GPS - Do you really need one?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a system of satellites in orbit that are used to triangulate a users exact position, nearly anywhere on earth. It was developed in the 60s and 70s with the US military in mind. For a long time, the technology was only available to military forces and select others. It began to be available to civilians in the 90s and really started to gain popularity in the late 90s and early 2000s. The Russian version of GPS, known as GLONASS was in development for a long time and is just now becoming readily available to consumers.

The technology is now all around us. It is in most new cars, cell phones, cameras, computers, and other technology.

If the technology is so readily available and in most phones and cars today, you might wonder why you would need or want a dedicated GPS device.

If you are a person who stays close to civilization and rarely ventures off of the beaten path, you may need or want a dedicated device because your phone or car may    handle all your needs.

But if you are someone who enjoys going off the beaten path, camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or any other outdoor adventure, you may want to consider getting a dedicated device.

Modern dedicated GPS units have much larger GPS chips than phones or car units. This allows better reception and service than car or phone units. With a dedicated unit you can get reception in much more severe or dramatic environments and unlike a phone, the maps are preloaded on the device.

On an iPhone for example, while you can download specific apps that will tell you your location, most of these rely on cellular service to show the location on an actual map.Devoted GPS devices have maps preloaded so you can view your location no matter what. You can also carry spare batteries to swap out in your device when the batteries die, while most phones have, either non-removable batteries or specific lithium ion batteries that must be charged. This allows much greater versatility in the devices use, as long as you have fresh batteries stored close by, you can continue to use your device.

Another reason for buying and using a dedicated device is the ability dedicated units to show much more data and to do it more precisely. While some phones can tell users their altitude or moving speed, dedicated units allow users to do much of the same and even more, but way more precisely. You can also track your path, and if you get lost, follow the path back to your car, camp, or home.

Some newer GPS units can also be synced with your phone and send texts or even phone calls from your phone via satellite service instead of cellular service. This could be the difference in life and death if you get into a situation where you need to contact someone, but are out of cell phone range.

If you are interested in geocaching, a kind of sport/activity where you travel to a pre-set location to find a "cache", a dedicated unit is essential because most geocache locations are listed only by longitude and latitude, which can be plugged into a GPS unit and provide precise directions to the location.

In short, while most phones can be configured or modified with apps to do the same things a dedicated GPS device can do, a dedicated unit can do the same things better.

As the technology has become more refined, and commonly available, prices have dropped on dedicated units. Today you can go to a Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, or Academy and pick a unit that has the exact set of features that you want or need. Some units with lower capability or features start out at less than $100. At the same time, you can find top of the line units that include barometers, digital compasses, cameras with geotagging software, topographic maps, and phone compatibility to send messages or calls via satellite network from three hundred dollars up to multiple thousands of dollars. Units are also available in with external antennas for better reception, physical buttons for use with gloves or other clothing, or touch screens for ease of use and varying interfaces.

Better reception, better features, better usability. If you are going to be "Off The Map" having a dedicated GPS unit is almost a no-brainer.

A basic GPS unit that will allow you to retrace your steps in the event that you get lost or turned around: Bushnell BackTrack II
A mid-level unit that has many essential features including barometer, compass, preloaded maps, and external antenna for better reception (This is the unit that I own): Garmin GPSMap 62s
Top of the line unit that includes communication abilities: Garmin Rino 655T GPS Radio
Top of the line touch screen unit that includes nearly every feature imaginable, including Wi-fi, 1080p video recording, touch screen, preloaded maps, weather radio, FM Radio, and the ability to communicate via satellite instead of cellular system: Garmin Monterra GPS