Satellite signals
GPS satellite transmissions utilize direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) modulation. DSSS provides the structure for the transmission of ranging signal and essential navigation data such as satellite co-ordinates and health. The ranging signal are pseudo random noise (PRN) codes that binary phase shift key (BPSK) modulate the satellite carrier frequencies.
Each GPS satellite broadcasts two types of PRN ranging codes:
a "short" coarse/acquisition code (C/A)-code and
a "long" precision (P)-code
There is a basic frequency f0 = 10.23 Mhz. The satellite transmits at two different frequencies: L1 = 154f0 and L2 = 120f0
L1 frequency is modulated by the P-code, C/A-code and navigation message
L2 frequency is modulated by the P-code and navigation message
Chipping rate:
C/A-code has chipping rate of f0/10 (1540 carrier cycles per C/A code chip)
P-code has chipping rate of f0 (154 carrier cycles per C/A code chip)
The C/A code has 1-msec period and repeats constantly, whereas the P-code satellite transmission is 7-day sequence that repeats every midnight Saturday/Sunday.
There are Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Precision Positioning Service (PPS). P-code can be denied to SPS users if the anti-spoofing code is activated in the satellite vehicle. In that case, P-code is encrypted and known as Y-code. Y-code has same chipping rate as P-code.