GPS systems may seem rather on the pricey side at first glance, but if you take the time to understand how they work, it helps to make the cost more fair in your mind. GPS systems are added – and more frequently, standard – features in the latest cars, PDAs (Personal Data Assistants) and cell phones. The succeeding paragraphs will attempt to provide a simple overview of how GPS systems operate. Complete technical details can be found in other articles published on the Internet.
Let’s Get Started
There are some 2500 satellites currently in orbit around the world. Many of these are global positioning satellites. But only 36 of them are actually still in operation with many others having been retired. A low-power signal is transmitted by the satellites which can be received by the GPS system in your car or cell phone. By obtaining a signal from three of these satellites, a GPS is capable of measuring the distance from each and determines a position based on that information.
GPS systems satellites are about seventeen feet across when their solar power panels are fully spread out. They are powered by the sun and also by a backup battery supply if needed. They are constructed to last ten years (knock on wood). The oldest satellite is from 1978. His task is to tell the younger satellites how tough it was in his time and how much better the new models have it. Just kidding!
But Seriously
So what is a GPS receiver? Any electronic device that is able to receive signals transmitted by the GPS satellites is a GPS receiver. There was probably a GPS receiver on that cruise ship you were on last summer, another in the taxicab you took to the airport last week and then there’s that Navigon 7100 GPS that your boss just purchased for his car. The standard cost of a personal GPS systems receiver is around $300. Considering you didn’t have to invest anything to design and launch the satellite into space, $300 is a fairly reasonable price.
The US government is responsible for paying the costs involved in fabricating and launching satellites into orbit.|Our government here in the US has decided to take on the costs needed in creating this network of GPS satellites. All you have to do is turn on your GPS system in order to make use of the data that is freely transmitted by them. Hopefully now you have a better understanding of how your GPS system works the next time you turn it on.
