC plan had been questioned by some US lawmakers who have said the rules could create “conflicting guidance” and without clear congressional authority. But Thursday’s vote moved forward nonetheless.

    “At risk is more than the $279 billion-a-year satellite and launch industries and the jobs that depend on them,” according to an FCC document released earlier this month. “Left unchecked, orbital debris could block all of these benefits and reduce opportunities across nearly every sector of our economy.”

    The number of satellites in low-Earth orbit, which is the sphere of orbit extending about 2,000 km or 1,200 miles out, has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks in large part to massive, new “megaconstellations” of small satellites pouring into space, largely by commercial companies. Most notably, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched about 3,000 satellites to space for its space-based internet service, Starlink.

    There’s also plans to put tens of thousands of new satellites in low-Earth orbit in years to come, FCC commissioner Nathan Simington noted during Thursday’s meeting.

    Commercial companies have routinely promised to take the debris issue seriously, and SpaceX had already agreed to comply with the recommended five-year rule for getting defunct satellites out of orbit.

    But there has long been a broader push within the space community to codify new regulations. So the FCC announced plans in early September to at least vote on updates to US regulations.

    The FCC also specified that it will apply the rule not only to the US satellite operators it oversees but also to “non-US-licensed satellites and systems seeking US market access.”

    “A veritable Cambrian explosion of commercial space operations is just over the horizon, and we had better be ready when it arrives,” said Simington.

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