I have often wondered how the Garmin nuvi compares to the iPhone for automotive GPS navigation. I recently had the chance to find out. I found myself traveling with a friend about 6 hours away from home and back.  I had brought my nuvi along when I went to meet them, but I was told it was not needed as they had GPS in their car. Well, their car is much fancier than mine so I believed it came with a GPS navigation system factory installed. Just after leaving my nuvi behind I learned the truth. Oh my! How I missed my own GPS device once we hit the road. We came across a detour which the iPhone had no idea about and had to figure out the detour ourselves by enlarging the map and watching our car move as a blue dot around the screen working our way back onto the suggested route. Well, that was fun - not. Then again, I have become quite spoiled and like it that way.

My nuvi comes with lifetime traffic and helps me bypass traffic jams and scoots me around detours without hesitation, talking me through every step of the way. Instead of reading directions printed on the screen and trying to follow them, my device makes me aware ahead of time which lane to be in and when and where to turn next, readjusting automatically if I don’t make the suggested turn for whatever reason. I do agree that ‘she’ sometimes seems to get frustrated with me if I decide to take a shortcut that takes me off the beaten path, but ‘she’ adjusts to my choices as well as my mistakes and takes it all in stride. I have plans for another trip soon with yet another friend who says she has a GPS device in her car. This time my nuvi will ride along in my purse just in case I again miss her help along the way.

Believe it or not, as the beginning of fall approaches and I am getting out the cool weather clothes, I am beginning to feel, well, fat. I have been doing some serious thinking about getting out there and doing more walking, actually LOTS more walking. I don’t know about you, but I can get bored just walking the same old route day after day even though it is very pretty and close to home. I get tired of the same old routine and find that I don't do as much walking as I meant to do. Well, there are lots of wilderness areas around here that I plan to access soon, before hunting season hits. I have been thinking GPS watches, and I guess it is time to dust off my Garmin Forerunner. Maybe I can avoid those dreaded holiday pounds this year if I get started now. Or maybe I can at least fight off that brain fog that has begun to set in with these cool mornings we are having lately. I’m tying on my sneaks and getting this body moving! Why don’t you join me?

Well, as the end of summer is upon us we just experienced a rare occurrence in the northeast, category 1 hurricane Irene which, fortunately for us, was then reduced to a strong tropical storm. As the folks who live on the southern and southeastern fringes of the United States are well aware, there was some significant damage along the roads and bridges. To state there are or have been some detours is obvious. Some bridges were washed away, and there were quite a few trees blocking roadways not to mention the roads which were flooded or also just plain washed away. This was a great time to experience automotive GPS systems at their best! Detours can be so confusing, especially for all the folks who were in the area vacationing or enjoying their summer homes and aren't necessarily familiar with all the back roads or alternate routes in order to get to where they need to be.  At this time especially, I wish everyone safety and health throughout the recovery period. Happy traveling!

With one of the largest balloon festivals in the country happening practically in my back yard I have often wondered how so many chase vans who are unfamiliar with the area are going to get to the right back road to catch up with their own balloon and have seen more than one balloon have to stay inflated enough to pop up in sight for that chase van to find them. Now I have been wondering how many of those same balloonists might be changing over to a handheld GPS device or even automotive GPS  so they can give their chase van the coordinates or road intersections they need in order to find them? That would be geocaching taken to a whole new level! I'm going to have to ask about that next time we go out chasing one of those beauties and find out how that might work for them. If anyone has tried this let me know! Sounds pretty intriguing to me.

A common question that you hear is “is there a site that one can go to for a profile to fit a GPS to the person and needs?” Generally you can go to any of the major manufacturers' web sites and find comparison charts on their models. Most manufacturers have comparison functionality on their web sites that could help determine what to look for. It looks pretty basic, and you may have already determined what you are looking for. Now you just need to find the right unit. First you must decide what type of unit are you looking for – automotive GPS systems, motorcycle GPS, marine GPS chartplotter or fishfinder, handheld GPS units? I especially like Garmin's site for doing comparisons of GPS device features. There you can pick your interests (basic handhelds, mapping handhelds or on the side there is a link to geocaching). You can learn a lot from their site, and they have a wonderful comparison feature. This would be a terrific place to start. If you like geocaching there are also sites such as geocaching.com which teach you a lot and are a lot of fun. I generally like helping you find answers to your questions, but at the same time a feature which makes great sense to one person will sound like a waste of time and money to someone else, so you really need to do the final homework yourself to be sure you really find the GPS unit which suits your needs and that you will love for some time to come. I hope this helps to simplify things a little for you.

