Re: GPS Question

aj wrote:

i dont have a GPS but cant you just switch one on if you are unsure
of your position to get a grid reference & keep it switched off the
rest of the time

Yes, you could, but that would be a waste considering all the other things
you can do with it.

At the very least, leave it switched on to record a track. Not only will it
give you statistics on exactly where you went, how far you walked, how long
it took, walking speeds and times at different points, but it can also act
as a useful breadcrumb trail. Let's say the mist came down or it got dark
and you needed to backtrack for some reason - far easier to follow the track
back (there is a "trackback" feature than have to faff about navigating the
usual way.

As for reading the grid ref and comparing it to a map, that's the hard way
to use a GPS. Just load up some well chosen waypoints beforehand and you'll
rarely ever need to read a grid ref, or even get out the map. You're
probably thinking of using the map for navigation and keeping the GPS in
your rucksack for emergencies. It's much easier to do it the other way
around, use the GPS for navigation and keep the map in your rucksack for
emergencies!

However, you do need some extra software and a lead to connect it to the PC
to get the best out of a GPS.

Paul


.

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