GPS (Global Positioning System) is a "global positioning system", or, in technical translation, - a "global coordinate system". The main interacting elements of GPS are 24 NavStar space satellites (launched and owned by the United States) and millions of receivers on the Earth's surface.
How the GPS system works is as follows: the receiver picks up a signal from 3 or more satellites, measures the signal transmission delay time from each of them and automatically calculates its location - geographical coordinates: latitude, longitude, and altitude above sea level. The processor of the device correlates these data with the electronic map loaded into the memory of the device. Thanks to this, the user sees on the display an image of a geographic map, on which a “point” is shown and moves - it is he himself with his GPS-receiver.
GPS receivers Is a group of electronic devices that are united by the presence of a special module for receiving signals from satellites. In terms of technical design, GPS devices can be different. Depending on the purpose, GPS navigators are automobile, sea, aviation, portable tourist, professional geodetic. There are so-called. GPS modules are devices containing only a receiver connected to a laptop or PDA. Often the GPS module is already integrated into the vehicle's multimedia system at the factory. Electronics with a built-in GPS-receiver are also produced: laptops, PDAs, cell phones, walkie-talkies.
Feature of car GPS navigators lies in the design of the device. Car GPS-navigators are usually a monoblock, like a small TV, which is placed on a bracket on a dashboard or suspended from a sun visor. Power supply - from the cigarette lighter or from its own battery. It is also worth mentioning the simplicity of the interface of car GPS navigators, specially optimized for controlling the GPS navigator while driving. Car GPS has a powerful processor that allows you to quickly and without delay after the movement of the car "redraw" and "move" the map on the display.
One of the characteristic functions of car GPS-navigators is the accompaniment of voice prompts and automatic routing with a description of options and road infrastructure.
However, this wonderful functionality is not yet available in Russia - all this begins to operate only in Europe and Scandinavia. The only exceptions are Moscow and the Moscow region, where routing and hints work (but, too, in a slightly unfinished form).
The reason for the lack of functionality of GPS navigators in Russia, in comparison with Europe, lies in electronic maps, or rather in their absence and insufficient detail. It is the maps that make it possible to implement the functions of a GPS navigator. For Russia, however, such maps have not yet been created in the required volume. On domestic maps, you can only see the types of roads and settlements. According to various sources, work is already underway and, possibly, fully functional Russian maps will appear soon.
GPS Navigator Accuracy, according to the manufacturers, determines the location with an accuracy of 3-5 m. However, a lot depends on the number of satellites that the GPS navigator “sees” and, again, on electronic maps. But in Russia, for civilian use, maps with a scale not larger than 1: 1000 are allowed, that is, 1 cm of a map - 1 km of terrain. In practice, this means that 100 m will be placed in 1 mm on the screen. For car travel, such a scale of maps and navigation accuracy are quite acceptable, because they drive a car for many hundreds of kilometers.
GPS navigators in Russia are completely legal, amateur GPS-receivers are not prohibited with us.
You do not need to register your GPS navigator. An amateur GPS navigator can be used without any permits. A license is required only for high-precision professional GPS equipment. However, it is too expensive, difficult to use, rather cumbersome and for an ordinary person, in principle, to nothing.
There is no subscription fee for using GPS navigation. After purchasing the device, its further use is absolutely free.
There are a lot of GPS equipment manufacturers. The brands presented on the Russian market include the Dutch TomTom, the American Garmin and Magellan, the Russian “Global Orient” (GPS modules) and the Taiwanese Novogo.
Cost of GPS navigators ranges from $ 300 to 700. The price of a GPS navigator is affected by its functionality. This is the amount of memory on which the number of loaded maps depends, the processor power, which is responsible for the speed and support of three-dimensional maps, the presence of a touch screen, Russification of the menu, support for voice prompts. In addition, the price depends on the manufacturer - for example, Taiwanese navigators are cheaper by about $ 50-100.
Electronic maps for GPS navigators are almost always sold in the same place as the GPS-navigators themselves. The Internet can become an additional source of purchase.
Is the car GPS navigator just a “toy for the advanced”? Speaking about Russia, the answer to this question is “yes” rather than “no”. But if you go from Moscow not to Vladivostok, but in the opposite direction - to Lisbon or Oslo, then the benefits, convenience and pleasure of a GPS navigator will be in full. Find out the best way to any city, choosing paid or not, find a place to stop, refuel, rest - the navigator will answer all these questions.
