14 tips to help get you off on the right foot

If you got a new handheld GPS, I’m acquisitive the acclimate is nice abundant for you to get out and play with it. Here are some tips to advice get you off on the appropriate foot:

Play with it about boondocks – Apprentice to set a waypoint and cross to it, and how to chase a clue or route, afore traveling off into the wilderness with it. And if you don’t apperceive what those words mean…
Learn the analogue – We’ve got a handheld GPS 101 alternation just cat-and-mouse for you.
Let it broil – Not in the oven! Yield it outside, about-face it on and let it sit apoplectic beneath accessible sky for bisected an hour. It will absolutely download the digital annual so if you wish to use it over the next few days, it should lock assimilate satellites actual fast.
Protect it – Afore traveling out in the dupe with it, get a awning protector. The investment is able-bodied account it.
Go green, save blooming – Most handheld GPS receivers these canicule just aren’t optimized for acrid batteries. Get yourself a acceptable set of Eneloop rechargeables; accumulate a additional brace answerable and you’ll consistently be acceptable to go.
Calibrate it – If your assemblage has an cyberbanking compass, apprentice to calibrate it. You should do this every time you change batteries. And if it has a barometric altimeter and you’re an adventuresome backcountry explorer, acquisition a USGS criterion and calibrate the altimeter too.
Backup your GPS – This one will yield awhile but affix it to your computer and just archetype the absolute GPS drive over; you’ll consistently accept a backup.
Get some chargeless maps – If you got a Garmin, arch on over to GPS Book Depot for some alarming chargeless topos and aisle maps. They’ve got some abundant tutorials too. The best way to do this is to put them on a microSD card; that way if you run up adjoin the attenuate abhorrence issue, all you’ll charge to do is cull the agenda out.
Try geocaching – Abounding models cover a chargeless 30 day balloon associates at geocaching.com, acceptance you to acquaintance the abounding joy of paperless geocaching
Update it – Unlike auto GPS, handhelds generally get new appearance with firmware updates. Here are some assets for afterlight your DeLorme, Garmin or Magellan unit.
Download some advance – Wish to accept the aisle apparent on your GPS? Download the clue from one of the abounding .gpx book administration sites; my accepted admired is Garmin Connect.
Create an “if found” burst awning – This tutorial is geared appear the Garmin Oregon, but it should plan for just about any of the newer Garmin models.
Grab some BirdsEye aeriform adumbration or topos – If you got one of the added contempo Garmin models, analysis out their BirdsEye aeriform adumbration and BirdsEye Topo US and Canada.
Don’t get absent – After all, that would be appealing embarrassing. And accept me, there are affluence of means to get absent with a GPS navigation.