Why Purchase GPS Products For Camping
G.P.S. is the widely accepted abbreviation for "Global Positioning System". It is a radio navigation system used worldwide, which is formed by a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground stations.
There are five monitoring stations located at Ascenscion Island (South Atlantic Ocean), Colorado Springs, Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), Hawaii and Kwajalein (Pacific Ocean at the Marshall Islands).
GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. People from all walks of life, including the military, dispatchers, firefighters, campers, boaters and delivery drivers are using G.P.S systems. For workers they improve productivity and can make their jobs much easier. For the general public/consumers and sportsman, they offer security and piece of mind.
Without a GPS it can be problematic to determine where you are, or where you want to go. Older techniques, such as using landmarks (only good for a localized area) or navigating by the stars (only effective on a clear night) has been replaced by the more reliable and precise results offered by GPS navigation systems.
The G.P.S. system works by "trilateration". Trilateration is a method surveying in which triangle sides are measured usually by electronic means. (Source: Websters New Millenium Dictionary of English, Preview Edition v0.9.6). Trilateration uses the known locations of two or more reference points, and the measured distance between the subject and each reference point to calculate the subject's exact location.
When camping in the outdoors or hiking in an unfamiliar terrain a handheld G.P.S. system is a logical choice.
They are light weight (starting at 1/2 lb) and compact (starting at 2 1/8" wide x 4 5/8" high).
Handheld G.P.S. feautures vary by manufacturer (Magellan, Explorist, Bushnell, Lowrance, Pharos, etc.) and prices (approximate range $100 to $ 600).
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