Understanding Garmin rinex technology is one of the most confusing aspects of owning a Garmin GPS unit. This is especially true if you are an advanced user who wants to make use of the Rinex files for additional information.
For the basic user, the rinex files are taken care of with the software application that comes from Garmin for your car laptop GPS system or home desktop computer.
For the sake of simplicity, rinex is a file type. This file, a binary file that contains information taken from the satellite, is used by the software to gather data on your location. As it is a binary file, it needs to be accessed in a specific way in order to be useful.
To further understand Garmin rinex, you will need to have a good understanding of how the entire system works, with the inclusion of the Garmin GPS accessories that come with your GPS device. The base system, or your GPS device, communicates with one of the satellites in orbit of the earth. The satellite will reply with information that is stored in the rinex file.
The rinex file is then examined by the device, as well as by the software on your computer, where the information you need to make use of your device is put into a format that you can easily understand. As this can be rather complicated, working with the rinex file is better left to advanced users, or where you can receive instruction from a professional.