2008 Woodie Awards
GPS units: Shapes and sizes available for all
Thomas Fulcher
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: Technology
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Ever find yourself driving around in circles for that place which was supposed to be "right there"? Hate pulling over to ask the gas station attendant for directions? Well, there is a little gadget that is becoming more and more popular which might just be the answer for all your navigational needs.
A Global Positioning System Receiver, commonly referred to as a GPS, is a small device that can tell you exactly where you are - anywhere on the planet. In the 1970s the U.S. Department of Defense created a network of 24 satellites which orbit the earth and transmit information back to a GPS receiver.
The GPS works by obtaining a signal from at least three of these satellites. Then it uses the signals to calculate its exact position on the earth's surface. The satellites are set in an exact orbit about 12,000 miles above the earth, so at any given time, from anywhere in the world, a GPS receiver has a line of sight to at least four of them.
The Department of Defense originally created the system so that military units could keep track of their exact location and navigate more precisely, but the government soon made the technology available to everyone.
Today GPS technology is used by organizations, companies and people across the globe. The technology can be used to track anything from airplane flights to semi-trucks. The captain of a ship at sea no longer has to look up at the stars to plot a course; the GPS tells them everything they need to know. A surveyor on the ground can find property lines in instants with a fraction of the work it once took.
So people can use GPS technology for a number of different uses all over the world, but how does this affect you as students? Today there is a multitude of affordable products out there for the everyday life of practically anyone.
If you are the outdoors type you might be interested in a hand held GPS model with maps that come pre-loaded and have the option of adding more maps to the GPS, as well as saving points along the trail so you can find your way back.
A Global Positioning System Receiver, commonly referred to as a GPS, is a small device that can tell you exactly where you are - anywhere on the planet. In the 1970s the U.S. Department of Defense created a network of 24 satellites which orbit the earth and transmit information back to a GPS receiver.
The GPS works by obtaining a signal from at least three of these satellites. Then it uses the signals to calculate its exact position on the earth's surface. The satellites are set in an exact orbit about 12,000 miles above the earth, so at any given time, from anywhere in the world, a GPS receiver has a line of sight to at least four of them.
The Department of Defense originally created the system so that military units could keep track of their exact location and navigate more precisely, but the government soon made the technology available to everyone.
Today GPS technology is used by organizations, companies and people across the globe. The technology can be used to track anything from airplane flights to semi-trucks. The captain of a ship at sea no longer has to look up at the stars to plot a course; the GPS tells them everything they need to know. A surveyor on the ground can find property lines in instants with a fraction of the work it once took.
So people can use GPS technology for a number of different uses all over the world, but how does this affect you as students? Today there is a multitude of affordable products out there for the everyday life of practically anyone.
If you are the outdoors type you might be interested in a hand held GPS model with maps that come pre-loaded and have the option of adding more maps to the GPS, as well as saving points along the trail so you can find your way back.
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