Posts Tagged ‘Time Difference’

What Is GPS and How Can It Be Used?

February 8th, 2010



GPS stands for Global Positioning System and was initially designed to be used by the U.S. military and is operated by the U.S. Defense Department. This system consists of 24 satellites, these satellites are 12,000 miles above us, are constantly moving in a precise orbit, have an atomic clock, and are solar powered. They do have a battery backup so they will continue to run in the event of a solar eclipse, and each satellites has a small rocket booster to maintain their orbit. The first satellite was launched in 1978 and it wasn’t until 1994 when there were a total of 24 satellites. Each satellite has a life expectancy of about 10 years, so new satellites are constantly being built and launched. Each satellite weighs about 2,000 pounds and is approximately 17 feet in width when the solar panels are extended. In the 1980s the GPS became available to the public, and although it is still maintain by the U.S. Defense Department there is no charge for its usage by the public.

These 24 satellites orbit the earth twice a day and continuously sends the location of the satellite. A GPS system can tell how far a satellite is away by comparing the time difference between the time a signal was transmitted and the time it was received, the longer it takes the signal to be received by a receiver, the farther away the satellite is. If a GPS is receiving signals from three satellites it can calculate latitude and longitude. Altitude can be determined if the GPS is receiving signals from four satellites.

GPS can be used for navigating your car through traffic day-to-day or tracking a fleet of vehicles. Not only can a driver use a GPS for directions the main office knows where that vehicle is and the speed of the vehicle. GPS can be used while on vacation for activities such as hiking, camping, or hunting. Is your passion fishing but get frustrated trying to find the fish? With a fish finder which uses both GPS technology and sonar you’ll know exactly where to go to find those fish. GPS technology is also being used as a way to track your pet if he wanders off or to safeguard a pet from being stolen.

Another use for GPS is as a child finder with a receiver in a child’s cell phone or wristwatch to ensure a child’s safety. It can be used in a teenager’s car in order to both know where they and how fast they are driving. This could also be used to keep track of someone who tends to ‘roam’ but is not capable enough to find there way back; i.e. someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

As GPS technology improves, it uses will increase. Who knows where it will take us next?

Copyright 2006 Angela Carter

By: Angie Carter

No comments »

Posted in Article

Tags:

Understanding GPS Technology

December 3rd, 2009



Do you know what GPS is? It stands for Global Positioning System. It is a satellite based navigation system. This system consists of twenty four satellites. If you really want to truly understand how GPS works, you may want to go back to the reason it was first created.

Did you know that GPS was first created by the United States Department of Defense back in the 1980’s? The system was to be used for military operations. Over time, the Defense Department realized this Global Positioning System was much more valuable and could do much more than they first believed.

Soon it was allowed to be used by civilians. Plus, people could use it without paying for a subscription fee.

GPS can work in any weather condition. It also can be read anywhere in the world, twenty four hours a day.

How do these satellites actually work? Twice a day they orbit the earth. As they are orbiting, they can locate where each GPS device is being used. This means that the satellites can actually find the location of the device anywhere in the world. This allows people to find other people, as well as other objects that are lost or stolen.

The satellite is able to read the GPS’s signal. That signal can be compared by the time the GPS receiver sends an additional return signal. This time difference is then read and compared between the distance of the GPS and the satellite. This gives a distance measurement. Then more distance measurements are read from the other satellites and the GPS is located.

Many objects have GPS capabilities. Some of the most popular of these being: automobiles, boats, trucks, etc. Plus, GPS devices can be built into such items as: cell phones, laptop computers, stereo equipment etc.

Some people will actually buy what is referred to as GPS tracking devices which are used for the sole purpose of tracking a person. These products are often placed on the automobiles of suspected cheating spouses or the automobiles of teenagers, when parents are concerned about their safety.

Many parents have even bought some nifty GPS tracking devices that can even allow them to know what speed their teenager is driving. This is especially nice for the parent of a newly licensed driver.

New and well equipped laptop computers are generally always equipped with a GPS tracking device. The device can be triggered once the laptop is reported stolen. Then when the stolen laptop is placed online the GPS is able to track the location of the stolen merchandise. This is a great insurance to many business people that stores important information on their computers.

As the computer and electronic world keeps growing, so will the use of Global Positioning Systems. It is evitable that we will need these systems not only to monitor our belongings, but to help keep our world a little safer. For these reasons we all should, at least have a basic understanding of GPS’s and understand that they can benefit us more than help predict our weather.

By: Jeffrey Meier

No comments »

Posted in Article

Tags: