GPS II

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The small GPS receiver GPS II of Garmin (Switzerland / USA) was around 1995 the first GPS - handset , which quite a few functions for map display had been measured by waypoints. On the display you could see the distance covered (as well as the further planned) in different scales.

Garmin GPS II, the first miniature receiver with map functions on the display. Here when looking for GPS satellites.

As one of the first miniaturized outdoor receivers, it already had a 12-channel receiver and was ready for use within a few seconds after being switched on. It was able to receive up to 8 satellites at the same time and automatically switched itself on to those with the best intersection conditions of the base lines . With careful treatment, such devices are still ready for use today (see photo from 2015), but can no longer receive the latest technological GPS satellites.

Despite the limited location accuracy of around ± 50m ( selective availability , pseudo-random noise up to May 2002), the receiver was used early on at several universities in geodetic-geotechnical projects, for example at the Technical University of Munich and the Technical University of Vienna . The latter held several user courses for geologists and geotechnicians, while for geodetic applications with the GPS II, the QGPS method for differential localization to a few meters was developed. Newer receivers and regional GPS services made meter accuracy available to a larger group of users from around 2000 onwards.

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