Tabascojunkie
Member
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
On a recent trail ride the Boss expressed her disconcerted feelings regarding how to find her way home from some overgrown, densely wooded, running every which way but where you want to go trails we were riding for the first time. I explained to her that I was not unnerved in any way having confidence in my navigation skills and knowing we were well within in my cellular carriers service area I simply pulled up a satellite map on my smart phone and showed her just how close to civilization we actually were. She was not impressed and retorted there should be a GPS on the Piney. Why not? We have one in each vehicle we normally drive as well as our boat. Which she knows how to use because she is an independent woman who wants to be competent in a crisis should the need arise. Being the confident navigator I am, I quickly quelled the situation with a, " Nah we don't need that..." I told her!
So, now I'm contemplating putting a GPS in my P1K-5 for several reasons but a biggie being to give the Boss piece of mind in the woods on the trails when riding a new area. She wants to be sure she knows where to go should something happen as we often ride single vehicle or just she and I on dual machines.
Being happy to oblige her concern I started looking at different GPS units... Wow! One will run the gauntlet to decide what unit to purchase.
I'm just a regular joe who appreciates a good bell or whistle but to weed through all the options some have for the crazy prices is a near Herculean task.
Now mind you, the Boss is not a dumb person by any means. She is a professional with a Masters degree from a prominent University (in the SEC for you sports fans). She and I also totally agree on the K.I.S.S. philosophy when it comes to pretty much anything. Looking at the features some GPS makers offer such as trail maps, digital cameras, topo maps it is all staring to blur.
GPS is NOT a complicated system. The unit, which is merely a receiver that reads a transmitted time signal from three or more geo- synchronized orbiting satellites to triangulate a position that is expressed into a Lat/Lon position on the earth. Through the wonders of manufacturing the cost of this technology has decreased through the years to where is should be a relatively inexpensive novelty. Now granted when the technology was new you were expected to surrender an appendage, organ or your first born but nowadays not so much. So to keep these little where am I gems up in price there keep adding features that could be regarded as unnecessary clutter.
As mentioned, The Boss and I have Nav systems in our vehicles that are used occasionally but we could honestly live without. The unit in the boat is a necessity as it is used to find items in an environment void of landmarks as we sail open waters and fish over invisible sunken structure.
So with all that being said, my question to the forum is what do you expect out of your unit? What features do you really use and deem necessary? What price range can you find what you want? How often do you actually use it and not just have it on the dash as an ornament? How intuitive are some of these small handheld units?
We do often ride "new to us areas" which could be easy to become disoriented so I think it is a good idea to have but not looking to spend a ton.
Just thought this would be a fun topic to throw out for discussion and looking forward to hearing your thoughts....
So, now I'm contemplating putting a GPS in my P1K-5 for several reasons but a biggie being to give the Boss piece of mind in the woods on the trails when riding a new area. She wants to be sure she knows where to go should something happen as we often ride single vehicle or just she and I on dual machines.
Being happy to oblige her concern I started looking at different GPS units... Wow! One will run the gauntlet to decide what unit to purchase.
I'm just a regular joe who appreciates a good bell or whistle but to weed through all the options some have for the crazy prices is a near Herculean task.
Now mind you, the Boss is not a dumb person by any means. She is a professional with a Masters degree from a prominent University (in the SEC for you sports fans). She and I also totally agree on the K.I.S.S. philosophy when it comes to pretty much anything. Looking at the features some GPS makers offer such as trail maps, digital cameras, topo maps it is all staring to blur.
GPS is NOT a complicated system. The unit, which is merely a receiver that reads a transmitted time signal from three or more geo- synchronized orbiting satellites to triangulate a position that is expressed into a Lat/Lon position on the earth. Through the wonders of manufacturing the cost of this technology has decreased through the years to where is should be a relatively inexpensive novelty. Now granted when the technology was new you were expected to surrender an appendage, organ or your first born but nowadays not so much. So to keep these little where am I gems up in price there keep adding features that could be regarded as unnecessary clutter.
As mentioned, The Boss and I have Nav systems in our vehicles that are used occasionally but we could honestly live without. The unit in the boat is a necessity as it is used to find items in an environment void of landmarks as we sail open waters and fish over invisible sunken structure.
So with all that being said, my question to the forum is what do you expect out of your unit? What features do you really use and deem necessary? What price range can you find what you want? How often do you actually use it and not just have it on the dash as an ornament? How intuitive are some of these small handheld units?
We do often ride "new to us areas" which could be easy to become disoriented so I think it is a good idea to have but not looking to spend a ton.
Just thought this would be a fun topic to throw out for discussion and looking forward to hearing your thoughts....
