GPS Tracking Device

By Greg Bartlett

Are you in charge of planning your company picnic, the family reunion or summer vacation? If you are racking your brain for fun activities for summertime events, consider a geocaching activity.

This form of “treasure hunting” can be lots of fun and a great way to bring a group of people together in a competitive way. Plus, a picnic or watermelon/ice cream is a great ending touch to a summertime geocaching activity.

The roots of geocaching go back to a man named Dave Ulmer, a GPS enthusiast who wanted to test the accuracy of his unit. After hiding a container (with stuff inside), Dave posted the coordinates of the hidden container on the internet for other GPS owners to locate—and within three days, the “cache” had been located and the results posted on the internet. This fun idea quickly caught on and others began hiding their own caches and posting the coordinates on the internet.

It also proved that GPS tracking can be highly accurate. GPS technology consists of a series of 24 satellites orbiting the earth, working in groups (usually threes) to determine the latitude and longitude of the receiver on earth. This information downloads to the internet or a mobile device, and is real-time (refreshes every 5 seconds, sometimes even faster).

GPS technology offers a lot of options, like geofencing (setting boundaries and notifications for when your vehicle leaves a certain area, a great anti-theft device), speed tracking and route tracking (good for teenager accountability), and a host of other tools.

In order to have a geocaching activity of your own, you’ll just need a few things to get started. Check out the official geocaching site, where you can find out where caches are in your area. You can even register and become a member (at no charge).

You’ll also need a GPS receiver that has coordinate capabilities. Rocky Mountain Tracking is a great source for finding GPS units that are great quality. Make sure you know exactly how to use your GPS—how to use the coordinates and how to read the receiver. Some geocachers recommend a topographical map—GPS will tell locations, but it won’t always let you know there’s a big mountain or flooded river between you and the cache. Some also recommend a compass, water/snacks, and other items to leave in the cache to replace what you might take from it.

If you have a large enough group and several people with GPS units, you can have several groups “race” to the cache—a competitive way to build leadership and teamwork while having fun. If you are assigned to planning summer activities, think no further than geocaching.