GPS INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES

How would I use it? Depending on the unit, it can be utilised in many different ways. They are popular with hikers, cyclists, pilots (including hang glider and paraglider pilots), fishermen, and many others. There is a special runner’s unit (worn on the wrist) that includes a stopwatch, heart rate monitor, lap time, etc. A gps will give one the actual distance travelled, or the straight-line distance to your goal. It will tell the speed one is travelling at (covering the ground) and estimate the time of arrival using one’s current speed. One can put in the co-ordinates of one’s destination and follow the arrow to find it. Many businesses and hiking trail huts now supply gps co-ordinates to enable people to find them easier, and avoid anyone getting lost. With auto routing units, collections & deliveries can done much faster as one just puts in an address - no more searching and asking! Save time and money! The most simple and affordable unit is one without a basemap and without colour screens, and that will allow trackback of a route, marking of waypoints, etc. There are many others on the market with more functions, including full basemap and street directory facilities. More on http://www.garmin.com/.

Streetpilot 2610

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The ultimate units – toys for the grown-ups! In addition to the entry level units, there are many units with basemaps that show the main roads and rivers, and all towns and cities. These basemaps can be upgraded to include the latest South African road networks, and streetmaps for the bigger cities and towns. Many of these units are now also available with colour screens. For the really ultimate unit, one can purchase a StreetPilot C320 or Quest that will provide directions by electronic voice, in addition to all the normal gps functions that the unit utilises.

No more getting lost! If your child goes on a hike, he/she can use the trackback facility to find the way back to the starting point if the path disappeared, or they had wandered off course. They can mark interesting or important spots on the way in order to find them again. When things go wrong, the co-ordinates with which the group or an injured one can easily be found, can be sms’ed to you. It could even help to find your child should he have to be collected after a “breakdown” with his bicycle! Routes, tracklogs and destinations can be stored on a computer and re-loaded back to the gps at a later date. Free software is available for downloading.

What is a GPS? It is a Global Positioning System that pinpoints its current position by picking up the signals sent out by satellites. It can help you to find people and places, or can help others to find you. It works everywhere, provided that there is clear access to the satellites in the sky (e.g. it does not work inside buildings). It gives a “breadcrumb” trail of the route being followed. A good unit will have a “trackback” function.

GPS Map76S         Geko201           Foretrex201

eTrex Summit   Forerunner201     Forerunner

Safety hints 1.   Take a cellphone along on any hike or outing, with a spare battery. It may not be a planned long outing, but it would ensure the needed communications and quick rescue if someone is injured, and save a lot of trauma and worry. 2.   Take spare batteries for the gps. 3.   Teach the children how to use the unit efficiently, or send them (and yourself) on a training course. 4.   Mark any spot that has significance, including where assistance is required.

GPS Knowledge & Hints