U.S. Coast Guard GPS Navigation Center
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) is the foremost authority on all things GPS-related, and well they should be. NAVCEN coordinates, maintains and manages all navigation signals through several different programs, providing GPS users with accurate and reliable information.
The management of GPS is broad spectrum, ranging from military applications to civilian transportation, and requires a myriad of programs and agency coordination to run smoothly.
Among the many programs NAVCEN is tasked with are the radio-based national Long Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) system and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). NAVCEN also communicates with similar international agencies to ensure complete signal information is available to be transmitted to various GPS devices at any given time.
One of the center’s primary tasks is correcting the inaccuracies in GPS signals that occur in space from imperfect orbits or changes in the atmosphere so that the information you receive on your GPS device is accurate and reliable.
So the next time you don’t get lost while on that hike into the wilderness (provided you have your trusty GPS receiver), you’ll know who thank for it.
