GPS - Basic Definition:
GPS (Global Positioning Systems) have been around for quite some time now. Its first use was with the military, but they have more recently been associated with civilian navigation devices. The latter is the topic of this discussion.
There are three components necessary for the success of a Global Positioning System. Those components are made up of 24 satellites, GPS Receivers, and ground stations. Each component must work in harmony or there will be inaccurate readings. A brief description of each and their functionality follows.
- GPS Receivers act just as their name indicates. They receive information from the chosen satellites using radio waves to calculate their exact location. Once this information has been received, feedback is provided to the user.
- Ground stations have a two-fold operation. The first is to ensure the health of the satellite. The second is to respond to the satellite with its exact location. This location is very important as it is used to later determine the exact coordinates of a GPS device.
- Satellites determine the coordinates of a GPS device using trilateration. Basically, three satellites use radio signals to determine the total distance from the GPS device. This can become very complicated because of a variety of interference possibilities. Therefore, most civilian GPS systems use additional satellites to increase accuracy.
GPS systems continue to grow in popularity. There is a belief they will one day be as common as the telephone or television. There is also a belief that the high popularity will help to push builders into furthering the technology with improvements much in the same way as the cellular phone in recent years.
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