How do GPS Jammers Operate

How does a GPS Jammer work and what are GPS jamming applications?

When you are presented with GPS jammer information, you may wonder what they are and what potential applications they have.

Prior to explaining GPS jammers themselves, it is best to explain how GPS works. GPS stands for Global Positioning System, which is a system used by individuals, commercial entities, and the military, mostly for navigational purposes.

This Global Positioning System uses a series of earth orbiting satellites that send out radio signals. The signals reach a GPS receiver to determine positioning via triangulation. GPS can be found in individual handheld units and cellular phones, vehicle navigational and positioning systems, and in small GPS tracking devices.

Through triangulation, which is a method in which three separate points are measured to calculate a location, position can be discovered. In a car’s navigation system, the vehicle location is measured by three satellites orbiting the earth. Using triangulation, GPS can deliver the location to the receiver with an accuracy of only inches.

GPS signals are radio signals use a specific frequency. There are actually two major frequencies that GPS works on, one of which is for public, non-military use (1575.42 MHz) and the other is used solely for the US military (1227.6 MHz). Since GPS is nothing more than weak radio waves, these waves can be jammed or distorted using a GPS jammer, though technical devices and expertise are needed for that purpose.

 

A Brief History of GPS Jammers

GPS jammers were initially created by the government, for military organizations and spy agencies. Uses include confusing the enemy on exact locations, or where the enemy GPS guided missiles or bombs will fall.

Recently civilians have sought out these gps jammer devices to insure their privacy in an ever increasing GPS tracked world.  However most civilians lack the technical capabilities to create their own home made device, as it is a bit more involved than just blocking a radio signal with basic radio interference.

There are a few civilian uses for jamming GPS signals, mostly privacy related, including the ability to conceal oneself or one’s vehicle in case it is being tracked by a GPS receiver.  A practical application would be a salesperson or delivery driver, that may wish to lunch outside their territory, or return home for a forgotten item, without having to do a lot of explaining due to GPS tracking on their vehicle. The range of most civilian GPS jammers is sufficient to cover even the largest of vehicles, giving the user a cloak of privacy.

We also offer GPS tracking detectors that can locate the tracking device signal being emitted.

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