Discover GPS

GPS stands for global positioning system, and this system consists of twenty four satellites that orbit earth in outer space making up the GPS network. The twenty four satellites were sent into space for military use by the Department of Defense but now they are used for civilian use and have been since the 1980s. The system works by using at least three of the twenty four satellites to triangulate the location of the GPS receiver which is installed in the vehicle or device. This allows the system to show the exact vehicle location on the screen, which can help if the vehicle is stolen or missing. The GPS system will show the exact location of the stolen vehicle so that it can be recovered by the police quickly and easily. Businesses can keep track of their vehicles and employees, and the GPS can even tell a trucking company how fast the vehicle is traveling and far a truck has gone just by using GPS tracking. GPS systems can be very accurate in determining the location, but certain things will interfere with the signal from the satellite. Conditions like the signal being reflected off of large rocks or buildings that are tall can cause an error in the vehicle location signal. The accuracy of the GPS system also depends on the total number of satellites the receiver is in line with, or that the receiver can “see”. If there is anything blocking the sight of the receiver, the system may be in error. Thick foliage, electronic interference, land fluctuations and terrain, and even buildings that are taller than normal can all prevent the GPS system from being completely accurate, and in these circumstances the GPS can show an error, or no information at all. Even with an occasional error, GPS has completely revolutionized the way people drive, giving them more confidence in finding their way or their vehicle.