GPS – From Military Equipment To Your Dashboard
Since Man first fashioned tools to help him hunt, he has always tried to improve the technology that assists him in living on this sometimes unforgiving planet. Over the centuries these tools have developed and become more efficient and effective and progressively have become more and more high tech. GPS, or Global Positioning System, is one of these advances in technology.
It seems every other person has a GPS device of some sort. And why not? GPS tracking devices allow people to keep track of their loved ones and their vehicles and allow them to keep from getting lost on their out of town trips. While it is nice to admire GPS for the technological marvel it is, one should be informed of what GPS is and how it works.
The way GPS works is a relatively simple concept when broken down completely. Strategically placed satellites that are orbiting the Earth, relay a signal searching for any GPS receiver on the surface of the Earth. The signal is received by the GPS unit and then decoded. The unit and the satellite then communicate with each other and the satellite then transmits the coordinates to the GPS unit. This transfer of data allows anyone looking at the GPS screen to see where they are currently located.
While the original GPS system of satellites was only used by the United States military in the 1970s and 1980s, the technology has been made available to everyday people since the 1990s. The limited release in the early years meant that the price of GPS units was very high. Now that GPS has become more widespread, you can get a good unit for less than $200.
All this makes GPS technology affordable to consumers everywhere. And since it has become more affordable, GPS systems are now seemingly in every vehicle on the road. By helping you make sure you are going the right direction, GPS saves you time, money and frustration on your next trip.
If you purchase a car and it has a GPS option, you are well served to purchase it as it will not only help you, it will increase the vehicles resale. If your vehicle did not come equipped with a GPS as an option, you will want to find one that fits your budget and individual preferences.
GPS has made the time honored journey of a piece of technology that benefits people in peacetime that was originally developed for warfare.
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