Want to buy a CAR GPS
SYSTEM?
Read the top guide on
CAR GPS Systems and
find what you're looking
for!
CAR GPS SYSTEMS part 1:
THE TOP RATED CAR GPS
SYSTEMS
To See PART 2: GPS SYSTEMS "THE WHOLE
STORY" look on the left hand side of this page.
If you ever find yourself stopping and asking
someone for directions, a GPS navigation system
could be your ideal travel partner. GPS systems
are
Very helpful because they can tell you precisely
how to get to your desired destination safely.
Consumer Reports just tested 15 portable travel
GPS systems to see which do the best job of
keeping you on track.2
The GPS navigation system can be
available to you 24 hours a day :
“Instead of having to write down
directions, reading while you're
driving, it tells you verbally which
way to turn so you never get lost.”
You can now get portable systems
that will work with any vehicle.
Consumer Reports just did a study
and tested 15 portable systems to
see which ones are the best of
breed. These systems range in
price from $350 all the way up to
$1,200. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
They attach to your car windshield
with suction cups. Their Testers
found some systems are much
harder to program than others.
“You need to tap on tiny keys on
the screen with a stylus,” said Tom
Mutchler of Consumer Reports.
“It's hard to do with the car parked,
much less for a passenger to do it
when the car is moving.” Others
make it much easier to input
information. Consumer Reports
says you should look for systems
that include a preloaded map of
the U.S. so you don't have to
download one from your computer.
Want to buy a Car GPS System?
You should also invest in GPS
systems that have the ability to
name streets. The system top
rated by Consumer Reports is the
Garmin Nuvi 350. It has easy to use
touch screen, and can name the
streets you're looking for. Testers
also like the Garmin Street Pilot i5.
It doesn't have a touch screen, but
it is easy to use and at around
$350, it'll get you where you're
going for a lot less. Consumer
Reports says both of the
recommended systems have an
added plus -- they're compact, so
they can easily fit in your luggage,
or into your glove compartment
when you're not using them. Want
to buy
a Car GPS System?
THE TOP FIVE CAR GPS
SYSTEMS
Garmin Nuvi 350
No bigger than a deck of cards, the
Garmin Nüvi 350 is more than just
another voice-guided GPS device,
packing in travel tools,
entertainment features, and good
performance; just be prepared to
pay a price.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, 5.1 oz,
External
Want to buy this Car GPS System?
Lowrance iWay 500c
With its big, colorful touch-screen
display, its extremely accurate
receiver, and its intuitive user
interface, the Lowrance iWay 500c
takes its rightful place at the head
of its class.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Automotive, Navigation
instructions, Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
Cobra NavOne 4500
Real-time traffic updates, highly
detailed maps, and a beautiful 5-
inch color touch screen give the
Cobra NavOne 4500 bragging
rights as one of the hottest
vehicle-navigation systems around.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, 1.3 lbs,
Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
TomTom GO 910
For early adopters, the TomTom
GO 910 is the GPS gadget du jour,
offering the latest and greatest in
portable navigation systems. That
said, we wish it had a better
mounting system and a more up-to-
date POI database.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, Warnings,
12 oz, Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
Magellan RoadMate 760
Magellan's RoadMate 760 delivers
a slew of new features that make
vehicle navigation easier than
ever before.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Marine, Personal, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, Verbal
signal(s), 13 oz, External Want to
buy
this Car GPS System?
Garmin StreetPilot i3
Don't let its diminutive size fool
you--the Garmin StreetPilot i series
is a powerful, feature-rich GPS
system with an extremely user-
friendly interface.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Automotive, Verbal signal(s),
Navigation instructions, Warnings,
5.3 oz, Built-in: Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
The top rated GPS systems is by
Bonnie C.
Go to Part 2 of 2: To find out: What is GPS? How
can it benefit you? The whole story! see part 2 on
the right hand side of this page
SYSTEM?
Read the top guide on
CAR GPS Systems and
find what you're looking
for!
CAR GPS SYSTEMS part 1:
THE TOP RATED CAR GPS
SYSTEMS
To See PART 2: GPS SYSTEMS "THE WHOLE
STORY" look on the left hand side of this page.
If you ever find yourself stopping and asking
someone for directions, a GPS navigation system
could be your ideal travel partner. GPS systems
are
Very helpful because they can tell you precisely
how to get to your desired destination safely.
Consumer Reports just tested 15 portable travel
GPS systems to see which do the best job of
keeping you on track.2
The GPS navigation system can be
available to you 24 hours a day :
“Instead of having to write down
directions, reading while you're
driving, it tells you verbally which
way to turn so you never get lost.”
You can now get portable systems
that will work with any vehicle.
Consumer Reports just did a study
and tested 15 portable systems to
see which ones are the best of
breed. These systems range in
price from $350 all the way up to
$1,200. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
They attach to your car windshield
with suction cups. Their Testers
found some systems are much
harder to program than others.
