Mobile Spy Phone Glossary

Cell Phone GPS Basics Mobile Phone GPS Basics Soon GPS will become almost as basic as the telephone, or more likely included with every cell phone. GPS can determine locations accurate to a matter of. In fact, incredibly with advanced equipment it is possible to achieve measurements to better than a centimeter! In a sense it’s like giving every square meter on earth a unique address. GPS receivers have become extremely affordable as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits. Nowadays days GPS is incorporated into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially cell phones. Tracking mobile phones is a active topic with a lot of interest. Much of the discussion surrounding cell tracking, mobile GPS and cell phone tracker software programs could be helped by a GPS Satellite primer and glossary. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. GPS satellites broadcast signals from earth orbit that GPS receivers use to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time. The GPS network is made up of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment. The GPS Space Segment is comprised of twenty-four to thirty-two satellites that orbit the earth in medium earth orbit MEO. These satellites are also known as as the GPS Constellation, and they make an orbit twice a day. They are not parked over one spot, but rather move at over 7,000 mph. GPS satellites are solar powered but have battery reserve for when they are in the earth’s shadow. They are placed so that at any given time there are at least 4 satellites ‘visible’ from any point on earth. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them properly positioned. The satellites have a lifetime of about 10 years until all their fuel is exhausted. GPS Satellites are not communications satellites. Geostationary or communications satellites are parked in space 22,300 miles above the equator. These satellites are used for weather forecasting, satellite TV, satellite radio and most other types of global communications. At exactly 22,000 miles above the equator, the earth’s gravitational force and centrifugal forces are canceled and are in balance. This is the ideal location to place a communications satellite. The earth rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour, and because of their high earth orbit the geostationary satellites need to move at about 7,000 mph to maintain position. This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since communications satellites are 10,000 miles further away they stay in place relative to the earth. The GPS Control Segment made up of Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and numerous dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to ensure the satellites are functioning correctly and the data they send to earth is accurate. The GPS User Segment is comprised of of GPS receivers taking the shape of mobiles and , laptops, in-car navigation devices and hand-held tracking units along with the people that use them, and the software applications that make them function. GPS receivers compute position by precisely timing the signals transmitted by GPS satellites. This data includes the time the message was transmitted, precise orbital information (the ephemeris), and the general system health and rough orbits of all GPS satellites (the almanac). Consider that there is a basic difference between mobile phone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation. GPS cell phone tracking is usually related to someone keeping records of either real-time or historical handset location, while Navigation deals with the smartphone user determining how to get from point A to point B. Neither use works without some kind of third-party software program. Global Satellite System Glossary of basic terms. GPSThe Global Positioning System is made up of 24 GPS satellites, portable GPS receivers, and various ground-based support facilities. GPS receiverThe either a standalone handset device or electronic unit mounted on a automobile dashboard or other movable item such as a shipping container, and now particularly common to be included with phone handsets . Abbreviated “GPS” in common use. Global Satellite System FAQ Why does GPS receiver only work outside? GPS satellites are orbiting such that from any point on earth there are at least four satellites in site at all times. Although the satellites use radio signals, they needs a clear of site to the receiver. Once the GPS satellite slips below, or a building, or even heavy cloud cover, the radio signal may be lost. What do the satellites do? The GPS satellites are broadcasting the time. Both the satellite and the GPS receiver use atomic clocks for extreme accuracy. By measuring the difference between the time given by the satellite and the time in the GPS receiver, the GPS can calculate the distance between it and the satellite. How does the GPS satellite know where it is? The satellites keep position stored inside in calculated tables. But they can get off course over time. To make adjustments, the satellite communicates with fixed reference stations located around the globe. Whenever it touches base with the ground stations, the satellite adjusts its internal location tables. Does a GPS receiver transmit information back to the satellite? No, they don’t do that. GPS equipped cell phones will send data but not to the satellite.