Don’t Get Lost on Your Expedition, Carry Handheld GPS Receivers

Posted in GPS by Nigel Evans on August 4th, 2009

We have to thank the late and great Pres. Ronald Reagan for allowing those of us in the United States the chance to get our hands on what was previously reserved for military use only ” global positioning systems. Reagan believed that it was safe for this sometimes sensitive technology to be released for public use and this action transformed our way of life. These days we use these systems in our personal and commercial lives and much of what we rely on, in turn relies upon this technology in one shape or form.

Do you love the outdoors?. If you are a fisherman, a hunter, biker, boater, hiker or take part in the sport of geocaching you should consider the use of one of the great handheld GPS receivers on the market. This flexibility will allow you to be more productive and have a lot more fun enjoying your passion.

Garmin is probably the most well known and widely respected manufacturer of handheld GPS receivers in the world. A number of different manufacturers offer models for specific needs.

To enable handheld GPS receivers to work, they need to be able to communicate with a number of satellites orbiting in low earth configuration. This means that the satellites are relatively low in relation to your horizon at any time and generally speaking the receivers can communicate with them unless you happen to be in a steep walled canyon or in a very heavily forested area, for example.

The process of triangulation helps to determine your actual location to a very high degree of accuracy. Triangulation occurs when your handheld GPS receivers communicate with three different satellites and your position in relation to the three satellites can be determined.

Handheld GPS receivers can be particularly useful if you are a hiker. Imagine the ability to locate and narrow in on the best game and game trails. You should be pretty optimistic about how to find your targets and have a productive day. For inland salt water or freshwater fishermen, some units are available preloaded with relevant data.

The sport of geocaching is becoming increasingly popular and there are handheld GPS receivers that cater specifically to you, if this is your passion. You can download GPX files directly from a computer into the database, or insert a tiny SD card in some cases.

Peace of mind is very important when you are heading out into the unknown, far from any cell phone communication towers. The handheld GPS receivers do not require cell technology and with a relatively open sky above you will be able to tell you where you are. You don’t need to worry about getting lost as you always have a good idea how to get back home.

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