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Monday, April 13, 2009

Why is the Discount Garmin nuvi 760 GPS So Accurate?

By Selyna D.

Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are one of the hottest new technologies on the market today, and the discount Garmin nuvi 760 GPS is one of the hottest individual units available. The purpose of the GPS is to allow users to pinpoint their own location on the globe, to pinpoint other locations, and to provide directions from one point to another. The most common functions users perform are securing real-time driving directions between two points and locating points of interest.

The GPS consists of satellites and receivers. The 24 satellites send signals to the receivers on the ground, which calculate their own locations (with an average accuracy of within 15 meters). To plot a two-dimensional location (latitude and longitude), the receiver needs to be able to read signals from three satellites. With the information from four or more satellites, a three-dimensional location can be determined.

The satellites that comprise the Global Positioning System were originally designed by the U.S. government to provide navigational support for military efforts in widespread areas. In the 1980s, the government began allowing civilians to monitor the satellite signals. A wide variety of manufacturers offer GPS receivers today for the purpose of location identification. Some units, like the discount Garmin nuvi 760 GPS receiver, do much more than simply help the user pinpoint their location.

The satellites that make up the GPS make a complete orbit around the earth twice each day. Each travels a path that has been carefully plotted to enable the system to provide complete global coverage. While they travel, they send signals to the ground. The signals travel via a line of sight. This means that they can pass through things like glass and clouds, but not through solid objects like mountains or buildings.

The signals sent by the satellites are constantly being read by the receivers on the ground. The receivers compare the precise time they receive each satellite's signal to the time the signal left the satellite. This tells the receiver how far it is from the satellite. Using this information and the signals from other satellites, the receiver is able to determine its precise position on the globe.

Once the group of satellites and the receiver have calculated the receiver's precise location, they can also determine other things helpful to the user. These include the user's distance from their destination, time to destination, speed, and bearing. The discount Garmin nuvi 760 GPS is one receiver that can perform not only these functions, but others as well.

For 24 hours each day, the GPS satellites transmit their signals to the earth, regardless of the weather conditions. They are powered by solar panels and have battery packs for backup power when needed. As they travel in their orbit of approximately 12,000 miles above the earth, small rocket boosters attached to the satellites keep them on course.

There are, however, times when a satellite's signal is not as strong as it could be, making it difficult for the receiver to complete its calculations. One situation in which the signal can be degraded is when it is diverted off of a mountainside or a building. In this case, the signal's travel time to the receiver is affected, which negatively affect the distance calculations. Another situation that can be challenging is when the atomic clocks on the satellites and the less precise clock on the GPS receiver are not in synch. This can also affect the calculations the receiver performs.

The discount Garmin nuvi 760 GPS unit includes twelve channels that can read multiple satellite signals at the same time. This makes the unit highly accurate in pinpointing the user's location. The twelve channels also make it more likely that the receiver can retain signals in difficult environments like forests or cities with tall buildings.

GPS technology is certain to retain its popularity, and perhaps even to gain more popularity in the coming years. As the technology continues to evolve, GPS units will become more advanced as well, and new uses for it will be found. Stay tuned to see what happens next. - 21396

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