Not Model A but interesting
 

Here's some trivia that a sure fire bar bet winner. I was watching the history channel and learned about this.
The question:
What year was the first GPS?
I will wait for some responses and if no one saw the show, I will reveal the answer.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

1973, according to Wikipedia.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

Nope according to the history channel.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

I'm going to guess the early '40s, the Oboe locating system for guiding bombers over Europe.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

Nope. But here's a hint: GPS, the acronym for Global Positioning System, is rather a misnomer since they require satellites which did not exist at the time.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

How about 1909 with Jones live map

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

1920's (maybe 30's) airplanes used radio to home in on locations for flights before radar. (?)

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

The United States government created the system, maintains it, and makes it freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver. The GPS project was launched by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1973 for use by the United States military and became fully operational in 1995. It was allowed for civilian use in the 1980s.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

GPS is only the American system. There are several operated by other governments. Guess who?:rolleyes:

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

That's it! But the history channel said 1912. Here's how it worked:

It was a small device that attached to the odometer. A motorist would purchase a cardboard disk with directions on it. The disk was fitted to the device and rotated as the odometer progressed. As the disk rotated, a pointer on the device to the directions printed on the disk showed the motorist when and which direction to go at each junction. Of course, the disks were directions from city to city rather than door to door as today's. At the time there were no road signs, road maps or route numbers. So with the implementation of those, this device became obsolete – until electronics took over.

Re: Not Model A but interesting
 

Does anybody still use Loran? In 1991 as I recall that was what was used for coastal navigation.

Re: Not Model A but interesting