Introduction to
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Workshop sponsors:
Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center
Minnesota Logger Education Program
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Introductions
John Geissler
Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center
Tom Hollenhorst
Natural Resources Research Institute
Ben Mattila
University of Minnesota Duluth
Participants
(name, employer, where you live,
experience)
Housekeeping
Restrooms
Breaks & Refreshments
Lunch
Workshop Objectives
• Overview GPS basics
– What it is, how it works and a history
• Is a GPS going to be helpful
• Identify key purchase considerations
Workshop Format and Resources
Indoor/outdoor format
Active participation through exercises and
Questions
Attendance and evaluation
Adjourn by 4:15 PM
Available resources (www.MLEP.org)
What Will GPS Do For You?
•Get you to a prospective sale
•Help you determine the acreage
•Help you map out the access to a sale
•Help you get back to the hot fishing spots
•Help you on the golf course
What Will GPS Do For You?
Answers the age old questions,
“Are we there yet?”
“How much longer?”
Garmin GPSMap 76
Basic Components
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc
Garmin GPSMap 76
Optional Items Obtained
• Carrying case
• External power source
• Owner’s manual
Basic GPS Tasks
• Determine your current position
- Shows the location on an electronic map
- Provides you a coordinate you can look up
• Remember a place
• Determine area
• Leading you to a destination
• Record routes or paths
Intermediate GPS
• Determine waypoints from a map
• Transfer data from a computer
– Software upgrades
– Waypoints, tracks, and routes
– Maps
• Transfer data to a computer
– Waypoints, tracks, and routes
– Create maps
What GPS Won’t Do
• Will not work
under water
• Will not work
underground
• May not work
indoors
History of GPS
• 1960 – GPS was conceived
• 1978 – Department of Defense launched the
first satellite
• Early 1980s – GPS system made available for
civilian use by Executive Order
• 1992 – GPS was used as a navigational unit in
Desert Storm
• 2003 – WAAS became available
The Three Segments of GPS
NAVSTAR
US Satellite System
24 satellite
constellation
system
Space segment
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc
GPS Satellite Control
Control segment
You – the user
User segment
Garmin GPSMap 76
• 2 AA batteries
• 16 hours battery life
• Calculates area
• Stores 1,000 waypoints
• WAAS capable for
increased accuracy
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc
Garmin GPSMap 76
• Grayscale display
• Weighs 7.6 ounces
• Operates down to 5°
Fahrenheit
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc
Garmin GPSMap 76
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc.
Garmin GPSMap 76
Courtesy of Garmin International, Inc
Exercise One
The purpose of this exercise is to become familiar with
turning on the unit and with the screen displays
GRAB YOUR
EXERCISE ONE
WORKSHEET
AND LET’S
HEAD OUTSIDE
Satellite
View
Highway
View
Map
View
Compass
View
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
Satellite View
Data fields
Receiver status
Satellite bars
Relative satellite location
Center = overhead
Inner circle = 45 degree to horizon
Outer circle = horizon
Black number = normal communication
Non-black number = no communication
Number below bar = satellite number
Satellite Signal Strength Bars
Clear = initial comm Link established
Gray = preliminary location data
Black = normal communications
Bar Height = indicates signal strength
D = indicates differential (WAAS) established
Date
Time
LAT
Location
LON
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
Satellite View
How to interpret the Sky plot
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
Map Page
Data fields
(modifiable)
Road
Waypoint
Your current location
Contour
Scale
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
Compass View
Data fields
(modifiable)
Waypoint
Gray bar = Direction
you are traveling
Pointer = Direction
you should be traveling
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
Highway Page
Data fields
(modifiable)
Current waypoint
being navigated to
Available
waypoint
Course
Accuracy
Scale
Exercise One
Let’s review what we did
GOTO Information
Name
Other
information
Waypoint
Distance to
waypoint
Total
distance
Exercise Two
Map a Boundary to Determine Area
GRAB YOUR
EXERCISE TWO
WORKSHEET
AND LET’S
HEAD OUTSIDE
During this exercise you will navigate the
boundary of an area. Once the track is
closed, you will be able to calculate an
approximate area.
