The world of Gps sailing can be confusing at first but we hope we can guide you through the maze. Here are a few basics to get you started:
What is a Sat Nav?
In Dash Double Din
Sat nav is short for satellite navigation. It is a ideas you can use to give you directions when you are on the move. It is a machine that talks to you as you go along and tells you exactly where and when to take a turning, ensuring (hopefully) that you never get lost again.
Global Positioning Satellite (Gps)
Sat navs are often called Gps systems because they use the Global Positioning Satellites which orbit the earth. The sat nav sees the position of the orbiting satellites and locates its position on the outside of the earth. Calculating longitude, latitude and altitude, the position is laid over a digital road map which accurately reveals your driving position to within a few metres.
The built-in software can also work out the easiest route in the middle of any two points on the map and can join mean road speeds and other data, if necessary, to advise you on arrival times and road conditions on route.
Fm Transmitter
Built into some sat nav units, the Fm Transmitter converts the sat nav instructions and other content such as Mp3 music into a radio signal, so that music and sound are played through the car speakers, via your car radio.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is the name of the technology, used with movable phones, that enables hands-free calling.
Some sat nav units are also enabled for Bluetooth and can be paired with a movable phone. If you have one of these units you can use the sat nav speaker to make and receive hands-free calls while on the move - helping to keep you safe and legal.
Internal Battery
Keeps your unit powered up when you turn off the ignition.
Internal Hard Drive
Stores all the map data you use from each journey, as well as points of interest and addresses.
Mp3 Player
Built into some units, this enables you to play Mp3 files through your sat nav unit.
Screens
Most Sat navs have touch screens, giving you a quick and easy way to navigate - plainly touch the screen to enter a destination, view your route, and turn settings, for example to zoom in.
The size of the screen depends on the type of sat nav you choose:
If you decree on a portable unit then you have a option of two sizes: regularly 3.5 " or 4.3" diagonally.
If you decree to have a unit built in to your dash board then you could have a larger built-in screen or a motorised one that flips out when activated.
Single or duplicate Din
In-dash Screens, where the screen is built into the front panel of the sat nav unit, are called either single or duplicate Din, where the Din is the size of the audio slot into which the unit is fitted.
Single Din (single stereo slot size is practically 52x179mm).
Double Din (double stereo slot size is practically 104x179 mm).
Motorised pop-out screens are often used in single Din units. Screens regularly measure on mean 7" and often have touch screen facility. They are hidden within the main body of the unit, but flip-out when activated.
Which Sat Nav To Choose?
There are three main types of sat nav to pick from: Portable, in-dash or smartphone and we can help you find the right one for your lifestyle.
Portable Sat Nav
This device is ready for use straight from the box and is transferable to other car and you can swap it from car to vehicle. You fit it to your windscreen or dash board with a mounting bracket. portable sat navs in general come in two screen sizes: regularly 3.5" or 4.3" measured diagonally.
You power the sat nav through your vehicle's cigarette lighter, although with some models you can buy a charging unit to use at home. You key in your destination using full postcode, part of an address or a point of interest and it speaks to you with turn-by-turn directions as you drive.
Motorcycle users can buy a specially designed sat nav which is waterproof and more durable.
In-Dash Sat Nav
This device is hard-wired into the car and incorporates either a motorised pop-out or built-in screen. An in-dash sat nav has a Gps receiver, regularly located on the dash board in order for the unit to pick up the satellite's signal. It also gives you the functionality of a normal car Cd player, and you may pick additional functions like Mp3 connectivity.
Smartphone Sat Nav
This is sat nav software that you load on to your compatible Gps-enabled smartphone in order to use the handset as a sat nav. You can then hold the sat nav in your hand or fix it into the car with a convenient holder. You're ready then to navigate on foot or in the car and it comes perfect with street level mapping. You can synchronise with your phone's address book, theorize the fastest or shortest route, get turn-by-turn directions and even text ahead to say you're on your way.
