Buyers Guide: GPS Tracking Device

Whether you're boating, hiking, or even just on your usual road trip, a GPS tracking device is a very useful tool.

However, like with other versatile and useful consumer technology systems available in the market today, buying a GPS tracking device may seem difficult.

It need not be. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect one for you.

Types

With a wide variety of options to choose from, differentiating one GPS tracking device from another will be a big help. Several types are listed below.

• The car navigation system is the best option for you if you're planning on using your GPS mainly to get from point A to B. It's simply used to track your exact location and to indicate the nearest gas station and many other places along your route.

When buying a car GPS system, make sure it has enough memory. It must contain at least 8 MB of memory to be able to store your routes and waypoints in the system.

The portable outdoors unit, also called the handheld GPS tracking device, is the most common type. It's a small device, with a screen size of around 3.5 inches.

As the name implies, a portable GPS is great for those who love to spend a significant amount of time outdoors. For instance, if you're out hiking, you can easily track where you've been, mark your own points of interest, and even find out how far you've gone and at what speed.

There are also handheld GPS tracking devices with a built-in radio that allows you to communicate with your fellow hikers and view everyone's location on the screen. These handhelds can be as low as $100 and rarely more than $500.

• The marine system is ideal if you love fishing or just being in the water. It's specifically designed to be on or around a body of water. Its price varies widely, but a very good choice may cost no more than $1,000.
• The PDA/GPS hybrid offers a good combination of the car navigation unit and the portable outdoors unit. It features a large screen and a PDA to help you keep organized. It costs about $400 to $900.
• The covert GPS tracking device is a versatile type of GPS. It features a small chip that can be used to track your car or even your child, with the use of a cell phone or a wristwatch. It's a must-have if you want to keep track of someone who tends to "roam" but is not capable enough of finding his way back, such as someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Other features

Your GPS can carry several extra functions. Here are a couple of them:

• GPS fish finder. If you love fishing and don't like getting frustrated locating good spots, you may want to double your marine GPS system as a GPS fish finder. With the GPS fish finder, which uses both GPS technology and sonar, you'll know exactly where to find those fish.
• Wide area augmentation system (WAAS). This feature greatly increases the accuracy of your GPS to within 10 feet, in most cases. Accurate distance measurement is important for the outdoor enthusiast but not nearly as important for navigating through town in your car.

Other considerations

• Be sure your GPS has at least 12 channels of reception. Since it'll only work when it receives signals from satellites orbiting Earth, less than 12 receiving channels won't get the job done in wooded areas or on steep terrain.
• You should also consider the device's screen size. Square-shaped GPS units don't appear to provide a lot of space for viewing maps. However, the wide-screen models shaped like a rectangle can certainly display larger map areas and show more options on the screen at the same time. These units are a little more expensive than those with square-shaped screens-about $50 to $100-but it'll be worth it in the long run.
• Determine your budget limitations. Low-cost GPS devices often won't hold up in harsh weather conditions. Harsh weather may lead to inconsistent and unreliable operation.
• Test before you buy. To get the best GPS unit, test it in real-life conditions. If the unit is intended for a car, test the receiver's sensitivity by trying the device in closed areas and driving under bridges or in places where there are high buildings. Most GPS units will provide inaccurate readings-or none at all-when there are satellite signal obstacles.

Summary

• Common types of GPS tracking devices are the car navigation system, the potable outdoors unit, the marine system, the PDA/GPS hybrid, and the covert GPS tracking device.
• The car navigation system is the best option if you're planning on using your GPS mainly to get you from one place to another.
• The portable outdoors unit, also called a handheld GPS tracking device, is ideal if you love to spend a significant amount of time outdoors. It's also the most common type.
• The marine system, which is specifically designed to be on and around a body of water, is best if you love fishing or just spending time in the water.
• The PDA/GPS hybrid is a combination of the car navigation unit and the portable outdoors unit.
• The covert GPS tracking device is a must-have if you want to keep track of someone who tends to "roam" but is not capable enough of finding his way back
• Some GPS tracking devices carry additional features such as the GPS fish finder and the wide area augmentation system (WAAS).
• When choosing a GPS tracking device, take into consideration the available channels of reception, its screen size, and its capacity to hold up in harsh weather. In addition, test the unit before you buy it.