GPS for outdoor activitiesGPS for outdoor activities

Enjoy a rich, safe and funny experience in nature activities Enjoy a rich, safe and funny experience in nature activities with a GPS?with a GPS?

run, bike, go trekking, sail, hunting, recollectingrun, bike, go trekking, sail, hunting, recollectingto to find, discover, record, explore, share & exercisefind, discover, record, explore, share & exercise

and never ruin your experience because you get lostand never ruin your experience because you get lost

Saves you time for more enjoyment!

ObjectivesObjectives• Select best device

• Know limitations and fundamentals

• Share your experience in Internet

What’s GPSWhat’s GPSGPS is Global Position satellite system developed by US

Department of Defense. Started in 1973 and fully operational in 1994 with 24 satellites

Bill Clinton issued a policy directive opening GPS system to civilian use in1996

Other systems are under development: GLONASS (Russia), Compass Navigation System (China) and Galileo (UE)

Some GPS devices have capabilities which officially are considered as weapons

See more in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS

GPS devices for outdoor activitiesGPS devices for outdoor activitiesMobile phone with GPS- Integrated with other

devices- Data charges when AGPS

is used (assisted GPS)- Low sensibility- Low autonomy (2-4 hours)

without replaceable batteries

- Maps may update over mobile network, but not too much topography maps

GPS outdoor devices- Much richest features- Higher sensibility (accuracy)- Higher autonomy with

replaceable batteries (10 hours an AA pair)

- Manager multiple coordinating systems used in topography

- Able to work in highly humid environments, even submergible

RecommendationRecommendation

Recommendation: GPS outdoor devices

• Garmin and Magellan most important manufacturers• Price ranges from 100 to 600 Euros• There are smaller ones in clocks and pulsemeters for

runners (Garmin, Polar)

How to select most appropriate?

Product features escalationProduct features escalation• No maps

• Starting users or/and occasional use.• Garmin eTrex® H (100 Euros)

+ Maps and MicroSD ext. memory • Regular use • Garmin eTrex LEGEND HCx (150 Euros)

+ Electronic Compass • Garmin eTrex Vista HCx (190 Euros)• Garmin GPSMAP® 62st

+ Atmospheric altimeter and barometer• Professionals and experts• GARMIN GPSMAP 62s (325 Euros)

+ Tactile, wireless data sharing, camera• Garmin Oregon® 450 (355 Euros)

Price source: Pixmania http://www.pixmania.com

Some functionalitiesSome functionalities

Trip computer Height profile 3D views

Limitations and Limitations and recommendationsrecommendations

• Signal strength decreases (accuracy) in dense forests, canyons, high buildings, high density clouds.

• GPS maps cannot provide a global view about routes. Zoom out has too much clutter

• A compass is a good complement • Paper printed cartography is highly

recommended.

Basic conceptsBasic concepts

• Waypoints. Reference points of your route.

• Track Log. Route you are following represented and stored in your device.

• Track. Path you plan to follow represented in your screen

Basic conceptsBasic concepts• Coordinate system = Datum

“Flat representation of a rough ellipsis”

– Latitude and longitude not useful – Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and

Universal Polar Stereographic (UPS) are used on cartography. 1 Km divisions

– Each country uses its most accurate Datum Spain ED50, Google maps WGS84, GB OSGB36. …

– Wrong Datum can be 200 meters errors

Basic GPS settingsBasic GPS settings

A. Select same Datum as your topo map

B. Orient screen image in following ways:

• North on top. Useful in orientation with paper maps

• Track Log direction on top. Track rotates pointing your direction up. Useful following a track or driving

Get tracks and waypointsGet tracks and waypoints– Get waypoints from a Maps.

• ¡Use same Datum in GPS device!• Tip: 10 divisions rule can be extremely useful!

– Send directly points in Google Maps direct to your GPS

– Scan a map, select Datum select reference points, write route and send it to GPS. SW solution: OziExplorer

– GPS software with related maps

Sharing dataSharing data• Geolocated photographs. Panoramio

– URL: http://www.panoramio.com– Photos in Picasa can be geolocated and be send to

Panoramio

• Share tracks. Wikiloc, Gpsies.com,… – URL Wikiloc: http://www.wikiloc.com– URL Gpsies: http://www.gpsies.com

• Then you can share your experience on Social Networks, Blogs,…

Panoramio Panoramio http://www.panoramio.comhttp://www.panoramio.com

Wikiloc Wikiloc http://www.wikiloc.comhttp://www.wikiloc.com

WikilocWikiloc

ConclusionConclusionGPS is great electronics device for adventurers

• What would you do if you have one?

• Would you do same things if you do not have one?

• Any question?

• If you are you interested know more feel free to contact me

• Thank you for your interest