Five Uses
For GPS Systems
by Hunter Crowell
Perhaps
you haven't bought a Global Positioning System (GPS)
yet because you don't feel you need it. You can't see
going to the expense of buying one when you can get
directions the old fashioned way - from other people
or from a map.
Many
people are under the impression that the only benefit
a GPS has for the average person is that it is a more
convenient way to get driving directions. And while
it is a very convenient way to map navigation, there
is far more that the average person can do with a GPS
than just use it for mapping.
Here
are a few uses for a GPS that may get you thinking about
purchasing one.
1.)
A GPS can help you locate a lost child. There are several
GPS devices on the market that are designed to be used
for this purpose. Some look like watches that lock on
a child's wrist. Others look similar to cell phones.
Some are even equipped with panic buttons that allow
the user to press a button during times of distress,
signaling that he needs help. The signals from these
devices are often transmitted to a central location
that will then call you on a predetermined phone with
the location of your child. Of course, these devices
can be used for other people besides children.
2.)
A GPS can help you locate a lost pet. A tracking device
is placed on your pet's collar or in a special backpack
that can be fitted to your pet. When your pet goes missing
you can retrieve the information about its whereabouts
through the type of transmitter that you have chosen.
Two popular methods of retrieving the information are
through a cell phone and the Internet. There are also
software programs available that will alert you if your
pet has gone out of boundaries that you have predetermined.
3.)
When working in conjunction with your cell phone, a
GPS can allow you to call for assistance from anywhere,
and your location can be tracked. This means that if
you get into a car accident in a location that is difficult
to identify, emergency vehicles can easily find where
you are. Or, if you are hiking in the woods and become
injured, help can track you down.
4.)
You can use your GPS as an exercise monitor. If you
walk, run or cycle regularly and like to change your
route frequently, a GPS is a great tool to use. It can
let you know how fast you are moving. It can also tell
you how much distance you have covered. You can easily
ensure that you get the exact number of miles in that
you want, even when you are taking an unfamiliar route.
5.)
A GPS device can help you create a high tech scavenger
hunt. A GPS scavenger hunt is much like a traditional
scavenger hunt. Teams of people have to hunt down clues
which lead them to their final destinations, often collecting
items along the way. However, the teams use GPS handheld
receivers to get from clue to clue as opposed to traditionally
written directions.
These
are just a few of the things that the average person
can use a GPS device for. There are hundreds of other
uses for a GPS that don't involve driving directions.
Hunter
Crowell is a researcher, marketer, a geocacher, and
the creator of GPS
Navigation Systems, a web site setup to help people
find useful and accurate information related to global
positioning systems. Visit his site at http://www.GPS-explained.info
.
