Soon GPS will become almost as common as the telephone, or more likely included with every phone handset.  GPS can determine positions accurate to a matter of.  In fact, amazingly with advanced forms of GPS it is possible to make measurements to less than a centimeter!

In a sense it’s like giving every square meter on earth its very own address.  GPS receivers have become very affordable through miniaturization to just a few integrated circuits.  These days GPS is incorporated into cars, boats, planes, construction equipment, movie making gear, farm machinery, laptop computers and especially  phone handsets.

Tracking mobile phones is a popular topic with a lot of interest.   Much of the discussion surrounding GPS tracking, mobile GPS and mobile phone tracking software programs would be more meaningful with a GPS Satellite primer and glossary.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System.   GPS satellites broadcast signals from space that GPS receivers use to calculate three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) plus precise time.  The GPS network is made up of 3 main segments: Space Segment, Control Segment and User Segment. 

The GPS Space Segment is composed of twenty-four  to thirty-two satellites that orbit the earth at a height of about 12,000 miles.  These satellites are also known as as the GPS Constellation, and they are orbiting 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 on the dark side of the earth. 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 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 use a higher altitude 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 position a communications satellite.   The earth rotates at about 1,000 miles an hour, and because of their high earth orbit the geo-synchronous satellites need to travel at about 7,000 mph to keep position.  This is approximately the same speed as GPS satellites, but since they satellites are 10,000 miles further away they stay in place relative to the earth. 

The GPS Control Segment incorporates Master Control Station, an Alternate Master Control Station, and numerous dedicated and shared Ground Antennas and Monitor Stations that work together to make sure the satellites are working to specification and the data they beam down to earth is accurate. 

The GPS User Segment includes 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 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). 

Keep in mind that there is a basic difference between cell phone GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation.  GPS mobile phone tracking is typically associated with someone keeping records of either real-time or historical cell phone  position, while Navigation deals with the mobile phone  user determining how to get from point A to point B.  Neither use works without some sort of third-party software application.

An impressive software package that includes  remote control of handset 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 Glossary of basic terminology.

The Global Positioning System consists of  24 GPS satellites, portable GPS receivers, and various ground-based support facilities.

The GPS receiver is typically a standalone handset  device or electronic unit mounted on a  vehicle dashboard or other movable item such as an ocean freight container, and now particularly common to be found inside  smartphones . Abbreviated “GPS” in common use.

Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for  Mobile GPS

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