GPS = Global Positioning System

Provides Speeds, direction of movement, tracking of movement, celestial positions)

GPS Unit (Garmin Map 76 – CS, Ravi’s unit) provides base map of the unit – major cities, major rivers , water bodies, airport , rail routes

 Can upload tracked data to Google Earth Plus -

Requires minimum 3 GPS satellites- Uses Time triangulation concept.

Limitations -

Needs satellites LOS – at least 3 of them

Elevation not accurate at high speeds ( in planes)

Inside train/plane signal reception is week.

Special external antenna for car or non a/c tracking

Does not provide granular city maps.

Base map works only in APAC region

Application of GPS unit:

Tracking of movement

Rail fanning – Train speed, route tracking and recording

Analysis – More on this later.

Air fanning – Flight path tracking; mixed acceptance from pilots – some allow, some deny, some are hesitant to allow GPS on their planes.

Graphs

Speed on Y axis – distance on X – Axis – Train – 2314 - NDLS – SDAH Rajdhani – Graph shows speed V/s distance plot

Another graph on NZM – SBC Rajdhani from NGP to SBC. 

Analysis – Comparision of speeds by various trains on various sections. Faster speeds need not neccesarily translate to shorter travel times.

Track elavation graphs can also be plotted . Altitude on Y – Axis (Metres) & Distance (In Kms) on X – Axis.   Satellite view of MAS – SBC section (GPS view of the section uploaded on Google Earth)