How GPS Works @ Digital Grabber News

Lincoln Russell 2 Apr, 2006 at 11:23am ET Article published in Tech

Digital Grabber dissects this increasingly omnipresent technology.

If you have ever used map and compass, you will understand a little about how the GPS works. In order to find your position on a map, you need to have three points of reference. The intersecting line from the reference points is where you are. Map and compass work uses triangulation (bearings), GPS uses trilateration (distances) to calculate location. Satellites orbiting the earth emit unique signals that can be received by a GPS. The GPS software interprets the signal, identifying the satellite that it came from, where it was located, and the time that it took for the signal to reach the system. Once the receiver has both time and distance it begins to determine position.

Source: Digital Grabber

Comments

2 Apr 2006 ~ 1:57pm Qeldroma Yeah. Real GPS also outputs in terms of Latitude, Longitude, and Altitude, etc. Much of the applications used by the general public abstracts all this- and that is a science in itself.

However, I think it is one of the best technologies to hit the street- especially for those who don't have a good sense of direction and/or give or take good directions.

EDIT: Link Fixed- Yay! :END EDIT
2 Apr 2006 ~ 3:34pm Shorty I will be honest, I've been driving for 4 weeks. For just over 3 weeks of those, I have used a Garmin Streetpilot i3. This unit has been a COMPLETE life saver. My navigation really sucks!

Im a big GPS zealot
2 Apr 2006 ~ 4:04pm Linc Thanks Qel, fixt. I'd just copied and pasted from their e-mail.
3 Apr 2006 ~ 10:41pm i live in a small enough town to i know where almost everything is.

although, in a bigger city, i can definately see where it would be a lifesaver, especially on road trips.
4 Apr 2006 ~ 3:10am bothered I've never used one but I saw Shortys in action. The accuracy was brilliant, it knows where you are to a couple of metres. Take a wrong turn and it quickly works out a new route and tells you when to turn etc, fantastic piece of kit.