The Benefits Of Marine GPS

By: Jed Tumlinson


Now there�s no law that says you have to have GPS on board your boat but truth be told you�d really have to an idiot not to have it with the excellent pricing that�s available and all the benefits of marine GPS.

To really understand what benefits GPS can offer you need to understand what GPS is and how it works. Every day there are new uses being discovered and after all it was only a few years ago that the cost of GPS meant it was priced out of the reach of recreational boaters yet today almost everyone has it.

Originally GPS was designed for the military as a navigation aid. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Since then it has grown into an entirely different technology than it was way back then.

What GPS provides is really quite simple. It provides a set of coordinates which includes the longitude, latitude, and elevation on Earth. These coordinates are based on the location of the GPS unit itself.

Today GPS is used not only in navigation but also in tracking, surveying, and mapping. Its potential uses are really quite mind boggling growing on a daily basis. We won�t bore you with all the details about how GPS works. It does and from a layman�s perspective that�s really all that matters.

One of the easiest devices for tracking is the GPS. It lets a central tracking center monitor where several people, vehicles, or boats are at any one given time.

There are different types of GPS units on the market. Some have a receiver, some use software, some use radio waves while others use a GPS phone. It really is up to you to choose a unit that�s right for your situation.

GPS has become quite a useful tool not only for finding your location but also for transmitting it. That�s why it�s not used in transponders on boats, for younger children, and even on dogs. On dogs it is used on hunting dogs so that the hunter can easily track the location of the dog. It�s even used to located stolen cars. The very popular Bait program in Vancouver is an excellent example.

On the water you can run your GPS stand alone or you can incorporate it with our computer. Today�s systems are highly interactive with the ability to provide you with direction without having our take your eyes off the water or road.

Magellan and Garmin are household words when it comes to GPS manufacturers. Of course there are others. Just shop around online until you find the unit that meets your needs and your pocket book.

In fact online offers you more selection that is imaginable. No matter what you where hoping to get from your unit it�s available online and with so much competition you�ll be thrilled with pricing that you can find.

Which marine GPS will you choose? Remember just a couple of things � you can�t put a price on safety so always choose a reputable manufacturer that you can rely on.


Jed has been working for leading leading retailers of marine electronics with over 10 years of experience in the maritime industry. Come to www.marine-electronics-now.com to get free advice on different range of marine electronics