What is a Garmin Handheld GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite based navigation system made up of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Denfense. GPS was orignally intended for the military applications, but in the 1980's, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fee or setup charges to use GPS.
How it Works
GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and tranmit signal information to the 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, the distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map.