Perhaps you would be interested in geocaching for the rest of the year. A handheld GPS will be all that is needed along with coordinates of a geocache hidden in the area where you want to explore. You don’t need any license, and aren’t restricted in time frame. Besides which, handheld GPS units can also help you while hunting to be sure you don’t get turned around in the woods and to help you find your way back to the best hunting spots you found last week or even last year if you just save those coordinates on your GPS unit. Whether you are searching for deer or hidden “treasures”, now you can find yourself “hunting” any time you want!

Wow, how things have changed. Now there are even automotive GPS units that will talk you through your trip and even plan out the best way to go, even down to helping you avoid the bad traffic, road work or accidents along the way and recalculating for you if you take a wrong turn. Now that is really slick. With lots of features to choose from, budget to fancy options, and much smaller than most of those old maps we used to use, why would I even consider pulling out one of those old maps any more. Perhaps you lose some of the sense of adventure and self reliance we learned so early? Or, maybe not so much…

Hey, I was just at a party and met some folks who had come quite a distance to attend. It is summer, and with summertime comes lots of road work and detours, and with that comes much confusion on unfamiliar roads. I overheard two of the guests who were comparing notes on their automotive GPS systems and their experiences on the way there. As one of them had just gotten her first automotive GPS unit, and this was her first experience with it, it was fun to hear her new friend explaining the ins and outs of using their GPS units. The newbie missed a turn, and her unit told her so and suggested that she turn around and make a "legal U-turn" (which in some states is NOT legal on the highway) while the second person explained that her GPS navigation system recalculated for her when she was sent on a detour because of road construction. Explanations continued as to the fact that the GPS unit would calculate the fastest route or the most economical. It was just fun to hear people comparing notes and educating each other on the use of their automotive GPS systems. It is also really nice to see strangers find common ground and help each other out along the way. As ever, happy traveling!

These devices steer you safely back to your starting point in case you hit upon rain, fog or darkness. As soon as you start, you can mark your location by longitude and latitude, and your system keeps a record of your travel route. This allows you to return safely to your home point, in case of any confusion due to bad weather or visibility.

Also, if you are part of a fishing event where you work in a group you can send the coordinates of your location to your friends if you like. You can also use this system to increase your catch. In all probability, you will end up with a bigger haul than the next guy. Your GPS fishfinder will help you locate the fish easily. Once you catch fish at some particular spot you can mark the spot in the GPS device and collect locations of such points in the device. Use these coordinates for your next trip. You could also mark a circle using the point in the middle as center for deciding your fishing zone for future trips as there is maximum probability of catching fish in this zone.

So what are you waiting for? Invest a nominal amount on a GPS fishfinder combination and get a lot in return.

Most of the top manufacturers, especially Garmin, have really great interactive websites  that allow you to choose to compare several units to each other so that at a glance you can sort them out by which features you really want, which ones would only be nice perks and which ones are definitely yes or no features for you.  Do you want it to be small and thin with a great battery life so you can carry it with you to find your way back to your car? Do you want lifetime traffic?  Bluetooth?  You get the idea.  Anyway, once you have it narrowed down to possibly one or two favorites, it becomes simple to go back to Google or your favorite GPS store and see which one they have to offer, which types of accessories you will need and for what price they are offered.  I just think it totally simplifies your shopping experience.  I like simple.  After all, I would rather be spending time exploring with my GPS unit than sitting in front of a computer trying to figure out all the pros and cons or entrusting my decision to someone who doesn't even know me.  Well, good luck in your search for the best GPS units for your needs and budget, and I hope this helps.

You need to consider security measures to protect you, your stuff and your travel plans and to provide a safe trip for you and your fellow travelers. The following travel safety tips can save you a lot of trouble.

1. Make sure your passport and a visa are up-to-date before you try to travel abroad.

2. Do not forget to carry information for emergency calls. This can be very useful in times of crisis.

3. If you travel abroad, learn about the culture in which you plan to visit. This saves a lot of confusion and can ensure a safe holiday. Learn some key phrases of the local language, such as “Help” in case you are separated from your tour guide or friends. If you are traveling alone, you may want to hire a guide who speaks at least two languages, yours and the native language.

4. Walking in a group is safer than going alone, especially in sparsely populated areas. Also a group will add to your enjoyment. Thieves and robbers usually target those who travel alone.

5. Always use covered luggage tags and try to prevent your address on luggage tags from opening. You can use both the address of your destination and of course your home in case of lost luggage.

