The General Positioning System (GPS) tracking system is the latest breakthrough of the technology aiming at improving people’s lives. The GPS tracking system is reported to be used as a travel guide and as a tracking device of vehicles. No matter its application, GPS devices are good travelling companions.

The actual process of GPS tracking system is straightforward. In short, there are exactly 27 satellites rolling around the center of the Earth. Out of them, 24 are used by the GPS technology and the remaining ones are used for storage purposes. A GPS receiver installed in your car emits a signal to these satellites. Four available satellites will be used to find out your exact position. The mathematical tenet involves in this computing process is called trilateration. It can be achieved in either two dimensions or three dimensions.

Adverse weather conditions can affect the accuracy of the position. This issue is still to be addressed by GPS vendors as they are struggling to tweak their devices as a way around this problem.

Applications of GPS devices are twofold: the first one being as travelling guide as you can set your destination and the receiver will work out your location. It will also tell the best trajectory to reach your destination. It should be noted that some devices are able to talk as well. The GPS technology is also reported to be used in the military industry as it was first created for such purposes.

Another application of GPS devices is for tracking purposes. For instance a car company may decide to install GPS device in their cars in order to record their position all over the time. This can help them improving their delivery times and also increase their efficiency. An employer also can make use of this device to make sure that his employees are not abusing company car privileges.

Private investigators also make use of GPS tracking devices in order to keep track of cheating wives. Law enforcement also makes use of GPS devices to locate people who steal cars. Recent GPS devices are also able to report a driver’s habits therefore deciding if the driver is responsible enough to carry on.

The GPS tracking system is also a perfect way around home construction site thefts. Indeed, recent news from the Tennessee reveals that GPS tracking devices have helped identify a rash of construction site thefts where many thieves were used to nicking home appliances. A Tennessee police spokesman later on claims that these hard to break burglaries could be tracked down in less than 24 hours with suitable GPS tracking devices.

Still in the US, it is well known that some school buses are equipped with GPS tracking devices for emergency response purposes. Indeed, school buses equipped with the GPS tracking devices can be used to shuttle emergency responders such as fire fighters, and evacuate those in need, including nursing home residents.

In summary, GPS device applications are growing more and more over the time. There are mainly used for military and civilian purposes as we described in previous sections. It is nowadays commonplace to see GPS devices almost everywhere as we saw in the previous sections.



By: John B. Mayall

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Best GPS Systems Available

It has been ages since the military has been using GPS to monitor the enemy and ascertain locations that are important for their operations. GPS vehicle tracking technology is crucial to operations where the military needs to scout and locate places that will not be found on any major mapping devices.

GPS tracking is critical to the military as it can identify the type of vehicles used by the enemy and get their exact location within seconds. With this level of timely and detailed information, the chances of completing an operation successfully are very high.

GPS tracking systems are very beneficial to police officers, too. One of the reasons is because police officers can use GPS tracking to keep tab of suspects and fugitives. They can keep track of the location of the vehicle they are pursuing without being discovered by the suspects. Also, with GPS vehicle tracking, police officers can get to the perpetrator’s location without engaging in a dangerous high-speed pursuit through crowded neighborhoods and along busy highways. A GPS tracking device is a great tool for police enforcement in the event of lost or missing vehicles and their potentially expensive cargo.

GPS based vehicle tracking is also useful for ordinary folks like you and I. It can be used for personal and commercial use. In our high-tech world, this system has become one of the best inventions that assist us with our daily tasks. Almost all drivers are grateful for their GPS vehicle tracking systems. With the GPS tracking system, fleet owners and managers are now able to track their vehicles effectively. This is the main idea and rationale behind the GPS vehicle tracking system. When fleet owners and managers need to locate their employees and vehicles urgently, they can rely on the GPS tracking system to get the job done.

GPS Vehicle Tracking Has Additional Purposes

Many people who use a GPS system as a form of anti-theft device. Should there be any unauthorized movement of the vehicle, some of these devices may have the capability to disable the vehicle’s engine. With a GPS system installed in the vehicle, car owners can have piece of mind.

There are people who use GPS tracking to keep track of some important people in their lives or of their vehicles when they are not in town. Usually, parents will use GPS tracking to keep tab of their teenage kids should they attempt to drive the family car. Although it may seem like prying, in some cases, the caution is warranted.

GPS vehicle tracking technology offers all owners of vehicles peace of mind. Although this comes at a cost, in most cases the vehicles or the cargo they carry or the people they transport are worth every single cent paid for this technology.

A Variety Of GPS Tracking Systems For Different Needs

There are many different kinds of GPS vehicle tracking systems. Some are more suited for personal use; others for business users. Some examples of GPS vehicle tracking system are:

1) Wireless GPS tracking system

This system allows you to get quick and simple access to all the crucial information that you need. The footprint for this system can be extensive. The GPS tracking software delivers thorough fleet tracking and data reporting automatically.

2) Entry-level GPS tracking unit

The difference between a wireless GPS tracking system and an entry-level GPS tracking unit is that it is customized for fleets that have basic vehicle tracking needs, like vehicle location, speed, stops and route.

3) Advanced GPS tracking system

This system is equipped with “real time” tracking which is meant for larger company fleets which delivers detailed historical information.

Buying A GPS Vehicle Tracking System

It is not too difficult to find a retailer that provides GPS tracking systems and related services. Some retailers are better than others. The better ones have experts who actually use the products they sell and give expert advice regarding the features and functions of the devices that they sell. Others will have also quality customer services to handle any user queries regarding the products that they have purchased. Advanced Tracking Technologies, Inc. (ATTI) is one of the most popular places to such systems since they stock a wide range of different kinds of GPS vehicle tracking systems at reasonable prices. Moreover, they provide useful information on their different products and the most suitable ways to use them.

Some of the advantages experienced by companies with mobile fleets who use ATTI’s GPS tracking system product line include:

1) Aids them to reduce operating costs and also handle their mobile assets effectively.

2) They help to minimize increasing fleet expenses.

3) Increase fleet efficiency, decrease car and truck operating costs,

4) Decrease time taken at unauthorized locations and track the activities in a competent way.



By: Cindy Heller

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Best GPS Systems Reviewed

The GPS system is global navigation system introduced by the US military. The system provide navigation and positioning information anywhere on the face of the Earth. The GPS system also provides a highly accurate and precise time and frequency signal ideal for computer timing applications. The GPS system is a orbiting constellation of 24 satellites, each broadcasting time and position information around the globe.

This article describes how the GPS system can be used to provide an accurate time and frequency reference for NTP servers and computer network time synchronisation.

GPS timing information is continuously broadcast by each GPS satellite. GPS time is not affected by leap seconds. Therefore, GPS time is currently about 14 seconds ahead of UTC time. However, offset information is available to readily convert GPS time to UTC time, which is used in NTP server and computer time server systems.

Each GPS satellite transmits information as very low-power radio frequency transmission. Two frequencies are used, one for civilian use coded L1, and one for military use coded L2. The civilian L1 frequency is the most widely used and is transmitted at 1575 MHz. The broadcast GPS signal can easily penetrate less dense material such as plastic, but cannot penetrate higher density materials such as brick.

An antenna is utilised to boost the GPS signal and pass the signal along a coax cable. Ideally, a GPS antenna needs to have as good a view of the sky as possible to receive from as many satellites as possible. Ideally, it should be located outdoors on a rooftop with a good 360-degree un-obscured view of the sky.

GPS antenna systems transmit signals down a coax cable and are sensitive to coax quality and cable length. The coax type and antenna gain determines the cable length that can be utilised by a GPS antenna. Higher quality coax cable generally have much lower attenuation figures and hence provide much longer cable runs between the receiver and antenna. Typically, a low-quality coax can run to 20-30m, while a high quality coax can be used in excess of 100m cable runs. To increase these distances still further, a GPS amplifier can be used to amplify and boost the received GPS signal.

GPS timing systems also utilise a GPS receiver in order to decode the received GPS transmission and convert it to a computer readable format. The GPS receiver processes the transmitted GPS positioning information and provides a readable serial transmission as output. GPS NTP servers and computer time servers may also utilise a precise pulse per second output generated by the GPS receiver to provide ultra-precise timing. The pulse per second timing pulse on most receivers is accurate to within a few milliseconds of UTC.

To summarise, the GPS system is ideal for synchronising NTP server and computer time servers. Accuracies of a few hundred nanoseconds can be reasonably achieved with low-cost GPS receiving equipment.



By: David Evans

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Read Reviews of the Best GPS Systems Available

Has technology transformed humankind into omniscient beings? Know more about the powers you could acquire through systems . The Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system is a network of satellites orbiting the earth, which transmits location data back to earth ceaselessly. Using these data and GPS tracking devices, you can pinpoint any object on the earth. For example, GPS vehicle tracking system or GPS fleet tracking system can point out where your stolen vehicle is or where your ship sails at present.

