What is GPS?- the Global Positioning System

If you are wondering what is GPS, you are reading the right article. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a highly sophisticated technological system that allows you to know your exact position on Earth at anytime, in any weather, anywhere. The GPS system can tell you your location anywhere on or above the Earth to within about 30 feet. Even greater precision, usually within less than three feet, can be obtained with corrections calculated by a GPS receiver at a known fixed location. To fully understand what is GPS, lets understand what is the system made up of.

GPS has 3 parts, which are the space segment, the user segment, and the control segment. The space segment consists of 24 satellites, each in its own orbit 11,000 nautical miles above the Earth. The user segment consists of receivers, which you can hold in your hand or mount in your car. The control segment consists of 5 ground stations located around the world that monitor the satellites. Once you understand the parts, knowing how they coordinate with throw more light on what is GPS.

Each satellite is equipped with an accurate clock to let it broadcast signals coupled with a exact time message. The ground unit receives the satellite signal, which travels at the speed of light. The satellites signals can also be detected by anyone with a GPS receiver. To measure your precise latitude, longitude, and altitude, the receiver measures the time it took for the signals from four separate satellites to get to the receiver. We hope that this article has helped you in understanding what is GPS and how it can be used to know your location.

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About The Author:

Garima Sharma is a successful author and publisher at www.1st-at-gps-tracking.com. Recommending gps equipment and associated products
28-06-04