Gps Features To Consider
GPS (Global Positioning Systems) first were used by the Army, then by law enforcement to track criminals out on parole or under house arrest. Some see GPS locators as a way of being spied on, but many others see potential good in GPS locator devices, especially in the cases of finding lost or missing children. GPS locators are also recommended for journalists or business workers entering a war zone or politically unstable region. There are many other potentially life saving uses of a personal GPS locator.
Since there are no fees associated with GPS use, essentially the only things you need are a GPS receiver and batteries. There is, however, a wide range of GPS units available, with various features and options you may want to consider. Depending upon your personal needs, intended uses and budget, you’ll have to decide which features suit you best. But, hey, that’s when the fun part begins.
Unit Type - GPS units may be expressly designed for particular applications such as automotive, general outdoor, aviation or marine use
Combination Units - 2-in-1 combo units (such as those shown at right and below, left), combine GPS receivers with a handheld PDA/GPS or a 2-way FRS/GMRS/GPS radio
WAAS-Enabled - Improves accuracy to about 3 meters 95 percent of the time
Touch-screen Navigation - simplifies navigation by putting it on-screen rather than accessing buttons
Voice Prompts - audible prompts provide turn-by-turn directions
Free Memory - the amount of free memory determines how much space you have for installation of optional mapping software
Basemap Units - receivers with built-in mapping software, such as U.S., North American or European highways, lakes, rivers, cities, airports
Mapping Units - receivers with ability to download map »”>detailed map data from CD-ROMs, providing greater street-level data, such as restaurants, banks, gas stations, marine navigational data, off-road trails and more
Waypoints - the ability to store a number of “waypoints” or given points along your route, somewhat analogous to bookmarking favorite Web sites on the Internet
Routes - the ability to store and recall entire routes you’ve chosen, including all of their waypoints and precise directions and reverse directions along those routes
Track Logs - the ability to generate a concurrent travel log as you go
Alarms - audible warnings for approach, arrival, off-course, waypoints, shallow or deep water
Screen - most GPS screens these days are easily readable high-contrast LCDs, color screens add vast detail
Trip Computer - additional calculators to display travel data such as odometer, current speed, average speed, trip timer and trip distance
Weather-Resistancy - after all, it’s an outdoor device: a waterproof or water-resistant housing is an important consideration
Buoyancy - some GPS units will float, a potentially important consideration for boating, rafting or fishing
Dashboard Mount - an important consideration for automotive or marine use
If you are planning to go out into the wilderness, in un-chartered territory, at least as far as you are concerned, it is advisable to have some sort of equipment, apart from the age old “compass” to get you back to civilization. There have been many stories of people getting lost for days on end with no means of knowing where they are, you certainly do not want to add a story to that endless list. The best way for you to ensure you get back home from your trekking adventure is to make the best use of available technology - GPS!
There are a whole lot of GPS devices in the market for you to choose from, however, getting the right one for your needs and budget may take a bit of research. Selecting the perfect hiking GPS product will benefit you in many ways, so consider the following points when selecting your hiking GPS device from out of the scores available in the market.
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Posted on May 5th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: GPS News
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