In quite a quick way, the Global Positioning System (GPS) has become part of our everyday lives. The GPS satellite network was originally developed by the United States Department of Defense and is still managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing.
If you have ever used a GPS device, you may have wondered how it actually works. The Global Position Service (GPS) consists of 24 satellites (38 by march 2008) that orbit the Earth 12,000 miles above. They constantly move, orbiting the globe in less than 24 hours.
These GPS satellites are powered by the sun using solar panels and small rocket boosters attached to them keep them on path. They travel at around 7,000 miles per hour. There are three different categories of GPS devices that are available to the general public: GPS Navigation; GPS Tracking and GPS Location.
GPS devices designed to be used as Navigation aids enable you to discover where you are and how to navigate to wherever you want to get to. There is a large range of devices in this category that can be used as portable hand-held GPS units, or to be used on a vehicle, such as a car or motorcycle.
Tracking GPS units track where a vehicle has traveled to and are used mainly in business to keep check of personal and commercial use by employees, and to replace the old fashion pencil and paper logs that are often lost or unreliable. Some of the more superior tracking devices only record when a vehicle is moving, ensuring that the GPS unit doesn't record unwanted information.
A GPS unit used for Location only provides the location of the vehicle or user in real time, and has very little or simply no ability to track or navigate. They are usually used for emergency situations or when a asset is lost or stolen and needs to be located.
A GPS Location devices works by "pinging" the satellite by cell phone. That is, phoning home with its current global position using satellite cellular technology. This pinging means that there is a recurrent costs for GPS Location, unlike GPS Tracking.
Today, GPS units are used in literally hundreds of different situations. There is even a GPS device that helps people playing golf by calculating their location and distances to the hole, and they are now used on a variety of vehicles, including motorcycles, jet skis and snow mobiles. As GPS technology continues to evolve the sky is the limit to where and how it can be used.
If you have ever used a GPS device, you may have wondered how it actually works. The Global Position Service (GPS) consists of 24 satellites (38 by march 2008) that orbit the Earth 12,000 miles above. They constantly move, orbiting the globe in less than 24 hours.
These GPS satellites are powered by the sun using solar panels and small rocket boosters attached to them keep them on path. They travel at around 7,000 miles per hour. There are three different categories of GPS devices that are available to the general public: GPS Navigation; GPS Tracking and GPS Location.
GPS devices designed to be used as Navigation aids enable you to discover where you are and how to navigate to wherever you want to get to. There is a large range of devices in this category that can be used as portable hand-held GPS units, or to be used on a vehicle, such as a car or motorcycle.
Tracking GPS units track where a vehicle has traveled to and are used mainly in business to keep check of personal and commercial use by employees, and to replace the old fashion pencil and paper logs that are often lost or unreliable. Some of the more superior tracking devices only record when a vehicle is moving, ensuring that the GPS unit doesn't record unwanted information.
A GPS unit used for Location only provides the location of the vehicle or user in real time, and has very little or simply no ability to track or navigate. They are usually used for emergency situations or when a asset is lost or stolen and needs to be located.
A GPS Location devices works by "pinging" the satellite by cell phone. That is, phoning home with its current global position using satellite cellular technology. This pinging means that there is a recurrent costs for GPS Location, unlike GPS Tracking.
Today, GPS units are used in literally hundreds of different situations. There is even a GPS device that helps people playing golf by calculating their location and distances to the hole, and they are now used on a variety of vehicles, including motorcycles, jet skis and snow mobiles. As GPS technology continues to evolve the sky is the limit to where and how it can be used.
About the Author:
Derrick Bogaster owns the Motorcycle GPS Store where you can find great bargains on GPS units specifically designed for motorbikes. GPS units include Garmin Zumo, TomTom Rider and StreetPilot.
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