Development of the global satellite system for determination of the position – GPS, is accepted not only for navigation but also in various geological sciences. Possibility of calculating coordinates 24 hours a day regardless of the atmospheric effects and regardless of the unnecessary …….. between the points very quickly made GPS receivers useful and generally accepted field instrument.
GPS receivers are used more often, and they surprise us with the variety of tasks in which this system gives reliable results. Today GPS receivers, besides military needs, which was the basic intention for the production of the system, are used by geodesists, forest rangers, geologists, geophysicists, geographers, hydro geographers, agronomists, in brief, all professions to whom field work is necessary.
Besides expert and professional application in various sciences GPS found wide application in everyday civil life – different forms of transport (by land, water or air), sport (sailing, parachute jumping, mountaineering,…) and of course, building into the cars GPS as a navigation system.
The fast spreading of GPS application is followed by constant development of receivers. They are becoming smaller, faster and more reliable as well as cheaper, and that makes them more useful. Modern portable GPS receivers the size of a cellular phone have the possibility to simultaneously track up to 12 satellites making possible its application in areas where the receipt of the signals is not so good, e.g. in the forest, in narrow canyons and streets. Such devices calculate their first position in 1-2 minutes, and then every second they give newly calculated coordinates. Besides position GPS can calculate the speed (maximal, momentary and average speed), as well as the direction of movement. Almost all portable receivers make possible memorizing 500 and more points with geographical coordinate, time of data memorizing and comment (house, bridge, stream, etc) and 20 routes of 30 points. Memorized points can be transferred by cable into the computer for later processing.
New portable GPS devices have an integrated map of the certain area These displays can very from a simple drawing of the surroundings, that serves as assistance I orientation to a very detailed image of streets in towns or the coast with symbols for lighthouses, cables marinas, anchorages etc. More and more often in such receivers are integrated data bases of towns, places, streets, museums, hospitals, restaurants, etc. sorted according to certain subjects.
Using such a device is simple and almost automated. After turning it on and the receipt of the signal from four satellites the device calculates the first position (FIX) after that we can move on the imagined and planned route.
