| Is and How It Works — For the uninitiated, | | | | the lay of the land. Hikers, however, might require |
| GPS stands for Global Positioning System. | | | | a more detailed map about the local terrain, water |
| It’s a method of finding a receiver | | | | spots, and tracks or trails, but they won’t |
| anywhere on earth or in orbit, and it’s | | | | need extensive information about the road |
| probably one of the most important inventions of | | | | systems. On the other hand, sailors will need |
| the 20th century. GPS can be used in so many | | | | specific data about the sea bed, navigable |
| varied ways that new technologies are constantly | | | | channels, and other related information that will |
| being developed and improved in order to take | | | | allow them to navigate safely. |
| advantage of it. Now why is GPS so important | | | | And what about fishermen? They also use marine |
| and useful? First, we have to understand how it | | | | GPS to keep track of the movements of fish in |
| works. | | | | real time and to predict where they’ll be |
| In order to work, a satellite network orbiting the | | | | the next day. In fact, cooperative fishing has |
| earth is used. These satellites each broadcast a | | | | become much easier with GPS, allowing boats to |
| specific signal, which is received by inexpensive | | | | relay locations to each other while looking for the |
| aerials and passed on to GPS devices where it is | | | | best fishing spots. There are also GPS devices |
| then decoded and used by dedicated software. | | | | called fish finders, which combines GPS and |
| The information garnered from these signals | | | | sonar functions to track and store detailed fishing |
| allows the GPS software to identify the satellite, | | | | and maritime information. |
| its specific location, and even calculate the exact | | | | Get Started with GPS — Consumers can |
| time it took for the signal to travel from the | | | | avail of several GPS devices that are specifically |
| satellite to the receiver. Using different signals | | | | designed for a variety of uses and functions. |
| from different satellites, the GPS software can | | | | In-car systems have advanced features like voice |
| now analyze the position of the receiver, in terms | | | | guidance, dynamic route calculations, and even |
| of latitude and longitude. | | | | upgrading your maps from a CD-ROM. Rugged |
| Mapping It Out — Even getting the | | | | handheld GPS devices, like those from Garmin and |
| information about the receiver’s location | | | | Magellan, have a map inside and are usually used |
| will be useless without something to compare it | | | | for outdoor activities. They do not have detailed |
| with. This is where the mapping comes in handy; | | | | road information and the user has to find his own |
| thru this, GPS can analyze our location and maps | | | | way from point A to point B without any route |
| out possible routes. Actually, the mapping data is | | | | calculations. |
| what makes a GPS device expensive. This should | | | | Recently, PDAs and even a few sophisticated |
| be updated regularly and frequently in order to be | | | | mobile phones have incorporated GPS technology |
| accurate. | | | | into their own systems. A GPS receiver can be |
| Several kinds of maps are created for different | | | | easily attached to these devices, which makes |
| users. Road users need maps containing accurate | | | | them possibly the cheapest and easiest GPS |
| data about the road systems in their particular | | | | receivers to use in the market today. |
| region, but they won’t need data about | | | | |