GPS for Dummies.pdf - Engineering Surveyor

Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Athletes353The main advantages of using a GPS receiver for biking are that it Doesn’t need calibrating Is easy to switch between different bikes Has navigation features including maps (if supported)Compared with bike computers, GPS receivers have a few disadvantages: Shorter battery life Higher price Larger size Accuracy affected by tree coverIf you just want to use your GPS receiver for logging data, such as recordingtrail routes under heavy tree cover, try stowing your GPS receiver in a backpackand mounting an external antenna on the top of your bike helmet,threading the antenna cable out the back of the helmet and into the packwhere it’s plugged in to the GPS receiver. It might sound and look geeky, but asetup like this gives you optimum satellite reception. Just make sure that theantenna cable is tucked in and secured so it doesn’t catch on a tree branch.Some Garmin GPS receivers, notably the eTrex models when used with Garminbike mounts, can intermittently shut down when biking on rough terrain. YourGPS receiver probably isn’t defective. The battery compartment of the eTrexdoesn’t provide a snug fit for the batteries; vibration can jostle the batteriesaround, causing power loss. If this happens, tape the batteries together or usea small piece of cardboard as a shim to fill the extra space.GPS for golfersBecause golf is all about distance and getting a ball from Point A to Point B inthe least number of strokes, GPS offers some interesting possibilities.The simplest way to use GPS in golf is to bring your GPS receiver with you thenext time you play and mark the center of greens as waypoints. When youplay the course again, you can select the waypoints for a pretty good idea ofthe distance to the next green and use that information when selecting anappropriate club. (GPS receivers and devices like laser range finders aren’tallowed in tournament play — and some of your purist golf partners mightnot approve of electronics for casual play.)Some golf courses are on the GPS bandwagon, offering cart-based computersthat display color maps; the distance to the greens, holes, and hazards; protips; and other information. As an example, visit www.riteconcepts.com tosee a demonstration of its OnCourse GPS product.