My father loved maps. He would plot out our annual summer vacation with great delight. His sisters belonged to AAA so he would get a 'Trip-Tik" made and we would all follow the sights and scenery according to the Trip-Tik. Lovely info like: 'I-95...traversing primarily rolling woodlands, with pleasing scenery. Good grade and alignment.' Wow who knew that was I-95?
I still belong to the AAA (Mainly for that great battery charge and tire change service for the Mrs.). We go on a car trip about once a decade, but when we do I call the dutiful AAA agents and ask for the Trip-Tik. AAA last year went digital and now you can generate your own Trip-Tik online or just ask for one online. I've found the online information more accurate and, well duh!, easier to change. For example we are going up north this year so when I put the request in I said "Please keep us away from congestion and New York City." That fell on deaf ears and the Trip-Tik came in with tons of I-95 through Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Newark. Oh they did avoid NYC. On line it was simple to see that there is a route to the west that avoids all those cities (I-81).
This will also be our first big trip with our GPS. I haven't programmed the route yet, but Garmin lets you plot out your route with waypoints and stops. Any changes you make on route are automatically recalculated and off you go! So is this our last Trip-Tik? I'll let you know after the July trip! Bon Voyage!
Showing posts with label GPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GPS. Show all posts
Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, May 4, 2007
#63 - How does that GPS work?
So what is this GPS technology and how does it work?
The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a group of 24 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location. The location accuracy is anywhere from 100 to 10 meters for most equipment. Accuracy can be pinpointed to within one (1) meter with special military-approved equipment. GPS equipment is widely used in science and has now become sufficiently low-cost so that almost anyone can own a GPS receiver.
l The GPS is owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense but is available for general use around the world. Briefly, here's how it works:
l 21 GPS satellites and three spare satellites are in orbit at 10,600 miles above the Earth. The satellites are spaced so that from any point on Earth, four satellites will be above the horizon.
l Each satellite contains a computer, an atomic clock, and a radio. With an understanding of its own orbit and the clock, it continually broadcasts its changing position and time. (Once a day, each satellite checks its own sense of time and position with a ground station and makes any minor correction.)
l On the ground, any GPS receiver contains a computer that "triangulates" its own position by getting bearings from three of the four satellites. The result is provided in the form of a geographic position - longitude and latitude - to, for most receivers, within 100 meters. The more satellites that are used the higher the accuracy.
l If the receiver is also equipped with a display screen that shows a map, the position can be shown on the map using software.
l If a fourth satellite can be received, the receiver/computer can figure out the altitude as well as the geographic position.
lIf you are moving, your receiver may also be able to calculate your speed and direction of travel.
The GPS is being used in science to provide data that has never been available before in the quantity and degree of accuracy that the GPS makes possible. Scientists are using the GPS to measure the movement of the arctic ice sheets, the Earth's tectonic plates, and volcanic activity.
Not a bad technology at all.
The GPS (Global Positioning System) is a group of 24 well-spaced satellites that orbit the Earth and make it possible for people with ground receivers to pinpoint their geographic location. The location accuracy is anywhere from 100 to 10 meters for most equipment. Accuracy can be pinpointed to within one (1) meter with special military-approved equipment. GPS equipment is widely used in science and has now become sufficiently low-cost so that almost anyone can own a GPS receiver.
l The GPS is owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense but is available for general use around the world. Briefly, here's how it works:
l 21 GPS satellites and three spare satellites are in orbit at 10,600 miles above the Earth. The satellites are spaced so that from any point on Earth, four satellites will be above the horizon.
l Each satellite contains a computer, an atomic clock, and a radio. With an understanding of its own orbit and the clock, it continually broadcasts its changing position and time. (Once a day, each satellite checks its own sense of time and position with a ground station and makes any minor correction.)
l On the ground, any GPS receiver contains a computer that "triangulates" its own position by getting bearings from three of the four satellites. The result is provided in the form of a geographic position - longitude and latitude - to, for most receivers, within 100 meters. The more satellites that are used the higher the accuracy.
l If the receiver is also equipped with a display screen that shows a map, the position can be shown on the map using software.
l If a fourth satellite can be received, the receiver/computer can figure out the altitude as well as the geographic position.
lIf you are moving, your receiver may also be able to calculate your speed and direction of travel.
The GPS is being used in science to provide data that has never been available before in the quantity and degree of accuracy that the GPS makes possible. Scientists are using the GPS to measure the movement of the arctic ice sheets, the Earth's tectonic plates, and volcanic activity.
