GPS Navigation

GPS navigation will be different depending on the type of unit you are using and where you are going.  GPS units are available with three different types of map data.  There are nonmapping units, basemap units and mapping units.  A mapping unit is generally fully equipped to perform all navigational functions and calculations with preloaded maps and waypoints.  It requires little or no effort on the part of the user other than initially entering the final destination and following a predetermined route.  Nonmapping units and basemap units are usually handheld models used for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing and hunting.  Operating these units requires manually input data from the user and an understanding of how GPS navigation works, because routes programmed out in the field will be more individualized than preloaded maps used for navigating highways in a car.

GPS navigation with a handheld basemap unit begins with turning on the unit out-of-doors and pointing it upward.  This allows the unit to begin locating the satellites and acquiring a fixed position.  A “cold” unit (one that has not been used before) will take longer than a “warm” unit to gather signals from enough satellites to get a fixed position.  If the receiver has not been used before or the receiver is not very strong, this may take a while.  Make sure that the unit is always turned on under a clear sky with no obstructions like mountains, trees, buildings or heavy precipitation to get in the way of the satellite signal.  Any obstructions like these will cause an erroneous signal or block it entirely.  A handheld model like the GPSMAP 60CSX has a SiRFstar III chipset so it will pick up the signals more quickly than a less expensive model like the Magellan 500 LE.  . 

Once the unit has a fixed location, you are ready to pick a destination.  This is accomplished by entering a preprogrammed destination or manually entering new coordinates into the GPS device.  A mapping unit like the Cobra NavOne 4500 portable will give you a preloaded route made up of a sequence of intermediate way points with your destination as the final point.  However, if you are navigating a hiking trail, your GPS device will give you a simple straight line to your destination.  At this time, you need to program waypoints from a map or use the compass to find the way to your final destination and program the way points as you move along.  When you reach your final destination, the waypoints and route can be saved in the GPS device and stored for later use.

If you are hiking, there are other helpful features on the Garmin 60CSX and the Magellan 500 LE.  For example, a track log records information like time, location, elevation, and depth for each way point you pass.  You can use this information to find your way back, or have an accurate account of what conditions are like on a particular trail and how they affect hiking it.

There is also an electronic compss that will keep you going in the right direction.  It uses a grahic compass ring, a bearing course pointer, and digital data fields to calculate information such as current speed, distance to the next point and estimated arrival time.  Remember, because the GPS sattelites orbiting the Earth track the GPS device in real-time, it always knows where the device is, where it is going and how fast it is traveling.

This is the whole reason to use GPS navigation to reach your final destination.  It is almost impossible to get lost once you learn how the device works, and if you do get away from the route you have planned, it is fairly simple to figure out where you are and get back on track fast.

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Posted in General GPS Information