Unit 017 - Global Positioning System Overview

1. About the main contributors

• author: Peter H. Dana, pdana@mail.utexas.edu, Department of Geography, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, 78712-1098

• editor: Kenneth E. Foote, k.foote@mail.utexas.edu, Department of Geography, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, 78712-1098

2. Details about the file

• current URL of file:
• http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/giscc/units/u017/u017.html
• unit title:
• Global Positioning System Overview
• unit key number:
• Unit 017

3. Key words

• GPS
• Global Positioning System
• Precise Positioning
• Navigation

4. Index words

• reference ellipsoid ("reference ellipsoid")
• geodetic datum ("geodetic datum")
• Cartesian coordinates ("Cartesian coordinates")
• Earth Centered, Earth Fixed Coordinates ("ECEF")

5. Prerequisite units

• 008 - Representing the Earth

6. Subsequent units

• 018 - Mapping the Earth
• 066 - Populating the GISystem
• 082 - Kinds of Geospatial Data
• 096 - Handling Uncertainty
• 136 - Making it Work

7. Revision history

• 28 August 1997. Converted from Geographer's Craft GPS Overview
• 10 February 1998. Module shortened to lecture length
• 19 March 1998. Additional revisions and corrections
• 14 May 1998. Revised after reviews
• 15 July 1998. Minor revisions.
• 7 July 2000. External links updated.
• 11 July 2000. Update on removal of selective availability added by author.