“You need to tap on tiny keys on
the screen with a stylus,” said Tom
Mutchler of Consumer Reports.
“It's hard to do with the car parked,
much less for a passenger to do it
when the car is moving.” Others
make it much easier to input
information. Consumer Reports
says you should look for systems
that include a preloaded map of
the U.S. so you don't have to
download one from your computer.
Want to buy a Car GPS System?
You should also invest in GPS
systems that have the ability to
name streets. The system top
rated by Consumer Reports is the
Garmin Nuvi 350. It has easy to use
touch screen, and can name the
streets you're looking for. Testers
also like the Garmin Street Pilot i5.
It doesn't have a touch screen, but
it is easy to use and at around
$350, it'll get you where you're
going for a lot less. Consumer
Reports says both of the
recommended systems have an
added plus -- they're compact, so
they can easily fit in your luggage,
or into your glove compartment
when you're not using them. Want
to buy
a Car GPS System?
THE TOP FIVE CAR GPS
SYSTEMS
Garmin Nuvi 350
No bigger than a deck of cards, the
Garmin Nüvi 350 is more than just
another voice-guided GPS device,
packing in travel tools,
entertainment features, and good
performance; just be prepared to
pay a price.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, 5.1 oz,
External
Want to buy this Car GPS System?
Lowrance iWay 500c
With its big, colorful touch-screen
display, its extremely accurate
receiver, and its intuitive user
interface, the Lowrance iWay 500c
takes its rightful place at the head
of its class.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Automotive, Navigation
instructions, Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
Cobra NavOne 4500
Real-time traffic updates, highly
detailed maps, and a beautiful 5-
inch color touch screen give the
Cobra NavOne 4500 bragging
rights as one of the hottest
vehicle-navigation systems around.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, 1.3 lbs,
Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
TomTom GO 910
For early adopters, the TomTom
GO 910 is the GPS gadget du jour,
offering the latest and greatest in
portable navigation systems. That
said, we wish it had a better
mounting system and a more up-to-
date POI database.
Specs: GPS receiver, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, Warnings,
12 oz, Built-in Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
Magellan RoadMate 760
Magellan's RoadMate 760 delivers
a slew of new features that make
vehicle navigation easier than
ever before.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Marine, Personal, Automotive,
Navigation instructions, Verbal
signal(s), 13 oz, External Want to
buy
this Car GPS System?
Garmin StreetPilot i3
Don't let its diminutive size fool
you--the Garmin StreetPilot i series
is a powerful, feature-rich GPS
system with an extremely user-
friendly interface.
Specs: GPS receiver, 12 channel,
Automotive, Verbal signal(s),
Navigation instructions, Warnings,
5.3 oz, Built-in: Want to buy
this Car GPS System?
The top rated GPS systems is by
Bonnie C.
Go to Part 2 of 2: To find out: What is GPS? How
can it benefit you? The whole story! see part 2 on
the right hand side of this page
SEE Part 1 of 2: To find out which car GPS
system is rated the best, see part 1 on the left
hand side of this page.
What is GPS? How can it benefit
you?
GPS SYSTEMS : Global
Positioning (satellite) System
GPS "THE WHOLE STORY"
The Global Positioning System
(GPS) is a space-based radio-
navigation system consisting of a
constellation of satellites and a
network of ground stations used
for monitoring and control. A
minimum of 24 GPS satellites orbit
the Earth at an altitude of
approximately 11,000 miles
providing users with accurate
information on position, velocity,
and time anywhere in the world.
GPS works in any weather
conditions, anywhere in the world,
24 hours a day. There are no
subscription fees or setup
charges to use GPS.
How it works
GPS satellites circle the earth
twice a day in a very precise orbit
and transmit signal information to
earth. GPS receivers take this
information and use triangulation
to calculate the user's exact
location. Essentially, the GPS
receiver compares the time a
signal was transmitted by a
satellite with the time it was
received. The time difference tells
the GPS receiver how far away the
satellite is. Now, with distance
measurements from a few more
satellites, the receiver can
determine the user's position and
display it on the unit's electronic
map. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
A GPS receiver must be locked on
to the signal of at least three
satellites to calculate a 2D position
(latitude and longitude) and track
movement. With four or more
satellites in view, the receiver can
determine the user's 3D position
(latitude, longitude and altitude).
Once the user's position has been
determined, the GPS unit can
calculate other information, such
as speed, bearing, track, trip
distance, distance to destination,
sunrise and sunset time and more.
How accurate is GPS?
Today's GPS receivers are
extremely accurate, thanks to their
parallel multi-channel design.
Garmin's 12 parallel channel
receivers are quick to lock onto
satellites when first turned on and
they maintain strong locks, even in
dense foliage or urban settings
with tall buildings. Certain
atmospheric factors and other
sources of error can affect the
accuracy of GPS receivers.
