Outdoor Navigation with GPS [Paperback]

Stephen W. Hinch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2007

GPS has been called the greatest advance in outdoor navigation since the invention of the compass. Whether you are a backpacker on a multi-day trek or a mountain biker out for an afternoon ride, GPS can help you find your destination and return safely. This book shows you how to get the most from GPS in the outdoors.

You will learn:

- How to use a GPS receiver to do simple tasks like creating and navigating to waypoints

- Advanced techniques combining GPS with map and compass skills for more ambitious journeys

- What you need to know about such things as latitude and longitude, UTM coordinates, position formats, and map datums

- How to use GPS with a personal computer to simplify planning and to create accurate records of your journeys

- How to get started in the fast-growing new GPS sport of geocaching

- Unusual ways to have fun with GPS in the outdoors

- What to look for when buying a GPS receiver

- Up-to-date references to Internet web site resources

Emphasizing practical applications over technical theory, this is this ideal book for hikers, backpackers, cyclists, hunters, fishermen, kayakers, cross-country skiers, photographers, or anyone else who wants to learn how to use GPS in the wilderness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Stephen W. Hinch is a breath of fresh air...[this book] is expert advice from a very experienced teacher." -- Fred Zahradnik, About.com GPS, February 2008 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Author and photographer Stephen W. Hinch has taught courses in GPS navigation to police and fire personnel, park rangers, search-and-rescue staff, and recreational outdoor enthusiasts since 1998. His experiences as a GPS instructor have shown that many of the most common classroom questions about GPS aren’t adequately explained either in GPS instruction manuals or existing guidebooks. Trained as an electrical engineer, he has over 25 years of management experience in the high-technology industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Annadel Press (April 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966199936
• ISBN-13: 978-0966199932
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,516,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an active hiker and outdoor photographer who likes to write books in my spare time. My most recent is "Outdoor Navigation with GPS," now in its third edition. I have taught classes in GPS navigation through Santa Rosa Junior College north of San Francisco since 1998. I've also taught classes for REI and other outdoor specialty shops.

I have over 35 years of management experience in the high-tech industry. I hold three patents and have authored three books. I especially like hiking and photographing the landscapes of the American southwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, March 14, 2007

By 

Ariel "Ariel" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outdoor Navigation with GPS (Paperback)

It's a great book geared towards navigating in the outdoors in particular, rather than autonavigation, marine navigation, etc. It goes in depth into how to use bearings, orienting yourself, direction finding, and a substantial amount of info in navigating without a GPS by using a compass, paper topo maps, the sun, the stars, and so forth.

It is, by design, not an outdoor survival guide, but it does cover the basics for hiking and points to more detailed sources when necessary.

I really enjoyed how well the author taught the concepts of latitude, longitude, bearings, datums, declination, and so forth.

Towards the end of the book, the author even includes some fun GPS-based games you can organize, discusses geocaching, and compares different GPS receiver models.

This book goes beyond the receiver's manual and actually teaches you how to navigate. One of the big points it makes is to find what direction you need to go, find an intermediate waypoint, PUT YOUR RECEIVER AWAY, and head off in the proper direction. This keeps you from walking over poison ivy, off of cliffs, into trees, and generally aware of your surroundings. Once you get to your intermediate destination, pull the receiver out and find your next step. I'm new to wilderness navigation and this was certainly an "aha" moment. Who wants to be focusing on the GPS device the whole time when you could be taking in the beauty of your surroundings instead!

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best, February 8, 2007

By 

Jeffrey Anderson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outdoor Navigation with GPS (Paperback)

Manuals are sorely incomplete and other books I checked out didn't get to the point. This book does while providing all the information anyone could ever want without overwhelming the reader. This book is very well written, enjoyable to read and a great teacher of what any GPS owner really wants to know. Of all the titles out there, this is the one.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to GPS Navigation, August 5, 2006

By 

A Reader (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outdoor Navigation with GPS (Paperback)

This is the best book I've found for learning how to use GPS in the outdoors. It is well organized, easy to understand, and has lots of useful illustrations. I also like the fact that it is more than just a book on GPS. It also includes detailed chapters on map and compass navigation and primitive navigation techniques for use in emergencies. It is organized into 5 parts, starting with the simplist techniques and building from there. In Part 1, you learn the concepts of waypoints and bearings. Some people may never need to know more than this. Part 2 teaches you about latitude and longitude, as well as a chapter on geocaching. Part 3 covers advanced navigation using topographic maps. Part 4, titled "Recovering from Disaster" shows you what to do if your GPS fails. Part 5 describes fun ways to use your GPS and includes a GPS selection guide. As usual with electronics, this chapter is a little dated now, but the rest of the book is still relevant if even you have a newer GPS. There is also an interesting final chapter called GPS FAQs that answers a number of unusual questions.
The only negative, and it's a minor one, is that most of the GPS screen shots show Garmin receivers. But the explanations in the text are general enough that I had no problem applying them to my Magellan eXplorist.