subject: Making Use of GPS System in Everyday Life [print this page] Making Use of GPS System in Everyday Life
GPS is also known as the Global Positioning System. A GPS system is made of three distinct components. These include a satellite system, a GPS receiver and a ground station. This navigation system was positioned in the orbit by the US Department of Defense and comprises a network made up of 24 satellites. The GPS system works despite adverse weather conditions. No matter which part of the world one is in and round the clock. Moreover, no additional charges are required for the installation of this system.
The GPS system satellites rotate the Earth round the twice everyday. They follow a precise path or orbit and then transmit the signals to the ground station on Earth. The GPS receivers capture this information and then utilize the available data to calculate the exact position of the user. The GPS receiver makes a comparison of the time difference, from the moment the signal was transmitted via a satellite and the time it was received at the Earth station. The time difference indicates the distance at which the satellite is positioned from the receiver. The distance measurements are carried out from the data collected from different satellites. The receiver can figure out the location of the user from the information thus collected. All of the information is displayed on an electronic map.
The data collected from GPS receivers are quite accurate owing to the simultaneous multi-channel design. The satellites maintain strong locks with the channel receivers despite urban settings or even in dense foliage. Atmospheric factors might also affect the accuracy of the receivers. There are certain factors that might affect the accuracy of the GPS signals. These include orbital errors, troposphere and ionosphere delays, degradation of the signals, signal multipath, satellite shading or geometry, errors in the receiver's clock and the number of the satellites that are visible.
The GPS systems was originally formulated for military use, but has now found its way into civilian life as well. These are used in monitoring the movements of ships and aircrafts and also by emergency services such as medical units, fire stations and even by the police forces. Construction, survey and mapping companies also make use of the technology during heavy construction. Automobile manufactures have now integrated the system into the dashboards by providing moving map displays that operate with the help of GPS receivers. With the system been increasingly used in all aspects of life, its potentialities are certainly unlimited.
