| Portable marine gps units are incredibly useful for | | | | data cards with MapSource or BlueChart g2 for |
| many people. For sailors and marine biologists, | | | | off shore details. One could add the additional |
| fishermen and ocean going vessels, the portable | | | | sonar to the marine gps units and be able to |
| marine gps units are important to their safety and | | | | locate large objects below the waters edge. They |
| wellbeing in dangerous and calm waters. The | | | | all come with 3D mapping and distress calling |
| portable marine gps helps those who are | | | | capabilities in case of emergencies. On land, the |
| navigating the ship to stay clear of underwater | | | | portable marine gps units are just as durable and |
| hazards like large rocks, trees or sunken ships and | | | | dependable as on the water. The autoroute |
| helps them find there way in the dark of night or | | | | basemap allows for street level, turn-by-turn |
| foggy mornings. Fishermen use the portable | | | | directions and a programmable MapSource city |
| marine gps units to return to their favorite fishing | | | | space for in-depth views of certain cities. |
| hole time and time again. | | | | The portable marine gps units utilize the sunlight |
| There are several models of portable marine gps | | | | and nightwatch modes to reduce the glares and |
| units that make navigation compact and easy | | | | improve visibility both in the noonday sun and the |
| when it comes to going from land to water and | | | | dark of night. Another feature is the Max anti |
| back again. Although some of the screens may | | | | grounding feature; embedding aerial photos of the |
| be small, about 3.8", they are shiny and bright | | | | marina and harbor entrances; and current arrows |
| with 480 x 320 pixels of light. Some of the | | | | show you which way the current is running and |
| features of a portable marine gps are: displaying | | | | the speed and temperature of the tides is all put |
| the weather forecasts along with the currents | | | | into the marine gps units. |
| and wave temperatures, many store up to 3,000 | | | | With the addition of another antenna, you have to |
| user waypoints per route, 10,000 point automatic | | | | buy a special antenna or the purchase of XM |
| track lock, 15 saved tracks and alarms for anchor | | | | satellite radio; you can see the weather changing |
| drag, off-course, low battery, proximity, | | | | in real time or hear updated weather reports |
| waypoint, clock, too deep, too shallow, water | | | | every five minutes. The weather is constantly |
| temperature and temperature rate of change and | | | | changing and that threat of change is an |
| arrival. | | | | important issue for people on the open waters or |
| On the water, the portable marine gps units are | | | | about to go into a lake, ocean or any waterways |
| durable and dependable, with a built-in autoroute | | | | where the water can turn into an enemy instead |
| basemap enhanced by marine chartography. They | | | | of a friend in a matter of seconds. |
| accept pre-programmed or user programmed | | | | |