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aufspannen

English translation: determine a surface

08:03 Jul 31, 2001
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng
German term or phrase: aufspannen
In an article relating to radar: "... von NAVSTAR GPS nur über mindestens drei Antennen ermittelt werden können, welche
eine Fläche aufspannen."

Anyone have a suggestion for "aufspannen?"

Thanks,

Harold
Harold
English translation:determine a surface
Explanation:
or define a surface
or open out a surface

From what I know about the GPS principle, the time resolved information sent by 3 satellites allows your GPS receiver to find your absolute position because it calculates the distance of each satellite which in theory would determine a single point in the universe. However this information is not acurate enough and a 4th satellite is necessary to find out the position with a 20 m precision (it used to measure aberration cause by atmosphere and other such things).
Conclusion : with 3 satellites you determine only an area where you can be located. I suspect that it is what "Fläsche aufspannen" means.
I am almost 100 % sure it has no relation with coverage.
However i believe that this surface is not flat, and that it could well resemble an umbrella ! unfortunately I can't imagine an equivalent to "aufpannen" unless, may be "open out"

I have consulted the site below (in French to refresh my understanding of the GPS system.
Selected response from:

Yves Georges
France
Local time: 21:32
Grading comment
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
na +1determine a surface
Yves Georges
nacover
Ulrike Lieder (X)
nawhich serve as triangular points for area configuration
Goetz Sachse (X)
naaufspannen
Michael Hewitt
na -1stretch a surface..
Melanie Sellers


  

Answers


25 mins peer agreement (net): -1
stretch a surface..


Explanation:
"welche
eine Fläche aufspannen." - "which stretch a surface in the space."



Melanie Sellers
Local time: 21:32
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Kim Metzger: No way. Absurd English.
5000 days
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1 hr
cover


Explanation:
That would be my educated guess (I'm thinking umbrella here - ein Schirm wird aufgespannt.). The antennas, not unlike an umbrella, cover a certain area. Since there are three, it makes sense, at least to my little blonde mind, that they might form a coverage area that might be likened to a shield or an umbrella.

All my technical references are silent on aufspannen in this particular context, the BMVg technical dictionary offers "infold" but lists the context as mathematical. Nevertheless, check the following reference to see if it might be of help:
Whittaker, of course, wrote the definitive engineering methodology of how to do all this with EM waves - how to infold the EM waves into a bidirectional wave structure that produces a standing wave of externally force-field-free scalar potential.
www.cheniere.org/misc/interview1991.htm

Ernst offers
Ernst Deutsch-Englisch : aufspannen, ausspannen / stenter (GB), tenter (US)
but I could not find any references with a search on "antennas + tenter" or "antennas + stenter".

So, I'd suggest cover. It seems to fit right into your context.
HTH!


    Mikroplanfilm-W�rterbuch BMVg
    Ernst, WB der industriellen Technik
Ulrike Lieder (X)
Local time: 12:32
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Melanie Sellers: cover-abdecken not aufspannen
2 mins
  -> Why am I not surprised that you do. Harold, encompass might also be an alternative. Hope it helps.
agree  Goetz Sachse (X): cover or coverage is possible, sure
10 mins
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1 hr
which serve as triangular points for area configuration


Explanation:
No need to translate this weird "aufspannen" thing...

"area determination" is an alternative

"welche eine Fläche aufspannen" = "welche eine Fläche bestimmen"

It literally means something like "fold out" an area.

Goetz Sachse (X)
Local time: 21:32
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2 hrs
aufspannen


Explanation:
"cover an area"? I usually see some variation of "area of coverage" in relation to GPS or radar operations.

Michael Hewitt
Local time: 21:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
determine a surface


Explanation:
or define a surface
or open out a surface

From what I know about the GPS principle, the time resolved information sent by 3 satellites allows your GPS receiver to find your absolute position because it calculates the distance of each satellite which in theory would determine a single point in the universe. However this information is not acurate enough and a 4th satellite is necessary to find out the position with a 20 m precision (it used to measure aberration cause by atmosphere and other such things).
Conclusion : with 3 satellites you determine only an area where you can be located. I suspect that it is what "Fläsche aufspannen" means.
I am almost 100 % sure it has no relation with coverage.
However i believe that this surface is not flat, and that it could well resemble an umbrella ! unfortunately I can't imagine an equivalent to "aufpannen" unless, may be "open out"

I have consulted the site below (in French to refresh my understanding of the GPS system.


    Reference: http://www.pcmaintenant.com/materiel/divers/gps/gps1.html
Yves Georges
France
Local time: 21:32
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Beth Kantus: "open up" works with umbrellas, maybe here too?
45 mins
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