While GPS receivers are becoming quite commonplace in vehicles and their value is widely recognized, many people do not realize that it is becoming the new utility for the outdoorsman.
In order to understand why GPS is so important to the outdoorsman, it is important to understand exactly what GPS is and how it works. The Global Positioning System, or GPS as it is widely known, is a navigation system originally developed by the US military which continues its’ maintenance today. It is an integrated system of 24 satellites that orbit the earth and through the navigational process of triangulation can pinpoint a position anywhere on earth where a GPS receiver is located. During the 1980’s the government opened up the use of the GPS to the private sector. It is widely expected to become the next personal utility in the same way that cellular phones have over the past couple of decades. Continued on next page...