| If you've been confounded by all the | | | | |
| technical jargon and | | | | include things like speed, sunrises and |
| | | | sunsets, bearing, |
| hype surrounding GPS, confusing what's | | | | |
| turning out to be a | | | | distance and more. While they will work in |
| | | | any weather, some |
| very useful tool, allow me to shed a little | | | | |
| light on your | | | | hindrances would be electronic interference, |
| | | | buildings, and |
| roadmap to deciding whether or not this | | | | |
| technology is for | | | | certain terrain. A good rule of thumb is |
| | | | that the units will |
| you! Originally designed with military | | | | |
| applications in mind, | | | | generally not perform underwater, indoors, |
| | | | or underground. |
| the technology was made available to mere | | | | |
| mortals in hte | | | | There are currently two Global Navigation |
| | | | Satellite Systems |
| 1980's for the many and varied uses we've | | | | |
| found so far for | | | | in use. Besides GPS, there is the Russian |
| | | | Global Navigation |
| these special tools. Not only handy for auto | | | | |
| navigation, GPS | | | | Satellite System (GLONASS) Protocols are |
| | | | constantly being |
| units have made their way into maritime | | | | |
| navigation, | | | | refined to enhance the abilities of these |
| | | | systems. A bright |
| backcountry uses, and much, much more!How | | | | |
| does GPS work? GPS (which stands for Global | | | | light on the horizon is Galileo, scheduled |
| Positioning | | | | to go online in |
| | | | |
| System) allows you to pinpoint your position | | | | 2008, which promises even greater accuracy |
| anywhere on the | | | | and |
| | | | |
| planet to within an average of 15 meters, | | | | functionality.So how do I know which GPS |
| with some units | | | | unit is for me? Quite a few |
| | | | |
| doing much better than that. Twenty-four GPS | | | | choices now exist for consumers in the GPS |
| satellites, | | | | marketplace. |
| | | | |
| paid for and placed in orbit by the Dept. of | | | | Whether you need a handheld unit for |
| Defense | | | | backpacking or boating, |
| | | | |
| courtesy of your tax dollars, send signals | | | | or one for your automobile (they are |
| back to terra | | | | becoming an attractive |
| | | | |
| firma 24/7. These signals are retrieved by | | | | option!) or for one of a myriad of uses, |
| your handy dandy | | | | there are several |
| | | | |
| GPS receiver which uses three sources | | | | reputable manufacturers of quality GPS units |
| (satellites) to | | | | out there to |
| | | | |
| triangulate this information and compute | | | | help you find your way through the maze of |
| your actual | | | | choices. Names |
| | | | |
| position. If there are four data sources, | | | | like Magellan, Garmin, Rino, Etrex and |
| even altitude can | | | | Meridian lead the |
| | | | |
| be determined. Since there are normally | | | | market, and are readily available. Take your |
| eight satellites in | | | | time, check out |
| | | | |
| line of sight from anywhere on earth, the | | | | the various features each has to offer, and |
| opportunity for | | | | get yourself |
| | | | |
| accurate positioning exists. Other things | | | | outfitted with one of the more useful and |
| that can be | | | | efficient |
| | | | |
| determined besides latitude, longitude, and | | | | navigational tools out there today! |
| altitude would | | | | |