Mapping
When you buy a sat nav the mapping data is built into the software in the unit.
Mapping Levels
There are different levels of mapping that you can buy:
Street Level Mapping - gives you passage to roads in your chosen Country, along with motorways, major roads and minor roads. European street Level Mapping - gives you passage to roads in the European countries specified, along with motorways, major roads, minor roads and city centres.
European Major Roads Mapping - gives you passage to motorways and major roads only in the European countries specified. Minor roads and city centres cannot be accessed.
Mapping Updates
Your sat nav will have mapping data supplied with it and this will not run out or expire. However, around 15% of the road network changes annually so, although you can keep on using your maps for as long as you want, there is undoubtedly a benefit in updating them periodically.
The two main suppliers of mapping software in Europe, Teleatlas and Navteq, both update their data quarterly. update services are also ready in the Usa and full details will be in case,granted with your product.
Route Planning
A sat nav is quick, easy and fun to use and is designed to get you going with a few clicks. You key in your destination, using the touch screen, wait a few seconds for the mapping software to generate your route and off you go.
Pre-Planning
Or, you can use your sat nav to search and plan your route beforehand. If the sat nav is portable you could do this in the ease of your home. The fastest and most strict way of locating your destination is to key in a post code or part of an address.
Points of Interest
You can also key in or adopt a Point of Interest (Poi). Pois alert you to local services such as gas stations, hotels, restaurants, cash-points, cinemas etc. While your journey. You can set presence alerts to warn you of upcoming Pois. In the event of an urgency or breakdown, on some units, in case,granted you have a compatible movable phone connected via hands-free/Bluetooth, you can find the nearest hospital, garage, police hub or phone for an urgency service.
You can also plan your route based on a aggregate of features. For example the desired arrival time, points of interest database, and fastest, shortest or avoidance route planning. You can make it as easy or complicated as you wish. You can have fun on your vacation by searching for the nearest theme park, National Trust home or zoo for example. If you know the name of the traveler attraction just type it in the name.
Safety On The Move
Sat navs have a amount of features to help you to get to your destination safely:
Live Traffic data
You can set some sat nav units to receive and display live traffic updates to help avoid congestion, jams and accidents - some units supply this for free, and others need a subscription service.
Dynamic Routing
This offers you an alternative route when an incident or hazard has been identified. A useful time saver.
Speed Camera Locations
Ask for a sat nav where the camera data has been pre-loaded with the location of known fixed speed detectors sites. As you drive along you will be warned when a camera is imminent.
Potential Hazards
Some sat navs can warn you of urgency black spots, schools and other potential hazards and it can alert you if you have exceeded the road's speed limit.
Emergency assistance
In the event of an accident, on some devices, you can passage protection and urgency assistance numbers, directions to the nearest hospital and car mend services and more.
Track Your Own Car
Some sat navs can keep track of your own car when you park so that you never lose it again. This is exquisite for unfamiliar spots and crowded places. The sat nav automatically marks your position when you take off it from the windscreen mount, so you can navigate with the sat nav on foot and then find your way back to your vehicle.
Handsfree Calls
With some devices you can now make hands-free calls from your Bluetooth movable phone via the speaker of the unit - helping to keep you safe and legal.
Synchronise With Your Phone
If you have a smartphone you can now transform it into a fully featured sat nav, development sailing even more portable. plainly load the sailing software and mapping data into your Gps-enabled smartphone and you're ready to navigate on foot or in the car.
You can synchronise with your phone's address book, theorize the fastest or shortest route, get turn-by-turn directions and then send a text to let citizen know that you're on your way. You can passage additional content such as traffic updates, hotel rates, weather and more. The easy to use sat nav software will automatically setup and associate to your phone; all you need to do is get on with your journey.
On our world-wide site (linked below) you will the widest range of products and some very good prices too, you can often get a demonstration in your local store but regularly buying online gives you the best price and the best choice.
Gps sailing and Satellite sailing - A Buying Guide
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