Book Review: Communication Systems Engineering:

It has 6 chapters as follows: Chapter 1 (Satellites and Navigation) which describes the earlier marine navigation systems: Decca, LORAN-C, and Omega, in addition to introducing the principles of GPS satellite-navigation, and the earlier, alternative systems. Chapter 2 (GPS and the Ship) describes various different receivers and their operating modes. Chapter 3 (Differential GPS) describes and explains how Differential GPS gives greater system accuracy. It also describes "selective availability" which is the ability of the US Department of Defence to deliberately degrade the accuracy of the system for military purposes. This is more succinctly known as "accuracy denial". Chapter 4 (GPS: Applications and Implications) is specifically devoted to the use of the GPS for coastal navigation, traffic management, ships of all kinds, and port-positioning services. Chapter 5 (The GPS Detail) delves into the details of satellite orbits, the signals and codes used, timing, ranging, position measurement, and possible inaccuracies in use. Chapter 6 (Standard C Detail, INMARSAT and Global satellite Communications) describes the International Maritime Satellite (lNMARSAT) Communication Organisation, its systems and services. In the near future, the aviation industry will probably need to start replacing the well-established Instrument Landing System (lLS), which has been in existence for over 50 years now. It was previously thought that the replacement would eventually be the Microwave Landing System (MLS), but it may now turn out to be the GPS, which is currently being considered for such applications. The GPS would allow a single system to be used for both en-route navigation and precision landing, which would, in turn, imply far fewer ground installations. This textbook gives an extremely comprehensive coverage of the GPS, and it is to be recommended to all who have an interest in this field, for either marine-navigation or airbornenavigation applications. BRIAN M. SHAW, Division of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. University of Herifordshire