Why Handheld GPS is Important When Travelling

The Global Positioning System or GPS was originally developed by the United States Department of Defence. It is a satellite-based system that offers a common means to gather information in regards to location for agricultural, urban, and natural resource science applications. Presently, it is made up of a constellation of high-end, good working satellites, which are used for civilian GPS. It accurately determines location in virtually all weather conditions, anywhere in the world.

Today, GPS has come a long way in a relatively short span of time. As a matter of fact, even mobile phone units have GPS mapping functionalities now. However, handheld GPS units are fast becoming favourite gadgets for those who go hiking, boating, biking, driving, and the like. Such devices are designed to be portable, rugged, lightweight, yet powerful, as they store as many waypoints as possible and provide details about most rural areas. The best thing about handheld GPS is that most units operate on only two AA batteries and can last for up to 17 hours. Since users can store a good number of waypoints and routes, it can provide diversity and spontaneity to a trek. Aside from that, such GPS devices are intended for outdoor use, making them weather-resistant. This means that for those who are travelling to unfamiliar locations, like Thailand, they can just use their GPS and find their way back to safety. Furthermore, most units come with an electronic compass, altimeter, and a barometer. Although they are designed to be handheld, they can be easily mounted on vehicles for more convenience. Moreover, most handheld GPS devices come with a USB cable for the easy transfer of navigational data, such as waypoints, tracks, and routes, to and from a computer. Furthermore, the latest versions of such devices have high resolution touch screen interfaces, for easier control.

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