GEOFIX

A constellation of 24 GPS satellites orbiting around the Earth provide their positions to any listening receivers on the Earth's surface (Moen et al., 1996). A minimum of three satellites is needed to get a 2D fix, while four satellites are required for a 3D fix, adding altitude. These orbits are organized such that at any given location a receiver should theoretically be able to communicate with a number of satellites. Locational error occurs when the position determined by the GPS receiver is different from the true location of that receiver, and is simply measured in meters (D'Eon et al., 2002).

By tracking where animals move researchers can assess variables such as habitat range, time of movement, and diet variation according to available vegetation, to name a few. The Yukon's Arctic Coast is a diverse area. The region is primarily a subarctic plateau interspersed by mountains (Wonders, 2011). The exception to this is the Arctic Coastal Plain, which is a band of land that slopes down to the Beaufort Sea from the British, Barn and Richardson mountains (Yukon Government, n.d.). Grizzly bears have a large range of movement in the Yukon's Arctic Coast. Moreover, due to the topographic complexity of this region, a GPS collar may not be able to detect a satellite signal depending on its location and the surroundings. This is a major concern for fix-rate bias, and therefore this study aims to understand which environmental factors within this area can contribute to fix rate bias.