GPS For Dummies by Joel McNamara (PDF)

Description

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 systemsRecommended features for GPS receivers to be used in various types of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, geocaching, hunting, ATVing, mapping, and moreHow to do digital mapping on your computer, including software packages you can use to work with aerial photos, topographic maps, and road mapsThe main providers of digital map data for the U.S. and their Web sitesThe scoop on geocaching—a high-tech treasure huntWritten 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 moreSystems for traveling on the main roads and systems for exploring off the beaten pathUsing GPS with a PDA (personal digital assistant)Computer requirements for different mapping choicesTopographic map software from Maptech, DeLorme, and National Geographic that’s for off-road useUsing Web-hosted mapping services, including street maps, topographic maps, aerial photos, and U.S. government-produced mapsIncorporating GPS receivers into outdoor workouts, with tips for specific sports including cycling, golf, rowing, and moreA 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!

User’s Reviews

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 roadHere’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 WayExplanations in plain English”Get in, get out” informationIcons and other navigational aidsTear-out cheat sheetTop ten listsA dash of humor and funDiscover:Understand how GPS worksDiscover how to select and use GPS receiversFind places and coordinatesChoose and get the most from mapping softwareGet into geocachingNavigate Web maps About the Author Joel McNamara first got involved with digital maps in the early 1980’s. At the time he was studying archeology and instead of going out and playing Indiana Jones, he found himself in front of a computer monitor trying to predict where archeological sites were located based on LANDSAT satellite data. The lure of computers ultimately led to his defection from academia to the software industry, where he worked as a programmer, technical writer, and manager; eventually ending up at a rather large software company based in Redmond, Washington. Joel now writes and consults on technology he finds interesting, such as GPS and digital maps. Over the years he’s had practical experience using GPS and maps for wildland firefighting, search and rescue, and disaster response and planning. He’s also an avid user of the great outdoors (which means there’s way too much gear in his garage), competes in adventure races and other endurance sports, and so far has always found his way back home. In his spare time he volunteers for a federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team. This is his second book. The first was Secrets of Computer Espionage: Tactics & Countermeasures (also published by Wiley), a reference guide for computer security practitioners and anyone interested in stopping sneaky spies. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐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.

⭐I have had a GPS unit for almost a year now with no hope of understanding just what it can do or how to use it due to the arcane nature of the owner’s manual.I have no clue as to why the manufacturer’s write such poor manuals but they do. In response to my frustrations I decided to try Joel’s book as a means of understanding what this small device could do and just how to get it to do what the promotional materials say it does. After reading most of Joel’s book I was able to go to work using my GPS unit and understand how to negotiate its features with relative ease. Realistically it isn’t perfect but it sure is a great place to start if you are like me, clueless as to how to interpret the gibberish in the owner’s manual.

⭐Maybe a whisker to basic if you have any gps skills

⭐Copywrite date was 2004. Seems a little outdated in some places. Other than that, it was very helpful and full of useful Websites.

⭐I have bought many dummy books and still have many. This was not one of the best, but okay for those not current on tech.

⭐Should have checked copyright, info outdated, very little that i could use so I am tossing it into the garbage

⭐This is a very helpful resource for those of us who are new to GPS.

⭐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.

⭐As a newbee in “GPS” county I ordered the book, starting from zero. It gave me a good overview about the topic and although I had alreday made my decision for a certain GPS model I revised it after having read the book. I can only judge for myself, but for me it is a bargain and I think the rich content on the “easy” level and the material I got from it made me the choice of “my” GPS more easy. I would recommend it in any case, only bad that there is no German translation, I think there would be more customers for this book.

⭐good price and service

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