GPS For Dummies [Paperback]

Joel McNamara (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764569333 | ISBN-13: 978-0764569333 | Publication Date: June 4, 2004

GPS For Dummies gives new meaning to finding yourself. In fact, with a GPS (global positioning system) receiver, you can determine precisely where you are anywhere on this planet. If you’re are planning on buying a GPS receiver or if you have one and want to get your money’s worth, this guide tells you what you need to know, including:

Basic GPS principles and concepts such as waypoints, routes, tracks, and coordinate systems

• Recommended features for GPS receivers to be used in various types of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, geocaching, hunting, ATVing, mapping, and more
• How to do digital mapping on your computer, including software packages you can use to work with aerial photos, topographic maps, and road maps
• The main providers of digital map data for the U.S. and their Web sites
• The scoop on geocaching—a high-tech treasure hunt

Written by Joel McNamara, avid outdoorsman, adventure racer, search and rescue team member, and author of Secrets of Computer Espionage, GPS for Dummies is ideal for both ordinary travelers and exotic explorers. It covers a world of GPS info such as:

• Choosing features for a GPS receiver, including the screen, an alarm, built-in maps, an electric compass, an altimeter, antennas, interface modes, and more
• Systems for traveling on the main roads and systems for exploring off the beaten path
• Using GPS with a PDA (personal digital assistant)
• Computer requirements for different mapping choices
• Topographic map software from Maptech, DeLorme, and National Geographic that’s for off-road use
• Using Web-hosted mapping services, including street maps, topographic maps, aerial photos, and U.S. government-produced maps
• Incorporating GPS receivers into outdoor workouts, with tips for specific sports including cycling, golf, rowing, and more

A companion Web site has links to all kinds of free maps and resources. So explore on your computer and then explore for real! With GPS for Dummies, you’ll find yourself having adventures!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"at over 350 pages you can be sure to find the answers to most of your questions!" (Boat Mart, July 2007)

From the Back Cover

Find GPS waypoint data, discover geocaching, and more

Choose a GPS receiver, make your own maps, and get on – or off – the road

Here’s what you need to make the most of that handy, portable GPS gadget and all its amazing features! Pick the right receiver for you, create a map from your front door to Aunt Tillie’s six states away, venture into new places with confidence, explore the high-tech treasure hunting sport called geocaching, and much more.

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Discover:

• Understand how GPS works
• Discover how to select and use GPS receivers
• Find places and coordinates
• Choose and get the most from mapping software
• Get into geocaching
• Navigate Web maps

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (June 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764569333
• ISBN-13: 978-0764569333
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,014 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for 1st time GPS users, experts can also learn!, August 24, 2004

By 

Catherine F. (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GPS For Dummies (Paperback)

I got a Magellan Meridian Color GPS for my birthday and was frankly at a loss for where to begin so I bought this book. The book had a ton of good information to get me started with using a GPS, all the different functions like display and output, finding coordinates and setting waypoints. It was also very helpful with the initial configuration and settings, which I was really struggling with. The pleasant surprise about this book was what I got above and beyond the parts about just using a GPS receiver. The book is packed with great information on free mapping sites and how to integrate maps and GPS. It also had a section on using my GPS with my computer and my handheld, both of which I have done now since buying the book. The book is absolutly just loaded with so much helpful information on GPS, digital and online maps that I have now done several cool things I was totally unaware of before. My friends and I are getting ready to take a road trip and I used the book to map out the trip and set different waypoints that we plan to visit along the way. One of my favorite parts is the geocaching chapter which inspired me to try geoaching - it looks like the same author has written a Geocaching For Dummies book which I plan to order.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but..., February 3, 2007

By 

John Kohout (Defiance, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: GPS For Dummies (Paperback)

I bought this book because I had recently purchased a GPS and was frustrated by the techno speak in the manual. I was looking for something to help me through the jargon.

Only about 1/3 of the book is specificallly about your GPS. A small section is about cartography and the rest deals with "digital mapping" (more jargon for computer software dealing with maps). All of the information is at least loosely tied to a GPS. There is no glossary section but the author does embed many clarifications of technical terms that are helpful for dummies like me.

The GPS sections are an improvement over my manual but still only partially sucessful. Priorities in choosing and mastering a GPS are miniscule. The cartography portion has information that is both interesting and helpful and does not bog the reader down with irrelevant information. These two topics are discussed in the first seven chapters.

The book then turned to digital mapping and I almost gave up on the book. I had no interest in mapping and I wasn't totally satisfied with the previous sections. Luckily I continued on. The mapping chapters are almost exclusively about mapping software (and little utility programs that help). The software information includes commercial, shareware and freeware programs. It discusses programs for the beginner on up to some heady stuff. You may want to take up the subject as a hobby even if you never were interested before. If I had the time I would be tempted to just play with this stuff because it is so cool.

If you buy the book, I would first just skim this "software" portion of the book when you go through it the first time. I think there are 14 chapters. It is amazing what is available but also sometimes redundant. I would use it only as a reference and study only the sections you need at that moment. Reading it word by word might be wasteful.

I do wish that the author had separated the utility software into a separate chapter so that those jewels could be returned to easily. I found them very useful.

The book is a mixed bag. The software chapters are the best part. The GPS info is not going to thrill you. The reading is pretty easy for a technical book.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for beginners and advanced users, August 30, 2005

By 

M. Perez Garbi "laiguana2004" (CCS, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GPS For Dummies (Paperback)

Tons of good information to get started with using a GPS, goes beyond the basics. Really a very good starter book. Once you get this book, I would also recomend "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching" and the Owing's "GPS Mapping". With GPS for Dummies and my Garmins 60CS manual, I was able to hit the trail in a few hours. With the other books as complement, I have become very accurate locating waypoints when I do horse riding or 4x4 trips.