Japanese FAX Warning Map

Part of a Kyodo News transmission received here in SoCal at 0430 UTC on 25 November 09. Frequency was the usual 16971.0 kHz USB (dial reading 1.9 kHz lower).



I suspect from the mention of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), that these are warning areas for some type of rocket or missile activity.

WGS-84 refers to the datum for the map coordinates (World Geodetic System 1984), and IGS is the International GNSS Service. Yes, a nested acronym. GNSS is for Global Navigational Satellite Systems, referring to the US GPS and the Russian GLONASS.

GPS is, of course, yet another acronym, for Global Positioning System. GLONASS is a translation of the Russian acronym for ГЛОбальная НАвигационная Спутниковая Система. It translates as GLObal NAvigation Satellite System.