| Handheld GPS devices are becoming more and | | | | your GPS shows you the route by drawing a |
| more popular for walking and hiking enthusiasts | | | | straight line between waypoints. This means your |
| everywhere. With so many models available on | | | | GPS will not tell you there is a bend ahead in trail; |
| the market today offering so many various | | | | it will just guide you in a straight line to your next |
| features, it's easy to become overwhelmed and | | | | trail junction or campsite. (Keep in mind, that for |
| confused about what you need, and what some | | | | automobile navigation, the term "route" has a |
| of the features even mean. | | | | slightly different meaning.) |
| Two basic questions that many people about | | | | A track is a record, created by your GPS, of |
| using handheld GPS devices are "what are | | | | where you have been. As you go on your hiking |
| waypoints?" and "what is the distinction between | | | | expedition, your GPS device records track points |
| routes and tracks?". Here is a simple explanation | | | | and displays what many people describe as a |
| that should give you a good understanding of | | | | "breadcrumb trail". The track represents the road, |
| these terms. | | | | trail, path, etc. that you followed. Curves are |
| Waypoints are precise geographic locations | | | | formed with short line segments, so the shape of |
| defined by longitude and latitude. Waypoints can | | | | the trail you have taken is more accurate than |
| be recorded by your GPS unit by pressing the | | | | the straight-line segments representing a route. |
| waypoint record button. Inexpensive portable GPS | | | | Tracks lets you easily go back to your starting |
| models have limited capacity and will keep | | | | point. |
| relatively few waypoints; top models can store | | | | Some portable GPS models also let you download |
| hundreds of waypoints, and you can even give | | | | your track to your computer to create a record |
| them names and manage them within your GPS. | | | | of your trip and print it if you wish. As in the case |
| A route is a set of waypoints connected by | | | | of waypoints, low-end GPS models offer limited |
| straight-line that guides you where you want to | | | | track point storage, while high-end models can |
| go. You "tell" your GPS unit that you want to | | | | store thousands of track points. |
| navigate from one waypoint to the next, and | | | | |