Tackling Relaxation In New England With Garmin GPS Works For Me

Wordless Wednesday

Fall Leaves in Harvard Yard-Cambridge, MA

It is so hard to get away from daily life and all its obligations....You know what I mean, I know you do!!

Anyway, sometimes you actually have to MAKE it happen. So......since my husband had to attend a school in Boston, MA....I decided to tag along....he he. I just climbed in his suitcase and off we went....not really.


It is fall and the leaves are turning and the company puts him up on a really plush hotel....I sleep with him so thats no xtra cost...lol

We came early and spend a day at Cape Cod and 1/2 day in Boston .....It was so awesome and the weather was so beautiful.

Monday it was off to school for him and I was off on my own....But not to worry....I had my Garmin GPS and off "we" went...

Garmin and I were really getting along well by the end of it all. Garmin "Works For ME" for sure. And, as far as a TOY that is worth buying .....this one fits the bill for me and my husband.

I was able to navigate through the busy streets with no problems. I LOVE this thing. We have used GPS before off our computer and I HATED it. But this Garmin GPS is a wonderful thing.

What is GPS?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.

How it works

GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map.

A GPS receiver must be locked on to the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2D position (latitude and longitude) and track movement. With four or more satellites in view, the receiver can determine the user's 3D position (latitude, longitude and altitude). Once the user's position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such as speed, bearing, track, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise and sunset time and more.

How accurate is GPS?

Today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate, thanks to their parallel multi-channel design. Garmin's 12 parallel channel receivers are quick to lock onto satellites when first turned on and they maintain strong locks, even in dense foliage or urban settings with tall buildings. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources of error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. Garmin® GPS receivers are accurate to within 15 meters on average.

Newer Garmin GPS receivers with WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability can improve accuracy to less than three meters on average. No additional equipment or fees are required to take advantage of WAAS. Users can also get better accuracy with Differential GPS (DGPS), which corrects GPS signals to within an average of three to five meters. The U.S. Coast Guard operates the most common DGPS correction service. This system consists of a network of towers that receive GPS signals and transmit a corrected signal by beacon transmitters. In order to get the corrected signal, users must have a differential beacon receiver and beacon antenna in addition to their GPS.

I just programed it and drove...It really gives you a heads up on all turns!

Hope you can tackle some R&R soon even if it is forced...lol.

Lynne