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Originally Posted by csuhockey3
Hey Folks,
I am taking a course in GPS and was assigned to present something interesting about the subject. Naturally, I thought of the lake. I looked around the forum and found some good information here and there, but I would like to ask you all:
- What GPS units do you use?
- Interesting stories about how GPS was helpful to you
- Advances in GPS/GIS around the lakes region
- What, if anything did you use in the past (more for aircraft)
- Good resources to provide me with more (local) information
Besides discussing how GPS will have a detrimental effect on the sale of props at the local marina, I'm not really sure where I want to go with this. I plan to discuss GPS in aircraft as well, since maritime and aircraft are so closely related. So, to get the creative juices flowing, I turn to you fine people and your infinite wisdom.
Thanks for the help!
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Like Broadhopper I have a handheld though it's a Garmin. It's not a chartplotter so it doesn't replace my Bizer. I break it out for (some) night trips though I have to say it's more of a backup than a primary device. There's only been 1 time that I was really glad to have had it onboard and that was coming back at night when we ran into fog and rain (see thread on "Most challenging Winni adventure"). Given the improved quality of the newer displays I would probably get a chartplotter if I were to buy one now.
As for presenting something interesting ... hmmm ... not sure how to help you here. I wonder how long it'll be before every can use the "GPS" built into their cell phones for lake navigation? I wonder if GPS units for aircraft usage are different from their terrestrial counterparts in regards to update timing. Consider that it takes time to receive the GPS signals, compute the position and update the display. The display you see is where you was some moments ago. No big deal if moving slowly and the need for precision is low but move fast and need high precision (bass boat and narrow channel
or plane and runway) and it's a different story. Then again I think we're still some years from GPS only instrument landings (perhaps the pilots out there can comment). I remember talk about a GPS based co-operative collision avoidance system (every plane broadcasts his position to whomever and each plane figures out where it should and shouldn't be) but I don't think it ever got out of the concept stage. Again the pilots here can comment. Someone earlier this year had bought a marine GPS that had a feature where the GPS predicted the boats course some seconds ahead and compared that to known hazards (ie the shore or rocks or ??) and issued a warning if there was going to be a conflict. I thought that was pretty novel for a low cost GPS system.
As for infinite wisdom ...hehehe... I would remind you of what Einstein is quoted as saying about infinite. "Two things are infinite, the universe and ...." well I'll let you look it up.