6. Keep your ears open to your inner voice and trust your intuition. Women, single parents and parents of small children are easy prey for crime against tourists. Be vigilant at all times when on your own.

7. Bring along your own automotive GPS device. Several of the automotive GPS units can also be carried easily in your pocket. Not only if you drive yourself, even if you are using taxis in an unfamiliar location your own GPS navigation will help assure that the taxi driver doesn’t try to take advantage of you and take creative “shortcuts” in order to charge you extra. Bringing your automotive GPS systems will also help you navigate on foot while in a new city while you get your bearings and make sure you are able to get back to your hotel at the end of the day.

Again, it is fun to travel to new places, but be sure to use common sense and be safe while doing so.

Lately, GPS systems have begun to mature from barebones models to more sophisticated GPS receivers that additionally allow you to play music and even make calls from your car. Some GPS systems and satellite radios are becoming the newest add-ons for brand spanking new automobiles and some car rentals, and there are a number of fascinating and ever more affordable choices to upgrade your existing vehicle. Today’s GPS units work nicely with small or internal GPS antennas providing visible and voice prompts for upcoming turns, and adjusting while you take a detour (including those now familiar words 'recalculating, recalculating...'). These systems can usually store the major highway maps for complete regions plus detailed maps for a particular area in addition to points of interest, addresses and even phone numbers for your convenience.

There’s so much to see and do. Be sure you don’t miss a thing while driving or hiking, for instance touring around national parks and other scenic vistas. Now you could have the power and security to make any trip an easy and memorable one whether or not you are working, sightseeing or a little of both. You will not get lost or miss out on the special points of interest with the aid of a GPS receiver, whether you explore in your own automobile, a rental car or RV. With multilingual flip-by-flip visible steering, voice prompt navigation and simple to learn graphics, traveling from place to place has never been easier or more visitor friendly. Additionally, automotive GPS systems offer you instructions for the most popular driving routes, but allow you to get off the beaten path and to take the roads much less traveled. You’ll get to see and experience more than you ever could have on your own.

When vacationing in unfamiliar cities or countries GPS also comes in handy and helps you enjoy exploring without worry. Now you’ll be able to navigate to new locations with GPS mapping specific to the areas you’re traveling in. GPS navigation systems are nearly indispensable additions to your travel gear. Just grab a GPS unit, relax and enjoy your journey!

Turn by turn directions for marine GPS? That’s a new one on me! I was talking to someone who asked us for exactly that just recently. That sounds pretty slick, but can’t say I have ever seen that before.  After all, on a river or a lake the maps are going to show you where there are obstacles and where it is safe, deep enough for the boat to navigate safely.  Nobody sticks to just one particular route unless they are navigating white water or other treacherous situations, working around shoals or sandbars or whatever.

Anyway, GPS chartplotters or GPS fishfinder combos are meant to show you the lay of the land, the obstacles and the channels which, if you actually use their aid, will help you to navigate safely and to find where those big fish actually live, but won’t give you a strict street map setup.  After all, in my book that is much of the magic of spending time on the water, the ability to wander freely and enjoy the ride.  Again, turn by turn directions?  Not really, but marine GPS will still certainly help you to find your way and bring you home again.

My friend and I went to a seminar away from home recently, held in a conference room at a hotel in an unfamiliar town. Well, wouldn't you know that when we went out for lunch we took a wrong turn and got lost getting back. Who hasn't ever done that? Anyway, we realized that the solution to our dilemma was to use her automotive GPS unit. Not having the exact address of the hotel with us, we just put in the town and the name of the hotel chain into the GPS device. This worked great! Step by step we got closer to our goal only to find that we were at another branch of that hotel chain, albeit still within the same city. I guess the moral of the story is to be as specific as possible, looking perhaps for the exit off the highway which was nearly across the street from the hotel rather than the name of the chain. Who knew that such a small city would have two? Well, lesson learned, we followed our GPS unit's instructions back to the correct hotel just in time for our seminar to begin again. We live and learn; still, the GPS actually took us exactly where we asked it to, twice. I hope others will learn from my mistakes. Enjoy your travel with automotive GPS!

While walking down the sidewalk admiring all these amazing cycles last summer I began to notice how many had motorcycle mounts for their GPS devices. Most of the GPS units had been removed and carried off in pockets or purses to keep them safe of course, but there was quite an assortment of different motorcycle GPS mounts to be seen. It is easy to understand how folks who like the wind blowing on their faces would like the freedom of discovering new and varied roads and getting off the beaten track, but still wanting to be able to get back to their hotel or their homes reliably. Yup, it is time for the rest of the cyclists to look at the advantages of GPS units with bike mounts to feel even more carefree as they ride off into the unknown. Now's a great time to think about the nice weather and being safe while exploring and enjoying the wind in your face on the open road.

