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The Hidden Network of Remote Antennas Powering GPS
How does GPS actually work?
Millions of people use the Global Positioning System (GPS) every day without giving it a second thought. GPS has become such an integral part of modern life that few people can function without it. Yet, despite relying on it so heavily, only a few know exactly how GPS works. Most people can point skyward and say that it has something to do with satellites (which is true), but there is a lot more that goes into it than that. Without fixed points on the ground, the satellites in space would have nothing to reference when giving positional information.
The truth is that GPS uses a series of intricate controls and antennas located on remote military bases around the world. Without these control systems, GPS would cease to function. These systems interface with the satellite network orbiting the Earth to provide real time data on speed and location for points on the ground.
The whole GPS system hinges on four large ground-based antennas that hug the equator. These antennas are located in some of the most remote places on the planet, and few people even realize that they exist.
But where are these important antennas located, and how exactly do they work?
