Background and Identification
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. This technology is a satellite navigation device that receives signals from satellites in orbit around the Earth, and uses them to calculate the position of the GPS on Earth. The satellites for the GPS belong to the United States Department of Defense, and this technology was originally developed for military use. In the 1980s, the government released it for civilian use, sparking the rise of the GPS devices that are common today in many modern cars and phones. This technology is not perfect, however. In urban areas, the satellite signal can bounce off of structures or be blocked by a physical obstruction. If the GPS device is in contact with fewer than four satellites, it can’t properly calculate the position of the device. To combat this, GPS devices in phones can use nearby cell towers to help locate the device.
Magellan GPS devices are named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer who is famous for heading the expedition that would complete the first circumnavigation around the globe. These GPS devices can be installed into a vehicle, and they come in a wide range of applications, including off-road vehicles and municipal work. These guides can provide troubleshooting support for the following Magellan GPS devices:
- Magellan RoadMate 1200
- Magellan RoadMate 1440
- Magellan RoadMate 2120T-LM
- Magellan RoadMate 5120-LMTX
- Magellan RoadMate 5236T-LM
- Magellan RoadMate 5250T-LM
- Magellan RoadMate 5265T-LMB
- Magellan Roadmate 9055-LM