What Is GPS Satellite Tracking?

What the heck is GPS satellite tracking? Really!? We know satellite navigation for turn-by-turn directions while driving and GPS solutions for search and rescue operations are all awesome parts of the Global Positioning System web that have made life easier for all of us. But have you ever wondered just exactly how GPS tracking devices work? If so, this article will explain everything you need to know about satellite GPS tracking. As well as provide awesome facts and the real-world benefits of satellite GPS tech! Now, let’s first dive in with some basics when it comes to GPS operations and the top choice for the best satellite GPS tracker among Amazon buyers!

Related Content: 7 Best Portable GPS Trackers

Best Satellite GPS Tracker On Amazon

CLICK PHOTO FOR AMAZON PRICE! 

• #1 For Person Tracking 
• More Reliable Than Amateur Radio or Cell Phone
• Panic SOS Button Real Time Alerts
• Subscription Required 

According to Amazon reviews, Spot Trace X is the best overall GPS messenger and navigation device. Spot Trace is a 2-way satellite messenger that utilizes Bluetooth and realtime GPS to help protect you on your outdoor adventures. Perfect for hiking, camping, and asset tracking, Spot Trace X will allow you to communicate with the outside world via SOS protection. This means if you are ever lost or in danger, you can easily communicate with the outside world and get help. With 62% of Amazon verified buyers leaving this Global Positioning System GPS 5-stars on Amazon, Spot Trace X is easily the best GPS satellite tracker by online rating.

Spot Trace uses the Globalstar Satellite Network Coverage 

 

Basic Principles of GPS

When it comes to understanding GPS solutions there are 3 key concepts you need to understand:

1. GPS Satellites (Transmit Data)
2. Ground Stations
3. GPS Receivers

The GPS satellite network orbits our planet and transmits signals (low-level radio signals) that are used for locational GPS data. Ground stations then track the GPS satellites to verify locations to make sure information is accurate. Finally, GPS receivers utilize this information for applications related to everything from satellite navigation to spot-trace asset tracking. The most common form of GPS receivers you are probably familiar with is our handheld GPS units and smartphones.

15 Fun Facts GPS Satellite Tracking Devices

Through precision timing and radio navigation, GPS tracking devices provide pinpoint accurate GPS data that is helpful in navigation and tracking. The truth is, satellite GPS tracking has significantly improved all of our lives. Don’t believe us? Here are 20 awesome facts and benefits of satellite communication!

1. Sputnik 1 was the first satellite launched into space by Russia in 1957
2. Selective Availability was turned off by Bill Clinton in 2000
3. With Selective Availability off, GPS applications exploded in the consumer and business sectors
4. GPS devices are now commonly used for equipment tracking on construction sites
5. Spouses suspecting infidelity use GPS vehicle tracking to catch cheating partners
6. The navigation device app on your cell phone utilizes GPS data
7. GPS satellites travel approximately 20,000 kilometers above ground stations
8. Navstar was the original name for GPS and the first Navstar satellite was launched in 1978
9. Today, most people use their mobile phones for GPS navigation
10. Our GPS world was created for military applications and is still owned by the Department of Defense
11. Real time GPS is the #1 way you can recover a car and truck from theft
12. GPS asset trackers are used for everything from vehicle tracking to monitoring political signs
13. Satellite positions make a full orbit approximately every 100 minutes
14. Military GPS receivers use two frequencies, making them far more accurate than civilian GPS devices
15. Data from a car tracker was used as key evidence in a murder trial

Related Article: Best Magnet GPS Tracking For Vehicles 

Photo Credit: NASA Space Place

How GPS Satellite Tracking Works

GPS satellite tracking combines the use of global positioning satellite systems, GPS receivers, cellular data modules, wireless/cellular networks, personal computers, and the end-user to monitor position and location-based data. Satellite tracking can be either passive or active, meaning data is either recorded upon the GPS-enabled device’s internal memory or transmitted where the users can access it live in real-time.

Satellite GPS Frequently Asked Questions 

Do Other Countries Use GPS?

GPS satellite tracking combines the network of Department of Defense satellites orbiting the Earth every day and a GPS-enabled device to calculate the position and other location-based information. This information includes speed, stops made, time en route/departed, altitude, exact position, and more. After the Selective Availability Act increased the precision and accuracy of GPS receivers available to civilians, businesses and consumers began utilizing GPS technology for everything from fleet management to teen tracking for safe driving.

However, GPS is only one set of satellites within the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Here is 5 satellite navigation systems part of the GNSS you might not have heard of before that are used in countries outside of the United States:

• Galileo Satellite Network – European Union
• BeiDou Positioning System – China
• Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) – Russia
• Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) – Japan, Asia-Oceania
• Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) – India

What Special Licenses Or Permits Are Required?

After the United States government removed restrictions on the civilian use of GPS devices, GPS satellite tracking systems became accessible and available to everyone. The fading restrictions sparked a boom in the GPS navigation and tracking industry, creating a multi-billion dollar market. Therefore, anyone wanting to take advantage of the highly sophisticated technology does not need to acquire a permit or special license of any sort to use satellite-tracking technology!

GPS Satellite Trackers: How Accurate & Reliable Are They?

Both navigation and tracking devices are accurate up to 1-2 meters (6 feet). However, military-grade 2way satellite GPS systems are significantly more accurate. GPS navigation systems are usually installed in the vehicle and placed near the front windshield to acquire satellite signals. Since navigation units will always be placed in a location with a direct line of sight to the sky, they are purposely not engineered with a focus on antenna reception. However, GPS fleet tracking manufacturers place heavy emphasis on antenna design because of the covert nature of vehicle tracking applications. The end result is that GPS vehicle tracker systems are accurate and reliable in covert placement locations such as under the front/driver seat, glove box, and even underneath an automobile!

Can Satellite Trackers Be Difficult To Operate?

Realtime tracking devices are designed with the user experience (UI) in mind, making GPS messenger technology accessible to anyone. That includes parents wanting a realtime GPS for monitoring their teen driver to business partners wanting GPS units on company vehicles for auto theft security. GPS manufacturers such as BrickHouse Security, Global-Star Satellites, and our company, GPS Tracker Shop, have developed GPS devices with the end user in mind. This means creating portable GPS 2-way satellite messenger units and subscription-required asset trackers that can help you protect what matters most to you. How is this done? With web-based and software interfaces that are informative, intuitive, and engineered with a clean and simple display. Regardless, of whether you are using a GPS tracking app or a desktop application. More importantly, offering free technical support for the life of every product so you can secretly track a vehicle or asset!

How Many Satellites Does GPS Need To Work?

To work, your personal GPS tracker will need four satellites in order to determine your exact location. Three satellites are used for trilateration and the fourth is required to provide a fourth measurement that can correct any errors in the other three measurements. This also helps to improve the overall accuracy of the location. Pretty cool right? 

Our GPS system currently consists of a network of 31 satellites in orbit, with plans to add more in the future to improve coverage and performance. You can learn more about GPS satellites by clicking here.