Garmin® GPS receivers are
accurate to within 15 meters on
average. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
Newer Garmin GPS receivers with
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation
System) capability can improve
accuracy to less than three meters
on average. No additional
equipment or fees are required to
take advantage of WAAS. Users
can also get better accuracy with
Differential GPS (DGPS), which
corrects GPS signals to within an
average of three to five meters.
The U.S. Coast Guard operates the
most common DGPS correction
service. This system consists of a
network of towers that receive
GPS signals and transmit a
corrected signal by beacon
transmitters. In order to get the
corrected signal, users must have
a differential beacon receiver and
beacon antenna in addition to their
GPS. The GPS satellite system
The 24 satellites that make up the
GPS space segment are orbiting
the earth about 12,000 miles above
us. They are constantly moving,
making two complete orbits in less
than 24 hours. These satellites are
travelling at speeds of roughly
7,000 miles an hour. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
GPS satellites are powered by
solar energy. They have backup
batteries onboard to keep them
running in the event of a solar
eclipse, when there's no solar
power. Small rocket boosters on
each satellite keep them flying in
the correct path.
History
GPS, formally known as the
Navstar Global Positioning System,
was initiated in 1973 to reduce the
proliferation of navigation aids. By
creating a system that overcame
the limitations of many existing
navigation systems, GPS became
attractive to a broad spectrum of
users worldwide. GPS has been
successful in virtually all
navigation applications, and
because its capabilities are
accessible using small,
inexpensive equipment, GPS is
being utilized in a wide variety of
applications across the globe.
Here are some other interesting
facts about the GPS satellites (also
called NAVSTAR, the official U.S.
Department of Defense name for
GPS):
· The first GPS satellite was
launched in 1978.
· A full constellation of 24
satellites was achieved in 1994.
· Each satellite is built to last
about 10 years. Replacements are
constantly being built and
launched into orbit.
· A GPS satellite weighs
approximately 2,000 pounds and is
about 17 feet across with the solar
panels extended.
· Transmitter power is only 50
watts or less.
What's the signal?
GPS satellites transmit two low
power radio signals, designated L1
and L2. Civilian GPS uses the L1
frequency of 1575.42 MHz in the
UHF band. The signals travel by
line of sight, meaning they will
pass through clouds, glass and
plastic but will not go through
most solid objects such as
buildings and mountains. Want to
buy
a Car GPS System?
A GPS signal contains three
different bits of information — a
pseudorandom code, ephemeris
data and almanac data. The
pseudorandom code is simply an I.
D. code that identifies which
satellite is transmitting
information. You can view this
number on your Garmin GPS unit's
satellite page, as it identifies
which satellites it's receiving.
Ephemeris data tells the GPS
receiver where each GPS satellite
should be at any time throughout
the day. Each satellite transmits
ephemeris data showing the
orbital information for that satellite
and for every other satellite in the
system.
Almanac data, which is constantly
transmitted by each satellite,
contains important information
about the status of the satellite
(healthy or unhealthy), current
date and time. This part of the
signal is essential for determining
a position. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
Who uses GPS? GPS has a variety
of applications on land, at sea and
in the air. Basically, GPS is usable
everywhere except where it's
impossible to receive the signal
such as inside most buildings, in
caves and other subterranean
locations, and underwater. The
most common airborne
applications are for navigation by
general aviation and commercial
aircraft. At sea, GPS is also
typically used for navigation by
recreational boaters, commercial
fishermen, and professional
mariners. Land-based applications
are more diverse. The scientific
community uses GPS for its
precision timing capability and
position information. Want to buy
a Car GPS System?
Surveyors use GPS for an
increasing portion of their work.
GPS offers cost savings by
drastically reducing setup time at
the survey site and providing
incredible accuracy. Basic survey
units, costing thousands of
dollars, can offer accuracies down
to one meter. More expensive
systems are available that can
provide accuracies to within a
centimeter.
Recreational uses of GPS are
almost as varied as the number of
recreational sports available. GPS
is popular among hikers, hunters,
snowmobilers, mountain bikers,
and cross-country skiers, just to
name a few. Anyone who needs to
keep track of where he or she is,
to find his or her way to a specified
location, or know what direction
and how fast he or she is going
can utilize the benefits of the
global positioning system. Want to
buy
a Car GPS System?
GPS is now commonplace in
automobiles as well. Some basic
systems are in place and provide
emergency roadside assistance at
the push of a button (by
transmitting your current position
to a dispatch center). More
sophisticated systems that show
your position on a street map are
also available. Currently these
systems allow a driver to keep
track of where he or she is and
suggest the best route to follow to
reach a designated location.
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site is updated
hourly.
Visit us daily to
get the best deals!