The Benefit of a GPS System

What benefit will you get from GPS?

Global Positioning System is a navigational aid, funded and controlled by the U.S. Department of Defense. Since GPS systems utilize 24 satellites that orbit the earth in a grid pattern, there are always six to eight satellites that are able to communicate with any given position on earth at any given time. What this does is give the average consumer the power to find any place on earth at any time day or night. Just think of the benefits this provides for a wide variety of the public.

Some of the benefits we might receive from GPS are:

Fuel economy: If you want to maximize your fuel economy you'll need a good GPS system. Saving money at the pump as well as wear and tear on your vehicle should be one of the main reasons why you would want a good GPS system in your vehicle. Accurate driving directions not only will save you time in your daily travels, but also will save you substantial gas money when travelling from place to place. This is especially important for delivery and courier services.

Travel directions: Utilizing a GPS system will give you accurate directions for travel. Weather you are travelling locally, across country, or globally, you will get accurate direction and constant monitoring of your current position. I wouldn't think of taking another family vacation without a GPS system in my vehicle.

Recreation: Weather you are camping, or hiking, a hand held GPS unit will benefit you. I can't imagine going camping in the middle of the woods and not being able to find my way out. The news is filled with daily reports of people (or kids) that go hiking in the woods or the desert, and can't find their way back home or to their campsite. A GPS unit is the answer for these people.

Maritime: If you have ever watched one of the popular fishing shows on T.V., or are a fisherman or sailor yourself, then you know how a GPS unit will benefit you. Getting lost at sea or on a large lake would not be fun. The other side of the coin is the fisherman, say there is a great hotspot on any given lake in the world, that specific spot can be saved in your GPS system and found again at any time. This could be beneficial to the recreational or professional fisherman.

Tracking: If you run a courier business, rental business, or just plain delivery service, and need to keep track of several vehicles, then GPS is what you need. Keeping track of your vehicles will keep your overhead down. The other end of tracking is keeping track of a family member or child, a GPS tracking system will aid in your efforts.

Source: Donald Buske

Top Tips for Successful BackCountry Navigation

As an outdoor enthusiast you will at some point make a decision to learn how to navigate in the backcountry. Whether you use a map, compass, GPS receiver or all three, there are several things you should know about successful navigation. Your safety and the safety of your companions depend upon it.

Backcountry activities such as hiking, orienteering, hunting, climbing, geocaching, fishing, four-wheeling and camping are all loads of fun - until you get lost. That’s why you should know how to navigate. But navigation doesn’t start when you find yourself hopelessly lost. Navigation begins BEFORE your adventure begins so that you don’t place yourself in harm’s way. Let’s take a look at the top tips for successful off road navigation.

The first group of tips pertains to getting ready to go:

• Prepare your body.
  I cannot overstate the necessity for proper preparation. If you are not in good physical condition when you begin your adventure, you are placing yourself in danger. No matter what your current physical conditioning is - improve it before you start. An exhausted body will negate any acquired navigational skills.
• Prepare your mind.
  If you are using tools, and you should be, such as a map, a compass or a GPS Unit make sure you know how to use them. In order of priority: Maps are most important to understand and use, proper use of a magnetic needle compass is next and finally a GPS unit. Do not rely solely on your GPS. GPS’s only work well when you’re moving and they don’t work at all with dead batteries. Take a class on using your compass with a map. It is not only interesting, it is also a required life skill for the outdoor enthusiast.
• Have a plan and tell someone about it.
  Whenever you go into the vast backcountry, be sure to tell someone back home where you plan on going, how you plan on getting there and when you’ll be back. If you break your leg, it would be nice if help could find you.

Now that you are a prepared navigator, you’re ready to go. Here are the remaining tips:

• Trust your compass.
  Many people get lost by trusting their “instincts” instead of their compass.
  Always orient your map to the landscape.
  The best way to do this is to orient North on the map with the North bearing on your compass. I also face north when making directional decisions off of a map. A miss-oriented map can easily lead to confusion.
• Be sure of your Declination.
  The difference between True North and magnetic north is called your declination. This is critical for accurate compass use. If you don’t understand declination, you weren’t paying attention in your map/compass class. If your map is fairly new, use the declination value on the map and adjust your compass as required. If your map is older than 5 years…you’re not very well prepared. Most modern GPS Units calculate the declination value for you. This value should match the value on your map.
• Always measure for yourself.
  You’ve prepared for your trip, now you should use what you learned. Bearing (direction of travel) and distance (number of steps or lapsed time) are the two most important measurements to you when traveling in the backcountry. Always measure for yourself, do not rely on anyone else for this. If your partner comes up with something different, sort it out. If you come up with the same thing as your partner, then move on in confidence.
• Never travel at night.
  Although a star lit sky can offer accurate navigational data, traveling at night is risky. Only experienced travelers should travel after dark. The major risk of traveling at night is injury. It is difficult to judge “footfall” distances and terrain in the dark.
• Keep a log book.
  If you are traveling from station to station (map feature to map feature) keep a written log of the bearing and distance decisions you’ve made. This will aid you in recovering from navigational errors and will also aid you in returning to a known location.
• If you think you’re lost S.T.O.P.
  Oftentimes admitting you are lost is the toughest thing to do. It is also the most important thing you can do. Once you’re lost, Sit, Think, Observe and Plan. S.T.O.P. will save you.

