| Todays electronics world presents a host of new | | | | your position to give you the most rapid response |
| devices for Global Position System (GPS) options. | | | | time on fixes of your current location. The |
| The advantage of a handheld GPS system is that | | | | number of markers, or way points, is another |
| it is usually lighter and can be held in one hand, is | | | | prime consideration. A system should use UTM |
| portable and doesnt need to be installed to | | | | grid maps or local maps which are quite common. |
| connect with automotive wiring. This innovation is | | | | Having a system that can store multiple routes is |
| the equivalent to the distinction between the car | | | | also a plus. |
| phone and the cellular phone of the mid 1990s, | | | | Physical features that are important, other than |
| but the only difference is that the car phone | | | | size, are whether or not the system is |
| wasnt in any way superior to the hand held | | | | waterproof or how rugged the system is. |
| device. With GPS systems, its a trade off. | | | | Accidents do happen, so if a bottle of water or |
| Installed units are more expensive, but usually | | | | merely dropping the device one time is going to |
| have substantially more features in addition to | | | | make the unit inoperable, a more durable model |
| just a larger screen. | | | | may be necessary. Having a backlit display is a |
| When selecting a handheld device, you may want | | | | must if you are driving in low light conditions such |
| to consider how often you use the unit and how | | | | as nighttime or if you are under lots of |
| many features you will truly need to satisfy your | | | | vegetation. Because backlighting consumes |
| demands. One consideration would be how large | | | | considerable amounts of power, battery life has |
| of a unit are you willing to tolerate. Something | | | | to be a prime consideration prior to purchase. |
| pocket size might be acceptable, but might trade | | | | Lastly, have the person selling you the device |
| off on screen size. Another would be choosing a | | | | show you how to use the device as many are |
| system that can give you the distance and | | | | not that self explanatory. |
| direction to where you are going based upon your | | | | Many units also incorporate dead reckoning which |
| current reference point. | | | | uses the distance between sensors, often cellular |
| A system that uses multiple parallel channels | | | | phone towers, calibrating signal loss to determine |
| assures you that multiple satellites are verifying | | | | the speed and direction of a moving vehicle. |