GPS *r*

That would be "receiver"

My "r" stands for [recalculating}

Thanks, for the replies.

So........a little nitpicking.....if GPS stands for 'Global Positioning System', then is the 'receiver' part a little redundant?!

Just curious.....so when/where did the 'r' start?

I refer to it as Global Positioning Satellite receiver". I know it is a system, but it is easier for me to remember that it receives only, not transmit.

I rarely use the r, but the way I look at it is that GPS refers to the system as a whole (satellites, receivers, etc), and GPSr refers to your one part of the system, your receiver.

No because a "system" requires a transmitter (on the Satellite) and a receiver (what you mount in your car). Since your unit ONLY receives, it is the receiver end of the system. Dig?

PT

Ha ha!

Is funny because is true!

Mine sure recalculates a lot.

Most of us have GPS receivers, however, Garmin and others make GPS transceivers. The receive positions but report them to someone else. For example, police departments are using GPS to find the nearest available unit to dispatch. Truckers often have those mostly white disks on top of their rigs that receive position and report it to their dispatchers via a GPRt (transceiver).

Then there's more specialty GPS devices. Some have differential (corrective) signal receivers to increase accuracy. Some have links to other navigation devices like radar or sonar (for our aviation and maritime cousins).

Hope this helps.