Before long GPS will become almost as common as the telephone, or more likely included with every mobile phone.  GPS can determine positions accurate to a matter of.  In fact, amazingly with advanced equipment you can achieve measurements to better than a centimeter!

It’s just like assigning every square meter on the globe a unique address.  GPS receivers have become very economical as they have been miniaturized to just a few integrated circuits.  Nowadays days GPS is becoming integrated into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially  phone handsets.

Tracking cell phones is a active topic getting a lot of interest.   A lot of the discussion surrounding cell tracking, mobile GPS and mobile phone track software applications could be helped by a GPS Satellite primer and glossary.

GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System.   GPS satellites broadcast signals from medium earth orbit that GPS receivers use to provide three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time.  The GPS system is composed of 3 primary segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment. 

The GPS Space Segment incorporates twenty-four  to thirty-two satellites that orbit the earth at a height of about 12,000 miles.  These satellites are referred to as the GPS Constellation, and they make an orbit twice a day.  They are not geosynchronous, but rather move at over 7,000 mph.  They are solar powered but have battery backup for when they are in the earth’s shadow. They are placed so that there are at least 4 satellites ‘visible’ from any point on earth.  Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the correct path.   The satellites last about ten years until all their fuel runs out. 

GPS Satellites are not communications satellites.   Geostationary or communications satellites are at a much higher orbit of about 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 force of gravity and centrifugal forces are offset 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 earth-synchronous satellites need to move at about 7,000 mph to sustain position.  This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since geostationary satellites are 10,000 miles further away they don’t move relative to the earth. 

The GPS Control Segment is comprised of Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and a host of dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to ensure the satellites are functioning to specification and the data they beam down to earth is accurate. 

The GPS User Segment includes of GPS receivers  taking the shape of devices 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 work.  

GPS receivers compute location by precisely timing the signals sent 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 smartphone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation.  GPS cell tracking is usually related to someone keeping records of either real-time or historical cell phone  position, while Navigation deals with the handset  user figuring out how to get from point A to point B.  Neither use works without some kind of third-party software application.

A really great software package that includes  remote control of device settings, and combines Cell Phone Tracking  with SMS text message, Call Log,  MMS multi-media message monitoring, and a web account for storage and review is PhoneBeagle. 

Follow this link if you are interested in    Cell Phone Monitoring Software compatible with BlackBerry  and  Android  Smartphones, used or Parental Monitoring and Small Business Employee Monitoring .

Global Satellite System FAQ

Why does GPS receiver only work outside?
GPS satellites are orbiting such that from any point on earth there are a minimum four satellites visibile at any given time. Although the satellites use radio signals, the signal needs a clear of site to the receiver. Once the GPS satellite drops behind the horizon, or a building, or even heavy cloud cover, the radio signal may be lost.  

What do the satellites do?
Each satellite is broadcasting the time. Both the satellite and the GPS receiver use atomic clocks for extreme accuracy.  By comparing the difference between the time given by the satellite and the time in the GPS receiver, the GPS can calculate the distance from the satellite.

How do GPS satellites know their location?
The satellites keep position stored internally in calculated tables. But satellites can deviate off course over time. To make adjustments, the satellite communicates with ground stations positioned around the world. Whenever it touches base with the ground stations, the satellite adjusts its internal position tables.

Does a GPS receiver transmit information back to the satellite?
No, they don’t do that. GPS equipped mobile phones will transmit data but it isn’t going back to the satellite.

Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for  Mobile Phone Tracking

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