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GPS

Why buy a GPS?

GPS is extremely accurate, locations are given to 10 figures (5 Eastings and 5 Northings). This pinpoints the location theoretically to within 1 metre, however due to satellite reception quality and other errors is more typically reliable to within 10 metres.

Such an accuracy is much appreciated by PAS for find spot location and would be most difficult to achieve using a map, tape and compass.

The display can show the location stored in OS format or at the press of a button will convert to Lat and Long format.

Convenience

GPS is very convenient to carry and use, it is light weight, waterproof and doesn't need to be unfolded in the rain and wind like a map. It will give your position any where in the world, saving the cost of a map or downloading map images off the Internet.

Just press the 'Mark' button and your location is displayed without the skills needed to master map reading and use of a compass. There's no measuring or pacing out needed and little chance of an error occurring.

The information it safely stores for you can be viewed or downloaded later at your convenience.

Other advantages

Even basic GPS is great for jogging, cycling, in car navigation, skiing or flying, it tells you your current speed, average speed, time moving and distance covered as it records a tracklog of your journey.

The tracklog can be downloaded onto your PC as a record of your route or to analyse your performance.

It will record a tracklog of your steps so you can return along the same route, particularly useful if caught in the dark or you are prone to getting lost in the wilds.

The completed tracklog can be saved for use another day instead of using a map * or email the route to your friends.

Tracklogs of other peoples routes, eg MTB routes can be downloaded off the internet.

It will also record your altitude and decent speed if you are walking in hilly areas or paragliding.

It's useful for recording and with software available on the internet (some free), mapping accurate finds locations and identifying hotspots.

From the internet, enter sufficient route waypoints and in the navigate mode it will guide you to your destination, on or off road, without reference to a map*.

Enter the destination waypoint only and and in the navigate mode it will be of valuable assistance as you near to your destination.

In the Navigate mode It tells you your distance remaining and ETA at your destination.

It could also save your life one day.

* GPS performance can be effected by weather conditions, trees and buildings which can interfere with the satellite link up, so a map and compass should be carried just in case. Spare batteries should also be carried if prolonged use is a possibility.

How does GPS work?

Garmin GPS Guide for Beginners & Using Garmin GPS with paper maps (PDF's).

Understanding GPS, map reading & survival

GPS Software

The GPS can only store limited amount of information, say 500 waypoints, maybe 20 reversable routes and perhaps 10 tracks, so at some point it is going to get full and to add new information you would need to delete some of the information you have put in already , ie delete routes you have spent precious time creating. So instead of losing them, you can save your tracks, waypoints, routes on your PC and then delete them from your GPS to make way for more

Over the counter

Global Positioning Systems

OziExplorer

Tracklogs

Share Ware

Easy GPS

Expert GPS

GPS Trackmaker