iBuy GPS

In my last post I mentioned Batteries but, only talked about their weight. The other features that are important about batteries are battery life and battery type. Battery life is how long the battery can produce enough juice to make the Garmin Handheld GPS work. If you have looked at the specs you know that the typical range for batteries is four to twenty four hours. I can hear you hikers groaning. To get the GPS to last you would turn the GPS on for only a few minutes every hour or so. Let’s do the math. If you turn the GPS on for three minutes every hour for ten hours a day then a battery life of four hours would last you eight days. Next post we will take up battery type.

Whether you live in an urban area, or are a frequent visitor, a GPS device is a great option for navigating city streets and finding stores and restaurants.  Though these devices come standard on many new vehicles, installing them in an old vehicle is quite simple.  First of all, decide on a GPS device.  Garmin, as the original GPS brand, and the most renowned, is a safe bet.  For city navigation, the Garmin Nuvi is cost efficient and comes with all the contemporary features. Once you have selected the GPS device you want, you will want to purchase a car mount.  These can be installed on your dashboard and will hold the GPS in place. 

Once you have both the GPS and the mount, turn it on, read the instructions, plug in your destination, and follow the on screen map; piece of cake! 

Go from North America to Europe without loading more maps with the transatlantic Garmin Nuvi 670. This pocket sized Personal Travel Assistant™ comes with built-in street maps for both continents, making traveling abroad so easy. Similar to the 660, Nuvi 670 includes a colorful widescreen, hands-free calling, traffic alerts and FM transmitter, then takes it to the next level with even more maps.

Garmin introduces the Garmin Colorado 400T. The latest handheld GPS that is packed with Topographical maps. A 3-D map view, a high-sensitivity receiver (works deep in the canyon), barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD card slot, picture viewer and color display. Exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units. When the going gets tough, Colorado leads the way.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is the only fully functional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Utilizing a constellation of at least 24 Medium Earth Orbit satellites that transmit precise microwave signals, the system enables a GPS receiver to determine its location, speed, direction, and time. Other similar systems are the Russian GLONASS, the upcoming European Galileo positioning system, the proposed COMPASS navigation system of China, and IRNSS of India.

Developed by the United States Department of Defense, GPS is officially named NAVSTAR GPS. The satellite constellation is managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing. The cost of maintaining the system is approximately $750 million per year, including the replacement of aging satellites, and research and development.

The device are most popular consumers as handheld GPS mounts for the automobile.