Basics

So what does it take to get your GPS working? There are a few terms and settings you need to be familiar with when setting up and using your GPS. This section will talk about general terms that are not specific to the make and model of GPS you are using.

Satellite dependent - your GPS has to be able to see the GPS satellites. So when you turn your GPS on, you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and being inside a car doesn't help or being surrounded by tall trees obstructing the sky around you isn't a good idea either. Without contact with the satellites, your GPS won't be able to help you at all.

Acquiring - When you turn your GPS on, it will attempt to find the satellites in orbit over your head. This may take some time depending on the number of receivers are in your GPS model. If you've traveled a big distance since last using your GPS, it will also take longer to find the closest satellites - sometime 10 minutes! So turn it on, leave it flat on a surface with good clearance to the sky and watch it pickup the satellite feeds...depending on your model, you should see concentric rings (you are in the middle) with a bunch of numbered squares around you and a bar graph somewhere else on the screen that will show hollow bars when it sees a satellite and that bar will fill in solid when it gets a good fix on that satellite. And when you get at least three satellites, the screen will most likely flip to a screen that shows your coordinates - NOW you can start using your GPS.

It's hard to direct you where to make the following settings as all models of GPSs have a different menu system and button functions but here are a few basic settings you will want to make sure you want to become familiar with. Some are personal preference, some are critical to your GPSs accuracy.

Time Zone - your GPS records your position in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) so it isn't critical that your time is set properly...when/if you download your track to your computer, the software you use will adjust your track's time to the proper time. So setting your GPSs time is merely for your convenience.

Units - for distance, altitude and speed. These settings are also your personal preference. I'd recommend you set them to whatever your flying buddies have theirs set to so you can speak the same language while flying. This is very important in competitions so you don't miscalculate turnpoint radii.

Map Datum - VERY important to set before loading coordinates into your GPS. The Map Datum refers to different methods of interpreting the curvature of the Earth. Different cartographers (map makers) use different datums for various reasons. So you need to match your GPSs Map Datum with the datum that is printed on the map (physical or digital maps) that your downloaded coordinates are taken from. If you change your datum after you've downloaded coordinates, your coordinates will be inaccurate - anywhere from a few metres to KILOMETERS

Coordinate Format - also personal preference...even if you already have coordinates loaded into your GPS and change formats, your GPS will convert those coordinates into the newly chosen format. It's more important to once again to have your Coordinate Format on the same as your flying buddies - and especially your retrieve driver - as giving them coordinates in a different format will take them to a place far away from you if they punch them into another GPS with a different format chosen.