What is a GPS antenna?

A GPS antenna is a device that helps boost the reception signal to a GPS unit, whether it is a standalone unit or an embedded unit. Often a GPS antenna is used in a situation where the GPS unit itself is somehow removed from a line of sight to the sky, as in a car, to help the GPS “see” the sky without having to be moved. GPS antennae may be purchased for a range of budgets, or cheaper home versions can be made with fairly common components. GPS, or the Global Positioning System, is a satellite system originally developed by the United States Department of Defense. It utilizes more than two dozen satellites orbiting the Earth to allow receivers on the ground or in the sky to tell exactly where they are, by receiving heads off of multiple satellites. Using this location, devices can detect not just latitude and longitude, but also altitude, and even heading and speed. For years, GPS was reserved for military use in the United States, but following a directive by President Reagan in ...  more