Lost in France? - Never again !!
Back in November 98 I read an article in an American Bike magazine about the Garmin GPS III Global Positioning System and being a bit of a "gadget person" my interest was awakened in this hi-tech device. But what is GPS you ask? The Global Positioning system is a system of 24 satellites that circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit information to earth. By using information stored in the GPS III receiver’s memory it can determine the position and distance of any GPS satellite and use this information to compute your position. Using four or more satellites, a GPS receiver can determine your position including latitude, longitude and altitude. By continuously updating your position, a GPS receiver can also accurately provide your speed and direction of travel. In other words you always know where you are. Its accuracy depends on the quality and amount of satellite signals as it obviously requires a clear view of the sky for optimum performance. It can apparently be accurate to within 3 to 15 feet when fitted with a beacon receiver unit. So far I have noticed that mine indicates an accuracy of on average, 75 to 95 feet and it best has been 50 feet. This is with the unit’s built in aerial that would be more than accurate for the majority of the users.
Earlier models gave all the information necessary to follow a particular path i.e. compass heading, longitude and latitude etc. but the GPS III also provides a moving map as well as speed, time and distance to destination. There is also a trip odometer, compass bearing and a facility called Highway page that provides a fool proof way of travelling between two of more waypoints, this would be of particular use to those travelling in more inhospitable terrain such as sea or desert but could also be used by motorists. The software is designed for ease of use in any outdoor activity and is used by walkers, climbers, sailors etc. It is designed to be used in all weather conditions, and mine has survived this years Irish rain and roads !!
The GPS III is small enough to be used handheld but can be fitted to a vehicle with a Garmin mounting bracket, and the screen is easy to read in all weather conditions, it can also be lit at night. Built in maps of many main roads, rivers, railways and lakes, together with towns etc. provide this moving map and as you travel, the route you have taken is shown on the screen, if the worst comes to the worse you can in fact use this information to find your way back to your start point, I should imagine in some of the more desolate parts of the world this must be quite a comfort. A zoom facility allows you to zoom from 500 feet to 3,000 miles. I understand it can also be used with trip planning programmes for downloading of routes, I have seen mention of this in AutoRoute 2000 but I think I’ll get to grips with the device as it stands at the moment thank you !!
I ordered the unit from a supplier in the UK and it arrived 2 days later, giving me just 4 days to decide where to fix it on the Wing and get used to working it before heading off to Kelso for the British Goldwing Owners Treffen and then onto Ireland for the Irish Treffen.
I mounted the device just below the ignition switch on my Honda Goldwing and also purchased a 12 volt lead (it also runs off 4 AA batteries) to provide power on the move. The manual appears quite daunting at first but as you play it all becomes clear and I have found the unit very user friendly. So far it has provided sufficient information on it’s own to plan the route but when used in conjunction with a traditional map, provides everything you need to know, and a bit more. With the scale set at about 2 or 3 miles, even when the road you are travelling on is not shown on the screen the actual trail shown can be compared with a map and you can quickly confirm that you are on the right track
Safety is an important issue with the introduction of devices such as GPS and traffic flow systems which are increasing in popularity amongst all vehicle users and obviously it is important that whilst making use of this particular device it does not allow any vehicle user to be distracted from their driving/riding. Used sensibly though I find it an excellent addition for anyone who enjoys touring home or abroad and although most people can get to work without getting lost its use when travelling in unfamiliar areas can be a comfort.
Garmin are just one of the manufacturers of this type of equipment and more information can be obtained by those of you on the Internet from the following sites :
The final question I suppose is "Yes sounds great, but how much?" Well, the unit together with mounting bracket, carry case and 12 volt lead together with delivery to my door cost £350. There are no further costs or charges and when you consider the technology and detail involved I would suggest it is a small cost to pay for peace of mind etc. if touring is high on your motorcycling (or
driving) calendar. I have recently seen the latest model from Garmin, the GPS III Plus which has even more information stored on it’s memory and apparantly can be enhanced from a PC with complete street detail for about 2 postcode areas at a time.
Sitting comfortably in the cockpit of Uncle Bens GoldWing, the GPS system by GARMIN (Picture courtesy of Uncle Ben)