GPS Systems and Reviews

GPS Systems Information

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Let a Waterproof Marine GPS System Guide Your Crew to Safety

Getting out on brisk waters in the middle of the day or the middle of the night can be both invigorating and frightening. There is so much room to feel the air and experience the greatness that is our world – yet this same greatness that makes us feel so free can easily overwhelm us if we don’t take its true power into consideration and treat it with great respect. For many, the idea of being overtaken by the water can be enough to stay away from its depths altogether. But for others who insist that the great rivers, lakes, and oceans are where they need to be, there are ways to enjoy these aquatic sensations in safety. One in particular that many marine masters use is the waterproof marine GPS system. It is a perfect way to navigate on the waters while ensuring a safe return every trip.

How Can This System Help Me?

Many boaters and fishers have found that getting their hands on a waterproof marine GPS system has gotten them out of potentially dangerous situations on the sea. This is because they not only help them navigate through the waters with ease; they also tell them of where land can be located on all sides, and more specifically, where they can find ports. Most of these devices are known as chartplotters that keep up with the weather in their area, as well as information on where boaters intend to travel. These devices can also come up with multiple routes so that boaters are provided with a variety of options at all times.

These are just a few of the ways you can benefit from these devices. Now, let’s look more closely at some that are currently available. 

Garmin GPSMAP 276C Marine & Vehicle Chartplotter

This waterproof marine GPS system is great because it works just as well on the sea as it does off. It comes with a 256-color TFT display screen making it easy to view in the day or nighttime. It also is great for seeing outside on the boat when the brightest sun is glaring down on it. It comes with a built-in basemap and also has an auto routing feature so that you can take advantage of turn-by-turn directions from your home to the waterfront before you ever set sail.

Some other great features of this waterproof marine GPS system include pre-programmed maps that let you see information on highways and waterways of the Americas. And you can program your own maps into the unit so that you will have access to the most accurate and detailed offshore information available on fishing hotspots and recreation lakes. Once you’re on your boat, you can learn about various water depths, temperatures, and your boat’s speed. And it even has an indicator commonly found on aircraft that lets you know when you have veered off course.

Lowrance LCX-113C HD 10.4” Screen Color Sonar System

As you can imagine, by purchasing a device with a 10.4-inch color sonar screen, you are already off to a good start (seeing that most device come with screens in the 3.5-4.3-inch range). But this is just the beginning of what you get in features from this waterproof marine GPS system. For starters, you can enjoy a huge 30 GB internal hard drive that comes with tons of preloaded, high-detailed mapping charts for both coastal and inland navigation.

But that’s not all. With this unit, you also get an advanced fluorescent cold-cathode screen with 600V x 800H pixel resolution and keypad backlighting. Want more? It also comes with NMEA 2000 connectivity for versatile data sharing, and 5-pin Ethernet expansion that allows for compatibility with radar, video and satellite radio. And it can store up to 1,000 waypoints, 1,000 event markers, 100 routes, 100 retraceable plot trails, and up to 10,000 points in any trail. This means, whether you’re on the land or out on the sea, you can always keep track of where you’ve been so that you can find that point again on another trip. 

A waterproof marine GPS system is a great addition to any trip you take on land or on the sea. So now is the time to get out there to choose which might be the right one for you. Of course, you will need to take into consideration all of the specific needs of your future expeditions, so that you can make sure to have all that you need. This requires a good amount of research. But once this is done, you can go out, find the right waterproof marine GPS system, and make remaining expeditions fun, exciting, and safe for you and your crew.

 

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Checklist for Buying A GPS Navigation System

Everyone around you has already bought a GPS navigation system, but now you feel that it is your time to get one. What do you need to know before you make that purchase? We have compiled a checklist to help you decide which unit will be best for you.

Model and price is something that you must pay close attention to. If you’re comparing the same model for price make, sure it is exactly the same one. One letter or number can really change the price and the features on it. This is why you must make sure it is the right one so you can get accurate pricing for the model you are looking at.

Warranty will vary on many different models. Some companies will give you longer ones than others so this is something to consider. The only thing is make sure you know exactly what it will cover because different companies cover different parts of the GPS navigation system.

Runs right out of the box. Many times people like navigation systems that are ready to run out of the box. The truth though is many units just do not do that. If you want a unit like that you must be very carefully as some companies have a different perception about what run out of the box means. Size and weight is something that you must look close at as well. If you want something compact, there are many models to choose from. Most are very lightweight and all this must be considered when making a purchase.

One of the biggest things on GPS navigation systems checklists is screen size and colors. Most people will tell you the bigger the better, but not pixel size is something that is just as important. Pixels determine how clear your screen will read. Even if you get a bigger screen but the resolution is not very good, than it really is not worth the extra money that you will have to pay for it.

Most of the time you should have no problem seeing the display on your GPS navigation system, but when the sunlight and nighttime arrives many times it can be a problem. Companies have realized this fact and most now have a Day/night mode, which usually automatically adjusts it so you will always get the best performance possible. Controls are something else that you will want to look into. Most models now come with touch screens, but a word of warning with that as well not all are created equal. Yes, two models could have touch screens, but how they work can be different so take that into account.

Mapping is another area with GPS navigation systems that you also want to look careful into for a couple of reasons. Most navigation systems use maps that are a year or two old so you should look for a system that has a way for you to update them. The second thing that you need to look for is how frequent does the unit updates the maps that are pre-loaded and can you buy or add other maps to use. These are very important especially if you travel a lot.

Text to speech is a function where the GPS navigation system will announce every turn you have to make or what street you may need to be on. This is important because it keeps your eyes fixed on the road and not on the unit. Route planning is also very important. Many different models are making this a priority as it use not be one. Many extra features are being introduced that you may want to look into. Some of those include Bluetooth technology, MP3 players, DVD players and displaying pictures. Probably out of all those, the Bluetooth is the feature that people will use the most.  This feature lets you answer your phone through most GPS navigations systems if it is compatible. This is the only drawback as most units are not compatible with every phone so that is something that you will need to look into.

The checklist above is some of the things that you will need to look at when purchasing your first GPS Navigation system. Most people just grab a unit that a friend recommends or grabs one that looks nice. Do not make these mistakes. Do your homework and study the models you’re considering so you can get the most out of the hard-earned money you will be spending. Just buy what you need and do not buy more just for the sake of owning it

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