A Basic Gps Technology Guide

You've probably come across GPS tracking technology

. But how can you personally use it, as well as how exactly does GPS work. Comprehending the basics of this new technology will let you make an informed decision when you are purchasing a device that's right for your specific personal or business needs.



GPS tracking has become increasingly common in the past couple of years. Once out of reach for the average consumer, GPS technology was primarily developed for law enforcement agents to track crime suspects. These days, everyone from parents, to business owners, and scientists are utilizing GPS tracking in a host of unique applications ranging from ensuring their teenage driver's safety, to tracking the migration of birds and other wildlife.

The Essential Workings of GPS tracking Units

A GPS tracker, short for Global Positioning System, is an electronic unit that determines the approximate location of a person, automobile, or other moveable assets using satellite, cellular (aGPS), or radio waves. In the most fundamental configuration, the GPS tracker device typically digitally connects with multiple satellites in space. From space, the various satellites triangulate the tracker's exact location. This means anyone can place the tracker in a backpack, vehicle, or in a pocket and find their position..



Depending upon the type of GPS tracking device you select, the places the unit travels can be stored within the tracking device itself to provide a complete documentation of just where the tracker has been, or using a real-time tracker, the location information can be transmitted to a central location or an individual Internet-enabled computer in real-time, as the device moves. Originally popular among law enforcement agents, many businesses now have made use of the technology to improve operations and now also by consumers to keep an eye on their loved ones.

Comparing Real-Time and Passive GPS Trackers

There are two basic kinds of GPS trackers: real-time and passive.

Real-Time GPS Tracker

As with all trackers, a GPS vehicle tracker constantly communicates with space satellites to triangulate the unit's current position. the element that makes the device real-time is simply that the device sends all data to the Internet database continually in real-time, where you can log on and monitor the tracker's progress. Many GPS units even give other information like time, place, and how fast the tracker is traveling. At first primarily used by law enforcement agencies tracking a suspect, this technology is now common to businesses tracking company vehicles and families tracking new teenage drivers or their family car as it travels.

Passive GPS Tracker

The other key kind of GPS tracker is a passive tracker also known as a GPS logger. Like a real-time device, these devices constantly send digital messages to orbiting satellites, but, instead of transmitting the device's position in real-time, passive GPS devices store position points within the tracking device itself. When you are ready to view exactly what locations the device has been, you can download a historical record recorded of all places visited. This is perfect for law enforcement in an investigation, or perhaps a person who loaned a car to an employee, or family member and needs to verify that they actually drove the car to the place they said they did.

by: Barry Grimes

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