Have you ever been driving down the highway and see something great that you just Need to get back to later, but you are on your way to an appointment or maybe traffic is just crazy, and you just can’t stop right this minute, what do you do?  Well, if the automotive GPS you are traveling with is a Garmin nuvi it is no problem at all.  All you need to do is just reach out to that handy touch screen and ask to “view map”, then click on “vehicle” and “save location”, name it (anything at all if you are in traffic, just to be able to find it again), and you are done!  How simple is that?  Gotta love those GPS touch screen features on the go! Next time you see, oh a terrific garage sale or an interesting restaurant or maybe a side trip you want to take on your way home from vacation all you need to do is just save that location on your Garmin nuvi GPS.  Nice feature.  Simplify your life, and save that location.

What do I think of refurbished GPS?  I was asked this recently by someone who was uncertain.  Does this mean they are used or faulty?  No, my friend, it does not.  Whenever a package is opened and returned to the manufacturer for any reason, say the customer ordered the wrong thing, there was a loose wire from the factory or possibly even a slight imperfection in the case like a scratch, the manufacturer goes over it with a fine-toothed comb and fixes anything which may not be working correctly, but it can no longer be sold as “new”. 

As one gentleman put it “the fish don’t care if I find them with last season’s GPS” - OK, he was talking maps, but I feel the same thing applies here.  With the same warranty and a much lower price, it makes perfect sense to me that if I can find the unit I am looking for at a greatly discounted price, why not buy it?  I can get the GPS receiver I want, and I can use the extra money for something else – the GPS mounts so I can move it from car to car (or cabin to flybridge) perhaps, or I can check out the cases or GPS antennas I wanted but could possibly not otherwise have been able to purchase now? Anyway, don’t be afraid of a refurbished or factory remanufactured GPS unit.  Don't think of them as just cheap GPS devices.  They are a great value and worth a second look.

We got a call recently from someone wondering whether he would be able to use the existing transducer that came with his boat with new GPS fishfinder combination.  That opened a conversation about compatibility.  Not all brands of ducers will be compatible with all brands of GPS fishfinder combination.  You really want to do your homework on that one to be sure that you have the correct match.  Also, his old fishfinder was set into his boat, permanently affixed; and he wanted to be able to drop his new model into the same slot.  We did the homework and found the GPS fishfinders that would meet all his criteria.  That was an interesting exploration, but we found some great options that would fit perfectly.  During that search it brought out the fact that, although some GPS fishfinders will work permanently affixed to the boat, some will actually get much better reception and give you better screen visibility if they are on a swivel mount which gives clearance all around.  These are all important things to consider when shopping for a replacement GPS fishfinder combo for your boat to give you the best fishing possible.  Happy fishing, and I hope you catch the Big One!

Whether you are preparing for that Century race, or even if you are just trying to get more fit and motivate yourself to go a little bit farther or a little bit faster every day, you will really like the addition of a speed cadence sensor with your GPS device. For ultimate fitness progress you can monitor your pedaling cadence as you ride with a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor. It will help you track your speed, distance and pace so that you can monitor your workout performance. It measures and reports your pedaling strokes per minute, providing feedback for optimal efficiency. The Garmin speed/cadence sensor (GSC 10) is compatible with the Edge 305 and Forerunner 305. The best part is that you can use the speed cadence sensor, even on your stationary bike, so you can continue to work out even on the bad weather days we seem to be getting more of this time of year.

Hey! It’s finally here! We have had several people looking specifically for a GPS device that would work specifically for truckers, the nuvi 465T - the first nuvi designed specifically for over-the-road truckers. The nuvi 465T is the first navigation device to provide the NTTS Breakdown Directory which is the most comprehensive guide to semi-truck repair facilities nationwide - including those offering 24-hour road service, created with over-the-road drivers in mind. Also, lane assist comes standard with this GPS receiver for truckers, which is especially helpful when navigating complex highway interchanges. It also provides specialized routing to support truck-related restrictions (customizable by height, weight, length, width and hazardous materials). Simply enter dimensions and load restrictions and nuvi 465T guides you according to your requirements, even including multiple-point routing so that you can take a more efficient route between multiple stops along your trip.

This lets you know what lies in your path. It displays warning information of upcoming road conditions to make drivers aware of possible hazards along the route such as sharp curves and steep grades. You'll also get lateral wind warnings and notification when the road narrows. Also, with nuvi 465T's integrated FM traffic receiver you can receive free alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. Simply touch nuvi's screen to view traffic details or detour around the problem area.

