It appears that the author’s goal in writing this book is to make the basic operation and hardware of the Global Positioning System (GPS) understandable to a larger group than those actively working in this area. The author has simplified and unified the workings of the GPS very nicely, but he nevertheless expects his readers to have some knowledge of radio receivers, digital electronic circuits, algebra and trigonometry, so the book is not for everyone.
The first several chapters give a general overview of the component parts of the GPS—w hat each piece does and how they work together. The remainder of the book discusses in detail individual GPS systems beginning with the simplest and progressing to more complex ones. It concludes with the systems that are in use today. The book makes it very clear that time measurement and manipulation is what the GPS is all about.
Review by Albert C. Claus, physics department at Loyola University, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.