OpenTube

The History of the GPS Receiver — The Military Technology That Found Its Way Into Every Car

Digital Relics

201,852 views

GPS began as a military technology designed to guide aircraft, ships, missiles, and soldiers with extraordinary precision. But over time, the same satellite system moved from classified defense projects into civilian hands—and eventually onto the dashboards of millions of cars.

This documentary explores the history of the GPS receiver, from Cold War navigation experiments and the creation of the GPS satellite network to handheld units, automotive navigation systems, and the technology that now powers smartphones, delivery fleets, aviation, and modern transportation.

Discover how a military navigation system became one of the most important technologies of everyday life.

20 Comments

@SADFORIAN 3 weeks ago

I still use a Garmin in my work truck since I like to keep my phone free for other things and the Garmin isn't prone to outside interruptions.

@hobonickel 10 days ago

I am a contract inspector for FEMA. I show up after a disaster and go to people's houses to record their damages. I rely on my Garmin GPS to get around. After a hurricane, cell towers may be damaged and cell service can be out for days. Street signs may be blown down or twisted around. My GPS works when cell phone navigation does not.

@formerfarmer1718 3 weeks ago

In 2005 I bought my first Garmin. It was a refurbished unit and I paid over $1,000 for it!! I still have it. I now own a self driving car. My first cell phone was called a “bag phone”. My plan was a flat 75 cents a minute. I’ve been there from the start.

@mapgeek6 8 days ago (edited)

Part of the motivation for turning off selective availability permanently was that scientists had managed to figure out how to cancel out the reduction in quality using differential corrections, to the point where good quality receivers could still get accuracy in the centimeter range. It made selective availability effectively pointless, so there wasn't really a reason to keep it enabled. Also, no GPS receiver communicates with ANY GPS satellite, something the video implies is a thing. The receivers do not send signals to the satellites, ever. It's just a receiver - it only listens.

@imjustsaying8244 3 weeks ago (edited)

One thing the video left out is that the gps satellite calculations had to adjust for Einstein’s theory of relativity which discovered that clocks run at different rates on earth verses clocks on the satellite, and without accounting for locations would be off by miles.

@ahpaw2014 1 month ago

In early 1980s, I was a higher mariner. Our ship still used sextant in mid day as well as Omega, Magnavox satellite navigator to verify our position.

@SimplySilas 4 weeks ago

A former boss who had been a third seat navigator during the war with Vietnam purchased a GPS receiver in 1992. He invited me to go to the rear parking lot to test it. We began near the gate and he began to enter new destinations in the parking lot that we walked to. In the end he entered the coordinates where we had began and we walked back to our point of origin. We were amazed.

@Roberto2468-2 10 days ago

I had a Garmin 100 GPS in my glider around the early 1990s and it transformed navigation. I think it cost about £800. I remember at the time someone told me that within 15 years they would be in every car, and it seemed very improbable.

@rocksnot952 2 weeks ago (edited)

Decca, Loran, and Omega were helping ships and aircraft navigate long before GPS, and they were ground based.

@RumboExtraño 8 days ago

Thanks for valuable information

@GoofballFlyer 2 weeks ago

First GPS was a 1990's Magellan air navigation handheld. It took 3-4 minutes to lock on to a position and had a very basic moving map. It was a revelation. Currently I fly aircraft with the Garmin G1000 system backed up by ForeFlight on an iPad AND an iPhone. And CarPlay? Honestly I cannot remember how I navigated without it. Well, sort of I can. I still had a Garmin Nuvi in my briefcase until recently.

@knowledgeckr786 1 month ago

I think we should learn using maps and compass techniques as well because as community we become used to new technologies but as students or people who wants to keep using their brains must know the Ideas behind these remarkable techniques.

@Kruser1400 12 days ago

I started using Garmin GPS systems in 1995 on my boat. Had a blank screen that needed you to program every point that you needed to navigate around. Since then I have used many different Garmin units in my cars and motorcycles. Today I still like Garmin better than phone gps. I create custom routes for most of my travels and send them to my gps as needed. So after over 30 years using gps I still prefer it over my phone.

@Whatiflab-k1x 2 weeks ago

These one is so incredible thank you for the video ❤

@DDYTFJB-wy9fb 3 weeks ago

A great video. It gives a quick explanation of the GPS system. Thank you.

@user-by5yj7wf3q 5 days ago

A unatentional consequence of the GPS system is that calibration labs worldwide can use the the atomic clock signals on the ground and don't need to purchase their own atomic clocks