GPS Course Materials

In 1998 and 1999, we ran three courses for the Sarawak Forest Department on the use of hand-held GPS receivers in the field. Each course lasted 3 days and included a half-day exercise in an oil palm estate. Two of the courses focused on the GARMIN^TM 12XL model and one on the MAGELLAN^TM 2000/3000/4000 XL models, which were the state-of-the-art models at the time. If I was to do this again, I'd focus on the Garmin Gecko range.

The supporting material we prepared  - a detailed workbook which students could take away with them, covering all the features which they are likely to use in the field - is now rather dated, but it may be useful as a basis for adaptation for future courses. 

The contents pages for the Garmin workbook are reproduced below, and some sample pages are available (click on "sample" on the contents page).

When we did these courses, the GPS signals available to civilians were deliberately inaccurate - a feature known as "Selective Availability". This has now stopped, so measures to get around it are mostly irrelevant - go here to see the effects of SA.

We experimented with the User Grids on the GPS receivers, as the grid printed on the local maps was not built in - go here for details.

If you are interested in more details, let me know

FIRST STEPS - becoming familiar with the receiver

• Initialising the receiver - when it is new or has been out of use for a while
• The SATELLITE page
• Changing to SIMULATOR mode
• Setting local time
• Basic Setup - selecting the most important options
• Primary pages
• The POSITION page
• The MAP page
• Using GOTO
• The COMPASS page
• Saving a position - basics
• Using the receiver outside on the football field
• Accuracy and Selective Availability
• Saving a position - more (sample)
• Renaming a waypoint
• More on the MAP page: PANNING and map setup

MAP AND GPS - transferring GPS data to and from the map

• Using latitude and longitude (lat/lon):
  • Preparing the map and making a 'ruler' (sample)
  • Finding the lat/lon of a point on the map and entering it in the GPS as a waypoint
  • Editing a waypoint
  • Reading the lat/lon of a waypoint and plotting it on the map
• Using distance and bearing:
  • Finding bearing and distance from a known position and entering a new point into the GPS
  • Reading the bearing and distance from the GPS and plotting a point on the map
• Using the local grid:
  • Changing to user grid
  • Finding the grid reference of a point on the map and entering it into the GPS
  • Reading the grid reference of a position and plotting it on the map

ROUTE MARCH - planning and following routes

• A map reading check:
  • Conventional signs
  • Altitudes and contours
  • 'Reading' a route from the map
• Routes based on waypoints and legs:
  • Entering a series of waypoints
  • Creating a new route
  • Editing a route
  • Activating a route
• Getting home:
  • Inverting your route
  • Saving positions as you go and creating your own route back
  • Using TracBack
• Field exercise - following a route into an oil palm estate and getting back again.

EXPERT STUFF - the final details

• Customising pages
• Back-lighting, contrast and tones
• Setting up the user grid (sample)
• Clearing routes and deleting waypoints
• GPS terms
• Answers to the exercise