GPS and ERRORS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

GPS and ERRORS - Essay Example High cost receivers produce accuracy of 1 centimetre under dense clouds and forests. Still GPS receiver produce problems of signal generation, satellite communication and certain multiple problems still require solution. There are many features, which may be used to increase accuracy, but some times, it is more time consuming for the users. Now there is a point of concern that, it would be appropriate for the users to work with less stringent settings to save time and money and similarly gaining better accuracy. All the GPS related problems and solution to those problems are discussed in ensuing paragraphs. GPS works out position with the help of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. These satellites are operated by US department of Defence. These 24 satellites orbit earth twice a day and organized at six orbital planes that are inclined at 55 degree. Now there are clocks in receiver and satellite as well, used for calculating the distance and time that a signal takes to reach receiver. Different enhanced settings used by user help in increasing the time of a signal to reach receiver. Limited settings are the remedy to counter this problem for saving time in position calculation (Frank, 2011, 83) GPS faces two types of interference in the open; these are faced in ionosphere and troposphere. In this type of error, signals take long time to reach receiver because they have to pass through the charged particles and in troposphere, signals have to pass through moisture that is time taking. Signals travel at the speed of light in upper space but they get slower the moment they pass through ionosphere and troposphere. Force of sun creates the positive charged particles at the height of 80 to 400 Kilometres. These ions form layers in the ionosphere, which disturbs the flow of electromagnetic waves generated by satellites (Kennedy, 2010). Multiple errors occur when some amount of signals transmitted by satellite bounce back in the atmosphere before reaching a receiver.