Posts Tagged ‘navigon gps’

Whenever we have a better understanding of a technology such as GPS systems and how they work, it helps us value that technology and understand its cost.  These days it is rather common to find GPS systems as standard features in the newest model cars as well as personal items such as PDAs and cell phones. Even Amazon’s new Kindle ebook viewer has a simple GPS application included.  This author isn’t an engineer or scientist, so this article is a summary of how GPS systems operate. If you were hoping for all of the technical details, you certainly should have no difficulty finding that information elsewhere on the web.

GPS 101

Did you know that there are around 2500 satellites currently orbiting the globe?  Not surprisingly, GPS satellites make up a large percentage of these.  Only about 36 actually are operative – the others are retired GPS satellites.  A low-power signal is transmitted by the satellites which can be picked up by the GPS system in your car or cell phone.  In order to determine an exact location, the GPS system evaluates its distance from three of these satellites.

GPS systems satellites are nearly seventeen feet across when their solar power panels are fully spread out.  They are powered by the sun and also by a backup battery supply if necessary.  They are designed to be operational for a minimum of ten years and weigh some 2,000 pounds. There is a “senior” satellite that has been in operation since 1978.  Rumor has it that this one often relates tales from the old days when satellites had it much harder than they do today. Just kidding!

But Seriously

So what is a GPS receiver?  It’s basically any device that is able to receive signals from GPS satellites.  Nowadays they can be found everywhere: from the cruise ship to Alaska that your boss sailed on recently to the new Navigon 7100 GPS in your neighbor’s car.  The average cost of a personal GPS systems receiver is around $300.  When you recognize that you didn’t have to pay to design, build or launch a gps satellite into orbit, $300 doesn’t appear excessive at all.

It’s the US government who picks up the tab for building the satellites and launching them into space. Your only job is to turn on your GPS system and enjoy the easier travel that it brings you. So now you should have a reasonably good understanding of what goes on behind the scenes when you switch on your GPS system.