Find More Fish With A Marine GPS Chartplotter


by Phoenix Delray - Date: 2008-07-04 - Word Count: 418 Share This!

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have been with us in great quantities for over a decade to track vehicle location, usage and to assist the general public with driving directions. One additional innovation is the advent of the marine GPS chartplotter which can overlay your current position onto nautical charts. This is accomplished by receiving GPS information from overhead satellites and triangulating position based upon the strength of the different satellite signals. At any time, 4 satellites hover about 12,000 miles overhead of the northern hemisphere though more than 2 dozen of these 2 ton orbiters operate.

These units are designed to be fixed mounted with an external antenna. Most models now include a color monitor, some as large as 10 inches, and combine the GPS receiver and chartplotter in one housing. Much larger models with higher resolution screens can also display radar and sonar information but usually do not have the GPS integrated within the circuitry and need to connect externally.

With the assistance of a marine chartplotter, one can detect coastlines, sea and lake bottoms as well as sandbars in rivers to safely navigate in areas where your vessel might otherwise run aground. Also, as is the case with many bodies of water, marine life often tends to congregate in a location repetitively. Your chartplotter can set a marker in order that you can accurately return to this location to bring in fish or relay the information to other vessels who are part of your team.

Should you get disoriented, or inclement of weather hinder your ability to determine where you are or need to be in order to return to shore, your GPS unit can assist you in returning in the proper direction. Fog and darkness are no longer as great a barrier to your travel nor will they restrict your activity on the water as you possess the information necessary to find your way.

One important feature to your unit is the display. If you intend or suspect youll be operating in lowlight environments, it is necessary to purchase a system that incorporates backlighting as well as helpful if your information is in color. Should you arrive in the vicinity of a reef, sandbar, ocean buoys or coastal landmarks it is helpful in identifying the data. Many models allow you a split screen for multiple functionality. Of course, a device that is waterproof in the event of a man overboard incident is also a great idea as well as the ability to operate in all weather elements.


Related Tags: gps, navigation, fish finder, gps chartplotters, chartplotters, furuno

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