How does GPS help you?

by Robert Thomson

Well, ever since the eighties I had heard about GPS, after the satellites had been launched, and after the Korean flight disaster I believe Reagan mandated the system for public use. After that I remember seeing the first devices, which only displayed the longitude and latitude along with the altitude. It wasn’t really until the later nineties I began to see the really cool stuff come out, where it had maps on those old LCD displays that were monochrome. Later on I finally got a cell phone after resisting it for years, and I decided to get one that would be a bit more useful than some dinky little phone that sends messages. I don’t like text messages – leave me a message on my voicemail if you want to message me. Anyways I got the phone.

GPS Navigation system can help you
I remember the first time I actually really used the maps and the GPS for much. I am an outdoors kind of guy, and I like to go hunting – and well this was a big trip for me because I planned to hike out quite a ways into the woods, and have only the cell phone and my equipment. The phone had a spare battery and I knew it would last me about three days, and that was perfect. I went out there, and the first day was really dead, I remember that because there wasn’t a single sound. I set up tent, slept an uneventful night and woke up the next day ready for more. After I had packed up my tent the clouds turned dark.The weather had said nothing about any rain showers, so it surprised me that it began to rain. It began to downpour actually, and I had not packed anything for that except my small emergency umbrella. Of course my hunting equipment was safe and I could tote everything on my backside, since I pack light. Well it got to the point that it was raining so much that I couldn’t find the trail that I had used to get there, and it was made worse by the mud that started to loosen up. I whipped out my cellular that had the GPS on it while I was walking and looked at where I was, and where I had set a marker for my truck. If I hadn’t had the GPS I would have walked the wrong way!

I turned around and for about the next three hours I hiked through the mud and the storm until I was close to my truck and the road – it had become a miserable weekend. I was impressed with the GPS phone though, it kept me from having to wait it out in the rain and pray I could find my way back. After I had gotten back to my truck, thanks to the GPS – the rain stopped suddenly. When I looked back I saw a big buck just looking at me, then he ran off. So what did I do? I popped in the spare battery and got him. Then I used that GPS again to find my way right back – so that GPS phone is really useful to me now, and I plan to get one of those bigger GPS things in my truck later on.

GPS Navigation System
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History of GPS (Global Positioning System)

by Robert Thomson
GPS, or Global Positioning System has been operational since December 1993, but its history lies much further back to the 1940s when ground based navigation systems such as Decca Navigator began. This, while it planted the seed of inspiration would not take another step forward until the 1957 launch of the first Sputnik by the Soviet union showed that satellites were a possibility.

In the beginning the system was only intended for military use, but that changed in 1983 when a Soviet interceptor plane shot down a civilian aircraft in restricted Soviet space killing all on board, after the craft had mistakenly wandered off course. This was something that GPS could have prevented, and so President Reagan soon announced that GPS would be available for all once it was complete.

GPS is a satellite controlled navigation system that is used by the military and general public alike. For the general public it is a useful tool, a step forward from the one dimensional and none interactive maps that some people find difficult to read and follow. There are many different brands of GPS receivers, and they each offer different features, some of which may not even be related to GPS.

Prices for GPS devices start at around $100 for a basic device that is monochrome and hand held, and increase to more than $2000 for a larger, colour device with a greater number of features. At it's most basic however, GPS is not a stand alone, or navigation aid.

The lower level devices would be a hand-held GPS navigation tool, such that might include preloaded maps of the country of purchase, be waterproof and have a backlit LCD screen. Or for similar pricing a basic GPS device with colour screen, voice guidance to tell you when to take what turns and onto what streets, the power to add new maps, and may have a choice of languages and choice of the voice that the GPS uses.

At around $200 you add in features such as a touch screen to your GPS device for inputting addresses and accessing menus as well as blue tooth capability. Another step up and you see features such as AAA tour books added in and automatic redirect; and important feature for a GPS navigator because you can never be sure when you will miss a turn and need to get back on track via an alternative route.

At the top end, GPS devices include such things as voice recognition, allowing you to speak your start and end points, and any points of interest in best. They might also include non-GPS features like DVD players, iPod docks and even give you traffic updates.

Though many people do not realise it, GPS receivers have been present for some time in many cell phones, and allow the phone to be traced precisely, when the police request such information. In this way GPS has been used to help find missing people, and attempts have been made to use it to help the victims of kidnapping.

Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com