Over the years the size of handheld GPS units has become smaller even though performance and power have increased, as GPS technology has become better . This is great news for outdoor enthusiasts like backpackers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and geo-cachers. These tiny systems will help you in figuring out your way, maintain track of your locality, and let you know the road back to where you originated.
There are two general classifications of handheld GPS units. To begin with is a devoted component which is purely a GPS device for receiving. The multiple screens allow you to see the time required to reach your destination along with direction in which you are moving.
An additional handheld GPS kind is a PDA add-on. In essence this is a hardware which can be connected to the PDA and offers it GPS functionality. Although, this would appear to be a good add-on, a point to note here is that such plug-ins are quite large in size thus occupying valuable space, which is not the case to bother about in a full fledged GPS unit.
Once you are decided to go for a handheld GPS, have some consideration on these things
The main fact to decide before purchase is to plan how to use it. Getting a GPS signal to your receiver from the orbiting satellites is important, because it is dependent on line of sight.
If you spend a lot of time in deep canyons, rugged mountainous areas, beneath dense foliage and tree cover, or even the skyscraper canyons of a city you may not always get a good signal. Typically there are plenty of satellites overhead to deal with this dilemma yet it's a problem that will happen and a thing you must consider.
When thinking about a hand-held unit, you must also inspect the kind of accessories and add-ons that are offered for a specific model. Are freely installable and easily downloadable firmwares available ? You should ask if additional data and maps can be loaded onto your unit, to meet your specific needs. Is there software/hardware available that lets you interface the GPS unit with your home computer or laptop?
You will need to do some research before purchasing a hand-held system, as there are several different options to choose from. When selecting a GPS, you need to make sure it does exactly what you need it to do. That's the only way to find the GPS that works best for you. - 30553
There are two general classifications of handheld GPS units. To begin with is a devoted component which is purely a GPS device for receiving. The multiple screens allow you to see the time required to reach your destination along with direction in which you are moving.
An additional handheld GPS kind is a PDA add-on. In essence this is a hardware which can be connected to the PDA and offers it GPS functionality. Although, this would appear to be a good add-on, a point to note here is that such plug-ins are quite large in size thus occupying valuable space, which is not the case to bother about in a full fledged GPS unit.
Once you are decided to go for a handheld GPS, have some consideration on these things
The main fact to decide before purchase is to plan how to use it. Getting a GPS signal to your receiver from the orbiting satellites is important, because it is dependent on line of sight.
If you spend a lot of time in deep canyons, rugged mountainous areas, beneath dense foliage and tree cover, or even the skyscraper canyons of a city you may not always get a good signal. Typically there are plenty of satellites overhead to deal with this dilemma yet it's a problem that will happen and a thing you must consider.
When thinking about a hand-held unit, you must also inspect the kind of accessories and add-ons that are offered for a specific model. Are freely installable and easily downloadable firmwares available ? You should ask if additional data and maps can be loaded onto your unit, to meet your specific needs. Is there software/hardware available that lets you interface the GPS unit with your home computer or laptop?
You will need to do some research before purchasing a hand-held system, as there are several different options to choose from. When selecting a GPS, you need to make sure it does exactly what you need it to do. That's the only way to find the GPS that works best for you. - 30553
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