WorcesterVista.com

The use of a GPS.

An Etrex GPS has been obtained and I will try and define its uses. This is probably the cheapest unit on the market, I got mine for £80 but although lacking some features has enough for most people. First I would suggest that alkaline batteries are utilised, the unit tends to eat standard batteries but alkaline should last for about sixteen hours use, or of course you could invest in rechargeable batteries.
To determine your position the GPS compares the time a satellite signal was transmitted with the time it was received, and the unit must be set to our time zone.
Besides giving an accurate fix to your location it can also tell you accurately, distance travelled, time taken, time stopped and also your average speed.
A compass is another useful feature but on the Etrex it is not a magnetic type and you must be moving to determine your heading.
When switching unit on for the first time there may be a short delay in the machine determining your location and you should have a clear view of the sky to do this.
The settings menu allows the correct mapping format to be utilised and this will give Ordnance Survey co-ordinates when you create a Waypoint and also gives it a number or the option of a name, this allows your waypoints to be checked later to your map. A feature of a GPS is that map data can be downloaded from your computer to the unit but you will need to purchase a lead and software to do this.
Co-ordinates can be entered from your normal map by hand and these will be stored on unit to give proposed route. I have found that occasionally the route taken from your map may not correspond to the GPS location, this is due to path being moved from its correct location by a kind farmer to make your walk more interesting, why farmers think we are interested in brambles nettles and barbed wire beats me, but we are all aware of this problem.
In use the Etrex should be switched on at the beginning of your journey and a Waypoint created to mark your start, and further Waypoints made to help build up your route, the screen will give you a breadcrumb trail and heading. This trail will allow you to track back along your route and could possibly prevent you getting lost.
If you have created waypoints previously, the unit will guide you from Waypoint to Waypoint throughout you walk.
All in all I would consider this device to be a nifty bit of kit and will help the keen walker to find his way, but bear in mind you will need a bit of computer know-how to be able to use successfully.