You also get nuvi’s hands-free calling as the 465T integrates Bluetooth wireless technology with a built-in microphone and speaker. When paired with your compatible Bluetooth phone you are able to talk hands-free through the 465T while staying focused on the road. Simply dial numbers with nuvi's touchscreen keypad to make a call, and answer calls by tapping the screen and speaking into its built-in microphone. It is the safe way to travel down the highway.

While all are lightweight, the 1260T is nearly half the weight of the other two at about 4 ounces – I’m likin’ that in my pocket again if I head out on foot or bike ‘cause it won’t be bulky. Okay, good… All three have rechargeable batteries; with battery life between 3 and 8 hours on each, the 550 beats the other two out again, but I will just keep them charging while I am in the car. No problems there. All three come with preloaded maps and have the ability to load more – nice. All three use voice prompts and speak streets by name, I like that a lot, but none of these have voice activated navigation; well, I don’t really need that one, and it keeps the price reasonable.

All three will do detour calculations to get me back on track, but only the 550 and the 1450 will figure out the most direct route for me; although, all three models will help me avoid highways or toll roads – savin’ me money; and the 1260T and 1450 both include ecoroute to save gas. I like that. Oh, the 1260T is the one with Bluetooth, a handy feature to have; and that one comes with Lifetime Traffic included, oooh, nice. They all have world clock and a picture viewer, anti-theft (Great Idea) and are easily personalized with Garmin Garage. Ahhh, the nuvi 550, is waterproof and great for motorcycles, boats and geocaching! Well, I think I know which one I want for Christmas, oooops! I'm not shopping for me, I am supposed to be shopping for everyone else!

Imagine that, we bought a new computer and needed repair right away. What a nightmare, right? The bright spot was the technician who came to rebuild our nearly brand new computer. She was wonderful. Anyway, of course we talked about GPS. No big surprise there. She has a handheld GPS unit for hiking, but she says in her opinion when it comes to automotive GPS there is nothing like using laptop GPS to get from one appointment to the next. After all, she has the laptop anyway; and it has a really large screen which really improves visibility as she travels from home to home, city highways or country roads, normally going places she is totally unfamiliar with. She says her portable GPS device is fine when riding her bike or hiking, but when it comes to highway speeds and traffic, she wants the best visibility at a glance that is possible. She feels she gets that with the large screen of her own computer and her laptop GPS receiver.

The Forerunner 305 has the ability to measure pedaling cadence, heart rate, speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent, plus much more. The heart rate monitor is a soft, comfortable chest strap that uses wireless technology to reliably measure and send heart rate data to the Forerunner. The cadence feature includes a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor so you can monitor your pedaling as you ride. This data is then automatically sent wirelessly to the waterproof Forerunner GPS unit and stored for analysis when you have finished your workout.

Whenever I bring up the topic of the use of marine GPS units with my fishing buddy Grover he dismisses the topic out of hand. According to him, fishermen should be able to anticipate hotbeds for angling without any outside assistance. Of course there were plenty of points I could have made to poke holes in his position. For instance, is it “cheating” to check the weather report before heading out to the lake?

Besides that, I always remind Grover that Garmin chartplotters are good for much more than finding fish. In fact, I rely on them as navigational tools on dark nights when clouds obscure the stars overhead. When you’re out in the middle of a lake in pitch darkness, there’s no way to guarantee you’ll miss rock outcroppings and other debris that’s just waiting to run your boat aground. Grover couldn’t help but admit that I was right.

Well, this year they have a new character who will gladly ride along with you and give you directions and funny/scary narrative, Dr. Nightmare. To quote the Garmin blog; "Love the voice. Ours has the habit of saying creepy things at the most opportune moments when looking for a house to buy. When we arrived, if the house was no good, he would say 'Welcome to this dreadful destination.' A friend was in the back of our car, and as she leaned over to look in the rearview mirror to check her hair, he said 'Is that a goblin in the rearview mirror?' She then replied 'No its me.' But the most uncanny of them all was just the other day, when we were driving slowly through a small town when the vehicle in front of us stopped at the pedestrian crossing. As he did so a cat by the side of the road crossed in front of this vehicle. As we drove off Dr. Nightmare said "Did a cat just cross your path?"! Weird or what?!"  We can hardly wait to go pick the boys up and go for a nice country drive with our new friend, Dr. Nightmare.

