| When the geographic position system (GPS) was | | | | to a new locale. It also has this issue when it |
| introduced to the public in 1983, the technology | | | | comes to brand new neighborhoods or |
| was rudimentary at best, showing very little but a | | | | communities. For instance, a completed subdivision |
| basic grid position on a small very screen. It was | | | | may not be imputed into the GPS navigational |
| also very expensive for the U.S. consumers, with | | | | database for several years. Friends and family |
| an average cost of around $400 dollars retail. At | | | | who try to visit people in this area could find that |
| the time, this was pretty steep for most | | | | the GPS will put them in the general location of |
| American buyers. This is perhaps why GPS | | | | the neighborhood but won't be able to get you |
| tracking did not find mainstream acceptance until | | | | directly there. |
| around 1996 when the price of the technology | | | | Inclement Weather Interference |
| went down. | | | | GPS tracking devices can also be affected by the |
| Still, it wouldn't be until 2005 that people embraced | | | | weather, which of course makes sense. Just as |
| the technology wholeheartedly. Today, nearly all | | | | Satellite TV dishes are affected by natural |
| modern vehicles offer some version of the GPS | | | | weather phenomenon like wind, rain or snow, GPS |
| Navigator. Most people can also now afford a | | | | units can be too for the same reason. When the |
| personal GPS system that helps them find their | | | | receivers that send information back and forth |
| way around town or instructs them of traffic | | | | are thus blocked, GPS navigation can be |
| hotspots to avoid. As we continue to make GPS | | | | compromised. |
| tracking technology increasingly advanced and | | | | Coastal and Elevated Areas |
| affordable, more and more users become reliant | | | | Mountain ranges, hills and coastal areas also have |
| on them, so we must ask if they are as | | | | a propensity to interfere with GPS readings. This |
| foolproof as we are often led to believe. | | | | is turn can make it give misinformation that will |
| Are Geographic Position Systems Infallible? | | | | leave you on a winding trail to no where. |
| First invented and used by the U.S. military, the | | | | A GPS Tracker is a handy tool, but consumers |
| GPS system utilizes satellites that send and | | | | should always keep in mind that all technology can |
| receive information to monitoring devices. It does | | | | have its flaws, and thus they should not rely |
| this by using longitude and latitude calculations (the | | | | solely on them. This is why all drivers, no matter |
| X and Y's of the global world), which in turn, aids | | | | if they have a GPS device with postal code map |
| drivers, hikers and bikers in locating target | | | | or not, should have a traditional map in their car. |
| destinations. | | | | When in doubt, the motorist can also call their |
| But is possible for our GPS navigators to mislead | | | | destination area to receive further info on |
| us or even get us lost? The answer to that is | | | | landmarks and turns that can help when their GPS |
| yes. There are a few reasons for this. | | | | tracker fails them. |
| Number one is the fact that many GPS trackers | | | | That said, the GPS navigator is primarily reliable |
| cannot easily factor in major changes in the | | | | and can make a fairly trustworthy companion for |
| roadways. This had made them lead some | | | | travelers who need a gentle nudge in the right |
| individuals towards construction areas and | | | | direction when heading towards unfamiliar |
| unfinished highways as they try to find their way | | | | territory. |