Gps Mapping - A Whole New Way Of Looking At Things
ByThe Internet has opened up a whole new world for us - bringing places we may never normally see into full view right on our computer screen. Now, like never before, any computer user - regardless of where they are - has instant access to a location that may even be thousands of miles away. Web cams can broadcast live images in a matter of seconds and the Global Positioning System - or GPS - can pinpoint an address down to the street and house through GPS mapping.
GPS is a system of 24 satellites that continually circle the earth. The system as we know it today originally began in the 1960s as the United States Navy implemented a system to help submarines pinpoint their location. The United States Department of Defense - taking this initial work a step forward - designed and implemented GPS. The first satellite was launched in 1978. The 24 satellites of today were not all in operation until well into the 1990’s. Today, we can pinpoint any location based upon the signal of the satellite closest to the location.
GPS mapping was a natural byproduct of such advancements, allowing us to harness the information provided by the satellite system. GPS mapping can find an address and instantly bring you there; some footage is so crystal clear that you can see shrubbery in the front yard and cars in the street.
Specific websites will allow you to simply enter an address or point of reference and information is instantaneously gathered from satellites in space. In a matter of seconds, a photo image appears on our computer screen; it’s almost hard to believe.
Clearly, GPS has brought us into a new world of information; GPS mapping is only part of this process. It’s difficult to know what lies around the corner in the form of satellite information and what role GPS will play in our future. But the possibilities are endless.
Michelle Bery
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/gps-mapping-a-whole-new-way-of-looking-at-things-93277.html
8 Comments
February 21st, 2010 at 4:12 pm
England is basically just a big island. Can you see the whole thing in a couple days?
And if so, does it get boring? It just looks so small on the map. How large is it compared to say one of our states?
February 21st, 2010 at 10:14 pm
England, as you very well know, is not an island in itself, but part of an island called Great Britain.
And Great Britain may be an island, and we may be small compared to a lot of other countries and most of your States…but we are beautifully formed and packaged and you can’t buy that for love nor money!
Edit
People…this user is just trying to wind us up…don’t fall for it.
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Um no! It would take weeks to see the UK properly. Either stick to one particular region and concentrate on that for a week or take a month or so off work and do the whole lot. I think you’ll realise once you’re here what we mean!
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:18 pm
England is not ‘basically just a big island’ because England is not an island but part of Great Britain that is the Island and no you wont get bored nor can you see the whole of England in a couple of days.
Honestly, have you ever been somewhere that it only took you a couple of days to see the whole country? Be serious!
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:20 pm
If you’ve got a week to spare you could see the whole of Europe and maybe part of Africa as well.
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Many of the States in the USA are big swathes of nothing! You can drive for a day and not see anything or anyone. It has only a very short history. The history of the UK goes back to long before Christ and you could live here all your life and still never see all there is to see.
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:24 pm
The ‘big island’ as you call it is in fact three countries - England , Scotland and Wales - in land area it is quite close to the size of Oregon, but has much much more going on in it.
You couldn’t possibly get to see all there is to see in London in a couple of days, let alone all of Great Britain.
I think you would need maybe a couple of YEARS to see most of it - remember we have a much longer history than you, we can show you not only Roman buildings (some still being used) but also ancient British sites (ie Stonehenge) which pre-date Christianity. And it is most definitely NOT boring as every single part of it is different.
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February 21st, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Hi,
You are correct, Britain does look pretty small on the map especially when you compare it to the size of a large state such as Texas, however it is an extremely diverse place in terms of the variety of its geography and scenery.
For example Scotland which is the area at the very top has many mountainous regions, lochs which are like huge lakes and many beautiful islands off its coast. The Cotswolds by comparison which is a region in the central part of England is epitomized by gentle rolling hills and pictures of this area are often used as a stereotypical portrayal of what English countryside is like. There is Northumbria which has windswept moors and rugged countryside, Cumbria with its lakes, the South Coast with its chalk cliffs and pristine beaches, Wales with its mountains and valleys, and that is just the scenery.
Britain has a very involved history so there are many places of interest associated with this, from castles and manor houses to monuments and forts. There are vibrant cities such as London, Edinburgh and Manchester and chocolate box style villages such as Clovelly and Stow on the Wold. So in answer to your question, while you could physically get in a car and drive from one end to another in a couple of days, to really see Britain it is better to concentrate on visiting a few areas at a time.
For example many people visiting for the first time spend a few days in London and take day trips from there to places of interest such as Bath, Stonehenge, York and Canterbury. Perhaps on a second visit they may go and explore Wales or Scotland.
I hope this answers your question and I have included a link to some suggested itineraries if you plan to visit.
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http://www.visitbritain.us/things-to-see-and-do/itineraries/