Well, it’s that time of year again, and up here in the North Country the snowbirds are thinking about taking flight back to warmer climes. It is time to be looking at automotive GPS units to help you get around all the obstacles that might be in your way, help you find the nearest gas station or restaurant and help you plan your route to save you gas along the way. There are so many options, let’s consider some of them.

For example, the DeLorme Earthmate BT-20 w/Street Atlas USA 2010 Plus is a smart, flexible GPS, mapping and routing solution offering both Bluetooth and USB connectivity which plugs into your USB laptop PC or UMPC, or works wirelessly with your Bluetooth-enabled laptop, UMPC, PDA, or touchscreen phone. This DeLorme Earthmate GPS allows you to create driving routes automatically, with user controls for road preferences. It will help you locate 4 million places of interest such as restaurants, lodgings, attractions, truck stops, and businesses of all kinds.

Also, the nüvi 255W is a widescreen navigator with voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions that speak street names. It's packed with millions of destinations and maps for North America. With its "Where Am I?" emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. Garmin’s nüvi 255W includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and sports a sleek, slim design that fits comfortably in your pocket or purse.

So, go south if you will, but do it safely and efficiently with your choice of automotive GPS systems. There are many affordable automotive GPS units to choose from.

Hey boating enthusiasts, now that you are familiar with marine GPS navigation, both GPS chartplotters and fishfinders, the best of both worlds is a GPS fishfinder combination. With a GPS fishfinder combo you are able to not only chart your course to your favorite fishing grounds, but to clearly take your deep sea and fresh water fish finder GPS fishing to new levels. Plus, these waterproof units include a high-sensitivity internal or external GPS receiver, so you will always know your position at sea, then they will help you find those monster fish once you get there. There sure is nothing like a nice relaxing day on the water, a friend by your side and fishing pole in your hand.

If you know your location before you leave you can use the pre-plan trip optional which is nice for the fact you can see how long it will take you to get to your desired location. The GPS system also shows where you can stop for gas, find local attractions and restaurants so you can eat. The one really cool thing about this system is that you can use the 3-D option so the views are more detailed.

So I started doing a little research on different brands and features that are available in automotive GPS systems. I ended up settling on the Garmin nuvi 255w. I chose this particular model because of its affordability and because of some the great features. Not only is it portable but it has some of the beat features that the nuvi line offers, like touch screen and the “Where Am I?” emergency locator.

Let me just say that it sure made getting directions a lot easier than trying to read and refold those old road maps.”

Memory is used to load detailed topographic maps, street-level maps, or additional waypoints into your GPS receiver. Detailed maps can use a great deal of memory on your device, so you need to consider how much internal storage capacity your device has. Higher end GPS devices also usually accept a memory card for additional storage. You can also share data easily between different GPS units of your own, or with a friend if you are using a memory card. There are several sizes of memory cards to choose from to expand the memory of your GPS navigation system. Most are between 1 and 4 GB of memory; although, you can purchase larger or smaller memory cards than this if you are interested, depending on how you plan use your GPS units.

Some very basic GPS navigation systems have a single or dual channel scanning receiver that can read and 'lock' onto 8 to 12 satellites. If a device can give me a fairly accurate location with only 4 satellites, why would I want more than 5 parallel channels? Since 5 would only allow for a margin of 1 visible satellite, having more channels would permit your unit to maintain a position when you moved behind a building where you suddenly lost contact with several satellites. Ideally you would like to be able track all available satellites simultaneously to maintain a fix under the worse possible conditions. If you turn a corner and several satellites are now obscured from view there is a good likelihood that the extra channels will instantly bring several others into view, thus maintaining continuous accuracy. I hope this has been useful information to help make your decision as you purchase your new GPS navigation system.

Driving directions can be incredibly useful, so you may want to consider this feature in a higher end device. You may want to add to or update the basemap with additional free or purchased maps to make your GPS device truly useful. Basemaps may be updated and enhanced via purchased CDs, downloads from Web sites, or via purchased software and memory cards for GPS or additional cartography that have map and other data already in place.

When was the last time you or your buddy got turned around in the woods while waiting for that big buck to pass by?  Or out on a drive, and by the time you worked your way around that thick stand of trees or that rock ledge, where were you supposed to end up?  Your buddies are counting to be where they need you, but where is that anyway?  Now you are turned around and not sure where you ended up.  You sure don’t want one of the other hunters to mistake you for a deer because they weren’t expecting you to come out way over there… Or it started raining buckets while waiting on the line, or worse yet, wet soggy snow; and it sure is hard to see those landmarks you were watching for earlier on the way in here.  So many things can happen to get you off course, especially if you are in a new area with unfamiliar landscape.  Now what will you do?

