On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 11:39:22 -0500, singhals <singhals@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
declaimed the following in soc.genealogy.computing:
>
> Why, you li'l ol' optimist, you! (G) I'll take a longer
> look at Garmin. Thanks.
>
In the midst of a multiyear drought, are we? <G>
I'm most familiar with Garmin gear; their older stuff was oriented
more for nautical usage (GPS38, GPS45) when the more critical displays
were steer-to-course and velocity-made-good... When you're in something
like the America's Cup race, you may find that you get more speed to the
waypoint by pointing away from it (IOWs, the combination of wind and
current result in a side drift to the point that is faster than fighting
a side current while aiming straight)
Newer Garmin units (as the web site breakdown showed) tend to be
grouped as basic, mapping, and I think vehicle. Basic units have the
waypoints, routes, and data formats, sufficient to use them as primary
to a map and compass (which should be carried as backup) -- day treks,
weekend camping, hunting assists (now where did I park the car?).
Some Garmin's combine GPS with a GMRS radio (though to be legal, you
have to send in a license application and pay a fee for GMRS frequency
usage; GMRS is higher powered than FRS radios which are no-license).
The mapping units, especially the larger ones, can take downloaded
maps -- large scale topo and/or street maps. The can also create routes
between way points in either "off-road" (attempt straight line between
way points) or "on-road" (bend at intersections). Vehicle units are
basically "on-road" map types with limited data retrieval.
Besides Garmin, there are a number of other manufacturers. Magellan,
Lowrance, even Brunton has (had) a model... {based upon the photo in
"GPS Made Easy 4th Ed. (WAAS)" (Lawrence Letham, 2003 Mountaineers
Books)[found are REI]}
The Garmin eTrex are small units, about the size of a medium-large
pill bottle that has been flattened some. Other units get up to the size
a cordless (not cell) phone or large TV remote.
Fancier units include flux-gate comp***** (basic GPS can only
interpolate a direction when one is moving fast enough for it compute a
difference in sequential positions, flux-gate actually senses magnetic
field lines), and barometric altimeters.
The last option, which I am not too familiar with: One can find GPS
modules that plug into PDAs, using the PDA for display purposes... They
tend to be battery hogs (even more than regular PDA usage). I don't know
how much data retrieval capability these might have, one would have to
study the specifications.
Wonder if anyone is still using the Sony GPS unit that was for sale
back in the mid-80s... It was the size of an external Firewire disk
drive, you needed two hands to hold it.
--
Wulfraed Dennis Lee Bieber KD6MOG
wlfraed@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(Bestiaria Sup****t Staff: web-asst@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
)
HTTP://www.bestiaria.com/
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