The Man Who Created GPS

[Selden]

Given the number of GPS users here, see this brief article from The Atlantic: The Man Who Created GPS. Who would have thought the technology dates back to 1974?

[Rougarou]

Interesting.

 

 

The very first GPS I used was a Trimble:

 

By the time the thing locked on to satellites, I was already frustrated. I could do a resection by the time that device gave me a 10-digit grid.

 

Anyway, they've come a loooong way from then.

[TyTass]

Thanks, Selden. Interesting article.

 

The first GPS I used, I used in a military aircraft. No not a pilot, but as a in-flight technican had to know how to operate, preflight, and troubeshoot all the avionics. Of course, military GPS is sort of a different animal, but they weren't so peachy keen at first either.

[smiller]

The fundamental concept behind GPS isn't that complicated but what wasn't so simple was implementing ground receivers in a way that was practical (in terms of size and cost) for widespread adoption. Enter modern electronics where a thumbnail-size 3-meter accurate DGPS receiver chipset can be had for a few bucks.... now that is amazing.

[Tri750]

About 3 years ago, I threw away my old Garmin Streetpilot 3 that I bought used for then, a chunk of money. I had it for a long while and at the time, it was magic.

The 89.00 Garmin Nuvi 200 smoked it in every way and I literally couldn't give the SP 3 away.