GPS Accessories

A GPS (Global Positioning System) unit has the primary function of calculating its own location on land or water by using satellite signals. Once the GPS unit knows its own location, it can help the user determine direction and distance to other known locations. For instance, a GPS on a boat can tell the captain how far it is to the shoreline or how far it is to a favorite fishing spot. For the outdoor sportsman a GPS can help with finding your campsite, your vehicle or your next geocache. Popular outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, trail running, backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering and canoeing are all made more enjoyable and safer when you take along your GPS.

The advantage to a portable GPS, besides actually helping you find your location, is that it is small enough to not be a bothersome bit of luggage when you leave for camping trips. Instead of worrying about finding extra cargo space for your enormous GPS contraption, you simply slip the GPS in your pocket until it is needed. When buying a GPS system the first thing to consider is how you intend to use it. If you plan on using it while on foot, you'll want a GPS that is lightweight, compact, weather resistant and that is equipped with features important to foot travel. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is one such feature. WAAS greatly increases the accuracy of your GPS, in most cases to within 10 feet. Accuracy within a few meters is important for the outdoor enthusiast but not nearly as important for navigating through town in your rental car. Next, be sure your GPS has at least 12 channels of reception too. Since your GPS will only work when it receives signals from satellites orbiting the Earth, less than 12 receiving channels will not get the job done in wooded areas or in steep terrain. If you plan on using your GPS to navigate while driving in your car, its weight is not nearly as important as its ability to display street maps. The GPS mounted to the dash of your truck probably doesn't need to be weatherproof, but the one on your boat better be.

Prices for GPS units vary a great deal and in general, you get what you pay for. While some units cost around $100 and offer relatively few features, others may cost as much as $1000 or even more and are loaded with dozens of features. Here is a good rule of thumb for determining how much money to spend on your next GPS. You should expect to pay between $200 and $300 to get a decent GPS Unit. I own a Garmin eTrex Vista. I believe it is the best GPS available for under $300. There are various brands, features and types of GPS navigation systems to choose from. More sophisticated systems obviously will cost more than simpler models. Some units are portable and can plug into the cigarette lighter. Others require technical installation. Keep in mind that some manufacturers will void the warranty unless the unit is installed by a certified dealer. As technology is constantly evolving, you should purchase a GPS navigation device that is upgradeable. These devices communicate with geostationary satellites, which tell the device, exactly where on Earth it is. The potential applications for this knowledge are endless. If you know where you are, where you were and the time in between then you know your speed exactly. If you know where you are then others do too. Many people out there do want to own one but have no idea which one to choose. There are so many models to choose from, and with most GPS systems costing hundreds of dollars, it's not entirely unreasonable to be scared to make a decision. This is the reason why this list of some of the better systems out there has been compiled to help you come up with an informed choice on which is the best GPS system for you and your money. There many different types of GPS, which one is right for you.