| Although GPS units come in all shapes and sizes | | | | instructions. Vehicle GPS units will range in price |
| and are targeted for various different activities, | | | | from close to $200 to over $1000.00 for some |
| they all serve the same basic functionality; to tell | | | | of the very high-end models. Some advanced |
| you where you are in the world. GPS is an | | | | features will include voice prompting for turns, trip |
| acronym for Global Positioning System. A GPS | | | | routing and re-routing when you find yourself off |
| receiver passively receives signals from the | | | | the beaten path, advanced detailed mapping |
| currently 24 military GPS satellites in space. In | | | | software built-in, mounting hardware for vehicles, |
| order for the GPS receiver to accurately pinpoint | | | | motorcycles, and bicycles. Vehicle GPS units are |
| your location, it must receive a signal from three | | | | changing the way we plan our trips every day. |
| different satellites, so that it can triangulate its | | | | Marine GPS units are specialized GPS units, |
| exact location. | | | | specifically designed for use in boating scenarios. |
| GPS units come in many different styles, each | | | | These units are going to have specialized |
| designed to meet a specific requirement. Model | | | | software built in for cartography, open water |
| types include handheld GPS units, vehicle GPS | | | | route planning, and navigation at sea. Some marine |
| units, marine GPS units, and sports and fitness | | | | GPS units are equipped additional features such as |
| GPS units. Let's take a look at the different types | | | | fish-finders, and depth-finders, for recreational and |
| to determine what might be the best choice for | | | | professional fishermen alike. Marine GPS units will |
| you. | | | | be waterproof and often come with hardware for |
| Handheld GPS units are small and lightweight units, | | | | mounting to your boat, open air cabin, or enclosed. |
| primarily designed for the outdoor enthusiast. | | | | These marine GPS units will typical cost you |
| These units can be used by camping and hiking | | | | somewhere between $150 and up. |
| enthusiasts, hunters, skiers, and mountaineers, and | | | | Sports and fitness GPS units are the smallest and |
| anyone else that needs to know where they are | | | | lightest units of all the GPS categories discussed in |
| while out and about. Handheld GPS units can range | | | | this article. These units are typically wrist |
| in price for under $100 for basic entry model | | | | mounted, or use a strap to mount on your arm |
| units, to over $500.00 for some of the more | | | | or leg. Often times these types of GPS units will |
| advanced GPS units. Some of the features that | | | | contain special features to assist you with your |
| will increase the price of these units include; color | | | | fitness goals, such as distance calculations for |
| displays, preloaded mapping software, trip | | | | runners, built-pedometers, built-in heart-rate |
| computers, water resistance, extra sensitive | | | | monitors, and goal tracking software. The price |
| receiver chips for finding positioning within heavy | | | | range for these units starts around $100 and can |
| foliage and deep canyons. Be sure to carefully | | | | increase significantly based on the additional |
| evaluate your individual requirements before | | | | features required. |
| purchasing a handheld GPS unit. | | | | There many different types of GPS units available |
| Vehicle GPS units are usually mounted inside your | | | | on the market to fit your specific requirements. |
| vehicle and are primarily designed for anyone on | | | | Take some time and do as much research as |
| the road; truckers, traveling sales representatives, | | | | you can to find the unit that best fits your own |
| bicyclist, etc. These units will excel at giving you | | | | personal needs. One thing is certain; there will |
| your exact street location, helping you plan your | | | | most certainly be a GPS unit on the market that |
| trips, and even giving you turn-by-turn driving | | | | will meet all your requirements. |