Main uses of GPS technology are as follows: Location—The first and foremost palpable application of GPS system is the simple determination of a “position” or location; Navigation—The primary design of GPS tracking system was to provide navigation information for ships and planes; Tracking—With the accurate data provided by the system, monitoring mobile objects or people is not difficult task anymore; Mapping—GPS can help in creating maps and models of everything in the planet. Mapping the earth had never been an easier task; Timing—GPS satellites carry highly accurate atomic clocks, and GPS tracking devices here on the ground when synchronized with those in the satellites are themselves atomic accuracy clocks providing accurate time.

Benefits of GPS fleet tracking systems

Real-time GPS fleet tracking is used when there is a need for fleet management throughout the day or when your top priority is customer service. Using real-time vehicle tracking system, a dispatcher can locate the fleet is within minutes and redirect a driver to a new destination in the same area thereby saving time, energy and money. You can verify and optimize the productivity of your employees through GPS fleet tracking system.

By fixing GPS tracking devices to your vehicles, you can even monitor the driving habits of your children. As no location is too remote for GPS tracking system across the planet, a stolen car in a remote area is no more an object of mystery. Thus providing an effective anti theft system is now a reality. Disaster management and emergency services are very much dependent on GPS tracking system for location and timing capabilities in their life-saving missions.

Defects in GPS tracking system

The more satellites a GPS tracking device can read, the more precise the results you will get. Unfortunately a satellite signal is likely to slow down as it passes through rough weather. Signal reception can also be blocked by buildings, electronic interference, terrain and even foliage so GPS tracking systems cannot operate underwater or underground. Geometrical position of satellites play an important role in providing precise information a slight variation can produce inaccurate information. Finally as the saying goes “To err is human”; Man made wonders do have their black spots so errors also can occur when the satellite simply provides inaccurate information.

GPS technology now within your reach

Every invention is intended to benefit the humankind. It is the responsibility of the people to know and utilize these comforts. Service providers offer a wide range of products for civilian use. To avail this luxury, you need to approach a service provider who can offer you the kind of service you may need regarding GPS tracking system.



By: ken Rodge

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When you hear about General Positioning System (GPS) system, you should first consider the GPS receiver. It is the part of the device responsible of processing the signal sent by the satellite in the space to find out your actual location. The receiver is usually placed on the dashboard of your car or underneath it. It renders on a dedicated output device your screen your destination.

The entire GPS is a constellation of about 27 satellites rolling around the center of the Earth at a steady speed. Amongst these satellites, 24 of them are responsible of processing signals emitted by the receiver and the remaining satellites are used for storage purposes on case of an unplanned event. The GPS receiver is responsible of hooking up with satellites used for storage purposes and working out its position from that satellite by computing their distance. The mathematical tenet used for this purpose is named trilateration.

Trilateration can be achieved in two dimensions and also in three dimensions. The rationale of this mathematical principle is to work out a triangle where you are located at the center of it. As soon as the GPS receiver emits its position and makes a connection with other satellites, it immediately works out three nearest points and computes your position.

Three types of GPS receivers can be noticed: those which can be installed in a car, lightweight and mobile GPS receivers and tracking GPS receivers. It is obvious that portable receivers are a huge boon for outdoor activities.

Finally, it is good to know that the actual process of GPS receivers is a little bit more intricate than what was described in previous sections. However, throughout this article, although the main objective was to give a broad overview how they work in theory the next paragraph will delve into advanced details about GPS computations.

From previous sections, we learnt that the GPS receiver computes its distance to the nearest available satellites in space by noticing the time spent by the emission of a given signal from the receiver to the satellite. There are another category of GPS receivers that you have not mentioned throughout this article. In order to overcome the lack of precision of the traditional GPS receiver, differential GPS receivers were born. Their rationale is to estimate the level of GPS errors at a stationary receiver station with a location that was already computed before. Since the Differential GPS hardware at the station is already aware of its own location, it can work out its receiver’s level of errors in a straightforward way. The station then broadcasts a radio signal to all Differential GPS-equipped receivers in the nearby area, providing signal correction information for that area. In general, accessing this correction information makes Differential GPS receivers much more correct and precise than traditional GPS receivers.

The most essential function of a GPS receiver is to pick up the transmissions of at least four available satellites and combine the information in those transmissions with information in an electronic almanac, all in order to figure out the receiver’s position on Earth.



By: John B. Mayall

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Read Reviews of the Best GPS Systems Available