Free GPS Guidance
Posts Tagged ‘handheld GPS systems’
Can money buy you happiness? Someone posed the age-old question. Well, let’s consider. First, money purchased my hiking shoes, not a lot mind you, but money all the same. And it took money to purchase my inexpensive handheld GPS unit for geocaching. I rode my bike down a really pretty country road to where I wanted to look for that geocache which is only a couple miles from my house. My bike originally cost me money, but I have had it for quite a while and gotten quite a bit of use out of it, so cost per use would be pretty low by now. Of course, I could have walked the entire way – that would have been free. It did take some money for that GPS bike mount for my handheld GPS device, but not bad compared to the hands free convenience as I feel the right GPS mounts can make all the difference in using your handheld GPS systems. Hmm, also the sun on my face and the breeze in my hair were free. The sound of the birds in the trees and the rustle of the leaves was not only refreshing, but free. Well, I am thinking money purchased some conveniences and my GPS navigation device, but certainly the happiness of the day was certainly FREE, as was my soaring spirit that day. Now get out there and enjoy your life!
If you are looking for a serious, yet versatile handheld GPS you might want to consider the DeLorme Earthmate. The DeLorme Earthmate PN-30 or PN-40 GPS systems have a lot to offer. The DeLorme Earthmate GPS are great as handheld GPS systems, but with the right handheld GPS accessories such as the correct GPS mounts they become automotive GPS systems; and, since they are waterproof, can also be used on your motorcycle, bike or ATV as well, and there is no worry if you get caught in the rain on a hike or geocaching expedition.
With compact dimensions of 2.43 x 5.25 x 1.5 they are easy to carry, are equipped with STMicroelectronics GPS 32-channel chipset for reliable satellite acquisition and include dual-core processor for rapid screen re-draws, even with large aerial imagery files and 500 MB of available on-board Flash memory. With both you can download data directly to SD card while in the receiver and display Navionics Charts. While only the PN-40 has a 3-axis electronic compass which performs in any position and sensitive barometric altimeter for accurate altitude readings, both versions have many other great features.
Both the DeLorme Earthmate PN-30 and PN-40 are pre-loaded with US secondary and connector roads , pre-loaded worldwide highway and major road base map and include Topo USA with comprehensive street, road and topographic detail. DeLorme Earthmate GPS even include NOAA nautical charts and are WAAS-enabled and with their rugged rubberized housing they are waterproof to IPX7 for marine use. Both the DeLorme Earthmate PN-30 and PN-40 include support for high capacity SDHC cards , available at up to 32 GB and 65K-color daylight-reading screen for visibility in any light conditions. Include the facts that they hold up to 10 tracks (10,000 points per track), up to 1,000 user-defined waypoints and hold up to 50 routes they are terrific for paperless geocaching. And who would expect them to include an almanac information on tides, sun and moon phases, and hunting/fishing conditions? Since they run on 2 AA batteries (included) or available Lithium-Ion rechargeable you can always carry backup batteries in your pack so you won’t get caught without your GPS before you get home.
What more versatile handheld GPS systems can you imagine? Whether you are interested in automotive GPS systems, geocaching or using GPS on your bike, motorcycle or ATV or for marine use, the DeLorme Earthmate GPS are dynamite handheld GPS systems not to be overlooked.
Oh Christmas Sales, Oh Christmas Sales! How lovely saving money… Oh, sorry… Black Friday shopping – what a frenzy! Oh, the stories I heard – bet you heard ‘em, too. A few friends made it up and out at O’Dark-thirty, joined in the pushin’ and shovin’, hustlin’ and bustlin’, hurryin’ to get a number to stand in line hopin’ to get what they wanted, limited numbers, sizes ran out, rushed and ran and got tired out. Another friend talked about how many folks are catching the flu while out shopping lately. A familiar story, don’t you think? We’ve heard plenty about that. And the gas prices, Oh My! Well, here at home, not down in the city, we just hung our wreaths. Oooh, don’t they look pretty. Now I’m back at my desk, coffee by my side, checking my options, beaming with pride.
Anyway, with Cyber Monday tomorrow I want to decide which handheld GPS systems I like best. There are some great ones to choose from. Let me see, I like geocaching, check. I want it to be handy for hiking, check. Oh, and let’s not forget bike riding, great! It needs to be small enough to grab to take on vacation, yup. Sure have some great handheld GPS units to consider! Delorme Earthmate – there are several, Busnell ONIX GPS, Garmin Colorado and Vista, Dakota and Forerunner. It’s time to grab a snack and settle down to look with this many options!
So what exactly is a geocache? Caches are typically waterproof containers which can vary in size and often contain a log book and several trinkets from geocachers who have previously found the cache. If you like you can help yourself to one of the trinkets but be sure and leave one of your own in return! Geocaching is a fun game that is played worldwide, sort of hide and seek using a portable or handheld GPS device. You will find coordinates posted on the internet of different caches in your area. There are hundreds of caches in our area alone. If you find a cache you write in the log inside it and post your finding on the web. If you should move the cache (be sure it is one that can be moved before you do), you want to then post the new coordinates on the internet so the next geocacher can look to see where you moved it to.
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.
Get Back into the Joy of Discovering the Outdoors
It is easy to get back into the joy of discovering the outdoors on a bike, even if you are over 50. Finding the right bike for your body, the way you want to be riding (trails or roadways) and in your price range is an important place to start. A stop at your local bike shop where there are trained folks to help you get the right bike for your situation is a great idea and will save you lots of time and frustration. Having the right gear and being prepared are also very important.
We all know that when we ride a bike it is a good idea to wear a good bike helmet, no matter how old we are – safety first! Getting hurt in an accident is never fun, but you sure don’t want to chance a traumatic brain injury. If you are looking for adventure, or just trying to break up the boredom, one of the handheld GPS systems is a handy addition for your biking pleasure, and there are several GPS bicycle mounts to choose from for hands free convenience. Now get out there and have some fun!