Some final thoughts:

• It’s OK to write on your map.
• You should know how many steps you take to travel 100 yards. Write this number down on your map and in your log book.
• When a new land feature presents itself to you, compare it to your map.
• Keep your compass hanging around your neck, not in your pack.
• Never use your compass on the hood of your car or truck. Compass accuracy is adversely effected by metal objects.
• Always travel with extra batteries for your GPS.
• Pay attention to natural and manmade features such as fence lines, power lines, railroad tracks, ridges, valleys and rivers.
• Backcountry activities are fun…until you get lost. That’s why you should know how to navigate. Take a map reading class, read an orienteering book and practice. Like most life skills, navigating in the backcountry is easy to learn. Get Outdoors!

Source: Chuck Fitzgerald www.BackCountryToys.com

GPS: Purchasing Decision

Trying to decide which GPS unit and accessories to get could be overwhelming, especially with the number of choices on the market today. Think about what you mainly want to use the unit for: driving, boating, flying, diving, hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, etc. Since all GPS units can show your position and basic navigation information, an inexpensive entry-level unit can be a great way to enter the world of GPS navigation. All Garmin GPS units also have a backlight feature which will allow you to use your GPS both day and night. Choosing a unit with more features, as mapping detail, can provide an entirely new level of position awareness and navigation capability, while still being easy to operate.

Consider these issues when selecting a GPS unit:

Battery life – If you are going to using the unit away from an auxiliary power source, consider the weight of carrying extra batteries. Units with color displays tend to have decreases battery life compared to grayscale displays, requiring more frequent battery changes.

Size and Weight – GPS units are available in an array of different sizes and shape: small lightweight handhelds, large display chartplotters and panel mounted aviation models.

Antenna Configuration – Are you going to be using the unit mainly in open area? How about in the car? Whether you need a unit with a build-in antenna and the capacity to attach an external antenna, a fixed mount unit with mountable external antenna, or an aviation antenna.

DGPS Capability – Do you need the best accuracy possible? If so, combining a Differential GPS (DGPS) receiver with your GPS unit will give you the best accuracy possible. However, in my experience most of the GPS first time user no need this capability.

Price – What type of unit fit your price range?

Source: modified from Garmin Tips

Garmin GPS10

I have been used Garmin GPS10 for 3 years and pairing with Ipaq 5500 PDA via bluethooth, both gadget have been out of date, however I still use both equipments as a back-up. Three years ago somebody sell a secondhand GPS10 in superb condition and cost me less than US$ 100, then I paired the GPS10 with my Ipaq which is have 3.8” screen, sometimes I paired the GPS with my notebook.

Garmin jumps on the wireless bandwagon with its GPS 10 Deluxe, a GPS receiver that communicates with Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PCs and PC laptops to allow easy, intuitive navigating. Unlike GPS devices with built-in screens, the GPS 10 Deluxe displays its mapping and navigational data on your mobile computer's monitor, ensuring superior close-up detail, more memory storage, and faster operation than with traditional navigators. And because it's wireless, users won't have to futz with cumbersome cables that get in the way each time they need to move the laptop or reposition the receiver. The cable-free solution is ideal for cars and trucks, as the device installs via the included magnetic or Velcro mounts, or even outside the vehicle should users need a clear path to the satellites. The magnet is strong enough to stick the GPS to a metal surface like vehicle roof. It's also waterproof, so it can withstand nasty weather and poor conditions.

The GPS 10 Deluxe comes with a fully unlocked MapSource City Select North America CD, which includes detailed maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, with more than five million points of interest and intensive street-level map data. In addition, the package boasts two easy-to-use navigation applications: nRoute, which installs on a Bluetooth-enabled laptop, and Que, a Pocket PC program. Garmin also released a newer version pf Pocket PC software: Garmin Mobile XT, you can download this software from Garmin site. The applications turn both mobile devices into fully functioning navigators. Users can easily look up addresses, restaurants, and services, or they can select a destination and receive automatic routing, turn-by-turn directions, off-route recalculation, and voice prompts as they drive.

The Bluetooth communication works at distances of up to 30 feet, adding to the unit's versatility. Additional features include rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power your GPS receiver for up to a dozen hours at a time and a 12-volt power adapter that connects to your cigarette lighter. The GPS 10 Deluxe measures 1.77 by 3.46 by 0.75 inches (W x H x D) and is covered by a one-year warranty. After more than three years using this GPS, the battery is still in excellent condition. The GPS10 satellite reception is excellent in outdoor or inside a car without window film, however the reception almost negligible inside a car with metal containing window film. Basically Garmin GPS10 is accurate amd strong enough for daily use. For someone who looking for more sensitive, fast and accurate Bluetooth-enable GPS, you can try to find Garmin Mobile 10 (price going down now, around US$ 130 at Amazon) or Holux product (much cheaper).

Garmin GPS10 Product Features
Receiver: WAAS-enabled; 12 parallel channel GPS receiver
Waterproof: IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins.)
Battery life: up to 12 hours (typical use); rechargeable lithium ion batteries
Included nRoute and Que navigation software turns mobile PC devices into fully functioning navigators
Measures 1.77 by 3.46 by 0.75 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty