Archive for the 'GPS' Category
Imagine, Never having to hearing her saying “Are we lost Again” GPS Navigation to the rescue
Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 by TimHave you sometime in the past lost your way? Such mistakes like taking the wrong turn happen all the time. Has your wife reminded you on too many times. Well There is hope. GPS Naviagation.
What does GPS navigation consist of? GPS stands for global positioning system, and was developed by the United States Department of Defense. It is, to date, the only global navigational satellite system that works at full capacity. The first of 24 massive satellites was launched in 1978. Although the cost of maintaining the system runs in the hundreds of millions, it can be accessed for free through many web sites. Think of it as a perk for living on earth and having a computer. The navigation part is what could cost you. But if you take a lot of road trips, sales trips, or just have a knack for getting lost everywhere you go, it will be worth it. You will save in time, gas money, and having to replace worn out tires from always having to retrace your steps.
GPS Navigation is a useful tool.
A GPS navigation system is installed in a lot of new cars nowadays. In addition to that blue On-Star button, being able to see on a screen where you need to be going and hearing the directions can be a tremendous help in unfamiliar surroundings. Cab drivers in major cities are relying on GPS navigation to streamline their time management and be more efficient getting people to and from their destinations.
During heavy weather a good navigation system is of indispensable worth to ships. Airplanes use GPS navigation systems to assist in flying the correct course. Smaller handheld devices are used by hikers to stay on the trail. With even smaller devices in for instance cell phones, GPS navigational devices become of more use to many more people.
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Using a GPS Tracking System on Your Kid’s Car
Thursday, April 12th, 2007 by TimLearning to drive is one of a young person’s greatest adventures. It also becomes an adventure for the parents, but not as pleasurable as for the teenager. Teenagers do not have much experience in driving and therefore they give their parents grey hairs while driving, more so when the parents do not accompany the young person.
Parents will always worry about their children; what they are doing and where they are going. Parents hear stories from other parents or even just think about their own teenage days and decide to keep a close eye on their kids’ whereabouts. One way to very accurately see where a teenager drives to is to install a GPS tracking system on his or her car.
Safety
Because of inexperience, teenagers are going to make more mistakes while driving than more experienced drivers. One feature of many vehicular GPS tracking systems is software that monitors speed. With that data, parents can decide to suspend driving privileges or any other measure.
The GPS tracking system can also warn parents in case of a break down or accident. This helps especially because younger drivers may not have a good idea of geography or the streets they are on. But a map from the GPS system pinpoints the car’s location.
Tracking
The main reason for installing a GPS tracking system in a car may not be for cases of emergency but for the parents to know where their children are going to when away in the car. Some parents prohibit their kids from driving on the freeway. Others may forbid going to certain other teens’ houses. Some are simply worried that the kid may not actually be going to the library or to soccer practice, but to someplace undesirable. In short, parents use GPS tracking systems to keep their kids honest.
One of the characteristics of this GPS tracking system is that the teenager does not even have to know that the device is installed in the car. Basically, parents can do this secretly, and receive the data on their phone or computer. This is useful for kids that seem to consistently break the rules or drive recklessly. Yet it may be best as a last resort, and always with the driver’s knowledge.
Finding out that a tracking device has been installed on a vehicle can lead to distrust and hostility. Maybe it is better to let them know beforehand that such a GPS tracking device has been installed.
The GPS has many uses
Thursday, March 29th, 2007 by TimThe GPS has many uses.
The GPS, or Global Positioning Satellites, have made their appearance in the last few years and have taken the world by storm. It was developed by the US Government in the 1970’s.
The GPS network consists of at least 24 satellites circumnavigating the earth. The GPS receivers, here on earth collect information from several satellites at a time. With this information, the receivers can, by a process similar to triangulation, tell the user his or her exact location in latitude, longitude, and sometimes altitude too.
For the Military
The armed forces of a country can obviously put such information to very good use. Before small GPS receivers were available, troops in the field depended on the same technology for generations: the compass, sextant, maps and hand calculations.  Radios and reconnaissance aircraft were great leaps, but a GPS calculates position in real time, down to three foot accuracy!
For Civilians
The data from these satellites are free to use if you own a GPS receiver. The US Government owns the satellites of the GPS network, but leaves the broadcasts unencrypted. . Both companies and hobbyists have started to use receivers in many different applications.
Track Anything
When young people start driving their parents usually become quite concerned about them. Auto shops have started offering instillation of small, hidden GPS receivers in kids’ cars. Parents can then use simple computer software and have their kids’ movements plotted on a map. Many parents don’t even tell the kids about this ‘little extra’.
All over the world many valuable cargoes are shipped every day. Shipping a load of, say, televisions, from East Asia to North America is a long way, on ships, trains, and trucks. Now, it is possible for shippers to tuck a small GPS receiver into their cargo and know exactly where it is, how far it is from the destination, and where to find it if it is stolen.
GPS Hobbies
People have always liked searching for hidden things or participating in scavenger hunts. With GPS, comes the new twist: geocaching.
Geocachers hide a little treasure in a box public place, for example, a shoe box with a used book inside, taped under the seat of a bus stop. They then go to geocaching websites and post simple latitude and longitude, to as much accuracy as they like. Then other geocachers search for these boxes with their GPS data. The fun is looking for a strange box in what could be an area with a 25-foot radius. When the successful geocacher finds the box, he or she keeps the little treasure and replaces it with another, for the next searcher.
Technorati Tags: GeoCaching, GPS, Gps Recievers, Uncategorized
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What is GPS ?
Tuesday, February 20th, 2007 by TimGPS, or the Global Positioning System, is a satellite navigation system that provides positioning and clock time to the terrestrial user. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user’s position and display it on the unit’s electronic map. Today’s GPS receivers are extremely accurate, thanks to their parallel multi-channel design. It can be used as a hand-held, in a boat, or can be mounted under the windscreen of a car, or within the panel of a boat control station for practical route guidance. It can be hooked up to a 12volt supply. GPS is one of the most fantastic utilities ever devised by man.
Technorati Tags: GPS, GPS Device, GPS Tracking
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The GPS Wrist Watch
Monday, February 12th, 2007 by TimCasio first introduced the GPS wrist watch in 1999. GPS watches are now more commonplace and are made by quite a few different manufacturers, and at very reasonable prices. You get your hands on one of these new GPS watches for under $100.
You may ask yourself why you might need or want a GPS watch? Here are four reasons to purchase a GPS watch:
Training. Most people who buy a GPS watch buy it for training. It tells you exactly how far you have traveled and how fast. Some GPS watches also include an altimeter so that you can track your vertical performance as well. You mark your location at the beginning of your training session, and the GPS notes your starting point and time. At any time during your training session, you can reacquire data. The GPS notes where you are and how much time has lapsed, and the little tiny computer in the watch calculates how far you have gone and how fast your are traveling.
Many GPS watches have other performance components built into them, too, such as heart rate monitors. It is truly a marvel at what can be put inside something so unobtrusive as a watch.
Technorati Tags: GPS, GPS Device, GPS Wrist Watches
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PDA and GPS: Your Best Traveling Companions
Wednesday, February 7th, 2007 by TimWhen traveling in some uncharted places around the globe, it would be a good idea for you to bring along a PDA (personal digital assistant) and a GPS (Global Positioning System). The good thing about carrying a PDA and GPS on these trips is that that you could easily find the places you are going to. The PDA and GPS are two of the most important tools nowadays for people who are always on the go.
Taking your PDA and GPS on a Hiking and Trekking Adventure
If you are planning to go hiking and trekking in some rugged terrain for a couple of days you should bring along your PDA and GPS as you will need a GPS to help to navigate your course. With the GPS, you can easily trace your hiking trail and find out how far you have gone on your trip. Never for one moment be tempted to think that since you are going out for an adventure, you should go out there without bringing some gadgets like the PDA and GPS to help you out in some tricky situations. Note that it is always a good idea to be always prepared of any eventualities especially if you are going out alone in ht wilderness.
If you are a very busy person who needs to be kept abreast of all the things that are happening in the world even when you are out hiking in the wilderness, then there is all the more reason why you should bring along a PDA and GPS along. The PDA can keep you connected to the outside world and can help you get all the information that you will need for the day.
Packing Your PDA and GPS for the Trip
When packing you PDA and GPS for a trip to the wilderness, make sure that everything is in order before you set out. Check the batteries of the gadgets twice to make sure that they are working properly. If you will be out for a considerable period of time, it would be wise to bring along some extra batteries in case of you run out of batteries in the middle of nowhere. Remember that without any power source, you PDA and GPS will be virtually useless to you.
You should always remember that when packing your PDA and GPS in your backpack you should make sure that you put them is such a place where they will not be easily damaged. If fact, it would be wise to put these gadgets in a separate pocket.