Not a bad technology at all.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
#62 - Big Brother in the Sky
Ah the power of the GPS! Since the technology of Global Positioning System (GPS) have shrunk to one chip, those chips have been ending up everywhere. We first saw them in General Motors Cars - The famous OnStar system uses GPS to locate where your car is. GPS chips are also in some cellular telephones and even watches that you can give your kids. Many companies are giving their employees cell phones that feed back to a company web site where the employees are.Now the city of New York is proposing to put GPS in all 13,000 city taxicabs. Of course the cabbies aren't real impressed. A manager could see where they take their breaks, when they take their breaks and the paths they use to deliver a client to his destination. The New York Fire Department is working with the Department of the Navy to develop a super GPS chip that can be placed on each of their fireman and in every fire department vehicle. The 9/11 tragedies of lost firemen have led to that effort.
We love our Garmin GPS that we use in the car. It is a one way GPS in that it can only receive signals not send them. So I can run around the Alleghany Highlands without being tracked. However I'm not sure whether my cell phone has a GPS so that may not be true. Police who use a cell phone's GPS to track a 911 caller can attest to its positive attributes. I haven't seen a criminal case where a perpetrator is tracked by his cell phone or car. But you know it will happen. To my knowledge there aren't any laws on the books yet regulating GPS usage.
So how soon will it be before we are all trackable? And will we allow the tracking to be legal? You can get an awful lot of personal information by knowing where a person is all the time. Big Brother is already watching some of the time.
Tomorrow we'll look at the technology behind GPS.
We love our Garmin GPS that we use in the car. It is a one way GPS in that it can only receive signals not send them. So I can run around the Alleghany Highlands without being tracked. However I'm not sure whether my cell phone has a GPS so that may not be true. Police who use a cell phone's GPS to track a 911 caller can attest to its positive attributes. I haven't seen a criminal case where a perpetrator is tracked by his cell phone or car. But you know it will happen. To my knowledge there aren't any laws on the books yet regulating GPS usage.
So how soon will it be before we are all trackable? And will we allow the tracking to be legal? You can get an awful lot of personal information by knowing where a person is all the time. Big Brother is already watching some of the time.
Tomorrow we'll look at the technology behind GPS.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
#17 Auto Technology
I went to the VT basketball game last night in Blacksburg (VT won!). Driving back I used two relatively new technology items for the car. I have a Garmin GPS receiver that also has XM satellite radio and an MP3 player build in.
Since purchasing the GPS receiver, both the Mrs. and I have become addicted to its features. It gives an estimate of what time you will arrive at your destination and lets you know when and where to turn. I find it extremely helpful in letting me know how far it is to the next turn. What I find interesting is that Auto manufacturers charge $3000 for the same system you can get for $500 from any store. The system you buy separately can be moved from car to car as opposed to the in dash version the car guys sell you. You would think the car people would make more money by being competitive for many sales then charge rip off pricing to just a few.
The other item I enjoy is XM radio. It just has many more options for listening then the 20 country stations offered in the Alleghany Highlands. I enjoy CNN news, ACC Basketball/football games and PGA tour golf. There is also a great clean comedy channel that brightens up a dreary afternoon. I see where XM may merge with Sirius (the other satellite radio provider). I believe it when it happens. Uncle Sam tends to not like monopolies that can charge what they want.
If you are thinking about either a GPS or Satellite radio, give me a call. You know I'm never short of an opinion!
Since purchasing the GPS receiver, both the Mrs. and I have become addicted to its features. It gives an estimate of what time you will arrive at your destination and lets you know when and where to turn. I find it extremely helpful in letting me know how far it is to the next turn. What I find interesting is that Auto manufacturers charge $3000 for the same system you can get for $500 from any store. The system you buy separately can be moved from car to car as opposed to the in dash version the car guys sell you. You would think the car people would make more money by being competitive for many sales then charge rip off pricing to just a few.
The other item I enjoy is XM radio. It just has many more options for listening then the 20 country stations offered in the Alleghany Highlands. I enjoy CNN news, ACC Basketball/football games and PGA tour golf. There is also a great clean comedy channel that brightens up a dreary afternoon. I see where XM may merge with Sirius (the other satellite radio provider). I believe it when it happens. Uncle Sam tends to not like monopolies that can charge what they want.
If you are thinking about either a GPS or Satellite radio, give me a call. You know I'm never short of an opinion!
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