There are actually handheld GPS units that are built specifically for hunting.  These GPS units are waterproof for that nasty weather that is bound to hit right when you want it least, and you can mark your car, the tree stand, the hunting lodge and any game signs you may spot.  Some of them even include a built-in electronic compass and barometric altimeter! Think especially how easy it will be to get back out there tomorrow when you can just check your hand held GPS device to see where you marked special points and compare notes with your buddies back in the lodge.  Sweet.

Anglers tend to take one of two approaches to a fishing trip: either they’re in it for the relaxation and camaraderie or they’re deadly serious about reeling in a trophy fish. Family fishing trips seldom become competitive; it’s usually enough to catch a few bass or trout in an inland lake while spending the rest of the time shooting the breeze and enjoying a cold beverage or two.

Fishing competitions are another matter entirely. Serious anglers often realy possess keen fishing instincts that have been honed through years of experience. Still, they accept help wherever they can get it. An Eagle fishfinder features a combination of sonar and GPS mapping technology, allowing anglers to pinpoint the likeliest location where a school of fish might be hanging out. When pride and prize money are on the line, a fishfinder is practically as essential as the boat itself.

Be sure to be considerate of the environment while caching, and it is a nice idea to bring a bag to collect any trash you might see on your adventure.  The national parks do not allow caches to be placed within them, but New York State parks have a permit system for geocaching activities.  It is a great family activity so you can get your children outdoors hiking and learning and having fun together. Now get out there and enjoy the great outdoors.

Most marine GPS fish finders and chart plotters either include or need a transducer to work properly.  The question comes to mind “What is a transducer and what does it do?”  According to Wikipedia a transducer is a device, usually electrical, electronic, electromechanical, electromagnetic, photonic or photovoltaic that converts one type of energy or physical attribute to another for various purposes including measurement or information transfer (for example: pressure sensors).

There are three kinds of transducers. A sensor is used to detect a parameter in one form and report it in another form of energy (usually an electrical or digital signal), such as a tachometer. An actuator is used for the transformation of energy or in other words, it converts electrical signal into generally nonelectrical energy. An example of an actuator is a loudspeaker which converts an electrical signal into a variable magnetic field and, subsequently, into acoustic waves. The third kind of transducer has both functions -- for example, typical ultrasonic transducers switch back and forth many times a second between acting as an actuator to produce ultrasonic waves, and acting as a sensor to detect ultrasonic waves.

The bottom line here is that a transducer is what helps the fish finder or chart plotter “find” the fish or the contours of the bottom of the lake, river or other body of water.

I would like to share the joy of Geocaching with you.  I have been enjoying this hobby for a few years now.  Each and every cache I have found has been unique in it's own way. Everything from a quick find in a parking lot to a long hike in the woods.  The adventure never gets old.  This hobby is for the young and old alike.  For those who haven't heard of Geocaching it basically is Modern day treasure hunting. One person or group hide a cache then others go find it using the Coordinates of the cache on a handheld GPS unit.  Additional information about this hobby can be found at Geocaching.com . Geocaching is a world wide hobby. Go to Geocaching.com type in your zip code and you may just be surprised at just how many you'll find. As with all outdoor activities please respect the areas you visit, and if you carry it in please carry it out. Happy caching.
Roadragetrx (geocaching name)
JR Akins

Our daughter-in-law had quite a drive ahead of her this weekend to visit her mom.  It would take at least two hours each way on strange roads.  Mom had moved to a new place, and she did not know how to get there yet.  The roads were strange and it started raining heavily while she was on the way.  Traffic was building, and things were getting pretty confusing.  It was a good thing she had her automotive GPS unit with her that announced the streets by name for her and told her which lane to be in for the upcoming turn.

Also, while she was on the road, our son called to check to see where to find their son’s shoes.  With the Bluetooth technology on her automotive GPS, she was able to tap the screen to answer the phone and keep on driving.  What a mom.  She sure is a pro at multitasking!

Professional golfers rely on caddies to read the greens and offer strategic advice as they walk around the course. One of the caddy’s most valuable skills involves estimating the distance to the hole and recommending a club selection. This at least can be replicated by recreational players through the use of a Bushnell Yardage Pro. The Yardage Pro calculates yardage to a greater degree of accuracy than a human being could ever hope to achieve, and it can shave strokes off a player’s round.

