CS1100 - Introduction to Computers
Lab5–GPS Technology
Your Name ______
GPS is used extensively in navigation today. It is used in transportation, by the military, by hikers and many others. The purpose of this lab is to make you more familiar with this technology.
Directions:
1. In Netscape or other Web browser, go to . This company has a tutorial about GPS.Note: The animation feature does not work, because we do not have the latest Adobe Shockwave software installed – all questions below are from the text, not the animation. To go from one page to the next, click on the links on the left side of the page in sequence.
2. Click on “Trimble GPS Tutorial”on the right side of the page. Next click on What is GPSon the left side of the next page under All About GPS, and follow the links in sequence. As you go from page to page, answer the following questions. The questions are in the same order as presented in the tutorial. If you miss an answer, you may use the back arrow to go back to look for it.
3. GPS stands for the words ______.
4. How many satellites (total) make up the GPS system? ______
5. What is the basis for the GPS system? ______
6. How many points are required to determine a position? ______
7. What is the velocity (speed) of the radio signal? ______miles per second
8. What digital code is a fundamental part of GPS? ______
9. The distance to the satellite is computed by multiplying ______by ______.
10. What is the key to measuring the distance to the satellites? ______
11. What kind of clocks do the satellites have on board? ______
12. How many miles up in space are the satellites? ______
13. The GPS signal passes through the charged particles of the ______
(MORE ON BACK)
For steps 14 and 15, use a search engine on the Internet to find the information.
14. Until a few years ago, the government used Selective Availability (SA) with GPS. Find a definition of GPS Selective Availability by searching on the Internet, and answer the following questions.
What is Selective Availability? ______
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When was it removed? ______
15. Find a news article about the use of GPS in a particular application. Describe the article below.
Source of article: ______
Description:
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16. Find an ad for either a handheld or auto GPS receiver on the Internet. Some stores that sell GPS receivers are Best Buy, Target, Wal*Mart, sporting goods stores, etc.
What location (store) did you choose? ______
What is the price of the GPS receiver? ______
Describe some of the features of the receiver, such as accuracy, color or black & white screen, etc. ______
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17. What activity do you do in which GPS might be helpful?
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