GPS Tracking Mysteries: What Is Elevation

One of the most remarkable effects of the technological revolution that has occurred over the last two decades is the ease with which we can now communicate with others in virtually any part of the world with the help of satellites.

In addition to person-to-person communication however, satellite technology and the Internet are also allowing us to quite literally keep our eyes on the farthest reaches of the globe, 24 hours a day.

This capability is driven by GPS, or Global Positioning System technology.

Originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, GPS is a satellite-based navigation system that allows you to locate a person or object equipped with GPS equipment virtually anywhere in the world. Amazingly, GPS bandwidth is provided for free, and it allows for remarkably accurate tracking--usually within an error range of only 100 meters.

The trick to employing GPS is getting your hands on equipment that can capture and deliver tracking information in a useful and customizable manner.

GPS data logger is passive tracking device. It is so called because it does not track in real time. It logs the tracking data within its internal memory, further processing can be done later offline by downloading data into some data tracking device/Intelligent device.

GPS devices can record the trace of your journey, auto-add GPS information on the photos taken on your journey, present it in 3rd dimension and export in multiple sharable file formats.

GPS data loggers provide coolest GPS tracking gadget while saving you extra expenses on other equipments. GPS device can record location/altitude data every x seconds, Google Earth/Google Maps provide visually stunning location reports, Location reports can be viewed from any web browser with Internet access in most of the data loggers. Modern data loggers work inside buildings, basements, movie theaters and they also come with the feature of Geo tagging pictures.

According to definition elevation is height above a fixed reference point. Mostly reference is geoid or Sea level so elevation in simple words will be height above mean sea level. Less commonly, elevation is measured using the center of the Earth as the reference point. Sometimes aircrafts use the height of field (height of field above sea level) as a reference. For example if an area elevation of an area is 1000ft above sea level and aircraft is flying 500 AGL (Above Ground Level) so its height above sea would be 1500ft

All these parameters like speed, latitude altitude and elevation. Elevation is measured using the center of the Earth as the reference point.

Longitude and elevation come handy in a smart small package known as GPS receivers and data loggers, so if you’re a travel junkie or just gadget lover you ought to have one.