For outdoor adventurers who hike, fish, kayak, cross-country ski, or mountain bike in the backcountry, a GPS receiver can help them reach their destination and return safely -- but only if they know how to use it! Here is the guide to getting the most out of a GPS receiver, from basic consumer advice to advanced techniques. It even includes fun solo and team games that utilize GPS. Starting with essential definitions and moving on to creating waypoints, and using your GPS with a computer, this succinct book teaches the basics of navigation and outdoor GPS use. Advanced techniques are covered, such as creating custom maps, and new technologies are discussed, including using GPS-enabled mobile phones, and how to use GPS with Google Earth and Google Maps. With years of experience as a GPS instructor, Hinch is well-versed in all aspects of navigation and GPS use, and he covers them in a jargon-free, easy-to-follow style.

For about $150 anyone can access the United States' multi-billion dollar GPS program. Using GPS Outdoors: A Practical Guide for Hikers, Bikers, Paddlers, and Climbers shows readers how to plug in and enhance most any outdoor experience. Whether a hiker on a weekend trip through the Great Smokies, a backpacker cruising the Continental Divide Trail, a mountain biker kicking up dust in Moab, a paddler running the Lewis and Clark bicentennial route, or a climber pre-scouting the routes up Mount Shasta, a simple handheld GPS unit is fun, useful, and can even be a lifesaver. Described in conjunction with today's most popular GPS software, easy to understand information enables readers to: - Plan a trip - Navigate along a route - Gather data from the outing - Analyze trip data after the trip Information is power, and a GPS unit is today's preferred tool to harness the power of navigational technology for a more enjoyable, more informative, and possibly safer outdoor experience.

GPS Made Easy tells you all you need to know about using handheld GPS receivers as a tool for accurate navigation in the outdoors. It explains how GPS works, describes the features of GPS receivers, and gives practical examples of how to use GPS receivers in a variety of outdoor situations.

-- Clear language and illustrations demystify GPS-- Completely revised edition includes extensive new material on using GPS with maps and in rough terrain-- GPS systems have seen exponential growth recently and the first edition has sold more than 33,000 copies

* GPS chapter completely updated to reflect newer models and features of GPS receivers now available * Expanded to include a section on routefinding on glaciers, along with additional information on changing declination * Extensive illustrated examples of orientation and wilderness navigation Proceed with confidence when heading off-road or off-trail with the second edition of Wilderness Navigation. Whether you are climbing a glacier, orienteering in the backcountry, or on an easy day hike, Mike and Bob Burns cover all the latest technology and time-tested methods to help you learn to navigate-from how to read a map to compasses and geomagnetism. Bob Burns is a long-time member of The Mountaineers. He has taught classes in the use of map and compass since the late 1970s. Mike Burns is an avid climber. He has instructed climbing and navigation classes, and written articles for Climbing magazine. Part of the The Mountaineers Outdoor Basics series! Created for beginning-to-intermediate enthusiasts, this series includes everything anyone would need to know about staying safe and having fun in the backcountry.

No matter what you're doing in the outdoors, you may need help navigating from place to place-and remembering how to get back. A compass and a map are excellent tools, and knowing how to use them will make it even easier to learn how to use your Global Positioning System unit. The author has been involved with teaching people how to use GPS for many years. In this book he shares the answers to all the questions a novice might ask: What is GPS? How does it work? How accurate is it? Does it work anywhere? Is it for traveling on land as well as on the water? and more. Topics include: straight-line navigation, getting around obstacles, uploading maps and databases, entering waypoints, recording a breadcrumb trail, how to choose a GPS model and caring for your GPS. The step-by-step instructions are accompanied by illustrations and photographs. Actual GPS screens are shown as the user sees them on his or her unit while navigating. In addition to a glossary of GPS terms and definitions, this book has a list of popular manufacturers, a list of software sources and an Index.

CLICK HERE to download a sample • The official navigation textbook used in outdoor education courses by thousands of students • Goodreads.com readers rated the previous edition 4 out of 5 stars (and now it’s even better!) • Map and compass skills remain the foundation for traveling safely in the wilderness This new third edition is a major and complete update of the popular textbook: • Improved throughout for clarity, with chapter objectives presented at the beginning of each chapter and summaries, “skills check” mini-quizzes, and practice problems listed at the end • Updated descriptions of the most current maps, compasses, altimeters, and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers • Updated declination maps for the United States and the world (declination changes over time and compasses must be adjusted for a specific location to provide correct readings) • Much-expanded GPS chapter, including interfacing the GPS receiver with the home computer, maximizing battery life, and using the GPS function on a “smart” phones (along with a description of their limitations) • Additional information on non-GPS navigational techniques • Recommended websites, apps, and other sources of useful navigational information