Global positioning: GPS training seminar, class planned

<em>By Mary Owen</em>

“Twinkle, twinkle little star… ” Ever wonder where you are?
 
From the beginning of time, stars have been helping people find locations, but today’s Global Positioning System devices make it even easier. 

Blake Miller will share his GPS expertise with hikers, hunters, snowmobilers, rescue teams, wildland firefighters and others who travel and work in the wilderness at two upcoming  trainings: a free 45-minute seminar on Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. at the Santiam Marketplace and Outdoor Show at Stayton Middle School, and a more intense $39 class, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Chemeketa Santiam Center.

The Global Positioning System, a navigation satellite system developed and used by the U.S. Military, is now used freely by civilians for navigation purposes, from wilderness treks to treasure hunting around town.

Miller and his wife, Cathy, who also helps with classes, are 10-year U.S. Navy veterans with backgrounds in navigation. Avidly involved in the outdoors – backpacking, hunting, kayaking, fishing and horseback riding — they know the importance of having the knowledge, experience and equipment to recreate and/or work safely.

“Our classes offer a hands-on approach to GPS operations,” said Blake Miller, of Redmond, who started Outdoor Quest in 1998 after listening to outdoor workers confused about how GPS receivers work. 

“I started using satellite navigation systems in the mid-’70s while I was in the Navy,” Miller said. “I have been a navigator aboard ship and for a staff. So I put together a class that was affordable, offered a hands-on approach for the student, and did the class in a reasonable amount of time.”

Enjoying the outdoors and getting home safely is Miller’s common bond with his students. Along with a map and compass, a GPS device is an effective tool to help navigate “in any weather, in any location at any time,” he said. “GPS gives a person confidence that they know exactly where they are with a reasonable expectation of accuracy.” 

Its technology uses a constellation of between 24 and 32 Earth-orbiting satellites that transmit microwave signals, which allow GPS receivers to determine their current location, time and velocity. 

GPS devices need not be expensive, Miller said. “Don’t buy more GPS than you need,” he said. “If you’re not a computer person or are just not ‘tech savvy,’ don’t spend a lot of money for one with a lot of mapping options or tons of features.”

Miller advises users to “do some reasonable research on the Web, look at reviews of GPS receivers and shop around.” He said a starter GPS will fall between $100 and $200, and is very usable for even the newest form of recreation – geocaching.  

Whatever sport people choose, Miller advises going with the right gear. “Map, compass and GPS go together,” he said.  

His classes offer students a detailed review of just how a GPS receiver works to compliment their travel in the woods. The classes create a scenario of arriving at a trailhead, using the GPS to mark waypoints and returning safely to one’s destination.

“Navigation is a very, very perishable skill,” Miller cautioned. “It takes practice.” And, he cautioned, “a broken GPS is just a paper weight and won’t be of any use at all.”