| What is the best kind of GPS system for you? | | | | it to set waypoints, determine compass |
| This depends on what you intend to use it | | | | direction, navigate, etc. Many backpackers |
| for. | | | | use it as an emergency navigation tool in |
| | | | Utah's deep, narrow canyons, where a map and |
| Garmin 12 GPS is very good. There are | | | | compass can be almost useless. |
| various models of the 12, 12XL etc. They can | | | | |
| be found for under $150. The altimeter is | | | | One word of warning, take very seriously the |
| usually off but once you find your position, | | | | statement on the front of all GPS units "Do |
| most of the time the map tells me what my | | | | not rely on this unit as the primary source |
| altitude is. They have a pretty decent | | | | of your navigation." It's always a good idea |
| battery life since you rarely ever use your | | | | to have a map and compass with you when |
| GPS for 12 hours straight. | | | | engaging in wilderness travel and use them |
| | | | right along with the GPS. It can actually be |
| The vendors selling GPS units are Garmin and | | | | kind of fun to see how accurate you are with |
| Magellan, those are good brands and can meet | | | | a compass and compare map routes with GPS |
| your requirements quite well. There is a | | | | routes to see why you ended up going the way |
| third player, Brunton (compass makers gone | | | | you did. |
| hi-tech). They make very reasonably priced | | | | |
| GPS units with lots of bells and whistles. | | | | What are the numbers on a compass for and how |
| Garmin GPS records the distance travelled, | | | | do you use a compass? The numbers on the |
| speed, average speed, etc. Make sure you get | | | | compass are for degrees or headings. They |
| good battery life and enough memory to be | | | | will tell you what direction to proceed on. |
| useful. | | | | The first thing you need to do is figure out |
| | | | what kind of compass you have, a floating |
| Mitac Mio 168 comes out well for my | | | | dial or a floating needle. |
| requirements but is more expensive, | | | | |
| especially if you go for the tom tom mapping | | | | As to emergency contact, you could buy an |
| software too (voice directions when I'm out | | | | expensive Iridium/satellite phone - they can |
| on my motorbike!) | | | | get a signal just like a GPS does. They run |
| | | | over $1,000. It may also be possible to rent |
| Most of the functions on GPS of this sort you | | | | one. For real emergencies, not simply a |
| can get from a map. Maps on pure GPS are not | | | | vehicle breakdown, there is a GPS signaling |
| as good as on a GPS/PDA but good maps for | | | | device, much like ONStar (GM trademark), that |
| these are usually expensive. Some mountain | | | | can send an emergency signal. The final |
| rescue team members use PDAs with 1:25000 OS | | | | thing to do is to check in at the local |
| mapping data for recording search patterns | | | | ranger station, BLM office, forest service |
| etc. | | | | visitor center, etc., and see about leaving |
| | | | your itinerary with them, as well as a |
| You really need to look at your own plans - | | | | promise to check-out with them when leaving. |
| for instance, most backpackers use GPS to | | | | If you don't check in, they would send |
| "confirm" their position, and they don't use | | | | someone out to check on you. |