Discovering the world around you with out getting lost is sometimes a challenge. But with the help of discounted handheld GPS receivers, the adventure gets a lot easier. Hiking, biking or just traveling along the open road can sometimes be a challenge if you are unsure of where you are going.
Maps are okay, but they can be cumbersome and you normally have to pull off the road to get a real good look at them. The next best thing to a map would be a GPS navigational unit which tells you how to get to where you want to go, usually turn-by-turn by a calm, woman’s voice.
There are many advantages to having a GPS navigational receiver in your car or pocket when you set out on a road trip or hiking adventure. One is that the global positioning system (GPS) will help you from getting lost because the 24 satellites orbiting the earth twice a day are there to triangulate your position. Two, there are settings on the GPS which allow you to leave a ‘bread crumb’ trail for you to find your way back to where you started from, both from walking and in your car.
To find a discount handheld GPS receiver unit you need to do a little research and find the best quality for the lowest money. Not all low priced GPS units are cheap and not all high priced GPS units are good quality, you just have to shop around, do some comparison shopping. Read the reviews in consumer magazines that do the comparison shopping for you or on the Internet websites where writers and actual customers have used the discounted GPS units and are willing to put the truth out there about the GPS products and their experiences with them.
Once you have done your homework and figured out which handheld GPS receiver you are going to purchase, you need to find out where the discounted ones are. The Internet is the ideal place to begin shopping for discount handheld GPS receivers; it seems everyone is selling them now and at very low prices. However, make sure you are getting the ‘real McCoy’ because sometimes people are selling refurbished GPS units as original units, not that there is anything wrong with a refurbished GPS unit, it’s just that you need to know what you are getting. You can also try the manufacturer’s website; they often run specials or sales during the slower times of the year to move their products along and this means saving for you.
Another way to find discount handheld GPS receivers is to go to the auction websites and see if you can bid on a good used one. there are some sites that run like a regular auction where you place a bid and wait to see if you are the highest bidder, but others have recently implemented a ‘buy it now’ policy were there is a predetermined price and you can buy the handheld GPS navigation system for a reasonable price or a discounted price right now and not have to wait.
By: Charlie Lee
Posts Tagged ‘Handheld Gps Receivers’
Handheld GPS Hunting – Never Lose Your Trophy Kill Again
January 3rd, 2010
There are handheld GPS receivers for just about any sport out there today, hiking, biking and now fishing and hunting. Several manufacturers of GPS units are making handheld receivers for hunters complete with camouflage and compasses. Many of these personal GPS receivers have up to 12 satellites calculating your position. Some have a built in calendar helping you to chart the best time to go hunting. Most weigh between six and 10 ounces and won’t weigh you down, but have so many capabilities. Features include being able to store 500 to 2,000 waypoints – which are location you can navigate to later – both with graphics and names and the track log stores up to 10 to 50 retraceable paths. The trip computer indicates such things as sunrise and sunset times, speeds, distance and much more.
Some hunters think the handheld GPS receiver units are great when out wondering in the woods. One reason is because they don’t have to pay close attention to where they are going and can pretty much wonder freely and still be able to find their way back to their vehicle or campsite with the GPS trackers. Since you have marked your waypoints, you can easily find you way back to camp or your vehicle by turning around and placing the GPS on directional or compass screen and when the arrow points left, go left and when the arrow point right, go right and you will soon be where you want to be.
One of the most popular handheld GPS hunting receivers is one that has multiple receivers for hunting dogs as well as the hunter. You attach a GPS tracking unit to each of your dogs and then you can track there whereabouts with your GPS handheld unit. There are two screens in which to do this. One is a compass and if you have more than one dog, will show you which direction each dog is going, if they are running or on point (pointing to a bird or other wildlife) and do it in different colors so you can tell the dogs apart on the screen. The other way to track the dogs is on the dog info screen which give you individual dog information, such as where they are located, if they are running or on point, how much battery life their GPS unit has left and average distance and speed they have traveled over a predetermined amount of time. There is a dog screen for each dog you have, it even shows if one or more are back at the camp in their crates, not just out in the field.
There is additional software available for the handheld GPS hunting units to upload topographical maps and public hunting area maps. These are very useful to hunters who do not own or know someone with private property to hunt on. This upgraded system also comes with a memory card and personalizable software so you can create your own maps to use year after year.
By: Charlie Lee
How to Choose a GPS
December 9th, 2009
You’ve heard that new sport, geocaching, is fun. Or, you’re tired of getting lost on your travels. Welcome to the 21st century. Global Postioning System (GPS) has been around long enough that prices are reasonable and the technology is user-friendly. With myriad brands and models, how to choose?
If you want a GPS for both hiking and driving use, then a handheld unit would be the way to go. Some handhelds even have accessories to allow them to be installed in an automobile. But don’t rule out a PDA. More on that in a moment. For driving only, there are GPS receivers made just for vehicle use.
Handheld GPS receivers are either mapping or non–mapping. A basic, non–mapping unit can often cost less than $100 US and usually has/displays the following:
Location Compass heading Elevation above sea level Accurate time Satellite location and signal strength The ability to calculate distance traveled The ability to record your path as a set of waypoints The ability to navigate routes The ability to retrace your steps
Handheld mapping receivers do all the above plus have the ability to display maps. The maps are either pre–loaded or uploaded from your PC. Prices are reasonable for mapping units, starting at around $150 US.
Paper maps are strongly recommended whether you’re using a mapping receiver or not. Paper maps do not require batteries and probably won’t go defective. Also, a paper map gives you a “big picture” view of your situation — something lacking on the small screen of a GPS.
I mentioned earlier your considering a PDA with GPS capability. A PDA is bulkier and the battery life is usually shorter, but if you’re using a PDA anyway, then there are several ways to turn a PDA into a GPS. Some PDAs accept a GPS “sleeve.” That is a device that the PDA nestles into. Another choice is one of Garmin’s PDAs. Garmin is probably the most popular GPS maker and they have one PDA/GPS that is Palm–based and one that is Pocket PC–based.
Prices for automotive GPS start at around $250 US. These provide turn–by–turn guidance. Spend a little more than that and you get voice guidance. These are larger than handhelds in order to accommodate a screen large enough to be seen while driving. They are powered by the car’s electrical system and because of this, they can only be used in a vehicle.
Many automobile manufacturers now offer built-in GPS receivers as an option. Because they are built-in, the big advantages are security and aesthetics. They are quite a bit more expensive than add-on units and often have fewer options. I’ve also heard some stories of people having a hard time getting map updates.
A PDA/GPS is a good alternative for automotive use. Its screen is about the size of an automotive unit, so seeing the display is not a problem. They can also be powered by the car, eliminating battery worries. The Garmin PDAs mentioned above both come with the hardware and software for automotive use.
If you’re hiking, a basic handheld unit (without maps) will be fine since you’ll always have paper maps with you anyway (you will, won’t you?). An advantage to a handheld mapping unit is that they usually have more advanced features than the basic units. For driving, you have the choice of a handheld, in–car dedicated, or PDA. The handheld does have limited usefulness in a car, as it does not provide turn–by–turn guidance. For a more detailed look at how to choose a GPS, click here.
By: James Chartwell