I spent years collecting dusty, outdated maps to aid my frequent cross-country business trips. For a while, these relics were a point of pride; I would only stop to ask for directions as a last resort. Those infrequent conversations with clueless clerks were as embarrassing as they were humbling. Nobody likes to admit they’re lost.

From the moment I heard about the technology, I knew automotive GPS would prove invaluable. My glove box and consoles are free of rumpled maps, and my mind is at ease now that a mobile GPS unit does the navigating for me. The main perk is that I’ve cut out those tedious information sessions with gas station attendants entirely. It’s a breeze to maneuver around any city or country road, no matter how unfamiliar.

Your Garmin Forerunner will continually help you push yourself to do your personal best. The Forerunner 205 includes a high sensitivity GPS receiver and new courses feature for optimal performance. Using the Forerunner 301 as a training partner will continuously monitor your heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter and more efficiently. GPS watches or wrist mount GPS units are also handy to help you find your way around unfamiliar areas while you break the monotony of the same old walk or run every day and get out there and explore new vistas.

The Edge 305 has the ability to measure pedaling cadence, heart rate, speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent, plus much more. The heart rate monitor is a soft, comfortable chest strap that uses wireless technology to reliably measure and send heart rate data to the Edge. The cadence feature includes a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor so you can monitor your pedaling as you ride. This data is then automatically sent wirelessly to the waterproof Edge GPS unit and stored for analysis when you have finished your workout.

Some of the options available for automotive GPS include widescreen or standard size, preloaded maps, Touch screen to easily look up addresses and services, voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination, and some and will calculate a more fuel-efficient route for you. Another thing to consider is if it is small enough and light enough to carry it with you when you get to your destination and the ability to continue to use it while wandering on foot.

I Just got back from a weekend in Long Lake NY. While there i attended 3 Geocaching events. The 2010 Mid-Winter Meet and Greet Friday evening, Mid-winter Geocaching Get-Together 2010 on Saturday, and the 2010 Mid-Winter Flash Mob Event on Sunday. Along with attending these events i hiked along several trails new to me and cached with many different people. It made for a very adventure filled weekend. With Geocaching there is an adventure always near you with new caches being published daily around the world!!! If you already own a handheld gps and like the outdoors throw on some Snow Shoes and give it a try you won't be sorry!!! For more information visit Geocaching.com

When looking for automotive GPS systems, it will all seem confusing at first due to the wide variety of pricing, features and brands. In fact there are probably hundreds of models available today. Also, the price can vary greatly from model to model, depending on the features. When searching for automotive GPS units, you first have to know what options are available. Do you want just a standard automotive GPS that can help you travel from one place to another, or do you want something more sophisticated with additional capabilities? If you just need something basic, then you should look at a price range at the lower end of the scale. Some of the options available for automotive GPS include widescreen or standard size, preloaded maps, Touch screen to easily look up addresses and services, voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination, and some and will calculate a more fuel-efficient route for you. Also, do you want Bluetooth capabilities?

Another thing which you might want to consider is if it is small enough and light enough to carry it with you when you get to your destination and the ability to continue to use it while wandering on foot and how long the battery will hold up; is it long enough for an all-day outing or do you only want to be able to find your car again after a day of shopping at the mall? Be sure to check to see whether it is waterproof or not; if you are considering using it on your motorcycle, bike or boat as well as in your car, this is an important factor. Several automotive GPS units are excellent to be used for either land or marine use and can be handy for that weekend fisherman.

While all are lightweight, the 1260T is nearly half the weight of the other two at about 4 ounces - I'm likin' that in my pocket again if I head out on foot or on my bike ‘cause it won't be bulky. Okay, good... All three have rechargeable batteries; with a battery life between 3 and 8 hours on each, the 550 beats the other two out again, but I will be able to just keep them charging while I am in the car. No problems there. All three come with preloaded maps and have the ability to load more - nice. All three use voice prompts and speak streets by name, I like that a lot, but none of these have voice activated navigation; well, I don't really need that one, and it keeps the price reasonable.

All three of these automotive GPS units will do detour calculations to get me back on track, but only the 550 and the 1450 will figure out the most direct route for me; although, all three models will help me avoid highways or toll roads - savin' me money; and the 1260T and 1450 both include ecoroute to save gas. I like that. Oh, the 1260T is the one with Bluetooth, a handy feature to have; and that one comes with Lifetime Traffic included, oooh, nice. They all have world clock and a picture viewer, anti-theft (Great Idea) and are easily personalized with Garmin Garage. Ahhh, the nuvi 550, is waterproof and great for motorcycles, boats and geocaching! Well, I think I know which one I want, how about you?