Satellite navigation isn't rocket science once you know how. Satellite Navigation was originally designed for military applications. The first satellite navigation system was Transit, a system deployed by the US military in the 1960s. For these reasons, a satellite navigation system is an essential asset for any aspiring military power. However due to the growing use of satellite navigation e.g. marine use, engineering use and the ever growing in car sat use the growth of satellite navigation for everyday applications is set to continue.
Accuracy
In general, the more satellites used the greater the positioning accuracy. Numerous errors can degrade the accuracy of a positioning. Therefore, the accuracy of the navigation solution depends on how the receiver compensates for the different error sources. This is largely dependent on how the manufacturers of satellite navigation systems implement the relevant decoding on their receivers. Most publicly available receivers have an accuracy if about 5-10 metres. However in built up areas where the signals from the satellites can be corrupted the accuracy can be a little worse. Given the military put the system in place you can be their accuracy will be a lot better than that seen by the public.
Position
Satellite navigation receivers reduce errors by using combinations of signals from multiple satellites and multiple correlators, and then using techniques such as Kalman filtering to combine the noisy, partial, and constantly changing data into a single estimate for position, time, and velocity. Three and four satellites are the minimum needed to determine positions on the surface of the Earth and above it. This is done from a global network of reference stations on the ground, whose positions are known to within centimetres. The best known is called differential satellite navigation, which uses a fixed receiver in a known position as a reference. GPS receivers, which use differential GPS, can have an accuracy error of less than 1 metre and even down to a few centimetres. This type of receiver is now commonly used in many civil engineering works.
How the public benefit from satellite navigation (Sat nav)
The explosion of sat nav usage is due to the low sat nav costs and how practical they are, especially if you are driving alone and you have no one to help map read. With more and more motorists venturing abroad in their cars the sat nav is an indispensable device to help them navigate around foreign countries. The latest sat nav systems also incorporate Traffic Congestion warnings and then work out an alternative route, with voice instructions, to help avoid a lengthy delay in traffic.
Conclusion
Satellite navigation is increasingly becoming a vital component of aircraft, ships and cars and Europe is concerned about relying entirely on the US system. The clearest of these is the fact that satellite navigation will become a fully redundant service for civil aviation users in the event of a satellite or system failure.
Sat Nav & Gps
Sat Nav devices are by far the most popular car accessory available these days. Sat nav's uncanny ability to help you sniff out an obscure location has made it one of the hottest selling items and with good reason. Sat Nav is a 'win win' situation for all road users and is set to banish two well known, if not always accurate, gender-based driver traits, namely that men would rather drive around lost before asking directions while women will never again feel their sense of direction is in doubt.
Navigation
Stay focused on the road and have your passengers take over the navigation with the help of a sat nav. Satellite Navigation Systems or GPS work by retrieving your exact location and traffic information from orbiting satellites and feeding the data to an in-built LCD screen. The calculated location is then presented on a detailed map so that you can track your movements en-route to your destination. Most sat nav models also come with a user selectable voice which tells the driver when to take a turn or warn them of any known problems such as a speed camera.
Speed
The latest sat navs often come laden with extras such as speed-trap locators or the ability to navigate by photos on their maps, but you don't necessarily need the bells and whistles. Although you should be aware that the camera locations can change and so you'll need to buy updates occasionally if you want to ensure you avoid any unwelcome points on your licence. Of course you could just drive at the speed limits! In a recent study of company car drivers covering over one million miles, it was found that drivers with a GPS safety device fitted to their vehicle were 50% less likely to have an accident and 74% less likely to have a speeding endorsement.
Price
From pocket money-priced covers that help make your sat nav unique, to high-quality cases, external antenna and GPS receivers that connect wirelessly to your PDA via Bluetooth, there's a great range of sat nav and other sat nav accessories available at reasonable prices. Competition is fierce, which means low prices, but also bewildering choice. No matter how modest or swish your tastes, there is a well-priced model to suit you. Well priced, and European maps are only ?40 more. Choosing between the two devices may well come down to price. Compare prices and products before you buy with a comparison shopping service. So expect to pay around ?100 for a decent sat nav model to over ?500 for a model which has speed trap warning or traffic jam information alert functions in-built.
Conclusion
Adding cheap sat nav is a great way of instantly upgrading your car and making journeys go more smoothly, safely, and economically. In fact you could also do your bit for the planet by using your sat nav to plan your long trips better and cut down on un-necessary 'lost' mileage which invariable happens when using a paper map.
Now is a great time to buy a sat nav as the competition is fierce so there are many great bargains to be had.
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