Is GPS all a scam?

GPS to my knowledge uses government satellites to calculate the position of the device. Originally, I thought it was like a cell phone, and the satellites cator to each device. But no, after searching on Wikipedia, I found out satellites give off the signal universally to all devices, and it is the devices that calculate where each person is, not the satellites relaying the message on a case by case basis. Since GPS manufacturers make GPS devices that mooch off of government satellites, why arn't the GPS devices like the new Garmin Nuvi 660 or whatever number it is cheaper? Come on over $500 retail for that? You can buy a more powerful processor on a computer for that price! What gives? And how come the government doesn't get royalities on each GPS sold cause they mooch off of the 750+ million dollars a year to operate satellites??? Is GPS all a scam?

 

uhh. duh.

the little tiny gps isn't going to be able to send signals out into space...

i dont know what you were thinking. it takes a freaking $750million/year to operate* satellite to send info from space to you. why would a $500 gps be able to send it back? how else would you expect it to work?

 

I assumed because GPS were so expensive, part of the cost was for the service... But NO!!!!!

 

i dont see what gave you that impression...

but thats ok. its not a scam. it performs the service that it advertises.

 

Faked! Just like the moon landings!

 

GPS manufacturers create products that mooch off of government satellites that TAXPAYERS pay for... Why are new GPS devices so expensive?

 

Very basic GPS recievers are dirt cheap, like 30-60 bucks. When you add on LCD's, memory, processors, roylaties for NAVTEQ, etc maps... the prices add up very quickly.

 

I think a good portion of the cost when you buy a full fledged GPS device goes towards the software and product development. (Development as in the design of the device.) I'd take a guess that the internal hardware won't be that big of a expense because you can buy just the GPS device, without any software for around $50-100 or so. But add on a screen, speakers, etc it adds up.

As for the government and GPS satellites, unless they encrypt the signals anyone can mooch those signals. So its a bit too late to try and collect royalty, unless they launch new GPS satellites or somehow rewire the current ones to be encrypted (fat chance).

Heh noticed dietcokefiend posted just a bit before I did.

 

Freekin awesome... Conspiracy theories, aluminum foil...hahahahaaa

 

The military sat's transmit different signals for unencrypted and encrypted signals. This was already put in from the start, under the name of Selective Availability. Can be turned on/off at will to put consumer receivers saying you are miles away from your actual location.

 

They cost a lot for two reasons. One supply/demand. Demand is high so they can charge a lot. The other is that GPS technology is actually pretty expensive. The cost depends on the technology it uses. The technologies are code-based and carrier-phase. Code-based is only accurate to 100ft and is what all the handhelds, cars, etc use. Carrier-phase is generally used only by engineers and surveyors. It requires the use of at least two receivers each costing upwards of $20,000. The accuracy of carrier phase depends on number satellites in view, time spent at a given point, and a few other things. Their accuracy can get down to 1cm. So infact your inaccurate GPS system is actually comparatively cheap…

 

Wow nice, learn something new every day. But thats gotta suck if that happens since lots of people use it all over the world now. Unless... can they target a specific area only? (Kind of doubt it)

 

They can do it for specific countries (think Iraq right now). Up until Bush came into office SA was in service from the Clinton administration. Use to be a 200 foot accuracy with it turned on, and now its as good as we can get not counting atmospheric distortion.

 

You can get a decent GPS receiver under $200.

 

Guess wat car issit... and guess who's fault issit.

 

I got a really nice unit a couple of years ago for $200. It all depends on what you're looking for and what you want to do with it. In my case, I just wanted one to show terrain contours, compass, points, and have the bread crumb feature. The unit I got had lots more features than that. Pretty cheap when you're life may depend on it. You read about people getting lost and dying of exposure every so often. If only they had had a gps unit.

That Garmin Nuvi 660 is a steal for $500. The thing plays mp3, color touch screen, maps your route for you, tells you when and where to turn, tells you when there's traffic up ahead. It practically drives the car for you!

 

GPS receivers are priced around $80-$100 every where, but usually the software are sold separately and will cost another $100. I am using a bluetooth GPS receiver with my Axim X30 (it's sad that Dell no longer sell Axim), and I'm very happy with the combo.