As you all are familiar, GPS- Global Positioning System helps the drivers to navigate on an foreign environment rightly find the destination. Now a new device has evolved to confuse the GPS signals received from the satellite, called GPS Jammers. The Jammers has been basically developed by the government for the military to purpose for spying and confusing their neighbors in finding their exact location. whereas non military citizens use Jammers in their vehicle to hide themselves from being tracked by GPS tracker. Many countries has made it illegal to use GPS Jammers for the use of public due to the possibility of misuse. In UK, it is illegal to use or sell GPS Jammers, although it is legal to import them.
GPS And Theives
Now GPS has gained popularity among the thief as criminal gangs has started importing from China to steal expensive vehicles carrying valuable loads. The trick being very simple, the thieves put radio signals at the same frequency of the GPS satellites which means a GPS sat nav equipped in the car, now find it difficult to detect the correct signal and confuse themselves. During 2005 when GPS systems were first introduced in trucks, the German drivers had used them for road charging. The robberies has also taken place in Russia where the Jammers has prevented the GPS system in contacting their owners, in case of emergency.
Effect Of GPS Jammers
Sat nav devices will be able to detect about four of 30 satellites that is orbiting about 20000 km above earth. By correlating all these minute signals, the sat nav calculates its own location within 1metre. The problem is that the satellite signals are very weak, as equivalent as arresting light output from a 25 watt bulb. Hence the jamming device without putting much effort can easily disrupt GPS receptions on earth. Jammers outputting just 2 watts has got the ability to confuse GPS satellites within few meter area. If this is the case of low output jammers, then imagine how high output Jammers could be powerful than the GPS signals at ground level!
The Fear
One of the biggest fear which is prevailing now among higher officials is that GPS jammers outputting about 20W could be used by the terrorist near airports to create complex confusions, which might lead to nations threat.
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