The Tech Gear Hub | Learning How GPS Systems Work

Learning How GPS Systems Work

Filed Under GPS |

You may wonder why GPS gadgets cost as much as they do. Learning about the technology behind them may help make the cost a little easier to swallow.  These days it is quite common to find GPS systems as standard features in the newest model automobiles as well as personal items such as PDAs and cell phones. Even Amazon's new Kindle ebook reader has a simple GPS application installed.  This article will explain in words that a regular person can understand how GPS systems operate. Complete technical details can be found in other articles published on the Internet.

Let's Get Started

Circling our planet right now, you will find almost 2500 satellites.  Not surprisingly, GPS satellites account for a large percentage of these.  Only about 36 actually are operative – the others are retired GPS satellites.  They constantly transmit a low-power radio signal to Earthly GPS receivers (not the other way around).  By receiving a signal from three of these satellites, a GPS is able to measure the distance from each and calculates a position based on that data.

When their solar power panels are completely spread, a GPS satellite can be about seventeen feet wide.  They run on solar power and as additional insurance have backup batteries installed.  They generally survive ten years or more if all goes well. The longest operating satellite is from 1978.  Rumor has it that this one often relates stories from the old days when satellites had it much tougher than they do today. Yes, I'm joking!

But Seriously

So what is a GPS receiver?  It's basically any device that is able to receive signals from GPS satellites.  Nowadays they can be found everywhere: from the cruise ship to Alaska that your boss enjoyed recently to the new Navigon 7100 GPS in your neighbor's car.  The current average cost for a personal GPS unit is about $300.  When you see that you didn't have to pay to design, build or launch a gps satellite into orbit, $300 doesn't seem steep at all.

It's the US government who bears the price for building the satellites and launching them into space. Your primary job is to turn on your GPS system and enjoy the benefits it brings you. So the next time you power on your GPS system, you should feel that you have a working knowledge of how GPS works.

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