Technology has made our lives easier and is continuously finding ways to create and develop programs and applications that will automate systems and make humanity’s life better. One of the latest, useful, and helpful devices that technology introduced to us is the Global Positioning System or more commonly known by many with its abbreviation “GPS”. During the time of our ancestors, there was no device like GPS that will help them track of their position where to head and what directions they should take to get them where they want to be. To remember their tracks, they put up extreme measures such as building monumental landmarks, creating maps that are detailed, and reading the stars to guide them in their travel.

Gone are those days. You don’t need to wait for the stars or look for the landmarks all you need is a pocket-sized GPS to tell where your exact location is at the moment. With a clear sky view and a GPS receiver, getting lost will be the least of your worry. So how does this small device works out? While it may seem complicated, it is actually intuitive and simple with its fundamental concepts working. GPS is an assemblage of the 27 satellites the orbits the Earth. It was developed by the military which was initially for their navigation system and as time goes on, it was introduced to the public.

How does GPS work?

Each satellite circles the Earth at about 19,300 km rotating twice daily. The orbits are positioned and arranged in a way to ensure that there would be at least four visible satellites anytime anywhere in the sky. The GPS receiver function is to detect four or more of the satellites and compute each distance and use it to deduct the exact location. The mathematical principle involve in the operation is called trilateration.

Enduro Pro is the successor of the Enduro portable tracking device. This updated and enhanced device strikes and emphasizes balance on performance, size of device, and battery life. Today, it is considered as one of the most efficient tested world tracker. To enable consumers to make an informed decision in buying the device, here are the pros and cons of the Enduro Pro tracking device.

What are the Pros of getting an Enduro Pro?

1. Battery life is long. The standard life battery of Enduro Pro is 60 days. Moderate usage of the device will take an average of 2-3 weeks of battery usage.

2. Availability of location reports. The reports can be accessed through smartphone, cellphone, or web browser.

3. Water resistant. This device can operate in environment where temperatures are extreme and users need not worry when the device is accidentally submerged in water as it offers a water resistant feature.

4. Panic button can be configured. The device can send alerts via SMS text message or email on up to 8 contacts by configuring the panic button.

5. Manual adjust. Enduro Pro allows users to manually adjust location frequency update.

6. Other features. Equipped with alert/panic button, good GPS sensitivity, and flexible vehicle-related reporting options.

What are the cons of Enduro Pro?

1. Steep price. Aside from the monthly subscription of $49.95 for the service provided on unlimited tracking, one is also charged with a one-time set-up cost of $69.95. There is also a charge of $60 for viewing location reports if users will access through the optimized webpage of the smartphone/PDA.

2. Size. The Enduro Pro is slightly larger than its predecessor Enduro.

3. Protective flap. The cover of the Enduro Pro charging plus and USB is not that easy to open and close.

4. Configuration of alert/panic button. When users want to configure the panic/alert button, it cannot be done on the device itself but one must go through the Tracking the World server.

Global positioning system or GPS is a system that uses 24 satellites launched by the US Department of Defense. This system allows users to pinpoint their location using devices capable of receiving GPS signals. These signals are very useful especially in determining location and is largely unaffected by the earth’s weather.

In recent years, GPS has been increasingly more popular with people. One example of its popularity is its use in driving. GPS is definitely safer and more convenient to use while driving instead of a map. For instance, when people need to go on long drives, the GPS allows them to get to their destination using the shortest route possible. In addition, some GPS devices have services that include traffic information that would instruct drivers to avoid certain congested areas. For people who need to get to a specific place, all they have to do is plug in the location and the system would provide information to get to the place at the shortest time possible and they would no longer need to follow signs which may be confusing.

GPS is also a very convenient device especially for travelers who visit foreign places and countries. This is especially useful for those who are travelling to an unfamiliar place for business. With the information that GPS provides, they get to their meeting on time and not have to worry about getting lost. For those who travel for vacations or for hiking, GPS provides information such as rest areas and places where they could get food and gas. When you’re hiking for instance, there’s a lesser likelihood of getting lost because a GPS would inform you of your accurate position. Not only that, GPS also allows for calculation of speed and would even tell you the estimated time of arrival to your desired place based on your speed.

GPS or global positioning system, is a system created by the US Department of Defense to determine information such as exact location and speed. It is a system that utilizes a total of 27 satellites—24 of these satellites are currently being and the extra three are for backup in case one of the other working satellites fails. This system has been open fully operational since 1994 and is open for use by the public.

In order for a GPS receiver to determine the user’s location, it needs to get certain information from GPS satellites. A GPS receiver needs to calculate first the distance of the user from one satellite. The distance is calculated using the difference in the time that the satellite transmits the signal and the time the receiver receives that signal. Once that information has been calculated, the GPS receiver knows the actual distance from one satellite to the user. For instance, the distance that the receiver calculates is 676 miles. This information is still insufficient because the distance of 676 miles could be one of the many points of circle with a radius of 676 miles.

The receiver gets similar information from another satellite. If for example, the receiver’s calculated distance is 732 miles, the receiver now knows that the user’s location could possibly be one of two points where the circle of radius 732 miles and 676 miles intersect.

To pin point the exact location, the receiver needs to calculate the distance of the user with a third satellite. For example, if the calculated distance from the third satellite is 580 miles, the receiver can now triangulate the three distances, find the point where all three circles of radii 676 miles, 732 miles, and 580 miles meet. The point where all three distances meet is the location of the user.

The global positioning system is a navigational system that makes use of satellites launched by the government of the US to gain information regarding location anywhere in the Earth. Originally, this system was intended for use only for the military but during the 1980s, the use of the system became open to the public. The GPS is composed of 24 satellites placed into orbit around the Earth estimate at 12,000 miles above the Earth. They revolve around the Earth at an average of twice every 24 hours.

The satellites used for the global positioning system transmit their signal regardless of the weather conditions on the planet. A receiver wired for GPS take the information being sent by the satellite and used the signal to triangulate and determine said user’s exact location. In order to determine the location, the receiver makes a comparison between the time said signal was sent by the satellite and the time the receiver received the signal. The difference in the time allows the receiver to determine the distance from the receiver to the satellite. To determine the uer’s location, the receiver also calculates the time difference from the transmission of the signal and the time the receiver receives the signal from other satellites.

In order for a GPS receiver to determine a 2-dimensional position (the latitude and the longitude) and track movement along a flat surface, it has to be locked on the signal of at least 3 satellites. In order to determine a 3-dimensional position (the latitude and longitude plus the altitude), it has to be locked on to the signal of 4 or more satellites. After the position has been calculated, other information like the speed, track, distance to a destination, and other things can also be determined.