GPS Info Page

Contents
This page provides a quick and easy reference for anyone interested in learning about the basics of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) . It covers the basics of the following: What is GPS and how does it work !ase stations to increase accurracy "eal#ti$e GPS %ni$al tracking &'(T)* GPS+ ,ehicle tracking &Truckbase GPS+ -a.or $anufacturers Sources of infor$ation

What is GPS and how does it work?

GPS is an acrony$ for Global Positioning System. GPS is a worldwide satellite navigation syste$ originally created by the /nited States 0epart$ent of 0efense beginning in the late 1234s. It consists of a high#orbit constellation of 56 satellites7 and their associated ground $onitoring syste$s. GPS uses these satellites7 or $ore precisely their signals7 to triangulate the location of a receiver and deter$ine its position on the earth. GPS uses the satellite signals to calculate the ranges to the various satellites within view of the receiver. The receiver calculates the range to each satellite by observing the length of ti$e the signal takes to reach the receiver and then $ultiplying this by the signal velocity &roughly the speed of light+. The signals consist of a pattern known as 8pseudo#rando$ code87 a co$ple9 binary code which could not possibly rese$ble any other signal in airwaves. Three satellites are required for the receiver to triangulate its position: a fourth is required to increase accuracy. The satellites have ato$ic clocks on board for accurate signal ti$ing. The receivers have less accurate clocks7 and so a fourth satellite is used to increase the accuracy of the location. GPS is an e9tre$ely useful technology. It has a $ultitude of diverse uses in location7 navigation7 tracking7 $apping and ti$ing7 a$ong others... GPS receivers $ay be larger7 fi9ed base station units or s$aller7 handheld units that $ay fit in your pocket.

Use of a base station for differential correction

Several things can happen to a GPS signal on its way to the receiver. %s it travels through space7 it is in a vacuu$ and travels at a constant speed &the speed of light+: this changes when it reaches the at$osphere. The speed of the signal varies as it hits electrical charges7 $oisture vapour and si$ilar obstacles which are constantly changing.

The signal can even bounce around on topography and structures &though $any syste$s can eli$inate these bad signals+. %nd the satellites the$selves $ay vary in their orbits slightly &known as 8ephe$eris8+. ;inally7 the /nited States 0epart$ent of 0efense distorts the signals so their accuracy $ay not be used against the$7 &selective availability+ although this is being phased out. ;ortunately7 so$ething called Differential GPS (DGPS) can alleviate the proble$. 0GPS uses two receivers # one $oving around &the navigating receiver+7 and a second 8base station8 receiver<trans$itter located at a known local reference point. The base station is located at a very accurately surveyed point. ;ro$ this point7 it $easures the errors in the inco$ing satellite signals by co$paring its actual location to that suggested by the satellites. The base station predicts the length of ti$e that the signal should take to reach it7 and co$pares this to the actual ti$e the signal took. !y taking the difference between the two signals7 the base station calculates a correction factor to co$pensate for the differential. This is then transfor$ed into a signal which is sent to the navigation receiver. In this way7 the errors are virtually eli$inated and the accuracy of the position is significantly increased. GPS accuracy can also be increased by altering the satellite signal fro$ code#phase to carrier phase. This can increase accuracy by using a higher frequency binary signal7 thus eli$inating so$e of the sloppiness inherent in a code#phase signal. So$e $anufacturers are now clai$ing $illi$etre accuracies with their equip$ent. %lthough it is possible to get this accurate7 you will get what you pay for. The average7 reasonably priced7 handheld unit $ay be accurate within a range of 14 to =4 $etres: using differential correction7 accuracies well under 14 $etres $ay be obtained.

Real-time GPS
Real-time GPS si$ply refers to the ability of GPS receivers to constantly $onitor their position in relation to the satellites and use this updated infor$ation to provide constant7 up#to#date location infor$ation to the user7 even when $oving around. This has $any applications in tracking and navigation &see below+.

Animal tracking - Lotek GPS

GPS has $any useful applications for professional resource $anagers. % significant advantage of GPS is its ability to track and $onitor one or $ore ani$als. 'otek>s GPS?1444 syste$s acco$plish this through the use of one or several ani$al collars7 along with a co$$and unit in a local network. The syste$ provides continuous ani$al location data7 accurate up to 14 $etres &using 0GPS+. %dditional data $ay also be trans$itted7 including te$perature7 activity7 etc. The syste$ even operates well in densely foliated forest canopies. Si$ilar syste$s e9ist for avian7 $arine and terrestrial applications. Interpolating the data into a Geographic Infor$ation Syste$ &GIS+ would provide the user with an

e9tre$ely powerful $anage$ent tool@

Vehicle tracking - r!ckbase GPS

%nother e9tre$ely useful application of GPS technology is vehicle $onitoring and tracking. (n of the leading $anufacturers of this equip$ent is Truckbase. Truckbase has two basic syste$s: T"%AS and Silvitracs. The T"%AS syste$ consists of an on#board hardware package7 including a GPS receiver7 $ounted on logging trucks and a central co$puter syste$ with T"%AS analysis software. The on#board truck hardware uses the GPS data to co$$pute vehicle speed7 position and bearing. This data $ay be updated as often as every second. 0ata fro$ the trucks .ourney can also be relayed to the central co$puter by transfer of a datacard. This allows the haul supervisor to review the entire .ourney and ensure it $et regulations7 etc.

The silvitracs syste$ uses a si$ilar syste$ to track and $onitor site preparation vehicles and activities. The syste$ can store data on a re$ovable card for up to one week. The data can then be transferred to a co$puter for post#operation analysis using the appropriate software. %dvantages include being able to locate $issed spots in a cutover during scarification7 use in planning7 $onitoring site prep contractors7 etc.

"a#or man!fact!rers
-agellan Satellite Bavigation and Ao$$unications Tri$ble Bavigation 'i$ited Sokkia Aorporation Gar$in Aorporation 'otek )ngineering Inc Truckbase

So!rces of $nformation
Tri$ble GPS Tutorial Gar$in GPS Info GPS World )Cine Introduction to GPS Truckbase Stuff Duestions or co$$ents Take a $o$ent to e$ail $e and tell $e what you think of

this web page@ This is $y first ever. It was created as part of an assign$ent for a GIS course under 0r. /lf "unesson at 'akehead /niversity. Bick !uda7 E!Sc; Ao#op Fear 57 'akehead /niversity