Navigation and GPS Technology
Advancements in Technology Still Change Our Lives
Marine navigation has been an important driver in advancing our modern technology. Navigational improvements spin-off benefits to many other areas.
Navigation has changed dramatically since the days of John Harrison in the early 1700's. Mariners can locate their position anywhere on earth with a universal coordinate system that uses meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude. In 1710 there was a slight problem. While latitude was easily measured and fixed by the laws of nature, longitude shifted as a vessel wandered north or south. Mariners could not measure longitude in 1710.
By 1759, Englishman John Harrison had completed the seagoing H-4 timekeeper. It was a breakthrough in its day as big as the introduction of the fully operational NAVSTAR GPS satellite system in 1995. Being able to measure time at two different points on the ocean was Harrison's key to solving the riddle of longitude. With an H-4 timekeeper, a skipper could safely navigate to any point on the known globe. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel tells the compelling story of this navigational quest.
The NAVSTAR satellites that provide information to your GPS receiver are also dependent on accurate time keeping. NAVSTAR stands for Navigation Signal Timing And Ranging Global Positioning System. Your handheld GPS receiver can remarkably calculate distance measurements from four GPS satellites simultaneously to compute your exact time and position.
Use of GPS technology is now ubiquitous in our society. Vessels carry GPS chart plotters that contain complete digital charts of the ocean, dash mounted receivers direct drivers to an unfamiliar address, GPS receivers are found in Cellular phones and laptop computers, a hiker can use their GPS like a modern trail of bread crumbs to find their way into a new area to explore, or you could look for a geocach. GPS technology touches our lives and has had a significant impact on the quality of our outdoor experiences. Stay with us as we explore the many uses of GPS in Suite101's world of Outdoor Adventure.