Exercise Two
Let’s review what we did
Exercise Two
Let’s review what we did
Clear the track log &
walk the perimeter
Determining an
area is easy.
Save the Track
Log and the unit
will display the
perimeter length
and area.
Introduction to
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Workshop sponsors:
Minnesota Logger Education Program
St Louis County Land Department
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Special thanks to Jeff Dodge
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC)
Exercise Three
Navigating
The purpose of this exercise is to help
you understand how to use the GPS unit
to find a point designated on a sale map
or possibly a corner. You will be
navigating to several pre-loaded <NAV>
destinations using the compass or map
screen displays. Each location is marked
by a colored sticker, letting you know you
successfully located the destination.
Exercise Three
Basic Information GPS Provides
• Position – The X, Y, and Z coordinates which indicate where
the receiver is located.
• Course, Bearing & Direction - The compass direction from a
position to a destination.
• Heading – The direction you are moving.
• Distance – The length between two waypoints or from your
current position to your destination.
• Speed – How fast you are going at that very moment.
Exercise Three
Navigating
What your
GPS screen is
telling you
about the
real world
Exercise Three
Navigating
Important Terms
GRAB YOUR
EXERCISE THREE
WORKSHEET
AND LET’S
HEAD OUTSIDE
 Location – The actual physical place where you are or the
place you are trying to get to
 Position Fix – Where the GPS unit says you are
 Waypoint/Landmark – Locations worth locating and storing
in your GPS unit Locations that you may want to return to
(fishing hole) or avoid (cultural resource)
 Coordinate Systems – Such as latitude/longitude, represent
your position on the earth to a flat surface like a sale map
Exercise Three
Let’s review what we did
Pointer = Direction you
should be traveling
Gray bar = Direction
you are traveling
(Garmin-Pointer Page)
Exercise Three
Let’s review what we did
Map Page
Zoom
Exercise Three
Let’s review what we did
Modifiable
Information Box
Modifiable
Information Box
Modifiable
Information Box
Modifiable
Information Box
Modifiable
Information Box
Modifiable
Information Box
Waypoint Name
Course you are
actually walking
Your Destination
Course you should
be walking
Your Position
View Magnification
(Garmin-Highway Page)
Exercise Four
Entering Coordinates
Latitude and
Longitude
coordinates
Exercise Four
Entering Coordinates
Press and hold
the Enter key to
mark a waypoint.
When the screen below
is shown, you are ready
to make your edits.
Exercise Four
Entering Coordinates
Exercise Four
Entering Coordinates
Exercise Four
Entering Coordinates
New coordinates to enter
Permit number X2825
N 48o 05’ 34.0”
W093o 37’ 59.0”
Where is this timber sale located?
GPS Accuracy
Operator Error
• Transposing numbers when
entering in coordinates.
• Error in measuring
coordinates on a map.
• Using the wrong coordinate
system.
GPS Accuracy
Things You Can’t Control
• Satellite clock and
•
•
•
•
location
Multipath caused by
foliage
Relationship of
satellites to each other
in the sky
Equipment and
background noise
Atmosphere
GPS Accuracy
Things You Can Control
• Multipath caused by
vehicles and buildings
• WAAS capable receiver
• Time of use
How Accurate is Accurate Enough?
• GPS without differential correction is at least as good as
compass and pacing for locating points and area
calculations.
• GPS with differential correction will always be more
accurate than GPS without that correction.
• How close is close enough depends on the application.
Purchase Considerations
• Uses
• Size and weight
• Battery life
• Antenna configuration
Purchase Considerations
• Memory
• WAAS enabled
• Mapping
• Price
GPS Units
Optional Accessories
• Color screen
• Remote antenna
• Carrying case
• External power source
• Mounts
• Software
Questions?
Evaluations - Conclusion
• Evaluation
• Workshop attendance confirmation
form
• Thank You!
John Geissler
Naturalist
Boulder Lake Environmental
Learning Center
7328 Boulder Dam Road
Duluth, MN 55803
218-721-3731