|
Written by Mark Hamilton
|
If you're looking to buy a new handheld GPS system, you're probably doing some comparison shopping online to make sure you get the best deal. That's what I do when I'm looking to make an Internet purchase and it can sure save you some money, especially on electronics like handheld GPS devices. On the other hand, it can also turn out to be a bum deal when the merchant you're dealing with charges hidden shipping fees or has a restrictive return policy. Over the years I've bought a few different handheld GPS receivers and I've had both good and bad shopping experiences.
The last GPS receiver I bought was such an outstanding experience that I know I'll never have to shop for handheld GPS devices anywhere else again. Why is that? Because the store I found
- Offers a Price Match Guarantee +5% of the price difference
- Offers Free Shipping for orders of $45 and over
- Offers a LIFETIME return policy!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Mark Hamilton
|
What is GPS? GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a satellite radio navigation system built by the United States Department of Defense. Research on the system began in the 60’s and the first GPS satellite was launched in 1978. It took a while for the entire system to come online but finally on April 27, 1995 it became fully operational. At first, the GPS network was only for military use but in the 80's the United States government authorized the general public to make use of it too.
The GPS System is composed of:
- Satellites
- Earth Monitoring Stations
- GPS Receivers
What Is a GPS Satellite?
There are currently 24 satellites orbiting the earth in 6 distinct trajectories. Each satellite completes two orbits around the earth each day, traveling at a speed of about 7,000 MPH. At the highest point in their orbit they are more than 12,000 miles above the earth. From this height, the satellite signals can be received over a large percentage of the surface of the earth. A GPS unit works by receiving multiple satellite signals and calculating the receiver's position based on triangulation of the different signals. Accuracy is increased with each additional satellite signal that is received so the orbits of the satellites are set so that at most points on the earth there are at least 4 signals that can be received. Of course, this is in theory only since the landscape around you can block some or all of the GPS signals.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Mark Hamilton
|
Do you know the difference between these GPS map formats? If not, read on...
GPS receivers and computers work best as a team. With the relatively small screen size of a GPS receiver, it's easiest to plan your routes using GPS maps on your personal computer. But are these computer maps the same as what you see on your GPS receiver?
Raster GPS Maps For Your PC
The GPS maps you use on your personal computer are caller "raster" maps. They can provide a lot of detailed information but they also require large amounts of computer memory and processing power. Raster maps also require good screen resolution for the detailed map information. Your computer can provide both the power and good screen resolution for these raster GPS maps. However, your GPS receiver doesn't have the memory, processing speed or high enough screen resolution for these raster maps. That's why for your GPS receiver you'll need: |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Mark Hamilton
|
The is considered by many enthusiasts to be one of the best all-around handheld GPS unit available on the consumer market today.
The GPSMAP 60CSx is an upgrade of the GPSMAP 60CS, one of the best selling handheld GPS units for outdoor and marine use. This unit features a removable microSD card so you can expand the mapping memory. This has been one of the most requested features by Garmin customers and is reason enough to upgrade from the GPSMAP 60CS. The microSD card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment and users can load map data and transfer routes and waypoints through the unit's fast USB connection.
Perhaps the most exciting feature of the GPSMAP 60CSx is the new, highly sensitive, third-generation GPS receiver chip by SiRF. This SiRFStar III chip locks on to satellite signals faster and lets users track their position in more challenging conditions like heavy tree cover or deep canyons. The GPSMAP 60CSx also features a barometric altimeter for accurate elevation data and an electronic compass that can be used while stationary.
|
|
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
